Diendorf Family, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Sandra McLellan, Aug. 2005
Special thanks to Jim Perrin for donating it to the archives.

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THE DIENDORF FAMILY

In the Ponchatoula Enterprise, 15 Jun 2005

BY JIM PERRIN, Local Historian


The son of Bavarian immigrants, Phillip William Diendorf was born around 1850 in 
New Orleans.  His father John Diendorf (b. ca. 1817, d. 28 April 1873) who arrived 
in New Orleans in 1842, and his mother Anna Fredericka Brockerman (b. ca. 1826, d. 
14 May 1891), lived in the Crescent City from the time of their immigration until 
their deaths.

Phillip W. Diendorf helped his father in the boot and shoe making business as a 
young man and later began working as a clerk for a New Orleans cotton firm.  About 
1882, Phillip married Nellie F. Whittaker.  Nellie was a native of New York City, 
but had moved to New Orleans at an early age.  Phillip was working as a clerk and 
the family was living on Laurel Street in New Orleans in 1890.

In the 1890's, Phillip and Nellie decided to move their family to Ponchatoula, 
where Phillip began to farm and Nellie taught school.  Nellie taught in the 
Ponchatoula public school, which was then located in the Knights of Phythis Hall 
on the corner of Southeast Railroad Avenue and West Oak Street.  Nellie taught at 
this school and other locations in town, and in later years taught at the Howes 
School east of Ponchatoula.  She taught in the Ponchatoula school system for well 
over thirty years and contributed greatly to the development of the youth of this 
community.  Among the numerous children who benefited from Nellie's instruction was 
the father of this writer who attended the Howes School in 1915.

After farming for a number of years, Phillip used his experience as a clerk in New 
Orleans to become a bookkeeper for a Ponchatoula department store at which he was 
working in 1910 when the census was conducted.  Phillip died 22 April 1915 and was 
buried in Metairie Cemetery.  Nellie continued to live in Ponchatoula following 
Phillip's death.  She and Phillip had four children, one of who died as a child.  
Nellie and Phillip's daughter Alma F. Diendorf married Mr. W. O. Becker and lived 
in New Orleans, while their son P. A. Diendorf left Ponchatoula sometime after 1910 
and settled in San Pedro, CA.    

Their other son Phillip W. Diendorf, Jr. lived most of his life in Ponchatoula.  
Phillip, Jr., was born 28 July 1886 in New Orleans, and worked for a time as a 
clerk, as a salesman, and for most of his life as a federal fruit and vegetable 
inspector in the Ponchatoula area.  Phillip married Lucille Dufreche, daughter of 
Frank and Julie Fos Dufreche.  Phillip died in March 1937 and was buried in 
Metairie Cemetery.

Nellie Diendorf died 3 Dec. 1933 at her daughter Alma's house in New Orleans and 
was buried next to other family members in Metairie Cemetery.  The Diendorf name 
has long ago disappeared from the Ponchatoula scene, but like other families of a 
century ago they helped shape the community in which we live.

Anyone with comments, questions, or additional information about Ponchatoula's rich 
heritage may call Jim Perrin at 386-4476