USA > Louisiana > Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume II > Part 63
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all, of this sulphur for export comes from Louisiana, it will be readily seen that the sulphur mine is one of the paying industries of the state.
Sulphur, a village in the southwestern part of Calcasieu parish, is a station on the Southern Pacific R. R., 10 miles west of Lake Charles. It is near the large sulphur mine from which it derives its name, has an international money order postoffice, telegraph and express offices, a good retail trade, and in 1900 had a popula- tion of 102.
Summerfield, a village in the northeastern part of Claiborne par- ish, is a station on the Bernice & Northwestern R. R., about 15 miles northeast of Homer, the parish seat. It is in the lumbering district, has a money order postoffice, a good retail trade, and in 1900 reported a population of 127.
Sun, a post-hamlet in the northeast corner of St. Tammany par- ish, is situated on a confluent of the Bogue Chitto, about 3 miles east of Bush, the nearest railroad station, and 18 miles northeast of Covington, the parish seat.
Sunnyhill, a money order postoffice in the northwest corner of Washington parish. is a station on the Kentwood & Eastern R. R., 8 miles east of Kentwood and 12 miles northwest of Franklinton, the parish seat. It is a shipping town for a fruit and lumber dis- trict, and in 1900 had a population of 45.
Sunrise, a post station in the southern part of Plaquemines par- ish, is situated on the west bank of the Mississippi river and the New Orleans, Fort Jackson & Grand Isle R. R., about 20 miles below Pointe a la Hache, the parish seat. It is a landing on the river, has a telegraph station, and in 1900 reported a population of 72.
Sunset, a town in the southern part of St. Landry parish. is a station on the Southern Pacific R. R., 8 miles south of Opelousas. the parish seat. It has a bank, a money order postoffice, telegraph and express offices, and is the trading point for a considerable dis- trict. Its population in 1900 was 175.
Sunshine, a village in the southeastern part of Iberville parish, is situated on the east side of the Mississippi river. 5 miles east of Plaquemine. the parish seat. and 3 miles west of Iberville, the nearest railroad station. It has a money order postoffice, and in 1900 had a population of 90.
Superior Council .- This body was called into existence at the time Louisiana was granted to Crozat in 1712. Originally it had but two members, of whom the governor was one, but was subse- quently enlarged from time to time as the conditions of the grow- ing colony demanded. It acted as a tribunal and administered the affairs of the colony according to "the laws, ediets and ordinances of France and the customs of Paris." A peculiar feature of the couneil was that it had the power to call in at any time citizens to serve as members pro tem., in order that a quorum might be obtained. It was this council that in 1722 directed the removal of the seat of government to New Orleans, and the next year began
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to exercise the powers of police. In 1724 it enacted the black code and two years later became so democratie in its tendencies that it was reprimanded by the French government. However, it was given a supervisory power over land titles by the king, who also at the same time authorized it to remove and appoint at will an inferior court of its own members. By 1748 it had acquired a dis- cretionary authority over land litles, and in 1763 issued the decree dispossessing the Jesuits of their plantations. It was about this time that d' Abbadie wrote to France, complaining of the sedition and insubordination of the council, and asking that members be sent from France to occupy seats. The last act of any importance of the superior council was the enactment of the decree expelling Gov. Ulloa from the colony. It was abolished by Gov. O'Reilly, who established the cabildo in its place.
Supreme Court .- (See Courts. )
Supreme Court Justices .- The judges of the superior court of the Territory of Orleans were appointed by the president of the United States in 1804 and served until the territory was admitted as a state in 1812. They were George Mathews, Joshua Lewis and John Thompson, who died in office in 1806, and was succeeded by François Xavier Martin. Chief justices of the state of Louisiana : George Mathews, 1813-35: François X. Martin, 1836-46: George Eustis, 1846-53; Thomas Slidell, 1853-55; Edwin Merrick, 1855-65 : William H. Hyman, 1865-68; John T. Ludeling, 1868-77; Thomas C. Manning, 1877-80: Edward E. Bermudez, 1881-92; Francis T. Nicholls, 1892-1904; Joseph A. Breaux, 1904 --. Associate justices : Peter E. Bonford (appointed by the governor), 1863-64; Joseph A. Breaux, 1890-1902; Alexander M. Buchanan, 1855-63; Henry A. Bullard, 1832-45; James Campbell, 1854: Henry Carleton, 1835-39; Joseph L. Cole, 1855-59; Alcibiades DeBlanc, 1877-80: Pierre Der- bigny, 1813-30; Albert Duffel, 1860-64; William Dunbar, 1852-53: William B. Egan, 1877-80: George Eustis, 1838-39; Charles E. Fenner, 1880-96: Alexander Foster, Jr., 1821-35: Rice Garland. 1846-52; Dominick Hall, 1812-15: William Howe, 1868-72; Rufus K. Howell, 1865-76; R. B. Jones, 1865: George Rogers King. 1846- 52; Zenon Labauve, 1865-68; Thomas T. Land, 1858-62; John X. Lea, 1855-62; Joseph E. Leonard. 1872: William M. Levy. 1880-86: Samnel D. MeEnery (to succeed R. B. Todd), 1888-1900: Thomas C. Manning, 1863-64 (appointed by the governor), and again, 1882-86; Robert H. Marr, 1877-80; François X. Martin, 1816-36; Philip II. Morgan, 1873-76: H. C. Miller (vice Charles Parlange), 1884-96, and again 1896-1908; Alonzo Morphy. 1838-45: Abner N. Ogden. 1853-55; Charles Parlange (to fill vacancy of C. E. Fenner), 1884-96; Felix P. Poche, 1880-90; Isaac T. Preston, 1850-52; Pierre A. Rost, 1838-39, and 1846-52; Edward Simon, 1840-45; Thomas Slidell, 1846-52; William B. Spencer, 1877-79; Henry M. Spofford. 1853-55 ; George Strawbridge, 1837-39: James T. Taliaferro, 1868-76: Robert B. Todd. 1880-88: Albert Voorhies, 1859-62 ; Cornelius Voor- hies, 1853-59; Lyman B. Watkins, 1886-98; William J. Wiley, 1868-76; Edward D. White, 1879-80.
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Surgères, Chevalier de, also called "M. le Comte de Surgères," was a French nobleman who commanded the Marin, one of the vessels composing Iberville's fleet when he came to Louisiana in 1699 to establish a colony. Penicaut, who accompanied the expe- dition, says: "The first land we discovered were two islands, to one of which M. de Surgeres gave his name." The name of this island was changed by Iberville in March, 1702, to Ship island, which it still bears. Surgeres was a trusted counselor of Iberville and Bienville, and assisted them in various ways in their explora- tions. On May 4, 1699, he sailed from Biloxi with Iberville for France, but on Jan. 6, 1700, he returned again to Louisiana in command of the Gironde, a vessel of 46 guns. After that his name does not figure in the history of Louisiana.
Swartz, a village in the northeastern part of Ouachita parish, is on the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern R. R., 10 miles north- east of Monroe, the parish seat. It is located in a rich agricultural district of which it is the trading center. It has a money order postoffice, telegraph and express offices, and in 1900 had a popula- tion of 167.
Sycamore, a post-hamlet in the western part of Rapides parish, is situated near the Calcasieu river, 5 miles southeast of Nelsonville, the nearest railroad station, and 20 miles southwest of Alexandria, the parish seat. The population in 1900 was 50.
Sypher, Jay Hale, soldier and member of Congress, was born in Pennsylvania, July 22, 1837. He received a classical education ; studied law, and was admitted to practice. He enlisted in the Union army at the outbreak of the war, as a private, and rose by various grades to the rank of brigadier-general. In Jan., 1866, he moved to Louisiana : soon entered politics; was elected a repre- sentative from Louisiana to the 40th Congress as a Republican in 1866, and reelected to the 41st, 42nd and 43rd Congresses. He was a delegate to the Republican national convention at Chicago, which nominated Grant and Colfax in 1868.
T
Taft, a post-hamlet of St. Charles parish, is situated on the west side of the Mississippi river, about 2 miles northwest of Hahnville, the parish seat and most convenient railroad station.
Talisheek, a post-station in the eastern part of St. Tammany par- ish, is on the New Orleans Great Northern R. R., about 15 miles northeast of Covington, the parish seat.
Talla Bena, a post-village of Madison parish, is on the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern R. R., about 5 miles north of Tallulah, the parish seat.
Tallien (R. R. name Georgia), a post-village in the eastern part of Assumption parish, is a station on the Southern Pacific R. R.,
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6 miles south of Napoleonville, the parish seat. It has an express office, a good retail trade, and does some shipping.
Tallulah, the parish seat of Madison parish, is located in the central part, at the crossing of the Vicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific and the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern railways. It was made the seat of justice in 1883, and the courthouse. one of the handsomest and best appointed in northern Louisiana, was com- pleted in 1887. The census of 1900 gave Tallulah a population of 225, but Young's Louisiana Directory for 1909 estimates the popu- lation at 900. It has a money order postoffice with rural free de- livery, express and telegraph service, a bank, a cotton compress. two cottonseed oil mills, an ice factory, large lumbering interests, a newspaper, good public schools, churches of the principal denomi- nations, and a number of pretty residences. Tallulah is the largest town and principal commercial center of the parish.
Tangipahoa, one of the largest towns in the parish of the same name, was incorporated March 13, 1866, when the territory was included in St. Helena parish. It is located on the Illinois Central R. R., about 10 miles north of Amite, the parish seat. The town has a bank, which is a branch of the Amite banking & trust com- pany, a money order postoffice, telegraph station, express office, good mercantile establishments, sawmills, etc., and is the supply town and shipping depot for the surrounding country. All around the town are large fruit farms, and hundreds of cars of strawberries are shipped from Tangipahoa each year. The population in 1900 was 297.
Tangipahoa Parish, established in 1869 during the reconstruction period while Henry Clay Warmoth was governor, received its name in memory of the Tangipahoa Indians, who lived in this part of Louisiana when it was discovered and settled by the French. It is the youngest of the "Florida parishes," St. Helena, St. Tammany. Livingston and Washington parishes all contribut- ing to its territory. It is situated in the southeastern part of the state, in the heart of the long leaf pine district, and is bounded on the north by the State of Mississippi : on the east by Washing- ton and St. Tammany parishes; on the south by Lake Pont- chartrain, St. John the Baptist parish and Lake Manrepas, and on the west by Livingston and St. Helena parishes. It is watered by the Tangipahoa river through the central and southeastern , parts, the Tchefuncte river on the eastern boundary, the Natalbany river along the western boundary, Chappepeela creek and some smaller streams in the other portions. Most of the early settlers emigrated from South Carolina and Georgia during the closing years of the 18th, and the opening years of the 19th century. Among them were the Nixon, Waller, Tate, Ott, Cutrar, Edwards and Bankston families. Soon after the Civil war many northern settlers were attracted to the parish by the mild climate and rich, new pine lands, and settled in considerable numbers. After the erection of the parish Gov. Warmoth appointed the following offi- cials to serve until the next election in 1870: E. P. Ellis, judge of
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the court ; L. J. Souer, clerk : 11. 11. Bankston, sheriff : A. G. Tucker, recorder ; N. F. Hyer, surveyor ; and Jolin Evans, assessor. Amite, which sprang into existence after the railroad was built, became the seat of justice, and the first court was held in a business block. The present courthouse was built in 1884. Lying, as it does, in the heavily timbered pine region, Tangipahoa was not settled rapidly until after the railroads opened it up, and its population increased more than one-third during the decade from 1890 to 1900. Amite and Hammond are the most important towns. Some of the other towns and villages are Akers, Arcola, Bailey, Fluker, Holton, Husser, Independence, Lewiston. Natalbany, Kentwood, Ponchatoula. Roseland, Tangipahoa and Tickfaw. The parish has an area of 777 square miles. Its formation is pine flats in the south and southwest portions, which break into pine hills in the north and northeastern portions. The creek and river bottoms are all of alluvial deposit and quite an extensive area of alluvial and wooded swamp lies in the extreme southern part of the parish along the shores of Lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas. The flats and uplands are heavily timbered with pine, and oak, gum, elm, hickory, beech, sycamore, etc., are all found along the water courses and the lakes in the southern portion. Within the last few years lum- bering has become a most important industry. Miles of logging road and a number of sawmills have been built in the parish, and millions of feet of the finest lumber are eut each year and exported to the northern states and to Europe. Cotton is the principal agricultural product, but diversified farming is practiced to a con- siderable extent, corn, hay, oats, sugar-cane, rice, tobacco, sorghum and potatoes are being grown. The fruits and nuts adapted to this section of the country do exceedingly well, and extensive truck farms are in operation along the line of the Illinois Central R. R. and its branches, where such vegetables as radishes, beans, cu- cumbers, cantaloupes and tomatoes are grown for the northern markets early in the spring. This section also furnishes enormous quantities of strawberries. Thousands of cases are harvested annually, and shipments of car load lots are sent from nearly every railroad station in the parish. Japanese plums were introduced into the parish some years ago and have proved so successful that they are being raised and exported in greater quantities each year. As the land has been cleared of timber the farmers of Tangipahoa have engaged in raising cattle and dairying is becoming an im- portant industry. Excellent transportation facilities are provided. The Illinois Central R. R., which traverses the entire western part of the parish from north to south : the Kentwood, Greensburg & Southeastern R. R. runs southwest from Kentwood to Greensburg, in St. Helena parish ; the Kentwood & Eastern R. R. runs east from Kentwood, across the northern part of the parish, and the Baton Ronge, Ilammond & Eastern R. R. crosses the southern part of the parish, connecting with the Illinois Central R. R. at Hammond. By means of these lines an outlet is provided in every direction for the products of the parish, bringing the farmers in closer touch
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with their markets. The following statistics concerning the parish are taken from the U. S. census for 1900: number of farins, 1,615; acreage, 163,686; acres improved, 38.146; value of land and im- provements exclusive of buildings, $1.027,700; value of farm build- ings, $545,970; value of live stock, $393,123; total value of all products not fed to live stock. $684,254; number of manufacturing establishments, 54; capital invested, $1,322.139; wages paid, $261,- 742; cost of materials used. $450,392; total value of products, $917, 825. The population of the parish in 1900 consisted of 12.248 whites, 5,375 colored, a total of 17,623, an increase of 4,970 during the preceding decade. The estimated population for 1908 was over 20,000.
Tannehill, a village in the central part of Winn parish, is a sta- tion on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R., about 4 miles north of Winnfield, the parish seat. It has a money order post- office, telegraph and express offices, and is the center of trade for a good lumber country.
Tar .- (See Naval Stores.)
Taylor (R. R. name Nelson), a village in the northwestern part of Bienville parish, is a station on the Vicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific R. R., + miles west of Gibsland. It has a money order postoffice, telegraph and express offices, and is the shipping point and trading center for a large area in the western part of the parish. The population in 1900 was 75.
Taylor, Miles, a member of Congress, was a native of New York. He received a liberal education in his native state; studied law, and began practice at Donaldsonville, La. He held several local offices ; in 1854 he was elected a representative from Louisiana to the 34th Congress as a Democrat, and reelected to the 35th and 36th Congresses, serving until Feb. 5, 1861, when he resigned with the other Louisiana Congressmen on account of the secession of the state.
Taylor, Richard, soldier, was born near Louisville, Ky., Jan. 27, 1826. He was the only son of Gen. Zachary Taylor (q. v.) and received a liberal education in Edinburgh, Scotland, in France, and at Yale college, where he was graduated in 1845. For some time he served as secretary to his father, who was in command of the army on the Rio Grande. During the period of peace that followed, he lived on his estate in St. Charles parish, La., devoting his time to the management of the plantation and to political and scientific studies. He served in the state senate from 1856 to 1861, and was a delegate to the Charleston and Baltimore Democratic national conventions in 1860. He was chairman of the committee of the Louisiana state senate in 1861 that secured the passage of an act calling a state convention, and in the latter body was chairman of the military and defense committee. After Louisiana seceded he visited Gen. Bragg at Pensacola, until called to Louisiana to take command of the 9th regiment of infantry, and go with it to Rich- mond, Va. He did not reach Manassas until after the battle and was assigned to Walker's brigade ; when Walker was transferred to
,
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another command, Taylor was persuaded by the senior colonel and President Davis to accept the command of the brigade, with the rank of brigadier-general. With this brigade, in Ewell's division, he took part in the battles of Front Royal, Cross Keys, Winchester and Port Republic. Soon after the Seven Days' battles, Taylor was promoted to the rank of major-general on Stonewall Jackson's recommendation, and assigned to the command of the district of Louisiana, which included all the state west of the Mississippi river. After the fall of New Orleans, Confederate authority had ceased in Louisiana and the fortifications at Barataria, Berwick bay and other points had been abandoned. Taylor set about the task of restoring confidence and raising an army. Under his direc- tion the aspect of the state soon changed. Regiments were formed ; shops and depots of supplies were established ; ordnance gathered ; river boats transformed into an armed navy ; the Federal post at Bayou Des Allemands was captured ; Weitzel's advance down the Lafourche was stopped, and at Berwick bay the Federals were forced to turn over 1,700 prisoners, 12 guns and vast military stores to Gen. Taylor. In the spring of 1864 Gen. Taylor was called upon to encounter the forces that invaded the Red River country, and at the battle of Mansfield, where he had a force of 8,800 men, he won a great victory, capturing 2,500 prisoners and 20 pieces of artillery. He defeated the Federals a second time, and a month. later forced them to retire across the Atchafalaya, leaving him in possession of the Red River country. He sought relief from duty, but was soon assigned to command the department of the Missis- sippi, with rank of lieutenant-general, and did everything in his power until Gen. Johnston capitulated, when he surrendered to Gen. Canby at Citronelle, May 8, 1865. During all the years of reconstruction he was active in the interests of the South, and was instrumental in having Gen. Sheridan relieved by Gen. Hancock at New Orleans. In 1873 he visited Europe. His principal literary works were: "A Statesman of the Colonial Era," and "Destruction and Reconstruction," which attracted wide attention. He died at New York, April 17, 1879.
Taylor, Zachary, soldier and 12th president of the United States, was born in Orange county, Va., Sept. 24, 1784. He was the son of Lieut .- Col. Richard Taylor, who fought in the Revolutionary war. Bred among the Indian fighters and soldiers of the frontier, Zachary naturally turned to the army. In 1808 he was appointed a lieutenant in the 7th infantry, and in the war of 1812 was in command of Fort Harrison on the Wabash, where he repulsed a large body of Indians, for which he was brevetted major. In 1814 he attained that rank by commission, but in 1815, when the army was reduced to a peace footing, he was reduced to the rank of cap- tain and resigned. He was soon reinstated by the president, and . again entered the army to remain until he became president. He was made lieutenant-colonel in 1819: had command of Fort Snell- ing, Minn .: built Fort Jesup, La., in 1822; was promoted to the rank of colonel in 1832; took part in the second Black Hawk cam-
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paign, and received the surrender of that chief. In 1836 he was ordered to Florida to take part in the Seminole war, where he gained a victory for which he was brevetted brigadier-general, and the next year was given chief command of Florida. In 1840 he was placed in command of the southern division of the western department and moved his home to Baton Rouge, La. When the annexation of Texas was anticipated in 1845 he was placed in com- mand of the army of occupation, and moved to Corpus Christi (See War with Mexico). After Texas was annexed, he led his forces to the Rio Grande, built Fort Brown on the left bank, and established a depot of supplies 30 miles farther east, at Point Isabel. Gen. Ampudia, of Mexico, demanded his withdrawal, but Taylor replied that he had been sent there by his government and he proposed to stay. His fort was bombarded, but he advanced upon the Mexican forces, who were driven off at the actions of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. He was brevetted major- general in May, 1846, and led his men at Monterey, which place surrendered after a 3 days' battle, and commanded the American forces at the successful battle of Buena Vista. On his return to the United States in 1847 he was the most popular man in the country, and when the Whig convention met at Philadelphia on June 8, 1848, Gen. Taylor was nominated for president on the 4th ballot. Knowing little of politics himself, he chose experienced men for his cabinet and pursued a conservative course during his administration. He died July 9, 1850. The state legislature of Louisiana passed a resolution on July 5, 1886, appointing commis- sioners, who were to act with the governor and the general com- manding the 8th military district, to act with the Louisiana associa- tion of veterans of the Mexican war to erect a monument to the memory of Gen. Taylor and the soldiers who won the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma.
Taylortown, a post-hamlet in the southwestern part of Bossier parish, is situated on the east bank of the Red river and the line of the Louisiana Railway & Navigation company, about 12 miles southeast of Shreveport. It has a telegraph station and express office, is a shipping point of some importance, and in 1900 had a population of 51.
Teachers' Association, State .- The first meeting of this associa- tion was held at Alexandria in 1892. when W. J. Calvert was elected president and Miss Zoe Garig, secretary. Although the attendance was limited the founders of the association began to do missionary work among the teachers in the public schools, and the result has been a constant growth in membership. Annual meetings have . been held regularly since 1892, with the exception of 1897, when no regular session was held, though a special meeting was called at Ruston in July. The regular annual meetings have been held as follows: 1893, New Iberia : 1894, Monroe: 1895, Baton Rouge ; 1896, Lake Charles: 1898, New Orleans; 1899, Shreveport: 1900, Alexandria ; 1901, Franklin; 1902, Baton Rouge: 1903, Ruston ; 1904, Lafayette ; 1905, Alexandria : 1906, Baton Rouge : 1907, Shreve-
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port ; 1908, New Orleans; 1909, Alexandria. Mr. Calvert served as president until the Monroe meeting in 1894, when he was succeeded by J. V. Calhoun. Since then the presidents of the association have been as follows: C. E. Byrd, 1895; R. L. Hines, 1890-7; D. B. Showalter, 1898; Mrs. M. H. Williams, 1899; J. E. Keeney, 1900; J. B. Aswell, 1901 ; Miss Lulu Soape, 1902; E. L. Stephens, 1903; T. H. Harris, 1904; E. F. Gayle, 1905; B. C. Caldwell, 1906; C. A. Ives, 1907 ; J. L. Alleman, 1908; Warren Easton, 1909.
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