A New Treasure to Pour Over!

I found about a month ago, a collection in the Huntington Library in San Marino, CA that uncovered an entire lost history of the people who lived around Sterlington in the 1830's. It is the papers of Charles Boliver Sterling, the son of Robert Harris Sterling and Eliza Caroline Morhouse. Remember Robert? He was the … Continue reading A New Treasure to Pour Over! →

Beloved Sterlington Principal Leaves Behind a 43 Year Legacy in Education.

Dedication page photo from the 1951-52 Smithy yearbook. Some of you from the Sterlington area may have had this gentleman as a principal. Mr. O.K. Bailey, Sr. served for 43 years as principal of Sterlington's elementary, Jr. High and High School. The above photo was taken when he served as principal for A.L. Smith School. … Continue reading Beloved Sterlington Principal Leaves Behind a 43 Year Legacy in Education. →

The Phillips Family of Sterlington

Going north on 165 to Sterlington, you may notice a large stone cross with a few low headstones around it. This is a family cemetery for a very powerful family in the area during the Civil War and into the turn of the century. The Phillips family were the owners of the Lonewa plantation in … Continue reading The Phillips Family of Sterlington →

First Baptist Church Sterlington, 1940

How about another one from the Vernon Parish Library? (I had no clue they had so many photos from Monroe!) https://flic.kr/s/aHsmKX396i This shows the congregation of the First Baptist Church of Sterlington taken January 8, 1940. If you have any family in that area in that time, take a look and see if you know … Continue reading First Baptist Church Sterlington, 1940 →

The Ledger Book of George Hamilton (1801 – 1839)

One of the jewels in our crown here at the Ouachita Parish Public Library is a ledger book. Back in 2016, if I remember correctly, a gentleman brought in a ledger book found in the walls of a house down in Logtown. He was representing the owner, who wanted to know if we would like … Continue reading The Ledger Book of George Hamilton (1801 – 1839) →

A Description of Island DeSiard

The following beautiful article was written in 1890 by a female resident of the "Island" this area is roughly where Sterlington is now. The island is bordered by the Ouachita River and Bayous Bartholomew and DeSiard. Be warned: There is some racially insensitive language towards the end. The Times-Democrat (New Orleans, LA) April 13, 1890, … Continue reading A Description of Island DeSiard →

History of Sterlington by Hazel Smith Short

Back in 1962, Mrs. Melvin B. Short (Hazel) compiled a history of the area and families that comprise the area we know as Sterlington, in northern Ouachita Parish. It had a minor revision in 1990 and in 2001, a colleague of mine compiled an index. To see the actual book, come by the Genealogy Department … Continue reading History of Sterlington by Hazel Smith Short →