THE VILLAGER NEWSPAPER
(Transcribed by Ellen Dauzat)
Scattered Issues:
1843-1858
1843: Sept. 23-Oct. 7,
1846: June 15 (Negaative)
1844: April 13, Nov. 9, Dec. 7
1846: June 15 (Positive, Incomplete)
July 6, Dec. 15
1851: Nov. 20 (FRE.)
1852: Oct. 21 (Eng.)
1856: May 24, April 12
1857: Jan. 3 (French), 10 (English)
March 21 (Fre., Mutilated)
April 25
May 2, 23-30 (Mutilated)
June 6-30 (6-23 Mutilated)
July 11 (Fre.), 18
Aug. 1, 15 (Both mutilated)
Sept. 19- Dec. 12,
26 (Eng.)
1858: Jan. 2-Dec. 25
(Missing: Feb. 13, & Dec. 25)
Issues Filmed at the end of reel
1857: May 9
Villager Obits
Sept. 23, 1843 p. 1
Atrocious Murder—One of the most painful duties
we ever performed is now before us—in recording the melancholy and tragical murder in this county on the 11th
inst., of Mrs. Mary Ann Chapman, wife of Mr. Joseph Chapman, and daughter of
the late Col. Barnard Johnson. The circumstances attending this most
unfortunate and heart rending occurrence, are thus detailed t us by a friend:
During her husband’s absence from home, she was by some means enticed by the
negroes into a corn filed about 150 or 200 yards from
the house, and there murdered by one of them, by means of a rope thrown over
her neck in a running noose. After being this strangled, she was carried to the
opposite side of the filed, dragged over the fence, so violently as to leave
some of her hair torn out upon the rails; and thence take some 60 yards further
into a thicket, and the body then concealed under the bark and rotten pieces of
an old log. This occurred, it is supposed, between 10 and 11 o’clock in the
morning. Mr. Chapman came home about usual dinner time, and enquiring for Mrs.
Chapman, was told that she had gone to visit some of the neighbors. He
consequently experienced but little uneasiness about her absence, though
thinking it a little strange, at the same time, that she should ride an animal
of which she had usually been afraid. He awaited her return until dark, when,
she not appearing he ordered his horse an thought he would ride over to Mrs.
Newman’s, her aunt, whom he had heard her say she intended visiting. Not
finding her there or at any of the neighbor’s houses where he went, he became
alarmed, suspecting that all was not right. Procuring the assistance of some
neighbors, he arrested three of his Negroes; search was made that night, and on
the following day, when she was found in the situation above stated. The horse
he was told she had rode was also found in a thicket about a half a mile from
the house, with its brains knocked out by a large piece of timber.
Mrs. Chapman was in the 25 year of her age, and has left a husband, two
brothers and three small children, the youngest, infant of 6 months to mourn
her loss. In this irreparable loss a wide breach has been made in the bosom of
her friends and relatives which time cannot efface, or memory forget.
Much excitement, we understand, was produced by the circumstances and at
a meeting of some 400 or 500 citizens, the question
was submitted whether the Negroes should be burnt upon the spot of the murder.
Much to their credit, however, it was agreed that the law should be permitted
to take its course, and the Negroes were accordingly committed to jail on
Tuesday last. The principal in the tragedy says that he killed his former
master in another State, and was run off to this—Selma(Ala.)
Free Press.
p. 2
Another Santa Fe Prisoner Dead—Major Valentine Bennet,
one of the members of the unfortunate Santa Fe Expedition, died at Gonzales,
Texas, on the 24th of July, of the cramp colic. Maj. Bennet was one of the companions of Mr. Kendall in his
dreary march to the city of Mexico, and was there imprisoned in the same
quarters. He was a man far advanced in life, and was one of the earliest and
bravest defenders of Texas, and bore an honorable part in most of the
sanguinary conflicts of the young Republic. He was a man of sterling integrity
and honest deportment.
Nov. 4, 1843 p. 2
Died on Tuesday the 24th instant, at his
plantation on the Bayou Des Glaises, in this Parish
after lingering illness, DR. DANIEL T. ORR, aged forty-eight years. His
blameless life and the excellence of his character had won for him the esteem
and affection of all who knew him. And the grief of friends, and tears of
orphans deprived alas, too soon of a doting parents can bear witness to the impendable loss which society and his family now sustained.
The position which he occupied and the universal grief manifested at the
announcement of his death regain at out hands men
lengthened notice, which our limited space compells
us to post pone for another number.
July 18, 1857 p. 1
MURDER IN MADISON PARISH
According we learn from the Vicksburg Whig, of
the 4th inst., that Mr. Yates, a resident of that city, and a
contractor on the Vicksburg and Shreveport Railroad, was murdered by a Negro
man on the 2nd inst., in the parish of Madison, La. Mr. Yates
undertook to punish that Negro for some fault, when he drew a knife and stabbed
his master to the heart. Mr. Yates leaves a wife and children.
Aug. 1, 1857 p. 1
SERIOUS AFFRAY—A serious affray occurred at Floyd,
Carroll parish, some two weeks since, in which Mr. Lafayette Gordon was shot in
the head. A bearing of the case was had before Jacob Hilliard, Esq., on Friday
last, when De Jones and Robert and Alfred Jones were sent to the jail of
Morehouse parish for safe keeping to await their trail
at the next term of District Court. This is one of the most outrageous affairs
which we have been called upon to chronicle in a long time. We understand that
Mr. Gordon was assailed by the Jones and some of their friends about midnight,
after he had retired to rest and was shot through the weather-boarding of his
office. It is barely possibly he may recover.
(Madison (La.) Journal)
Oct. 3, 1857 p. 1
Died
At his residence, in Marksville, on Monday the 29th ult., Mr.
John MacDonell, aged 52 years.
At Marksville, on Wednesday the 30th ult., Leon, son of Mr.
B.P. Delavallade, aged 17 months.
Dec. 5, 1857 p. 1
Obituary
Died at her residence, on Bayou Choupique,
on Tuesday November 16th, Azelie Desheautels, aged 36 years, wife M. V. Plauche.
Death, at the sound of whose name the fountains of so many a crushed and
broken heart gush forth anew in all the bitterness of anguish and despair,
always carries a sad and melancholy aspect in its approach. At its touch, all
that is beautiful, all that is lovely must fade and perish—the highest stations
of dazzling honors of the world, the poorest peasant and the meanest mendicant
are transformed at once to the same original by its touch. The strong man in his
might, glorying in the morning of his strength, by the evening decline is cut
down in the pride of his power; the babe of innocence, just breathing life in
all its purity, is allowed but a few moments in the taste the sweets of earth
before its soul is wafted on angel wings to feast with kindred souls in heaven.
In all these instances, when the name of death is mentioned our hearts
at once fail and we give vent to our feelings of grief; but oh! How much
greater is our anguish when he makes his appearance among the fireside circle,
and there selects for his victim one among that happy group—that one a mother.
Oh! The mention of mother does it not at once breathe forth all kindness, all
gentleness. He that has lost a mother alone can tell a mother’s tenderness.
The deceased was a native of our own Louisiana, raised and educated in
our parish. She descended from on o those French European families,
distinguished alike for their generosity and respectability. At an early age
she gave her hand and heart to the loved one of her youth, a man likewise
distinguished for his noble parentage. With him she lived through the trials
and adversities of fortune, in love, hope and happiness; and after toiling
laboriously for years to make themselves a comfortable home, she at last was
called home to her Maker, when happiness had arrived at its acme of perfection.
Though death had long warned her of his coming, she felt no fears at his
approach, she died not in agony and pain, but she lay in a quiet chamber and
gave forth, without a struggle and without a murmur, her spirit to its Maker,
she died as she had lived respected and loved by all who knew her; and though
she has left behind a weeping family of children and a disconsolate partner;
yet she has not left them alone, she has given them to the charge of him, who
always guided her gently through the slippery path of life, and who, as a
father, will take care of the motherless.
Though her well know voice will long be missed among her friends on
earth, yet let them remember that she is not dead, but sleepeth,
and that her soul has been but a bright flower plucked from among the thorns to
be transplanted by the hand of the Almighty, in that paradise above where
flowers never fade and sorrow never comes. T. C. K.
Choupique, Nov. 23, 1857
May 29, 1858 p. 2
Died
In Marksville, on Sunday 27th instant, of consumption,
Elisabeth Bradford, at the age of 27 years, consort of
F. F. Bibb.
On Bayou de Glaises on the 20th instate
at 4 o’clock p.m., M. Eugenie Eliza, infant daughter of Eugene Tholozan and Aurelia Sompayrae,
later of the parish of Natchitoches.
The little angel was 14 months of age when called to heaven.
July 31, 1858 p. 2
Died, at his residence, in this parish, July 22th,
Major John Botts, born April 12, 1784.
The date of the notice above show that the birth of
Major Botts was nearly contemporary with that of the
American Republic. He was born when Washington had just founded the
nation. The child of 1784 has seen a people, who had been free scarcely two
years when he was born, grow and occupy one of the largest places in history of
the world. To be born at the same time that a nation was, and to die leaving
that nation one of the greatest on earth is a happiness which but (?) enjoy.
In comparing the splendor of the dawn of the American country with the
divisions, which now end the Republic, he is a happy citizen, who can write
upon his tomb: I have been the contemporary of Washington!
Major Botts was born in Virginia. Before his
majority, he left the paternal mansion, and emigrated
to Kentucky, whose uncultivated pathless forest still resounded wit the exploits of Boone, the intrepid pioneer, the
wonderful hunter.
1812 came, Major Botts saw the struggle
between the United States and England renewed, a struggle; which, at the time
of his birth was (?) in every one’s recollection, and like all the gallant
young man of that period, he hastened to join the standard of his country under
Generals Hall and Harrison. In 1819 he established himself in New Orleans,
which was then a village of such humble pretensions that, no on suspected it
would ever reach its present greatness.
Finding his prospects gloomy there, the young Virginian came and
established himself in Avoyelles, a parish at that time, very young for it has
been colonized only a little more that eighty years. That was in 1824.
Energetic like all the pioneers of the American race, he devoted himself to the
cultivation of cotton and on the twenty second of July last, thirty- four years
after his arrival in Avoyelles, he expired, leaving a large fortune acquired by
hard labor.
His death is then that of one of those pioneers, who began American
civilization with the sword, and with the plough. It is even like a broken
medal of the grand epoch of Washington, and those medals are rapidly passing
away! Major Botts is not dead entirely. He leaves his
wife, the worthy and noble companion of his days of struggle and of his
success. He leaves also a daughter, well known throughout the parish. Of her we
say nothing, for her virtues are stamped upon her countenance and respect
forbids us parade them before the public gaze: but we can say that she is the
wife of a man who is one of a class, the most brilliant and popular of the
American race; that, in leaning upon him, she has chosen a valiant arm, a loyal
soul, who, in these times of political hatred and divisions, has the esteem of
all parties.
In conclusion we will say that the daughter of Major Botts
is worthy, and should be proud to hear the name of him to whom
applies so well the beautiful verse of V. Hugo:
Les vrais coeurs de lion sont les vrais coeurs de peres.
Ed. Of
“Villager.”
Aug. 7, 1858 p. 2
DECEDEE: le 5 aout, a 5 heures
p.m. a Mansura, Mile Stephanie Dupuy, agres une courte
maladie.
Aug. 14, 1858 p. 2
Col. Valery Bordelon
God is ordering back his men up above, exclaimed, in 1845, Marshall
Scott, as he saw the death of several generals who had been present at the
bloodiest battles of the Empire. Alas! Louisiana also God orders back his men
of Louisiana for every day he snatches from our midst those men of the Eighteenth
century, who, alone, have seen by ten generations of their prosterity.
Blessed are they whose birth was coeval with that of the American Republic and
with the French Revolution! They carry with them in the grave an eple poem more sublime than ever written.
Col. Bordelon was one of the most brilliant
specimens for the chivalrous old Creoles whom death decimates unsparingly with
the daring bravery which characterized the French nobleman who gave the
privileges of first fire to the English at the battle of Fontenay,
then he hurried to New Orleans, La. 1815 at the first
news of the invasion. Proud and brave and conscious of his merits, he refused
the simple duties of a solider and said; Captain or nothing: and a company was
given him,---- with which he did glorious work. Col. Valery Bordelon
died, having lead a life well and nobly spent. To him could __?_ applied, as to the immortal Bayard, the word: “Without
fear and without reproach”. Without fear and without reproach! no better, no more eloquent epitaph could be written upon a
tombstone!
Though he knew Col. Bordelon personally we had
not had the good fortune of __?__ hands two or three
times; yet we had been struck with the dignity and nobleness which
distinguished him. We shall not soon forget the tall old gentleman who bore
with so much buoyancy the three quarter of a century which he had run, and who
lies down in his grave surrounded by so many sympathies.
Editor of The
Villager
Aug. 21, 1858 p. 2
Died at the residence of his father on Bayou Huffpower, in this parish, on the morning of Thursday the
19th inst. At the age of 9 years, 2 months and 14 days,
Jefferson Davis, eldest son of Thomas P. and Sarah Frith
from an illness of thirty six hours.
Death to the infirm, and unfortunate may be a
welcome visitor, and under all circumstances a philosopher’s mind, will bow
with submission and resignation to the dispensation of Divine Providence. But
alas! For poor humanity when bright hopes are blasted and the heart is
lacerated when our love-buds and fond ones are torn suddenly from us, it is
difficult for us to realize that “behind a frowning Providence, God hides a
smiling face!”
The opening rose bud whose beautiful leaves were just beginning to
unfold themselves and open out, has been suddenly
plucked, and it is now all withered in the embrace of death.
Yes, it is consoling to know, that the fragrance it leaves with its
mourners, will linger around and about heir, memories, and refresh them with a
fond and faithful recollection of its noble promise.
C****
Sept. 11, 1858 p. 2
Died
On Bayou des Glasises, on
Monday, the 6th September 1858. Osval,
eldest son of Isidore Poret,
M. D. and of Eugenie Bordelon, aged 13 years.
We sympathise with our good friend. Dr. Poret, for such an untimely lost in his family.
Nov. 13, 1858 p. 2
Died In this parish on the 7th instant AURELIEN DUCOTE son of
Celestin and Marceline Ducote, aged about 16 years.
Thou has come
to a happier clime, fairest flower of youth; then hast left a weeping mother
and a grieving father to mourn over thy grave.
Nov. 13, 1858 p. 2
DECEDEE Vendredi, 5 novembre:
MARIE CELESTE DUMARTRAIT, age de 42 jours.
Nous nous associous au deuil que la mort de cette enfant a
laisse au foyer de M. Dumartait. Les grandes doullenra
n’aiment pas les vaines
paroles. Nous dirons done au pere un mot qui resurme tout: Courage! Quant a la mere, nous lui adresons la strophe suivante, eerite plutot avec notre Coeur qu’avec notre plume:
L’homme comme la fleur souvent est
ephemere.
La mort vous a
ravl votre enfant aux doux yeux
Moi, je crois que l’enfant
que Dieu prend a la terre
Est une etoile d’or qui regarde sa mere,
La nuit, en brillant dans les Cieux.
Villager Marriages
June 26, 1858 p. 2
Maries—Le 24 conrant,
par le Rev. Janeau, Mr. P. J. Fourquier,
a Mile Laure Normand, tours les deux de cette parioisse.
Oct. 23, 1858 p. 2
Married—on the 21st, at the residence of
Martin Rabalais, by the Rev. Jules Janeau, Mr. Adolphe P. Rabalais and Miss Agness Javellie Rabalais both of the
Parish.
Villager
Succ.
Margeurite Leckie Sept. 23, 1843 Sept. 23,1843 p.
1
Francois Dublin Sept. 14,
1843 Sept. 23, 1843 p. 1
Marie Dupuy Aug. 26,
1843 Sept. 23, 1843 p. 1
John Bongarcon Sept. 23,1843 Sept. 26,
1843 p. 3
Euranie Lacour
wid/o
Leon Rausseure dec. Sept. 9, 1843 Sept. 26, 1843 p. 4
George Moss Sept. 8,
1843 Sept. 9, 1843 p. 4
Eugenie Vitrac
wid/o E.
G. Paxton dec. Aug. 28, 1843 Sept. 26, 1843 p. 4
Arthur Ansley Aug. 5, 1843 Sept. 26, 1843 p. 4
Jean Baptiste Hooter Aug. 5, 1843 Sept. 26, 1843 p. 4
Joachin Scallan Nov. 3, 1843 Nov. 4, 1843 p. 1
Daniel T. Orr Nov. 3, 1843 Nov. 4, 1843 p. 1
Valerie Scallan Nov. 3, 1843 Nov. 11, 1843 p. 1
Alexis Lemoine Nov. 11,1843 Nov.
11, 1843 p. 1
Joseph Firmen Nov. 2, 1843 Sept. 25, 1843 p. 2
Joseph Guillory Dec. 2, 1843 Dec. 2, 1843 p. 3
Ludevine Fontenot
w/o Joseph Bordelon Dec. 1, 8143 Dec. 2, 1843 p. 3
Lastie Landernaux June 15, 1846 June 15, 1846 p. 2
S. W. Briggs May 29,
1846 June 15, 1846 p. 2
Francois Barbin
de Bellevue June
15, 1846 p. 2
George Guillot May 18, 1846 June 15, 1846 p. 2
Hugh Baily Nov. 7,
1844 Nov 7, 1844 p. 2
George Washington
McNeece Dec. 8,
1846
Jean Moulard Dec. 10,
1846 Dec. 15, 1846 p. 1
Joseph W. Bell Oct. 27, 1846 Dec. 15, 1846 p. 1
Thomas Landrum Dec. 11, 1846 Dec. 15, 1846 p. 1
Marguerite Rodriquez,
f.m.c. Dec.
15, 1846 Dec. 15, 1846 p. 1
Michael Fogleman
Dec. 15, 1846 p. 1
Valery Scallienne Dec. 15, 1846 Dec. 15, 1846 p. 2
Leon Gauthier Dec. 6, 1846 Dec. 15, 1846 p. 2
Azenor Lemoine Dec. 9, 1846 Dec. 15, 1846 p. 2
Wm. Bishop Nov. 13, 1851 Nov, 20, 1851 p. 2
Mary A. Roberts Nov. 13, 1851 Nov. 20, 1851 p. 2
Joseph Tassin Oct. 23, 1851 Nov. 20, 1851 p. 2
Aaron Butler Oct. 2, 1851 Nov. 20, 1851 p. 2
Gabriel Enochs Nov. 4, 1852 Nov. 11, 1852 p. 1
Adrienne Mayeux
wid/o P. Bordelon Nov. 11, 1852 Nov. 11, 1852 p. 1
Joseph Gaillard Dec. 4, 1851 Nov. 11, 1852 p. 1
Mrs. Meline Lemoine
w/o Leon Gauthier Oct. 28, 1852 Nov. 11, 1852 p. 1
Elias Norwood Oct. 28, 1852 Nov. 11, 1852 p. 2
Michel Aymond May 3, 1856 May 24, 1856 p. 2
Celeste Mayeux
w/o Adrien Couvillion April 26, 1856 May 24, 1856 p. 2
Alcibiades Derivas May 10, 1856 May 24, 1856 p. 2
James B. Freeman April 24, 1856 May 24, 1856 p. 2
John
H. Harmanson April. 26, 1856 May 24, 1856 p. 2
Celine Gauthier
wid/o
Celestin Bordleon
April 5, 1856 April 12, 1856 p. 2
Cleophine Gauthier March 15, 1856 April 12, 1856 p. 2
Martin A. McMillan April 5, 1856 April 12, 1856 p. 2
Clement Carmouche March 29, 1856 April 12, 1856 p. 2
Julie Bizette
wid./o Joseph
Roy Nov. 29, 1856 Jan. 3, 1857 p. 2
Marthille Chatelain
w/o Jean Bte. Tassin
Jan. 3, 1857 p. 2
Valere Lacour
Jan. 3, 1857 p. 2
William Wheeler Jan. 3, 1857 Jan. 10, 1857 p. 1
Louis H. Joffrion Jan. 3, 1857 Jan. 10, 1857 p. 1
Celeste Guillory wid/o
Antoine Charrier (dec.) April 18,
1857 April 25, 1857 p. 2
Nichol Nicholson May 2, 1857 May 2, 1857 p. 2
Coralie Rabalais
wid/o
Fautin Dufour (dec.) May 2,
1857 May 2, 1857 p. 2
Constance Gremillion
wid/ Godefrey
Labbe May
30, 1857 May 30, 1857 p
2
M.
Emilie Dufour dec.
w/o J. B. Rabalais May 30, 1857 May 30, 1857 p. 2
Joseph Ducote, pere May 30, 1857 May 30, 1857 p 2
Prudent Rabalais June 27, 1857 July 11, 1857 p. 2
Louis Bordelon July 4, 1857 July 11, 1857 p. 2
Daniel T. Orr July 11, 1857 July 11, 1857 p. 2
Eugene St. Romain July 4, 1857 July 18, 1857 p. 1
Hiram Harvey June 27, 1857 July 18, 1857 p. 1
Antoine Laborde July 18, 1857 July 18 1857 p 2
Russell Milligan July 25, 1857 Aug. 1, 1857 p.2
Colin Lacour July 25, 1857 Aug. 1, 1857 p. 2
Francoise
Gaspard dec.
wid/Jean Bonnette
Sept. 5, 1857
Sept. 19, 1857 p. 3
Jacob A Bart Sept. 12, 1857 Sept. 19, 1857 p. 3
Carmelite
Gauthier dec.
wife/o Zelien Ducote Oct. 5,
1857 p. 1
Francois Bordelon Oct.10, 1857
Marinette Mayeux Oct. 29, 1857 Nov. 7, 1857 p. 1
Claudine Berge dec.
w/o
Benjamin P. Delavallade
Nov. 21, 1857 Nov. 28,1857 p. 1
Rosalie
Martinez dec.
w/o Narcisse Sanchez
Nov. 21, 1857
Dec. 5, 1857 p. 1
Aureline Coco
w/o Joseph Moreau
Jan. 30, 1858 p. 2
Marie Laborde
w/o Valbonne Scallan
Feb. 6, 1858 p. 2
Alexis Marcotte March 6, 1858 March 20, 1858 p. 2
Marie
Lafon dec.
w/o Louis Ingouf
July 31, 1858 p.1
Dominique Ingouf Sept. 28, 1858 Aug. 28, 1858 p. 2
Donat McEnery Sept. 18, 1858 Sept. 18, 1858 p. 2
Valery Bordelon Aug. 28, 1858 Sept. 18, 1858 p. 2
Willis B. Prescott Sept. 18, 1858 Sept. 18, 1858 p. 2
Louis Bordelon Oct. 9, 1858 Nov. 6, 1858 p. 2
Leandre Roy Nov. 6, 1858 Nov. 6, 1858 p. 2
Clevois Sosthene
Riche Nov. 13, 1858
Nov. 13, 1858 p. 2
Emilie Mayeux wid/o
Sosthene Couvillion Nov. 6, 1858 Nov. 20, 1858 p. 2
Villager Divorces
Nov. 24, 1843 p. 2
Amelia Couvillion
& Zenon St. Romain Nov. 24, 1843
Adeline Desselles
& Valerien Laborde Nov. 24, 1843
p. 3
Manette Morrow & Albert Morrow Nov. 24, 1843
Dec. 15, 1846 p. 1
Francoise Normand & William
Edwards Dec. 14,
1846
Margaret Reed & Martin Say April 25, 1857 May 9, 1857 p. 2
Emilie Mayeux
& Cyprien Voisel April 27, 1857 May 9, 1859 p. 2