FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, BATON ROUGE, LA, ORGANIZED IN 1828 File prepared and submitted by Pam J. Rice and Joyce A. Rogers ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, BATON ROUGE, LA, ORGANIZED IN 1828 The two documents to follow can be found in the East Baton Rouge Parish Court House. The first document is a record showing the first land purchased by the Presbyterian Church in Baton Rouge and is recorded in Judge’s Book N, page 321, No. 341. “Before me, Charles Tessier, Parish Judge and Notary Public in and for the Parish of Eat Baton Rouge came Philip Hicky, Esq. of this Parish, who declared that he has granted, bargained and sold and by these presents does grant, bargain, sell and convey to the First Presbyterian Church and Congregation of the Town of Baton Rouge, and the Parish of East Baton Rouge, a certain lot of ground situated in that part of the Town of Baton Rouge laid out by said Hicky and Mss. Duncan, Wikoff and Mather designated as No. 37 of Square No. 4, measuring 60 feet front by 120 in depth and measured, which lot is of those now held in common between the appearer, the heirs of the late (A. ?) L. Duncan, deceased and Geo. Mather to have and hold unto the said Presbyterian Church and Congregation, their successors and assigns, the above described lot of ground forever, warranted and defended against the lawful claim or claims of any person or persons whatsoever. The present sale and conveyance is made for and in consideration of the sum of Four Hundred Dollars to be paid in the month of January next and the seller retaining a mortgage on the said lot to secure its payment as aforesaid. And Mss. William Jemison Jun., John Phillips and Montgomery Sloan, being a Committee duly authorized to that effect, accept this sale and conveyance in the name of the First Presbyterian Church and Congregation of the town of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge and bind the same, their successors and assigns to the payment of the said sum of Four Hundred Dollars, at the time and under the above stipulated condition. By the Certificate of the Recorder of Mortgage here exhibited which remains on file in my office it appears that there is no other mortgage recorded against P. Hickey Esq. on the above described town lot except a legal mortgage for the sum of Ten thousand dollars resulting from his appointment as tutor to Pauline Sharp. In witness whereof the parties have hereunto set their hand with me the Notary Public and in the presence of Wm. O. Scott and A. Winthrop, witnesses residing in the Parish of Baton Rouge this ___ of October, 1828. (Sgd.) Will B. Scott Philip Hicky A. Winthrop W. Jemmison Jun. Montgomery Sloan.” The second document of interest states that the First Presbyterian Church was incorporated by an act of the State Legislature approved on March 24, 1828. It is recorded in Notarial Acts, Book C, page 71, No. 380 and reads as follows: “State of Louisiana Be in remembered that I, Montgomery Sloan, auctioneer duly Commissioned for the Parish of East Baton Rouge in pursuanceOf an authorization from the Trustees of the First Presbyterian Church of Baton Rouge (incorporated by an act of the Legislature in this State, approved 24th March 1828 dis expose to Public Sale on 27th June 1829, agreeably to previous notice,the Pews of said Church on the following terms and conditions, which were then and there by me publicly declared, to-wit: The purchase money payable in stock or notes satisfactorily endorsed, payable in all March 1830, and at the office ofdiscount and deposit of the Bank of Louisiana at Baton Rouge, and the absolute right of each Pew vested in the purchaser,his Heirs or assigns for ever – and a fter proclaiming aloud the aforesaid conditions, I commenced the said sale, and thereupon the Pews were adjudicated to the following Persons, being the highest and last bidders, and at the following prices marked against each of their respective names. No. 1 Smiley & Chase $150.00 2 John Buhler $180.00 3 Charles Tessier $150.00 4 William Jennison, Jr. $180.00 5 C. R. French $145.00 6 Wm. Williams $190.00 7 Hugh Alexander $180.00 8 S. L. Isett $185.00 9 T. G. Morgan $185.00 10 Abner N. Ogden $185.00 11 John Phillips $150.00 12 Montgomery Sloan $170.00 13 Wm. B. Scott $135.00 14 George Sharp $130.00 15 Abraham Bird $115.00 16 Charles Hubbs $115.00 17 18 F. Menard & Ch. W. Crawford $100.00 19 William Bryan $70.00 20 21 R. McNair $40.00 22 John Simpson $40.00 23 H. H. Gurley $75.00 24 James Mannen $85.00 25 H. H. Gurley $75.00 26 Charles Bushnell $75.00 27 Jas. McCalop & J. T. McNeill $100.00 28 Andrew Shields $104.00 29 John Seay $89.00 30 D. Searles $105.00 31 P. A. Walker $70.00 32 F. A. Woods $81.00 33 John Reid $90.00 34 Stepn Henderson, Jun. $115.00 35 F. Nephler $65.00 36 And. Black $65.00 37 A. Fiske $55.00 38 John Simpson $61.00 39 (R.?) Kennard $57.00 40 John Anderson $80.00 41 John Dorrance $50.00 42 Elisa McGee Montan $51.00 43 Wm. Brown $50.00 44 James Smiley $51.00 At Baton Rouge, Eighth July, 1829 In presence of } “Signed” Montgomery Sloan Wm. Jennison, Jr. } Witnesses J. Maillard } State of Louisiana, Parish of East Baton Rouge Before, me. Charles W. Crawford, Notary Public in and for the Parish of East Baton Rouge, duly commissioned and sworn, personally appeared Montgomery Sloan Esqr. of this Town, named in the foregoing instrument of writing, whoAcknowledged his Signature at the foot of said instrument, and decleared the Same to be his free act & Deed for the Purposes therein mentioned – In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of my office at Baton Rouge, this eighth day of July Anno Domino 1829. In presence of W. Jennison, Jr. } Ch. W. Crawford, Not. Pub. J Maillard } Ch W. Crawford Not. Pub. Recorded the Eighth of July, 1829