Caney Branch, Livingston Parish, Louisiana
File prepared by D.N. Pardue



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From the book entitled "The Free State - A History and Place-Names Study
of Livingston Parish" by the members of the Livingston Parish American
Revolution Bicentennial Committee in cooperation with the Livingston 
Parish Police Jury and the Louisiana American Revolution Bicentennial
Commission, 1976.  Reprinted by permission.  Dedicated to the memory of
Reuben Cooper and Raymond Riggs.

CANEY BRANCH may have been named for the wild cane which grew thickly

in the area around it, or for the following story related to James 

Thomas "Judge" Smiley (born 1891) and passed on to Clark Forrest, Jr.

     The story is that a recently converted irreligious man, known for

his distortion of the truth, was to be baptised in the branch.  Upon

reaching the site of the baptism,  the converted man turned to the 

deacons and stated that he had seen cane growing at this place that 

would hold a gallon of water per joint.  The deacons interpreted this

as an indication of the man's return to his previous irreligious state,

and decided not to permit the minister to immediately baptize him, but

to give him some additional time to meditate upon his commitment.

     The stream is located south of Livingston between Centerville

and Frost. --- Clark Forrest, Jr.

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