Lincoln Parish, Louisiana Genealogical Records Information

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Lincoln Parish History and Information

Lincoln Parish Facts

Lincoln Parish was created on 1873 , from Bienville, Jackson, Union and Claiborne Parishes and the parish was named in honor of Abraham Lincoln . The Parish seat is Ruston .

It is borderd by Union Parish (north), Ouachita Parish (east), Jackson Parish (south), Bienville Parish (southwest), Claiborne Parish (northwest) . Cites, Towns and Communities include Choudrant, Downsville, Dubach, Grambling, Ruston, Simsboro, Vienna . The Official County Website is located at http://www.lincolnparish.org/ . See Extended History for More information.

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Lincoln Parish Court Records

See Also Louisiana Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

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.

Lincoln Parish Clerk of Court has Court Records from 1873 and Land Records from 1873 and Probate Records from 1873 has Marriage Records from 1873 and is located at 100 W. Texas Ave., Room 100, Ruston, LA 71270, P O Box 924, Ruston, LA 71273, (318) 251-5130, (318) 255-6004 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.

There are a few online databases for Court, Land and Probate Records which include:Louisiana Marriages, 1718-1925, Louisiana Marriages to 1850, Louisiana Marriage Records, 1851-1900, New Orleans, Louisiana Marriage Records Index, 1831-1925, Louisiana Land Records. You may also search the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which does cover Louisiana and does cover surrounding states. Many pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals.

Click Here to Search Louisiana Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records! - Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

Below is a list of online resources for Lincoln Parish Court Records. Email us with websites containing Lincoln Parish Court Records by clicking the link below:

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Lincoln Parish Vital Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

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 Lincoln Parish courthouse.

Below is a list of online resources for Lincoln Parish Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Lincoln Parish Tax Records by clicking the link below:

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Lincoln Parish Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Louisiana Genealogical Addresses

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 Lincoln Parish Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Lincoln Parish Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

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Local Louisiana Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
Louisiana State Archives , 3851 Essen Lane, PO Box 94125, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125; (225) 922-2012
Louisiana Historical Society, 5801 St. Charles Ave, New Orleans, Louisiana 70115; 504/866-3049, [EMAIL]
Louisiana Genealogical & Historical Society, P.O. Box 82060, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70884-2060-60
National Archives and Records Admin, 501 W Felix Str, Building 1, P.O. 6216, Fort Worth, Texas 76115-3405; archives@ftworth.nara.gov, Fax: 817-334-5511
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.
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Lincoln Parish Church & Cemeteries

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.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Lincoln Parish. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Lincoln Parish Tombstone Transcription Project.

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 Lincoln Parish Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Lincoln Parish Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

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 Lincoln Parish Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Lincoln Parish Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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County History

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF LINCOLN PARISH

Lincoln Parish History, Edited by Mary Frances Fletcher, Ralph L. Ropp
Copyright, Lincoln Parish Bicentennial Committee, 1976

In 1804, Shortly after France had sold to the United Stated that vast territory, which was called Louisiana, the whole purchase was divided into two districts. The northern and western part was called the District of Missouri; the southern part was called the Territory of Orleans. What is now Lincoln Parish was of course in the Orleans Territory.

W. C. C. Claiborne was appointed by President Thomas Jefferson as governor of this new Territory of Orleans. This was a particularly difficult position to fill because people of different languages and customs were to live under one government; but with his supervision the Orleans division prospered greatly, so much that after eight years it was admitted to the Union as the state of Louisiana. This was in 1812; but before the state was formed the territorial government saw the necessity of looking after their distant settlements in the
northern part of the territory, such as the one at Natchitoches and the smaller ones far up the Red and Ouachita rivers. To provide this care the Territory was further divided. In northern part of the state Natchitoches and Ouachita parishes were formed; Natchitoches Parish embracing all that particular part of
the country between Ouachita Parish and the Sabine River, the latter dividing line between the United States and Mexico. Ouachita Parish included what was later Union Parish as well as Morehouse and parts of the Carrol parishes, together with the parish of Ouachita. The county of Ouachita, which was an earlier division, included "All that county commonly known and called by the name of the Ouachita settlements". The parish was not so large and, as we shall see later, it as further divided. Most of what is now Lincoln was included in
Ouachita Parish, but a small portion was in Natchitoches.

In 1812, all this section of North Louisiana was one great forest, and under the trees there was often a thick mat of underbrush and vines. Here was the home of the wolf, the bear and the panther, with wild horses and cattle running free over the country. There are accounts of Indians roaming here and there through this region but is uncertain whether they were of the Caddo tribe or of the Ouachita - possibly of the latter. Anyone familiar with the old "Wire Road" which passed east and west through Vienna will recall the higher ground west of Cypress Creek Levee; here, in former times, was the picturesque spring which it is said Indians used, making their camp on the hill above. The many arrowheads and other Indian relics found here in years past rather confirm this tradition. There are several other spots in the parish that are rich in these relics, notably a certain field of Iron Rock Farm which is several miles south of Ruston and a site near Dubach where Indian weapons have been uncovered.

According to early writers this part of the country was known as a veritable paradise for adventurous hunters. They came from far and near, and in some way the forests were set on fire, making a tremendous onflagration that burned all the underbrush and in some instances even tall timber. The fires raged for several successive summers and were most destructive, but when they finally burned out they left the country looking like a beautiful park diversified with vast openings and vistas most enchanting, the early settlers said. Game of every sort abounded; turkey, deer and buffalo, and in the winter, covering ponds and bayous, were the water fowl. The fame of the hill country of North Louisiana spread far and wide. The hunters and surveyors told also of the fertility of the soil and of the healthfulness of the higher lands. What was of course a crowning inducement to settlers was the fact that lands could be had from the government for almost nothing. The Wilder brothers who came to this state in the eighteen-forties purchased several sections of land from the state at the rate of 12 cents per acre; some land sold for even less. All these inducements caused settlers to pour into this section. They came so rapidly that it was found necessary to divide the great parishes, for the people rightly claimed that the seats of government were too far for the more distant settlers to reach. It is related that in the early days young couples in the northern part of the state who wished to get married had to make a journey of some days to the village of Natchitoches or to Fort Miro (later Monroe) before they could find someone who could legally issue a license and marry them. In response to the demand the state legislature in 1828 passed an act to form the new parish of Claiborne, named for the first governor. The parish was to include, briefly speaking, all that land south of the Arkansas Territory, west of Ouachita Parish, east of the Red River and north of a line starting at the east bank of Red River at a point fifty miles north of the village of Natchitoches, thence due east to the Ouachita boundary. So a portion of what is now Lincoln Parish was a part of Claiborne for many years.

From 1828, but particularly during the forties, the influx of immigration became a steady stream. They came on the Mississippi and its tributaries; they came by way of Mobile, across the Gulf to New Orleans, thence up the Mississippi and Ouachita, then by private conveyance. Largely, they came overland in big companies of covered wagons; many traveled horseback because of the condition of the trails. One courageous woman belonging to the Marbury family, with her husband, bought land in North Louisiana during the Spanish Domination. After some years her husband died and the government officials, sometimes inclined to be unscrupulous, claimed that she was not a lawful wife, hence had no right to the property. To support her claims she rode all the way back to Georgia on horseback with only a colored servant and returned bringing the legal papers that vindicated her entirely.

The land that now comprises Lincoln was first settled about one hundred and twenty-five years ago. The section around what was later Vienna was probably the first settlement. This was made by Daniel Colvin and his family about 1807. Other early settlers in this neighborhood were Phillip Brinson, Thomas Nelson, and the Rev. Mr. McFarland, who was the first Baptist preacher in this part of the state. Another early settlement was the one at Woodville, sometimes called the Redwine Community, about ten miles south of the Vienna settlement. Here the Redwines, the Hintons, the Grigsbys, the Smiths and the Iilands were some of the
early families. Near what is now Choudrant there was a third early settlement, though probably later then the others, with the Wheats, the Roanes an the Rev. Abraham Pipes among the prominent people. Rev. Mr. Pipes was the first Methodist preacher to labor in this vicinity.

In 1839, Union Parish was formed from the northwestern part of Ouachita, so for some years a large part of what is now Lincoln was in Union Parish.

Jackson Parish was formed in 1845 "out of the contiguous portions of the parishes of Ouachita, Union and Claiborne." A considerable part of what is now Lincoln was thus made a part of Jackson and so remained for twenty-five years.

Those were eventful years for this part of the state. They saw the fresh, rich land cleared and cultivated and made to yield bountiful harvests for all comers. They saw the people settling in their new homes, being able year by year to add some of the comforts and niceties of life to what had been, necessarily, hard living at first. The last few years before the War Between the States saw many planters as well as merchants prospering greatly. Then came the four terrible years of war, with the women, children, and slaves left at home while the men of fighting age were in the army. The men of this section went to fight almost to
a man, and the very few who failed in their duty to their country had the fact cling to their names through the years. There was one instance of a man who lived several miles south of Vienna who hired another man to go to war for him. He was to pay his substitute with a certain farm he owned. The man went to the army, fought, and at the end of the war returned unhurt to claim the farm, which was duly made over to him.

There was no fighting in this immediate section, fortunately, and few of the enemy troops were to be seen; but anxious mothers listened to the booming cannons in the siege of Vicksburg, over one hundred miles away, and news from the engagements on the Red River and from the Battle of Mansfield was sought
feverishly. The most of the War that this parish saw was that pitiful, straggling army of sick and wounded soldier boys who came from to be nursed to health again, or to die, as their lot might be.

After four years the war was over, but then came another period which lasted longer and proved to be almost as trying as the other, to a people already worn out with bloodshed and strife. This Reconstruction time is of special interest in a history of Lincoln Parish, for out of conditions arising then came the demand for the organization of a new parish. It was not that the people were demanding smaller parishes and parish sites more conveniently located. There may have been some need, but the principle demand was from Radical politicians who wanted more offices and more power.

The parish was organized in 1873, during Kelloggs administration. Of the succession of carpetbag governors who had possession of the state at that time, Kellogg was perhaps the most unscrupulous, not even excepting Warmoth, his predecessor in office. Loot and graft were rampant over the state, with decency
and honesty helpless to correct the evils. In the election of 1873, it was commonly understood that John McEnery had rightly won the governship, but the Federal Authorities backed Kellogg and his supporters through the state wherever anyone dared to contest an election.

Allen Greene, a citizen of Vienna, ran for senator of the district composed of Jackson and Union parishes and claimed that he had been elected. His opponent, E. M. Graham of Vernon, knowing that he had received a large majority of the votes and being urged to do so by many citizens, contested the election; but to no avail for the carpetbaggers, scalawags, and their followers were in control. Greens opponent said many years later that in contesting the results of the election he had to go before the Returning Board in New Orleans, which was composed of two white men and a Negro, and of the three the negro came nearest to being a gentleman. Such were conditions in the parish in 1873. Allen Greene was seated as senator, though a large part of his constituency felt that he had not gotten the place fairly. Being of the Radical party which had possession, he and his son, C. J. Greene, who was representative from Jackson Parish, had a great deal of power. In a letter to a committee from the Conservative Democratic party, Allen Greene said: "...as epublican members of a Republican state government it was of course in our power to control the appointment of whoever we may fit to office in the new parish." Actually, several men who might well have been the choice of the people were appointed along with three of Greenes sons, one man brought into the parish to fill office, and several Negroes. The officers were as follows: C. J. Greene, parish judge; S. P. Colvin, clerk of the court; J. B. Ray of Ouachita Parish, sheriff; William Taylor (Negro), coroner; W. L. Greene, tax collector; J. A. Greene, assessor; Dr. A. C. Simonton, recorder; J. M. Roane, surveyor. Allen Greene was Director of Education, and John Scott (Negro) was one of the parish school board members. Two Negroes, Marshall Jackson and Hicks, were appointed members of the Police Jury.

Greene had the power to remove any of the officers who failed to meet his approval, so in the course of a few months, several of the best officers were removed; but feeling that they were being dispossessed of their offices unjustly and knowing that they had the citizenry behind them, they refused to vacate when the newly appointed men claimed their places. This angered the Radical element very much and they committed many high-handed and illegal acts, such as moving the court records to Greensboro (Greenes home) and failing to hold regular sessions of the parish and district courts.

The people were growing desperate and began to talk of mobbing their rulers, but the older and wiser citizens counseled moderations and suggested the circulation of a petition asking Greene, his three sons, and several other citizens to resign. This was very readily signed by a large majority of the taxpayers. The committee of citizens who drew up this petition had the white voters behind them, but the Radicals had Kellogg and the state government and behind them Grant and the federal government who would back them in whatever they did. Nothing but the feeling that theirs was a righteous cause could have made men willing to protest against such odds. It was a reckless thing for defeated men who had been dispossessed of their property and of their political rights to take a stand against their oppressors, for any rumors that exslaveholders were not submitting to the state government were soon heard in New Orleans and Washington. The citizens felt that it was more than likely that there would be trouble; but they had stood as much as self-respecting men could stand, so they demanded that the Radicals resign their offices.

The carpetbag government was shrewd enough to know when men were so desperate that they would stand for nothing more. Squads of the Metropolitans rode through the country, arresting a few citizens here and there, but no large company of them came to wreak vengeance on the citizens of Lincoln. Political affairs were bad on occasions but never so bad after this. G. L. Gaskins and Edgar Howard, both men of the community, were made parish judge and sheriff respectively. Other abuses were remedied, several of the Radicals left the parish, and things were more quiet for a while but the elections of 1876 brought a renewed excitement to the people. In this election, as the day drew near, a troop of cavalry sent out from the Federal Forces stationed at Monroe made raids into the surrounding county, arresting prominent citizens on some slight pretext and hailing them before these authorities. Such a raid was made on Vienna, and men noted for their sobriety and moderation in all things were seized, handcuffed, and carried off to show how powerful the Government could be. Some of the more influential people realized that if they wanted to be on hand to
vote on election day, it would be wise to hide out until that time. So, they left their homes and their businesses and slept in the fields and woods in order that they might vote and free the state of her tyrants.

The people of that day have said in their justifiable wrath some things that were too harsh, and they may have failed to give credit for what good the Radicals did, but the sober judgment of years remains that in a time of all times, when their section needed the loyal and unselfish support of its citizens, they seized the opportunity to mend their own fortunes when doing so meant untold injury to their neighbors.

While these things are true it is also true that whatever is exciting or tragic, or, one might almost say, romantic in the early history of the parish centers around this same time. Allen Greene, he was a kind neighbor, as many could testify, and very hospitable to all who went to his home. The site of this place, "Greensboro", may be seen from the "White Lightening" road a few miles west of Vienna. His broad fields extended over the fertile hills and valley well beyond what we call now the McLure Hill, the beauty spot of the parish. Allen Greene was a man of vast energy and had many projects in mind for the building of his plantation. One of these ideas was the establishment of a shoe factory where he employed a good many workmen. Even in his later years he planned a broad, straight road that was to lead from his place to the V. S. & P. Railroad, at a station called Allen Greene (now Grambling) some four miles west of Ruston. The highway at his death was left uncompleted, and his different projects soon faded away. Today there is nothing left of Greensboro.

After 1876 the rule of the carpetbagger was practically over through some of the evil effects of that regime were felt for many hears. This was especially true of the negro vote, which was a source of corruption in Lincoln as in the other parishes until the constitution of 1898 eliminated it from politics.

In the years that have passed since Lincoln Parish was established her boundaries have been changed once. This occurred in 1877, when certain citizens living in the southeastern part of the parish desired that they be transferred to Jackson Parish. The land in question was described as "The North half of Township Seventeen North, Range One and Two West." The necessary steps were taken and the transfer was duly made; but after more than a quarter of a century (1904) there was a persistent demand that this plot of land be returned to Lincoln Parish. During the years since 1877 the parish site of Lincoln had been moved four miles nearer them and had developed into a good market town, whereas Vernon, the capital of their parish, had dwindled into an insignificant village with the seat of government soon to be moved farther down in the parish. It was decidedly to their advantage to be in the parish of Lincoln, but for some reason the election authorized by the legislature failed to carry, so the boundary lines remain as established in 1877.

Lincoln Parish has always been considered, and is today, one of the most healthful parts of the state. The land is well drained by the DArbonne and Choudrant bayous with the aid of Sugar, Cypress, Middle Fork and Stowe creeks, their principal tributaries. The elevation while not high as compared with other parts of the South, is among the highest in the state. In the vicinity of Ruston, it is something over three hundred feet above sea level, though in the creek "bottoms" there is an elevation of just about one hundred feet, not
surprising in this land of hills and valleys. It would seem because of the lay of the land that here would be a promise of mineral wealth, but repeated efforts have failed so far to unearth the much coveted oil. However, in prospecting, two gas wells have been discovered that will eventually provide an abundance. It would seem too, that the different clays found here might be valuable, but nothing has been done with them in a commercial way. Some years ago, a vein of antimony was reputed to have been found in the neighborhood of Ruston. This discovery aroused considerable interest, and a company was formed to promote the mining of this valuable substance. In their efforts to get possession of the promoters brought such pressure to bear upon the Negro owner of the land that he felt it expedient to turn over the deed of his property to a white neighbor and to leave for parts unknown for a few months. The owner came home after a time and was never again molested. He died some years ago, and there is probably no one now who knows the exact location of the supposed mine.

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