Joseph “Fils” Gary was born 22 September 1891, the son of Gedeon and Victoria Fremin Gary. He was a descendent of Pedro Garrido of Spain. The king of Spain brought Garrido and all of his belongings from Malaga, Spain, and relocated him north of Spanish Lake in Iberia Parish along with the other Maleguenos, to develop the area for Spain in the 1780s. Louisiana was by this time a Spanish possession.

Fils Gary was married to Ada Bares (1893-1985), and they had nine children. He made his living in the General Store at the Charogne community for forty-seven years. The cypress store was built by Jacque Bares (Fils Gary’s father-in-law) and Joe Moore. Fils Gary died in March 1961.

The Charogne Community is located south of the LeBlanc Community in Vermilion Parish at the caution light on Highway 339 about six miles north of Erath, LA. The store was a meeting place for the local farmers on rainy days.