A History of Concordia Parish (extract)
Contributed by Nathan M.Calhoun


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NOTE: The following material was extracted from A History of Concordia
 Parish, Louisiana (1768-1931), by Robert Dabney Calhoun; Reprinted 
 from The Louisiana Historical Quarterly For January, 1932; Library of
 Congress No., F377-C7C3 Nov. 28, 1934; Reprinted Nov., 1974; 
 Reprinted, with Table of Contents and Index. December, 1989.

This material appears on Concordia Parish, LAGenWeb with permission.
Researchers are invited to read/search the document for specific
facts, relative to individual research, but no part of the document
may be reproduced in any format, electronically or otherwise.

On behalf of Concordia Parish, LAGenWeb and the USGenWeb Project, I
wish to express appreciation to Mr. Nathan M. Calhoun for his
generosity in making the material available. 

Ann Allen Geoghegan Concordia Parish, LAGenWeb Project Coordinator

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"Concordia is the mother Parish of northeast Louisiana. The Parishes
 of Concordia, Madison, and Tensas are her offspring."

In August 1716, Bienville conducted an expedition up the Mississippi
River and established a French post at Natchez.  He built a fort,
called Fort Rosalie, and in the subsequent years some few land
concessions were made, and settled, around the fort.  Although the
site of present-day Vidalia, Concordia Parish lay directly across the
river, from Fort Rosalie and the infant town of Natchez, Concordia
remained a wilderness for about 80 years after the first white
settlement of Natchez.  This was due mainly to the threat of Indian
attack, and later, the abandonment of Fort. Rosalie.

The first settlement of Concordia occurred around 1768 in the form of
a tiny outpost which apparently was eventually abandoned.

In 1796, the Baron de Carondelet, Governor General of Louisiana,
granted to Louis Bringier forty thousand arpents of land at the
junction of "Rio Negro," (Black River), and the "Bayou" Tensas.  This
is the first land grant in the area that is documented, although no
settlement of the area occurred at that time.

In 1797, Carondelet granted to Thomas and James Grafton each one
thousand arpents, and to John Grafton five hundred arpents of land on
the Mississippi River.  That land was not surveyed for five years.

In 1798, Don Jose Vidal, from Natchez, petitioned the Governor General
at New Orleans for three grants of land on the west bank for himself
and his two sons.  These grants were signed by the Governor on April
21, 1798, and it was stipulated that the grants should be surveyed and
that "should they be opposite the landing and Plaza of Natchez...shall
be reserved for the purpose of building a strong house" (fort.)  The
fort was built, and is described in early records as the "Post of New
Concordia," the "Post of Concord," and the adjacent territory is
referred to as "Concordia."

The name "Concord" appears to have originated in Natchez.  During the
regime of de Lemos as Governor at Natchez, he built a magnificent
residence, to which he gave the name "Concord." Upon his removal to
New Orleans, de Lemos sold his mansion to Don Stephen Minor.  As
Concord was the most historic residence in Mississippi, it is probable
that the Post of Concord derived it's name from this residence.

After the Louisiana Purchase, in 1803, a ceremony of transfer took
place at the Post of Concord on January 12, 1804.  The Mayor, Council,
and many citizens of Natchez crossed the river to witness the event.
Don Stephen Minor and Ferdinand L. Claiborne signed the official
document, which was witnessed by J. Girault, and Wm. Nicholls.  At
that time there were no public buildings.  The home of Vidal had been
used as "the Government House."

The first sheriff of the area was Charles Morgan, and the first county
judge was James Williams, both installed on October 10, 1805.

In the fall and winter of 1804-05, Sir William Dunbar, of Natchez, and
scientist Dr. George Hunter explored the Black and Ouachita rivers, at
the insistence of President Jefferson.  A report of the expedition was
delivered to Congress by the President on February 19, 1806.

In 1810, the population of Concordia Parish was: 

1279 White 
35 Free Negroes 
1581 Slaves

A Constitutional Convention was held in New Orleans, on November 4,
1811.  The eventual result was that the State of Louisiana was
admitted into the Union.  Concordia delegates attending that
convention were David B. Morgan and James Dunlap, both of whom
initially opposed the admission