2-8-99

ASCENSION PARISH COURTHOUSES

1887

A new Courthouse was erected this year under the supervision of a COMMITTEE, composed of Richard T.
Hanson, Henry McCall, John T. Nolan, Robert N. Sims, and Henry C. Braud.

James Freret designed the building. Our present day Council is also a great believer in appointing COMMITTEES.

1889

FIRE DESTROYS COURTHOUSE

The Ascension Parish Courthouse, barely finished a year ago, was consumed by the flames on Feb. 13, 1889.
Certain parochial records were reduced to ashes; among the papers lost is the registration records, as noted by Act 103 of
1890 as follows: "Whereas the books and registration of voters of the Parish of Ascension were destroyed by the burning
of the Courthouse of said Parish on the morning of the thirteenth day of February, 1889, a REGISTRATION OF VOTERS
IS AUTHORIZED." - 1892 JUDICIAL DISTRICT

Heretofore, Ascension and St. James have formed and constituted a Judicial district. Assumption has been added,
and with the two former Parishes, constitute the 20th JUDICIAL DISTRICT.

Walter Guion has been named DISTRICT JUDGE.

This from 1878:

COURTHOUSE and JAIL HORSERACKS - The Chief of April 19, 1878 notes:

"The jail house has been REPAIRED .., and Horse Racks are being placed in front of the Courthouse." , which
was nine years before the new Courthouse of 1887 that burned only some fifteen months after completion.

All of the above is from Mr. Marchand's book "The Flight of a Century".

Also, I know a few people that this article would be of interest to:

1893

RESCUE CREVASSE

During the summer of this year, the entire New River country was flooded by the Rescue Crevasse. Great losses
were sustained by residents of that section, and on July 11, 1893, the Donaldsonville Council appropriated $50 towards a
relief fund for the alleviation of the suffering of the victims.

This may be the crevasse that was responsible for the mass graves at Prairieville Cemetery of St. John's Catholic Church.
There is a marker of sorts on the two gate posts of the old cemetery.

Over the years, Ascension has had it's share of Courthouses destroyed by fire. The Courthouse referred to by Judge Martin
as being here in 1827 appears to have been destroyed by fire in May, 1846.

Following the burning of the Courthouse in 1862, the upper portion of a two story frame building on the high school square
was used as a courtroom and the lower portion as a jail or guard house.

Captain Joseph Gonzales, of the New River section, was sheriff in 1866. He leased from W.C.Lawes, agent of
W.F.Phillips; the building known as the Johnson Female Institution, with the exception of that portion of said building now used by
the Parish as a Courtroom.

Therefore, on April 15, 1867, a committee representing the Police Jury of this Parish, was directed to supervise the
construction of a Courthouse and jail. For twenty years, this building served jointly as a courthouse and jail.

Over the years, Courthouses and jails in Ascension Parish did not fare very well.

Will the present Council BITE THE BULLET and BUILD a NEW COMPLEX OR ORDER MORE BANDAIDS???





O. W. Stevens