Submitted by:  Timothy D. Hudson



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The Monroe Bulletin 
Wednesday, 15 July 1885, page 3, column 2 

D.B. TROUSDALE. 
            DIED  At the family residence in Monroe, La., Wednesday, July 
8th, 1885, at 2 o¹clock p.m., in the 64th year of his age, DAVID BRIGHAM 
TROUSDALE. 
            The subject of this sketch was born in Umphries county, near 
Paris, in Middle Tennessee, July 20th, 1821, and came of the noble family of 
that name who had long resided in that portion of Tennessee.  He came to 
Louisiana in 1842 and settled at Ouachita City, Union parish, where he 
resided until he was elected Sheriff of that parish, which position he held 
for one term.  After a few years residence in this country he was married to 
Martha E. Summerlin, who survives him.  The union was a happy one.  Thirteen 
children were the issue of their marriage, seven of whom died. 
            After the expiration of his term of office he came to Monroe and 
engaged in the mercantile business in partnership with the firm of Atkins & 
Gayle.  The business lasted only a short while after his admission into the 
partnership, the firm being unfortunately burned out.  He was subsequently 
deputy sheriff of this parish under Doctor Norwood.  After that he moved to 
the Island DeSiard and engaged in planting until 1858, when he moved to 
Morehouse parish where he continued the peaceful avocation of agriculture 
until 1870, accumulating a competency, when the war came on and brought with 
it bankruptcy. 
            At the breaking out of the war he enlisted in the Confederate 
army, but his great size prevented him seeing much active service, but he 
did all he could with a hearty willingness for the 'Lost Cause.' 
            In 1870 he moved to Bastrop and engaged in the hotel business. 
In 1871 he again returned to Monroe and leased the old Central House, which 
he kept until the great fire of that year, in which he suffered a heavy 
loss.  Subsequently he re-entered the mercantile business, but was 
unsuccessful, and in 1873 he returned to his place in Morehouse parish.  He 
remained there only one year and returned to Monroe and went into the hotel 
business again. 
            His health failing he gave up business entirely on the first of 
last January, since which time, up to the day of his death, he lived in the 
midst of his family, calmly awaiting the end.  It came last Wednesday at 2 
o¹clock and he laid down a life, which if not a very successful one in a 
monetary sense of view, was a decidedly successful one in that he had lived 
to the good old age of 64 years, a strictly honorable life one above 
reproach.  He never made an enemy in his life and always had the broad 
mantle of charity to throw over the faults of others. 
            In his private life and in his official capacity he was a model 
citizen.  For many years he was a magistrate and none can say that he did 
not dispense even handed justice between his fellow men.  He was charitable, 
and if the saying that charity begins at home is to be taken as true, he was 
too much so, for the worthy and unworthy alike never failed to obtain from 
him a supply of his bounty.  He was a kind and indulgent husband, father and 
brother, and he leaves a wife who was devoted to him through many years, and 
a large family of children to whom he was ever indulgent and kind, and two 
sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Atkins and Mrs. Emily A. Richardson, to mourn his 
loss, besides a host of friends, wherever he was known, to sympathize with 
them and attest the fact that he was A GOOD MAN.  He was a Christian 
gentleman and from his early manhood had been a consistent member of the 
Methodist Church. 
            He was buried in the old cemetery at Bastrop, Rev. A.C. Couey, 
pastor of the Methodist church at this place, officiating in the presence of 
a large number of the good people of that town. 

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