Friday, April 30, 2010

1883 Officials in St. Charles Parish

The following information comes from th St. Charles Herald, 21 July 1883

Parish officials were: District Judge, Michael Hahn, Hahnville; District Attorney, Gervais Leche, Edgard; Sheriff, Dr. J.F. Mojounier; Deputy, Joseph L. Martin; Clerk of Court, John B. Martin; Assessor, Theodule T. Baudouin; Treasurer, Arthur Robbins; Coroner, not filled.

School Board: Emile Rost, president; Leon Sarpy, T. T. Baudouin, H. L. Youngs, Owen McLeran, J. S. Brady; J. L. Boutte, members. School Superintendent, T. T. Baudouin.

Police Jury: J. L. Boutte, president; Arthur Brou, Leon Sarpy, E. Rost, J. S. Brady, and Lewis Ory, members.

Syndics: Ward 1, Arthur Brou; Ward 2, John Mongrue; Ward 3, Leon Sarpy; Ward 4, James Taylor; Ward 5, Emile Soniat.

Justice of the Peace: Ward 1, Coy Clinton; Ward 2, C.C. A. Stephens; Ward 3, George Scott; Ward 4, Joseph B. Friedman; Ward 5, Ruben B. Smith.

Comstable: Ward 1, Robert Pierre; Ward 2, Louis Thomas; Ward 3, Peter Brown; Ward 4 and 5, not filled.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Inquest Records Book #1, March 1877-Dec 1886

Page 41.  Inquest was held on the body of Andrew Newton, age 11 years, 11 months, on 16 Oct 1880, found dead in the 4th Ward. The verdict is that his death was caused by hemoragy (sic) of the brain, which affected by congestive chill (congestive fever). Jurors were W. A. Johnson, Martin Roberts, Joseph Peterson, George Crawford, Felician Andrew and J. F. Mojonnier, Coroner.

Page 42.  Inquest was held on a body found in the Mississippi River in front of the Catholic Church, 1st Ward, right bank of the river, on 20 Apr 1880. The verdict is that the body found was a male and had been in the river 4 or 5 months. No marks of violence were discovered, the body was much decayed. The jurors suppose he was a colored man about the age between 25 or 50 and cause of death was drowning. Jurors were L. Gorton, M. Walter, Geo. Stacy, Pier Warfield, John Dent, D. R. Lewis, and Coy Clinton, Justice of the Peace, Acting Coroner.

Page 43.  Inquest was held on the body of Joseph Adams found dead near A. Trousclare, on 13 June 1880. The man had apparently been traveling one or two days. The body was in a nude state and nothing was found upon the body that would lead to his identity, no marks of violence were discovered. He was evidently a white man between 45 and 51. The verdict is that cause of death is by thunder struck. Jurors were James Peterson, Virsice Trousclare, Clairville Champagne, Flavius Jacob, Ovide Champagne, and Coy Clinton, Acting Coronor, 1st Ward Justice of the Peace. (The record does give his name, perhaps it was learned at a later date)

Page 44.  Inquest was held on the body of George Taylor, lying dead in the Public Road of Freetown, on 30 Dec 1880, before Coy Clinton, 1st Ward Justice of the Peace. Jurors Verdict was that on Tuesday night, 28 Dec 1880, the deceased came to his death being frozen to death under the influence of liquors. Jurors were Wash. Taylor, Handy Washington, C. A. Bourgeois, Robert Diendonnie and Coy Clinton, Acting Coroner.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

1724 Census continued

43.  Bernhard Reusch (Lauesch)  of  the Palatine, Catholic, 52, his wife, a boy,15 and a girl, 11. A tailor with  one and one half arpents cleared, two years on place, a good worker, two pigs, water caused much damage.
      1731--Four arpents cleared.

44.  Paul Klomp native of Bauerbach, near Karlsruhe, Baden, Catholic, 30, wife, a boy age 2 (age 3 and 1/2) and orphan boy age 12. A laborer with one and one half arpents cleared, three years on place, ground overflowed, has been sick.
     1726--Four arpents cleared.

45.  The Chapel with house and kitchen, a garden. A cemetery about one and one half arpents. It was at the completion of this new cemetery that the cemetery that was the one between the two old villages was abandoned.

46. Adam Smitz (Schmitz) native of Isnen, Suevia, Germany, Lutheran, 44, widower, girl age 9. A shoemaker, two years on place, eight verges cleared, works at trade, making galoshes.

47.  Jean Rodder (Rodler) native of Rastadt, Baden, Catholic, 35, his wife. A locksmith, works at his trade. Deaf. Two years on place, eight verges cleared.
     1726--Four arpents cleared.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

School Records, April 1887

The teachers named at this meeting were Miss Zulema Bourgeois, Miss M. C. Manny, Miss P.A. Clanton, Miss Georgia Phillips, Mrs. L.A. P. Evans, Mrs. Dora G. Russell, Miss E.C. Aitkins, Mrs. Louis N. Philipsin, Miss Loranza White, Miss Flenna G. Chisten, Miss M. Lawton, Mr. Elmon Haydel, and Miss M. A. Thoroughgood.

Thank you

Thank you for all the prayers and get well wishes. I expect to get back to doing blog posts later today.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Illness has caused delay

Due to being ill I have not been able to post recently. After a trip to the hospital, I am now feeling better. I, however, have not yet been able to return home, so I do not have my research with me. I am hopeful that I will be able to have someone to bring it to me this week. I have enjoyed writing this blog and will get back to it as soon as possible. I appreciate your patience in waiting for me to get back to my regular schedule.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

St. Charles Parish Inquest Records--March 1877-Dec 1886

Page 38.  Inquest was held on a corpse found floating in the river on 16 Apr 1880. This corpse was found by William Johnson. The verdict is that we believe he lost his life by being burned by some ill-fated steamboat, as all the back part of his body is burned and charred and appears to have been in the water about two months. Jurors were R. B. Baguie, Louis Thomas, C. C. A. Stevens, Louis Friloux, Leonce Zeringue, and J. F. Mojonnier, M.D., Coroner.

Page 39.  Inquest was held on the body of Aristide Ursin on 26 Apr 1880, found dead. He was born in this parish, age 51. The verdict is that he came to his death from excessive liquor drinking on the evening of 24 Apr 1880. Jurors were Manuel Bush, Jerry Shurnton, Jerry Stevenson, R. Gooseberry, William Washington, and J. F, Moujonnier, Cornorer.

Page 40.  Inquest was held om the body of Thomas Robson on 19 July 1880 found dead in the 5th Ward. The verdict is that he received his death from two pistol shots in the hand and fired at him on the evening of Sat. 17 July between 19 and 11 o'clock by Fanny Williams. Two balls penetrating the right side of the liver perforated the colon transverse, one ball laceratinng the right kidney, which ball was extracted at the autopsy and the other lodging in the vertebra of the lumbar region, both balls having caused two mortal wounds which produced death in 24 hours.

Monday, April 12, 2010

School Board News 1887

     At the January 1887 meeting the board agreed to open schools for six months from February through July. There were 136 white children and 423 black children enrolled for a total of 659. There was an average attendance of 422. There were 11 public schools and four private schools, one for whites and three for black children. There were 21 white and 70 black children in the private schools.
     The census of 1886 showed 1865 children of school age, but only 659 attended attended public schools and 91 attended private schools for a total of 750. This left 229 white children and 786 black children not in school.
     There was a discussion about the need for 16 schools.
     The black citizens of 4th Ward asked that the black school be moved from Boutte Station to Green's Saw Mill for 1887. Also appearing were white residents of Ward 1 and black residents of Ward 2 asking for new schools. The board agreed to open a new school for white children in the schoolhouse on Star Plantation and a new school for black children in th Bell Baptist Church.
     The board voted to open 13 schools for six months from February through July. There were six schools for white children and seven for black children. The teachers were still being paid $40 a month.

St. Charles Herald-Guide, Apr. 8-14, 2010

      I'd like to send a thank-you and appreciation to Michelle Stuckey of the Herald-Guide. I contacted her to ask her to run a couple lines in her "What's Happening" column about my blog and she asked me to tell her what I was doing now and why and what led up to it.She used this information to write a very nice article about my genealogical activities. I'd like to welcome my new readers and I hope you will go back to the first articles that start in Jan. 2010. I've made most entries taking only a few minutes to read and also covering five or more subjects a week so that I might reach more people with different interests and hopefully more people like me who are interested in it all. Please send me your comments and sign in as a follower.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Civil War Battles--St. Charles Parish

According to "Records Of Louisiana Confederate Soldiers" by Andrew B. Booth written in 1920, battles or skirmishes fought in St. Charles Parish between 1961-1965 were                                                               1) Bonnet Carre--19 Oct 1862;                                                                                                                 2) Boutte Station--5 Sep 1862;                                                                                                                  3) Des Allemands--18 July 1863;                                                                                                  
 4) Des Allemands Bayou--20 & 22 of June and 4 Sep 1862;                                                                     5) St. Charles Courthouse-- 29 Aug, 7 & 8 Sep & 5 Oct 1864.

This book is available in public libraries and the soldiers are listed in alphabetical order. When you have your family traced back to this period, be sure to see if your ancestors fought in the Civil War in Louisiana.

Census of 1724 continued

Having completed the two villages in the rear, the census continues again at the river, going down.

39.  Andreas Traeger (now Tregre), of Donauwoerth, Bavaria, 37, Catholic, hunter, wife and child. Three arpents cleared, two years on place. A good worker, well lodged. His yard, 90 x 90, staked off with palisades. Well cleared. Birds have caused a great deal of damage. One cow from the company, one pig.
     1726--Four arpents cleared.
     1731--Husband, wife, three children. Two Negroes, three cows.

40.  Jacob Lueck, of Weissenburg, 45. Separated from his wife, who lives in the village, #30. Left to go to Natchez, but returned. Lazy and a very bad man.

41.  Andreas Hofman, of Ansbach, Bavaria, 27, Catholic, wife and daughter, age 7. One and one half arpents cleared, one pig.
     1726--Four arpents cleared.
     1731--Husband, wife and four children.

42.  Mathias Friedrich, of Weilersheim, Alsace, 29, Catholic, wife and child. An orphan girl, age 15. One and one half arpents cleared, good worker, a cow from the company, a calf and three pigs.
     Two Friedrich families see #2
     1726--Husband, wife and three children. Six arpents cleared.
     1731--Four cows.

Monday, April 5, 2010

St. Charles Parish, 1860 by J.W. Dorr continued

      I write you from St. Charles Courthouse, where is located one of the three post-offices which the parish boasts. This "village" contains the court-house building and jail, which are of recent construction, and well and quite handsomely built of brick, and some five of six houses, one of which is occupied as a store. The settlement is twenty-nine miles from New Orleans. The other postoffices are McCutcheon's Landing, on the left bank, opposite this place, and Taylor's on the right bank, thirty-six miles from New Orleans.
      The value of real estate held by residents of the Parish of St. Charles is $1,646,900 and of non-residents $56,366. These figures are legally correct, and are one year later returns than have been published by the Auditor of the State. The value of slaves $2,053,300; of cattle, $25,200; of carriages and vehicles $8450; of capitol invested in trade $15,000. This last item is very small, for New Orleans is too near to give country dealers much chance. The few stores in the parish are nearly all scattered along the levee four or five miles apart, and are small affairs. The largest and best stocked concern that I have yet seen is that of J.B. Gassen, at Gassen's Landing and Ferry, twenty-six miles above the city. The other stores in the parish are Levert's, Bistoul's, Vial's and Labat's, all on the right bank of the river, and Boutte's back on the Opelousas Railroad. Thus, you perceive, "merchandising" is a very inferior interest in these parts.
      The area of the Parish of St. Charles is 81,413 acres, of which 45,884 acres is under cultivation, and 35,529 uncultivated. About 38,000 acres are in cane; about 6000 in corn, and three or four hundred in rice. These sre very nearly accurate, their deviation from actual fact being so trifling as to be of no general consequence. The total population of the Parish is about 5000, of whom about 900 are whites, 3719 slaves and about 200 free colored. The Parish pays about $12,000 taxes of which the mill tax, for the support of public schools, amounts to about $3800. There are three school districts in the Parish, and one school in each, and the number of educable children is about 300.                                             to be continued

Thursday, April 1, 2010

St. Charles Parish Inquest Records------Mar 1877-Dec 1886

34.  Inquest held on the body of Drosin Pierre on 12 Jan 1880. The verdict is that he was killed in the swamp of Philip Thomas in the rear of Davis Plantation and while there employed and while cutting trees, a tree fell and struck a side branch which broke and struck him on the head, causing death instantly. Jurors were Max Gugenheimer, John Blair, Peter Alexander, James J?ksen, Prosper Williams, and Jos. Stein, Dy. Coroner.

35. Inquest held on the body of  Francis Carter on 6 Oct 1879, found dead on Fashion Plantation. Inquest was held before 5th Ward Justice of the Peace, acting as Coroner. The verdict is that she came to her death by hard drinking. Jurors were Arthur Stread, Jeffery Dymer, Edward Steward, Joseph Williams and H.L. McCutcheon, Justice of the Peace.

36. Inquest held on the body of Charlie Miller on 5 Nov 1879 at the 14 Mile post on the Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans Railroad in St. Charles Parish. Inquest held by S.D. Gustave, Mayor and Ex-Officio Justice of  the Peace for the city. The verdict is he came to his death by being accidentally killed by a south bound engine on the Jackson Railroad. Jurors were Geo. Becker, J.J. Bauer, G.M. Becker, G. McIntyre, Wm. Morrison and S.D. Gustave.

37. Inquest held on the body of Samuel Williams on 10 Nov 1879 found dead at Hahnville. The verdict is that he came to his death on 9 Nov 1879 by having both of his arms smashed in the cog wheel at Mr. Bealman's sugarhouse, two miles from Boutte Station, on 8 Nov 1879 about 10 A.M. Jurors were Rober Robertson, Bazile Aldridge, Augustave Jacobs, Zeno Eugene, Alexander Washington and Jos. Stein, Dy. Coroner.