Old Families of Louisiana - by Stanley Arthur (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Originally published in 1931, Old Families of Louisiana was compiled in response to a demand for a comprehensive series of genealogical records of the foundation families of the state--families whose ancestors settled with Bienville in New Orleans at the time the famous old city was laid out in the crescent bend of the Mississippi River. This book also answers the call for information on those who came to Louisiana when the golden lilies of France, the castellated banner of Spain, the Union Jack of Great Britain, or the flag of fifteen stars and fifteen stripes waved over the land.

During the compilation of the original data it became apparent that the present book would be greatly augmented in interest and value by the addition of genealogical records of other prominent foundation families besides the French and Spanish. For this reason, information was included on the English, Scottish, and Irish lineages whose representatives now form an integral part of the present-day population of Louisiana.

In the seventy years since its first publication, Old Families of Louisiana has exceeded the original scope intended. In order to set a limit to its range, it was agreed that only those families settling in Louisiana before and up to the time of the beginning of the American domination in 1803 should be included. Old Families of Louisiana traces the genealogy of such traditional Louisiana families as Fortier, Claiborne, Kenner, Percy, Wiltz, Chalmette, Landry, Derbigny, Butler, St. Martin, and Wilkinson.

From the Back Cover

Old Families of Louisiana enumerates the histories of the state's most notable families, many of whom arrived between 1720 and 1800 from locations throughout the United States and Europe. Prior genealogies recording the foundation families of Louisiana excluded lineages not of French or Spanish origin, but this comprehensive record includes not only those of French and Spanish ancestry, but also Irish, English, and American, now featuring such venerable lines as Claiborne, Kenner, Percy, Chalmette, Landry, Butler, and St. Martin.

A brief history of each family's old-world ancestry traces the nature of their lineage and how they came to inhabit the territory. Relying upon historical documents and oral histories, the authors provide a detailed, genealogically based narrative of the families' descendants, following them as far as the late nineteenth century and including such information as physical attributes, family legend, and old gossip. Reminiscent asides and nearly thirty accompanying illustrations embellish genealogical tables. From the anecdote of John James Audubon tutoring young Eliza Pirrie while he sketched his famous bird portraits to that of Madame de McNamara-Merieult's famously beautiful golden hair that Napoleon requested in exchange for a castle, little-known and illuminating facets of the family members' lives offer unique insight into their personalities and lifestyles.

Born in California in 1875, Stanley Clisby Arthur served as a war correspondent and journalist in the Spanish-American War before moving to Louisiana in 1915, where he later became head of the Louisiana Fish and Wildlife Department. He adopted the state as his home and proceeded to write several books about its history and character, including Pelican's Walking Tours of Old New Orleans, Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix 'Em, and Audubon: An Intimate Life of the American Woodsman. He died in 1963 at age eighty-eight.

George Campbell Huchet de Kernion, a member of one of the oldest and most illustrious Louisiana families himself, lent his genealogical and historical expertise to the enhancement of Arthur's project.

About the Author

A native of California, Stanley Clisby Arthur spent several years as a journalist as well as a war correspondent in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War. Arthur arrived in Louisiana in 1915 and came to view it as his adopted home, dedicating much of his life to documenting its customs, culture, and history. According to the introduction to Walking Tours of Old New Orleans, Arthur's greatest talent lay in his ability to delve into neglected historical sources and give life to the facts within. Arthur was the head of the Louisiana Fish and Wildlife Department for many years. His love of the outdoors is reflected in his novel about naturalist John Audubon, titled Audubon: An Intimate Life of the American Woodsman . During the Great Depression, Arthur was appointed regional director of the Survey of Federal Archives. This allowed him to delve even more deeply into the history of New Orleans and Louisiana, and he published several more historical works. Stanley Clisby Arthur died in 1963 at the age of eighty-eight.