Land Grants

If you're looking for information on where your early ancestors lived in Louisiana get a copy of  "First Settlers of the Louisiana Territory, Grants from American State Papers, Vol. I and II, Orleans Territory" by Carolyn Ericson and  Frances Ingmire. When the United States took over the Louisiana Territory, everyone who had land acquired under French and Spanish governments had to have their titles to the land confirmed. Copies of the original documents can be found at Tulane University. These books will let you know if your ancestors lived here before 1803.

One of the first settlers in the Des Allemands area was Paul Toups. Vol II, page 88, number 74 reads, "The children of Paul Toups claim a tract of land, situated in the county of Acadia, at the place called les Coteau  de France, at about the distance of 3 and 1/2 leagues from the western bank of the Mississippi, containing 18 arpents in front and a depth of 2 leagues and one-half. Paul Toups, the father of the claimant, obtained from the Baron De Carondelet a regular warrant of survey for this land in the year 1796, for the purpose of establishing a vacherie; and the conditions of the warrant of survey having been complied with on his part. Confirmed."

In Vol. I, page 146, number 202,  "Joseph Enoul Dugues Livaudais claims a tract of land, situated in the county of Orleans, containing 3 leagues front on Bayou des Allemands, by one arpent in depth on the northern bank on said bayou, beginning at Petit Lac and extending as far as the lands of Michael Zeringue. It appears that the claimant petitioned Governor Miro for said land, for the purpose of raising stock and obtained in the year 1789 a regular warrant of survey for the quanity of land."