USA > Louisiana > Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume I > Part 9
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B. Roman. In 1833 he was again elected to the state senate, to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. Cheneveret, and served until the following year, when he retired from public life.
Beaver, a post-hamlet in the northwestern part of St. Landry parish, is about 5 miles east of Oakdale. the nearest railroad sta- tion, and in 1900 reported a population of 70.
Beech, a post-hamlet in the southeastern part of Winn parish. is near the creek of the same name and about 12 miles east of Winnfield, the parish seat. Castor and Flat Creek are the nearest railroad stations.
Begg, a post-hamlet in the central part of St. Landry parish, is a station on the Southern Pacific R. R .. 10 miles north of Opelousas, the parish seat. The population in 1900 was 50.
Belair, a post-village in the northern part of Plaquemines parish, is located on the east bank of the Mississippi river and is the southern terminus of the Louisiana Southern R. R., the construc- tion of which is contemplated to the mouth of the Mississippi river. It is a trading and shipping point of considerable importance, and in 1900 reported a population of 405.
Belcher, a village in the northeastern part of Caddo parish. is a station on the Texas & Pacific R. R .. about 20 miles north of Shreve- port, the parish seat. It has a money order postoffice, telegraph and express offices, and is a trading point of some importance.
Bell City, a village in the southeastern part of Calcasieu parish. is a station on the Southern Pacific R. R., about 20 miles southeast of Lake Charles. the parish seat. It has a money order postoffice, and is one of the important shipping points in that section of the parish.
Belle Alliance, one of the principal towns of Assumption parish, is located on Bayou Lafourche and the Texas & Pacific R. R., about 8 miles north of Napoleonville, the parish seat, and within 3 miles of the northern boundary of the parish. It has a money order postoffice, express and telegraph offices, a large retail trade, and in 1900 reported a population of 800.
Belle Amie, a postoffice of Lafourche parish, is situated on the east bank of the Bayon Lafourche, some 16 miles southeast of Lock- port, which is the most convenient railroad station.
Bellechasse, J. D. de Goutin, was appointed chief of militia in 1803 by Laussat. who reported as follows: "In the first place. I secured a chief for the militia, and I was lucky indeed in laying my hands on an officer who had served for 24 years, who was not per- sonally well disposed towards the Marquis de Casa Calvo, on account of his having been dismissed from active service on un- favorable terms, and who enjoyed an excellent reputation and much popularity in the country. He is, besides, the owner of considerable property in the vicinity of the city, and his name is Deville de Goutin Bellechasse." On Nov. 30. 1803. Bellechasse was placed in command of the militia. with the rank of colonel. and when the province was transferred to the United States a month later he received from Laussat a gift of 45 pounds of powder from the
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French stores for his personal use in his hunting trips, a pastime of which he was quite fond. When the act of Congress, establish- ing the Territory of Orleans, took effect on Oct. 1. 1804, Col. Belle- chasse was appointed a member of the legislative council, but having been active in calling public meetings to protest against the division of the province. he declined the seat. On July 30, 1805, he was appointed recorder by Gov. Claiborne. The following No- vember his name was included in a list of citizens recommended to the president from which to make appointments to fill the vacancies in the council, and President Jefferson appointed him to fill one of the places. He was active in securing the passage of the resolution of May 26, 1806, dissolving the legislature, because of the veto of certain acts by Gov. Claiborne, and was one of those who two days later signed the explanation in which they said: "The executive power has doubtless an absolute veto with respect to the particular constitution to be applied to this territory; but if by means of this veto his will, and only his will, is to be our supreme law, let him reign alone and without disguise." On Sept. 15, 1807, Col. Bellechasse addressed the crowd assembled on the batture, assert- ing in his speech the right of the people to use the batture as com- mon property, and it was chiefly through his influence that the settlement of the question was referred to the national government. He was a delegate to the first constitutional convention, which met on Nov. 4, 1811, and framed the constitution under which the State of Louisiana was admitted into the Union.
Belle Helene, a village of Ascension parish. is a station on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., about 6 miles north of Donald- sonville, the parish seat. It has a money order postoffice and a population of about 250.
Bellerose, a village of Assumption parish, is situated on Bayou Lafourche, 7 miles north of Napoleonville, the parish seat, and about halfway between Belle Alliance and Burbank, the nearest railroad stations. It has a money order postoffice and a population of about 350.
Bellevue, a post-village situated in the eastern part of Bossier parish on Bayou Bodcau, was selected as the first seat of justice of the parish in Feb., 1843, and named Fredonia. In July of the same year the name of Society Hill was adopted, but was shortly afterward changed again to Bellevue. The town was incorporated soon after its foundation, but the work of the council was of a very desultory character. In 1888 an election was held to determine the removal of the seat of justice and some years later it was re- moved to Benton. Within the past few years a railroad has been built through to the town. and it has become a shipping point of some importance. The population is about 200.
Bells Store, a post-hamlet in the southwestern part of East Feliciana parish, is about 4 miles southwest of Ethel, the nearest railroad town.
Bellwood, a post-hamlet in the southwestern part of Natchi- toches parish, is situated on a confluent of the Red river, about 6 miles southeast of Ingran, the nearest railroad station.
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Belmont, a post-hamlet in the eastern part of Sabine parish, is abont 5 miles northwest of Beck, the nearest railroad station, and 10 miles north of Many, the parish seat.
Beluche, Captain, a Creole, was a member of Lafitte's band of smugglers, who had their headquarters at Barataria bay. In the battle of New Orleans on Jan. 8, 1815, in connection with Capt. You, also one of Lafitte's men, he commanded Battery No. 3 and rendered valiant assistance in repelling Col. Rennie's assault on the right of the American line, for which he received honorable mention in Gen. Jackson's report. After the war Capt. Beluche, with the other "pirates" who took part in defending the city against the British, was pardoned by President Madison. He went to Cartagena and subsequently became a commodore in the Colom- bian navy.
Benham, a post-hamlet in the northeastern part of East Carroll parish, is situated on the Mississippi river, about 4 miles above Lake Providence, the parish seat and nearest railroad station.
Benjamin, Judah Philip, lawyer and statesman, was born on the island of Santa Cruz (or St. Croix), one of the virgin group of the West Indies, Aug. 11. 1811. His parents were English Jews, who sailed from England in 1811 with the intention of locating in New Orleans, but owing to the hostile attitude of Great Britain toward the United States were obliged to land at Santa Cruz, and it was during their temporary residence on that island that Judah was born. After the war of 1812 the family settled at Wilmington, N. C. At the age of 14 years the son entered Yale college, where he studied for 3 years, but did not graduate. He then came with his parents to New Orleans, where he studied law and in 1832, shortly after reaching his majority, he was admitted to the bar. Not finding an abundance of clients at first, he engaged in teaching school and in a compilation of a digest of the cases decided by the local courts, chiefly for his personal use, though he later added a digest of the cases in the supreme court and in 1834 published the result of his labors under the title of "A Digest of Reported Deci- sions of the Supreme Court of the Late Territory of Orleans, and of the Supreme Court of Louisiana." This work drew attention to him as an attorney, gave him a successful practice, and in 1840 he became a member of the renowned law firm of Slidell, Benjamin & Conrad. As a member of the Louisiana constitutional convention of 1845 he made himself prominent by his advocacy of a provision requiring the governors of the state to be citizens born in the United States. In 1847 Mr. Benjamin was retained as counsel by the U. S. commission to investigate the Spanish titles under which the early settlers of California claimed their lands. At the close of this investigation he was admited to practice in the U. S. supreme court and located in Washington, D. C., though he still claimed his residence in Louisiana. In 1848 he was one of the presidential electors from that state: was elected to the U. S. senate in 1852; reelected in 1859, and served until after Louisiana seceded from the
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Union, when he resigned. He was originally elected to the senate as a Whig, but became a Democrat on account of the position of the two parties on the question of slavery. When the provisional government of the Confederate States was formed in Feb., 1861, Mr. Benjamin was appointed attorney-general, and in the following August he was made secretary of war. A committee of the Con- federate Congress investigated his department and reported his conduct of the office as incompetent, and he resigned, but was immediately appointed secretary of state, in which capacity he won the reputation of being the "brains of the Confederacy." After the war he went to England, landing at Liverpool in Sept., 1865. He decided to make England his home and at once set to work studying English law. On Jan. 13, 1866, he became a student at Lincoln's inn, London, and a few months later was admitted to the bar, being then 55 years of age. Clients came slowly at first and he added to his meager income by writing for the newspapers and magazines. In 1867 he published "A Treatise on the Law of Sale of Personal Property," which brought him into prominence, the work being accepted as an authority on this subject through- out England. His practice now increased, he gave up his news- paper and magazine work, and in 1872 he was made queen's counsel. His.practice was now confined to briefs on appeal, and he appeared only before the house of lords and the privy council. On June 30, 1883, he withdrew from practice on account of failing health and joined his wife and daughter in Paris, France, where he died on May 8, 1884. The legislature of Louisiana on Oct. 12, 1864, adopted a resolution exempting Mr. Benjamin, along with others, from amnesty, and this action doubtless wielded an influence in driving him into exile. His memory is still revered in Louisana as a honest, fearless and able man.
Benson, a village in the southern part of De Soto parish, is a station on the Kansas City & Southern R. R., about 10 miles south of Mansfield. the parish seat. It has a money order postoffice, telegraph and express service, and is the trading center for a con- siderable district. The population is about 250.
Bentley, a post-village in the eastern part of Grant parish, is located at the junction of the Louisiana & Arkansas and Big Creek railroads, about 12 miles east of Colfax, the parish seat.
Benton, the capital of Bossier parish, is located in the western part of the parish on the line of the St. Louis Southwestern R. R., near the Red river, and about 12 miles north of Shreveport. It was selected as the parish seat by an election in Sept., 1888, but through some fault in the law of 1882 authorizing the removal from Bellevue, the latter place continued to hold the courthouse for some years after the election. The first number of the "Bossier Times," the first newspaper, was issued on Sept. 17, 1857, by Mitchell & Lowry. Benton was incorporated soon after it became the parish seat and in 1900 had a population of 463. The discovery of natural gas near the town since that census was taken has added to the importance of Benton and the present population is much
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larger. The town has a bank, a money order postoffice. telegraphi and express offices, several good mercantile houses, good schools and churches, and does a considerable business in the manufacture and shipment of lumber. etc.
Bermuda, a post-hamlet in the eastern part of Natchitoches parish, is situated on the Red river, about 3 miles east of Brevelle, the nearest railroad station and 10 miles southeast of Natchitoches, the parish seat. It has a population of about 250.
Bermudez, Edward E., chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court from 1881 to 1892, was born in the city of New Orleans, Jan. 19, 1832, a son of Joachim and Emma (Troxler) Bermudez, the former of Spanish and the latter of French and German descent. He was educated at Boyer's academy and Spring Hill college, Mobile, Ala., where he graduated with honors in May. 1851, after which he studied law in the office of Judge Monroe, of Kentucky, and in the fall of 1851 was admitted to the bar. He then completed the course in the law department of the University of Louisiana, was admitted to practice in the Louisiana supreme court in 1853, and shortly afterward in the supreme court of the United States. In 1861 he was a delegate to the state convention that passed the ordinance of secession, and was one of the first citizens of the state to offer his services as a soldier to uphold the cause of the Con- federacy. entering the army as a lieutenant in the 1st Louisiana infantry. He became judge advocate of the brigade: served as adjutant. provost-marshal-general and post commandant at Mobile, and after the cessation of hostilities held the position of assistant city attorney of New Orleans until removed by Gen. Sheridan. His elevation to the chief justiceship in 1881 gave universal satisfaction, both to the members of the bar and the general public. A promi- nent Louisiana lawyer said of him: "He is profoundly versed in civil law. To say that he is the best civilian of Louisiana would be offensive to some: to say that he is one of the best. may not be doing him justice. We will therefore make no comparison and will simply say that he is a great civilian, and would be considered so in any country where the civil law is extensively studied." In 1889 Judge Bermudez visited Paris and was honored with a seat. by the president, on the bench of the court of cessation, and permitted to assist at a consultation of the judges after hearing the evidence and arguments in a case. He was also honored in the same way by the court of assizes. In 1892 he was succeeded by ex-Gov. Francis T. Nicholls, as chief justice.
Bernice, a village in the southwestern part of Union parish. is a station on the Chicago. Rock Island & Pacific R. R., about 15 miles west of Farmerville. the parish seat. It has a money order post- office, an express office, telephone and telegraph facilities, and a population of about 250.
Berry, a post-hamlet in the extreme southwestern part of Cameron parish, is about 6 miles from the Sabine river. 4 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Sabine. Tex., is the nearest railroad town.
Bertie, a village in the eastern part of Assumption parish. is sit-
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uated on the Bayou Lafourche, about + miles southeast of Napoleon- . ville, the parish seat, and a short distance west of the Southern Pacific R. R. It has a money order postoffice, and in 1900 reported a population of 64.
Bertrandville, a post-village of Plaquemines parish, is a station on the Louisiana Southern R. R., 4 miles northwest of Belair, and in 1900 reported a population of 205.
Berwick, a town in the eastern part of St. Mary parish, is on the Southern Pacific R. R., about 2 miles west of Morgan City, the nearest banking town. It has a money order postoffice, telegraph station and express office, and is a trading center for a rich farming distriet. Its population in 1900 was 713.
Bethany, a village near the western boundary of Caddo parish, is about 6 miles southwest of Greenwood, the nearest railroad sta- tion, and 18 miles southwest of Shreveport, the parish seat. It has a money order postoffice and a population of about 150.
Bethlehem, a post-village in the southwestern part of Claiborne parish, is the eastern terminus of the Blackman & Dorcheat, or the Dorcheat Valley R. R., and is about 8 miles southwest of Homer, the parish seat.
Betty, a post-hamlet in the southeastern part of Franklin parish, is situated on Bayou Macon, about 6 miles east of Gilbert, the nearest railroad town.
Bienville, an incorporated town in the central part of Bienville parish, is a station on the Louisiana & Northwest R. R. It has a money order postoffice and in 1900 its population was 263.
Bienville, Jean Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de, sometimes called "The Father of Louisiana," was born at Montreal, Canada, Feb. 24, 1680, a son of Charles and Catherine (Primot) Le Moyne, and one of a family of fourteen children, viz: Charles, Jr .. Sieur de Lon- gueil ; Jacques, Sieur de Ste. Hélène ; Pierre. Sieur d'Iberville ; Paul, Sieur de Maricourt : François, Sieur de Bienville I: Joseph, Sieur de Serigny : Louis, Sieur de Chateauguay I; Jean Baptiste, Sieur de Bienville 11 ; Antoine, Sieur de Chateauguay II ; François Marie, Sieur de Sauvolle ; Catherine Jeanne, Marie Anne, Gabriel, and a child that died on the day of its birth. The father, Sieur de Longueil, Sr., was one of the French pioneers in Canada and lived for some time among the Huron Indians. His sons all grew under the hardy influences of the frontier, and all in later life filled im- portant positions in the French army or navy. Jean Baptiste (Bienville) entered the French navy while still a mere boy, and while serving on the ship Pelican was severely wounded in an action off the coast of New England. At the close of the war he went to France with his brother Pierre (d'Iberville), and when the latter - was chosen to command the expedition sent out by Louis XIV to found a colony in Louisiana, Bienville accompanied him. When Iberville returned to France in May, 1699, Bienville was appointed "king's lieutenant" and made second in command to Sauvolle, who was left in charge of the colony. In this capacity Bienville con- dueted excursions to various tribes of Indians and explored the
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streams in the vicinity of Biloxi, where the colony had been planted. It was while returning from one of these expeditions that he met and turned back a company of Englishmen who were seeking to establish a settlement on the Mississippi river. (See English Turn. ) In 1700 he was in command of the fort erected by his brother on the Mississippi river, and in Jan. 1702, pursuant to orders from the king, he founded a colony at Mobile, leaving 20 soldiers under Boisbriant at Biloxi. At Mobile he met his brothers, Serigny and Chateauguay and Nicolas de la Salle, who was to serve as intendant or commissaire of the new colony. About the middle of January, Bienville and Serigny went up the river some 18 leagues, where they began the erection of a fort and storehouse.
Bienville now had great difficulty in providing subsistence and in keeping down dissensions, La Salle, the intendant, and de la Vente, the vicar-general, being especially active in intrigues against Rien- ville and his two brothers. finally denouncing them to the French ministry. Early in Feb., 1708, news came that Bienville had been removed and De Muys appointed to succeed him, but the latter had died at Havana while en route to Mobile. Diron d'Artaguette, who had been appointed to succeed La Salle as intendant, arrived on Feb. 10, with instructions to investigate the charges against Bien- ville, and also bore a warrant for his arrest in case he was found guilty. Bienville wanted to go to France and face the charges, but the captain of the Renommee would not take him, as he was still governor. After a thorough investigation, d'Artaguette sub- mitted a report completely exonerating Bienville. When the grant to Crozat was made, Sept. 14, 1712, Bienville was named as "com- mander of the Mississippi and its tributaries," or lieutenant-gover- nor, and was second in command to Cadillac, the governor of Louisi- ana appointed by Crozat. Cadillac soon grew jealous of Bienville's popularity and sent him on an expedition against the Natchez In- dians, who had murdered some Frenchmen near their village (now Natchez, Miss.). He built Fort Rosalie (q. v.), left it in charge of an officer named Pailloux, and returned to Mobile to find that Cadillac had been removed and L'Epinay appointed to succeed him. The new governor had not arrived, however, and by virtue of his rank of lieutenant-governor Bienville assumed control of affairs, which caused great rejoicing among the people. On March 9, 1717. L'Epinay arrived with three ships bearing three companies of infantry and 50 colonists. The new governor brought with him the Cross of St. Louis, which the king bestowed upon Bienville as a special reward for his long and efficient services in upholding the French ascendency on the Mississippi. L'Epinay also brought to Bienville a grant of title to Horn island, but Bienville had expected more. While he appreciated the honor conferred upon him by the brilliant Cross of St. Louis, he wanted to be governor of the colony he had labored so persistently to place upon firm foundation. The people, too, were disappointed, and L'Epinay found himself con- fronted on every hand by insubordination. In Aug., 1717, Crozat surrendered his charter, L'Epinay returned to France, and again
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Bienville was left in control. Crozat was succeeded by the Western company and on Feb. 9, 1718, three ships sent out by that company arrived at Mobile with troops, supplies, and Bienville's commission as commandant-general, or governor. About the time that Crozat gave up his grant a hurricane choked up the harbor at Mobile with sand, making it a difficult matter for vessels to land, and the headquarters of the colony were taken back to Biloxi. One of the first official acts of Bienville upon becoming governor was to establish a colony on the Mississippi river, with a view to making it the seat of government. He selected the site where the city of New Orleans now stands, set 50 men to work at clearing the ground, and prepared to move thither, but the superior council interposed an objection. Thus matters stood until in April, 1722, when Bien- ville called attention to the disadvantages of New Biloxi, ships being compelled to unload at Ship island, which made it necessary to rehandle all freight, whereas, at New Orleans, ships could come directly up the river to the landing without having to transfer their cargoes. The council now consented to Bienville's plan, and in August he took up his official residence there. In the meantime, his brother Serigny arrived-April 19, 1719-with a French man- of-war, bringing the news of the declaration of war between France and Spain, and bearing an order for Bienville to go at once and capture the Spanish post at Pensacola. In May he sailed into Pensacola bay with three war vessels and a sloop carrying 230 men, and before this force the Spanish surrendered without resistance. The place was afterward recaptured by the Spanish, but was re- taken by Bienville, who also sent detachments to guard the frontier of upper Louisiana from an invasion from Mexico.
In Jan., 1724, as the result of a conspiracy against him, Bienville was ordered to France to answer accusations, and Boisbriant was sent down from Fort Chartres to administer the affairs of the colony until the arrival of Gov. Perier, who assumed the duties of the office in Oct., 1726. Bienville did not succeed in clearing himself of the charges against him for some time, but in 1733 he was rein- stated as governor and commandant-general, and returned to New Orleans. He continued as governor for about ten years, during which time he was active in prosecuting wars against the Indians and in promoting the peace and prosperity of the colony. He was. unsuccessful in an expedition against the Chickasaws, was super- seded in 1743 by the Marquis de Vaudreuil and left Louisiana, never to return. His last public service was in connection with the trans- fer of Louisiana from France to Spain under the treaty of Nov. 1762, when he appeared with Jean Milhet before the Duke of Choiseul to urge an arrangement that would not separate the colonists from the government of France. Upon being informed that it was impossible to grant the petition, it is said that Bienville, then nearly 85 years old, burst into tears, fell upon his knees and piteously begged the duke "for a reconsideration of the decree against the colony," but in vain. He died in Paris on March 7. 1768, and was buried with military honors in the cemetery of Montmartre.
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