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CHARENTON HISTORY
The church has always been a prominent promoter of history and culture. We are trying to do
our part here in Charenton. We have set up an historic walk through our Church grounds to
remember former pastors, Sisters of St. Joseph who labored among Blacks, White and Native
Americans for many years, former Chiefs of the Chitimacha tribe who are buried in our
cemetery, as well as other persons and families important to our history.
SOME OF THE STOPS ON OUR HISTORIC WALK
03. The following pastors appear in our baptismal records:
About a dozen baptisms in 1843 by several missionary priests.
Father Stephen T. Badin, missionary priest baptized 3 Indians 1844.
Father J. Billion 1844-1845
Missionary priests 1845-1846
Father J. Blin 1847-1851
Father Nicholas Francois 1851-1863
Father Desgaultiere 1863-1864
Father Cuny 1865-1870
Fr. Jean P. Ponchon 1870-1903
Father A. Boven SJ 1902-1903
Father J. R. Bollard 1903-1915
Father Frederick Colle 1915-1921
Father James Prieri 1921-1931
Father Gabriel Braud 1931
Father Marcel Gaudet 1932-1936
Father R. J. Gobeil 1938-1947
Father A. Gobeil 1947
Father Marcel Gaudet 1948
Father L. Montabert 1948-1950
Father J. Otto Jud 1951-1969
Father Whitney LeBlanc 1969-1971
Father Leo Schexnayder 1972-1976
Father James Doiron 1976-1977
Father Luiz Dutra 1977-1979
Father Frederic Bourque 1979-1982
Father J. A. LeBlanc 1983-1987
Fr. Allen Cormier CSC 1988
Fr William Crumley CSC 1989-
From 1937 to 1940 church was closed. Records are in Baldwin
Information about our original church building.
The churches that have been formed out of the territory originally belonging to Immaculate
Conception Church.
A reminder that the Civil War was fought in this area.
A stop which reminds us that the "Emancipation Proclamation" did not free a single slave. All
slaves in Saint Mary Parish and any other area occupied by Union forces were exempt from the
proclamation.
One of the stops is the tomb of three former pastors buried in our cemetery.
A marker commemorates five former Chitimacha chiefs buried in our cemetery.
A sign commemorates the work of the Sisters of St. Joseph for many years. This marker recalls
three of the Sisters who are buried in our cemetery.
This sign commemorates the oldest person buried in our cemetery. She lived to be 115 years
old. She died in the last quarter of the nineteenth century.
This marker commemorates a severe hurricane which devasted "The Last Ile" in the latter part
of the nineteenth century. Several persons from here were down there vacationing. In those
days they did not have the long range warning we have today.
This is a marker erected by the family to remember those lost in the storm at "The Last Ile." The
bodies of those who died were never recovered. So, they were not buried in our cemetery.
They would have been had they died here.
This sign tells the story of how Charenton got its name. Charenton was out at the end of one of
the largest bends in the Teche. In the days before automobiles it was hard to reach. There was
a saying that anyone who lived out there had to be crazy. People familiar with France knew of a
suburb of Paris called Charenton. There was a mental institution in Charenton, France. Since
people who lived in this place had to be "crazy" Charenton seemed like a natural name. The
sign also tells of orher names given to the town by Native Americans, French, and Cajun.
These flags also tell the story of Charenton. All of these flags have something to do with local
history. For more on the Flags of Charenton press www.charentonheritage.com/FLAGS.html
LOUISIANA INDIANS
PRE HISTORY
There was an Indian presence in Louisiana prior to any recorded or identifiable history. It may
even be pre Christian. It is manifest by such sites as Poverty Point and a site near Monroe,
Louisiana which is only in its very initial stage of archeological investigation. Another site near
the Gulf Of Mexico which has largely eroded was on a similar scale as Poverty Point. There also
appears to be some evidence of a presence of persons who were native to Mexico.
SOME BASIC FACTS
Much of Indian history has been written and told by white men from a white man’s point of
view. It does not necessarily reflect the complete truth of that Indian history. Unfortunately
there are few, if any, Native American documents extant to enable us to tell the story.
Part of the history of some tribes has been told by other tribes who were friendly to one or
another group of white settlers in a particular area. One obvious way this manifested itself was
in the names given to some tribes. In some cases the name was one told to the white man by
members of another tribe.
One group friendly to white explorers was the Choctaw. Often names of tribes were those
given by the Choctaws. Maps were based on data supplied by the Choctaw. Tribes the
Choctaws did not like often received derogatory names.
The Chitimacha were here before any other modern “Louisiana” tribe.
Lacking any other data our Indian history will not be totally accurate.
TRIBES WHO AT ONE TIME LIVED IN LOUISIANA
Acolapissa Adai Alabama Apache Apalachee Attakapas Avoyel Bayougoula Biloxi Caddo
Chawahsa Chickasaw Chitimacha Choctaw Connechi Doustioni Houma Jena Koroa Kosati
(Choushata) Mugulaski Muskogean Natchez Natchitoches Ofo Ojebaway Okelousa Opelousas
Oriora Ouachita Pacana Pascagoula Quapaw Quinapisa Taensa Tallapoosa (1) Tangipahoa
Tunica Tunica Biloxi Washa Yahsa Chitto Yatasi
(1) Did not actually live in Louisiana but performed raids on Louisiana tribes.
These 42 tribes came here at different times. Some appear to have been here at the time of
DeSoto.
Chitimacha Caddo Chawasha Ouachita Tensas Tunica Washa
What happened to these original natives of our State?
CHITIMACHA They are still here and are federally recognized.
CADDO In 1835 they signed an agreement with the United States Government to vacate their
land and move to East Texas. Some either did not move or have returned. They are one of the
tribes currently recognized by the state.
CHAWASHA Disappeared sometime between 1770 and 1789.
OUCHITA Don’t know what happened to them.
TENSAS Aligned with Avolel and are now seeking state recognition.
TUNICA Eventually merged with the Biloxi. They are federally recognized.
WASHA Disappeared sometime between 1770 and 1789.
SOME TRIBES WERE HERE IN THE 1600’S
Adai Attakapa Avoyel Bayougoula Doustani Houma Mugulasha Natchitoches Natchez
Okelousa Opelousas Quinapisa Tangipahoa Yatasi
The Adai, Doustani, Natchitoches and Yatasi are part of the Caddo confederation.
The Bayougoula were absorbed by the Houma.
The Quinapisa were absorbed by the Mugulasha. The Mugulasha seem to vanish from any
records in the 1780’s.
None of these tribes are federally recognized. Among them only the Houma are state
recognized. The Attakapa and the Avoyel are organized groups who are attempting to secure
federal and/or state recognition.
The period between 1770 and 1789 was a very difficult time for Louisiana Indian tribes. More
seemed to disappear during this time than in other times. Many more were forced to move
and/or to abandon their ancestral lands.
SOME TRIBES CAME TO LOUISIANA BETWEEN 1700 AND 1764
Apalache Chickasaw Choctaw Connechi
The Talimali band of Apalache are seeking state recognition.
The Chickasaw seem to have disappeared from Louisiana.
Several branches of the Choctaw still are in Louisiana. They are divided into several branches.
The Jena band of Choctaw is federally recognized. The Clifton Choctaw and the Choctaw-
Apache community of Ebarb are state recognized.
The Connechi mingled with the Spanish, the Choctaws, the Creoles, and the Choctaw-Apache
community of Ebarb (state recognized) settling near Spanish Lake, near Natchitoches, and
near Ebarb.
SOME TRIBES CAME HERE AFTER THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
Biloxi Choushatta Ofo Pascagoula
The Biloxi have merged with the Tunica and are federally recognized.
The Choushatta are in Marksville and are federally recognized.
The Ofo were apparently absorbed by the Tunica.
The Alabama tribe claims to have absorbed the Pascagoula.
SOME TRIBES CAME HERE IN THE LATTER HALF OF THE 1800’S
Choctaw Apache of Ebarb Clifton Choctaw Jena Louisiana band of Choctaw
The Choctaw Apache of Ebarb and the Clifton Choctaw are both recognized by the State of
Louisiana.
The Jena band of Choctaws are federally recognized.
The Louisiana band of Choctaws are state recognized.
LOUISIANA TRIBES SEEKING RECOGNITION
Attakapas Avoyel Tensa Biloxi Chitimacha Confederation of Muskogee Bayou Lacombe
Chochtaw
GOVERNMENT RECOGNITION
Originally these Native American groups were independent groups. Most of them were
migratory. They moved wherever the supply of food led them. Some warred with one another
but most were peaceful. When European (white) settlers began to occupy the territory the
Natives were forced to change their life style. When the area became a part of the United States
the Natives came under the control of the United States Government. In the mid nineteenth
century the United States Supreme Court ruled that Indians were “wards of the U. S.
Government.”
With that ruling native tribes became almost totally dependent on the good will of the United
States Government. But what if the United States Government does not recognize the tribe as a
legitimate tribe? No benefits will be extended. So Federal recognition became extremely
important for the survival of a tribe. That recognition assures land rights as well as educational
and medical benefits for tribal members.
Of the 42 tribes with some connection to Louisiana only five are federally recognized today.
Chitimacha Choctaw Kosati (Chousatta) Tunica Biloxi
State recognition assures revenues from State coffers. So there is great competition among the
various Native American groups for Federal and State recognition.
Just as Federal and State Governments seek to limit the number of legitimate tribes they will
fund, individual tribes often seek to limit members they will recognize. Unfortunately
recognition of Indian origin and background has become an question of economics rather than
a question of heritage.
TRIBAL AMALGAMATION
Many of the 37 tribes were small to begin with. Others became small as a result of diseases
brought in by white immigrants. Some lost membership through war. Some were captured as
slaves. In order to survive some tribes were forced to join with other tribes. Often this tribal
merging occurred among those with a common language.
In Louisiana we are aware of seven different language groups: Attakapas, Caddo, Chitimacha,
Muskogean, Natchez, offshoots of Sioux language, and Tunica.
A map generated by Louisiana State University lists the various language groups and the
tribes that eventually became amalgamated into them. In the various groups the following
Louisiana tribes formed part of these seven language groups.
ATTAKAPAS Attakapas Biloxi Opelousas
CADDO Adai Doustioni Ouachita Natchitoches Yatasi
CHITIMACHA Attakapas Chitimacha Opelousas Yahsa Chitto
MUSKOGEAN Acalapissa Bayougoula Chawasha Choctaw Washa
SIOUX Ofo Biloxi
TUNICA Koroa Ouachita
As the list shows tribal members were sometimes split into more than one tribe. Persons of
Attakapas background were found among the Chitimacha. Chitimacha were found among the
Muskogean. Members of the Biloxi tribe were found among Attakapas and Sioux speaking
nations. Members of the Ouachita tribe were found among Caddo and Tunica speaking tribes.
Members of Opelousas were found among Attakapas and Chitimacha This could also indicate
another form of tribal merging took place as a result of inter tribal marriages. For example, there
is indication that members of the Towakini tribe intermarried with members of the Choctaw
tribe.
WHERE WERE THE LOUISIANA INDIANS IN 1700?
By 1700 much of the linguistic merging had occurred among Louisiana tribes. In 1700
ATTAKAPAS land extended from the upper Bayou Teche to the Sabine River and from the Gulf
of Mexico to Alexandria. The Attakapas apparently did not inhabit the land closest to the shores
of the Gulf of Mexico. Archeological findings indicate that people of a superior culture inhabited
this area. Dozens of mounds and midden sites have been found in this area. There are also
artifacts of copper and stone.
To learn more about Charenton Heritage bill crumley
TO CONTINUE NEXT
TO RETURN TO HOME PAGE HOME
CHARENTON HERITAGE MUSEUM
3041 CHITIMACHA TRAIL
CHARENTON LOUISIANA 70523
USA
337-923-4281
The church has always been a prominent promoter of history and culture. We are trying to do
our part here in Charenton. We have set up an historic walk through our Church grounds to
remember former pastors, Sisters of St. Joseph who labored among Blacks, White and Native
Americans for many years, former Chiefs of the Chitimacha tribe who are buried in our
cemetery, as well as other persons and families important to our history.
SOME OF THE STOPS ON OUR HISTORIC WALK
03. The following pastors appear in our baptismal records:
About a dozen baptisms in 1843 by several missionary priests.
Father Stephen T. Badin, missionary priest baptized 3 Indians 1844.
Father J. Billion 1844-1845
Missionary priests 1845-1846
Father J. Blin 1847-1851
Father Nicholas Francois 1851-1863
Father Desgaultiere 1863-1864
Father Cuny 1865-1870
Fr. Jean P. Ponchon 1870-1903
Father A. Boven SJ 1902-1903
Father J. R. Bollard 1903-1915
Father Frederick Colle 1915-1921
Father James Prieri 1921-1931
Father Gabriel Braud 1931
Father Marcel Gaudet 1932-1936
Father R. J. Gobeil 1938-1947
Father A. Gobeil 1947
Father Marcel Gaudet 1948
Father L. Montabert 1948-1950
Father J. Otto Jud 1951-1969
Father Whitney LeBlanc 1969-1971
Father Leo Schexnayder 1972-1976
Father James Doiron 1976-1977
Father Luiz Dutra 1977-1979
Father Frederic Bourque 1979-1982
Father J. A. LeBlanc 1983-1987
Fr. Allen Cormier CSC 1988
Fr William Crumley CSC 1989-
From 1937 to 1940 church was closed. Records are in Baldwin
Information about our original church building.
The churches that have been formed out of the territory originally belonging to Immaculate
Conception Church.
A reminder that the Civil War was fought in this area.
A stop which reminds us that the "Emancipation Proclamation" did not free a single slave. All
slaves in Saint Mary Parish and any other area occupied by Union forces were exempt from the
proclamation.
One of the stops is the tomb of three former pastors buried in our cemetery.
A marker commemorates five former Chitimacha chiefs buried in our cemetery.
A sign commemorates the work of the Sisters of St. Joseph for many years. This marker recalls
three of the Sisters who are buried in our cemetery.
This sign commemorates the oldest person buried in our cemetery. She lived to be 115 years
old. She died in the last quarter of the nineteenth century.
This marker commemorates a severe hurricane which devasted "The Last Ile" in the latter part
of the nineteenth century. Several persons from here were down there vacationing. In those
days they did not have the long range warning we have today.
This is a marker erected by the family to remember those lost in the storm at "The Last Ile." The
bodies of those who died were never recovered. So, they were not buried in our cemetery.
They would have been had they died here.
This sign tells the story of how Charenton got its name. Charenton was out at the end of one of
the largest bends in the Teche. In the days before automobiles it was hard to reach. There was
a saying that anyone who lived out there had to be crazy. People familiar with France knew of a
suburb of Paris called Charenton. There was a mental institution in Charenton, France. Since
people who lived in this place had to be "crazy" Charenton seemed like a natural name. The
sign also tells of orher names given to the town by Native Americans, French, and Cajun.
These flags also tell the story of Charenton. All of these flags have something to do with local
history. For more on the Flags of Charenton press www.charentonheritage.com/FLAGS.html
LOUISIANA INDIANS
PRE HISTORY
There was an Indian presence in Louisiana prior to any recorded or identifiable history. It may
even be pre Christian. It is manifest by such sites as Poverty Point and a site near Monroe,
Louisiana which is only in its very initial stage of archeological investigation. Another site near
the Gulf Of Mexico which has largely eroded was on a similar scale as Poverty Point. There also
appears to be some evidence of a presence of persons who were native to Mexico.
SOME BASIC FACTS
Much of Indian history has been written and told by white men from a white man’s point of
view. It does not necessarily reflect the complete truth of that Indian history. Unfortunately
there are few, if any, Native American documents extant to enable us to tell the story.
Part of the history of some tribes has been told by other tribes who were friendly to one or
another group of white settlers in a particular area. One obvious way this manifested itself was
in the names given to some tribes. In some cases the name was one told to the white man by
members of another tribe.
One group friendly to white explorers was the Choctaw. Often names of tribes were those
given by the Choctaws. Maps were based on data supplied by the Choctaw. Tribes the
Choctaws did not like often received derogatory names.
The Chitimacha were here before any other modern “Louisiana” tribe.
Lacking any other data our Indian history will not be totally accurate.
TRIBES WHO AT ONE TIME LIVED IN LOUISIANA
Acolapissa Adai Alabama Apache Apalachee Attakapas Avoyel Bayougoula Biloxi Caddo
Chawahsa Chickasaw Chitimacha Choctaw Connechi Doustioni Houma Jena Koroa Kosati
(Choushata) Mugulaski Muskogean Natchez Natchitoches Ofo Ojebaway Okelousa Opelousas
Oriora Ouachita Pacana Pascagoula Quapaw Quinapisa Taensa Tallapoosa (1) Tangipahoa
Tunica Tunica Biloxi Washa Yahsa Chitto Yatasi
(1) Did not actually live in Louisiana but performed raids on Louisiana tribes.
These 42 tribes came here at different times. Some appear to have been here at the time of
DeSoto.
Chitimacha Caddo Chawasha Ouachita Tensas Tunica Washa
What happened to these original natives of our State?
CHITIMACHA They are still here and are federally recognized.
CADDO In 1835 they signed an agreement with the United States Government to vacate their
land and move to East Texas. Some either did not move or have returned. They are one of the
tribes currently recognized by the state.
CHAWASHA Disappeared sometime between 1770 and 1789.
OUCHITA Don’t know what happened to them.
TENSAS Aligned with Avolel and are now seeking state recognition.
TUNICA Eventually merged with the Biloxi. They are federally recognized.
WASHA Disappeared sometime between 1770 and 1789.
SOME TRIBES WERE HERE IN THE 1600’S
Adai Attakapa Avoyel Bayougoula Doustani Houma Mugulasha Natchitoches Natchez
Okelousa Opelousas Quinapisa Tangipahoa Yatasi
The Adai, Doustani, Natchitoches and Yatasi are part of the Caddo confederation.
The Bayougoula were absorbed by the Houma.
The Quinapisa were absorbed by the Mugulasha. The Mugulasha seem to vanish from any
records in the 1780’s.
None of these tribes are federally recognized. Among them only the Houma are state
recognized. The Attakapa and the Avoyel are organized groups who are attempting to secure
federal and/or state recognition.
The period between 1770 and 1789 was a very difficult time for Louisiana Indian tribes. More
seemed to disappear during this time than in other times. Many more were forced to move
and/or to abandon their ancestral lands.
SOME TRIBES CAME TO LOUISIANA BETWEEN 1700 AND 1764
Apalache Chickasaw Choctaw Connechi
The Talimali band of Apalache are seeking state recognition.
The Chickasaw seem to have disappeared from Louisiana.
Several branches of the Choctaw still are in Louisiana. They are divided into several branches.
The Jena band of Choctaw is federally recognized. The Clifton Choctaw and the Choctaw-
Apache community of Ebarb are state recognized.
The Connechi mingled with the Spanish, the Choctaws, the Creoles, and the Choctaw-Apache
community of Ebarb (state recognized) settling near Spanish Lake, near Natchitoches, and
near Ebarb.
SOME TRIBES CAME HERE AFTER THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
Biloxi Choushatta Ofo Pascagoula
The Biloxi have merged with the Tunica and are federally recognized.
The Choushatta are in Marksville and are federally recognized.
The Ofo were apparently absorbed by the Tunica.
The Alabama tribe claims to have absorbed the Pascagoula.
SOME TRIBES CAME HERE IN THE LATTER HALF OF THE 1800’S
Choctaw Apache of Ebarb Clifton Choctaw Jena Louisiana band of Choctaw
The Choctaw Apache of Ebarb and the Clifton Choctaw are both recognized by the State of
Louisiana.
The Jena band of Choctaws are federally recognized.
The Louisiana band of Choctaws are state recognized.
LOUISIANA TRIBES SEEKING RECOGNITION
Attakapas Avoyel Tensa Biloxi Chitimacha Confederation of Muskogee Bayou Lacombe
Chochtaw
GOVERNMENT RECOGNITION
Originally these Native American groups were independent groups. Most of them were
migratory. They moved wherever the supply of food led them. Some warred with one another
but most were peaceful. When European (white) settlers began to occupy the territory the
Natives were forced to change their life style. When the area became a part of the United States
the Natives came under the control of the United States Government. In the mid nineteenth
century the United States Supreme Court ruled that Indians were “wards of the U. S.
Government.”
With that ruling native tribes became almost totally dependent on the good will of the United
States Government. But what if the United States Government does not recognize the tribe as a
legitimate tribe? No benefits will be extended. So Federal recognition became extremely
important for the survival of a tribe. That recognition assures land rights as well as educational
and medical benefits for tribal members.
Of the 42 tribes with some connection to Louisiana only five are federally recognized today.
Chitimacha Choctaw Kosati (Chousatta) Tunica Biloxi
State recognition assures revenues from State coffers. So there is great competition among the
various Native American groups for Federal and State recognition.
Just as Federal and State Governments seek to limit the number of legitimate tribes they will
fund, individual tribes often seek to limit members they will recognize. Unfortunately
recognition of Indian origin and background has become an question of economics rather than
a question of heritage.
TRIBAL AMALGAMATION
Many of the 37 tribes were small to begin with. Others became small as a result of diseases
brought in by white immigrants. Some lost membership through war. Some were captured as
slaves. In order to survive some tribes were forced to join with other tribes. Often this tribal
merging occurred among those with a common language.
In Louisiana we are aware of seven different language groups: Attakapas, Caddo, Chitimacha,
Muskogean, Natchez, offshoots of Sioux language, and Tunica.
A map generated by Louisiana State University lists the various language groups and the
tribes that eventually became amalgamated into them. In the various groups the following
Louisiana tribes formed part of these seven language groups.
ATTAKAPAS Attakapas Biloxi Opelousas
CADDO Adai Doustioni Ouachita Natchitoches Yatasi
CHITIMACHA Attakapas Chitimacha Opelousas Yahsa Chitto
MUSKOGEAN Acalapissa Bayougoula Chawasha Choctaw Washa
SIOUX Ofo Biloxi
TUNICA Koroa Ouachita
As the list shows tribal members were sometimes split into more than one tribe. Persons of
Attakapas background were found among the Chitimacha. Chitimacha were found among the
Muskogean. Members of the Biloxi tribe were found among Attakapas and Sioux speaking
nations. Members of the Ouachita tribe were found among Caddo and Tunica speaking tribes.
Members of Opelousas were found among Attakapas and Chitimacha This could also indicate
another form of tribal merging took place as a result of inter tribal marriages. For example, there
is indication that members of the Towakini tribe intermarried with members of the Choctaw
tribe.
WHERE WERE THE LOUISIANA INDIANS IN 1700?
By 1700 much of the linguistic merging had occurred among Louisiana tribes. In 1700
ATTAKAPAS land extended from the upper Bayou Teche to the Sabine River and from the Gulf
of Mexico to Alexandria. The Attakapas apparently did not inhabit the land closest to the shores
of the Gulf of Mexico. Archeological findings indicate that people of a superior culture inhabited
this area. Dozens of mounds and midden sites have been found in this area. There are also
artifacts of copper and stone.
To learn more about Charenton Heritage bill crumley
TO CONTINUE NEXT
TO RETURN TO HOME PAGE HOME
CHARENTON HERITAGE MUSEUM
3041 CHITIMACHA TRAIL
CHARENTON LOUISIANA 70523
USA
337-923-4281
