Webster Parish was created on 1871 , from Claiborne, Bossier and Bienville Parishes and the parish was named in honor of U.S. statesman Daniel Webster . The Parish seat is Minden .
It is borderd by Lafayette County, AR (north), Columbia County, AR (northeast), Claiborne Parish (east), Bienville Parish (southeast), Bossier Parish (west) . Cites, Towns and Communities include Cotton Valley, Cullen, Dixie Inn, Doyline, Dubberly, Heflin, Minden, Sarepta, Shongaloo, Sibley, Springhill . Webster Parish was created on 1871 , from Claiborne, Bossier and Bienville Parishes and the parish was named in honor of U.S. statesman Daniel Webster . The Parish seat is Minden . It is borderd by Lafayette County, AR (north), Columbia County, AR (northeast), Claiborne Parish (east), Bienville Parish (southeast), Bossier Parish (west) . Cites, Towns and Communities include Cotton Valley, Cullen, Dixie Inn, Doyline, Dubberly, Heflin, Minden, Sarepta, Shongaloo, Sibley, Springhill . The Official County Website is located at http://www.wppj.org/ . See Extended History for More information. The Official County Website is located at http://www.wppj.org/ . 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.
Webster Parish Clerk of Court has Court Records from 1871 and Land Records from 1871 and Probate Records from 1871 has Marriage Records from 1871 and is located at 410 Main Street, P O Box 370, Minden, LA 71058, (318) 371-0366. 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 Webster Parish Court Records. Email us with websites containing Webster 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
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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 Webster Parish Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Webster 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 Webster Parish, Louisiana are 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Webster Parish, Louisiana are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 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 Webster Parish Census Records. Email us with websites containing Webster 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 Webster Parish Maps. Email us with websites containing Webster 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 Webster Parish Military Records. Email us with websites containing Webster 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 Webster Parish courthouse.
Below is a list of online resources for Webster Parish Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Webster 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 Webster Parish Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Webster 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 Webster Parish Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Webster 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 Webster Parish Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Webster 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.
Webster Parish is located in the beautiful pine hills of Northwest Louisiana. The area that is today Webster Parish was first settled in about 1818. Dorcheat Bayou, which bisects the parish from north to south, was the transportation artery that brought the first settlers to the area, and it remained the main connection to the outside world until the coming of the railroads in the years after the Civil War. Today, the bayou, which ceased to be a commercial artery in the early 20th century, is a lovely reminder of the source of settlement and is enjoyed today for fishing, boating and for its scenic value. When the first settlers arrived they were living in Natchitoches Parish, which covered all of Northwest Louisiana in those days of early statehood. Webster Parish was formally created on February 28, 1871, with lands taken from Claiborne, Bossier, and Bienville parishes. The parish seat was located at Minden, the largest town in the parish, which is located in the south central part of the parish.
In its early years, the economy of Webster Parish was based largely on farming, with cotton as an important but not dominant crop. The rolling hills that cover the eastern part of the parish were not conducive to the crop, although in the areas along the bayou the land did allow for some large cotton growers to prosper. In fact, one community in the parish, Cotton Valley, drew its name from the principal product grown in that section of the parish.
By the late 19th century, timber was already becoming a primary industrial product and it remains so today. Springhill -- the second largest town in the parish -- located at the far northern end of the parish, abutting the Arkansas border, owes its existence to the logging industry. Although today it is enjoying a rebirth with a growing economy and friendly people sparking a boom in tourism. The discovery of the Cotton Valley Oil Field in the 1920s transformed the economy of Webster Parish, as later discoveries of oil and natural gas were made all over the parish. Today, oil and gas remains a major economic factor in the parish,
Today, Webster Parish is economically prosperous, and offers the visitor the opportunity to take part in all of the various recreational opportunities that make Louisiana the Sportsman's Paradise. For those coming to reside, Webster Parish is a place with friendly hardworking people. It is close enough to the city but retains the charm of country living. It is a wonderful place to call home.
Important Years for Webster Parish:
1818 - The first settlers arrive in what will become Webster Parish.
1822 - Newitt Drew establishes a saw and grist mill at Overton, the junction of Cooley Creek and Bayou Dorcheat. Over the next few years commercial traffic picks up on the stream and steamboat trade through the Red River, Loggy Bayou and Lake Bistineau reaches Overton six months of the year.
1836 - Overton becomes the seat of government for Claiborne Parish and a new town; Minden is founded just north of Overton on the hill over Bayou Dorcheat
1848 - After being hit by two Yellow Fever epidemics, Overton loses the title as Claiborne Parish seat to Athens. By the mid-1850s, the town at Overton will be abandoned, with only the commercial structure at the bayou landing left in operation.
1864-65 - During this winter, more than 10,000 Confederate troops are quartered at Camp Magruder in the hills above Cooley Creek east of Minden. A large Confederate Quartermaster's depot is also located in Minden.
1865 - From June through December, the Minden area is occupied by soldiers from the 61st United States Colored Troops.
1871 - Webster Parish is created on February 28, out of portions of Claiborne, Bossier and Bienville parishes. It is named for Senator Daniel Webster. Minden is named as the parish seat.
1882 - The Vicksburg, Shreveport and Pacific Railroad begins construction of the first east to west rail line across the parish as part of its line across North Louisiana. The Webster Parish station on the line is at Lanesville, today known as Sibley.
1898 - The Louisiana and Arkansas Railroad begins construction of the first north to south rail line through the parish.
1901 - Springhill is founded, supported by the timber industry.
1923 - The shops and offices of the L&A Railroad relocate to Minden from Stamps, Arkansas.
1937 - International Paper opens a huge mill at Cullen near Springhill.
1941 - The Louisiana Ordnance Plant, a large shell-loading facility, opens near Minden.
1955 - The operations of the L&A Railroad are moved from Minden to Shreveport.
1979 - The Cullen plant of the International Paper Company closes, although smaller industries owned by the company remain in the Springhill area.
1991 - The Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant, successor to the Louisiana Ordnance Plant, closes permanently.
Minden History
Minden, Louisiana, founded in 1835, has a colorful history filled with interesting characters, unique events and more than its share of difficult times. However, the town has overcome its challenges and grown while maintaining its small-town charm and earning the reputation of being a "good place to live."
While settlement in the area of Minden dates back to the second decade of the 19th century, the community itself can trace its beginnings to 1835. In that year, Charles Hanse Veeder, a German-American born in New York State but most recently a resident of Southern Indiana, came to Louisiana and built an inn on a hilltop a few miles from Bayou Dorcheat. Legend has it that the inn was constructed on a salt lick that was the best deer-hunting site in the region. By 1837, Veeder had laid out a town in the shape of a parallelogram and divided the area into lots. He named the settlement after the home of his ancestors in Germany -- Minden. The little town grew and prospered and soon became the largest town in the vast area covered by old Claiborne Parish. In 1838, Minden received one of the first charters for a public school from the State Legislature. Although the school did charge tuition, it was open to all white children. This original Minden Academy later split into two schools, the Minden Male Academy and the Minden Female College, which both operated into the 1890s. The Minden High School of today sits on the site of Veeder's original Minden Academy.
Minden earned an early reputation as a town of culture, aided by the school and the early introduction of religion into the community. The Methodists established a congregation in 1839, followed by the Baptists in 1844, and the Episcopals in the early 1850s. With a large number of its settlers coming from England and long-settled areas of South Carolina and Georgia, Minden never experienced the rough frontier lifestyle of its larger neighbor to the west, Shreveport.
The economic life of Minden centered around commerce on Bayou Dorcheat. Three separate landings on the bayou served the Minden community, and the city served as a shipping point for goods from much of the interior of North Louisiana. Before the Civil War, warehouses and commercial buildings extended for more than a mile along the East bank of Bayou Dorcheat.
Actual fighting never reached Minden during the Civil War, but troop activity was almost constant in the area, particularly just before and after the Red River Campaign of 1864, which culminated in the Battle of Sabine Crossroads at nearby Mansfield. More than 20 unidentified Confederate casualties of that battle were buried in a trench in the old Minden Cemetery. During the winter of 1864-65, nearly 15,000 Confederate troops were quartered in several camps just east of town, collectively known as Camp Magruder. The City of Minden was surrendered to Federal troops in mid-May 1865.
The trying years of Reconstruction began for Minden in June 1865 when units of the 61st United States Colored Troops began military occupation of the town. One positive note for the city came in February 1871 when the new Parish of Webster was created with Minden as its seat. The new parish constructed a courthouse in 1872, and Minden gained the added prestige of being a seat of government.
In 1901, the Minden Lumber Mill, at the time one of the largest in the United States, opened here. In May 1918, a fire of mysterious origin destroyed the Mill, but Minden's economic downturn was brief as the 1920s saw the discovery of the nearby Cotton Valley Oil Field and, in 1923, the shops of the L&A Railroad moved to Minden bringing several hundred new workers to Minden and thousands of dollars in payroll.
In 1933, Minden's period of relative calm ended in a calamitous year, with enough disaster to permanently damage any city. In February, a major fire burned nearly a third of downtown. On the heels of this fire in April, the larger of the two banks in town closed unexpectedly. Then on May 1, 1933, a tornado estimated to have the strength of a modern F-3 storm hit the city. Officially, more than $1.2 million dollars in damage was caused, 28 persons were killed, and over 400 were injured. The disasters of 1933 plunged Minden into the Great Depression as unemployment soared and hard times came to the city.
With the coming of World War II, a new industry came to Minden in June 1941. A large shell-loading plant, the Louisiana Ordnance Plant, was constructed just west of Minden. With a brief hiatus in the early 60s when the shell plant -- now known as the Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant -- closed, Minden's economy grew throughout these years. The city constructed a new power plant, made street and sewage improvements, and finally constructed a new City Hall and Civic Center Complex.
In recent years, Minden has seen a shift from relying on a single industry to a varied economic base built on the timber and oil and gas industries, along with various retail enterprises and a few manufacturers. The proximity to Shreveport has led to the idea of Minden becoming a bedroom community for its large neighbor, or perhaps a retirement community. Whatever the outcome, based on its history, Minden will find a new way to survive and thrive in the 21st century.
--Information Courtesy of Webster Parish Historian John Agan
Germantown Colony History
Located seven miles north of Minden on the Germantown Road is the Germantown Colony Museum, on the original site of the Germantown Colony. This museum was established in 1975 and operates under the auspices of the Webster Parish Police Jury. Founded in 1835, the colony has a unique place in American history.
The following account of its history was written by the late Rita Moore Krouse, who championed the preservation of the colony and the establishment of the museum:
"A man of uncertain parentage, a hermit, a vagabond, a dabbler in alchemy and metaphysical esoterica. All of these terms could be used to describe one Bernhard Mueller, a native of Kostheim, Germany, who called himself Count Leon. He was a man who had visions and claimed the power to cast out evil spirits and heal the sick.
"Leon designated himself the anointed of God, out of the tribe of Judah, and the root of David, and announced a grand plan under which the faithful of all nations should be united under a single shepherd. This shepherd could act as lawgiver and a sanctifier in anticipation of the second coming of Christ. The shepherd, of course, to be himself, Count Leon.
"Leon developed a devoted group of followers, among them Dr. Johan George Goentgen, the son of a pastor, who was prevented from becoming a preacher by an unspecified affliction of the throat. Dr. Goentgen was educated as a theologian, but was working as a librarian in Frankfurt. He became Leon's secretary and probably contributed to the thinking and writing which has been attributed to Leon.
"Through Goentgen, Leon had corresponded with George Rapp and had been invited to come to the colony which Rapp had established at Economy, Pennsylvania. The move to Economy came in 1831.
"Conflict over positions of leadership, Rapp's treatment of his followers and Leon's opposition to celibacy resulted in the removal of Leon, his followers, and some of Rapp's people who had broken away, to Philipsburg in 1832. Here, they established another colony. Disappointment in the slow growth of this community prompted the move to the ill-fated settlement at Grand Ecore, Louisiana, where Count Leon died of Yellow Fever in August 1834.
"The remaining immigrants left Grand Ecore and came to the present site in North Louisiana in 1835, where they remained for the next 36 years. The colony at Germantown was unique in North Louisiana, but was one of dozens of similar communities in the United States at that time. However, few, if any, enjoyed as long an existence as Germantown.
"All property was owned in common and strict observance of religious principles was required. Every person in the colony was assigned a specific task, according to his talents, and they all led quite ordinary lives.
"Because they were a hard working and enduring people, they began several industries at Germantown. They operated a cotton gin, a blacksmith shop, a shoe-making shop and a carpentry shop, among other activities. They planted and cultivated mulberry trees, to serves as homes for silk worms, which were used to produce silk cloth. At a later date, when the Germantown store was opened, they subsidized home industries for other people. This may have been the only activity of its kind in North Louisiana at that time.
"The size of the colony was never very large, never more than 35 persons, but they worked together with the resources that they had and the colony prospered.
"The Civil War marked the beginning of the end for the Germantown Colony. Because there was nothing in their life or their religion to make the colony grow, and partially because of differences over the support of the war and the financial losses suffered during wartime, the colony disbanded in 1871. It was largely forgotten until interest was revived in the 1940s, leading to the establishment of the present museum at the site."
