DeSOUGE CEMETERY, HAMMOND, TANGIPAHOA PARISH, LA Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Dr. Belford E. Carver, June 26, 2000.. ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ OLD DeSOUGE PLACE-HAMMOND, LA According to the notes of Albert Latham Reed, age 76, dated January 3, 1967 and February 3, 1968, he implied there were two people buried on this property north of Hwy 190 and south of W. University. They were: Melissa DeSouge Morgan, born June 17, 1849 and died February 18, 1926. Her husband, James Uriah Morgan, born July 1848 and died May 28, 1920. In May 2000, in a discussion with Richard DeSouge of Hammond, and also his mother, Gladys DeSouge, I learned that a number of years ago they had farmed some 40 acres on the west side of Hammond. When Gladys DeSouge was a child, she recalled the grave sites which they plowed around without distrubing them. She did not indicate how they were marked, but were on a small hill. The current property owner, who purchased the land from Freddie DeSouge, did not recall any graves on the property, nor did his son. Another property owner who grew up near by, recalled the small hill, but was not aware of any graves located there. With rerouting of a drainage ditch, demolishing a bridge, felling of trees, construction of buildings, and also the construction of Interstate 55 through a portion of the property, it is impossible to determine the exact location of these two graves, if they in fact existed, on the property. During the twenties, Hammond was very much a rural commnity and Mr. and Mrs. Morgan could have been buried there, but the graves poorly marked. The current property owner indicated that the "old home place" roughly drawn out in Mr. Latham's notes, was demolished with the construction of the interstate highway, as well as an old barn. Also from the notes: Melissa DeSouge was the mother of Ernest and Renee. Melissa's father was U. DeSouge. Lulu Alexis Whisnant (?) was a daughter of U. DeSouge U. DeSouge was born in New Orleans, of French origin. Other relatives were Harris Starns and Vining of Amite. "Mr. E(rnest) Morgan lived at his grandfather's home when a child. He worked at the farm and dairy and was taught at night by Clarinda DeSouge, Mr. DeSouge's second wife." He also indicated that the old home place had Magnolia trees in the front yard. The house was surrounded on the sides and back with pine, pecan and oak trees. North of the house was the barn and dairy. The house was large and of one story with usable attic. It had a wide porch made of cypress. It had a slanting sheet iron roof, brick pillars, and a brick chimney on the south side. Mr. Latham also noted that he had visited Mrs. Mae Morgan, February 3, 1968. He did not indicate any additional information on her connection to this family. Richard DeSouge indicated to me that there was a DeSouge buried in the Peter Hammond grave site on East Charles Street. Upon investigation, I found the following: Glorina Hammond beloved wife of U. DeSouge Born: April 30, 1838 Died: August 14, 1908 God's will be done. She was one of the daughters of Peter Hammond, founder of the city of Hammond, LA. His family cemetery is located in the 500 block of East Charles Street. Dr. Belford E. Carver, June 26, 2000. ************************************************ File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/tangipahoa/cemeteries/desouge.txt