1892 Biography - William Stokes

William Stokes, Baton Rouge, is one of the successful small planters of East Baton Rouge parish, and although his property only comprises thirty-seven acres of land it is exceedingly fertile and well tilled, and consequently yields a larger annual income than many larger tracts. Mr. Stokes was born in East Baton Rouge parish in 1844, and there received his education, leaving school to enter the confederate army. He enlisted in Company B, Ninth Louisiana infantry, under Capt. Thomas J. Buffington in 1862, and was in the battles of Baton Rouge, Port Hudson and all the skirmishes of his company. He was never wounded nor taken prisoner. He was cavalry forage master at the time of his surrender at Gainesville, Ala., in 1865. Returning to his home he engaged in farming with his father, J. A. Stokes, with whom he remained for twenty years, or until the latter's death, February 3, 1889. The father was a successful planter, was police juror for a number of years and a man held in high estimation by all. The mother of our subject died October 14, 1888. William Stokes was married March 20, 1867, to Miss Brunetta Foreman, a native of East Baton Rouge and the daughter of the late John C. Foreman, of Louisiana. They have an interesting family of eight children - three sons and five daughters. Since the father's death Mr. Stokes has been planting for himself and his principle crops are cotton and corn. He raises a great many cattle each year. Mr. Stokes' parents were both devoted Catholics. He was the only son.

Contributed 2021 Nov 04 by Mike Miller, from Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Louisiana, published in 1892, volume 2, page 409.