French Settlement, A Bicentennial Village, Livingston Parish, Louisiana File prepared by D.N. Pardue ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From the French Settlement Historical Register, published by the French Settlement Historical Society, French Settlement, Louisiana 70733. The LaGenWeb Archives thanks them for contributing this information. Vol. 1, December 1976 Originally submitted to the Register by Vernance Lambert On July 4, 1975, the dedication ceremony was held for the historical marker in front of the French Settlement Municipal Building. The marker was erected as a result of the work done by Mr. and Mrs. Ruben Cooper and Mr. and Mrs. Vernance Lambert. The Coopers and the Lamberts comprised the French Settlement Bicentennial Committee and served on the Livingston Parish Bicentennial Committee. At the dedication, Mayor Norwood Matherne gave the welcome followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Melissa Vicknair. Louis Lambert, our Public Service Commissioner, was a guest speaker. Mrs. Grace Brignac gave a brief history of the village. Mr. Warren Stewart, President of the Livingston Parish Police Jury, and Clark Forrest, chairman fo the Livingston Parish Bicentennial Committee, also spoke briefly. Other honored guests were local and Parish officials and approximately sixty-five senior citizens of the French Settlement area. Father John Courchesne, French Settlement Catholic Church, gave the invocation and Brother James Wright of the French Settlement Baptist Church gave the benediction. The American Legion Post 372 posted the colors and the Disabled American Veterans of Gonzales donated the flag pole and participated in the American flag ceremony. The State of Louisiana donated a Louisiana State Flag. Other local organizations participating in the festival were the French Settlement Volunteer Fire Department and the French Settlement High School. In the latter part of 1975, the French Settlement Bicentennial Committee filed an application with the American REvolution Bicentennial Commission for the purpose of becoming a Bicentennial Village. Projects included in the application were beautification of the area around the historical marker, erection of a marker at French Settlement High School and one at the French Settlement Catholic Church, an annual festival and the restoration of the existing creole home and conversion of the same into a museum. The application was apporved and on February 28, 1976, the Village of French Settlement was presented an American Revolution Bicentennial Flag and a certificate by Congressman Henson Moore and Mary Sue may of the Capitol Economic Development. At the ceremony music was furnished by members of the East Ascension High School Band. Accepting the flage and certificate was Mayor Norwood Matherne of the Village of French Settlement. Also in attendance was Father John Courchesne, Brother James Wright, members of the Livingston Parish Bicentennial Committee and McCoy Berthelot, Alderman of the Village of French Settlement. Jambalaya, cake, coffee and cokes were served. There were approximately one hundred-fifty people in attendance. The celebration, held in French Settlement, on July 3 and 4, 1976 was called the Livingston Parish Bicentennial Festival. Participating in the festival were the French Settlement Volunteer Fire Department, American Legion Post 372, Local Knights of Columbus, King George Recreation, French Settlement High School, French Settlement Bicentennial Committee and two Country-Western Bands. Saturday night, July 3rd at the French Settlement High School Gymnasium, a program sponsored by the French Settlement Volunteer Fire Department, was held. Participating in the program were Darryl Murphy, Master of Ceremonies, Louis Bartus and the Hungarian Folk Dancers, French Settlement High School students, John Reynolds (who played the guitar, sang and did the "Uncle Pete" act), and the crowning of the King and Queen by Clark Forrest and Pam Lass. King Vernance Lambert and Queen Sibyl Taylor, were sponsored by the French Settlement Bicentennial Committee. Members of the court, Princess Carol Matherne and Duke Ralph Waldrop, were sponsored by the American Legion Post 372 while Princess Bobbie Jean Mobsy and Duke Pat Berthelot were sponsored by the French Settlement Volunteer Fire Department. Sunday, July 4th, 1976, there was a parade through town of the King, Queen and the Court with approximately twenty decorated cars. At 1:00, the Catholic Church Bell chimed two hundred times to commemorate the 200th anniversary of our nation. This was followed by a program in the Municipal Building with Vernance Lambert as Master of Ceremonies; next came the dedication of the markers, donated by Seale's Monument Co., Denham springs, to the French Settlement High School and the St. Joseph Catholic Church. A picture of the first French Settlement High School was donated by Billy Grout's Studio and was presented to the school. Plaques were presented to Warren Stewart, past president of the Livingston Parish Police Jury and organizer of the Livingston Parish Bicentennial Committee; Clark Forrest, Chairman of the Livingston Parish Bicentennial Committee; James Minton, reporter for the Denham Springs News; and Normand David, Editor of the Denham Springs News. Speakers of the the program were Warren Stewart, Clark Forrest, Mrs. Grace Brignac and Dr. Ralph Willie, Principal of French Settlement High School. Patriotic and religious songs were sung by David Pierce, Musical Director of Colyell Baptist Church and a combined choir of Colyell Baptist Church and Colyell Pentecostal Church. Father John Courchesne gave the invocatin and the benediction was given by H.A. Rogers. Mrs. Lucille Cooper and Mrs. P.D. Lambert recognized the senior citizens in attendance. The oldest married couple present were Mr. and Mrs. Ebb Watts who had been married 56 years and the oldest citizen was Alyces Lobell who was born July 17, 1884. Also active in the festival were Billy Grout, photographer, and other members of the Livingston Parish Bicentennial Committee were Mercy Cambre, Pam Lass, and Johnnie Doris of Port Vincent, Mr. and Mrs. Sylvain Loupe of Maurepas, Aubry Fontenot of Springfield, Mrs. Willie Higgonbotham of Holden, Evelyn Martin of Bayou Barbary and Ida Mae Lambert and Mrs. P.D. Lambert of New Orleans. Through the leadership of Mercy Cambre, other Bicentennial Committee Members and the French Settlement Historical Society, Inc., a use agreement was reached with the French Settlement Village officials for the conversion of the old creole type home into a museum. The French Settlement Historical Society was chartered with the State of Louisiana on September 20, 1976. With the aid of Louis Lambert and Clark Forrest, the French Settlement Bicentennial Committee received a grant of $2,500.00 for the renovation of the creole home into a museum from the Capitol Economic Development. Lumber and materials for the roof has been purchased and delivered. Cypress lumber for the shutters is on order. Based on the above, it is obvious that the people of French Settlement are proud of the recent accomplished presentations that have been made. Being a very historic area of the Parish, people having lived here all this time, this was very appropriate. We are now looking forward to the Sesquencentennial in 1982 when we can further commemorate our village for the part it has played in our history.