St. Charles Parish Inquest Records Book #1--March 1877-December 1886

Page 110--Inquest on 12 Jun 1885 on the body of an unknown white man lying dead at Boutte Station at a place known as Michle Lockey Store. The jurors verdict is that he came to his death by a gunshot wound by Michele Laque. Jurors were Chas E. Petre, A. Johnson, Jim Barler, A.D. Johnson, Romeo fils, and Clement Colly, coroner.

Page 111-- Inquest held on 14 April 1885 on the body of Celestine Hampton lying dead in the rear of Davis Place about 1 1/2 miles from the river. The jurors verdict is that he came to his death by the natural visitation of God and not otherwise, there being no marks of violence on the deceased Celestin Hampleton and no guilt attaches to any person. Jurors were John Robertson, Claborn Stanly, Simon Sullivan, Chas Haize, James Smith and Clement Colly, coroner.

Page 112--Inquest held on 13 June 1885 on the body of Morgan Carter (at the Denoult Place), a convict in the camp of Captain Hayden. The jurors verdict is that he became sunstruck, there being no marks of violence on his person and no guilt attaches to anyone. Jurors were Chestester Davis, J. M. Dorsey, Joseph Williams, Usnin Paque, Andrew Carter and Clement Colly, Coroner.

Inquest Records, Book 1, March 1877--December 1886

Page 61.  Inquest was held on 15 July 1882 on the body of Aristide Pierre found floating in the Mississippi River, at Davis Place. The jurors verdict is that he accidently drowned in the river in front of Farmerville at 11 o' clock on the 11th of this month while attempting to force his horse in the water and we are satisfied that nobody is to be blamed for the accident. Jurors were Jos. M. Labranche, Valentine Labranche, Baptiste Antoine, Pierre Lewis, Bazile Pierre and J. F. Mojonnier, Coroner.

Page 62.  Inquest was held on 12 August 1882 on the body of Robert Bowling, age about 35 years, lying dead. Jurors verdict is that he was accidently (sic) killed at the 25 mile post of the Morgan Railroad, while riding on the section hand car, while in motion, by being struck by the car level, dislocating his neck, producing instant death and we find nobody to blame. Jurors were Ben Sird---ff, Adolph Mojonnier, Fred Mojonnier, Jeff Week, Henry Clark, Alex Griffen and J. F. Mojonnier, Coroner.

Page 63.  Inquest was held on 12 August 1882 on the body of Ephraim Porter at Freetown. The jurors conclude on 11 August 1882, that he came to his death from a pistol shot wound which penetrated his left chest one inch back of the nipple in a downward direction, perforating the heart, the lobe of the right lung, the liver, in which the ball was found, having caused hemorhage (sic) and immediate death. The shot was fired by one Alcide Diendonne, now in custody, while the deceased was in the act of committing an assault on said Alcide Diendonne armed with a water pitcher. Jurors were Milton S. Cox, Coy Clinton, John Pierre, Jr., Baptiste Jupiter, Bazile Ronbleau. Witnesses to mark, Chas. A Baquie, J. L. Martin, and J. F. Mojonnier, Coroner.

Inquest Records--Book 1, March 1877--December 1886

P58.  Inquest was held on 14 Apr 1882 on the body of Washington King, lying dead in an isolated cabin about three miles from the river near Waggamen, 4th Ward. The jurors' verdict is that he came to his death from an accidental bad fall, having struck his left chest causing the rupture of a chronic abces(sic) and active hemorhages(sic) and death in a few hours and we find that the vomiting of blood was produced by the above cause and that the fall was accidental as no one approached him until the time he was in agony and so we exonerate anyone to blame. Jurors were Adolph Mojonnier, E. Waggamen, Edward Bull, Jos. Streger, Louis Edward and J. F. Martin, Coroner.

P59.  Inquest was held on 27 June 1882 on the body of an unknown man in front of the Davis Place. Apparantly(sic) a Chinaman fished out of the Mississippi River by Mathews Antoine. The jurors verdict is that the man came to his death by drowning. Jurors were Clairborne Stainly, J. M. Bailer, Jos. M. Ward, Jos. Newell, Jos. Thomas, and Joseph B. Friedman, Dy. Coroner.

P60.  Inquest was held on 27 June 1882 on the body of a colored man found in the Mississippi River in front of the Alice Plantation. The said body,  from all appearance, having been in the water about three months. No marks of violence or injury could be seen. The body was brought to shore by Ursin Zeringue. Jurors were J. M. Bailer, Clairborne Stanily, Marshall Bennett, Louis Thomas, D. K. Lewis and Jos. B. Friedman, Dy. Coroner.

Schools in 1877

St. Charles Herald, 11 Aug 1877

School Board Proceedings
The members of the Board of School Directors assembled at the Courthouse this 4th day of August, 1877.  Present---Messrs. Sarpy, Kenner, Essex, Darensbourg, and Baudouin.
Absent---Messrs. Rost, Bougere, and McCutcheon
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved.
The president then presented the following circular:
Department of Public Education, State of Louisiana, New Orleans, July 17, 1877
To Emile Rost, president of the Parish Board of School Directors in and for the parish of St. Charles:
Dear Sir--Be pleased to inform this office of the amount of outstanding claims of past years against the school fund in your parish, and of the measures which your Board have adopted for ascertaining and settling  the same. A separate statement of the amount due for schools open in 1877 is also requested, with a memorandum of the months during which the schools have been in operation. Information of this character is needed before apportionment for 1877 can properately be paid to your parish. Be pleased to mention also what books, forms, papers and balances of funds have been recovered from your predecessors, and what other forms, etc., are needed by or for the officers of your Board and teachers of your schools. Very respectfully yours, etc., R.M. Lusher, State Superintendant.
In answer to the above circular, the Board stated that the only outstanding claim of past years against school funds of this parish, so far as has been ascertained, is a bill bearing date of April 3, 1876, for the sum of two dollars ($2) due the St. Charles Herald for publishing a notice that the public schools would open on the 3rd April, 1876. The amount due for schools open in 1877 is $337, and this is for the month of June only. There were seven schools open in March and two more in April, 1877. These continued in operation until the 30th June. The amount turned over by the former to the present Treasurer, as per his own statement dated August 2, 1877, is $48.86. The former Secretary has turned over to us all the books, forms and papers in his possession, consisting of record, minute and account books, and all the forms necessary to carry on and transact the business of the schools.
On motion of Mr. Youngs, a committee on school houses, purchases, and supplies was appointed with instructions to examine the school houses belong(sic) to the parish, determine upon and change the location of the schools, lease suitable buildings for the same, and report their action in the premises to the Board at its next meeting.
Messrs. Youngs, Kenner, Essex and McCutcheon were appointed on said committee.
A petition from the citizens of the second ward, residing between Labranche and Davis plantations, praying that a school be established near St. Dennis station on the O. & T. R.R., and recommending the Bell Baptist Church be used for same, was presented by the Rev. Wiley Jones to the Board for consideration.
A note from Mrs. Caulfield, tending an invitation to the Board to attend a distribution of prizes to the pupils of her school, to take place on the 13th inst., was then read, after which the Board adjourned to meet again on the 18th inst.
T.T. Baudouin, Secretary

School Board News

In April 1880 the school board had a balance of $160.35 in its treasury. A bill was received from Mr. Delphine Rouselle for seven school desks and seats, one teacher's desk and one door lock for school No. 6 for $12. The 10 teachers for 1880 were Miss Amanda Perkins, Miss Nellie Seymour, Mrs. Kate M. Haggerty, Miss Ada Seymour, Miss Mary M. Caulfield, Miss E. Jennie Pursell, Mrs. Mary E. Pendergast, Miss Ida Tharp, Miss Henderson, and Miss Leila P. Bruce.
In Feb. 1881 the school board members were Emile Post, Owen McLesson, W. T. Henry, J. S. Brady, W. J. Youngs, and Leon Sarpy. The board again authorized 10 schools to be opened for a term not to exceed four months beginning in March. The teachers were to be paid not more than $40 per month and the superintendent was to be paid $200 a month.
At the April 1881 meeting the teachers were named. They were Miss Amanda Perkins, Miss Nellie Seymour, Mrs. K. M. Haggerty, Miss Ada Seymour, Mrs. S. N. Marshall, Mrs. E. J. Pursell, Miss Laura Culpepper, Miss Mary Tharp, Miss Rose Fleming and Miss Leila P. Bruce. The school house in Bayou Des Allemands had been rented since the last meeting.
In June 1881 the school term was extended an additional month. The Board voted to sell the Davis Place school with the proceeds to be used to erect a school on board property at Boutte Station. Mr J. L. Boutte, Sr. was appointed to replace Mr. W. T. Henry who had moved.
In Oct. 1881, the superintendent notified the board that the lot and schoolhouse at Davis Place had been sold for $200.
A committee from the Congregation of Mount Zion Baptist Church of the 4th Ward appeared before the board relative to the contemplated erection of a schoolhouse for black children at Boutte Station. The board entered into an agreement with the congrgation that they may use the school building for church purposes in return for repairs and upkeep of the building.