McCulla, Frank

Biographical And Historical Memoirs, Vol. II, The Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1892

Frank McCulla, of Thibodeaux, La., is a native of County Galway, Ireland, born in 1826, and is the son of John and Honora (Eagan) McCulla, both natives of the Emerald isle.  The father was born in Galway county, also was by occupation a manufacturer of nails.  The McCulla family were orginally from Scotland but have been natives of Ireland since 1691, our subject's ancestors having fought in the battle of Aughrim in defense of  "Erin's Isle."  They were for years the possessors of immense estates, but gradually this was taken from them by unjust English laws until at the time of Frank McCulla's remembrance their fortune was reduced to mere  ompetence. 

Mr. McCulla came to America in 1849 with two brothers, and one of them, John, who was a cooper by trade, is one of the wealthiest men of Thibodaux at the present time, being an extensive owner of real estate of the place.  The other brother became an extensive planter of St. Mary parish, La., and in a short time accumulated a considerable fortune.  His health failed, however, and a few years ago he sold his plantations and returned to to his native country where he purchased an estate.  He died there in 1885. 

When Frank McCulla first came to the United States he visited some monks in the Alleghany mountains whom he had known in Ireland, and by them was advised to go farther west, as the mountains were too cold for him. He took their advice and after reaching the Mississippi river passed on down to St. Louis, Mo. There he read advertisements for the service of men to dig ditches in Louisiana, and before he was in this country a year he was located at Thibodeaux.  He became a ditch contractor, and by frugality, industry and good business tact soon accummulated a goodly amount of money.  In 1856 he was seized with the gold fever and visited the Pacific slope by water, crossing the Isthmus of Panama.  He soon returned and opened a cooper shop in Thibodeaux, which he had conducted very successfully until the present time. 

He was married in St. Patrick's church, New Orleans, to Miss Mary McGuire and the result of this happy union has been the birth of four sons, all living:  John (is now married and running a cooper shop in Thibodeaux, La.  He has three children, viz: Henry, Gertrude and Eagan), Frank, Thomas and William.  The three last-mentioned sons are not married and make their homes with their parents. The household of Mr. McCulla is one of good cheer and rare hospitality, and a neat library of well-chosen books is a constant companion for the parents and children.  The family are all strict Roman Catholics.