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Mr. and Mrs. Moulon
Ruthie’s parents, Henry Eugene Moulon (born October 3, 1893) and Mary Grace Broussard (birth date unknown) were married June 23, 1928 and moved to New Orleans from Plaquemine, Louisiana.
An unconfirmed story is that Henry, who was originally from New Orleans, was a longshoreman who met Grace in Plaquemine. Grace had a dream to flee small town Plaquemine and head to the big city of New Orleans. Henry told her if she’d marry him, he’d take her back there.
Henry and Grace had three children, Henry Jr. (born August 14, 1930), Ruth Grace (born January 19, 1934), and Mary Louise (born January 23, 1936).
Not much is known about Ruthie’s father, Henry. He was a short man, all of 5’5" and 115 pounds. The family lived at 2326 Marais in New Orleans, and soon moved to 528 St. Philip in the French Quarter. Henry was a laborer. He supported the family by working odd jobs including dish washer and oyster
shucker.
The family was poor. Letters were found from 1946 from a furniture store and law firm regarding collection of payment for furniture Mr. Moulon purchased and, despite repeated efforts from the company, refused to pay. In 1948, an attempt was made by the Associated Catholic Charities on
behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Moulon to be placed in the St. Thomas project. But there is no record that they ever actually lived there.
Legend has it that Henry Moulon’s legs were cut off by a train on the railroad tracks behind Jax Brewery. But we do know that he died November 11, 1959.
Ruthie’s mother, Grace, was a devout Catholic. She was as tiny in stature as Ruthie. "She was a little French lady. She seemed to have a little bit of an accent," remembers Carol Cunningham. Mrs. Moulon spent her days sewing, attending church, and reading the Bible. Ruthie was Mrs. Moulon’s favorite child. When Ruthie was a child, Mrs. Moulon would dress her up like a baby doll, putting her hair in curls like Shirley Temple. Grace Moulon died in 1979.
