The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1917-06-09
ST. PETERS CATHOLIC
CHURCH.

4 y
may recognize the familiar lines
Of the old church. which served
the people of this part of the par.
ish OF st. Martin for exactly half
a century, before it was replaced
by the more modern, commodious
and elegant structure of today.
There are not many of less than
forty years Of age who will recog-
Dize or remember the former
church. The print here shown is
from an old copper plate which
has been iD this Office for many
years.
The first church was bnilt in the
years 1886 1888. The contractor
was John johnson. The painting
was done by a painter named Bu
nlf. In 1858 the length of the
building was increased some 20
feet under the administration of
Father Joseph. The steeple shown
in the picture was frame struc
ture, and was built by Father On
tenderick, by his own hands, as
sisted by "a negro laborer. In this
steeple was placed the great bell,
cast by Geo. l. Hanks, Of CinciD
natl. 1t weighed 1900 lbs and coat
$500 1t bore an inscription az
follows: "Souvenir de Mad. Dubu
clet, nee Darby, a P6glise de ST.
Pierre, Adm. par NJ. Thieves, Nou-
velle IL6rie, 1854"
Back in the 18th century the
Spanish government sent colony
of their people from the Canary
Islands to what is now the site of
this city. This settlement was
named "Nueva IBERIA" in honor
of the mother country, The Span
ish peninsula. 1t was under the
order of Don Louie Bouligny, a
Colonel Of the Spanish army
With the passing years and the
Spanish domination the little town
came to be styled, by common con
sent, New Town" and was so
designated for many years. In
1889, one year after the complt-
ton of the church, the village wss
first incorporated as New Iberia,
but still it's nick name clung to II
with q tenacity which defied official
| octa and charters
In 1868 iberia Parish, by an act
of the Legislature, was created by
carving q slice from each of the
adjoining parishes, st. Martins
and st. Mary. The town, becom
ing a countyseat, was given a new
dignity which prompted the put
ting aside of old familiar nick
names In 1340 the first steam
boat, "Tomocbichi," Capt. GilIet,
master, gave new interest in life
aud marked the dawn of the towns
commercial importance. That was
one year after the Charter and two
years after the building Of the
church..
"The originators and projectors
of that church were Frederick Du
perier, Neville Declonet, f. st.
M Darby, DR.. Leonard Smith,
/ Jos. Dubuclet, also members OF
the DeBlanc and Olivier families" +"
The bricks used in the construc-
ton of the old church were made
from loan taken from a pit locat
ed on the lot which in subsequent
years became a part of the hold
ings of Mt. Carmel Convent, on
the east bank of the Teche, about
opposite the old steamboat turning
hole. The lumber was made a.
mills across the lakes and was
brought to this point in barges.
The first marriage ceremony
celebrated in the first Catholic
Church in this city was that unit.
ing the lives and fortunes of Ce
saire DeBlanc and Miss Alex DE
CUR. Father de st. Aubin was
the officiating priest. This wed.
ding took place on July 3Otb,
1888, 79 years ago this next
month. The bride was dangb.
ter Of ZeDon Decuir and Elizabeth
Hebert. This bridal couple be.
came the progenitors of our Mr.
Leopold DeBlanc,
| The next couple to uDfurl then
sails to the breeZes on the matri
monial seas from old st. Peters
Catholic Church, was Miss BenalC
Mlgues and Mr. A. l.. Bergerie.
The last wedding to be celebrat
ed in the old church before it was
dismantled in April, 1888, tbal
the present building should b'
erected upon the site of the old
was that of Miss l.. Trappe to Mr.
Fernand Bonn. Rev. G. Jacque'
was the Rector at the time ant
the protector of the new building
i On June 22nd, 1890, all tha
was mortal Of Father Jacquet wat
laid IN rest in front of the alter O