Cabanocey: The History, Customs, and Folklore of St. James Parish (Louisiana Parish Histories Series) [Paperback]

Lillian Bourgeois (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 30, 1999 | Series: Louisiana Parish Histories Series

Louisiana has sixty-four parishes, and many of them are as individual and different as the state itself is different from others in the Union. St. James Parish, a small parish of 249 square miles, is not only one of the oldest settlements in the state, but it is different in its population make-up and is important historically. Cabanocey . . . is a splendid history of the Parish of St. James. . . . Lillian C. Bourgeois captured the spirit that animates the population, which is descended from French, Spanish, Acadian, German, and Creole peoples. Bourgeois writes of the population's customs, beliefs, language differences, and folklore. Cabanocey is not a collection of dry facts and dates; rather, it vividly describes how, more than one hundred years ago, the people of St. James Parish lived, who they were, and what they contributed to their parish and their state. Before the Civil War, St. James Parish was the educational center of Louisiana, and Jefferson College was the first important college in the state. Founded in 1830, it had fine buildings, a well-equipped laboratory, and an impressive library. The Convent of the Sacred Heart (1835) for girls was well-known by prominent families in Louisiana, Mexico, and Central America, who sent their daughters there. Cabanocey contains St. James genealogies and thousands of names of early settlers, including the soldiers, taxpayers, officials, prominent families, and the first settlers and their children. From the early censuses and church and court records, descent is traced for many names. The censuses of 1766, 1769, and 1777 are complete and were obtained from the archives in Seville, Spain.

Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Firebird Press (April 30, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565545184
• ISBN-13: 978-1565545182
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,327,429 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book dealing with St. James Parish, October 11, 1999

By 

Gerard Preyan (St. James, La.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cabanocey: The History, Customs, and Folklore of St. James Parish (Louisiana Parish Histories Series) (Paperback)

Having lived in St. James Parish for most of my life, this book gives a great look into the past. While many of the sites stated in the book have been lost in time, this book gives a look back to the eary years when this parish was a little Cajun settlement. Being black, this book has given me a link to my family's past and our cajun roots

4.0 out of 5 stars Straight from the Coon's mouth, August 29, 2009

By 

Lacey P (Louisiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cabanocey: The History, Customs, and Folklore of St. James Parish (Louisiana Parish Histories Series) (Paperback)

My family is from Cabanocey, and they touched on the various ways to spell my maiden name...which was impressive. It was helpful in identifying where my family's customs come from and how my ancestors made it to their settling grounds in St. James.

This book got me interested in Genealogy, but I don't think it's a good fit for an avid researcher. It has some really interesting history about the parish, and the people, and some monumental locations.

I liked it and rated it 4 stars because it opened up my eyes to my own history. If you're an outsider looking to learn more about Louisiana, perhaps this is not a good place to begin. You'd need some prior knowledge about South Louisiana, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and St. James Parish itself. Being native helps a lot since it talks about plants located along specific highways, sugar mills that the old locals will remember, etc. It's a great book for anyone in the 10-12 corridor.