The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1888-08-25
RECOLLECTION OF THF EARLY
SET TLERS OF OUACHITA PARISH
by Hon. John Ray.
Continued from First Page.

by Hon. John Ray.
Continued from, First Page.
The most prominent political char
acters in Ouachita parish when Mr..
Ray settled there, in 1886, were: Sole
mon w. Downs aud Oliver J Morgan.
Downs was a native of Tennessee, but
Came to Louisiana upon the finishing
of his education at the University Of
Transylvania. He lived in Ouachlta
with his father until about 1927. In
that year he fought a duel with Gen.
Ferdinand Morgan Oh al island in the
M ississippi river, near Lake Provi-
deDce, aud was shot through the lungs.
He did not return To Ouachita parish
at that time, but settled in West Fell
ciana, and practised law in that part
OF the State until 1884, when he re-
turned to Ouschita parish in the winter
of that year, aud resided there until
his death in 1850. He was elected to
the State Senate two consecutive terms
and served eight years. He was then
elected to the Senate of the United
States where he served one term; after
wards he was appointed U. S. District
Attorney for Louisiana, and occupied
that position until his death.
Downs was Il man of good ability, and
occupied very respectable position in
the U. S. Seuate, and of good standing
at the bar. He was Democrat of the
strctest school, although he had many
friends among the Wings, prominent
among whom was Henry Clay, with
whom he served in the U. S. Senate.
Oliver J. Morgan was Massachusetts
man who had immigrated to Louisiana
with his two brotht rs, Gen. Felu''"-rd
Morgan and jonathan Morgan, aoc1fht
1916. Oliver J. Morgan was one OF he
early Parish Judges of Qua chita parl9 sh,
the third, perhaps, after the oLgl X
lion of the State; t iG was elected tc
the Stale. 1AHH.&sH of Representatives in
1910, and served one term, Il Wing in
politics, and after one term in the
Legislature abandoned political life and
devoted himself t. cotton planning he
removed to Carroll parish, on the Mis-
sisslppi river, where he became one OF
the largest cotton planters in the State,
and very wealthy and estimable cit
izen.
| Gen. Ferdinand Morgan Was killed
in a street fight in Monroe in 1888, by
Robert J. Sterling. The trial of S.er-
ling for this homicide was very
exciting and memorable one; it was
afterwards published in pamphlet form,
and may be found, now, in many law
libraries. Sterling was acquitted. This
trial parlcok of the political excite
ment of the day. Sterling being a
prominent d. mocrat and Morgan a
leading Wing and had fought Downs in
a duel growing out of politics.
| Jonathan Morgan was for many years
sheriff of Ouachita parish. He killed
Col. MorehOuse in street duel in
Monroe in 1888, but was never tried
for it as it was considered justiiiable-
mutual encounter previously agreed
upon. This was also the outcome OF
the political excitement of the times,
the local feuds in Ouachita, at that
time, mostly growing out of politics.
There were other prominent men in
| Ouachita parish, when Mr.. Ray came
there in 1886. There were:
Henry Bry, Ga Swiss by birth and
raising) who had settled in Ouachitu
parish in 1903 as a merchant he was a
man of unusual ripe education and OF
great experience, aud had travelled
much, particularly in Earope and the
West Indies, before he came to Louis.
| lana; he first settled in New Orleans,
but did not remain there long before
he came 10 Ouachita parish. He was
the first Parish Judge of Ouachita
parish; was also member of the con.
veDtion OF 1912 that framed the Consti-
tuition preparatory to the State being
admitted into the Union. He did not
aspire to political position was never
a candidate before the people for any
Office he was appointed President of
The Board of Public Works for Louisi-
ana by Gov. Roman, when he was the
second time Governor OF Louisiana.
Henry Bry was an estimabIe friend
of Stephen Girard Of Philadelphia, so
much so that Girard appointed him
his agent to purchase land and slaves
in Louisiana, and to open cotton
plantation, which agency Bry carried
out for Girard, purchasing 400, 900 acres
Of land of the DsMaison Rouge grant
in Girard's name, and about 60 negro
slaves in his own name TO start the
Girard plantation. The purchase of the
slaves in Bry's name was by Girard's
| request anu wish, as he believed that
the knowledge of his ownership of
slave property would operate to his in
jury in Philadelphia. Girard by his
will gave Bry the use of this ptau;a.
ton and negroes for twenty years after
his death-ihen the same TO revert to
the cities of Philadelphia and New
Orleans; which bcquest was carried
out. as Bry lived over twenty years