2 Bayou La Fourche

1 introduction - 2 Donaldsonville Brass Band - 309 Bayou La Fourche - 6 Other Donaldsonville Bands - 313 Music n Donaldsonville - 7 The Harmony Kings - 327 Clairborne Williams - 109 St. Cecelia Brass Band - 340 St Joseph Brass * String Band - 183 Dutchtown Brass Band - 344 Moro Peerless Brass Band - 213 Orchestra - 345 Donaldsonville Brass Band - 233 Gaudet & Terrio - 346 Three Bands - 246 River boats in Donaldsonville - 350 A New Band - 263 Old Newspaper Clippings - 353 Independent Brass Band - 267 St. Joseph Brass Band - 356 Ascension Brass Band - 302 St. Joseph Striking Band - 375 Peerless Brass Band - 386 2 DONALDSONVILLE Donaldsonville, in the lower Mississippi Valley was first established by William Donaldson, in 1806, and as of 1813, when the legislature granted the young city its charter - one of the first municipalities created by the State of Louisiana Explored Robert Cavlier de la Salle on April 9, 1682, descended to the mouth of the Mississippi River and planted a cross upon the banks of the Father of Waters, taking possession of the entire Mississippi Valley for and on behalf of his king, Louis XIV, of France. He was followed about the year 1770 by Iberville and Bienville, who visited our own Lafourche des chetimaches. The city of New Orleans was established by Bienville in 1717 and the capital of Louisiana was removed from Biloxi to that city in 1722. A few Frenchmen settled along the river above New Orleans prior to the year 1765, but the region was sparsely settled until the arrival of the Acadian exiles, who fled from the prosecution of the British after the devastation of their beloved Acadia in 1756. Seeking homes in the midst of their kith and kin, they began arriving here about 1766 and continued coming until 20 years thereafter. The Spanish Government was in control of Louisiana at this time and its officials generously aided and assisted the exiles in finding new homes on the vacant lands in what is now Ascension and St. James Parishes, as well as in other parts of the state. These two parishes were later known as the county of Acadia in memory of their homeland. The local settlement is referred to in numerous ancient documents as the New Establishment of Acadians at Lafourche. A resident priest of the Roman Catholic Church, Father Reuillagodos, located here on August 15, 1772, and established a small church among the Acadians. He called his church 'The Ascension Parish,' a name it has borne to this day. The church was enlarged in 1781. His parishioners consisted of the Acadian exiles who had been despoiled of all of her property in their native land. Among the Acadian exiles to whom the Spanish government had granted lands on which to settle, we find that the tract on the right bank of the Mississippi River below the Laf. was granted to Pierre Landry in 1775. He died in 1805 and on Feb. 10, 1806, his widow, Mrs. Marquerite Allein, sold to William Donaldson, a young merchant of New Orleans, the land that he had acquired from the Spanish Government for $12,000 cash. The improvement on this property consisted of a dwelling elevated on brick pillars, 6 feet measuring 36 x 18 feet, with front and rear galleries; a store 22 x 12 feet, with front and rear galleries; a kitchen 20 x 12 feet, with front and rear galleries; a pigeonier; a Negro cabin and an old corn crib. The cultivable land consisted of 40 arpents. At the time that Donaldson invested in this tract of land Thomas Jefferson was President of the United States, the vast Louisiana territory had just come under the folds of the Stars and Stripes; our state had not been admitted to the Union, W. C. Claiborne was governor of Orleans territory; pirogues and stage lines were the most convenient mode of transportation; no steamboats had ever sailed on the bosom of the Father of Waters; no railroads were in existence in Louisiana; the automobiles, electric lights, telephone, radio and airplanes had not been dreamed of, and New Orleans was a small city of 12,000 souls. 3 We know but little of the life of William Donaldson prior to his coming to Ascension Parish. He appears to have been a member of the House of Representatives of Orleans territory. A correspondent in the courier (New Orleans) of Jan. 1, 1808, describes him as the 'youthful Donaldson' who was then a member of the board of directors of the Louisiana band who was never absent 'when his own aper had to pass,' and as a person of 'well-known eloquence. Immediately on purchasing the Pierre Landry farm he had it subdivided into city lots, naming the streets for each of the countries of old Louisiana, and in the Louisiana Gazette (New Orleans) of June 27, 1806, we find him advertising as follows: "Fourche, 21st June, 1806, the subscriber begs leave to inform the public that on Monday, the 7th July, he shall commence the sale of lots in the town of Donaldson, new establishing at the entrance of the Fourche. The plan of the town may be seen at his house on the premises and also at his residence in New Orleans, where the price and conditions of sale will be made know. William Donaldson." On Sept. 14, 1806, he donated the site for the first town hall and constructed thereon a building 40 x 50 feet in depth at his own expense. In 1810, he donated to the county of Acadia the squares on which the elementary school, courthouse, jail and playground are now located. He was associated with John W. Scott, a prominent citizen of Old Ascension, who, with Donaldson, owned several plantations near the present site of Burnside. In the Louisiana Gazette (New Orleans) of Oct. 25, 1807, we note that he was operating a sawmill at Manchas, "where a quantity of boards and seantling deliverable on the levee opposite the mill are offered for sale on reasonable terms." Progressive city-builder that he was, Donaldson realized the importance of adequate postal facilities, and on June 17, 1808, succeeded in having Donaldson Town established - the only post office on the Mississippi River for 190 miles above New Orleans. Our city has a post office but what about the mails? It appears that the carriers operated at very infrequent intervals for in the Courier (New Orleans) of March 9, 1808. We read: "An express will leave this city for Natchitechis (via Lafourche on Thursday next, the 16th inst., at 6 o'clock a.m.)" His influence in legislative matters may be inferred from the fact that he had the House of Representatives adopt a resolution in March, 1808, to remove the seat of government to a village on the Mississippi about 100 miles above New Orleans evidently Donaldson town. For some reason unknown to us the name of the post office was changed in 1908 to Lafourche and it so remained until 1822. It may be that during these years the post office was not located within the city of Donaldson. The first charter of the Ville de Donaldson was granted by the Legislature on March 25, 1813. Under this charter the affairs of the town were administered by 5 administrators to be elected on the first 4 Monday of June of each year, which body was authorized to force every person over 16 years and under 60 years to work on the streets of the town provided that no person could be forced to work more than seven days in each year. Unfortunately we do not know the names of these first city officials. Another charter was granted the city on March 7, 1823, being the 2nd charter of the city of Donaldson. The charter of 1823 provides for the election each year of 5 municipal officers or trustees who would elect, from their own number, a president of the board of trustees. Again unfortunately we do not know the names of these city officials. In 1812 there were 82 votes cast in the town of Donaldson while in 1823 the town is described as follows: "Donaldsonville now has from 30 to 40 houses and a population of from 150 to 200." Brooke's Gazetteer describes it: "Donaldsonville, post town and seat of justice of the parish of Ascension, Louisiana. It stands on the point formed by the Mississippi and the efflux of Lafourche river, below the latter; contains 30 or 40 houses, and from 150 to 200 inhabitants; 81 miles above New Orleans." It may be noteworthy to list the names of these who purchased lots from William Donaldson during his lifetime. In this manner we determine the first property owners of the city of Donaldson. They are: Post-master-Thomas Randall, Louis Chas. Zenon, Pierre valet, Louis Talieret, Paul Landry, Mrs. Marguerite Allain, (from whom Donaldson purchased), Joseph Monserat, Pierre Gregoire, Attorney Stephen A. Hopkins, Jos. Landry, Fauchonette Menier, James McGuire, John W. Scott, Cornelius Seely, John Morrison, Judge Edward Duffel, John Slattery, Francois Huquot, Walker Gilbert, Antoine Bayon, Pierre Ducham, Allen Thomas , Samuel Mulford, Judge Michel Cantrelle, J. S. Watkins, Joseph Mollere, Marie Landry, Mrs. Jean Vessier, John Hulings, Judge Edward D. Turner, Jos. Laelle Dominique Bourgeois, sheriff Wm. S. Watkins, T. S. Allen, Stephen Foster, Pierre Galliard, Jos. Martin, Antione Maurin, Joseph Perrin and Widow Menard. In 1880 Wm. Donaldson Was referred to as "the youthful Donaldson." He departed his life in the city of New Orleans on Nov. 27, 1813. It appears that he was married but once, and then to Colgate Van Pradelles, and that he left no descendants.

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