USA > Louisiana > Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume II > Part 64
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Following is a list of the secretaries since the first organization : Miss Zoe Garig, 1892; C. A. Byrd, 1893-4; W. J. Gahan, 1895; Miss Julia Dale, 1896-7; Miss Lulu Soape, 1898; Miss Sallie Spen- cer, 1899; Miss Amanda Howell, 1900; Miss Irma McCord, 1901; Miss E. E. Riggs, 1902; Nicholas Bauer, from 1903 to 1909.
In his report for 1909 the secretary says: "It is a source of pleasure to record the growth of this association. Year by year the membership has increased, growing from 153 at the Franklin meeting in 1901 to the thousand mark at Alexandria in 1905, and reaching last year at New Orleans the record enrollment of 1,863. In this connection I would call your attention to the fact that Louisiana occupies a proud position among her sister states in the percentage of teachers enrolled as members of the State Teachers' Association. In a recent compilation showing the rank of the states, Louisiana stands eighth in the list of 39 states, with a percentage of 38.7. * * While we may feel proud of our showing, we must not remain content. The upbuilding of this association means more than merely heading a list; it means that -there will be in existence an organized body with the powerful influence of the teacher in the community back of it ready to fur- nish the interests of education in the state; it means the gradual assumption of power that the State Teachers' Association, repre- senting the teaching profession, will influence and direct all matters educational in Louisiana."
Teche, a post-village in the northern part of St. Mary parish, is a station on the East & West Franklin R. R., a short line run- ning from Franklin to Irish Bend. It is located in the midst of a rich sugar district, about 3 miles north of Franklin, the parish seat, and in 1900 reported a population of 43.
Teddy, a post-hamlet in the northern part of East Feliciana par- ish, is about 3 miles south of the Mississippi state boundary and 7 miles northeast of Clinton, the parish seat and nearest railroad town.
Tenmile, a little post-village in the northern part of Calcasieu parish, is one of the new places that have grown up as a develop- ment of the lumber industries in this section of the state, as it is the terminus of a short line of railroad operated by the Industrial Lumber company, which conects with the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern at Oakdale.
Tensas Parish was established in 1842, during the administration of Gov. Andre Bienvenu Roman, and received its name from the Tensas Indians, who lived in this section when it was first settled
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by the French. Penicaut, who was with Iberville on his trip up the Mississippi in 1700, writes: "On the 12th of April we left Natchez and coasted along to the right ......... for a distance of 12 leagues ........ we landed to visit a village situated + leagues in the interior. These Indians are called the Tensas." At this time Iberville tried to persuade the Indians to abandon their old camp and locate on the Mississippi river, which they promised to do, but for a number of years they wandered over a considerable district west of the river, making war on some of the less fierce and warlike tribes. The parish is situated in the northeastern part of the state and is bounded on the north by Madison parish ; the Mississippi river forms its entire irregular eastern boundary, sepa- rating it from Mississippi; on the south it is bounded by Con- cordia parish, and on the west by Catahoula and Franklin parishes. Tensas was created wholly from the northern part of Concordia parish, and consituted a part of the territory ruled by the Spanish commandants from their old seat of government at Concordia, now Vidalia. (q. v.) Large grants of land were made by the French at Pointe Coupée and Natchez, but with the exception of the post established at Vidalia, during the administration of Gov. Ulloa, neither the French or Spanish made any efforts to settle or colonize the lands on the west side of the river from Pointe Coupée to the mouth of the Arkansas river, as the lands on that side are all low and were then subject to inundation by the Missis- sippi. Nearly a century elapsed before any permanent settlement was made there, but during the closing years of the 18th and opening years of the 19th century the following men took up land in what it now Tensas parish: William Bantz. George Weast, Zenos Preston, Elam Bowman, James Bullen, Col. Isaac Harrison, Scott and Jeremiah Watson, J. W. Briscoe, John Densmore, Gen. C. G. Dahlgren, Rodney King and Joshua James. Gen. Coffee had a place opposite Grand Bluff : Dr. Hollingsworth located on Lake St. Joseph ; a man by the name of Hayes, A. E. Bass, Judge Alonzo Snyder and a few others settled above Waterproof. The first plantation on Lake Bruin was opened by Scott Watson; James McGill established himself at "Sunnyside," on Lake Bruin island. "Panola" plantation was opened, north of St. Joseph. by Jerry Watson, and A. J. Watson took up land on Lake St. Peter. After the organization of the parish the first police jury met at Water- proof. May 5, 1843. St. Joseph became the seat of justice and a courthouse was built. The town grew very slowly for a time, as there were no railroads in the parish. A few miles north of St. Joseph is Lake Bruin, one of the principal pleasure resorts of the lower valley. Waterproof. Hard Times Landing and Ashwood are old river towns; Newellton, Somerset, Balmoral, Listonia and Notnac have grown rapidly since the advent of the railroad ; other towns and villages are Afton, L'Argent. Goldman, Highland and Point Pleasant. Tensas has an area of 665 square miles, consisting of alluvial land and wooded swamp. The cultivable land may be divided into two classes-sandy loam and black or "buckshot."
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Both are exceedingly rich, and Tensas has the reputation of being one of the banner cotton parishes because of the wonderful fertility of its soil. The parish is drained by the Mississippi river along its eastern boundary, by the Tensas river on the west, and by Bayous Vidal, Mound, Choctaw and Clark, Cotton is the great export staple, but corn, hay, oats, sweet and Irish potatoes, peas, and all the garden vegetables are grown. Truck farming has been encouraged by the increased demand from Memphis, Little Rock and other markets. Apples, peaches, pears and grapes are grown in the family orchards, but are not cultivated to any extent for commercial purposes. Figs and Japanese plums have been intro- duced within the last few years and are being cultivated on a con- siderable scale for export. In the vicinity of the larger towns dairying and poultry raising are increasing rapidly. Since the introduction of rice and its successful cultivation along the Missis- sippi, hundreds of acres of "buckshot" land, with its clay sub-soil, have been turned to rice culture. The farmns are protected by levees and irrigated from the adjacent rivers. Since the rotation of crops has been introduced by the United States department of agriculture, hogs and cattle have proved paying side lines for the farmers, as the pasture season is long and by-products can be fed all the year. This section of the country was once heavily wooded with oak, elm, gum, pecan, magnolia and sycamore, in addition to the extensive cypress swamps, and both forests and swamps have furnished thousands of feet of fine marketable lumber for years. Cheap transportation is afforded by steamboats on the Mississippi river and the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern R. R., which runs south from the northern boundary to St. Joseph and thence southwest into Concordia parish. The markets of the north and south are thus brought close to the Tensas farmers. The follow- ing statistics are taken from the U. S. census for 1900: number of farms, 2,391; acreage, 181,398; acres under cultivation, 89,694; value of land and improvements exclusive of buildings, $2,039,600; value of farm buildings, $697,570; value of live stock, $515,946: total value of all products not fed to live stock, $1,479,380; number of manufactories, 50; capital invested, $74.590; wages paid, $7,265; cost of materials used. $15,828: total value of products, $48,811. The population of the parish in 1900 was 1,231 whites, 17.839 colored, a total of 19,070, an increase of 2,423 during the preceding decade. The estimated population for 1908 was over 21.000.
Terrebonne Parish, one of the most southern in the state, was established March 22, 1822, from the southern part of Lafourche parish, and derives its name from Bayon Terrebonne. The parish has an area of 1.790 square miles and is bounded on the north and east by Lafourche parish ; on the south by the Gulf of Mexico: and on the west by the Gulf and by St. Mary and Assumption parishes. The early history of the parish is that of the mother parish, Lafourche, and dates back to the middle of the 18th century. Those who first settled in the country now known as Terrebonne were Royal Marsh, on Black bayou; the Boudreans located on
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Little Caillou and the Terrebonne; the Belanger family took up land along the lower Terrebonne. A number of the descendants of these pioneers reside in different parts of the parish today, and many of them have taken prominent part in the affairs of the parish and state. Prevost started a plantation on Grand Caillou ; the Shuvin family on Little Caillou ; the Marlbroughs went to the northern part of the parish; settlers in other sections were Curtis Rockwood, the D'Arbonnes, Le Boeufs, Trahans, Bergerons. R. H. and James B. Grinage located near the site of Houma. When Terrebonne parish was organized in 1822 the seat of government was located at Bayou Cane, 3 miles from the present town of Houma. An old wooden building was used for the first court- house. R. H. Grinage owned the land where Houma now stands. He platted it, donated the ground for the courthouse, and in 1834 the parish seat was moved to Houma. Francis M. Guyol presided over the first parish court, and Caleb Watkins was the first sheriff. At the time of its creation the population was slightly over 2,000, including the slaves. The parish is well drained by Bayous Terre- bonne, Black, DeLarge, Grand and Little Caillou, Chene, Penchant and Decade. The formation is largely coast marsh, with a con- siderable area of alluvial land and wooded swamp. The land along the gulf is sea marsh, subject to tidal overflow and unfit for culti- vation, but in the northern part the land rises to an elevation of several feet and the soil is a very superior quality of alluvial deposit, wonderfully fertile, and is highly cultivated. Sugar and rice are the great erop productions, though hay, jute, potatoes and peas are grown in considerable quantities. Rice is the most rapidly increasing crop in the south, and hundreds of acres in Terrebonne are planted with it. The farmers protect their fields with dikes, and flood them when desired with water from the bayous. Rota- tion of erops has been introduced in almost all of the rice section, which makes the returns sure, while hogs are raised as a side line, eating many of the by-products that would otherwise be of no commercial value. In the mild climate and rich soil of this favored region, fruits grow well. Within the last few years a hardy species of orange has been introduced and the orange industry is becoming more important. Other fruits are lemons, mandarins, olives, bana- nas, prunes, pomegranates, guavas, plums and figs. There is some oak, willow, elm and gum on the higher lands, and a large quan- tity of eypress in the swamps, all supplying valuable commercial lumber. Wild game of all kinds abounds, and salt water fish of fine quality, such as sheepshead, pompano. sea trout, Spanish mackerel, pike and crabs are taken in the many bays and inlets along the coast. A thriving business is conducted in terrapin. shrimp and oysters, which are obtained in great abundance, large quantities being shipped to the markets of New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Memphis, and a number of canning establishments exist which export their products to the northern and eastern mar- kets. There are few large towns in Terrebonne. Houma, the parish seat, is the most important, and some of the others are
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Bourg, Chacahoula, Chauvin, Dulac, Donner, Ellendale, Schriever, Gibson, Gray, Minerva, Montegut, Ormond and Theriot. Trans- portation is provided by the Southern Pacific R. R., which crosses the northern part of the parish, and a branch line runs southeast from Schriever to Houma. Nearly all of the farmers on the arable land are thus brought within reach of the railroad. The following statistics concerning the parish were taken from the U. S. census for 1900: number of farms, 748; acreage, 168,379; acres improved, 52,780; value of land and improvements exclusive of buildings, $3,477,260; value of farm buildings, $921,320; value of live stock, $457,806; total value of all products not fed to live stock, $2,036,- 887; number of manufactories; 36; capital invested, $3,147,574; wages paid, $236,982; cost of materials used, $1,587,517 : total value of products, $2.223,005. The population of the parish in 1900 con- sisted of 14,142 whites, 10,312 colored, a total of 24,454, an increase of 4,297 over the year 1890. The estimated population for 1908 was over 27,000.
Territory of Orleans .- (See Orleans, Territory of.)
Texas Revolution .- The insurrection of Aranjuez in Spain in 1808 and the abdication of Charles IV in March of that year, en- couraged the Spanish provinces in America to renounce their alle- giance to the mother country. Their chances of success were enhanced by the invasion of Spain by Napoleon, and in 1810 the Mexicans broke into open rebellion, under the leadership of the priest, Don Miguel Hidalgo. On Jan. 5, 1811, Gov. Claiborne wrote to Gen. Wade Hampton: "A terrible civil war rages in Mexico. I have seen official reports from which it seems that the horrors of the time of Cortez are to be revived. The contest is between the Europeans and the Creoles of the country. The Creoles have brought into the field immense armies, and in one engagement it is said 10,000 Creoles were killed. Hitherto the Europeans have met with great success, but private letters state that numbers are flocking to the Creole standard, and that they are in possession of immense treasure. At one town they possessed themselves of $15,000,000. The object of the Creoles is said to be independence."
The revolution in Mexico was not suppressed until 1817, and when, two years later, the boundary between the United States and Texas was fixed at the Sabine, the Spanish government established the province of Texas, extending from that river to the Rio Grande, under the viceroyalty of Mexico. Prior to the adjustment of the boundary there was a strip of debatable ground between Natchi- toches and the Sabine, upon which a considerable number of ad- venturers, fugitives from justice, etc., had established themselves, giving to the region a reputation for "robberies, murders, and other crimes of an infamous and astounding character." While the Mexican revolution was in progress, Louisiana was admitted into the Union as a state. Almost immediately after such admission Gov. Claiborne issued a proclamation against the outlaws, and a detachment of U. S. troops was sent into the "border land," under
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the command of Lieut. Magee, a native of Massachusetts. This brought Magee in touch with the revolutionary movement, with the result that in June he resigned his commission in the army, organized the outlaws and others into a little army of 300 men, for the purpose of making an attack on the Spanish town of Nacog- doches, though a Spaniard named Bernardo was the nominal leader of the movement. Nacogdoches capitulated to the revolutionists, and to that place flocked many adventurers of Louisiana and Missis- sippi, among them Reuben Kemper, who had led the insurrection in the Baton Rouge district in 1804. Magee's forces, recruited to about 500, marched toward San Antonio, which place was occupied in the spring of 1813. In the meantime Magee had died and Reuben Kemper commanded the forces from the states until he became disgusted with Bernardo's cruelty in causing the massacre of a number of Spaniards, when he and several of his companions returned to their homes. Reinforcements arrived soon after Kem- per left ; among them were Gen. Toledo, Col. Perry and Judge Bullard, and these three men practically reorganized the army, though Bernardo was still regarded as the commander-in-chief. In August the Spanish officers Elisandro and Aredondo arrived with a considerable body of troops and drove the revolutionists from San Antonio. In a series of engagements along the Trinity and Medina rivers the "Republican army" was almost annihilated, several of the Louisianians being among the killed.
In the subsequent revolutionary movement in Texas the adven- turous sons of Louisiana, particularly those of the western part of the state, took a deep interest. They were with Long's expedition (q. v.) in 1819; they were at Zacatecas, Goliad, Gonzalez, Concep- cion and the Alamo, and none rejoiced more heartily than they when the independence of Texas was acknowledged by the United States.
Thaxton, a post-hamlet in the western part of Union parish, is about 3 miles west of Bennett, the nearest railroad station.
Theriot, a post-hamlet of Terrebonne parish, is located on the Bayou De Large, about 12 miles south of Houma, the parish seat and nearest railroad town. Its population was 56 in 1900.
Thibodaux, the parish seat of Lafourche parish, was first laid out about 1820 by Henry S. Thibodaux, who donated two squares of land for a courthouse and jail and a site for a market house. The first house on the site of the town was built by James Carr in 1819. The town was incorporated by the act of March 6, 1830, under the name of "Thibodeauxville." and the first mayor was James McAllister. By the act of March 10, 1838, the name was changed to the present form. Thibodaux is located in the northern part of the parish, at the junction of the Southern Pacific and the Texas & Pacific railroads, which lines connect with New Orleans and other important trade centers and afford ample transportation and shipping facilities. Among the manufacturing and commercial establishments are an ice factory, a wholesale commission house, saw and planing mills, foundry, boiler factory, cooper shops, a large
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brick manufactory, a number of first class mercantile houses, and the city is well provided with banking facilities. The city has two newspapers, an electric light plant, a good system of waterworks, and claims to have the best sidewalks of any city in the state. The public school system is thorough and will compare favorably with that of any city of similar size in Louisiana. In addition to the public schools, there are the Mount Carmel convent, the Thibo- daux college, and several other private educational institutions. Thibodaux is provided with Catholic, Presbyterian and Episcopal churches. The population in 1900 was 3,253, but the next census will show a marked increase over these figures, as Thibodaux is one of the growing cities of the state.
Thibodaux, Bannon G., member of Congress, was a native of Louisiana. He received but a limited education, became a sugar planter, entered local politics and at different times held local offices. In 1844 he was elected a representative from Louisiana to the 29th Congress and was reelected to the 30th Congress. He died March 11, 1866.
Thibodaux, Henry Schuyler, acting governor of Louisiana for a short time in 1824, was born at Albany, N. Y., in 1769, a son of Alexis Thibodaux, a French-Canadian. Henry was left an orphan at an early age and was reared by his mother's family, by whom he was sent to Scotland, and from there came to Louisiana in 1794, set- tling first in that part of Acadia parish now constituting the parish of St. James. From there he removed to Lafourche parish and founded the town that is now the parish seat and which still bears his name. Here he engaged in business as a planter, but entered the political arena as a member of the territorial legislature, and in 1808 was elected a justice of the peace. He was a delegate to the constitutional convention of 1812, and after the admission of the state was chosen to represent his parish in the state senate. Upon the resignation of Gov. Robertson in Nov., 1824, he became acting governor and served about a month, when he was succeeded by Gov. Johnson, nothing of moment having occurred during his short incumbency. Mr. Thibodaux was twice married; first to a Miss Lejeune, and after her death to Brigette Bellanger, a descendant of the French explorer, Jacques Cartier. He died on Oct. 24, 1827.
Thirteenth Amendment .- The first step toward the abolition of slavery in the United States was the president's emancipation proclamation, which became effective on Jan. 1, 1863, but no legis- lative sanction was offered to that proclamation until in the first session of the 38th Congress. On March 28, 1864, there was intro- duced in the senate of the United States a joint resolution relative to an amendment to the Federal constitution, forever prohibiting slavery. After considerable discussion it was passed and sent to the house, where it was rejected in June following. In Jan., 1865, the amendment was again brought up in the house and finally passed by a vote of 119 to 56. This 13th amendment was formally submitted to the legislatures of the several states on Feb. 1. The
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state constitution of Louisiana, adopted in 1864, contained a pro- vision prohibiting slavery, but, "as due to President Johnson and in unison with his policy," the proposed amendment was ratified by the general assembly on Dec. 6, 1865, by the adoption of the following resolution : "That the aforesaid proposed amendment of the constitution of the United States be, and the same is hereby ratified and adopted, with the express understanding that in the · sense of the general assembly, the power granted to Congress by the second section of the foregoing amendment, is strictly limited to legislation appropriate and necessary for the prevention and pro- hibition of slavery or involuntary servitude within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction, and that any attempt on the part of Congress to legislate otherwise upon the political status or civil relations of former slaves within any state, would be a violation of the constitution of the United States as it now is, or as it will be, altered by the proposed amendment."
By Dec. 18, 1865, the amendment had been ratified by a sufficient number of states to render it effective, and on that date it was declared part of the Federal constitution by the secretary of state.
Thomas, Allen, soldier, received a commission as colonel of the 28th La. infantry, May 3, 1862. His regiment served at Vicks- burg under Gen. M. L. Smith, and during the long bombardment and siege in the summer of 1862, it was one of the trusted ones on guard duty. The following December, when the attack on the city was renewed. Col. Thomas, on the 27th of the month, was in command of a brigade and took active part against the Federals in the assaults of the following days. He remained at Vicksburg with his regiment during the siege of May and June, 1863, and after the fall of the city he was for some time under parole. On Feb. 4, 1864, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general and assigned to Gen. Taylor's department, where he commanded a brigade of Louisiana troops. The exchange was not made in time for the brigade to take part in the spring campaign of 1864. When the regiment was assembled it was assigned to Gen. Polig- nac's division and Thomas was in charge after Polignac went to ' Europe.
Thomas, Philemon, soldier and statesman, was born in North Carolina in 1764. He received a limited education : fought during the Revolutionary war at Guilford Church and Eutaw Springs; and when peace was declared he moved to Kentucky, where he was a member of the state legislature. From Kentucky he moved to the lower Mississippi river, and in 1810 became the leader of an uprising against the Spanish authorities. who controlled what is now Mississippi and Louisiana. During the war of 1812 he fought with Gen. Jackson from 1814 to 1815; then settled at Baton Rouge; served his state in the legislature; was elected a repre- sentative from Louisiana to the 22nd Congress in 1830. and re- elected to the 23rd Congress. He died at Baton Rouge, Nov. 18, 1847. On July 5, 1884, the Louisiana legislature appropriated $100 for the erection of a tablet to his memory in the state capitol.
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Thomastown, a village of Madison parish, is situated on the Vicksburg. Shreveport & Pacific R. R., 10 miles west of Vicksburg, Miss., and 8 miles east of Tallulah, the parish seat. It has a money order postoffice, telegraph and express offices, and is the center of trade for, a rich farming country, that supplies the market of Vicks- burg with vegetables and dairy products. The population in 1900 was 51.
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