St. Mary Parish, Louisiana Genealogy
Guide to St. Mary Parish, Louisiana ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| St. Mary Parish, Louisiana | |||||||||
| Map | |||||||||
 Location in the state of Louisiana, United States Genealogy | |||||||||
 Location of Louisiana in the U.S. | |||||||||
| Facts | |||||||||
| Founded | April 17, 1811 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Seat | Franklin | ||||||||
| Courthouse | |||||||||
 | |||||||||
| Address | 500 Main Street Franklin, LA 70538 | ||||||||
| Website: www.stmaryparishla.gov | |||||||||
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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 Saint Mary. The County has Franklin as its seat and the County was created 1811. The County is located in the south central area of the state.[1]
St. Mary Parish, Louisiana Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1914 | 1800 | 1914 | 1800 | 1800 | 1800 | 1700s |
Parish Courthouse[edit | edit source]
St. Mary Parish Courthouse
101 Wilson Street
Franklin, LA 70538
Phone 337.828.4238
Parish Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1800.[3]
History[edit | edit source]
Parent Parish[edit | edit source]
1811--St. Mary Parish was created 17 April 1811 from Attakapas, (Discontinued 1811), Parish.
Parish seat: Franklin [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 HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[5]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
Neighboring Parishes or Counties[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
African American[edit | edit source]
- Louisiana African American Griots Project
- Afrigeneas - African Ancestored Genealogy
- African American Cemeteries, listing by county
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- St. Mary Parish Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
- Index to St. Mary Parish Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
The following web sites may have additional information on St. Mary Parish cemeteries.
- Interment.net Louisiana cemetery records by Parish.
- African American Cemeteries, listing by county
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1830 | 6,442 | — |
| 1840 | 8,950 | 38.9% |
| 1850 | 13,697 | 53.0% |
| 1860 | 16,816 | 22.8% |
| 1870 | 13,860 | −17.6% |
| 1880 | 19,891 | 43.5% |
| 1890 | 22,416 | 12.7% |
| 1900 | 34,145 | 52.3% |
| 1910 | 39,368 | 15.3% |
| 1920 | 30,754 | −21.9% |
| 1930 | 29,397 | −4.4% |
| 1940 | 31,458 | 7.0% |
| 1950 | 35,848 | 14.0% |
| 1960 | 48,833 | 36.2% |
| 1970 | 60,752 | 24.4% |
| 1980 | 64,253 | 5.8% |
| 1990 | 58,086 | −9.6% |
| 2000 | 53,500 | −7.9% |
| 2010 | 54,650 | 2.1% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- Census Records of St. Mary Parish (USGenWeb Archives)
- Louisiana Census Images (USGenWeb Census Images Project)
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.
- Louisiana Historical Church Information
- Directory of Churches in Louisiana, by city (Church Angel)
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court[edit | edit source]
- St. Mary Parish Court Records (USGenWeb Archives)
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.
- St. Mary Parish Deeds (USGenWeb Archives)
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for St. Mary 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
- St. Mary 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]
- St. Mary Parish Pensioners on Rolls as of January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
- Louisiana Military History Online
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
- Company G, 13th Louisiana, "St. Mary Volunteers" (USGenWeb Archives)
- Abraham, John Pierre, Union Draftee (USGenWeb Archives)
Regiments. Service men in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana Genealogy served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana Genealogy:
- - King's Battery, Louisiana Artillery (Confederate)
- - Landry's Company, Louisiana Artillery (Donaldsonville Artillery) (Confederate)
- - 1st Field Battery, Louisiana Artillery (Confederate)
- - 3rd Regiment, Louisiana Cavalry (Harrison's)(Confederate), Company I
- - 6th Field Battery, Louisiana Light Artillery (Grosse Tete Flying Artillery) (Confederate)
Civil War Battle[edit | edit source]
The following Civil War battles were fought in St. Mary Parish:
- April 12-13, 1863 - Fort Bisland, also known as Bethel Place[6]
- April 14, 1863 = Irish Bend, also known as Nerson's Woods or Franklin[7]
- Map showing Civil War battles in Louisiana
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
- World War II Casualties, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana (Genealogy Trails)
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- Louisiana Newspaper List, listing by name/parish (USNPL)
- Louisiana Newspaper listing (Newslink)
- St. Mary Parish Birth, Engagement, and Marriage Announcements (USGenWeb Archives)
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as St. Mary Parish, Louisiana Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Do a St. Mary Parish, Louisiana Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).
Probate[edit | edit source]
Probate records before 1845 were kept in probate courts. Since 1845, they have been kept by the St. Mary 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.
Louisiana Probate Records ~ information on.
Online Probate Records
- 1756-1984 - Louisiana Wills and Probate Records 1756-1984 at Ancestry — index and images $
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- St. Mary Parish Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
- Index to St. Mary Parish Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
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[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.
- St. Mary Parish Vital Records (USGenWeb Archives)
- St. Mary Parish Birth, Engagement, and Marriage Announcements (USGenWeb Archives)
Birth[edit | edit source]
- St. Mary Parish Birth Records (Genealogy Trails)
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1837–1957 - Louisiana, Parish Marriages, 1837-1957 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
- St. Mary Parish Marriage Records (Genealogy Trails)
- St. Mary Parish Marriage Announcements (Genealogy Trails)
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1850-1875, 1894-1960 - Louisiana Deaths, 1850-1875, 1894-1960 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
- St. Mary Parish Death Records (Genealogy Trails)
Societies and Libraries[edit | edit source]
- St. Mary Genealogical & Historical Society
PO Box 662
Morgan City, LA 70381-0662 - Attakapas Historical Association
PO Box 43010 Usl
Lafayette, LA 70504-3010 - Louisiana Historical Society
Website - Louisiana Historical Association
Website
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 Libraries
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Louisiana Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- St. Mary Parish (LAGenWeb)
- St. Mary Parish, Louisiana (USGenWeb Archives)
- FamilySearch Catalog
- St. Mary Parish, Louisiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, Genealogy and History (Genealogy Trails)
- St. Mary Parish LA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "St. Mary Parish, Louisiana" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Mary_Parish,_Louisiana."
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), St. Mary 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., St Mary Parish, Louisiana p 292 (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "St. Mary Parish, Louisiana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Mary_Parish%2C_Louisiana, accessed 7 January 2020.
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State
