Ouachita Parish History Tidbits

Author: Lora Diane Peppers

  • War of 1812 Pension Records

    Up until 2008, War of 1812 Pension files kept at the National Archives, were not available anywhere except the Archives themselves. They hadn’t even been microfilmed. The Archives approached the…

  • A Trade Token From the Star Hotel

    A few months back I bought this little token, because I had never seen it before. Trade tokens, were used like money, in exchange for goods. This little token would…

  • A Historical Sketch of the Italian Community of Monroe

    Very interesting read if you would like to know a little more about the Italian community in Monroe! https://www.louisianafolklife.org/LT/Articles_Essays/deltaitalians.html

  • Major McEnery and Dr. Egan Have a Feud

    This cute little story I found by looking on the database of the Library of Congress. They are digitizing many old books and the info in them is just priceless!…

  • A Cemetery Puzzle

    The 16th of last month, I lead a beginning genealogy lecture at one of the local libraries. We were having technical difficulties with the projector set up, and IT was…

  • John Peyton Parker

    A couple of weeks ago, I noticed this carte de vise photograph come up for sale on eBay. It was signed on the back and front saying it was a…

  • An Early Map of Northwest Ouachita Parish

    How about an 1848 landowners map of northwestern Ouachita Parish? It is based on an earlier 1813 map! https://www.louisianadigitallibrary.org/islandora/object/oplib-pho%3A751

  • Claire Chennault, President and Madam Chiang Kai-shek

    The State Archives in Baton Rouge has a Claire Chennault collection which they are digitizing for the Louisiana Digital Library. Two photos have been uploaded to the collection, showing the…

  • Early Monroe Homes Report, 1966

    Here is another treasure from Nan Saulsberry! It is a report she did on the area’s historic homes. The buildings that are mentioned: O’Kelly House, Lower and Upper Pargoud Plantations,…

  • Men of First Baptist Church, Monroe

    This photo came from the collection of Nan Saulsberry. It shows the men of First Baptist Church of Monroe circa 1915. Only two are identified. https://www.louisianadigitallibrary.org/islandora/object/oplib-pho%3A747