USA > Louisiana > Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume I > Part 5
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The House of the Good Shepherd on Bienville street is under the control of the sisters of the Good Shepherd and contains two depart- ments, one composed of young people placed in the institution by their parents and the other of young persons committed to the home by the courts. The building is large and well-appointed and contains school and work rooms, chapel, dormitories, offices, etc. It is designed to accommodate young people whose tendency is to become incorrigibles, with the hope of converting them into good and useful citizens.
In addition to the asylums mentioned, the following have accom- plished useful work: "La Maison Hospitalière," the Beauregard asylum, the Boys' house of refuge, the female asylum of the Immac- ulate Conception, the Faith Home for the aged and destitute, the German Protestant asylum, the House of the Sisters of Christian Charity, the House of Refuge for destitute girls, the Indigent Col- ored asylum, the industrial school and model farm of Our Lady of the Holy Cross, the Louisiana Retreat insane asylum, the New Orleans female orphan asylum, the Protestant orphans' home, the Providence asylum for colored children, the Societe Francaise de Bienfaisance asylum, the St. Alphonsus orphan asylum, the Shakes- peare almshouse. St. Joseph's orphan asylum, and the Father Turgis widows' and orphans' asylum.
Athénée Louisianais .- This is a literary society whose chief pur- pose is to preserve the French language in Louisiana. It was Dr. Alfred Mercier, a distinguished physician and writer, who con- ceived the idea of establishing the society. He spoke of his plan to some of his friends and on Jan. 12, 1876, the Athénée Louisianais was founded, with the following members: Dr. Alfred Mercier, Olivier Carrière, Col. Léon Queyrouze, Dr. Armand Mercier, Dr. J. G. Hava, Auguste Jas, Dr. Charles Turpin, Gen. G. T. Beaure- gard, Paul Fourchy, Dr. Sabin Martin, Dr. Just Touatre and Judge Arthur Saucier.
The first officers of the society were: Dr. Armand Mercier, president ; Gen. G. T. Beauregard, vice-president; Dr. Alfred Mer- cier, secretary-treasurer. . The title of secretary-treasurer was changed to that of perpetual secretary, and Dr. Alfred Mercier filled that office until his death in 1894. He had as a worthy suc- cessor Bussière Rouen, the present secretary.
. Dr. Armand Mercier resigned as president in 1880 and was suc- ceeded by Gen. Beauregard. The latter's successor was Prof. Alcée Fortier, who was elected in 1892 and has been reelected president every year from that time.
The Athenee Louisianais offers annually a gold medal and $50 in gold to the winner in a literary contest-an essay written in French on a given subject. It has published since 1876 a magazine which contains a great part of the modern French literature of Louisiana. It has invited many eminent men, among whom was Ambassador Jules Cambon, to deliver lectures in French in New Orleans under ' its auspices. It is affiliated with the Alliance Francaise of Paris and of the United States. The officers of the society in 1909 were:
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Prof. Alcée Fortier, president ; Judge Emile Rost, first vice-presi- dent; Charles T. Soniat, second vice-president; Bussière Rouen, , perpetual secretary ; Edgar Grima, assistant secretary.
Athens is a money order post-village in the southern part of Claiborne parish, on the Louisiana & Northwestern R. R., 10 miles south of Homer, the parish seat. This town was settled during the third decade of the 19th century. In 1846 a large area of land was given the town for school purposes, and the same year it became the seat of parochial government. On Nov. 7, 1849, the school buildings in which the offices of the parish were located were burned, with all the valuable records of the parish, and the same year the seat of justice was moved to Homer. Athens is one of the most important stations on the railroad. It has express and telegraph offices, a population of 200, and is the trading center of a fine agricultural district.
Atherton (R. R. name Spitlers), a small post-village in the east- ern part of East Carroll parish, is a station on the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern R. R., about 6 miles south of Lake Provi- dence, the parish seat.
Atkins, a village in the southeastern part of Bossier parish, on the line of the Louisiana Railway & Navigation company, about 20 miles southeast of Shreveport. It has a money order postoffice, is a trading center for a rich cotton district, and has a population of about 150.
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Atlanta, a village in the southwestern part of Winn parish, is a station on the line of the Louisiana Railway & Navigation com- pany, about 10 miles southwest of Winnfield, the parish seat. It has a money order postoffice and in 1900 reported a population of 45.
Attakapas .- (See Indians.)
Aubert, Gen. Dubayet, a distinguished French soldier and diplo- matist, was born in Louisiana on Aug. 17, 1759. His father, who held the rank of adjutant-major, was one of the officers sent by Gov. Aubry, at the request of Gen. O'Reilly, in 1769, to arrest Fou- cault, the French commissary. The son entered the French army at an early age, and during the Revolutionary war served in Amer- ica. Returning to France, he soon began to take an active interest in public affairs, and in 1789 published a pamphlet opposing the admission of Jews to citizenship. In 1791 he was chosen a member of the legislative assembly and took a prominent part in its delib- erations. Two years later he was made governor of Mayence, which he was compelled to surrender to the king of Prussia, but not until he had made the best possible defense with the means at his disposal. He was then appointed general-in-chief in La Vendee, but after his defeat at Clisson he was severely denounced by some of his countrymen for his failure. He successfully defended him- self against his accusers and was again employed at Cherbourg until called to the post of minister of war. After holding this posi- tion for three months, he was appointed minister of the French republic at Constantinople, where he died on Dec. 17, 1797.
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Aubrey, a post-hamlet in the southeastern part of Vernon parish, is about 3 miles east of Pitkin, which is the nearest railroad station.
Aubry, Capt. Charles, the last Frenchman to serve as governor of Louisiana before the actual commencement of the Spanish domination, had distinguished himself with the French army in Italy before coming to America. In the summer of 1758 he was ordered by the commandant at Fort Chartres to go to the relief of Fort Duquesne (where Pittsburg, Pa., now stands), then menaced by a British force under Maj. Grant. Aubry ascended the Ohio and on Sept. 14, defeated the British, but the latter received rein- forcements, when Aubry burned the fort and returned to Fort Chartres. The following year he was captured on the Niagara and upon being released returned to France, where he received the Cross of St. Louis. Again he came to Louisiana and when d'Ab- badie died in Feb., 1765, he became acting governor of the province until the arrival of Gov. Ulloa. Jean de Champigny says: "M. Aubry was a little, dry,`lean, ugly man, without nobility, dignity or carriage. His face would seem to announce a hypocrite, but in him this vice sprang from excessive goodness, which granted all rather than displease ; always trembling for the consequences of the most indifferent actions, a natural effect of a mind without resource or light; always allowing itself to be guided. and thus swerving from rectitude in conduct; religious through weakness rather than from principle; incapable of wishing evil, but doing it through a charitable human weakness; destitute of magnanimity or reflec- tion ; a good soldier but a bad leader; ambitious of honors and dignity, but possessing neither firmness nor capacity to bear the weight."
After Ulloa's arrival Aubry became the mouthpiece of the Span- ish governor, proclaiming the law regulating the commerce of the colony-a law, that still further increased the indignation of the people. (See Revolution of 1768.) French soldiers, commanded by Aubry and under the French colors, remained in service in the pay of Spain, another fact that tended to render Aubry more un- popular than ever. When Ulloa left New Orleans in the fall of 1768, Aubry again administered the affairs of the province until Gov. O'Reilly arrived at New Orleans and assumed the reins of government. Shortly after that Aubry started for France, but the vessel on which he took passage was wrecked at the mouth of the river Garonne and he was lost. It has been stated that he took with him a large sum of money and the public records of the colony of Louisiana, but Dr. Gustavus Devron, in a paper read before the Louisiana historical society on May 19, 1897, questions the cor- rectness of this statement so far as the papers are concerned. On that occasion Dr. Devron exhibited the certificate of the man who took Aubry in a canoe 21/2 miles below the city, where he went on board his ship. According to this old certificate, Aubry had with him two chests, cach containing at least 10,000 livres, a large sack of money and from 15,000 to 16,000 livres in his purse. Devron thinks that this money was the reward paid him for assisting in
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establishing Spanish authority and in suppressing the revolution. In his paper he says: "Aubry, through his servile obedience to the orders of his master, Louis XV, became the lacquey of Ulloa, and his detective, and later became the cowardly informer upon his countrymen on the arrival of the Spanish O'Reilly. * * * Aubry is therefore responsible for the executions of Lafrenière, Noyan, Caresse, Milhet and Marquis, and also for the arrest and death of Villeré."
Auburn, a post-hamlet in the northwestern corner of Vernon parish, is about 4 miles east of Bayou Toro and 8 miles southwest of Hornbeck, the nearest railroad station.
Audubon, John James .- Unique in the best sense of the word was the wonderful genius of John James Audubon, the greatest ornithologist the world has ever known, of whose picturesque. and romantic life Louisiana is proud to claim the earliest and some of the later years. While the life of every frontiersman of his time was fraught with stirring adventure, yet to the travels and experi- ences of this devoted student of the feathered tribe, there attaches a peculiar interest because each incident in itself was subordinate to the discoveries it helped him to make. Each step of his journeys, each hunting expedition, was made memorable by some drawing or mental note which was given to the world in his publications in later years. The "Wanderlust" was in his blood and the call of nature ever sounded in his ears, luring him from his wife and family to whom he was devoted, and' making it impossible for him to follow any ordinary occupation.
The name of Audubon was not a common one in France when borne by John Audubon, grandfather of the naturalist, a fisherman of the little village of Sable d'Olonne, 45 miles south of Nantes, but he did his part to popularize it by conferring it upon 21 children, of whom the father of John James was the 20th. The latter was sent into the world to seek his fortune with no capital but his health and strength and for many years followed the sea. He be- came a commodore in the French navy and made a number of voyages to America, acquiring at different times several valuable estates there. One of these, most delightfully situated near Mande- ville, La., and facing Lake Pontchartrain, became the home of the French commodore and his young and beautiful bride, nee Anne Moynette, a daughter of a prominent Spanish family of New Orleans. Here 4 children were born to them, 1 daughter and 3 sons.
The youngest son. John James, was born May 4, 1780, and dwelt with his parents in Louisiana during his infancy, until the death of his mother in San Domingo. Thither she accompanied her hus- band on a visit to one of their estates and was killed during a battle with negroes, who attempted to drive out the white residents. The bereaved father returned to France with his children, where they were soon placed under the care of a stepmother.
The boyhood of Audubon in the city of Nantes, was a time to which he looked back with most pleasant recollections. His fond-
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ness for drawing and the study of natural history was encouraged by his stepmother, who was devoted to the boy, and arrangements were made for him to study drawing with the master David. Although his father insisted upon the boy's having a more practical education, Audubon's only very rapid progress was made in those branches to which his natural instincts inclined him. At the age of 18 years, John James was sent by his father to superintend his estate in Pennsylvania, which was situated on the Perkiomen creek in the eastern part of the state, and bore the name of Mill Grove. Referring to his life at Mill Grove, he writes, "Hunting, fishing, and drawing occupied my every moment. Cares I knew not, and cared nothing for them." The adjoining estate was known as Fatland Ford and owned and occupied by an Englishman, William Bakewell, to whose daughter Lucy Audubon became very much attached and whom he subsequently married. It was during the life at Mill Grove, where Audubon indulged freely in all out- door sports and studies, that the idea of an American Ornithology took form, for which he collected specimens and studies for more than 15 years. Entries in his journal, made at Mill Grove, charac- terize Audubon as free from vices, thoughtless, pensive, loving and having a passion for raising all sorts of fowls, fond of dress, dancing and skating. He was very abstemious in his habits in the matter of eating and drinking, which stood him in good stead in his subse- quent wanderings, and to which he attributed his good health, strength and endurance.
After a year spent in France and a short time in New York city, where he endeavored to apply himself to commercial pursuits, Audubon married Miss Bakewell. sold the Mill Grove farm, and with his bride located in Louisville, Ky., where he engaged in trad- ing with a friend, MIr. Rosier, the father of the noted New Orleans lawyer, Hon. J. Ad. Rosier. The firm engaged in business in Louis- ville and after a few years moved to Hendersonville, Ky., at which time Mrs. Audubon with her baby son Victor, returned to her father's home for a visit. The business at Hendersonville was not very prosperous and St. Genevieve on the Mississippi became the trading post of the partners. Here Mr. Rosier married, and to him Audubon sold his share in the business, returning to Hender- sonville to meet his wife. Varions business ventures in this locality proved unprofitable and Audubon supported his family by drawing crayon portraits, which were in great demand. He was invited to become a curator of the Cincinnati museum which position he accepted, and also opened a drawing school in that city. When his work of preparing birds for the museum was finished, and many of his drawing pupils had become teachers, he was obliged to seek a new occupation. He returned to Kentucky, where his family accompanied him in his wanderings. At this time he devoted his entire attention to bird study and in pursuit of this occupation he journeyed south as far as New Orleans, leaving his family in Ken- tucky. In New Orleans he obtained a few commissions for por-
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traits and was later employed by Mrs. Perric of Bayou Sara to give lessons in drawing to her daughter.
In the autumn of 1821, Mrs. Audubon joined her husband in New Orleans and found employment in giving private lessons. Audu- bon was engaged to teach drawing at Washington, a short dis- tance from Natchez. Miss. It was Mrs. Audubon's dearest wish that he should pursue his ornithological studies, and to that end she accepted a situation as teacher in the family of Mrs. Percy, of Bayou Sara. Meanwhile her husband lost no opportunity to -study and paint birds and this vocation led to extensive wanderings on his part through the northern and eastern sections of the country.
In 1826, the great naturalist journeyed to England to arrange for the publication of his American Ornithology, which he named the Birds of America, and which Cuvier called the greatest work of its kind in existence. He succeeded after protracted efforts in both England and France in obtaining a considerable number of sub- scribers at $1,000 a copy. The work was profusely illustrated and comprised 5 volumes of letter press and 5 of engravings. Upon his return to America in 1829 he began collecting material for "An Account of the Habits of Birds of the United States," which fur- nished the object of many a long journey through the wilderness. In 1831 he returned to England, accompanied by his wife, and arranged for the publication of his second great work, which was completed and published in Edinburg in 1839. Audubon with his family returned to New York, where the author devoted himself to the reprint of the Birds of America, and its reduction to 7 octavo volumes.
With his son Victor, he traveled in 1843 to the Yellowstone river, gathering material for "The Quadrupeds of America," which was published in 3 volumes, in 1846, 1851 and 1854 respectively. The western journey was the last the celebrated naturalist was to undertake, for within a few years, both mind and sight were seri- ously impaired by old age, and in his delightful home on the Hud- son, with his wife and 2 sons near him, Audubon's remaining days were spent. On Jan. 27, 1851, the world's greatest ornithologist passed peacefully away, and four days later his remains were ten- derly laid away in Trinity church cemetery, the resting place he had himself designated.
During Audubon's frequent and extensive journeys in search of data, he explored wilderness and forests from far northern Labrador to southern Florida. He was frequently accompanied on these trips by one or both of his sons, both of whom possessed marked artistic talent. They were of the greatest assistance to him in the preparation of his plates and continued the work of their more famous parent.
Augustin, J. Numa, soldier, was born in Louisiana in 1874 and was a member of one of the distinguished families of the state, his father, J. Numa Augustin, Sr., having served with distinction in the state senate, and his grandfather was an officer on the staff of
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Gen. Beauregard during the Civil war. He was educated at West Point, where he graduated as a lieutenant of infantry and was as- signed to duty with the 24th U. S. regulars. When the Spanish- American war began, Lieut. Augustin accompanied his regiment to Cuba, and in the charge at San Juan hill on July 1, 1898, he received a mortal wound, from which he died the following day. His remains were brought to New Orleans later in the year, and after lying in state at the city hall were buried with military honors on Nov. 20, 1898. a large concourse of people following the funeral cortege to the cemetery. Lient. Augustin was the only Louisianian that was killed in that war.
Aurora, a post-hamlet in the western part of Washington parish, is about 3 miles from the Tchefunete river, and 8 miles southwest of Franklinton, the parish seat and nearest railroad town.
Austin, a little post-hamlet in the central part of Washington parish, is about 6 miles southeast of Franklinton, the parish seat, which is the most convenient railroad station.
Avard (R. R. name Chathamville), a little village in the eastern part of Jackson parish, is a station on the Tremont & Gulf R. R., and is about 10 miles southeast of Vernon, the parish seat. It has a money order postoffice, an express office, and is the trading point for a considerable section in that part of the parish.
Avery Island, a village in the southern part of Iberia parish, is the terminus of a branch line of the Southern Pacific R. R. It is about 10 miles southwest of New Iberia, the parish seat, has a money order postoffice, an express office, and a population of about 250. The principal industry is salt mining, one of the finest salt mines in the country being located on the island. (See Salt.)
Avoca (R. R. name Little Texas), a village in the eastern part of Assumption parish, is a station on a branch line of the Southern Pacific R. R., about 4 miles south of Napoleonville, the parish seat. It has a money order postoffice and some retail trade.
Avoyelles Parish was established in 1807 as one of the 19 parishes created out of Orleans territory by the first territorial legislature. It has an area of 850 square miles and was nanied after the Avoyelles Indians, who lived on the prairie when the French first visited it. It is situated in the central part of the state and is bounded on the north by Rapides and Catahoula parishes ; by Con- cordia and Pointe Coupée parishes on the east; on the south by St. Landry parish. and on the west by Rapides parish. The first settlements were made by the French and Spanish, who began to pass up the Red river early in the 18th century. They were fol- lowed by the Acadians, and other settlers who flocked into Avo- yelles in such great numbers that the commandant of Avoyelles post, Jacques Gagriord, had to protect the Indians. All during the French and Spanish rule of Louisiana. the commandants of this post protected the Indians on their lands against the eneroachment of the white settlers. They held about 285 acres of land near Marks- ville, until forced out by the whites after Louisiana was ceded to the United States in 1803. The oldest record of the parish is one
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of the police jury, dated June 24, 1821. In 1825 Judge William Murray opened the first district court of the parish at Marksville, the parish seat. Avoyelles academy was established at an early date, and Daniel Webster presided over it in 1842. The Marksville high school was started in 1856, and the Convent of the Presenta- tion in 1869. Public schools are maintained throughout the parish for white and black. The principal water courses are the Red, Saline and Atchafalava rivers and Bayous Long, Natchitoches, Avoyelles, De Glaize and Rouge. Good water is plentiful in all parts of the parish. The formation is varied, consisting of alluvial land, wooded swamp, prairie and bluff land. The alluvial soil of the river bottoms is very productive. Like all the river parishes the chief products are cotton and cane, though corn, potatoes, rice and sorghum are also grown. Cattle thrive on the uplands and the live stock industry is one of great importance. Avoyelles was heavily timbered in the early days with pine, oak. ash, eypress. . gum, elm, poplar, locust, beech and maple. Large tracts of yellow pine still exist, and though millions of feet of lumber have been cut, enough remains to be the source of great wealth in the years to come. Transportation and shipping facilities are good. The Texas Pacific R. R. traverses the southwestern corner, and a branch line runs east from Bunkie through the southern portion to Legonier on the eastern boundary, and then south on the west side of the Atcha- falaya river to Woodside. The Louisiana Railway & Navigation company has a line running east and west through the center of the parish from Naples on the eastern boundary to Echo on the western boundary. Cheap transportation is furnished on the Red river by steamboats. Avoyelles is one of the most populous par- ishes in the state, Marksville, the parish seat, is one of the most important towns, others are, Bordelonville, Bunkie, Cottonport, Eola, Evergreen, Mansura, Millburn, Moreauville, Plaucheville, Red Fish, and Simmesport. The following statistics for the parish are taken from the U. S. census for 1900: Number of farms, 4,674; acreage in farms, 194,841 ; acreage under cultivation, 117,171 ; value of land and improvements exclusive of buildings, $3,836,780; value of farm buildings, $941.830; value of live stock, $838,812 ; total value of all products not fed to live stock, $2,097,357. Number of manu- facturing establishments, 71; capital invested, $384,936; wages paid, $39,434 ; cost of materials used, $188,430; total value of prod- ucts, $304,469. The population for 1900 was whites 17,762, colored 11,891, total 29,701, an increase of 4,589 over the year 1890. The estimated population for 1908 was 33,000.
Ayers (R. R. name Ayers Spur), a post-hamlet and station in the southern part of Sabine parishi, is on the Kansas City Southern R. R., about 10 miles south of Many, the parish seat and nearest banking town.
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B
Babington, a post-hamlet in the northern part of Washington parish, is situated on Lawrence creek, about 6 miles northeast of Franklinton, the parish seat and nearest railroad town.
. Baby Bonds .- (See Finances, State.)
Bagley, a post-hamlet of Caddo parish, about 8 miles south of Shreveport, and 1 mile west of Cut Off, the nearest railroad town.
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