The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-09-02
The Old Generation of Ascension.


d We traced the course of events from Chatham
to Woodstock. where we left the frogs IN must
cal rehearsal and giving forth melody eaualed
only hy the tink-a-tong, took-a-look of banjo
under the skilful touch of Virginia profess
sional Of the dusky persuasion, when playing
the time honored ditty Of
Way down upon the suwanee river, far, far away.
The mere mention of that song carries me
back to the Shore" lean see the sly, lazy, stroll
ing minstrel. as he twangs the greasy strings,
cycling the while that whisky jug in the corner.
No sooner does the musicians throat become
dry, than twack! would snap cat-gut, which
would bring about stop, stately bow and-a
pull! The traditional Dan Tucker, who was
too late for his supper, never failed TO again
contract the performers CLOTHS, when, pop
another Of puss' entrails would part company,
and then another interlude with salute and
smile. More salutatons of continuity, SO to say.
would take place than the Governors of North
and South Carolina ever dreamed of. Good old
times! delicious old corn-juice!!
But to return to our diary: Zenon Picou owned
the tract next to Woodstock; then it passed to
his widow. and afterwards to their children,
Joseph, J. Bte., dit Petit Jean, Trasimon, Numa
and Emile. The whole generation is dead. J.
G. Elder the next proprietor renewed and sold it
to j. b. Gaudin, dead. W. s. Little. last pro-
prietor, is dead. Now owned by colored people
and small strip of it by Mrs. Leonce Babin.
Jacques Babin, Joseph Leblanc. dit Jos. But
Ter, Jacques and Edmond Bujol owned the tract
below. They are all dead: relatives now hold.
The two Norbert Melancons, Lucien, Narcisse,
Marcelin Melancon and Jules Guedry and CAM
lille Melancon were settled on the small follow
ing tracts-all dead. Charles Gecks held part
of theze lands-he emigrated to the regions of
silver mines, hidalgos and cardmbas. Judge
Morris Marks was also freeholder in these
parts, ana where he belongs to no one knows
exactly. He occasionally Eliminates this par
ish with his handsome phiz. He must then still
be a resident and eligible. That he is always
comeatable we all know, and we all hope he will
be the third candidate of the Third District,
bien enfendre, on the Republican side.
La rPointe aNG sardiaes tln Roi dc Marco
comes next, that is Of that mercurial, joyial
little French man, Pdmi uiealc Henri Bruyere.
He vended his goods in large covered cart and
travelled from st. John to Baton Rouge. Soon
he opened an assorted store at his residence,
started wood yard and became well to do
man of this community. His only son Gustave
was killed in the Confederate army. brave boy
and gallant soldier, Mr.. Bruyere's store, and
the one of Dominique were then the only ones
between Donaldsonville and Bayou Goula. In
those days Creoles and Americans were not Civ
en- to merchandising, and the sons of Palestine
did business principally in cities and villages.
Now we have some thirty stores established be-
tween those towns. They fringe the public
highway all alorg and are kept by Jews and
Gentiles, white, black and parti-colored. At
their hospitable doors one may obtain, gratis,
rest, shade, adrink Of ice-water, match to light
his tobacco with, and should he be disposed to
trade. he can be supplied with every thing the
markets afford, and get his lagmiappe of an
Habano Pure, ora 81 i, of red eye. These store
keepers all prosper, or should do SO, for at a
rough calculation, $500, 900 are spent with them
1t would be near the figure to say that from
Port Barrow to Chatham, at least one Thousand
adult laborers are employed, who earn each $50
per month, to which add the amounts earned by
their wives and half-grown children, as also
what is made by mechanics and other employees
of the plantations. and what is spent by the
planters themselves, and $500, GOO would be fair
estimate of gross annual sales.
Just below Bruyere lived the honest old Creole
Auguste Hyacinthe Landry, father of Adelard
Leon and Sylvere Landry, who worthily uphold
the sturdy virtues Of their sire. One OF his sors
now owns the property and has large cooper
shop on it.
Next is the "Babin.'' Macmillan Babin,
Sired Blanchard widow J. B. Gaudin. owned
it-all dead. Now it belongs to Adelard Landry,
who makes the best open kettle sugar in the
State. Adjoining it lived Valery Leblanc, dit
Petit where now is the school-house of the first
ward. His daughters married the brothers
Colet, Francois and Ferdinand. All are dead.
Pierre Caussou, an octogenarian, hale and
hearty at 81, is the owner of the small tract be-
low. He is Frenchman. and now keeps store.
He once raised the silk worm with marked sue
cess. During more than half q century he was
the pedagogue of this section, and ruled the
young ideas with ferule OF well seasoned ash.
My! how vigorously he did ply it, and con anore
tool And what man for pulling ears! Mine
remain elongated to this day. All, old Peter, 1
have long since forgotten the he, haze, hoe and
can't even now recall the number of the cases
and declensions of nouns, but POUNDS! how we'll
do remember your Santo- Christos! yociferated
with the lungs of bull and the looks of wild
cat, and the cuttings and the foggings you dealt
around SO literally and with such conscien-
tious JUNCTION. Mais pas de 7ancu1e, mon Ueasa.
Colin Babin comes next. Dead. His widow
married Jean Denoue Both dead, as also Henri
Denoue. Mrs. Jacques Bujol owns the place.
Nicholas Dugas resided just below. He and
wife, and Gustaye Blanchard are dead. The
next owner, Sifrin Babin, removed to Iberville.
Raphael Anthony and other colored folks are
the proprietors and have store and cooper
shop on the tract. Following is the Des Mar
ais" j. B. Gaudin founded it. He cultivated
it IN cotton many years after his neighbors had
turned their attention to sugar After his death,
his widow held the property long while, and
it was ably managed by her son-in-law, Adelard
Landry. 1t passed to the brothers Sylvany,
Leon and Edouard Gaudin. Leon is dead.
Then Marx Israel owned the plantation-dead.
Afterwards it fell to James A. Dodds now dead,
and his widow is now in possession. An extern
sive batture Of over one hundred acres is found
fronting this place. More than thirty years ago
it was cultivated in corn. 1t is now thrown out
into common, and everybody's cattle make it
their abiding place. Clumps of cottonwood
and sycamore here and there afford grateful
shade to the stock sloughs and ponds are scat
tered near the batture to tempt the disciples of
Izaak Walton il the line of mud-cats and cray
fish. while the followers of Nimrod find sport in
the pursuit Of snipes and ducks. The general
public is not left out the programme but is re-
called at all times with odors which evolve only
from the hide and marrow of departed COWS.
The batture being a Potter's Field for stray cat