St. James Memoir, St. James Parish, La. File prepared and submitted by Sherry Sanford (SSanf51819@aol.com) ------------------------------------------------------------------ ************************************************ ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ************************************************ ------------------------------------------------------------------ "Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Louisiana", Vol. II The Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1892 St James parish has an area of _____ square miles. Of this 253 square miles are alluvial and fifty-five, chiefly in the southeastern portion, sea marsh and marsh prairie. The high lands on either bank of the river are highly productive and densely settled. They are chiefly utilized in the culture of sugar cane, while the lower lands further back are largely devoted to rice culture. The cultivated border belt of the average width of from two and a half to three miles is somewhat abruptly terminated by the marsh prairies that border Lake des Allemands, which thence extend westward in a belt about six miles in width, about half way between the river and Bayou LaFourche. The main products of the parish are sugar and rice, with, of course, a considerable area cultivated in corn and various other products. In the Grand Point settlement there is quite an amount of the famous perique tobacco cultivated. Among the fruits that are successfully raised is the orange, pear, grape, plum and fig. In the crop year of 1889-90 there was cultivated, in cane 12,350 acres; rice, 9,756 acres; corn, 9,330 acres; potatoes, 300 acres. The products of that year were, hogheads of sugar, 23,465; barrels of molasses, 21,270; barrels of rice, 101,340; bushels corn, 166,340; bushels of potatoes, 2,500. There are in the parish, according to the assessor's report, 45,110 acres of open land, which is stated to have an average value of $25 per acre, while 105,198 acres of timber lands are given a value of $1 per acre. The timber land will be of immense value in the future. >From the statement of good authorities the first settlement by the Acadians was made about 1762. The colony, embracing what are now St. James and Acension parishes, they named in memory of their former loved home, the county of Acadia. Don Miguel Cantrella, a Spaniard by birth, was, under the old Spanish regime, military and civil commandant of the present parish of St. James. He was still living 1812, and his descendants are to be found in St. James at present. The population of the parish of St. James is largely composed of the descendants of these early Acadian settlers, though France has directly contributed many of her most learned and valuable citizens. Among the distinguished persons who have been residents of St. James the following may be mentioned: A.B. Roman, who was twice governor of Louisiana; Dr. Pierre Lyon, a French refugee, practiced his profession here during eighteen years; Eugene Dumez, also a French refugee, journalist, was for a few years a professor in St. James. He died in the parish of St. John, the publisher of the "Meschesible;" Elisee' Reclus, the noted author of many geographical works, was also a modest professor in Mr. Septine Fortier's family of St. James. J. Gentil, journalist and poet, a native of Blois, France, and a graduate of the College of Blois, came to Louisiana in 1852. The parish of St. James was incorporated 1807 and regularly organized. The first seat of parochial government was on the right bank of the Mississippi river, nearly opposite the present courthouse. An old two-story frame building of limited dimensions, still standing, was used as a courthouse at the time the site was changed to the left bank, 1869. In 1869 the seat of government was changed to the left bank of the Mississippi river near the "Convent of the Sacred Heart," and a new courthouse erected at a cost of about $61,000. By an act of the police jury of 1873 certificates of indebtedness in the form of parish scrip were issued in denominations of one, two and five dollars, in order to facilitate their use as a medium of circulation. These were received in payment of all licenses and one-half all other debts. Any person holding parish warrants presented them to the treasurer and received this scrip in lieu. The result can be readily imagined. Convent, the parish seat, is a small town on the left bank of the Mississippi river. It is a place of small business importance, though one of the prettiest villages in the state. St. James on the right bank of the river, just opposite Convent, is one of the oldest settlements of the parish. It was formerly the parish seat. The St. James Catholic church, the first established in the parish, and formerly known as the Cantrella church in honor of Cammandant Cantrella, is located here. So far as can be ascertained the first newspaper published in St. James parish was "The Messenger." This paper was established 1845 by Moroy and Lagardere. It was published in the French language. The "St. Michel," established 1874, was an organ of the Catholic church with some pretensions to literary effort. Its founder and editor, L. Remy, was a French scholar of considerable ability. "Le Louisianais," published in French, was the first paper published after the war, having been established August, 1865, by J. Gentil. This for a number of years was one of the ablest journals published in the state. Its talented editor, aside from the local and editorial department, supplied from his own pen a constant series of romances, novels and poetry, rendering the paper a valuable literary sheet. It was succeeded in 1883 or 1884 by "The Rappel Louisianais," established and edited during its existence by A.L. Roman, son of ex-Governor Roman. "The Rappel Louisianais" suspended publication after about two years. The "St. James Sentinel" was established 1869 by ex-Secretary of State George E. Bovee and edited by Messrs. G.E. Bovee and L.E. Bentley, at present editor of the "Donaldsonville Chief." The "Sentinel" was published as a republican organ. The "Republican" came into existence about 1870 and was during its existence published as a local republican organ. "Le Foyer Creole," or "The creole Fireside" was founded by Rev. O. Renaudier, 1880, with A. De la Peichardier and F.F. Dicharry as editors and proprietors. In 1881 the latter gentleman assumed entire control. The "St. James Courier" began publication 1889, with J.W. Gourdain as editor and proprietor. In 188 there were seventeen public schools -- nine white and eight colored -- in the parish. Jefferson college, one of the oldest and best-known institutions of th estate, is situated at College Point in this parish. Founded 1838, this ancient institution has done much toward the education of the Louisiana youth. Since 1864 it has been conducted under the auspices of the Marist fathers and has enjoyed a large patronage. The Convent of the Sacred Heart, situated two miles above College Point, is another institution deserving of mention. It was founded in 1825 by a colony of French nuns under the superiority of Mother Duchesne, at a point one-half mile distant from the present site. The present spacious building were erected 1845. As an educational institution this school has accomplished much and today is educating the second and third generation of its first pupils. The St. Joseph's Convent of Perpetual Adoration, situated at St. Joseph's chapel, and one of the same order at St. Phillip's are also doing good work. A short distance below College Point is located the St. Francis colored convent. It enjoys a large patronage and has done much in the education of colored children.