Lafourche Parish, 1852-1933

This collection consists of microfilm of transcriptions of police jury meeting minutes for Assumption Parish between 1848 and 1924, Lafourche Parish between 1852 and 1933, and Terrebonne Parish between 1822 and 1936. The records document government functions such as elections, road building, public health, law enforcement, parish budgets and taxes, the development of education for blacks and whites, the battle to control yellow fever, livestock maintenance, transportation, flood control, and levee building. They concern topics such as citizen participation in and expectations of government, settlement of the state's rural areas and changes in land ownership, local ordinances governing slavery and local attitudes about it, as well as the changing status of African Americans after emancipation. The records also contain genealogical information useful in identifying ancestors' places of residence, death dates, and roles in their communities.