The Biography and Genealogy Files of the Ouachita Parish Library Part II: L – O Names

L--Biography (La-Le)(W.M. Police Chief Larry)"LaBorde announces retirement from W.M." News-Star, Wednesday, March 26, 2003"Designing Duo" (Sondra & Jacquelyn LaCroix) News-Star, Friday, March 25, 2005"'Big Cat' On The Prowl" (Ernie Ladd) News-Star, May 23, 2005, Page 1C J.B."Lafargue apparent autobiography printed" Avoyelles Heritage, The Weekly News, Marksville, LA, July 1, 1999, Sec. 1, Page 2"J.O. Lancaster announces … Continue reading The Biography and Genealogy Files of the Ouachita Parish Library Part II: L – O Names →

The Biography and Genealogy Files of the Genealogy Department Part I: A-K Names

Another untapped resource we have in the Ouachita Parish Public Library's Genealogy department are our family history and biography files. Over the next several days (since the list is HUGE!) I'll be posting sections of the index we have made. Most of the files are newspaper clippings. Some clippings are unsourced, but most are. We … Continue reading The Biography and Genealogy Files of the Genealogy Department Part I: A-K Names →

Tabernacle Baptist Church Burns

I have been told that these fires had been set by Klan members as intimidation tactics. Tabernacle would rebuild and is still a thriving church today! The Monroe News-Star, February 26, 1915, Page 1 NEGRO CHURCH WAS DESTROPED [sic] BY FIRE The Tabernacle Baptist church, colored, at Ninth and Breard streets was totally destroyed by … Continue reading Tabernacle Baptist Church Burns →

Interesting Ouachita related information.

Want to see a map of the Ouachita river way before even Fort Miro was founded? Go here: https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agdm/id/6560 . The site marked "P. des canots" would be the eventual site of Monroe. The Wisconsin Historical society has the Monroe chapter of C.O.R.E. records from 1961 - 1966 if you are interested in the Civil … Continue reading Interesting Ouachita related information. →

Richardson Funeral Home

As well as Burton/Good Citizen records, Ouachita Parish Public Library has records for the Richardson Funeral Home from 1954 - 1976. They are contained in three volumes and have been indexed by name and by date. NameDate of DeathPage #Book #Adoner, John12/26/1960180Book AAlexander, Carl8/10/1971125Book CAlexander, James8/11/1964290Book AAlexander, Shirley2/9/1959123Book AAllen, Elijah3/20/1975264Book CAllen, Henry6/8/1972130Book BAllen, Henry6/9/1972152Book CAllen, … Continue reading Richardson Funeral Home →

Burton/Good Citizen Funeral Home Index

Part of the collection of the Ouachita Parish Public Library's Genealogy Department are copies of funeral home records. Included are records for the above two funeral homes, from 1954 - 1978. Many years ago, a name index was compiled. The following names are included: NamePage #Book #?, Arthur111Book A?, Charley123Book A?, James169Book AAdams, Alice120Book AAdams, … Continue reading Burton/Good Citizen Funeral Home Index →

The Pre Civil War Murder of Jailer Abram Williams and the hanging of “Tennessee Jack”

I found the following article one day while I was browsing pre Civil War newspaper of Monroe. This crime was shocking and brutal by even today’s standards. What drove this young man to do what he did can only be imagined with sympathy and horror. He paid for it though, with his life. The … Continue reading The Pre Civil War Murder of Jailer Abram Williams and the hanging of “Tennessee Jack” →

Jim May: West Monroe’s Own Holt Collier

Many people know of Holt Collier, who led Teddy Roosevelt on his famous area bear hunt, which gave birth to the Teddy Bear. Did you ever hear of West Monroe’s beloved hunting guide Jim May? He was well known enough in Ouachita Parish to have had his obituary posted in the News Star, way before … Continue reading Jim May: West Monroe’s Own Holt Collier →

Some Ouachita Parish History sites

I have recently found a great blog on WordPress, where the author has posted items from her personal family history collection: https://okellyfamily.wordpress.com/ The O'Kelly family has deep roots in Ouachita Parish. There are some great transcriptions of family letters as well as some family photos concerning the O'Kelly family as well as some interesting historical … Continue reading Some Ouachita Parish History sites →

The Shooting of W.S. Wade

Written for Louisiana Road Trips back in 2013: August 22nd of 1909 was an exciting day in the little town of Monroe. A fire burned down Capt. L.D. McLain's lumber mill, just north of where the old cotton seed oil mill still stands. It was estimated that the loss would exceed $100,000. People were … Continue reading The Shooting of W.S. Wade →