| Researching the Lafayette / Vermilion Parish Boundary Are We Giving Away Lafayette Parish? |
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Today, it is entirely possible to research and find historical information one is looking to find, provided they have not been destroyed. One has only to have the desire. Libraries, Archives, Private Collections are available on the Internet. State and National regulatory bodies, Clerk's of Court and municipalities all have public records & historical information available to the general public for historical research. These documents are used to substantiate title and fee ownership for real estate transactions and a world of other property and mineral right issues. The base of this information is the earliest surveys by the Federal Government after the Louisiana Purchase. In most cases, and certainly in the area of this discussion, There General Land Office Surveys which began shortly after 1795, and the following land grants or land patents issued by the Federal Government and Louisiana State Government record the earliest surveys and ownership. The system of Sections, Townships and Ranges are the same, the bearings and distances of landmarks can still be located today, even though the physical landmarks may be gone. All the information to determine the boundary line between Lafayette and Vermilion Parish is available to anyone willing to seek the information, back to the time of, and leading up to Act No. 81 of the Louisiana Legislature of March 27, 1844. This is the historical evidence of the forming of the parishes which is kept as a matter of legal requirement. The evidence was not all destroyed in the Civil War as has been suggested. As you will see, the information is right under our noses, and at our fingertips. It has also been said that the boundary descriptions are vague, and critical points of survey are no longer available. This as you will see is a misnomer. One has only to determine what survey the description came from and in this case it came from the logical place, the General Land Office Surveys most of which were conducted by John Campbell, Deputy Surveyor for the Federal Government, and Lafayette Parish & Vermilionville Surveyor at the time of the Legislative Act which created Vermilion Parish. In December of 2003, I addressed the Lafayette Consolidated Council prior to their acceptance of the Louisiana State Land Office Report. I opined that proper forensic research was needed to determine the line according to the Legislative Act No. 81 of March 25, 1844. In a vote of 6 (six) to 3 (three), the council elected to accept the report as written. What is found here is the forensic research that did not take place for which they appropriated monies to fund. The truth was out there. Are our elected leaders willing to do the 'RIGHT' thing, recognize the facts of the matter and "re-establish" the boundary according to the 1844 Legislative Act? Don Bertrand Landman Lafayette, Louisiana donb@bertrandlandservice.com This map overlay was produced in the research of M. P. Mayeux, Forensic Surveyor commissioned by Lafayette Parish Tax Assessor Conrad Comeaux. My research began in 1999 with interviews and review of Police Jury Records. This along with the other research I conducted in records over the past few years leads me to concur with Mayeux's findings. All findings are based on the General Land Office Surveys, General Land Office Survey Notes, Police Jury Records and the location of landowner's property. Look to the Index on the left of the page. You will find Mayeux's Report to Tax Assessor, Conrad Comeaux. The map above is a correct depiction of the line (Blue Line) dividing the Parishes of Lafayette and Vermilion according to the Legislative Act No. 81 from March, 1844. The Pink Line, which reflects the 1931 Bernard Survey and findings in the State Land Office Report, is incorrect. However it was accepted despite the request to research closer to the time of the Legislative Act. This was done by people who should have known better, Engineers, Surveyors, Chief's of Title & Surveys, Directors, Assistant Directors, all who presumed to know where the boundary was historically. And yet when presented with evidence otherwise, chose to ignore it. Why? None of the evidence has ever been presented in a court of law. It is as though it is not welcomed information. Why? If it was so important in 2000, wouldn't the correct information therefore be important? Why Not? Now the boundary line should be surveyed and the line placed in its proper place. Perhaps the work should be performed and directed by someone other than the State Land Office, Eugene Sellers of Vermilion Parish and Bill Campbell of Lafayette Parish, to complete the work. In the rush to judgment by Bill Campbell,Lafayette Parish Public Works Assistant Director and Eugene Sellers, Consulting engineer, gross errors were committed at the very least as well as omissions of important historical information. I would like to thank Lafayette Parish Tax Assessor, Conrad Comeaux, and M. P. Mayeux for their attention in this effort. I also owe a debt of thanks to John Campbell, Deputy Surveyor for the General Land Office, Lafayette Parish Surveyor, Surveyor for the town of Vermilionville. John Campbell is buried in the cemetery of St. John's Cathedral, Lafayette, Louisiana. His descendants, who live in Lafayette and the surrounding area can be proud of the work he did in his lifetime. All the residents of Lafayette Parish owe thanks to the Duhon family for never giving up their fight to be residents of Lafayette Parish. |
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- Last update
8-12-2009
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http://www.lafvermline.com
Lafayette Parish above in Red is
one of the smallest Parishes in the
State of Louisiana, under 300 sq.
miles.
one of the smallest Parishes in the
State of Louisiana, under 300 sq.
miles.
Boundary Line by Bill Campbell, Assistant Public Works Director for Lafayette Parish, Eugene Sellers, Consulting Engineer for Vermilion Parish, & The State Land Office's John Evans, Chief of Titles, Surveys & GIS. Based on the 1931 Merrill Bernard Survey. |
The Southwestern Boundary of Lafayette Parish, dividing Lafayette and Vermilion Parish according to forensic research. This line is identified by the 1844 decription, The General Land Office Surveys, Plats and Notes. Why wasn't this information used to determine the line by Lafayette, Vermilion & the State Land Office. |
