Acadia Parish Louisiana Genealogy and History
Founded: June, 30, 1886
Named for: The Acadians
Parish Seat: Crowley
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Acadia Parish, Louisiana genealogy and family history page is a place where you can come in and research your genealogy and family history. We also do our best to provide a history of the area, to provide you with an overview of the time in which your ancestors lived.
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Communities
Cities: Crowley (parish seat and largest municipality), Eunice, Rayne.
Towns: Basile, Church Point, Duson, Iota.
Villages: Estherwood, Mermentau, Morse.
Census-designated places: Branch, Egan.
Other unincorporated communities: Arceneaux, Bates, Bluff, Castile, Deshotel, Ebenezer, Ellis, Evangeline, Frey, Gatte's Cove, Gumpoint, Hundley, Judd, Keystone, LeJeune Cove, Link, Little Japan, Lyons Point, Maxie, Mermentau Cove, Midland, Millerville, Mire (formerly Marais Bouleur and Bosco), Mowata, Nezpique, Peach Bloom, Pitreville, Pointe Noire, Prairie Hayes, Prudhomme, Richard, Ritchie, Robert's Cove, Rork, Shortbread, Tepetate, Tortue, Whitehouse, Williams.
History
The name of the parish is derived from the former French colony of Acadia in Canada (which consisted of the modern provinces of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and much of Maine), many of whose French-speaking inhabitants were deported to France and then migrated to Louisiana in the Great Upheaval.
The parish itself was formed from the southwestern portion of St. Landry Parish. On Wednesday May 19, 1886, a bill was introduced in the house entitled "An act to create the parish of Nicholls, and to provide for the organization thereof." The title was later changed to read: "An act to create the parish of Acadia." Father Joseph Anthonioz, the first pastor of the Catholic Church at Rayne, is credited with having suggested the name, Acadia Parish. The bill passed the house on June 11, the senate on June 28, and was approved by Governor Samuel D. McEnery on June 30. On October 6, an election was held to affirm the creation of the parish.
After a close election held on March 1, 1887, Crowley was chosen as the parish seat. The election also determined the first officers in the parish: Elridge W. Lyons, first sheriff of Acadia, and R. T. Clark, first clerk of court. The first courthouse was therefore constructed in Crowley and completed on June 30, 1888, and continued to be used until May 1, 1902, when it was destroyed to make way for the second building.
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Genealogy Research in Acadia Parish, Louisiana
Acadia Parish Clerk of Court
500 North Parkerson Ave. (Physical)
P.O Box 922, Crowley, LA 70527 (Mailing)
Crowley, La 70526
Phone:(337) 788-8881
All records are kept in the Acadia Parish Courthouse since 1887, when Acadia Parish was formed.
All records of marriages, wills, land, civil, and criminal law suits and the settlement thereof, are among the records maintained by this office.
Adjacent parishes
- Evangeline Parish (north)
- St. Landry Parish (northeast)
- Lafayette Parish (east)
- Vermilion Parish (south)
- Jefferson Davis Parish (west)
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