History: Ouachita Parish Memoir, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Sherry Sanford Source:"Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Louisiana", Vol. II The Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1892 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Ouachita parish comprises but a small portion of the original "County of Ouachita," which when set apart in 1805 comprehended "all that country commonly known and called by the name of the Ouachita settlements." Settlements were formed in the region of the Ouachita river immediately after the Natchez massacre (1682-85), and the site of the city of Monroe was one of the first occupied. Don Juan Filhiol was commandant of the district of Ouachita in 1783. He made his permanent settlement at Prairie des Canots, where Monroe now stands, and gave it the name of Ouachita post. This old fort was located between the present courthouse square and the then river bank, and was built of white oak or cypress posts twelve feet long and nine inches in size. These posts were placed three feet in the ground, giving the stockade a height of nine feet. The population of the parish in 1810 was 1,077; in 1890 the aggregate was 17, 843. Some of the early residents of Ouachita parish were Judge Henry Bry and his son Henry M. Bry, as early as 1807; Oliver Morgan, who became parish judge in 1813; Jonathan Morgan; Thomas C. Lewis, who was parish judge in 1810; Thomas Barlow; Lloyd Posey; Gen. John Hughes; John R. Dewitt; John T. Faulk; Granmont Filhiol; Charles Betin; D.A. Bread; Alexander Lozare; Hypolite Pargoud; J.M.A. Hamlin; R.D. Richardson, father of Judge Richardson; J.C. Drew. Of these all are dead save J.C. Drew. The site for the parish building was donated by Don Juan Filhiol. The parish has erected at different periods four courthouses. The present courthouse, a handsome building, was erected in 1883. The officials of Ouachita are: R.W. Richardson, judge of Fifth district court; Austin Green, clerk of court; William T. Theobalds, sheriff; D.A. Bread, treasurer; John B. Garrettson, representative; Robert J. Wilson, clerk of supreme court at Monroe; John S. Boatner and Ivy Davis, senators Twenty-third district. There is much valuable timber in Ouachita parish, cypress and pine being the principal varieties. There are immense quantities of hickory.A reliable estimate of the amount of timber annually brought down the river is about 20,000,000 feet. The soil in Ouachita is adapted to the cultivation of a large variety of field crops. The total area of the parish is 275,245 acres. Of this 45,738 acres were in cultivation in 1890 as follows: In cane, 75 acres; in cotton 28,456 acres; in corn, 15,674 acres; oats, 682 acres; hay, 503 acres;potatoes, 261 acres; sorghum, 87 acres. There are thirty-six public schools in Ouachita parish. A central or high school under the supervision of parish officers, though supported largely by city funds, is maintained. In addition to the public schools there are six private schools, employing fifteen teachers, having an attendance of 291 pupils. In the summer of 1816 a town was platted, which was known as the town at Fort Miro. By this name the town was known until 1819, when it was changed to Monroe. The town of Monroe was incorporated by act of the legislature in 1855. The Vicksburg, Shreveport & Texas railroad was finished as far as Monroe before the war. Trains ran into Monroe February 27, 1861. Aid was granted the Ouachita Valley Railroad company or any other company that would build a railroad north and south through Monroe, having its southern terminus at Alexandria, La., and its northern termnius at some point in Arkansas. The Missouri Pacific branch, now nearly completed, ws built under this aid. The Federal building, now in course of erection, for which an appropriation of $75,000 was made by congress, is located one square north of the courthouse. The first newspaper established in Monroe, or in the parish, was the "New Moon," which was issued by William Neville. The "Ouachita Telegraph" was established in September, 1865. In January, 1890, "The Telegraph" was consolidated with "The Bulletin" under the name of "Telegraph Bulletin." "The Bulletin" was established in 1880 by W.T. Atkins and W.H. Gayle. "The Monroe Times" was established August 13, 1890, by J.A. Cason. "The Daily Docket" was established August 26, 1891, and is published by R.E. Crowrich. In 1852 a union church was erected by the joint efforts of all Protestant denominations. The Methodist church was established in Monroe about 1840. In 1877 a handsome brick church, costing $12,000, was erected, but was crushed by a heavy snow storm. In 1881 a modest structure was built at a cost of $2,700. A Presbyterian church was first organized in Monroe in 1850, by Rev. James Ekin. Father Canavan established a Catholic church in 1851. St. Matthew's Church Building association is collecting a fund to erect a new church. Monroe Baptist church was organized by Elder A.E. Clemmons and Elder John A. McGuire, November 5, 1854. Grace church, Protestant Episcopal, was regularly organized by Bishop Leonidas Polk in 1856. The Hebrew temple was finished and occupied in the fall of 1873. The oldest secret organization in Monroe is Western Star lodge No. 24, A.F.&A.M., which was organized April 24, 1823, with twenty-three charter members. Stonewall lodge, No. 8, Knights of Pythias of Louisiana, was organized by Col. Thomas O. Benton. It was instituted August 22. 1879, by Dr. Sheppard, of Shreveport, La., with a membership of twenty-seven. In 1851 five large firms were doing business in Trenton, and handled annually 20,000 bales of cotton. The place attained a population of about 700. West Monroe is a new town which has sprung up since the building of the V.S. & P. Railroad. A town was first laid out on the west side of the river in 1839 and named Cottonport, but later was named West Monroe. The town grew rapidly and was incorporated in 1889. It has a population of nearly 500. The population of Ouachita parish in 1890 was 17,985. # # #