The weekly Thibodaux sentinel. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 1898-1905, 1903-08-15
RECOLLECTIONS
Of an Old Citizen of Bayou
Lafourche,
And it's Inhabitants From the
Year 1920 to 1925.
BY W. w. PUGH.

In writing the following sketch, l
am dependent on the memory Of a
youth aged fifteen years, since which
epoch seventy eight years have been
added to tie worlds aye, marked BY
changes for the better, and
our section of the State has become
widely known, and -ilsyalue "a an
agricultural country properly appre,
ciated.
In December 1920 my father with
his fswily reached his tract of wood
land purchased of W. Field eighteen
miles below the town Of Thibo1aux
on Bayou Lafourche, which he christ
ened New Hore He found both
banks Of the Lafourche thlckly set
tied, and divided into snail farms,
owned by the crcoles of the country
mostly of French ancestry.
A population of simple habits.
courteous manners and kindly dispos
cd towards new comers. Their farms
consisted of tracts FIVE aud SIX ar
pents fronting on the Bayou, and
running back forty arpents in depth,
which their fathers had received 4, a
gift from the Spanish king in the first
settlement Of the country. The land
prepared for cultivation extended
towards the rear but few arpcnts,
as the soil was unusually fertile, and
a small field in cultivation suiliced to
make q good support for their fami
lies, the products consisted of corn,
cotton, rice, potatoes and other gar
den stuff.
Cotton at tllst time was the princi
pal money crop, and as long as the
lands were not tired by years Of con
tinued cultivation, they were highly
productive, but the cotton crop Wa:
rather uncertain, as the army worms
often destroyed it before its maturity
and tie heavy rains of August and
September were very injurious.
AS general rule the inhabitants
were very economical, raised theil
own supplies. wove, and dyed The
material of which their garments were
made, and in truth they had few calls
for the expenditure of money. The
FT~sTe fof catt!e was extensive, ant
game was abundant. The men were
fond of hunting, and ducks, geese ant
venison were obtained with LITTLE
trouble.
The cultivation Of the small field.
did not require any great amount o
labor, so the male members of tn
family had ample time for sport.
As for their wives and daughter
they were noted for their ind:str,
aud neatncss in their households
poultry raising, cloth making, ant
the various occupations about tEei
Lremlses which add so much to th
comforts of family.
Our nearest neiy yhbOr was MIR
Michel Bourgeois, u man of gOo
sense and great humor, he did no
speak a word of English, hut bein
socially inclined he and my fathe
soon became warm friends, and the
a man of middle age he soon learnc
to speak English, and rs he was quit
a good hunter he and my father ha
great sport IN the chase of deer, witt
It's and ducks, all of which wrr
plentiful in the adjoining woods.
Mr.. B. had large family Of girl
and boys, which without the benefi
of education were nice people, an
made good neighbors. 1t was quit
amusing to witness the interview
with my sisters who did not uade
stand the French language, but the
became quite expert in the languae
of signs, tho the conversation mu'
have been limited to few subject
Mr. B. lived to ripe old age, au
left many descendants, who did hOaC
to his training. His style of spea
ing English made a lasting impre
sion on me, but in few months
and all the members of his fami
acquired suffiuient knowledge of f
gllsh to make our intercourse Qui
pleasant.
As a race the people had inheritt
from their ancestors social habits,
fondness for music and the dane
and what IS of greater Importance
great Willingness to help their neig
bors IN case of sickness, and syl
pathy in time Of trouble.
The country at that time WAS not
for its sanitary condition, and Il
numbers IF children in each famil
there was but one physician in til
portion of the parish, who had 50 fe
, calls in his professional capacity, th
he taught small number OF Buys
his residence to help make dece
support for himsef-he waS bacl
lOr.
There was but one church in I
Parish, and one post office; the po
age on each sheet of letter W
twenty FIVE cents, and you may rea
" conclude that correspondence "
limited to matters of business.
There was one small store in Z
neighborhOod, and the Inhabitants