Historical Factoids of Union Parish Louisiana Gleaned from old Newspapers Submitted to USGenWeb Archives by Timothy D. Hudson, 3/1/2004 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ================================================================================= Some Historical Factoids Concerning UNION PARISH LOUISIANA Gleaned from Surviving Newspapers of 1873, 1876, 1885, 1886, & 1912 prepared by T. D. Hudson ================================================================================== ++ In 1873, these businesses were operating in Farmerville: -- law firms: G. H. Ellis & W. R. Roberts, E. E. Kidd, John Young & W. C. Carr. -- medical doctors: Drs. F. C. Manning & T. D. Manning -- drug store: Dr. F. C. Manning -- watchmaker, watch and clock repairing: John C. Clarke, who had 19 years experience -- saw mill: William Cleaton Carr (Union Parish’s first sheriff and also a medical doctor) -- boarding house on the corner of Washington & East Streets: H. C. Glasson -- boarding house at 186 Julia Street: Mrs. Annie McQuaid -- saloon: Willis M. Cooper -- general store: David Arent ++ The Shiloh Academy was in operation in 1873. Tuition was $2.50, 3.00, or 4.00. ++ In 1876, these businesses were operating in Farmerville: -- law firms: G. H. Ellis, W. R. Rutland, W. R. Roberts, J. C. Egan & J. A. Ramsey, Garrett & Slack -- medical doctors: Dr. S. L. Post, -- “surgeon dentist”: Dr. M. W. Culbertson -- general store: H. Brown & Co. -- general store and bar room: the Delmontico, operated by Julius Arent (owned by D. Stein) -- saw mill: Carr’s Saw Mill, owned and operated by Dr. William C. Carr -- brass and iron foundry: Farmerville Brass and Iron Foundry, owned by William Crain -- blacksmith and wood shop: owned and operated by J. P. Brown -- blacksmith and wood shop: owned and operated by George Fenton -- livery stable: operated by Mr. Defee ++ An 1885 obituary informs us that the Farmerville Female Institute, a school for young women, was in existence in the latter 1850s. ++ Farmerville and Union Parish had several doctors and lawyers in 1885, as well as at least one hotel, several livery stables, saloons, general stores, drug stores, barbers, schools, etc. The mercantile establishments made similar sale pitches then that they do now (“available at lowest prices in the area”, etc.). ++ Farmerville had a Brass Band in the 1870s and 1880s that had died out by 1885. However, by the June 1886 it had reformed as the Farmerville Cornet Band and was giving concerts in the area in June 1886 and June 1887. ++ Farmerville had a baseball team in 1885, although at that time it was called a “Base ball club.” The Farmerville team played against Bastrop (in neighboring Morehouse Parish) twice that summer, defeating them both times. They defeated Monroe in Farmerville in July, and in the rematch in August, Farmerville won by forfeit, as Monroe refused to play. A second baseball team was organized in late August, called the “Farmerville Dudes”. The Monroe team used a professional pitcher from Shreveport, but the Farmerville team only used local boys. ++ Union Parish had several other baseball teams in 1885 as well. In particular, there were teams from Pisgah, Cherry Ridge, and Oakland. Both the Pisgah and Cherry Ridge teams had their own baseball “diamonds.” Pisgah played Cherry Ridge on 21 August 1885, with Pisgah winning 10 – 7 in five innings. They played again on August 29. ++ In the 1870s and 1880s, the main modes of travel from Union Parish to the outside world was by steamboat, up and down Bayous D’Arbonne and Cornie, and by stagecoach. Several Farmerville residents operated steamboats between Monroe and various landings in Union Parish. Merchandise for stores in Farmerville and Shiloh was regularly unloaded throughout the fall, spring, and winter seasons, and there was frequent travel up and down the bayous between Farmerville and Monroe during the steamboating season. However, the steamboat traffic was generally stopped in the summer months as the water levels fell in the bayous. In 1885, the season ended in mid-June (railroads did not come to Union Parish until after 1900). ++ There was no stage service between Union and Ouachita Parishes in 1885, nor any between Union Parish and Union County Arkansas to the north. The only stage service was between Farmerville and Choudrant, in Lincoln Parish. During the summer months when the steamboat service was not operating, the stage line was the only regular communication from the “outer world” that Union Parish had. The stage left Farmerville every morning (except Sunday) at 8 a.m. and arrived at the Choudrant station at 5:20 p.m. the same afternoon. From there, passengers could immediately board the westbound passenger train for travel further west. The stage left Choudrant Station every morning except Sunday at 7:30 a.m. and arrived in Farmerville at 4 p.m. So what is now at most a 30-minute trip to Choudrant then took 8 or 9 hours. ++ The only way to travel between Union Parish and Shreveport until 1884 was by stage. The railroad between vicksburg and Shreveport was completed in 1884, and this eliminated the tedious journies by stage to Shreveport. ++ In 1885, local newspapers cost $1.00 per year, if paid in advance, and $1.50 otherwise. However, Judge Lewis accepted poultry, eggs, beef, butter, corn, potatoes, etc. as payment for the paper as well. A complete stove cost $16.00, barrel of potatoes $2.75, sweet potatoes were $0.75 per bushel, and ice was available from various stores in Farmerville. ++ The predominant religions in the Farmerville area were Baptist, Methodist, and “Evangelical” known later as Church of Christ. However, there was a significant Jewish group in Union Parish, with a rabbi coming up from Monroe frequently to conduct Jewish events. Many of the more prominent Farmerville businessmen were Jewish, and hence, the town celebrated the major Jewish holidays as well as the Christian ones. ++ In 1884 – 1885, Union Parish had at least two murders, John W. Cherry and William P. Mabry. Cherry died as a result of a argument with Perry Melton and his son William; they fled to Texas, but were apprehended by the Union Parish sheriff, brought back to Farmerville, tried, convicted, and executed in June 1885. This caused much unrest, as many felt they were not dealt with fairly. Mabry’s murder, Calvin Skinner, was caught, but the only witness was a black woman. In those days, a white man could not be convicted on the testimony of a black woman, so Skinner was released. However, in a final twist of justice, the man charged with killing Mabry during the middle of the night in 1885 was himself gunned down at night in 1887. ++ On 1 July 1885, there was a price decrease in postage: the cost of postage was cut in half from 4 cents per ounce to 2 cents per ounce! ++ Arsonists attempted to burn the school near D’Arbonne post office in April 1885. ++ The 1885 World’s Fair Exposition was held in New Orleans, and numerous Union Parish residents traveled south to see the events during the spring and summer of that year. ++ Many of the same celebrations so well known to us in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries were celebrated in Union Parish of yesteryear. In 1885, they sent Valentines, played jokes on April Fool’s Day, and the town of Farmerville held a May-day celebration in 1885, with a picnic, singing, etc. Editor Lewis even gave a Biblical source for April Fool’s Day: Hosea, Chapters 15:1,2. ############################################################################## SOURCES I abstracted all of the above material from microfilmed issues of these Farmerville newspapers: “Union Record” “Home Advocate” “Gazette”