Le MeschaceÌbeÌ. [volume] ([Lucy] La.) 1853-1942, 1876-09-02
PARISH HISTORIES.

PARISH HISTORIES.
A sssEestisn-The Ago sf Our Far
ishes.
|. At the suggestion of Governor
Stone, of Mississippi, committees
of gentlemen have been appointed
in the various counties of that
State to collect materials and pre-.
pare histories of all the counties
of Mississippi. The pamphlets,
thus prepared, that have SO far
appeared, have proved highly in
teresting, and have developed a
patriotic spirit of inquiry into
Mississippi history, facts and men.
Perhaps when we get the true
sons of Louisiana at the head of
our government, we may follow
the example of onr sister State.
No country, as Gayarre has shown,
possesses so much romance, so
much poetry, such picturesque
ness in its history as Louisiana.
And it is q crying shame that,
with such materials before us, we
should appear before the world as
devoid Of all history, save the in.
famies Of The last few years, as
Patagonia or New Zealand.
1t is to be hoped that such a
series of parish histories will
eventually be written of this State,
az is now being done in Missis-
sippi. Many of the parishes are
years older than the United
States, and have figured as indie.
pendent States and Republics.
The first two parishes in Louis
lana are Orleans and NatchitO-
ches, both dating from about 1717,
the year of the establishment OF
the Louisiana colony.
In the census of 1851 two more
parishes are recognized, Pointe
Coupee and the German Coast,
the latter including the present
parishes of st. Charles, st. James
and ST. John. The other divisions
of Louisiana, at that time, were
Mobile, Illinois, Arkansas and
Natchez, all now without the
State.
In 1869, about the time Louis
lana was ceded TO Spain, there
were twelve more divisions OF
Lower Louisiana recognized:
st. John and GENTLY, now a
part of Orleans.
Tch0upitoulas, now a part OF
Orleans and Jefferson.
Balize, now Plaqnemines.
st. Charles, st. John, Lafour
che, Iberville, the Attakapas, the
Avoye;les, Rapides, and Ouachita
During the Spanish occupation
eight more divisions of the State
were recognized: Opelousas (ol
Apelousa), Iberia, st. James, Ven
ezuela lnow a part Of st. Nary
Galveston (now q part Of East
Baton Ronge). Manchac (also 8
part Of East Baton Rouge), ant
Terre aux Beufs Npw st. Ber
nard.) Cl
Of these Terfe Aux Benfs (nov
known AZ st. Bernardl, was set
tied in 177S. iberia w7S settled al
Attakapas in 1779, and Venezuela
the same year.
| At the time of. the cession o
Louisiana to the United States
there were, therefore, twenty-five
parishes in the State, of which
however, Gentilly, Tchoupitoulas
the Attakapas, the German Coast
Venezuela, Galveston and Man
chac (seven) have altogether bee1
lost, and Terre aux Bouts AM
! Balize changed their names res
pectively for st. Bernard an
. Plaqueinines.
The parishes therefore, ante
dating the United States are o.
leana Natchitoches, Pointe Cor
! pee, st, Charles, ST. John, Lafou1
che, Iberville, Avoyelles, Rapide.
! Onachita, st. James, Plaqneminel
! st. Bernard and New Iberia (th
! latter recreated q parish in 1858
. In 1910, under the Territory
: Orleans, West Florida was know
! by the name Of Feliciana. In 18l
df the country Of Frliciana was d
vided into 20 parishes: FeIician'
} Baton Rouge, st. Helena, s