Jefferson Parish History

Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, is located on both the east and the west bank of the Mississippi River. The intended name for this section which was created by an act of the state legislature on 11 February 1825, was "Tchoupitoulas". Instead, it was named for the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson.

Jefferson Parish stretches from Lake Pontchartrain to the north and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. It is bounded on the east by Orleans and Plaquemines parishes and by Lafourche and St. Charles parishes on the west.

Members of the committee to organize the Parish of Jefferson were:
Lucien LaBranche
L. Dussusu [L. desMazilliers Dussuau de la Croix]
J. B. LeBreton [Jean Baptiste Francois LeBreton] born 1791
J. Holliday
F.P. de la Barre [Francois Pascalis de la Barre III] born June 27, 1783]
L. Volant LaBarre [Lacestiere? born March 9, 1793]
Francois Dorville [Francois Joseph la Mollere d'Orville? born March 22, 1756]
D. Villars [Dubreuil Villars, but who?]
L. Dussuas de la Croix [probably L. des Mazilliers du Suau de laCroix, but who?]
Joseph Verloin [Joseph Duminic Verloin DeGruy? born September 1, 1785]
Felix [Chauvin] Delery born August 10, 1794

Other Interesting Tid Bits

Old Metairie Race Track

I am sure that most New Orleanians, as well as those living in the surrounding areas know of Metairie Cemetery. But what many may not know is that the very property that the cemetery now sits on was once the home of a very famous and historical race track known as none other than "Metairie Race Track". It is said to have drawn the finest horses in the antebellum days and numerous spectators.

This information was brought to my attention by someone who passed along a question from another interested researcher. I have lived in the New Orleans area most of my life and never heard of this. So, I got curious and started asking questions. The following time line is what was submitted to me by my very helpful Jefferson Parish "expert" researcher, Gerald "Jerry" Freyder. Thanks, Jerry!

1757

In Parish, Louis Cesaire LeBreton, Councilor of the Mint, received a grant extending from the back of what is now known as Carrolton, all the way to Lake Pontchatrain, probably abutting the Bienville grants. (Metairie Cemetery, An Historical Memoir, page 11).

1764

Councilor LeBreton applied for a confirmation of his concession that contained today's Metairie Cemetery. (Metairie Cemetery, An Historical Memoir, page 12).
February 15, 1764 - Gov. Jean Jacques Blaise d'Abbadie granted him land that once made up the "Ancien village of the Colapissis". As a result, he owned around 45 to 50 arpents front on the Mississippi between Sieurs des Ruisseaux and Chabert.
Since d'Abbadie granted Louis Cesaire LeBreton's petition some 15 months after the secret Treaty of Fontainbleau, which transferred Louisiana to Spain on November 3, 1762, LeBreton's title could be questioned. (Metairie, A Tongue of Land to Pasture, page 50). An 1885 lawsuit resulted from this fact.

1764

LeBreton transferred his interests in the property that included Metairie Cemetery, to Gilbert Antoine de St. Maxent. (Metairie Cemetery, An Historical Memoir page 12).

1765

Gilbert de St. Maxent effected an exchange of the entire tract that he received from LeBreton in 1764 to the Capucian monks who were in charge of the St. Louis Parish church. They, in turn, sold it to Don Andres Almonaster y Roxas (who arrived in Louisiana with O'Reilly in 1769) (Metairie Cemetery, An Historical Memoir page 12).

1792

The section of land on which Metairie Cemetery lies was purchased from Don Andres Almonaster by Maurice Conway, Jr. Conway died shortly thereafter, in 1792, and his widow, Jeanne Louise "Francoise" de Macarty (died in 1782?), sold the property.

Then followed a succession of sales, transfers, exchanges, and consolidations too numerous to mention, until a huge acreage was acquired by the New Orleans Canal and Banking Company in 1831. The purpose of this was for building the New Basin Canal from Lake Pontchatrain to docks where Julia and South Rampart streets now intersect. (Metairie Cemetery, An Historical Memoir, page 12).

1838

From the New Orleans Canal and Banking Company, the Metairie course acquired its title, in 1838, to build a race track on Metairie Ridge. The course was organized in 1838 and quickly became the south's leading race track. It's growth paralleled the growth of the city. New Orleans, in that period, was becoming a mercantile and shipping center, a focal point for sports and entertainment. (Metairie Cemetery, An Historical Memoir, page 13).

1848

The race track was purchased by Richard Ten Broeck, an ambitious promoter from Albany, New York. He broadened the base of the track's support by establishing a joint-stock company which purchased full control of the Metairie course in 1851. Broeck refurbished the grand stand and built special stands for the ladies, complete with parlors where they could retire for rest between races. (Metairie Cemetery, An Historical Memoir, page 13).

Stephen M. Chouest, webmaster of The Main Metairie Home Page, provided the following information:
Local legend says that an American, Charles T. Howard of Baltimore, Maryland, was refused admission to the Metairie Racing Club and vowed to turn the track into a cemetery, and Metairie Cemetery was chartered in 1872. Coincidentally, the cemetery is an oval shape, just like a race track!

Mr. Howard had fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War and helped pass Act 25 of 1868 to establish the Louisiana Lottery Company. He was also involved in the establishment of the Fair Grounds and the Louisiana Jockey Club.