The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1917-02-24
Audubon's Associations With West FeIiciiana

e.s~ss-.-s-.es-s-ss.~sss ~sas'srsss-s~s~s-s-s~s-s
. Amid q wealth If historical associa
tions. West Feliciana Is particularly
proud ri il connection with the name
and fame af John James Audubon. the
worlds greatest Uruithol0gist Tor II
Was here that he made 50 many Of his
researches into bird life and here that
be- aud Mrs Audubon earned The funds
Witch enabled him to go Ga England.
here his great work Birds Vi Amer
lea vas published
Audubon was bora tH Louisiana, prob
ably AT Vaudeville. May l. ljso The
family soon removed 10 San Domingo.
where his mother persisted IN revolt
ri the negroes and his father returned
to France when grown to manhood.
Young Audubnn came 10 America to
manage his fathers property, Mil
Grove Ia Pennsylvania Here he met.
loved wooed and welded Lucy Bake
we'll truly the guardian angel of hts
life (Mlss HakeNell was the great
graadaunt al Rev 4 Gordon BLACKWELL
IT Nov Orleans. who, with his only
daughter are Identified With West
fcliriana in then nWn right as wrll as
b, heritage from the AuduhoHst II ls
stated that SCOTS "reyerjll of the
Peak ~ the romantic history Of the
house Of uasquinlIe OF Blackwell
several years after the marriage the
Audubous left NH Grove and Audubon
with partner invested IN goods and
sold from hal boat ~ lar down as
Hnudersonyillo X he did NOS take
kindly to commercial life. the call of
the Mid coming t8 him trreslsilhiy
narh time the boat stopped Once when
thry we're lrehouud Audubon went Oh
Rth "a party OF Indians 20 au inland
lake where there were mauy white
aNaus Naturally commercn did not
lhgiyr under such conditions and b"
HtsNr went To- Natehez Miss and earned
e prpcarigua living boy painting por.
traits Mrs Audubon and their two
sons wcre with her father
About the first at january 1921
when hp Was ~ years Of axe" AudHbon
arrived in New Orleans after "a lengthy
voyage down the Mississippi River
from Kentucky he had great expce.
tatlons for his future life Ia the Ores.
cont city. ar here he expected 10 make
living II not fortune, from his
litiufz ~ as artist which would en-
fblt. him to publish his work on tn"
birds Hut un every hand he met re.
buffs and many night devoted TO
heart hurnings he surely spent ia his
poor rooms To ursuIine street, near the
cid convent However II was not until
thu middle ~ June. six months after
hts arrival that h. decided to abandon
his plans and return 90 his wife and
children AT shippIuEspoft Nv
Audubon Comes 10 West Feliciana.
On his trip up the river he probably
uel Mr. James ptrrte thorn l.Heretia
}lstorI wife Of a prosperous cotton
hBftr. hose plantation WAS located
aru miles from ST Fraucisyllo I'm.
pressed with his genius, Mrs pirrte
engaged him ostensibly to teach her
daughter Eliza. AGED IL during the
summer but IN reality to give him
means and opportunity for the pursuit
Il his work For aiNty dollars a month
Audubon taught drawing to the bean
tifrI Miss pirric OF Oakley as he fire.
quently called her In his journal for
half NJ the day, and the remainder he
spent in company with Young friend
named Mason hunting the beautiful
Feliciana weeds for bird subjects for
his pencia; and brush
II seems that when Audubon and
Mason reached Bayou Sara that they
walked ont To Oakley" The present
state orpithoIogist Stanley Clishy Ar.
thur. referring 10 that trip, gives
vivid picture of bird life In West Pc.
liciana when h. said In recent news.
paper article
"Trayerslng this same route ninety.
Ave years later and at the same time
LOCUST GROVE CEMETERY.