Some Pennsylvanians in Early Louisiana

Some Pennsylvanians in Early Louisiana Winston De Ville, F.A.S.G.* DENNSYLVANIANS WERE among the earliest non-Latins to settle I in colonial Spanish Louisiana. To name only one good example, several years prior to the American Revolution, the Hooter family left western Pennsylvania with some of their neighbors, arrived at Natchez (now Mississippi, then a colony of England) by 1771, and settled permanently in central Louisiana shortly after 1777.1 The Hooters were but one of numerous Pennsylvania families that sought their fortunes in the Gulf South.' By 1781, the entire Mississippi Valley west of the river, plus the present-day states of Alabama, Mississippi, and, of course, Louisiana east of the Mississippi, were under the dominion of Spain, and most of that area remained so until 1803. The Spanish king was generous with land grants to Anglo-Americans, and although the Roman Catholic Church was the only church permitted, Protestants enjoyed a relatively liberal policy of religious toleration. Indeed, as briefly observed below, it was common for Protestants to turn for rites of baptism, marriage, and burial to the Catholic Church. Even after the advent of religious freedom with the Louisiana Purchase by the United States, non-Catholic churches were almost non-existent in the territory's country settlements until some decades later. NonCatholics continued to use the Catholic Church when ecclesiastical ceremonies were required. Descendants who search for ancestors in these church records are most fortunate, as Spaniards generally were punctilious record*Editor's Note: The author has published numeraus books and articles relating to the colonial Mississippi Valley and the Gulf Coast. Fora catalogue of his rvorks, see Doris E T49att, Winston De Ville: An Annotated Bibliography of Genealogical and Other Writings, 1959 1988 (Ville Platt4, La., 1988), 157 158 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine keepers. During the colonial period, moreover, Spain was always keen to gather as many facts as possible on "foreigners" from what the Spaniards called "North America," so officials of the Spanish colonial government paid special attention to recent non-Latin arrivals. The church served as the state's "office of vital statistics." In early Louisiana church records, as well as in civil proceedings, maiden names of married females are used almost exclusively, and these records are otherwise remarkable for their details of names, relationships, places of birth, and dates. One learns, for example, often to expect to find the names of grandparents (and their places of origin) of participants in ceremonies recorded in church registers, and even in some civil records. It is entirely possible, then, to find evidence in early Louisiana church and civil records for genealogies of individuals who never ventured south of the Mason-Dixon Line, but whose relatives did. For this exercise, some of the ecclesiastical records of the areas that originated as the Posts of Attakapas and Opelousas, encompassing all of southwest Louisiana, have been selected. Attakapas Post controlled a relatively small jurisdiction in extreme south-central Louisiana, while Opelousas encompassed practically all of the country east of the Sabine River to the Atchafalaya, and from approximately the Red River on the north to the Gulf of Mexico on the south. The territory encompassed by these jurisdictions is a region of vast prairies, and free land for cattle-raising and agriculture attracted land-hungry settlers from Atlantic states. As the eighteenth century waned, the numbers of non-Latins arriving in Louisiana waxed. Earlier, the area had become a haven for Loyalist families, notwithstanding Spain's alliance with the fledgling United States against England.' The original church registers from which the following abstracts are taken are now closed, and microfilm copies are unavailable for primary-source research. The author examined the original records before they were closed. In the citations that accompany each entry, "Attakapas" refers to the registers now at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, St. Martinville, Louisiana. "Opelousas" refers to those at St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana. "Vol." in the citations refers to the number of the original volume in each local church archive. The information provided below, as well as much more genealogically relevant data on these families, is also available in the first volume (1756-1810) of the Rev. Donald J. Hebert's Southwest Pennsylvanians in Louisiana 159 Louisiana Records (Eunice, La., 1974), an on- going series now in its thirty-second volume. Only one representative entry for each family is given; by analyzing others in the sources cited, one could reconstruct far more genealogically important details than provided here. No spellings have been altered, and brackets indicate comments by the present writer. Readers will be aware that, obviously, some of the names are garbled. The recording priests, who knew only French and/or Spanish, wrote the names phonetically. Thus, "Weaver," writ ten "Ouivert," makes perfect sense in French. Some given names appear in French or Spanish: Juan is John, Santiago is James, Guillaume is William, and so forth. The correct name of "Hatrialaga" Heze (Hayes), the Irishman, is anybody's guess. The Catholic Church records abstracted below by no means reflect all of the Pennsylvania families represented in early southwest Louisiana records. The intention is merely to call attention to the potential riches for the genealogies of east-coast families to be found in Louisiana's archives today. Local civil records,' as well as archives in Spain,' are equally revealing. The selected entries follow: Isaac Abcher, son of Jean Abcher of Pennsylvania, and Francoise Argrave of Virginia, born 12 August 1806. (Attakapas, Vol. 4, no. 321) Charlotte Biggs, daughter of Guillaume Biggs of Pennsylvania, and Jeanne Roos of Baton Rouge, born 23 November 1804. ( At takapas, Vol. 7, no. 111) Juan Bills of Pennsylvania, son of Henrique Bills and Helena Patterson, married 29 September 1801, Sarah Hansberry of Pennsylvania, widow of Baruel Everby, daughter ofjacob Hansberry and Catherine Wilson of the Lutheran sect. (Opelousas, Vol. 1 supplement, no. 17) Rebecca Bossier, born 16 December 1805, daughter of jean Bossier of Pennsylvania, and Sophie Russ of Pointe Coupee [Louisiana]. (Attakapas, Vol. 7, no. 89) 160 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Theotiste Boutin, child of Paul Boutin and Anne Teleur of Philadelphia, born 10 January 1798. (Attakapas, Vol. 5, no. 140) Guillaume Carpenter, son of Isaac Carpenter of Pennsylvania, and Helen Mekelar, baptized 28 November 1801, age 3 weeks. ( Opelousas, Vol. 1, p. 268) David Onesime Caruthers, son of David Caruthers of Philadelphia, and Isabella Duga of St. Malo, France, born 14 June 1798. (Attakapas, Vol. 5, no. 175-B) Henry Clark, son of Jean Clark of Maryland, and Marie Steven of Monongahela, born 21 July 1809. (Opelousas, Vol. 1, p. 585) Jean Coleman of Philadelphia, son of Santiago Coleman and Marie Boyard, married 20 June 1787, Rebecca Holston, daughter of Esteban Holston and Salia Holston of Virginia. (Opelousas, Vol. 1, p. 5) Thomas Donnely, son of "Mr. Donnely" of Philadelphia, died 26 April 1806, age 4. Attakapas, Vol. 4, no. 427) Michel Ellender, son of Michel Ellender of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and Christine Trahan, born 4 March 1806. (Attakapas, Vol. 7, no. 161) H. William Freeman of Pennsylvania, died 2 October 1810, age 36. (Attakapas, Vol. 4, no. 661) Catherine Carrot, daughter of Josue Carrot of Virginia, and Rachel Melon of Pennsylvania, baptized 23 June 1797, age 11. (Attakapas, Vol. 4, no. 888) Alexandre Charles Halloway, son of Isaac Halloway of Philadelphia, and Elizabeth Mathias of the Mississippi River, born 30 April 1802. (Attakapas, Vol. 5, no. 455) Charles Hampshire, son of Jacques Hampshire of Pennsylvania, and Anne Lee of the South Branch of the Pawthomac River, born 26 May 1809. (Attakapas, Vol. 6, no. 1088) Pennsylvanians in Louisiana 161 Antoine Hartman, son of Jean Pierre Hartman of Pennsylvania, and Ana Ring of "America," born [day not entered] November 1802. (Attakapas, Vol. 7, no. 99) Jean Henrique of Manheim in the Palatinate of Rhine, widower of Marguerite Nailer, son of Martin Henrique and Marie Offman, married 1 August 1799, Marie Richard of Philadelphia, widow of Thomas Camel, daughter of Santiago Richard and Marie Anne Pitre. Attakapas, Vol. 4, no. 176) Manuel Henry, son of [blank], a German of "Hustin, Hombri," and Rebecca Poulin of Philadelphia, baptized 20 November 1813, age 5. (Opelousas, Vol. 2, p. 19) Miguel Heze, son of Harnalaga Heze of Ireland and Elizabeth Tret of "Susquehanna in the United States of America," married 1 October 1804, Marie Rozalia Derouan, daughter of Joseph Derouan and Genoveva Hebert. (Attakapas, Vol. 5, no. 23) Francois Johnston, son of John Johnston of Ireland and Bethsi Elizabeth Esse of Pennsylvania, English Catholics, born 25 February 1797. (Attakapas, Vol. 4, no. 859) Guillaume Knight, son of Jacques Knight of Lancaster in America, and Christine Enfil or Henfell of Strasbourg, born 27 April 1788. (Attakapas, Vol. 4, no. 882) Henrique Knight, son of Henrique Knight of Monongahela, and Marie Magdeleine Liquer of St. James [Parish] on the Mississippi [Rived , born 2 August 1808. (Attakapas, Vol. 7, no. 237) Celeste Knott, daughter of Christoval Knott of Germany and Catherine Tiler of Pennsylvania, born 6 September 1798. ( Attakapas, Vol. 5, no. 209) Auguste Lee, son of Jean Lee of "Hamham" County, Ireland, and Ester Rays of Philadelphia, born 5 April 1809. (Attakapas, Vol. 6, no. 1110) Jean Mayer, son of Jean Mayer of Boston, and Marguerite Macyou of Pennsylvania, born 26 February 1799. (Attakapas, Vol. 5, no. 159) 162 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Guillermo Miller, Protestant from Pennsylvania, recently arrived at Rapides [then post, now parish], son of David Miller and Catherine Van Hausen, married 28 September 1802, Ursule Meuillon of Opelousas, a Catholic, daughter of Ennemond MeuilIon and Jeanne Poiret. (Opelousas, Vol. 1, p. 386-A) Jean McCleland of Pennsylvania, Protestant, son of John McCleland and Jeanne McKeller, married 10 January 1803, Sara Andrews, daughter of James Andrews and Lucy Hayes. (Opelousas, Vol. 1, p. 115) Celeste McDonald, daughter of jean McDonald, Sr., of Ireland, and Catherine Corkran of Fort Pitt, born 24 July 1808. (Opelousas, Francois Daniel Norest, child of Guillaume Norest of Pennsylvania, and Marie Magdeleine Semer of Havre de Grace, France, born 11 September 1800. (Attakapas, Vol. 5, no. 492) Olivar Teeple Omsby, child of Olivar Omsby of Windham County, Connecticut, and Marguerite Teeple of Pennsylvania, born 10 August 1807. (Attakapas, Vol. 7, no. 224) Andrew Ouivert, a Presbyterian of Lancaster, son of Michel Ouivert and Isabel Moir, married 24 July 1797, Martha Hayes, a Lutheran of Natchez, daughter of Guillermo Hayes and Isabel Borman. (Opelousas, Vol. 1 supplement, no. 8) Enrique Raper of "Winchester in North America," son of Frederick Raper and Catherine Hanibel, married 27 April 1802, Anne Roulle of Pennsylvania, daughter of Frederick Raper and Marguerite Sharpe. (Opelousas, Vol. 1, p. 107) James Reed of "Austin" County, Pennsylvania, son of John Reed and Mary Marie Befit . [last letters illegible], married 18 September 1806, Mary Jacob Will [parents not entered]. (Opelousas, Vol. 1, p. 160) David Rees of Pennsylvania, son of jean Rees and Marguerite Jones, married 9 January 1805, Anastasie Guidry, daughter of Pierre Guidry and Marguerite Miller. (Attakapas, Vol. 5, no. 32) Pennsylvanians in Louisiana 1 63 Abraham Roberts, son of Abraham Roberts of Pennsylvania on the Delaware River, and Marie Bell of South Carolina, born 30 January 1782. (Attakapas, Vol. 5, no. 312) Jean Baptiste Scrayer, son of George Scrayer of Philadelphia, and [blank] Roos of Pointe Coupee [Louisiana], born 2 April 1803. (Attakapas, Vol. 7, no. 109) Hilaire Elias Steen of Pennsylvania, son of John Steen and Jenny Neal, married 10 April 1809, Catherine Stelly, daughter of Jean Baptiste Stelly and Magdeleine Ritter. (Opelousas, Vol. 1, p. 185) Rachel Stine, daughter of Jean Stine of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and Elizabeth Clark of Maryland, born 17 June 1807. (Attakapas, Vol. 7, no. 223) David Sutter, son of Peter Sutter of Philadelphia, and Sara Caratheurs, born 4 December 1810. (Attakapas, Vol. 6, no. 1172) George Mails Walch, son of Jacob Walch of Pennsylvania, and Susanne Roberts of [Opelousas], born 18 September 1797. (Opelousas, Vol. 2, p. 20) Guillaume °William Addison Walker, son of Samuel Walker of Philadelphia and Jeanne Davis of North Carolina, born 13 January 1795. (Attakapas, Vol. 5, no. 530) Marie West, daughter of Rodgaro West of Pennsylvania, and Anne Fisher, baptized 20 October 1802, age 27. (Opelousas, Vol. 1, P. 294) William Wood of Pennsylvania, son of [Robert Wood] and Betsy Dairick, baptized 21 August 1809, age 35. (Opelousas, Vol. 1, p. 476) Notes I. Winston De Ville and John Woodworth, "Hooter: A Frontier Family in Pennsylvania, Mississippi, and Louisiana," The Genealogist, 3 ( 1982) :95-101. 2. Winston De Ville, English Land Grants in West Florida: A Register for the States of Alabama, Mississippi, and Parts of Florida and Louisiana, 1766-1776 Wile Platte, La., 1986), reveals data on many of the earliest Anglo-Americans pertinent to this study. 164 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine 3. For an inadequate survey of Attakapas Post, see Harry L. Gdifin, The Attakapas Country (New Orleans, 1959). For its neighbor immediately to the north, see Winston De Vile, Opelousas: The History of a French and Spanish Military Post in America., 1716-1803 (Cottonport, La., 1973; reprint, Ville Platte, La., 1986). 4. For more Pennsylvanians-turned-Southerners, see Dorothy Williams Potter, Passports of Southeastern Pioneers: 1770-1823 (Baltimore, 1982), and Murtie June Clark, Loyalists in the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War (Baltimore, 1981). For a general survey of the subject, see John W. Caughey, Bernanio de Galvez in Louisiana: 1776-1783 (Berkeley, Calif., 1934). 5. Winston De Vile, Calendar of Louisiana Colonial Documents, VoL II: St. Landry Parish (Baton Rouge, 1964). See also numerous articles in the Louisiana Genealogical Register_ 6. The unique guide to American records in Spanish archives is Roscoe R. Hill, in the Papeles Pruredentes de Cuba . Archivo Descriptive Catalogue of the Documents General de Indies (Washington, D.C., 1916; reprint, New York, 1965). Readers are also advised of Lawrence H. Feldman, Anglo-Americans in Spanish Alrhives: Lists of AngloAmerican Settlers in the Spanish Colonies of America (Baltimore, 1991), which, unfortunately, cannot be recommended with much enthusiasm. While the compiler apparently did examine the census records, oaths of allegiance, and other lists given in his book, his convoluted method of presentation is confusing and inadequate.