USA > Louisiana > Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume II > Part 69
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81
.
561
LOUISIANA
istration of O'Reilly had been severe, that of Unzaga was marked by mildness and a proper consideration for the rights of the people over whom he had been called to rule. This had a tendency to placate the people, who became reconciled to the idea of Spanish dominion, and Unzaga won the confidence of the inhabitants still further by his marriage to a Miss Maxent, a member of one of the leading colonial families. He was a friend to education and tried to get the people interested in sending their children to the Spanish schools, but without very great success. During his administra- tion the merchants of Louisiana enjoyed considerable freedom in their commerce with other nations, and at the close the English had almost a monopoly of the Louisiana trade. On June 22, 1776. Unzaga asked to be relieved on account of his age, impaired health and failing sight, but the Spanish government paid no heed to his request, which was repeated in August following. Finally he was relieved, but not to retire from the public service, as he was appointed captain-general of Caracas. Some years after he left the colony his official acts were investigated by Gov. Miro as a Juez , de Residencia, or judge of residence, whose report was all that Unzaga's friends and admirers could desire.
Urania, a town in the western part of Catahoula parish, is sitt- ated on Chickasaw creek at the junction of the Natchez, Urania & Ruston and the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern railroads. about 28 miles west of Harrisonburg, the parish seat. It is one of the largest shipping and supply towns in the western part of the parish, has a money order postoffice and express service, and in 1900 had a population of 94.
Ursulines .- In 1726 Father Beaubois suggested to Bienville the advisability of bringing over from France some Ursuline nuns to care for the hospital and conduct a school for girls. Accordingly an invitation was extended to them and on Sept. 13, 1726, an agree- ment was made with the Ursulines of Rouen and the Company of the Indies, whereby the company was to transport 6 nuns and 4 servants free of charge to Louisiana, and to care for and maintain them during the voyage. Fay says that on Jan. 12, 1727, those selected to come to America assembled in the infirmary of the con- vent at Rouen, where they met for the first time their mother superior-Marie Tranchepain de St. Augustin-who had been appointed by the Bishop of Quebec. Accompanied by Fathers Tartarin and Doutrebleu, they left Port L'Orient on the Gironde. Feb. 23, and after a stormy and tedious voyage arrived at the Balize early in August. The mother superior. with Madeleine Hachard and four others, ascended the river in a pirogue, reaching New Orleans on Aug. 6, and the others came up in a chaloupe the next day. They were at first quartered in the house formerly occupied by Bienville, where the mother superior died on Nov. 11. 1733. The following year their convent on Chartres street, between U'rsu- line and Hospital streets, was completed and they removed to their new habitation. Here they remained for 90 years, or until 1824, when they removed to a new convent about '3 miles farther south.
.
365
LOUISIANA
Among the first charges of the Ursulines were the orphans of the Frenchmen who were massacred at Natchez and the casket girls. The nuns were treated kindly, both by the colonists and the mother country, and in 1770 they were relieved by papal dispensation from duty at the hospital, which gave them more time to devote to their school for girls, or in the dispensation of charity. Bishop Penalvert, writing in 1795, said excellent results had been obtained by their schools, but their inclinations are so decidedly French that they have even refused to admit among them Spanish women who wished to become nuns so long as these applicants should remain ignorant of the French idiom.
·
During the British invasion of Louisiana in the War of 1812, the Ursulines prayed earnestly and devoutly for the victory of the American arms, for which they were publicly thanked by Gen. Jackson, who again visited them in their new convent in 1828. After the battle of New Orleans, Jan. 8, 1815, the legislature of Louisiana passed a resolution, in which the following reference was made to the Ursulines: "The Ursuline nuns are also entitled to a particular notice. They gave admittance within the walls of their monastery to as many of the sick as could be conveniently lodged therein, and afforded them every aid, conformably to the dictates of true charity."
On Jan. 28, 1818, the general assembly passed an act providing that "The Ursuline nuns shall not be compelled to appear and give testimony in any civil suit, but if any of the order are ac- quainted with facts useful as evidence, the depositions of such members shall be taken in the convent." This act showed the · esteem in which the Ursulines were held in the state at that time, and it is proper to say that such esteem still prevails. For nearly 200 years the Ursulines have labored in Louisiana according to the tenets and traditions of their order, and during that time many unfortunate people have received relief through their efforts, home- less orphans innumerable have been cared for, and hundreds of young women have been given such an education as would fit them for the practical duties of life.
Utility, a post-hamlet in the eastern part of Catahoula parish, is situated on Little river. 5 miles west of Black River, the nearest railroad town, and 12 miles southwest of Harrisonburg, the parish seat.
Utrecht, Treaty of .- (See Treaties.)
V
Vaca, Cabeça de .- (Sce Nunez, Alvarez.)
Vacherie, one of the largest towns in St. James parish, is situated near the southeastern boundary on the west bank of the Mississippi river and the Texas & Pacific R. R., 7 miles east of Convent, the parish seat. It is one of the richest truck farming and tobacco
566
LOUISIANA
districts in the state and as it is a landing on the river, is the ship- ping point, by rail and water for this productive agricultural coun try. It has a money order postoffice, telegraph and express offices, and in 1900 had a population of 260.
Valverda is a post-hamlet of Pointe Coupée parish.
Varnardo, a village in the northeastern part of Washington par- ish, is one of the new towns that have grown up along the New Orleans Great Northern R. R. in the long leaf pine belt in that sec- tion of the state. It has sawmills, a money order postoffice, an express office, and is a trading point of some importance.
Vatican, a post-hamlet of Lafayette parish, situated near the northwestern boundary, 5 miles southwest of Carencro, the nearest railroad town, and 8 miles northwest of Lafayette, the parish seat.
Vaudreuil, Pierre Rigaud, Marquis de (1678-1760), whose father was the governor-general of Canada from 1703-25, arrived in Lou- isiana on May 10, 1743, to succeed the veteran Bienville as governor of the province. He was a gentleman and courtier who brought with him to the New World more of fashion and ceremony than had yet been seen at New Orleans. History has termed him the Grand Marquis, but he was, withal, an able administrator, vigilant and energetic. The two unsuccessful campaigns conducted by Bienville against the Chickasaws had considerably injured the pres- tige of the French among the Indians, and the new governor, like his predecessor, was forced to contend with several Indian upris- ings. (See Indian Wars.)
In Oct., 1743, Vaudreuil issued an ordinance requiring all plant- ers along the Mississippi to put their levees in safe condition by the end of the year, under pain of forfeiting their lands to the crown. He also early devoted his attention to an improvement of the cir- culating medium of the colony. In 1735, to provide a larger volume of circulation as a stimulus to commerce, and as a substitute for the depreciated money of the old India company, a card currency was issued to the amount of $40,000. This card issue bore the sig- natures of the local officials, the intendant, comptroller and treas- urer, and was a legal tender for all obligations. A portion of this paper money was retired every year in return for drafts on the royal treasury in France, thus establishing a closer connection be- tween the colony and mother country, as well as facilitating sales and exchanges. Unfortunately, this card currency gradually de- preciated, until metallic money had entirely disappeared, and in 1744 a Spanish dollar cqualled in value three paper dollars. This condition of affairs was largely brought about by the multiplied expenses incident to the war with England growing out of the Austrian Succession in Europe. At the very beginning of his ad- ministration, Vaudreuil was compelled to make great preparations to resist a possible invasion by the British. In the month of April. 1744, the redundant card money of the province was called in and redeemed on the basis of two and a half to one of coin, being paid for in treasury drafts. To take the place of the card currency, treasury notes were issued which were receivable in discharge of
567
LOUISIANA
all claims of the treasury, and therefore obtained a ready circula- tion. These notes, like all other forms of eredit money foisted upon the colony, became in time much depreciated, and it may be here stated that the matter of a stable circulating medium was badly handled throughout the French domination, greatly interfering with the progress of the colony. During the years following the peace of Aix la Chapelle, in Oct., 1748. an extensive contraband trade with the Spaniards of Mexico and Havana sprang up, which had the beneficial effect of bringing a large amount of Spanish dollars into the province. This trade lasted until Kerlerec suc- ceeded Vaudreuil in 1753, when it was largely suppressed.
The population of the colony during Vaudreuil's administration remained practically stationary. In 1732 the Company of the Indies had reported a population of 5.000 whites and 2,000 negroes ; in 1744 there were 4,180 whites and 2,030 blacks, an actual decrease ; in 1746 it was estimated that there were 6,020 people, of whom 4,000 were white. The number of troops for service in the province, on a peace establishment, was fixed at 850 in 1750, and the last quota of 200 recruits arrived from France in April, 1751.
Despite the repeated efforts to promote both commerce and agriculture, the latter can hardly be said to have ever flourished under the French. The colonists on the Lower Mississippi were still unable to support themselves on the most fertile soil in the world, while their brethren in the Illinois district raised an abun- dance of everything and had a surplus for export. As late as the year 1746 the colonists of Louisiana were appealing to France for relief from threatened starvation. Gov. Vaudreuil wrote to the minister of the colonies: "We receive from the Illinois flour, corn, . bacon, hams, both of bear and hog, corned pork and wild beef, myrtle and beeswax, cotton, tallow, leather, tobacco, lead, copper. buffalo, wool, venison, poultry, bear's grease, oil, skins, fowls.and hides. Their boats come down annually in the latter part of De- cember and return in February." Though the colony was not yet self-supporting the numerous settlements on the Mississippi, both above and below New Orleans, were now in a high state of cul- tivation, and large quantities of tobacco, indigo, rice, cotton, corn, vegetables, etc., were produced. The government continued to hamper agriculture by unwise measures, and the price of tobacco was arbitrarily fixed at $5.50 per hundred weight in 1750, when it also agreed to purchase all that was produced at that price.
Commerce had for some years been in a comparatively flourish- ing condition. It will be remembered that in order to revive com- merce, which had been nearly destroyed by the monopoly held by the India Company, the king in 1731 exempted from duty for 10 years all merchandise exported from France to Louisiana and the produce of Louisiana imported into France. Moreover, as an added measure of relief. the French government in 1737 issued an ordinance exempting from certain duties for a period of 10 years all exports and imports between Louisiana and the French West Indies. The former exemption was extended in 1741 for another
568
LOUISIANA
10 years, and was further prolonged in 1751 for a similar period. Much the same policy was pursued with the trade regulations per- taining to the province and the French West Indies, the period of exemption from duties being twice extended. These were sound administrative measures and by 1850 the commerce on the Missis- sippi had grown to considerable proportions. Father Vivier wrote : "In former years when 8 or 10 ships entered the Mississippi, that was considered a great number; this year over 40 entered, mostly from Martinique and San Domingo."
At this time the largest settlements on the Mississippi above New Orleans were on the German coast and at Pointe Coupée, where there were more than 60 residences protected by a palisaded fort. A fort and garrison continued to be maintained at the Natchez, but the district there remained almost depopulated since the massacre of 1729. There were also a fort and garrison near the mouth of the Arkansas, which served as a recruiting station for the convoys descending the river from the Illinois, as well as a protection against the marauding Chickasaws east of the river.
The period of the French and Indian War was approaching, which was to terminate French rule in North America. Both Eng- land and France were claiming the great valley of the Ohio, and when the Ohio Company was granted a large tract of land south of the Ohio river, the whole colony of Louisiana was filled with forebodings of coming trouble. Unfortunately, the old jealousy between the governor and his commissaire-ordinnateur continued in full force. Michel de la Rouvilliére succeeded Salmon as intend- ant in 1749, and the good understanding which prevailed for a time between Vaudreuil and La Rouvilliere soon gave way to the old order of things. The intendant forwarded to France serious com- plaints against the corruption existing in the province under Vaudreuil, and the latter was openly accused of dishonorable con- duct, but without disturbing the governor's good standing at court. Certain it is that the expenses of the colonial administration in- creased rapidly. The current expenses of Louisiana for the year 1741 amounted to 319.411 livres. or $59,091. In 1742 the budget amounted to $59,686; in 1747. $92,582, and in 1752, the last year of Vaudreuil's administration. to $172.191. In 1753 Vaudreuil was transferred to the government of New France, succeeding Du- quesne, and on Feb. 3. 1753. Capt. Kerlerec (q. v.) of the royal navy arrived at New Orleans to succeed Vaudreuil.
Vaughn, a post-hamlet of Morehouse parish, is situated on the New Orleans & Northwestern R. R., 4 miles south of the Arkansas state line and 12 miles northwest of Bastrop. the parish seat. It is one of the shipping towns for the rich farming land in the north- western part of the parish.
Veneer (R. R. name Lake Lafourche), a post-hamlet of More- house parish, is situated on the Boeuf river, about 15 miles south- east of Bastrop, the parish seat, and is a station on the New Orleans & Northwestern R. R.
Venice, a village of Plaquemines parish, is situated on the west
.
569
LOUISIANA
bank of the Mississippi river at the head of Red and Grand passes, two of the outlets near the mouth of the river, 10 miles northwest of Pilot Town and about 40 miles below Pointe a la Hache, the parish seat. It is a landing place on the river, the trading center for a considerable district, has a money order postoffice, and in 1900 had a population of 400.
Ventress, a post-village in the eastern part of Pointe Coupée parish, is about 2 miles southeast of New Roads, the parish seat and nearest railroad town.
Verda, a little village of Grant parish, is situated near the north- ern boundary and is a station on the line of the Louisiana Railway & Navigation company, about 14 miles northwest of Colfax, the parish seat. It has a money order postoffice, telegraph station and express office, and is a trading center for the neighborhood.
Vermilion Parish, established in 1844. during the administration of Gov. Alexandre Mouton, was created out of the southwestern part of Lafayette parish and has an area of 1,246 square miles. It lies in the southwestern part of the state, in what was known as the "Attakapas District" (see St. Martin parish). It is one of the gulf parishes and is bounded as follows: on the north by Acadia and Lafayette parishes; on the east by Iberia parish and Ver- milion bay ; on the south by the Gulf of Mexico, and on the west by Cameron parish. Calcasieu parish forms a small part of the boundary on the northwest. The earliest history of Vermilion is that of the old Attakapas district and Lafayette parish, of which it long formed a part. The Moutons originally settled in Lafayette parish, where many of their descendants still reside, though others became residents of Vermilion when that parish was established. The Campbell family settled on Vermilion bayou, Charles Har- rington located near Cow island, and John Mermion came from England at an early day. Emigrants from the older parishes came in rapidly. Some of the most prominent were Marin Mouton, G. Mouton, Levi Campbell, Bartlett Campbell, Samuel Rice, Auguste, Broussard, Louis Laugemais, Oliver Blanchett, Robert Perry, Joseph and Jean Le Blanc, John Lahan, F. G. Borgue, Pierre Desroneaux and Pierre Laponte. Upon the organization of the parish in 1844, it was a hard question to decide upon the location of the parish seat, the towns of Abbeville and Perry's Bridge, 3 miles apart. being pitted against each other in the contest. For several years the seat was changed with great frequency from one to the other, much doubt existing as to its exact location. This went on until 1852. election after election being held, and the seat of justice being changed from Abbeville to Perry's Bridge and back again. Finally the legislature passed an act establishing the seat of parochial government at Abbeville. While the seat of jus- tice was at Perry's Bridge. court was held in an old store house, but after the act above mentioned a court house was built at Abbe- ville and used until 1887. when it burned and a new one was erected, which is one of the finest and best equipped in all south- western Louisiana. The first jail was a log structure and the
.
570
LOUISIANA
prisoners were chained to the floor to prevent their escape. This was done away with over 20 years ago and a fine brick building erected in its place. Vermilion is one of the richest parishes in southwestern Louisiana. Its formation is coast marsh, prairie. alluvial land and wooded swamps. The soil in many places is a dark vegetable mould, rich and productive, and the prairies have a soil peculiarly adapted to rice culture. The principal streams are the Vermilion river, which flows through the eastern part of the parish, and Bayous Queue de Tortue and Fresh Water. About one-third of the tillable land lies east of the Vermilion river, and most of the timber is found along the banks of that stream, while cypress swamps exist along the edge of the sea marsh. Rice is the principal crop, but corn, hay, oats and potatoes, as well as all garden vegetables, do exceedingly well. Large quantities of eggs and poultry are shipped to the New Orleans market from this sec- tion. The soil along the river and bayous and much of the prairies is admirably adapted to fruit culture, and as the growing season is long and frosts practically unknown, lemons, mandarins, pome- granates and grapes do well and are an increasing source of in- come. Stock raising has been an important industry in this see- tion for many years. Wild game of all kinds abounds, while oysters, crabs, terrapin and fish of all kinds are taken in large quantities along the bays and inlets of the coast for home con- sumption, and for export to northern and eastern markets. Abbe- ville, the parish seat, is the largest town. Others are Bancker, Cossinade, Erath, Esther, Gueydan, Henry, Kaplan, Leroy, Maur- ice, Nunez, Perry, Riceville and Wright.
Transportation and shipping facilities are provided by the South- ern Pacific R. R., which runs through the northern part of the par- ish, and the proposed line of the Kansas City Southern R. R. will also'cross the northern part of the parish, so that nearly all of the land under cultivation will then be within easy reach of the rail- roads. The following statistics are taken from the U. S. census for 1900: number of farms, 2,625; acreage, 295,044; acres under cultivation, 136,875; value of land and improvements exclusive of buildings. $3,134,470; value of farm buildings, $578,790; value of live stock, $973.065; value of all products not fed to live stock, $1,277.480; number of manufacturing establishments, 42; capital invested, $204.225; wages paid. $31.549; cost of materials used. $251,247 ; total value of products, $324,805. The population of the parish in 1900 consisted of 16,957 whites. 3,747 colored, a total of 20,704, an increase of 6,471 during the preceding decade. The esti- mated population for 1908 was 28.500.
Vermilionville .- (See Lafayette.)
Vernon, the capital of Jackson parish, is located in the northern part and in 1900 reported a population of 175. The nearest rail- road station is Alger, about 5 miles north, which is the terminus of a branch of the Tremont & Gulf R. R. Jackson parish was ere- ated in 1845 and in 1850 Vernon was incorporated and designated as the parish seat. The first courthouse was a log structure, which
571
LOUISIANA
in time gave way to a two-story frame, and the present courthouse was erected in 1883. Being without railroad facilities. Vernon is without manufacturing enterprises of any kind. It has a money order postoffice and some general stores that supply the surround- ing territory with the staple articles of existence.
Vernon Parish was established in 1871. during the reconstruc- tion period. while Henry Clay Warmoth was governor. Rapides, Sabine and Natchitoches parishes contributed to its territory. The act of creation located the parish seat. "on or near Bayou Castor, Section 23, township 2 north, range 9 west." where it has remained. and Leesville, the town which has grown up at this point, is the parish seat. Vernon lies in the heart of the western long leaf pine distriet and is bounded on the north by Sabine and Natchitoches parishes ; on the east by Rapides parish ; on the south by Calcasieu parish, and on the west by the Sabine river which separates it from Texas. The parish is watered by the Sabine river along the west- ern boundary, by the Calcasieu river in the southern portion, bayous Quelqueshoe. Castor. Lanacoco, and many other small streams. Springs are numerous in all parts of the parish, so there is an abun- dant supply of good water. The formation is chiefly pine hills, with a little prairie, and some alluvial land along the water courses. The soil of the uplands is thin and sandy, but with reasonable cul- tivation and the use of fertilizers it will produce good crops of corn and cotton. The unimproved lands are covered with a heavy growth of yellow pine, which with the improvement of transpor- tation will form an important source of revenue for years. The principal varieties besides pine are elm. gum, sycamore, hickory, willow and cottonwood. Cotton is raised on the alluvial land along the Sabine and bayous, and to some extent on the uplands. Diver- sified farming is carried on and corn, hay, oats, potatoes, and sor- ghum are raised. All the garden vegetables and fruits have been found to do well in this section. As the pine forests are cut farm- ers are buying the stump land to raise cattle, sheep and hogs. The winters are mild. pasture is good for the greater part of the year, and the live stock industry is rapidly increasing. Leesville and Pickering are the largest and most important towns. Other towns and villages are Almadane. Aubrey. Caney. Cooper. Barham, Burr Ferry. Cora. Cravens. Eddy. Hornbeck. Cottonwood, Elmwood, Hawthorn, Hicks. Schley, Neame, Orange. Rosepine, Simpson, Slabtown and Walnut Hill. Two lines of railroad furnish trans- portation and shipping facilities : the Kansas City Southern R. R .. which crosses the northern boundary near Hornbeck and runs south through the parish, and the Gulf. Colorado & Santa Fe, which taps the southeastern portion. The following statistics are from the U. S. census for 1900: number of farms, 1.057 ; acreage, 130,871 ; acres improved. 26.203 ; value of land and improvements exclusive of buildings, $391.930; value of farm buildings, $147,630; value of live stock. $269,750; total value of all products not fed to live stock. $261.305 : number of manufacturing establishments, 8; capital invested, $726,194; wages paid. $119,200; cost of materials used,
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.