ABBEVILLE                         
                         Vermilion, LA


Contributed by Margaret Rentrop Moore
Source: Southwest Louisiana Biographical & Historical by William
Henry Perrin; published 1891 pages 255.

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Town of Abbeville Ä Upon the organization of the parish, the
next question was to establish the parish seat. This was not
easily done in Vermilion. Two points were pitted against each
other, viz: the present town of Abbeville and Perry post-office,
better known as Perry's Bridge, a little town three miles 
south of Abbeville. And for several years it changed first 
to the one and then to the other place. Indeed, the changes 
were so fast and frequent, that half the time people had 
their  breeches on hindpart before, and it was no uncommon 
thing for business men when they met on a morning to accost 
each other with Ä" Well, where is the parish seat to-day, 
at Abbeville or at Perry's Bridge?"  There were another 
place or two that entered into the contest for it, but they 
had little chance to succeed and soon dropped out of the race.
    Perry's Bridge was at first victorious, a vote of the 
people giving it the capital. But another election being 
called the next year Abbeville was victorious. Thus it went 
on until 1852, election after election being held, and 
changing the seat back and forth from one place to the 
other. But the people at last grew tired of a vacillation 
that was proving detrimental to public interest and fatal 
to public improvement, and at the session of the Legislature
of 1852, passed an act establishing, Abbeville as the parish
seat, and so it has since remained.
    The land upon which Abbeville waS laid out was purchased 
by Father A. D. Megret, from Joseph LeBlanc, and the first
structure built thereon was a chapel for Roman Catholic 
service. This chapel was formed out of the oldfashioned, 
spacious mansion of Mons. LeBlanc. Father Megret had solicited
from the proprietors of Perry's Bridge ground on which to
build a church, but the only lot offered him was of a swampy
character, which he would not have.  So he went three miles 
north and purchased a tract of land.  Upon this he established
a church and laid out a part of it in lots and streets, and
finally it became the town of Abbeville.
    A church was built, which served the congregation several
years and was blown down in 1856. In 1884 the present church 
was built, which is large and commodious. About four-fifths of
the people are Catholics. The convent was built in 1885, and 
an excellent school is conducted in it by the Sisters of Mount
Carmel. About five hundred children are baptized yearly in
this church.
    The first business house was a store built by Hilaire 
Davide and Emile Boudin. They carried on a store for some 
time, and also built the first residence in the new town. 
Messrs. A. Spalding, J. P. Guydon and B. Cavailliez
were also early business men of the town.
    Court was first held at Perry's Bridge in an old store
house, and it was not until after the seat of justice was
permanently established at the town of Abbeville that a court
house was erected. It was burnt in 1887, and the parish is
just finishing a court house, which, when finally completed,
will be one of the finest in Southwest Louisiana, and will 
cost about $23,000. It is a handsome brick edifice and an 
honor to the town and parish.
    The first jail was an old log structure, and to prevent
prisoners from escaping they were chained to the floor. This
served the purpose until the present brick prison was built some
five years ago. 
                                                                  
      Abbeville was incorporated under act of the Legislature
approved March 13, 1850, as follows: Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly, etc. that the tract of land lying and being 
on the east side or Bayou Vermilion, in the parish of 
Vermilion, having eight hundred and forty-eight on said
bayou with a depth of one thousand nine hundred and seventy-
nine feet, bounded on the north by the lands of Victor Boete, 
and on the east by the lands of A. D. Megret and on the south 
by the family of Blanchett's, as laid off by Augustine D. 
Megret, for a town.......in the parish of Vermilion, shall
continue to be known as the town of Abbeville, and the
inhabitants shall constitute a body corporate.