Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana Genealogy
Guide to Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana | |||||||||
| Map | |||||||||
 Location in the state of Louisiana, United States Genealogy | |||||||||
 Location of Louisiana in the U.S. | |||||||||
| Facts | |||||||||
| Founded | June 12, 1912 | ||||||||
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| County Seat | Jennings | ||||||||
| Courthouse | |||||||||
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Contents
- 1 Parish Information
- 2 Parish Courthouse
- 3 History
- 4 Places / Localities
- 5 Resources
- 6 Societies and Libraries
- 7 Websites
- 8 References
Parish Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named for Jefferson Davis. The County has Jennings as its seat and the County was created January 1, 1913. The County is located in the southwest area of the state.[1]
Jefferson Davis Parish Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1914 | 1913 | 1914 | 1913 | 1913 | 1913 | 1700s |
Parish Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Jefferson Davis Parish Courthouse
500 East Court Street PO Box 730
Jonesboro, La 71251
Phone: 318-259-2424
Parish Clerk has marrige, divorce, land, probate,military, and court records from 1880.[3]
History[edit | edit source]
Parent Parish[edit | edit source]
- 1912--Jefferson Davis Parish was created 12 June 1912 from Calcasieu Parish.
Parent seat: Jennings [4]
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating Louisiana Parish boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Louisiana Parish Boundary Maps" (1805-1990) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
Places / Localities[edit | edit source]
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit https://louisiana.hometownlocator.com/counties/cities,cfips,053,c,jefferson%20davis.cfm HomeTown Locator]. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[5]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Census-designated places | ||
Neighboring Parishes or Counties[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- Index to Jefferson Davis Parish Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
The following web sites may have additional information on Jefferson Davis Parish cemeteries.
- Interment.net Louisiana cemetery records by Parish.
- African American Cemeteries, listing by county
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1920 | 18,999 | — |
| 1930 | 19,765 | 4.0% |
| 1940 | 24,191 | 22.4% |
| 1950 | 26,298 | 8.7% |
| 1960 | 29,825 | 13.4% |
| 1970 | 29,554 | −0.9% |
| 1980 | 32,168 | 8.8% |
| 1990 | 30,722 | −4.5% |
| 2000 | 31,435 | 2.3% |
| 2010 | 31,594 | 0.5% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Louisiana denominations, view the Louisiana Church Records wiki page.
- Index to Jefferson Davis Parish Church Records (USGenWeb Archives)
- Louisiana Historical Church Information
- Directory of Churches in Louisiana, by city (Church Angel)
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court[edit | edit source]
Ethnic[edit | edit source]
African American[edit | edit source]
- Louisiana African American Griots Project
- Afrigeneas - African Ancestored Genealogy
- African American Cemeteries, listing by county
American Indian[edit | edit source]
Indian Village Cemetery Records, Jefferson Davis Parish. FHL film 206299 item 26 WorldCat
Land[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Louisiana Land and Property for additional information about early Louisiana land ownership. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse where records are also currently housed.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories see the wiki page section Louisiana Local Histories.
- Louisiana Museums
- Index to Jefferson Davis Parish History Records (USGenWeb Archives)
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
- Maps of Louisiana (1805-1990)
- USGW Digital Map Collection (USGenWeb Archives)
Military[edit | edit source]
- Louisiana Military History Online
- Veterans Interred in Francois Hebert Cemetery, Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana (USGenWeb Archives)
- Veterans Interred in Pine Hill Cemetery, Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana (USGenWeb Archives)
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Online Records
- 1861-1865 - Louisiana Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
- 1861-1865 - Louisiana Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
- 1898-1950 - Louisiana Confederate Pensions, 1898-1950 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
World War I[edit | edit source]
- 1917-1920 - Louisiana World War I Service Records, 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
World War II[edit | edit source]
- 1940-1945 - Louisiana First Registration Draft Cards, compiled 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
Korean War[edit | edit source]
- 1951-1957 - Korean War Casualties, Jefferson Davis Parish (USGenWeb Archives)
Vietnam War[edit | edit source]
- Vietnam War Casualties, Jefferson Davis Parish (USGenWeb Archives)
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- Louisiana Newspaper List, listing by name/parish (USNPL)
- Louisiana Newspaper listing (Newslink)
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Index to Jefferson Davis Parish Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
- Jefferson Davis Parish Obituaries and Death Notices (Genealogy Trails)
Probate[edit | edit source]
Probate records before 1845 were kept in probate courts. Since 1845, they have been kept by the Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana Genealogy clerk of the district court. Many of the probate records are included in the notarial records with the deeds and mortgages. In some parishes they are known as “succession” records.
See the Wiki page Louisiana Probate Records for more information about probate records in Louisiana.
Content: Probate records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
Record types: Wills, estates, guardianships, naturalizations, and adoptions.
Online Probate Records
- 1756 – 1984 Louisiana Wills and Probate Records 1756-1984 at Ancestry — index and images $
Taxation[edit | edit source]
Louisiana tax records can be used in place of missing censuses and provide lists of residents during years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years. For more information, see Louisiana Taxation.
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents.
Louisiana statewide registration of birth and death records began in 1911. Births and deaths are kept by the Louisiana Vital Records Registry. Marriages were recorded by each parish, and the records are at the parish clerk of court office. See also How to order Louisiana Vital Records or order electronically online.
See Louisiana Vital Records for more information on getting Louisiana records.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents.
Louisiana statewide registration of birth and death records began in 1911. Births and deaths are kept by the Louisiana Vital Records Registry. Marriages were recorded by each parish, and the records are at the parish clerk of court office. See also How to order Louisiana Vital Records or order electronically online.
See Louisiana Vital Records for more information on getting Louisiana records.
- Louisiana Records and Statistics Information ~ where and how to order information.
- Index to Jefferson Davis Vital Records (USGenWeb Archives)
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1837–1957 - Louisiana, Parish Marriages, 1837-1957 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1850-1875, 1894-1960 - Louisiana Deaths, 1850-1875, 1894-1960 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
Societies and Libraries[edit | edit source]
- Jennings Genealogical Society
136 Greenwood Drive
Jennings, LA 70546-4302 - Louisiana Historical Society
Website - Louisiana Historical Association
Website - Jefferson Davis Parish Library
118 West Plaquemine Street
Jennings, LA
Phone: 337-824-5444
Website
Genealogy room features original collection of bound volumes of voter registration cards circa 1920-1935, Catholic church records compiled by Rev. Donald J. Hebert, and other helpful resources. The Carnegie Public Library is across the street; both libraries have helpful genealogical resources.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Louisiana Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- Jefferson Davis Parish (LAGenWeb)
- Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana (USGenWeb Archives)
- FamilySearch Catalog
- Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Jefferson Davis Parish Genealogy and History (Genealogy Trails)
- Jefferson Davis Parish LA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Jefferson Davis, Louisiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_Davis_Parish,_Louisiana."
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana. Page 289-293 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 267-268.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed., Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana p 291 (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_Davis_Parish,_Louisiana, accessed 2 January 2020.
