Louisiana Location &
History
The first Europeans to set foot in Ascension Parish in the area now known as Donaldsonville was led by DeSoto in 1543. The french explorer, LaSalle, named this place Lafourche des Chetimaches, "the fork in the river of the Chetimacha Indians".
Ascension Parish became a Spanish Territory in 1763, and Louis Judice was named the first Spanish Commandant for Ascension. In 1766 the Spanish Government issued land grants to Acadians from Nova Scotia and Canary Islanders. It was their hope to reach the numerous French settlement areas along the lower Mississippi. This part of Ascension and St. James Parishes is what came to be known as the Acadian Coast. On August 15, 1772, on order of Charles III, King of Spain, the Ascension Catholic Church was established to serve its parishioners. Ascension Parish became the property of France in April, 1682, when LaSalle arrived and explored the Mississippi River. DONALDSONVILLE
The parish seat for Ascension is Donaldsonville, named after its founder, William Donaldson. Donaldson was formally dedicated on April 17, 1806. The land was originally a Spanish grant, owned by a Mrs. Margaret Allain (Elaine), widow of T. L. Landry, an Acadian exile.
The first "Donaldson Town" post office was established on June 17, 1809 by the American government. Its first postmaster was Thomas Randall. In the 1820's, Ascension Parish was known as the Gold Coast due to its prosperous farming operations. The many sugar barons erected mansions or plantations such as Ashland, Bocage, Hermitage, Tezcuco and Houmas House. In 1825, the young town of William Donaldson was selected as the Capital City of the Commonwealth of Louisiana. The state legislature appropriated $30,000 to build Louisiana's first State House in Donaldsonville. However, the capitol existed only for one year, in 1830-31, before being moved to New Orleans on January 8, 1831. The building was demolished in 1848. The bricks from the building were then used to reinforce the banks of Bayou Lafourche. A plaque in front of the Donaldsonville Courthouse records the fact that Donaldsonville was once the Capital of Louisiana. During the Civil War, the parish experienced many skirmishes, including the Battle of Fort Butler in Donaldsonville. GONZALES
In April, 1906, Joseph Gonzales (the first mayor of Gonzales) subdivided the northern portion of the Henry B. Parker farm which he had acquired, along with the northeast portion of the Vincent T. Landry property. He sold lots and squares for $50, $75, and $100. He continued to work for schools, churches, good roads, and drainage.
The first Gonzales post office was established on May 21, 1887, and the village of Gonzales was incorporated on April 15, 1922.
Thanks for coming by to visit. I hope that you have learned a little about Ascension Parish. If you have any historical information that you would like to share about Ascension Parish, please send an e-mail to Charlotte Sehon.
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