Bossier Parish was created on February 24, 1843 , was created on , from an area cut out of Claiborne Parish by Act 33 of 1843 and the parish was named in honor of General Pierre Evariste John Baptiste Bossier, who was elected to congress from this district the same year Bossier Parish was created. General Bossier, who received his title as a general of the Louisiana Militia, was born in Natchitoches in 1797 of a Creole family which was one of the first to settle in this community. The Parish seat is Bossier City. Claiborne Parish was part of Natchitoches Parish, one of the original nineteen parishes established in 1807. In 1888, the courthouse at Bellevue was partly burned.
The first parish seat was Freedonia; however, within a short time it was renamed Society Hill, and finally Bellevue. The first police jury was organized on June 19, 1843. In the early days of Bossier Parish, the police jury exercised powers of government long since taken away from the parishes. In 1850 the first official census was taken and the population of Bossier Parish was listed as 6,952. Benton has been the parish seat of government since 1888, when the courthouse at Bellevue was partly burned. Since Bellevue had no railroad, it became necessary that the parish seat be moved to a place where transportation could be utilized to the best advantage of the public. At that time there arose much rivalry between Haughton, Benton and Cane's Landing (modern-day Bossier City). The necessary steps were taken by the police jury to authorize relocating the parish seat, and eventually election results showed that the majority favored Benton. However, some members of the police jury, being disgruntled at the outcome, refused to meet and promulgate the official returns of the election. While this controversy was being carried on, a wide-awake citizenry from Benton slipped into Bellevue at the crack of dawn and loaded the remains of the records belonging in the courthouse and successfully transported them to Benton. After some time, the police jury met and authorized the construction of a courthouse, and in 1890 moved into the structure. This courthouse, with the addition of a jail and several adjacent structures, served the parish until its age and overcrowding necessitated a change.
The existing Bossier Parish courthouse was constructed in the early 1970's. The population of Bossier Parish has increased from 7,000 in 1840 to approximately 100,000 in the 2000 census. Bossier has long been regarded as the fastest growing parish in the state of Louisiana. See Extended History for More information.
PLEASE READ!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information. In 1888, the courthouse at Bellevue was partly burned.
Bossier Parish Clerk of Court has Court Records from 1843 and Land Records from 1843 and Probate Records from 1843 has Marriage Records from 1843 and is located at 204 Burt Boulevard, POBox 430, Benton, LA 71006, (318) 965-2336, (318) 965-2713 Fax. The Clerk of Court for each parish in Louisiana performs the functions of more than one office. As the Recorder, the office of the Clerk of Court receives, files, records and indexes all mortgages, conveyances and all other instruments recorded in the Public Records for the Parish. The Clerk’s Office receives and files all pleadings, such as petitions, answers, motions and other filings in Civil and Probate matters, as well as indictments, bills of information and other filings in Criminal matters. The Clerk’s Office also handles special Juvenile matters and Criminal Neglect cases. Another function of the Clerk’s Office is the issuance of Marriage Licenses and recording their returns after the marriages are performed.
Below is a list of online resources for Bossier Parish Court Records. Email us with websites containing Bossier Parish Court Records by clicking the link below:
Records of the U.S. Circuit Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, New Orleans Division: Petitions, 1838-1861(The National Archives): NARA P2233. Naturalization records in this publication include petitions and oaths for new citizens in New Orleans, Louisiana from 1838 to 1861. Included here are petitions for naturalization and oaths by petitioners and two witnesses. Occasionally, declarations of intention filed in other courts are included. Each document contains the name and residence of the petitioner, country of birth, city and date of arrival, and names of the witnesses.
Click Here to Search Louisiana Birth, Marriage & Death Records! - Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.
Vital Records Registry Office of Public Health, 325 Loyola Avenue, P.O. Box 60630. New Orleans, LA 70160; Tel: 504-568-5150 504- 568-5152 (automated) is the repository for all Louisiana Birth Certificates less than 101 years old and all
Louisiana Death Certificates less than 51 years old. Existing records of births which occurred in Louisiana more than
100 years ago or deaths which occurred more than 50 years ago are maintained by the Louisiana State Archives. They have the following records:
Birth Certificates: State office has had records since July 1914. Birth records
for city of New Orleans are available from 1892. Death records
are available since 1942. Older birth, death, and marriage
records are available through the Louisiana State Archives,
P.O. Box 94125, Baton Rouge, LA 70804.
Cost: The cost of a birth record is $15.00. Fees must be remitted by personal check, money order or Credi/Debit Card Online for the exact amount at the time the order is placed. No credit
cards are accepted except online. If the record is not on file, one fee is retained to cover the expense of the search. Please do not send cash in the mail.
Processing Time: 4-6 weeks when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order Online Below
Death Certificates: Death records maintained by Arkansas Vital Records start with February 1, 1914 through the present. Arkansas Vital Records does have a limited number of deaths occurring prior to 1914 for Little Rock and Fort Smith dating from 1881. The Arkansas History Commission has a death index of deaths occurring in Arkansas from 1914 through 1949. This is only an alphabetical listing of deaths occurring in Arkansas. The History Commission does not have copies of the death records.
Cost: The cost of a death record is $7.00. Fees must be remitted by personal check, money order or Credi/Debit Card Online for the exact amount at the time the order is placed. No credit
cards are accepted except online. If the record is not on file, one fee is retained to cover the expense of the search. Please do not send cash in the mail.
Processing Time: 4-6 weeks when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order Online Below
Marriage Certificates: Orleans Parish records only from Vital Records Registry or the Louisiana State Archives. For other parishes, certified copies are available from the Clerk of the Court in the parish where the license was issued.
Divorce Certificates: Divorce records are available from Clerk of Court in parish where divorce was granted. Fees vary. Call Civil District Court, (504) 592-9100.
Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering below
Order By Mail: SUBMIT APPLICATION, COPY OF STATE OR FEDERAL PHOTO ID AND CHECK OR MONEY ORDER TO: Vital Records Registry, P.O. Box 60630, New Orleans, LA 70160. Please do not send cash in the mail.
IF NO RECORD IS FOUND, YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED AND FEES WILL BE RETAINED FOR THE SEARCH PER R.S. 40:40.
Below is a list of online resources for Bossier Parish Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Bossier Parish Vital Records by clicking the link below:
Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Louisiana newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
Click Here to Search Louisiana Voter Lists & Census Records! - Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable.
Parishwide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Bossier Parish, Louisiana are 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Bossier Parish, Louisiana are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880.
Statewide Records that exist for Louisiana are 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. After the 1803 purchase of Louisiana it became an American possession; therefore, the first federal census report taken for the state was 1810.
As early as 1860 the federal government began attempts to identify Native Americans. In 1900 and 1910 it created a special Indian schedule. The first page was the same as the population census only it had “Indian Population” as its heading. The second page provided for such important information as: tribal affiliation, the tribe of each parent, the person's Indian blood quantum, and—if not full blooded —their precise racial mixture. These schedules will be found at the end of the ward or district in which the Native American resided.
Below is a list of online resources for Bossier Parish Census Records. Email us with websites containing Bossier Parish Census Records by clicking the link below:
Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Louisiana and other states.
You can view rotating animated maps for Louisiana showing all the parish boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in parish boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps
You can view rotating animated maps for Louisiana showing all the parish boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in parish boundaries . You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at County Maps.
Below is a list of online resources for Bossier Parish Maps. Email us with websites containing Bossier Parish Maps by clicking the link below:
Click Here to Search Louisiana Military Records! - Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.
The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.
Below is a list of online resources for Bossier Parish Military Records. Email us with websites containing Bossier Parish Military Records by clicking the link below:
Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
Southern Claims Commission from the State of Louisiana (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
Tax records are a valuable but little-used source. Almost everything was taxed: household and personal goods, livestock, slaves, and property. Tax lists can be used as a substitute census, to create complete neighborhoods for a neighborhood study, establish relationships, locate land, and so on. Unfortunately, most of these lists no longer exist in Louisiana, but those that are extant are usually found in the tax assessor's office in the Bossier Parish courthouse.
Below is a list of online resources for Bossier Parish Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Bossier Parish Tax Records by clicking the link below:
The Repositories
in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical
and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical
Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly,
quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies
should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are
usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived
materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be
more generalized and over look the smaller details that local
societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to
look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy
section and may have some resources that are not located at
archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums
in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years
gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All
these places are vitally important to the family genealogist
and must not be passed over.
Below is a list of online resources for Bossier Parish Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Bossier Parish Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
Louisiana Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
Click Here to Search Louisiana Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.
Most Catholic church registers are still in the local parish
church. Many of them have been translated and published.
The recording of cemetery inscriptions in Louisiana
has long been a project of the DAR and numerous genealogical
societies. Genealogical
publications continually print these inscriptions in their issues.
Below is a list of online resources for Bossier Parish Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Bossier Parish Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Louisiana obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Louisiana newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Louisiana.
Click Here to Search Louisiana Family Tree Records! - The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.
When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Bossier Parish Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Bossier Parish Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
Louisiana Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
For thousands of years before Europeans arrived, the area that is now Bossier Parish wasBossier History Quiz home to Native Americans. Artifacts from as early as the Paleolithic period, around 9,000 years ago and more, have been found in this area. The Caddo culture started around 900 A.D. The early Caddo traded extensively with other Native Americans. They built earthen mounds for religious ceremonies, and were noted for their beautiful pottery. They lived in round, thatched houses and grew corn, beans and squash. The Caddo Indians lived in the Bossier Parish until 1835, when they sold their lands and moved to Texas.
Although European explorers crossed through this region as early as the 16th Century, settlement did not really begin until after Henry Miller Shreve cleared the Great Raft, a hundred-mile long logjam that blocked the Red River. After the Raft was cleared in the late 1830s, steamboats began to come up the Red from New Orleans, bringing goods and settlers. Many of the new residents came from the Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia, and Kentucky. These people were primarily Protestant, and were of English, Scotch, Irish and Scotch-Irish descent. Their culture, religion, and language were very different from those of the residents of South Louisiana. Some of the early settlers brought slaves along with them, and there were also a few free people of color who lived in this area before the Civil War. People of African-American descent made up over half of Bossier's population during most of the 19th Century.
When the early settlers arrived, the land that is now Bossier Parish was still part of Old Claiborne Parish- a vast wilderness filled with wild animals and swampy areas. When Bossier Parish was formed in 1843, it was larger than it is today, and the parish seat at Bellevue. The new parish was named for General Pierre Evariste Jean Baptiste Bossier, a native of Natchitoches [Nak'-uh-tish]. Bossier was a General in the state militia, a state Senator, and a Congressman. He died in Washington in 1844.
The economy of antebellum Bossier Parish was based on cotton. Farmers and planters depended on the Red River steamboats to take their bales of cotton to market. Almost every plantation on the river had a steamboat landing. Stores and plantations also depended on the steamers to bring supplies and mail from New Orleans.
In the late 1850s and early 1860s, secessionist sentiment ran strong in the Parish and produced what may have been the first act of secession in the South. On Nov. 26, 1860, a group of Bossier citizens met at the Hughes' House in Rocky Mount. At this meeting, the men formed a military company called the Minute Men of Bossier Parish and passed a resolution to "sustain the rights of the State of Louisiana against the aggressions of the....Republicans." Six military companies from Bossier Parish served in the Civil War. Although no battles were fought in the Parish, many families lost male relatives.
After the war, cotton continued to be the main cash crop in the Parish, and getting the cotton to the steamboat landings over the wet or rutted roads was still a problem. East of present-day Bossier City lay a wide swamp that made travel especially difficult. In the early 1870s, Judge J. D. Watkins found a solution: he built a toll road under a nine-mile long shed. This "Shed Road" made transportation easier for some farmers. Present-day Shed Road in Bossier City follows a portion of the original road bed.
The late 19th century brought other changes to Bossier Parish-changes that would contribute to the need for a new parish seat. In 1871, the new parish of Webster was formed from the eastern portion of Bossier Parish, making Bossier smaller. The coming of the railroad in the 1880s created new towns while many older communities were bypassed. Bellevue was no longer near the center of the Parish nor was it on a rail line. After great debate and a number of hotly-disputed elections, Benton became the new Parish seat and the records were transferred there by wagon.
One of the towns that had vied for the title of parish seat was a little community on the site of Mrs. Cane's plantation on the banks of Red River. This little community had been called by several names, but it finally adopted the name "Bossier City" in the hopes that this would help it win the parish seat election. Although Bossier City did not win the election, the little community continued to grow. In 1907, Bossier City was incorporated and by 1920 it had over 1,000 citizens.
In spite of a devastating fire in 1925, Bossier City to continued to grow. One factor in its development was the opening of Barksdale Field, now Barksdale Air Force Base, in 1933. Although Barksdale was located on land purchased and donated by the City of Shreveport, the air base was geographically in Bossier Parish. Barksdale benefited Bossier economically, and brought men and women from other parts of the country to this area. Another boost was the construction of the Dixie-Overland Highway (Hwy 80). The opening of Hwy 80 further linked Bossier City with the rest of the nation. Today, Bossier City is the largest city in Bossier Parish.
