VILLAGES OF WINN PARISH, WINN PARISH, LOUISIANA Submitted by: Annette (Carpenter) Womack of Winnfield, Winn Parish, LA January 1998 (Spelling was retained as in document) BIOGRAPHICAL & HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF NORTHWEST LOUISIANA COMPRISING A LARGE FUND OF BIOGRAPHY OF ACTUAL RESIDENTS, AND AN INTERESTING HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THIRTEEN COUNTIES --ILLUSTRATED-- Nashville and Chicago: The Southern Publishing Company (C) 1890 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** VILLAGES OF WINN PARISH St. Maurice, at the confluence of Saline Bayou and Red River, is one of the old settlements of the parish. A post-office was established here in 1859 with D. H. Boult, Sr., master; Mr. McClarren followed, then R. Walker, and next Isaac Kellum, who was master in 1873-74. J. M. Hickson held the office in 1875; Mrs. Simms held the office for some time, C. L. Boult followed in 1883, and held the office until H. T. Carr was appointed in 1886. Mr. Carr served until E. J. Gamble was commissioned in 1886. The land on which St. Maurice stands was entered by the Prothros in 1837, and shortly after, William Prothro erected the old store-house, owned now by Mr. Gamble, and used as a freight-house. The lands were subsequently purchased by Carroll & Boult. About 1868 Carroll became sole owner, and sold to H. M. Prothro, but regaining possession sold to the New York Lumber Company in 1882-83. The improvements made by this company in the Saline and the prospect of St. Maurice becoming the great depot saw mill town and supply point, for the pineries, caused a boom here in 1883. The great enterprises of the company did not succeed, but the great pineries still offer great rewards to judicious lumbermen. Newport in the northeast corner, Flat Creek near the eastern line; Beach Creek, Prairie Home, and Tunica in the southeastern townships; Carthage and Atlanta on the Montgomery road, Pine Ridge in the northwestern corner, Gaar's Mills and Hickory Valley in the center of the north half of the parish, Phillips and Conley are small centers of settlement. At Beach Creek, Atlanta and Mount Zion are private schools, each claiming a fair attendance, while at or near the other villages the common school is found. ...Continued with Individual Sketches of Henry Bernstein, Morris Bernstein, Robert C. Jones, John F. Kelly, and Richard L. Tannehill. ###