History: Natchitoches Parish Memoir, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana
File prepared and submitted by Sherry Sanford (SSanf51819@aol.com)



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"Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Louisiana", Vol. II
The Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1892

Natchitoches parish was one of the original ones formed in 1805.  It then
comprised all the territory in the ecclesiastical parish of St. Francis, or an
area of 120 miles long by seventy wide.  Caddo, Claiborne, Webster, Bossier,
part of Lincoln, Sabine, De Soto, Bienville, part of Winn, Red River and part
of Grant, all were organized out of Natchitoches.  For 1890 the total
population, white and colored, was 25,836.  Natchitoches for was erected by
the French under Bienville in 1717, and New Orleans was settled by the French
under Bienville in 1718, a comparison of which dates will afford a fair idea
of the historical importance of this parish.  The first session of the
district court of Natchitoches was held at Natchitoches Port July 19, 1813,
Josiah S. Johnson presiding.  The oldest record of the police jury, written in
French, is dated October 29, 1846; B. St. Amans was then president.  The city
of Natchitoches is the oldest permanent settlement in Louisiana, and with the
exception of the ancient Spanish town of Adayes is the oldest without
qualification.

Postlewaite's salt works at the Saline were established in 1805.  The United
States land office was opened August 12, 1838.  Natchitoches was incorporated
as a city July 5, 1872; E.L. Pierson was first mayor.  The cathedral church of
St. Francis is one of the historic landmarks of the United States.  The
mission out of which it grew was established in 1714.  St. Joseph college was
established by Bishop Martin in 1856.  The Natchitoches Land & Railway company
was chartered in 1885.  The Bank of Natchitoches was incorporated in July,
1890, and during the same year the Building & Loan association, the Home
Cotton Seed Oil company, the Union Brick Manufacturing company, the
Natchitoches Ice company, the Red River Hedge company, and the Natchitoches
Opera House were organized, showing a remarkable business activity.  Prudhomme
is a small but promising town on Old river.  Robeline is a modern railroad
town; settlements were made near by as early as 1694-1711.  Cloutierville was
founded by Alexander C. Cloutier in 1822.  Marthaville is a small town of
considerable business prosperity.  Provencal is an incorported town of about
400 inhabitants.  The Provencal Land & Improvement company was organized in
1890.  Grand Ecore was surveyed in 1836.