Jean LAFARGUE was born on November 30, 1827 in Clairac. He is the son of Pierre Lafargue, a farmer, aged twenty-three, and of Jeanne Lassague, his wife.
Called up from the 1847 class as a soldier in the battalion of administrative workers on June 18, 1848, he was appointed master workman on December 7, 1849.
He enlisted as a soldier in the 7th Battalion of Foot Chasseurs on May 23, 1850. He was appointed corporal on December 16, 1850, furrier-corporal on July 5, 1851, furrier-sergeant on November 8, 1851, and sergeant on January 19, 1853. He took part in the Rome (Italy) campaign from July 13, 1851 to March 2, 1853, and then in the African campaign from March 3, 1853 to January 30, 1854.
He was posted to the 14th Fighter Battalion on January 28, 1854, where he was appointed furrier sergeant on April 21, 1854. With this unit he continued the African campaign from June 9 to July 26, 1854. He was assigned to the Foot Chasseurs Battalion of the Imperial Guard on July 25, 1854, and was appointed sergeant-major on March 20, 1855.
He was appointed second lieutenant in the 16th Battalion of Dismounted Hunters on July 21, 1859, and served as clothing officer in the 15th Battalion of Dismounted Hunters from July 21, 1859. Assigned to the 3rd Battalion of Dismounted Hunters on March 21, 1863, he was assigned the duties of clothing officer of that unit on the same date.
On March 8, 1864, he married Michelle, Alexine, Joséphine Soufflet.
On July 24, 1970, he was appointed captain of the 17th Battalion of Dismounted Chasseurs and on December 7, 1871, he was appointed captain major of the 28th Battalion of Dismounted Chasseurs. In 1870-1871 he took part in the campaign against Germany.
He is named Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur by decree of May 22, 1873. His knight's cross was presented to him in Angoulême on July 3, 1873 by the battalion commander Hippolyte Vanleemputten, commander of the 28th Battalion of Foot Chasseurs. He retired in Angers (Maine-et-Loire). He died on October 4, 1893.
