Live Oak, 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.

LIVE OAK, "Live Oak Plantation", located on La. Hwy. 16, a few miles north

of present-day Watson, was the first mail center for this rural area of 

Livingston Parish.  In the years preceding the War for Southern Independence,

it was owned by Levi Spiller.  After the war, the land was acquired by 

John B. Easterly (who married Levi Spiller's daughter, Elizabeth Jane

Spiller, on July 4, 1865).  On this plantation, there were located a 

sugar mill, a sawmill, steam engines (for the mills), a cotton gin,

a blacksmith shop, a log Methodist Church (burned during the war), and

a store, where a post office was established on oct. 4, 1869.  The first

postmaster for "Live Oak Store" was James Turner, who served until

Jan. 19, 1872, when he was succeeded by Frederick Weiss.  Also serving,

in succession, as postmasters were Warren M. Carter, Nov. 24, 1879;

George W. Watson, Dec. 20, 1880; and William T. Hill, Sept. 3, 1884.

In 1886, the name of the post office was changed to "Live Oak," with 

John B. Easterly appointed as postmaster on May 11 of that year.  

Isaac Dwight Easterly (son of J.B. Easterly), became postmaster on May

13, 1898, and was succeeded by his brother, Seigle Bruce Easterly,

on Jan. 16, 1903.  Yet a third brother, John B. Easterly, Jr., became

postmaster when he was appointed on Jan. 20, 1912.  After twenty-six

years under the charge of the Easterly family, the post office was dis-

continued on Dec. 15, 1912.  Mail was thereafter sent to Watson.

     The actual Live Oak store was located in the northwest quarter

of Section 38, in T5S-R3E.  The nearby plantation house was built

shortly after the Civil War out of cypress (some of which was from an

earlier structure erected by Levi Spiller).  It is today the home of

E.W. Easterly and family.

     The plantation itself consisted of an aggregate 1,500 acres of 

which about 300 were usually under cultivation of cotton until ca.

1908-09, when the farm's economy was shifted to cattle, goats, and 

hogs.  The place was sold by J.B. Easterly to his sons, Seigle B. 

and Isaac D., on July 8, 1903, and has since remained in the hands of

various members of the Easterly family.

     The Live Oak Plantation, the Live Oak Post Office and the Live 

Oak Methodist Church are all undoubtedly named for the evergreen live

oak (Quercus virginiana) which grows abundantly in the area.  It grows

particularly well on the ridge which parallels the Amite River.  All

of the previously named entities were located on this ridge. --- 

Ernest S. Easterly, III

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