French-Language Manuscript Materials
The imprint of French culture on Louisiana and the Lower Mississippi Valley has been deep and long lasting. French explorers and colonists were among the earliest Europeans to arrive in the region, beginning in the seventeenth century. Louisiana, named for Louis XIV, belonged to France for much of the 1700s and again from 1800 until it was sold to the United States in 1803. French settlers came to Louisiana both directly from France and indirectly from other areas. The latter included Acadians expelled from present-day Nova Scotia in the mid-eighteenth century and refugees from St. Domingue (present-day Haiti) in 1804. Some followers of Napoleon arrived in Louisiana after their leader's defeat in 1814. Other French immigrants came to Louisiana for a variety of reasons throughout the nineteenth century.
The French-language manuscript resources in the Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections (LLMVC) at LSU touch upon all these sources of French cultural influence. This guide to these resources includes descriptions of the papers of early colonists, French-speaking planters and free people of color in the nineteenth century, and residents of cities and towns like New Orleans and Natchitoches. The documents it describes came from farmers and merchants, writers and artists, women and men, the famous and the anonymous.
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Ellzey, Cecil C., 1919 or 20-1999. Papers, 1944, 1983-1989. 5 items. Location: Misc. Colonel Cecil C. Ellzey, a native of Tylertown, Miss., and resident of Franklinton, La., served as an aerial reconnaissance pilot for the Eighth Infantry Division's artillery in Europe during World War II. These papers primarily concern Ellzey's encounter with Soviet soldiers in 1945. Some items in French and Russian. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 4364. Referenced in Guides: French, 20th Century Wars
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Erre, Louise. Papers, 1891-1892. 35 items. Location: U:120. A group of letters collected by Madame Louise Erre, and a letter from her to Charles Lasseigne, editor of Le Meschacebe, about the possibility of his using them in his journal. In French. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 739. |
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Etienne, Thomas François. Record book, 1845-1861. 1 vol. Location: B:16. Record book of Thomas François Etienne of St. Mary Parish, La., is a source of information on life and economy of the Attakapas area of Louisiana during the 1840s and 1850s. It contains entries of sales and accounts at Etienne's store and diary entries, including the planting of a garden according to the phases of the moon. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 2161 |
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Evans, J. Bruce, Papers, 1614-2005 (bulk 1930-1990). 31.5 linear ft., 26 v. Location: 92:82-109; OS:E; J:34-35; Vault:1. Baptist minister, religious counselor and civil rights activist. Correspondence, church records, sermons, workshop materials, printed items, photographs and audio tapes reflect Evans's ministerial career in Baton Rouge, La., at First Baptist Church and Fellowship Church. Personal papers [some items in French], business records and genealogical material document the ancestry of Evans and his wife, Anita Louise, and provide insight into the personal lives of family members. Papers also furnish histories of Bienville and Natchitoches parishes and Saline, La., and relate to Caroline Dormon Nature Preserve and to Dormon's activities as a naturalist. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 4664. Referenced in Guides: Religion, Women, Civil War, Baton Rouge, African Americans, French, LSU, Literature, 20th Century Wars
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Fadenville, Marie. Papers, 1874-1879. 27 items. Location: U:120. Letters from Marie Fadenville to her husband in Iberville Parish, Louisiana. In French. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 238. |