Biography - E. S. Dortch

E. S. DORTCH, a leading planter and police juror of Ward No. l, and postmaster at Ash Point, La., was born in Claiborne County, Miss, September 15, 1841, being a son of Edward and Nancy (Wooldridge) Dortch, the former born in East Feliciana Parish, La., in 1798, and Claiborne County, Miss, in 1805. They were married in Mississippi in 1838, and there made their home until about 1843, when they came to Bossier Parish and settled near Fillmore, the mother's death occurring here in 1858 and the father’s in 1880, both having been members of the Methodist Church for many years. They were among the pioneers of this section, coming here when the country was almost a wilderness, inhabited by bears, deer, turkeys, wolves, and numerous Indians. Their nearest trading point and post-office at that time was Minden, over thirty miles away. Here they improved two good farms. The paternal grandfather, Nathan Carroll Dortch, was born and spent his life in North Carolina, but the mother’s father, Col. William Wooldridge, died in Mississippi, having been a colonel in the War of 1812, and with Jackson at the battle of New Orleans. Edward Dortch was married twice, his last wife, the mother of the subject of this sketch, bearing him four children, of whom E. S. was the second child and only son. He was reared on a farm during the pioneer days of Bossier Parish, and received the greater part of his schooling at Minden. In 1861 he joined Company D. Ninth Louisiana Infantry, Army of Northern Virginia, and was wounded in the second battle of Bull Run, but was also in the ﬁghts at Chancellorsville, Antietam, seven days’ ﬁght around Richmond, Wilderness. Gettysburg, Fredericksburg, Malvern Hill, Cold Harbor and numerous others. He was captured at the battle of Spottsylvania Court House, and for about two months was a prisoner at Fort Delaware. He surrendered with Lee at Appomattox Court House, and returned home, where he clerked for three years in a store at Knox Point, holding the position of bookkeeper for ﬁve years at Fillmore. In 1876 he was married to Miss Susie P., a daughter of David Platt, a native of South Carolina, in which State he was married, and about 1841, or 1842, came to Bossier Parish, La., where both died, the fat-her in 1885, and the mother in 1859, the former having been a well-to-do farmer. Mrs. Dortch was born in this parish and died September 19, 1885, having been an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She has two daughters who are now living. Since his marriage Mr. Dortch has resided on his present farm, which comprises 420 acres, situated about twenty miles below Shreveport, and also owns 500 acres in another tract, all of which has been earned by his own efforts. He raises about 200 bales of cotton annually, and for the past fourteen years has conducted a general mercantile store on his plantation, which has proved a proﬁtable source of revenue. Since 1878, he has held the office of justice of the peace, and ten years of this time he has also been a member of the police jury, being president of that body for a number of years, and never missing a meeting. He was once a delegate to the Democratic State Convention at Baton Rouge, and has also been a member of the congressional convention at Natchitoches. He is one of the men who has helped to build up Bossier Parish, and has ever had the interests of the section at heart.

Contributed 29 Aug 2020 by Norma Hass, extracted from Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana, published in 1890, pages 132-133.