Zemurray Park, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Sandra McLellan, Aug., 2000
updated Apr, 2001

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>From Tangipahoa Centenial Book, 1869-1969: 
Donated to the archives by the Tangipahoa Parish Tourist Commission

Zemurray Park.

About two miles east of Loranger is Zemurray Park, known earlier by at least 
three other names - Mt Hennen, Morris Retreat, and Houltonwood.  How these
former names originated is clear from the following information.

On April 2, 1870, at a sale of Sherrif H. H. Bankston, Mrs. Cora Hennen, wife of
J.A. Morris, was the highest bidder for land formerly possessed by Alfred Hennen.
This land (portions of Section 7, 17, and 18 of T5S-R9E and 2, 13, and 37 of
T5S-R8E) is at least half of the present Zemurray Park area.  Hennen had purchased
some of this land from William Cooper, John Lenier, Jesse Webb, and Moses Moore.
Perhaps much of this land these men recieved as donation claims from the United
States as such is the case with William Cooper, who once owned Section 37.

In 1885 John A. Morris increased the acreage and welded together into one 
continuous tract the sections formerly divided by Sections 47 and 38 of T5S-R8E
and T5S-R9E respectively.  He purchased Sections 47 and 38 from Emily and Warren 
Brown.  In 1890 Davidson Hennen Morris bought from John Lester part of Section 17
in T5S-R9E.  The latter Morris also purchased in 1900 from Thomas J. Kernan Land 
in Section 1 of T5S-R8E.  D. H. Morris also acquired other land in the region.

>From the foregoing data, the origin of the terms Mt. Hennen and Morris Retreat
would seem to be understandable.

The name Houltonwood derives from the following transaction.  In 1918 the Morris
Building and Land Improvement Association Limited sold Mt. Hennen (Morris Retreat)
to the Lake Superior Piling Company. All of this land was sold except three tracts,
one being the Hennen Cemetery.  Charles and William Houlton, owners of the Lake 
Superior Piling Company, cut a little of the timber on the land, and what was left
became known as Houltonwood.

In 1928 Samuel Zemurray, for whom the park is named, bought it from the Houltons.
Zemurray organized and operated the Cuyamel Fruit Company until he consolidated
with the United Fruit Company in 1929.  About 1930 the company made him managing
director, and later, president.  His wife is the former Sarah Weinberger, a niece
of Charles Weinberger, the "strawberry king."

With about 5,000 acres under fence today, the appearance of Zemurray Park has been
developed for the public's benefit.  When the azaleas, camellias, dogwood, etc., are 
in bloom, color enhances the year-round enjoyment of the four ponds, Chappepeela 
Creek, and many pine trees, the later improved by selective cutting and additional
planting.  Under an agreement with the conservation department, all the lands within
the lodge fence have been leased to the department for the propagation of deer and 
wild turkey.  This land became a part of the Zemurray Foundation for educational
and welfare purposes.  In 1974, The foundation sold this property to the Reimers 
trusts.*

The land for the recreational park in the southwest part of the city of Hammond,
also called "Zemurray Park," was given by Samuel Zemurray to the city, dedicated to
the crew of the fated airplane piloted by Samuel Zemurray, Jr., a captian in the
U.S. Airforce in World War II.

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* An update on the land was given by:  
Kimberley McLellan Quintana
Treasurer, Zemurray Foundation
kquintana@1024whitney.com
5 Apr 2001