The St. Francisville Area, West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana File prepared by Jan McCoy and submitted by Donald W. Johnson ------------------------------------------------------------------ ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** ------------------------------------------------------------------ From Old Louisiana Plantation Homes and Family Trees by Herman de Bachelle' Seebold, M.D. Vol. 1. THE ST. FRANCISVILLE AREA Bayou Sara and St. Francisville---They are one in many things and two in some things. Apparently they are as much the same place as as "Natchez on the hill and St. Fancisville on the top of the hill" are for Bayou Sara stands at the foot of the hill and St. Francisville on the top of the hill and the two places run together and mingle on the declivity. They are one in having but one post-office, which is in Bayou Sara on the water side, and they are in Bayou Sara being incor- porated and St. Francisville not; and rather a keen operation of the St. Francisvillian is it, in keeping outside of the corporation, for being upon a lofty hill they have not the least use for the costly levees which are necessary to the existence of the settlement below the hill and which, therefore, they are not at all inclined to assist in paying for, as they would have to do, as well as be under other expenses, were they incor- porated with. St. Franicisville is the parish seat of West Feliciana, and has the fine court house and many handsome resideneces to adorn it, and in the central plateau of the lofty location stands the splendid new church edifice, Grace Church, of the Protesttant Episcopal congregation of the place, of which Rev. Daiel Lewis is rector. It occupies the site of the the old church which it replaces, and will rank among the most tasteful and substantial church building in the country. It would be an edifice of note in any city of the South. In thiss parish the Protestant Episcopal seems to be the prevailing denomination, though there are a number of other sects sacttered through the country. In the days that the above was written (1860 ) the Mississippi River was the chief means of transportation and the Feliciana parish- es rose to the height of their prosperity. St. Francisville, the parish seat, became its main commercial center and the largest river port between Memphis and the Crescent City (New Orleans). With plant- ation unrivaled in any part of American, and an enormous cotton crop yearly, the Feliciana parishes were assessed for more than thirty million of dollars. ContinuesJ.W.Dorr: If St. Francisville is stronger on the oranmental, Bayou Sara is out of sight ahead of her on the practical- for she does all the business and a great deal of because is done too. It is a thriv- ing and bustling place, and contains some of the most extensive and heavily stocked stores in Louisiana, outside of New Orleans, and there are few in New Orleans even which can surpass in value of the direct importance. [Here, a long list of business firms and bank.] A prominent object in the town occupying a very handsome building is Robinson, Mumford's Bank of Exchange and Deposit, W. T. Mumford, teller. China Grove Hotel is a principle house of entertainment,there being besides smaller establishments, a very large and comfortably arranged wharf boat, which, however, is not doing a very prosperous business, the majority of citizens opposed to the location there. There is a Methodist Church on Bayou Sara, Rev. Thomas Donner, pastor. Bayou Sara, located somewhat as Natchez-under-the-hill, was a much higher class place and did not have the reputation of being a nest of thieves, with dens of sporting women and gambling halls or for being the refuge and hideout for criminals of all sorts. Like all river towns, it had "spots", but these were well policed and in no way interfered with the enormous amount of business carried on. Many fine families had homes in the section and the people of the town were law-abiding. J.W. Dorr says: Among the prominent business interests of Bayou Sara is horse dealing,it being a horse market for the surrounding country. Large droves of horses are brought here for sale from Kentucky and else- where. Messrs. Henshaw and Haile have very extensive stables and do a great deal in horse flesh. Bayou Sara is the terminus of the West Feliciana Railroad. The depot stands upon the levee in the lower part of the town, having been moved from the upper part, above Bayou Sara, a troublesome unnavigable estuary, which would not be permanently bridged, save at great cost. This railroad runs to Woodville, Mississippi, a distance of the twenty-eight miles. A good steam ferry boat plies across the river to Pointe Coupee, and ought to be a paying institution, for passengers are charged fifty cents each for the luxury of riding over on it, and two dollars if they have a horse and buggy.The Bayou Sarans ought to amend this matter, for the heavy ferriage prevents much custom from reaching their market. The boat has been run a number of years and it is the property of one person. The merchants ought to form a company, buy the boat, and run it at lowest rates that will pay expenses. They might even afford to afford a little, but it would pay better at half the present rates than now. Today nothing remains to tell of Bayou Sara's greatness and pro- spects at that date (1860). For years and up until recently one took his life in his hands in making an attempt to cross the river from the little flat below St. Francisville. Not long ago the flat boat that made the cross- ing and returned by the Baton Rouge ferry or the one above at Natchez. But that is changed now. Contines Dorr: West Feliciana is one of the wealthiest parishes in the state, being considered the second rating in wealth and population next to New Orleans. The total assessed value of property is about $8,200,000.00 on which it pays a state tax of over $26,000.00, of which over $8,000.00 goes to the public school fund. There are thirteen public school districts in the parish in the and about five hundred educable children. The total population of the parish is 12,000 in round numbers, of which about, 2,000 are white and about ten thousand slaves, the free negroes being few. A comparatively small portion of the land of this parish, the upper border of which is the state line, between Mississippi and Louisiana, is adapted to the growing of cane. Cotton is the princi- pal product. Of the 227,367 acres forming the entire area, about 35,000 are in cotton, 5,000 in cane, and 19,000 in corn, leaving 165,000 or 170,00 uncultivated. There is much barren and sterile land in the parish, but enough that is very prolific to yield a large crop as its aggregate pro- duct. Many of the planters grow both cotton and cane, but they are generally engaged exclusively in raising one or the other rather than both. Some of the planters of this parish rank among the largest in the state, and among the extra heavy men may be mentioned Messrs. Joseph A.S. Acklen, David Barrow (of Afton Villa), William Ruffin and "Magnolia" plantation), John Scott Smith, William Stirling, Daniel Turnball, etc. Hardly had our narrator concluded his trip through the State of Louisiana, when the guns of war were directed on these twin towns, so attractive and so prosperous. St. Francisville at that day was very beautiful, with splendid homes, well laid out gardens and thriving stores. These two places were settled for the most part by families that came from Virginia, the Carolinas, and other Northern places, not as hardy pioneers to carve their fortunes out of the wilderness, hewing the logss for their cabins with their own strength; but by a class for the most part that stemmed back to the aristocracy of England and Ire- land and southland, who brought with them great chests of gold and silver coins, hundreds of slave, wagon loads of fine furniture, paint- ings who built palatial mansions on the tracts of five to ten thousand acres. Many of the mansions, still standing bear witness of the above statements. These aristocratic families established a culture unsurpass- ed in America, the center of which revoled about beautiful St. Francis- ville. In the little cemetery of St. Francisville, Louisiana, is a sim- ple grave of a Union officer, on which fresh flowers are still placed. The story of this grave hearkens back to the hour that this beautiful Southern town was being torn asunder by the roaring balls from Union cannon fired from gunboats lying in the river. Year after year, it has never wanted for attention or flowers, and it is cared for far more carefully than many of its aristocratic neighboring tombs. For three quarters of a century on all occasions, Memorial Day, All Saints- it has had its share of floral decorations. The story of the stranger's grave is connected with the shelling of St. Francisville in 1863 when that beautiful place of wealth and culture-defenseless save for those too old to go to the front and a few disabled soldiers home on furlough- was blown practically to bits. In the midst of the awful carnage hysterical women and children speechless from terror vainly sought spots of safety in the midst of the falling brick and timbers crashed about them. Even after so many years some did not want to revive the memory of it. One old gentleman, a small boy then,said "Read what they are doing in Spain at present and you will get a true picture of it all". Those awful days of 1863 followed the fall of New Orleans. The army of Butler terrified the people of New Orleans, bullying and robbing, while the fleet of Federal gunboat kept continually going up and down the river, bombarding recalcitrant Confederates. In this fleet was U. S. S. Albatross, with Captain John E.Hart of Schenectady, New York, as Lieutenant Commander. When in the locality of St. Francisville, after doing untold damage to numerous plantation on its way up the river the Albatross slowed her speed and like a caged lion maneuvered for ward and Back- ward for hours. Among those representing St. Louis firms that had been ship- ping thousands of horses to this section, stationed at Bayou Sara, were many from Illinois and naturally they leaned towards the Union. These men and a few others becanme friendly with the Union officers and men when they came ashore to look for provisions, and horses and and mules; in fact to find out where wealth of any kind could be had at the town above or on the various plantation. The fact that there existed a rivalry between the two places, Bayou Sara and St. Franicville, furnished the reason for the destroy- ing of St. Francisville. In the archives at Washington, D.C. can be found the official reports of the incident. It is the report of Lieutenant Commander P. Foster, U.S. Navy to Rear Admiral David D. Porter, under the date of Jan. 29,1864, almost seven months later. The following are Quotations from the report. Enclosed I send you a copy of a letter I was induced to write to General Wirth Adams in relation to raids made upon this place (Bayou Sara, Louisiana, close to St. Francisville) also the reply of General Adams. Before I received this reply, I was telegraped from Baton Rouge to repair to that place immediately with two boats if possible, as it was in danger. The request was immediately complied with. On my arrival there I found the commanding officer was more frightened than hurt and accordingly, I returned next day. During my absence the reply of General Adams came to hand and was opened by my clerk. On the receipt of it my exeutive officer, Mr. Neeld, sent an order to St. Francisville, allowing the women and children 24-hours to leave the place. This order was subsequently prolonged and ample time given. When the allotted time had elapsed, the shelling com- menced at noon the 16th, continuing about four hours. In all 108 shells were fired slowly and with very great accuracy, each one telling. Proving the inaccuracy of this report is the experience of Mrs. Wm. Walter Leak, who is a daughter of Captain Robinson Mumford, the leading banker of Bayou Sara. She and her three children were in home located on the bluff overlooking the river, awaiting the arrival of her of husband-- Captain William Walter Leak, C.S.A., who was coming home on a brief furlough-as well as innumerable others, were caught in the havoc wrought by the exploding shells. Mrs. William W. Leak (nee Miss Margaret Mumford) and her children fled to a place of safety beneath a stair leading to cellar of their large brick mansion, which threaten- ed to collapse every moment during the bombing, while the town was being demolished. Continuing the report reads: The town of St. Francisville has been a hot bed of secession ever since I have been in command of this place, and has been the con- stant resort of Confederates, where they were continually enter- tained and urged on acts of plunder and abuse upon the people of lower town. Union sympathizers from Missouri: Bayou Sara, for their Union pro- clivities. Moreover there is not one inhabitant of the place of (St. Francisville) who has ever shown himself favorable to the Union, while a majority of those in the lower town (Bayou Sara) have ever proved themselves good and loyal citizen. The cavalry principally concerned in these acts of abuse and plunder is largely composed of citizen of St. Francisville, who own property and have families residing there. The shelling of the town has not injured a single Union man, while it has broken up a harbor for most violent secessionists, and driven away from there only those who are immediately con- cerned in the success of the Confederate cause. The result will be very beneficial, as it will show those engaged in this illegal warfare of robbery unoffending citizens and firing upon unarmed transports that they cannot do it with impunity and that they themselves will be made to suffer the penalty in their own homes and families. In conclusion, I sincerely hope you will approve of the course I have pursued, as I think it will prove beneficial and secure quiet to the Union citizens of the lower town (Bayou Sara) who are deserving of all the protection that lies within my power. The above is the reason given in the official Union Report in explanation for the reason that St. Francisville was annihilated and practically wiped off the map by shell fire in 1863. The reader can can draw his own conclusions. To return to captain J.S. Hart who lies buried in the little cemetery of St. Francisville, Louisiana. From the records in the arc- hives at Washington: On Board the Albatross, June 16th, 1863, 4:15 P.M. the report of a pistol was heard in the Captain's stateroom. The steward at once ran in and found the captain lying on the floor with blood oozing from his and a pistol near him one barrel of which was discharged. The surgeon was at once called, but life was extinct. We then got under way, and in rounding to get around the steamer Sachem, General Banks and Bee came to our assistance And on Captain Hart's personal official record in the Navy Depart- ment archives is the notation: "Died of wounds". There is nothing in the record to throw light upon the burial of this Union officer by Confederate Masons, almost in the shadow of the fall- ing shells, as there was not a piece of artillery in the town with which to answer them. It seemed as if the end of the world had come to those who stood helpless by as the court house, Grace Church and mansion after mansion and place of business crumbled. The handful of old men, hysterical women and childern and one or two Confederate soldiers on leave could do naught but watch the scene of destruction. After what appeared as an interminable period while desolation lay everywhere, the cannons ceased and those watching the Albatross saw a life boat leave the ship fully manned with a United States officer in the stern, with a white flag floating in the breeze. They saw them land at Bayou Sara where they inquired if there were any Masons in the town and learned that there were two brother, Sam- uel White, who owned the little ferry, and Benjamin, who owned the steam- ing. These Manson told the officer that in St. Francisville, the place they had just shelled, was a Masonic Lodge, and informed him that S.J. Powell, who was away with the Confederates, was its Master, but that Captain W.W. Leak of the Confederate Army " is home on furlough and can convoke the lodge." The officer sent word to Captain Leak that the commanding officer of the Albatross was dead, and requested that he be given a Mason's funeral and be interred in the earth instead of being sunken in the Mississippi River. "We have Mansons on board who can vouch for and his standing. We will await your answer". When the emissaries had imparted their information to Captain Leak, the gallant Confederate replied, all the while scanning the de- solation about him; "As a Mason it is my duty to accord a Masonic burial to a brother Manson without taking into account the nature of our re- lation in the world outside Masonary. Go tell that Union officer to bring his Captain's body ashore. There are a few Masons left in town,most of us are at the front. I shall assemble all I can". Speaking to the White brothers he said: "You too are Masons, I shall want you at the funeral service". Then the body of Captain J.E. Hart in his uniforms was brought ashore, and in their Confedrate uniforms, with their Masonic regalia worn above- was received by four members of Feliciana Lodge No. 31 of St. Francisville, and the two brothers, Samuel and Benjamin White. The Masons of the U.S.S. Albatross identified themselve to the Masons of the Confederate Army. Together they bore his body to the little Mansons Lodge still standing-now the town library-and when the full Mansons funeral rites were completed, they carried the body to the newly dug grave, placed among others that were torn and broken. Here, they with "masonic ritual consigned all that was mortal of Lieutenant Commandant John E. Hart, United States Navy Commander of the U.S.S. Albatoss gunboat to sleep his eternal sleeps". As the last clod of earth had been placed above the nearly made gave, those who had come fom he Albatross saluted and departed, and reach ing their ship, sailed down the river. Many have said that the suicide was the result of a fever. Some have doubted it, believing that remorse brought about such an end, especially as Captain Hart had friends in St. Francisville and had been entertained there. There are even hints that he was in love with a young to do so. One theory is that this preyed on his mind and he took his own life. Captain Leak, who died in 1912, after living to become worshipful Master of Feliciana Lodge No. 31 was honored on his 55th Anniversary as as a Master Mason. It was Captain Leak who first started putting flowers on the Union officer's grave, a practice that has been kept up ever since. Today as one motors to St. Francville, be it from New Orleans or from Natchez, the impression is much the save. We find St. Francisville the aristocrat still, but now grown old and helpless against the invasion of new comers. A different element entirely threatens to abolish the faint aristocratic traces of its ancient regime entirely. Could those who lie in the old cemetery by the church, who passed on just prior to the destruction of its ancient regime entirely. Could those who lie in the old cemetery by the church, who passed on just prior to the destruction of this fair town return they would not believe it to be the same place. No more stately homes shaded by ancient oaks, and no more do we business places and banks peopled by the class of denizens of that day. Here were the haunts of Audubon, when after a day's tramp through the forest and glen in search of new subject for his brush he rested and refreshed himself as he was wont to do before returning to the plantation mansions where he and his wife lived. She had been Lucy Blakemore, a young English girl who became his wife in 1808. She, realizing his genius,did all that lay in human power to aid him. While he roved the woodlands, she taught the chidren of the different plantation, earning the family living. Frist , according to a copy of part of an old diary of Aububon (copied by Miss Felicie Bringier) he taught at Oakley, "the shutter house" as it is entered in his diary, forever cool and delightful. Here he taught painting to the children of the family, dancing also, while his wife taught the more essential studies. He remained here During the summer months of 1821 from June to October, as the family then went to New Orleans for the winter season. Another entry- after a lengthy descripition in the shadow of the gaint oak trees,recalls in a quaint way, its past glory and culture. Most of the old places have about them an individuality. One seeks out the old plantation places of the neighborhood still rich in historic interest, beauty and individual charm, rare in their glorious settings. A culture is found in the Feliciana parishes that readily recalls that found in older parts of Virginia and the Carolinas, where survivors of the Civil War, though impoverished, never have lost their family pre- stige- where family traditions, good birth and breeding come first-then the means to sustain these things follow as best they can.Care must al- ways be taken not to tarnish the family escutcheon. Somehow one still senses this attitude when visiting these old homes,as the atomos-phere is entirely forign to the up-to-date ways of the city. Here in this St.Francisville country is recalled from the faded gardens grandeur of the days when the Barrows, Pipes,Butler,Stewarts, Sterlings, Bowdens, Forts, Percys, Bains, McGeehees-all names with historical association-owned these glorious old gardens and ancient homes,the brillant history and achievement of these people. Of Bayou Sara nothing remains. The terrible bombardment of St. Francisville also spelt its doom. Shortly after the destruction of that beautiful place great fissures appeared in the sandy soil of the lower town. These fissures gradually grew larger forming rivulet like places that were filled with the debris taken from the ruined building which the people of St. Francisville knew would never be rebulit. It also meant the end of its prosperity as well as that of Bayou Sara whose existence too was to be short lived. Left like a wrecked barge to rot on shore, the place was practically abandoned for years, and later during a very high river,all that was left of Bayou Sara was swept away,leaving the coast much as we see it today.