Louisiana Books

While the decennial federal census is one of the first information sources the novice genealogist learns about, many researchers never go beyond the general population schedules, to the slave and agricultural schedules. In fact, a household that was missed in the general census (it happens to all of us) is quite likely to show up there. The agricultural schedule names only the head of each household, but also provides considerable other information that helps to place the family in context in the community. Actually, it consists of forty-eight columns, showing production of everything from bushels of tobacco and gallons of wine to pounds of beeswax and tons of "water rotted hemp." Green, who has previously abstracted the agricultural censuses of Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, and several other states, has limited herself to only six columns: Name of the owner, improved and unimproved acreage, cash value of the farm itself, value of farm implements and machinery, and value of livestock. These generally give a good indication of the prosperity of the establishment and, because these data are common all across the country (unlike cotton or flax production), the researcher may gain a good idea of wealth relative to other regions. The transcription follows the order in which names were recorded by the census enumerator within each parish, with a surname-only index in each volume. Original page numbers are not given, however. The parishes appear alphabetically, Ascension through Madison in Volume 1 and Morehouse through Winn in Volume 2 (which may also be purchased separately). If you find someone of interest here, of course, I recommend you make a date with a microfilm reader and examine the full listing!

THis is a terrific Louisiana book for kids. It helps teach the alphabet but as they get older, it will help teach the culture of Louisiana that is far different than other parts of the country- crawfish, gumbo, zydeco etc. Then as they get older, it will help them learn the name of the town of Louisiana and if you combine that with a map, you have geography.

The rythm of the book makes it an easy one to read and the pictures only tie right into the words. The colors are bright and big and bold and the book is a lot of fun.

Enjoy.

It's 1:15 in the morning and the lonely sound of a train horn sounding as it crosses through Addison, Texas about a mile from my home floats through the air. I've just finished James R. Fair's book "The Louisiana and Arkansas Railway: The Story of a Regional Line" (Northern Illinois University Press; 1997) and memories of my childhood are fresh in my mind.

Like myself, Fair's association with the Louisiana and Arkansas Railway began early in life. First encountering the line in his early teens, Fair had the opportunity to extensively research the history of one of the few railroads to remain profitable throughout its 100 year history. As Fair notes in his introduction, the history of the L&A is the story of three men and their second careers in railroading. It is also the story of the birth of three small railroads, their consolidation and the eventual purchase and absorption of the railroad by its corporate parent.

For a thorough history it is an easy! book to enjoy in an evening. Though it is the story of the railroads, the book gives insights into the development of the communities in the rural southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana region. William Edenborn, a wire and steel magnate, built a railroad from Shreveport to New Orleans starting in 1897. He later bought the railroad across east Texas from Jefferson to McKinney. William Buchanan, a timberman, built a railroad from his sawmill in Stamps, Arkansas south into the woodlands. His original L&A put my little hometown of Taylor, Arkansas on the map in 1895. Both men started their railroads late in life. They built their lines without shareholders or loans and ran them as personal businesses. Both died in the 1920's as changes to the world and the north Louisiana/ southern Arkansas region presented significant challenges.

The third member of the triumvirate was Harvey Couch of Columbia County, Arkansas. He started his career in the railroad post office in 1898.! He soon moved to utilities, building telephone companies a! nd later electric companies, eventually creating Arkansas Power & Light. Near his 50th year, Couch led a group that bought the Louisiana and Arkansas and Edenborn's two railroads from heirs to build the new Louisiana and Arkansas.

In the depths of the depression, Couch built and improved his railroad to eventually stretch from New Orleans to Dallas. The original L&A line north from Shreveport through Minden, Louisiana to Hope, Arkansas remained profitable.

Fair chronicles the lives of these men and their personal involvement in the building and operation of these railroads. He presents the story in a concise, easy to read format, but provides depth into the personalities of the men and their creations. He also covers the corporate age of railroading as Couch takes over the Kansas City Southern and makes the L&A a wholly owned subsidiary. His coverage of the changes to railroading in the period after World War II is not as extensive, but he provides insight in t! o how the railroad was uses as a cash cow and allowed to deteriorate. Fair also tells the story of the rebuilding of the KCS in the 70's and 80's and the end of the L&A as a separate entity. It is an interesting story, not just to someone who was born and raised not a quarter-mile from the railroad, but to anyone wanting to understand the history of the region.

The L&A brought my grandfather and his family to Springhill, Louisiana, where he served as station keeper for several years. The railroad provided my other grandfather with an outlet for the cotton he raised sharecropping and winter employment in the logging industry. It took my father to war in 1943 and made possible the papermill that employed both my parents in the late 40's and early 50's. My first ride on a train was on the L&A, near the end of its passenger service in 1962. I grew up to the sound of train whistles and clacking wheels. I noted with a certain sadness the end of service on the original ! line in 1989, and the recent dismantling of the right of wa! y.

Fair is a professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Texas in Austin not a historian, but he has written a work that any historian would be proud to author. This is his second railroad history, and is completely footnoted, indexed and with an impressive bibliography.

I thank him for providing an insight into the people and institutions that help shape my early years.

This directory is a great starting place for business research on Louisiana companies. Coverage includes: SIC Codes and Definitions; Businesses by City (pink pages); Businesses by Yellow Page Category (yellow pages); Major Employers and Publicly-Traded Companies (Green pages); Manufacturers by City and SIC Code (Blue); Reference Index (white pages): --by city --by Yellow Page Category --by Manufacturers SIC Codes --Business Counts by County and 3-digit zip code. Whether you're checking out your competition, planning to start your own business, or conducting a job search, directories of this type are a good place to start, and are staples in the business section of many libraries.

I have had this book for almost thirty years - it always bring me pleasure to look at the lovely pictures, many of which are in The Library of Congress - American Folklore Collection - great book -- buy it!

From prostitute to a respectable matron of a family - a strange path, but one that was followed. "Louisiana Coffee...with Lots of Cream" is the fictional memoir of a woman who overcomes the odds of dying on the bottom tiers of society to producing the characters of the story, who tell stories of their lives in Detroit, Philadelphia, and even Las Vegas. The family's history spans over a century and a look on how the other side lives, in this deftly written and composed work of fiction. "Louisiana Coffee...with lots of Cream" is a must for any literary fiction collection and is also available in soft cover.

Mary Land's Louisiana Cookery is a fascinating and highly readable popourri of the cookery and culture of all areas of Louisiana, with emphasis on preparation of fish and game .This book, first published by the L.S.U. Press in 1954 must be the foundation of many of the later books on Louisiana cuisine as it encompasses the history of Louisiana food and drink.No part of a meal is neglected ---this book has it all. Highly recommended by one who loves to both eat and read about good food

This book arrived within 3 days! I was amazed at the delivery speed and quality of this book. I look forward to shopping with this vendor again.

I can't recommend this book enough. It tells the story of a pivotal time in the development of musical history and culture, back when the participants themselves would never have guessed that they were making history. In a time before mass communication and cable TV, The Louisiana Hayride broadcast and promoted the emerging music to an audience almost nationwide. No doubt it propelled the genre and the artists toward their history making futures. The author paints a detailed picture of the genre that makes you feel as if you were there yourself. Her style of writing draws you into the story. I highly recommend this book for everyone.

mr. guste makes the cuisine of my home state easy and good for you. the moment i got the book i could start cooking right away. common ingredients and simple preparation are key here. and the nutrition information included with each recipe and menu plan are invaluable if you're watching what you eat. i'm so pleased to own this cookbook, and i know i'll use it many times in the near and distant future.