New Iberia enterprise. (New Iberia, La.) 1885-1902, 1899-07-22
HISTORY or NEW IBERIA
And Memories OF Fifty Years and Over

| MEMORIES OF FIFTY YEARS AND oVER-GIN
| ING FIRST AREA OF TowN-ITS oRGANIZA
| TIoN AND FIRST ADMINISTRATIONS
| THE FIRST SETTLERS -REMINISCENCES q
| PERSONS AND THINGS-NAMES or FRS
| INHABITANTS- TS-ANECDuTES- GOLD FEvE
| HAUNTED HoUSE-oF POLITICAL PAR
TIES - WAR, FIRE AND PEsTIIENcE
| CHURCH HISTORY. ETC
| AT the request of several friends aud ol
several occasions. | have been asked t
record some of my rcmembrances of mel
and things of my native town.
| approach the task with some difiidence
but will proceed TO iot down without mucl
order or system, from. memory only, th'
events that have trans bred in the last ff
ty years or more
New Iberia was never surveyed, or lai(
off for town. The first settlers simply
squatted here and there, without regard to
streets or lines, except property lines
The few first buildings put up, lined thu
public road leading from Franklin to st
Martinsville, which is ut present, the
main street of the town. The only surve,
made after the place became n village
was by surveyor named Dow, employed
by Frederick Dupcrier, the father of the
honored citizens who now bear his name
That survey started from the Teche be
tween Julia and Iberia Streets, and run
ming back to Madison Street 1t was
from that survey that Main, st
Peter, Washington and jefferson streets
got their names. Frederick Duperer will
be kindly remembered as the pioneer
citizen who gave to the Catholic Church
the valuable piece of land between Iberia
and Julia Streets, and who afterward
exerted his energies in establishing the
first church in the infant town. May the
beautiful edificn that now adnrns what he
first made possible, be lasting monument
to his memory.
New Iberia in its infancy could not
spread or develope. II was hemmed in at
both ends between the Weeks and Smith
plantations, and only extended from
Weeks street to the Alma House, which
was the plantation residence of Dr. l.. J.
Smith. The few streets that existed were
irregular and short.
st. Peter extended from Weeks to
iberia. Washington, from Weeks to the
Catholic graveyard. Jefferson and Madi-
son from Iberia to Julia the two last
named were on the map, but was open
prairie.
The streets running out from Main,
were Weeks, Julia, Iberia and French ;
Julia was only one square long, from Main
to st. Peters French street. run from
Main to Washington. Weeks and Iberia
streets were the two arteries leading to the
Petite Anse section, from which, in those
pioneer days, the town got great deal of
its produce and trade The three short
streets leading from Main to the Bayou,
were Serrett, iberia and Fisher streets, at
the foot of which were the three ware
houses, or steamboat landings, where all
the exports and imports were handled.
The other streets to the bayou were opened
at n later date: Swain street in 1850,
Bridge street in 1851-this street, was
opened 80 as to accommodate the building
d Stso ~ .s~. 1i.~ s.xs......-
lion of Weeks street to the bayou was
only opened after the war.
This was the town as we remember it
in lS48, sandwitched in between the two
plantation residences of Weeks and
Smith-ten arpents long and six deep,
with population of three bundled. Out
side of the designated limits, there were
but four old houses on the opposite side Of
he railroad track, on Washington street;
hey were the Shines, Penndarbes, La
bauve and the old memorable public
where the writer and many
IF New Iberia's poor boys and girls (no
body but poor boys and girls attended
public school in those days. graduated in
Websters spelling book, and the four
Il -
house where the two tyrants, Bully and
iibbs ruled with rod of iron-jackvine
n hand, they made the fur fly and the
kin too. We still have a vivid recollec-
ion of those two brutes, as our poor back
suffered more than its share. Bully died
md there was great rejoicing among his
pupils. Gibbs left the country for the
'ountry's good.
This narrative of the first area of the
own is little tedious and a little prolix,
,ut we will try and make it more interest
ng as we proceed and the history devel
pes.
The most striking incident that now
,resents itself to view, as memory goes
back rs a boy in 1S47, stood
N the banks of the bayou and saw the
oldiers that had been recruited for the
dexican war in full uniform, marching to
he step of fife and drum around the hur
icane roof of beautiful side wheel
teamer, and from the deck of that steam
r, bidding adieu to mothers, sisters,
'rothers and wives, as they melted in
ears at the sight of the departure of
heir loved ones.
/ little thought then, that fifteen years
ater my turn would come, and the same
ad scene, and sadder still, would be
on in 1861-that saddest day of all my
ife, when bid adieu to heart broken
mother, tho pride Of my life-and after
our years Of that desperate struggle, of
lood, carnage and strife, | returned to
he home of my youth to meet her once
nore, but found her silent in death.
We will now try and pass in short re-
lew the first settlement of New Iberia.
ust after France ceded Louisiana to |
pain in 1854 there arrived in New |
,rleans weary band of twenty pilgrims |
rom Acadia.
They told their sad story-a story |
,hich has found worthy immortality in |
erse and song. Their country had been |
taken from them their homes,
heir churches, their allegiance, their all. |
bands soon followed and were |
,cated (by Aubry, the then commader of |
he royal troops) in the Lafourche, Attaka-
as and Opelousas districts, where their
escendants live to this day S: worthy, |
1dustrious and frugal people, retaining |
ven in the wealth and official distinction |
hat many have attained, the primitive |
aith and simplicity of their early history. |
is from that source that New iberia got |
er Acadian population, whose names are |
s familiar as household word, some of |
'hom are the Arceneaux, LeBlancs,
Dugas, Broussards, Occurs, |
'ournets, Breaux, Moutons, Dupres,
'oches and Guidrys. We had at that
inc also, many descendants of France
rho located under the French regime !; |
hey were the DeBlancs, Delahousayes,
'liviers, st. Clairs, Darbys, Gonsoulins,
|onins, Dcclouets and Dubuclets. De
|lanc, under the French rule, was the |
of the "Poste des Attakapas''
nd was Of distinguished ancestry, as well |
. the other French settlers mentioned. |
was from these and the Spanish settlers
hat we got our Creole population, that is |
0 numerous in Southwest Louisiana.
Spain was known by the Romans az
[ispania. Of the other ancient names of |
he country Iberia was the chief The /