The St. Avit family on the corner of Spanish and Independence

The St. Avit family loved the holidays. Each year, the Christmas season was busy and profitable. Their popular mercantile/grocery store at the southeast corner of Spanish and Independence streets was fully stocked with beautiful porcelain, textiles and other goods, not only from their native France, but other European countries. Their grocery line was superb, receiving many delectables from steamships coming north from New Orleans. As Lee Albert commented in "Memories of Cape Girardeau," "The St. Avit store was one of the most completely equipped groceries around."

As one of the several French families among many German households, the St. Avits lived over their store and maintained a lifestyle that emulated finer aspects of provincial France.

The patriarch of the family, John St. Avit, came from France to Cape Girardeau at the age of 20 on March 18, 1855.

During the Civil War, John served as a cavalry Union soldier from 1863-65. With pride, he proudly displayed his saber in their attractive home.

Educated and trained in France as a carpenter, John continued in the profession for six years before embarking in the produce and pork packing business in 1877, followed by mercantile in 1884.

After arriving here, John married the petite French lady, Jeane DePont. They had two sons, John Jr. and Eugene. Upon her death May 4, 1872, a large Catholic funeral was held. Several years later, John married Mrs. Eliza Wilkes.

The St. Avit corner was a place of entertainment. Just east of the building were formal flower and vine gardens surrounded by an attractive brick wall on Independence.

The family loved music. Melodies from their square grand piano could often be heard wafting through open windows.

Following the busy Christmas season, the St. Avit family continued to entertain with a lavish reception on New Year's Day 1891. They went to considerable expense for their "Piece de Resistance," including fresh oysters shipped to Cape from New Orleans on the icy Mississippi River.

At 3 p.m. sharp, as the shadows lengthened, their guests arrived to the decorated home. The crystal gaslight chandeliers twinkled, as electricity would not come to Cape until 1894.

The St. Avits, dressed in their finest, welcomed the following guests to name a few: Ben Adams, editor of the Cape Girardeau Democrat; the Klostermans; Morrisons; Frederichs; Engelmanns; Krafts; Regenhardts; Kages and Hochs. Holiday singing was exuberant as the guests enjoyed wine and wassail around the piano. A cedar tannenbaum log burned brightly in the walled garden.

Besides working in the family business, John Jr. studied medical journals from their neighbor, Dr. John Porterfield, before obtaining his medical degree and becoming a successful doctor.

On many Sundays John and Eugene loaded up camera equipment, picked up their good friend, photographer Tom Powers, and drove out to the St. Vincent's College farms to take pictures, one south of Cape and one north, which is now the Cape Girardeau Country Club. They became quite good photographers.

Following John Sr.'s death in 1907, son Eugene carried on the business until 1921. Dr. John St. Avit died on June 7, 1942.