Port Barre, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Port Barre is a town
in St. Landry Parish
, Louisiana
, United States
. The population was 2,287 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Opelousas
–Eunice
Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is home to the Port Barre High School Red Devils.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 2,287 people, 867 households, and 625 families residing in the town. The population density
was 2,075.5 people per square mile (802.7/km²). There were 952 housing units at an average density of 864.0 per square mile (334.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 71.88% White, 27.28% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.17% Asian, and 0.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.61% of the population.
There were 867 households out of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples
living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.8% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $23,945, and the median income for a family was $29,279. Males had a median income of $30,761 versus $19,000 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $11,028. About 21.6% of families and 28.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.7% of those under age 18 and 29.2% of those age 65 or over.
Alex Charles Barre is one of the descendants of Guillaume Barre, French, born 1642 in St Valery, France and who settled about 1665 in the French West Indies, Martinique
.
Guillaume Barre met in Martinique Jean Roy (1625–1707) and Jean Hebert (1624) and the destinies of the three families were bound for ever. They left Martinique and settled in Louisiana.
The Barre settled in Pointe Coupee, LA, where they met the Nezat (Pierre Nezat coming from Santo Domingo (French Saint Domingue,West part of Hispaniola) and the Provost (Nicolas Provost coming from Paris via Fort de Chartres
, IL) .In 1771, Charles Alex Barre, French Creole, married in Pointe Coupee, LA, Magdelaine Decuir and both had 11 children. Three of their children married three Nezat. At this time, three Nezat married three Roy. The destinies of the families Barre, Nezat and Roy were bound for ever. In 1820, Charles Alex Barre purchased numerous acres along the bayou side from Sieur Jacques Guillaume Courtableau where the Barre family operated a goods handling business. The Barre, Nezat and Roy families settled in this area and expanded. The settlement grew.
On July 13, 1898, the existence of Port Barre was officially recognized by Act of Proclamation.
The population was particularly concerned by wars and Port Barre pay homage to its children. A great number of young people born in Port Barre have taken part in the American Civil War
, World War I
, World War II
, the Korean War
and in the Vietnam War
. They were seen giving the Military Cross
. Some have given their life.
Today, Port Barre is home to the annual "Cracklin' Festival," held the weekend after Veteran's Day. The Cracklin' Festival started in 1986 by the Port Barre Lions Club and is a huge event recognized by the state of Louisiana. All proceeds from the festival are donated to underprivileged children who need glasses or eye surgery.
Confederate Soldier
Veteran World War I
He is the grandfather of Jack Claude Nezat, author.
Veteran World War II
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in St. Landry Parish
St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
St. Landry Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is at the heart of Acadian/Cajun culture and heritage in Louisiana. The parish seat is Opelousas. According to the 2010 census, the population of St. Landry Parish is 83,384.St...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 2,287 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Opelousas
Opelousas, Louisiana
Opelousas is a city in and the parish seat of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies at the junction of Interstate 49 and U.S. Route 190. The population was 22,860 at the 2000 census. Although the 2006 population estimate was 23,222, a 2004 annexation should put the city's...
–Eunice
Eunice, Louisiana
Eunice is a city in Acadia, Evangeline and St. Landry parishes in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 11,499 at the 2000 census.The St...
Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is home to the Port Barre High School Red Devils.
Geography
Port Barre is located at 30°33′22"N 91°57′30"W (30.556162, -91.958465).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,287 people, 867 households, and 625 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,075.5 people per square mile (802.7/km²). There were 952 housing units at an average density of 864.0 per square mile (334.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 71.88% White, 27.28% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.17% Asian, and 0.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.61% of the population.
There were 867 households out of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.8% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $23,945, and the median income for a family was $29,279. Males had a median income of $30,761 versus $19,000 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $11,028. About 21.6% of families and 28.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.7% of those under age 18 and 29.2% of those age 65 or over.
History
Port Barre takes its name from Alex Charles Barre (born 1746, died 1829).Alex Charles Barre is one of the descendants of Guillaume Barre, French, born 1642 in St Valery, France and who settled about 1665 in the French West Indies, Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
.
Guillaume Barre met in Martinique Jean Roy (1625–1707) and Jean Hebert (1624) and the destinies of the three families were bound for ever. They left Martinique and settled in Louisiana.
The Barre settled in Pointe Coupee, LA, where they met the Nezat (Pierre Nezat coming from Santo Domingo (French Saint Domingue,West part of Hispaniola) and the Provost (Nicolas Provost coming from Paris via Fort de Chartres
Fort de Chartres
Fort de Chartres was a French fortification first built in 1720 on the east bank of the Mississippi River in present-day Illinois. The Fort de Chartres name was also applied to the two successive fortifications built nearby during the 18th century in the era of French colonial control over...
, IL) .In 1771, Charles Alex Barre, French Creole, married in Pointe Coupee, LA, Magdelaine Decuir and both had 11 children. Three of their children married three Nezat. At this time, three Nezat married three Roy. The destinies of the families Barre, Nezat and Roy were bound for ever. In 1820, Charles Alex Barre purchased numerous acres along the bayou side from Sieur Jacques Guillaume Courtableau where the Barre family operated a goods handling business. The Barre, Nezat and Roy families settled in this area and expanded. The settlement grew.
On July 13, 1898, the existence of Port Barre was officially recognized by Act of Proclamation.
The population was particularly concerned by wars and Port Barre pay homage to its children. A great number of young people born in Port Barre have taken part in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. They were seen giving the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
. Some have given their life.
Today, Port Barre is home to the annual "Cracklin' Festival," held the weekend after Veteran's Day. The Cracklin' Festival started in 1986 by the Port Barre Lions Club and is a huge event recognized by the state of Louisiana. All proceeds from the festival are donated to underprivileged children who need glasses or eye surgery.
Transportation
 |
U.S. Route 190 U.S. Route 190 U.S. Route 190, also known as the Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway, is an east–west United States highway in Louisiana and Texas. It evolved from the shortest of intrastate routes in 1926 to a length comparable to a main Interstate Highway route, leading from the swamps and pine forests of... is a major east-west route connecting with Baton Rouge Baton Rouge, Louisiana Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South... to the east and with Opelousas Opelousas, Louisiana Opelousas is a city in and the parish seat of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies at the junction of Interstate 49 and U.S. Route 190. The population was 22,860 at the 2000 census. Although the 2006 population estimate was 23,222, a 2004 annexation should put the city's... and Eunice Eunice, Louisiana Eunice is a city in Acadia, Evangeline and St. Landry parishes in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 11,499 at the 2000 census.The St... to the west. |
| |
LA 103 is a state highway traveling northeast-southwest through the heart of the town, connecting with U.S. Route 190 (southeast) and extending northeast out of the corporation limits. |
| |
LA 741 is a state highway traveling northwest-southeast which connects with LA 103 (northwest) in town and extending southeast out of the corporation limits intersecting with U.S. Route 190. |
Veterans
Born in Port Barre:Confederate Soldier
- Marcel Nezat, born September 22, 1835, is a grandson of “Alexandre of Attakapas” Alexandre Nezat, last son of Pierre Nezat. On September 7, 1862 Marcel enlisted in the Confederate army at Camp Pratt. He served as a Private in Co D, 18th LA Infantry, surrendered with Kirby Smitt and was paroled as a Prisoner of War at Washington, LA June 22, 1865. He served in the Red River Campaign, at Mansfield, and Yellow Bayou, to name a few. Died November 22, 1925
- Adolf Nezat, born November 7, 1841, called Adolf fils, is a grandson of “Alexandre of Attakapas” Alexandre Nezat, last son of Pierre Nezat who came 1755/59 from France. Adolf arrived at Vicksburg, MS, Oct. 20, 1862, 1st LA Heavy Artillery. Died in camp December 16, 1862. He is the grandfather of Joseph Harrison Nezat.
Veteran World War I
- Joseph Harrison Nezat, born January 25, 1894. Sgt-Chef at the 492nd Aero Squadron in Tours, France. Died on July 30, 1962 in Lindenhurst, State of New York. He is buried in the Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale, State of New York.
He is the grandfather of Jack Claude Nezat, author.
Veteran World War II
- Charles Clarence Nezat, born September 16, 1911. Died November 11, 1995 Opelousas
- Howard Nezat, born March 16, 1919. Died November 16, 2001 Opelousas. Company L, 346th Infantry during WWII, wounded during the France/Belgium campaign
- Milburn Nezat, born March 1, 1917. Died June 10, 2002
Resources
- Jack Claude Nezat The Nezat And Allied Families 1630-2007 Lulu 2007 ISBN 978-2-9528339-2-9, ISBN 978-0-6151-5001-7
Mayors of Port Barre
- Placide Robin (1911–13, 1913–15)
- Albert E. Resweber (1915–17)
- Dr. Ira Pierce (1917–21)
- Oscar Bordelon (1921–23)
- Dr. Joseph Raphael (1923–27)
- Clifford G. Kerr (1927–29, 1929—31)
- Pierre W. McBride (1931–33, 1937–41, 1941–43)
- Raymond Resweber (1942)
- Optat J. LeBlanc (1943–45, 1945–46)
- Pavy Benoit (1946–49)
- Elvie Lanclos (1949–53, 1953–57, 1957–61)
- Charlie Grimmett (1961–65, 1965–69)
- Dorris Godet (1969–73, 1973–77, 1977–81)
- Roy Council (1981–85)
- Dorris Godet (1985–90)
- John Fontenot (1991–95, 1995-2007)
- Gil Savoy, Jr. (2007–Present)