History of Marthaville, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by: Gaytha Carver Thompson
Source: Bigraphical and Historical Memoirs, Northwest Louisiana, 1890



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MARTHAVILLE

Marthaville is credited with only 290 people, but since the school attendance
numbers 135 this must be far short of the actual population.  It is probably
350 to 400.  

There is a large saw mill and planing mill here, which ship 2.000.000 feet of
lumber per year, the trade principally being in Texas.  They have capacity of
25,000 feet per day, and are always running.  The timber is at the door, and
there is enough to run the mill for years.

The school is the official pride of the town, though as a business point it is
a very promising one.

The town was first settled by the Rains family in 1851 and in 1852 others came
into the neighborhood, such as the Crumps and Berrys.  Prior to 1851 the
Crumps and Berrys located one mile distant from the present town, and in 1852
the Baptists, Methodists and Presbyterians established Mount Pisgah Union
Church.

In 1853 a school house was constructed at Marthaville, and in 1855 a post
office was established with J. J. Rains, master, and the name given in honor
of his wife.  Here also was the stage station of the Alexandria dn Shreveport
stage line as established that year.  In 1857 a daily mail service was
established.

During the Bank's invasion a half hour's battle was fought here with the
Confederate troops under Green.

From 1881 to 1883 G. W. Small, the first merchant here, carried on a large
trade.  The town was incorporated in 1884.  In 1883 J. J. Rains became his
partner.  In 1882 the Bonds & Jordan store was built, but in 1883 the house
was burned.  J. J. Rains did business there in 1882-83, but in the latter year
established a store at Negreet with J. W. Law, manager and one at Broad well's
with W. A. Oliphant, manager.  J. T. Hanson & Co. Established a store here in
1884.  H. E. Hanson was first railroad agent in 1881, followed by Charles
Hanson in 1884.  The saw mills of Hanson & Brazier and J. J. Rains, Berry &
Ingram's brick kilns, Waugh & Gentry's shingle mill and the old Rains gin were
early industries.