St. Bernard Memoir, St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana
File prepared and submitted by Sherry Sanford
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The parish of St. Bernard comprises an area of 680 square miles, and
embraces numerous small islands.  The parish may be classed among the
alluvial lands of the state.  The ridges comprise the arable lands of
the parish and have an area of 37,000 acres.  The principal streams are
the Bayous Terre aux Boeufs and La Loutre.  There are numerous smaller
streams which are efficient drainage canals.  The principal forest
growth is cypress, of which the most valuable trees have been cut and
manufactured.

Along the Mississippi and small water courses is a rich sandy soil,
which changes toward the swamp to a rich clay loam, adapted to the 
cultivation of cane, corn, and rice, and cotton of the variety known
as Sea Island.  Fruits of various kinds are grown profitably, and considerable 
attention is given to growing oranges.  Much of the parish, particularly 
that portion lying along the Terre aux Boeufs and La Loutre, is divided 
into small farms and devoted to the cultivation of vegetables, for which 
the climate and soil seem especially adapted.  The acreage planted in 1890
was divided as follows:  Cane, 2,750 acres; cotton, 230 acres, rice, 5,000
acres; corn, 2,000 acres; hay, 1,400 acres; potatoes, 1,700 acres; meadow 
or pasture, 4,907 acres; other crops, 2,127 acres.  The products of that 
year were:  Molasses, 9,050 barrels; sugar, 2,505 barrels; cotton, 310 bales;
rice, 24,600 barrels; corn, 22,112 bushels; hay, 3,500 tons; potatoes, 
18,000 bushels.

The parish of St. Bernard was settled by colonists from France, Spain
and the Canary islands.  Grants were given to Celestin Chiopella by the
French government in 1759, and to Antonie Phillipon in 1763; Phillipon 
also received grants from the Spanish government in 1773 and 1784.  
Magloin Guichaud received a grant in 1765.  Bernard Marigny, for whom the 
parish was named, was granted a large tract in the territory of the parish
conditioned upon his colonizing it.  To effect this project a number of 
colonists were brought from the Canary islands about 1778.  Among the early 
comers to St. Bernard were C. Devilliers, Samuel Young, the Beauregards,
the Villerys, R. Ducros, L.B. Diclouet, F. Gutierres, the Estopnals, M. St. 
Germain, the Bienvenus, G.N. Allard, Jaques Tontant, P. Raud, Augueste 
Reggio, the Nunez, Pedro Hernandez, Felix Morrero, Manuel Solis, D. Sanchez,
Lopez, and the Queridos.  

In 1810 the population had reached 1,020, which steadily grew until in 
1860 there were 4,076.  The parish of St. Bernard was incorporated in 1807
by the act of territorial legislature.  The first courthouse was located 
where the present Catholic church stands.  It was afterward removed to the
post office site, where it remained until the present parish site was 
donated by Vincent Nunez.  For a time, after the destruction of the 
courthouse courts were held at the stockyards, a suburb of New Orleans.
A new courthouse has been recently built.  It is a neat frame building, 
occupying the site of a former courthouse destroyed by fire.  The parish 
officials are A.E. Livaudais, judge Twenty-fourth district; James Wilkinson,
attorney Twenty-fourth district; E.E. Nunez, sheriff; C.D. Armstrong,
acting clerk and recorder; A. Estopnal, president police jury; James
D. St. Alexander, secretary police jury; D.S. Morales, parish treasurer.

The prevailing religion in St. Bernard is Roman Catholic, though other
denominations are represented.  The public school system is excellently
maintained, the parish supporting twelve schools during the annual term
of nine and a half months in the white, and nine months in the colored
schools.  Two private schools are maintained.  There are no towns in the 
parish.  The courthouse is located at St. Bernard, a long straggling 
village having a population of nearly 200.

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