Pistols and Politics: The Dilemma of Democracy in Louisiana's Florida Parishes, 1810–1901

Contents

CONTENTS Preface xiii Introduction i 1 • A Brief Moment of Stability 17 2 • Government Far Behind the Times: The Seeds of Chaos 46 3 • An Education in Violence 102 4 • Opportunity Lost: Incipient Chaos Delayed 139 5 • Organized Lawlessness:Chaos Ascendant 180 6 • War Without Honor: Chaos Ensconced 227 Bibliography 263 Index 281 This page intentionally left blank ILLUSTRATIONS MAPS • Major Waterways, Highways, and Railroads in the Florida Parishes, ca. 1852 24 • Locations of Principal Feud-Related Murders in the Florida Parishes, 1883-1899 240 PHOTOGRAPHS following page 91 • Centenary College at Jackson, La. • The Silliman Female Institute at Clinton • Yellow Fever Quarantine Station in Rural East Baton Rouge Parish • Richland Plantation in East Feliciana Parish • Bonnie Burn Plantation in East Feliciana Parish • East Feliciana Courthouse, Clinton • Preston Pond, Jr. • Silas T. White • Vincent Scivique • James G. Kilbourne • Baton Rouge During the Civil War • Harvesting Corn in Livingston Parish x • ILLUSTRATIONS • Cattle Drive to New Orleans • Transporting Goods to Market • Downtown Baton Rouge, ca. 1880 following page 212 • Sawmill and Laborersat Hyde Station • Albert Sidney Johnston Hyde • Millowner and Democratic Party Chairman Sam Hyde and Family« Sawmill Workers and Family at Arcola Station • Young Sawmill Manager in Tangipahoa • Timber and Railroad Workers Repairing a Dummy-Line Railroad • Students from a Rural One-Room Schoolhouse • Black Timber Cutters with Gear • White Timber Cutters amid Long-Leaf Pine • City Councilmen of Tangipahoa • Black Field Laborer near Amite City • Group of Timber Cutters • Downtown Tangipahoa, ca. 1898 • Company H, First LouisianaInfantry Regiment • Women in Downtown Tangipahoa, ca. 1898« Company K, First Louisiana Infantry Regiment • Parade Revelers in Amite City • New Orleans Newspapers, 1897-1899 TABLES 1 • Farm Production, 1850 8 2 • Agricultural Production as a Measure of Prosperity, 1850-1860 27 3 • Slaveholding, 1850-1860 33 4 • State Legislators from Florida Parishes, 1852-1854 64 5 • Constitutional Ratification Elections 71 6 • Election Results, 1860 104 7 • Secession Election Results 105 8 • Economic Changes in Livestock and Crop Yields, 1860-1870 144 9 • Economic Changes in Landholdings, 1860-1870 145 10 • Manufacturing Establishments, 1880 195 11 • Agricultural Production, 1880 197 This page intentionally left blank ...