Judge Émile Édouard (Edward) Simon, 1824 - 1914. A native of St. Martinville, Simon studied law at Harvard under the Honorable Joseph Story and Simon Greenleaf, earning his degree in 1846. As 14th Judicial District Judge from 1853 to 1865, Simon was to become the second of four generations of judges. While Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was writing the epic poem Evangeline and teaching at Harvard, Simon was a student there. Family tradition holds that Simon told Longfellow about the establishment of Acadian exiles here in 1765 and described for him the geography and local color of the Teche country. May this plaque forever honor our distinguished native son!

Evangeline Oak Park, St. Martinville, LA, United States

Le Chêne d'Evangeline. Longfellow a immortalisé dans "Evangeline" la tragédie des Acadiens exilés de leur pays à partir de 1755. Ce chêne se trouve là où, selon la légende, Emmeline Labiche et Louis Arceneaux (Evangeline & Gabriel) se sont rencontrés.

English translation: Evangeline Oak. Longfellow immortalized in “Evangeline” the tragedy of the Acadians exiled from their country from 1755. This oak is where, according to legend, Emmeline Labiche and Louis Arceneaux (Evangeline & Gabriel) met. [AWS Translate]

, St. Martinville, LA, United States