▁is ▁used ▁here . ▁ ▁New ▁Orleans ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 4 , ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁ 1 6 , ▁he ▁moved ▁to ▁New ▁Orleans ▁where ▁his ▁older ▁brothers ▁Laz are ▁( 1 8 2 1 - 1 8 7 5 ) ▁and ▁Alexandre ▁( 1 8 2 3 - 1 9 0 4 ) ▁had ▁previously ▁moved ▁following ▁an ▁uncle . ▁They ▁were ▁soon ▁joined ▁by ▁their ▁brothers ▁Maurice ▁( 1 8 2 5 - 1 8 9 1 ) ▁and ▁El ie ▁( 1 8 3 1 - 1 8 9 7 ). ▁New ▁Orleans ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 4 0 s ▁was ▁the ▁United ▁States ' ▁third - larg est ▁city , ▁the ▁trade ▁hub ▁for ▁the ▁South , ▁and ▁had ▁the ▁largest ▁concentration ▁of ▁French ▁language ▁speak ers . ▁The ▁brothers , ▁all ▁in ▁their ▁te ens ▁and ▁early ▁tw ent ies , ▁opened ▁Laz ard ▁Fr ères ▁& ▁Co . ▁at ▁Po yd ras ▁and ▁Car onde let ▁Stre ets , ▁a ▁few ▁blocks ▁from ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁River ▁landing , ▁a ▁small ▁shop ▁that ▁offered ▁fancy ▁and ▁st ap le ▁dry ▁goods , ▁for ▁“ a ▁very ▁small ▁profit .” ▁Simon ▁and ▁his ▁brothers ▁signed ▁a ▁partners hip ▁agreement ▁for ▁“ L az ard ▁Fr ères ” ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 8 4 8 , ▁the ▁birth ▁certificate ▁of ▁today ’ s ▁multi - n ational ▁Laz ard , ▁the ▁world ’ s ▁largest ▁independent ▁invest ment ▁bank . ▁