History of the Rolleigh's from Morehouse Parish Submitted by Cheryl Johnson Source: Unknown Every effort has been made to determine the source of this information without success. If this information is copyright protected, please contact KSBSM@aol.com and the information will be removed promptly. ************************************************* Submitted to the LAGenWeb Archives ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http:/www.usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ This information was generously donated by Cheryl Johnson a great- grandaughter of the Rolleighs from Morehouse Parish. Old Record Books Relate Story of Early Baptisms and First Marriages in St. Joseph's Church, Bastrop, Louisiana Preserver for posterity in slightly faded copperplate script in an ancient, though well preserved record book, are many of the events that make the history of Catholicism in Morehouse Parish interesting reading. The first event of note took place in 1859 before the church was built. It was perpetuated in a private residence , that of John R. Biggar, and was the first recorded Catholic baptismal service in Morehouse Parish. The roving Catholic priest, Father Louis Gergaud, baptized martin Redmond, Theodore Redmond and Ann Redmond. Twenty-five more were baptized by Father Gergaud, and then Father Ludovic Enaut took his place and baptized two more persons, T.E. Rolleigh and John R. Biggar, bringing to thirty the number of Catholics baptized here before the erection of the church. Then on a crisp November day in 1870, Fahter Enaut and the Right Rev. A.M. Martin, Bishop of Natchitoches, purchased a plot of land from Jonathan Ogden and St. Joseph's Church was soon erected on it. The first baptism administered in the church took place March 15, 1871, when Father Enaut baptized Richard Corley. They first marriage performed there was that of James Campbell to Mary Collins, also a native of Ireland, the daughter of Patrick and Ellen Collins. Father Enaut performed the ceremony Sept. 5,1871. The witnesses were John Collins and John R. Biggar. Fifteen persons formed the first class to be confirmed at St. Joseph church. They received the Sacrament February 24, 1878, from the hand of Right Rev. Francs X. Laray, Bishop of Natchitoches. In 1875 a one-room school taught by Miss Cammie Fay, was started in the small building adjacent to the church. But the venture was short-lived and two years later the school faded into history. The first recorded buriel was that of "Uncle" Johnny Collins, who was buried alongside the church some years before the present Catholic cemetery site was purchased October 28, 1878. The cemetery site was purchased in the name of Father C. Mahe and donated by him to the bishop of the Catholic diocese. At that time the town limits ran midway through the cemetery. Shortly after the cemetery was purchased, "Uncle" Johnny's body was transferred from its resting place by the church to the new site. Some of the prominent Catholic families whose names may be read on tombstones in the cemetery are Dominos, the Duffy's, the Campbells, Collins, Rolleighs, Biggars, Hanlons, Eldriges and Haggertys. In about 1880 the church grew lyrical and the members of that early choir were Miss Pauline Rolleigh, Miss Jennie Biggar, Hugh Biggar and Mrs. Kate Hanlon. Eugene Rolleigh was the organist. Another memorable year in the history of the church was 1928, for it was then that a ball started rolling that was to threaten the church property before it was stopped. The threat oddly enough concerned the paving of the street - Harrington Street which runs alongside the church property. The tiny congregation soon found itself hard put to meet the payments on the pavement. The land was mortgaged, but the burden was little lightened. In 1937, just when it seemed that the land must go, the bishop took over the mortgage and paid off the debt. The property once more was safe, and in 1944 the bishop was paid back. From the time of that first baptismal service in 1859, Bastrop had been served as a Catholic mission by priests who came over from Monroe to conduct Masses. In 1936 the mission was transferred and served from Rayville. Three years later it was transferred back to Monroe and the next year was put under the charge of the newly established St. Paschal's Church, West Monroe, La. Throughout all those changes back and forth the little church flourished and grew stronger year by year. In July 1944, it was elevated to the status of a full-fledged parish with Father Ulric Landholt O.F.M. as pastor. The Bastrop residence of the Franciscan Fathers was now projected as a new missionary enter and December 1943, Morehouse parish was cut off from the jurisdiction of the Rev. Henry Freiburg, O.F.M., of West Monroe, La. And yet another triumph was to be added to this great one for Morehouse parish Catholics. Just a month ago, March 11, a Catholic church for the colored was established by the Rev. Medard Bubala, O.F.M., who came here in July, 1944 for that specific purpose. These then are the high points of the history of the Bastrop Catholic Church. There are many more points, each of a degree of importance. There was the forming of a number societies, the establishment of a building fund, the gradual growth of the congregation. They all add up to success through the 75 years of existence of St. Joseph's Church. Some handwritten notes were: My great-grandparents Pauline Rolleigh and Augustus Harrison Bernhardt married in the small church on April 18, 1886. Aunt Lizzie was one of the first to be baptized in the church. Pauline, Eugene and Tom were baptized at home. Philip S. Rolleigh donated half the land the cemetery is on.