TWO MAGNOLIA PLANTATIONS Plaquemines Parish Submitted by Gladys Stovall-Armstrong ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** James Philippe VILLERE was the first owner of the Magnolia Plantation which was located about 12 miles South Of New Orleans on the boundry line of Orleans and Plaquemines Parishes. Although VILLEREwas the first owner of the plantation, he was not the first owner of the property. The property dates back to a Spanish land grant deeded to Jean COUPRIEN who sold it to a French nolbleman, Francois EMMANUEL, Sieur de la Croix, who sold it to Sieur de SALLAS in 1804. He sold it back to the former owner, Bathazar DMAZILLIER de la CROIX, in 1807. Magnolia was once again owned by Sieur de SALLAS and at his death , the plantation became the property of his sister, Madam BARRON. Benjamin MORGAN, at sometime, acquired the property because in a notariel act passed on the 18th day of April, 1830, it is stated that in 1827, Jacques Philipe VILLERE, the former Govenor Of Louisiana bought the estate from the creditors of Benjamin MORGAN for $22,500. In 1836, jules Gabriel VILLERE became the sole owner and paid $75,000 for the property. In just nine years, the value of the property had increased dramtically due to the building of the plantation. Charles J. VILLERE, son of the above VILLERE, a distinguished member of the Confederate Cabinate during the Civil War, later became the owner of Magnolia. His sister, Marie Laura Antoinette VILLERE, granddaughter of Governor VILLERE, married General Pierre Gustave Toutant BEAUREGARD and their children were born at the upper Magnolia Plantation. The " Times Picayune " Newspaper, from which I have extracted the above, stated that this couple was the last owners of Magnolia, as it burned on the 4th day of April, 1891. However, "The Plaquemines Protector" stated that Charles A. LARENDON was the owner when it burn. "the Protector" also stated that this Magnolia plantation was one of the most picturesque places on the lower coast. It was thickly covered with oak, magnolia, pecan and orange trees. The Magnolia Plantaton of Lower Plaquemines Parish, just below West Pointe a-la-Hache, was built by two sea captains, George BRADISH and William M. JOHNSON. Most sources sight the owner of the property before BRADDISH and JOHNSON purchased it as being RONQUILLO. However, i do not believe this to be so. I have found a Spanish land grant issued to BRADDISH and JOHNSON as follows and feel this is the property that Magnolia was built on: #228 George BRADDISH and William H. JOHNSON claim a tract of land situate (sis) in the county of Orleans, at a place called Quartier de la Pointe a- la- Hache, about fourteen leagues below the city of New Orleans on the right bank of the Mississippi, containing twenty-eight arpents in front by forty in death. It appears that said land is a part of a larger tract which was granted by the French Goverment to philip FLOTE on the 29th day of January 1767 from whom the claimants derived their title to the land aforesaid. Confimed, The Plantation house was built in 1795 by slave labor and all materials with the exception of the hardware were produced on the place. It had ten large rooms, 28 by 22 feet in size. It was here that one of the first sugar mills in the state was built and employed the "Open Kettle" process in the manufacturing of sugar and molasses. During its days of splendor, very famous guests were often seen on the plantation, including Mark TWAIN who wrote of his visit in his book, "Life on the Mississippi" and probably the most interesting, the pirate, Jean LAFITTE. It is said that LAFITTE supplied the slave labor for the plantation. The most remembered owner of Magnolia was the controversial Republican Governor Henry Clay WARMOUTH , who owned Magnolia for 45 years and bought it to its height in productivity. Governor WARMOUTH in his old age described his days at Magnolia as the happiest of his life. Magnolia contained some 2,600 acres! Other owners of Magnolia were: OSGOOD and ISAAC from 1850 - 1852 OSGOOD and Effingham LAWRENCE 1853 - 1855 Effingham LAWRENCE and Company - 1856 -1859