Resolve Dresser's Ferry, East Baton Rouge and St. Helena Parishes, La. Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Don Johnson, Feb. 1999 prepared by D.N. Pardue ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ACTS PASSED AT THE THIRD SESSION OF THE TENTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, Begun and held in the city of New Orleans, on Monday the second day of January, in the year of our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thiry-two, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the Fifty-sixth. Published by authority, New Orleans: Stroud & Pew: State Printers, 1832. An Act securing to Resolve Dresser the right of establishing and keeping a Ferry across the rivers Comite and Amite, in the Parish of East Baton Rouge and St. Helena. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Re- presentatives of the State of Louisiana, in General Assem- bly, it shall be lawful for the aforesaid Resolve Dresser, his heirs and assigns, to establish, keep up, and maintain a ferry across the Comite and Amite, at the town of Marietta, for and during the term of five years. (Note in margin: Ferry established at the town of Marietta.) SECTION 2. Be it further enacted, &c. That the said Resolve Dresser, his heirs and assigns, shall be entitled to receive and demand such toll as shall be allowed or has been allowed by the police juries of the aforesaid parishes, for the rivers Amite and Comite. (Note in margin: Resolve Dresser to receive such tolls as shall be allowed by police juries.) SECTION 3. Be it further enacted, &c. That it shall not be lawful for any person or persons whatsoever, to establish a Ferry on the aforesaid rivers within two miles of said town of Marietta, under pain of being fined ten dollars for each and every day such ferry is in existence and operation, to be recovered before any court of competent jurisdiction, in either of the aforesaid parishes. (Note in margin: No other person allowed to establish a ferry within two miles of said place and under penalty.) SECTION 4. And be it further enacted, &c. That the said Re- solve Dresser, his heirs and assigns, shall be bound to keep said Ferry in a good, safe, and complete order and condition, for and during the whole five years; and upon his or their failure to do the same, he or they shall be fined in a sum not exceeding ten dollars for each and every day they shall refuse or neglect to keep the same, to be recovered in any court in either of the aforesaid parishes, having competent jurisdiction. (Note in margin: Resolve Dresser bound to keep said ferry for 5 years in good condition under penalty.) Signed: A. MOUTON, Speaker of the House of Representatives. C. DERBIGNY, President of the Senate. Approved, February 13, 1832. A.B. ROMAN, Governor of the State of Louisiana. IN FRENCH: Acte pour assurer a Resolve Dresser le droit d'etablir et d'cotretenir on Bac (ferry) pour la traverse des Rivieres Comite et Amite dans les paroisses d'Est Baton Rouge et de Ste. Helene. Sec. 1. Il es'decrete par le Senat et la Chambre' des Representans de l'Etat de la Louisiane, reunis on Assemblee Generale, Qu'apres la passation de cet acte le dit Resolve Dresser, ses heritiers ou ayant causes auront le dr (?) it d'etablir et d'entretenir un Bac (ferry) pour las travese des riviere Comite et Amite dans la ville de Marietta pour et pendant l'espace de cinq ans. (Ferry etabli a'la ville de Marietta) Sec. 2 It est'de plus decrete, &c. Que le dit Resolve Dresser, ses heritiers ou ayant causes auront droit a demander et a' recevoir tel droit de peage qui'est ou sera alloue' pour les dites rivieres Amite et Comite par les juris de police des dites paroisses. (Resolve Dresser recevue le droit de peage qui sera alloue' par le juri de police.) Sec. 3. Il est de plus decrete, & c. Qu'aucune personne ou personnes ne pourront etablir un Bac (ferry) sur les dites rivieres dans un espace de deux milles de la dite ville de Marietta, sous peine d'une amende de dix piastres pour chaque jour que le dit Bac (ferry), sera tenu et mis en operation. Cette amende sera recouvrable pardevant toute Cour de Jurisdiction competente dans l'une des deux paroisses susdites. (Personne na' le droit d'etablir un ferry dans un espace de 2 milles du dit endroit, sons peine d'une amende.) Sec. 4 Et it est de plus decrete, &c. Que le dit Revolve Dresser ses-heritiers ou ayant causes, devront pendant le dit termes de cinq annees, tenir la Bac (ferry), en bon etat, de maniere a ce qu'il soit sur et en ordre parlait, et en cas de negligence de leur part, ils seront sujets a une amende qui n'exedera pas dix piastres, par chaque jour qu'ils refuseront ou negligeront d'entretenir le dit Bac (ferry) cette amende sera recouvree pardevant toute Cour ayant jurisdiction compitente dans l'une des paroisses susdites. (Resolve Dresser est oblige de tenir le dit ferry pendant cinq ans en bon etat, sous peine d'une amende.) Signe', A. MOUTON, Orateur de la Chambre des Representaio C. DERBIGNY, President du Senat. Approuve le 14 Fevrier 1831 (sic) A.B. ROMAN, Gouverneur de l'Etate de la Louisiana. (The typist apologizes for any butchering of the French language and welcomes corrections.) ------- Excerpt from the East Baton Rouge Clerk of Court's Office In Parish Judge's book J-N (September 15, 1826 to January 16, 1830), page 99: May 12, 1827 "lot bordering on the bluff of the Comite River in this Parish. . . conveyed to Resolve Dresser as per register M No. 330 folio 334. Also one other tract situated in the Town of Marietta and bound as follows. . ." And on page 100 (another transaction): " . . . one Cargo Fery Flat and one first rate canoe now lying at the junction of the Comite and Amite. Fifteen dollars . . ." Also found in 1830 U.S. Census of East Baton Rouge Parish: The Dresser family consisted of 1 male under five years of age; 2 males, 20 - 30 years; 1 male, 30 - 40 years; 1 female, under 5 years and 1 female, 20 - 30 years. *********