Many, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Many is a town in and the parish seat of Sabine Parish
, Louisiana
, United States
. The population was 2,889 at the 2000 census. The town was named for John B. Many, the commander of nearby Fort Jesup
.
Legislature
under the administration of Gov. Alexander Mouton
passed Act 46, which carved up the gigantic Natchitoches
Parish creating new parishes, including Sabine
, DeSoto and Bossier
. Act 46 specified that the seat of government for the newly-created Sabine Parish would be named Many, in honor of Colonel James B. Many, one of the most popular and colorful officers serving at nearby Fort Jesup
.
Col. Many started his Army life at Fort Jesup
in 1827. There, he served as a genial host for many cotillions, band concerts, parties and gatherings which glamorized the social life of the post where civilians were always welcome. Legislative Act 46 further empowered the governor to appoint a sheriff and a parish judge for Sabine. The judge would be assigned to create 5-7 wards and to authorize an election for the selection of an equivalent number of police jurors.
The act also specified that the parish judge would then call a meeting of the newly-elected members of the jury for the "purpose of locating a seat of justice and causing to be erected the necessary public buildings." The act specifically stated that the parish seat would have to be located within three miles (5 km) of the center of the parish.
William R. D. Speight was named as the parish judge, and he created seven wards. Elected to the police jury were T. Arthur, B. R. Biles, W. Estes, Robert B. Stille, J. R. Smart, A. Savell and S. S. Eason. As instructed by the legislature, the new governing authority of the parish now had to determine exactly where the new parish seat would be located. As the first and still only permanent settlement in Sabine Parish, and the only place resembling a town, Fort Jesup
seemed to be the likely candidate to become the parish seat. But because it was a federal military reservation and lacked a few miles from being centrally located in the parish, officials were forced to look for a different site for the parish seat.
The area that today is downtown Many was next targeted as the parish seat of government. The focus on the area was likely due to the popularity of a country tavern, inn and store that went by the name of Baldwin. Baldwin's tavern and Baldwin's Store were located along the El Camino Real at a point where some minor roads intersected. The store and tavern had become a popular stopping place for the many travelers of the El Camino Real.
Once the area where the Town of Many would be situated was determined, the parish government needed land on which to locate the town. Four prominent citizens of the area stepped in to make that determination simple. William R. D. Spieght (parish judge), I. K. Eason, G. W. Thompson and Samuel S. Eason donated to the police jury 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) on which to locate the town.
Although some buildings were being constructed, it was not until donation of property (located around Baldwin's Store) that the town officially had land of its own. The land was described in an 1890 account as being adjacent to Peter Buvens land, "beginning at the fork of the road east of Hosea Presley's house and along the Speight Road."
After the land donation, some 30 citizens petitioned the Police Jury to lay out the town on the new parish land, sell lots and make arrangements for the construction of public buildings, particularly a courthouse. In a December 1844 plat of the town by surveyor G. W. Thompson, the town is shown as having a public square and eight streets. The Town of Many was incorporated on March 3, 1853. (The town was reincorporated in 1877) A town jail was built in 1859, but the parish courthouse would come much later, in 1880.
The parish police jury appointed five commissioners to govern the town. They were John Baldwin, Alexander Byles, M. Fulchrod, Henry Earls and John Waterhouse. The commissioners' first order of business was to open for sale the lots in town. On December 31, 1844, Robert Partott and William Edmunson purchased the first lots in town, at a cost of $39.50 each. Purchasing land in the town soon after were J. B. Stoddard, P. H. Dillon, William Taylor, S. S. Eason, and John Baldwin. They were followed by L. Stevenson, L. M. Rogers, B. K. Ford, C. Chaplin, T. McCarty, Tabitha Baldwin, J. S. Elam and G. E. Ward. In 1847, another important transfer of lots was made. For $20, lots were deeded for the construction of a Masonic Society Hall and a Methodist church. The transaction was between John Baldwin, Robert Stille and G. E. Ward, (commissioners of the Town of Many); John Caldwell, John D. Tucker and Robert A. Gay, (of the Masonic Society); and Abraham Roberts, William D. Stephens, Robert D. Wright, William Mains and Dr. Henry McCollen, (trustees of the Methodist Church).
The two groups constructed a two-story building, and the upper floor was used for Hamill Lodge, while the lower floor for Methodist services. In 1852, lots on which to build a church were donated by Daniel R. Gandy to Anthony McGee and Noah Martin, trustees of the Baptist denomination. Among other lot owners in the original town, up to 1869, were Eli Self, J. F. Smith, K. G. McLemore, Wiley Weeks, G. C. DeBerry, James Garner, Joe Hobbs, William Cook, G. G. Garner, B. Campbell, Littleton Cook, George Densmore, Louis Levison, Louis Vanshoebrook, John Waterhouse, G. W. Gibson, Isaac Rains, G. E. Jackson, J. B. Stoddard, Dr. E. Thigpen, James Brown, Abe Harris and J. B. Vandegaer.
Although the parish police jury had planned to build a courthouse in which public offices would be located with money from the sale of lots in the new town, a courthouse was not constructed in Sabine Parish until almost 40 years after the parish was created. That left Baldwin's Store to continue initially housing many of the parish's public offices and later, the Methodist and Baptist Churches would be used for parish offices. The first sessions of court in Sabine were held in the Methodist Church, and the Clerk of Court's office was later located in the Baptist Church building.
Construction on the first parish courthouse in Sabine
was completed in 1880, at a cost of $11,000. The first census for the Town of Many, taken in 1880 by Leo Vandegaer, revealed a population of 147 citizens (The first census taken for Sabine
Parish was in 1850, and showed a population of 3,347 whites and 1,168 slaves.)A sense of history in Many ever-present, in that the Louisiana
-Texas
east-west transportation corridor of years-gone-by, mirrors a picture of activity that passed through Sabine country long before the Town of Many was settled. Later the corridor became known as El Camino Real, translated in Spanish as Royal Highway or King’s Highway. The term El Camino Real referred to all main government roads in both Spain
and Spanish America during the colonial period, so there is more than one El Camino Real in Spain and Spanish America. Bobby Murray, Bass Masters Classic winner 1971 and 1978 began his fishing career on Toledo Bend in Many, LA in 1968 as a fishing guide.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 3.1 square miles (8 km²), all of it land.
, and 1.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.70% of the population.
There were 1,073 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.6% were married couples
living together, 23.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 82.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $20,000, and the median income for a family was $24,329. Males had a median income of $28,500 versus $15,870 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $12,153. About 28.4% of families and 35.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.7% of those under age 18 and 26.3% of those age 65 or over.
. The town of Many is zoned to Many Elementary School (Grades PK-3), Many Junior High School (Grades 4-8), and Many High School (Grades 9-12).
There is also the Sabine Valley Vocational-Technical School in Many.
Sabine Parish, Louisiana
Sabine Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The seat of the parish is Many. In 2010, the parish's population was 24,233....
, 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 2,889 at the 2000 census. The town was named for John B. Many, the commander of nearby Fort Jesup
Fort Jesup
Fort Jesup, also known as Fort Jesup State Historic Site or Fort Jessup or Fort Jesup State Monument, was built in 1822, 22 miles west of Natchitoches, Louisiana, to protect the United States border with Spain and to return order to the Neutral Strip. Originally named Cantonment Jesup, the fort...
.
History
On March 21, 1843, the LouisianaLouisiana
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...
Legislature
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
under the administration of Gov. Alexander Mouton
Alexander Mouton
Alexandre Mouton was a United States Senator and the 11th Governor of Louisiana.-Early life:He was born in Attakapas district into a wealthy plantation owning Acadian family. He pursued classical studies and graduated from Georgetown College...
passed Act 46, which carved up the gigantic Natchitoches
Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana
Natchitoches Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Natchitoches. As of 2000, the population was 39,080. This is the heart of the Cane River Louisiana Creole community...
Parish creating new parishes, including Sabine
Sabine Parish, Louisiana
Sabine Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The seat of the parish is Many. In 2010, the parish's population was 24,233....
, DeSoto and Bossier
Bossier City, Louisiana
Bossier City is a city in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States.As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 61,315. Bossier City is closely tied to its larger sister city Shreveport, located on the western bank of the Red River. The Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area is the...
. Act 46 specified that the seat of government for the newly-created Sabine Parish would be named Many, in honor of Colonel James B. Many, one of the most popular and colorful officers serving at nearby Fort Jesup
Fort Jesup
Fort Jesup, also known as Fort Jesup State Historic Site or Fort Jessup or Fort Jesup State Monument, was built in 1822, 22 miles west of Natchitoches, Louisiana, to protect the United States border with Spain and to return order to the Neutral Strip. Originally named Cantonment Jesup, the fort...
.
Col. Many started his Army life at Fort Jesup
Fort Jesup
Fort Jesup, also known as Fort Jesup State Historic Site or Fort Jessup or Fort Jesup State Monument, was built in 1822, 22 miles west of Natchitoches, Louisiana, to protect the United States border with Spain and to return order to the Neutral Strip. Originally named Cantonment Jesup, the fort...
in 1827. There, he served as a genial host for many cotillions, band concerts, parties and gatherings which glamorized the social life of the post where civilians were always welcome. Legislative Act 46 further empowered the governor to appoint a sheriff and a parish judge for Sabine. The judge would be assigned to create 5-7 wards and to authorize an election for the selection of an equivalent number of police jurors.
The act also specified that the parish judge would then call a meeting of the newly-elected members of the jury for the "purpose of locating a seat of justice and causing to be erected the necessary public buildings." The act specifically stated that the parish seat would have to be located within three miles (5 km) of the center of the parish.
William R. D. Speight was named as the parish judge, and he created seven wards. Elected to the police jury were T. Arthur, B. R. Biles, W. Estes, Robert B. Stille, J. R. Smart, A. Savell and S. S. Eason. As instructed by the legislature, the new governing authority of the parish now had to determine exactly where the new parish seat would be located. As the first and still only permanent settlement in Sabine Parish, and the only place resembling a town, Fort Jesup
Fort Jesup
Fort Jesup, also known as Fort Jesup State Historic Site or Fort Jessup or Fort Jesup State Monument, was built in 1822, 22 miles west of Natchitoches, Louisiana, to protect the United States border with Spain and to return order to the Neutral Strip. Originally named Cantonment Jesup, the fort...
seemed to be the likely candidate to become the parish seat. But because it was a federal military reservation and lacked a few miles from being centrally located in the parish, officials were forced to look for a different site for the parish seat.
The area that today is downtown Many was next targeted as the parish seat of government. The focus on the area was likely due to the popularity of a country tavern, inn and store that went by the name of Baldwin. Baldwin's tavern and Baldwin's Store were located along the El Camino Real at a point where some minor roads intersected. The store and tavern had become a popular stopping place for the many travelers of the El Camino Real.
Once the area where the Town of Many would be situated was determined, the parish government needed land on which to locate the town. Four prominent citizens of the area stepped in to make that determination simple. William R. D. Spieght (parish judge), I. K. Eason, G. W. Thompson and Samuel S. Eason donated to the police jury 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) on which to locate the town.
Although some buildings were being constructed, it was not until donation of property (located around Baldwin's Store) that the town officially had land of its own. The land was described in an 1890 account as being adjacent to Peter Buvens land, "beginning at the fork of the road east of Hosea Presley's house and along the Speight Road."
After the land donation, some 30 citizens petitioned the Police Jury to lay out the town on the new parish land, sell lots and make arrangements for the construction of public buildings, particularly a courthouse. In a December 1844 plat of the town by surveyor G. W. Thompson, the town is shown as having a public square and eight streets. The Town of Many was incorporated on March 3, 1853. (The town was reincorporated in 1877) A town jail was built in 1859, but the parish courthouse would come much later, in 1880.
The parish police jury appointed five commissioners to govern the town. They were John Baldwin, Alexander Byles, M. Fulchrod, Henry Earls and John Waterhouse. The commissioners' first order of business was to open for sale the lots in town. On December 31, 1844, Robert Partott and William Edmunson purchased the first lots in town, at a cost of $39.50 each. Purchasing land in the town soon after were J. B. Stoddard, P. H. Dillon, William Taylor, S. S. Eason, and John Baldwin. They were followed by L. Stevenson, L. M. Rogers, B. K. Ford, C. Chaplin, T. McCarty, Tabitha Baldwin, J. S. Elam and G. E. Ward. In 1847, another important transfer of lots was made. For $20, lots were deeded for the construction of a Masonic Society Hall and a Methodist church. The transaction was between John Baldwin, Robert Stille and G. E. Ward, (commissioners of the Town of Many); John Caldwell, John D. Tucker and Robert A. Gay, (of the Masonic Society); and Abraham Roberts, William D. Stephens, Robert D. Wright, William Mains and Dr. Henry McCollen, (trustees of the Methodist Church).
The two groups constructed a two-story building, and the upper floor was used for Hamill Lodge, while the lower floor for Methodist services. In 1852, lots on which to build a church were donated by Daniel R. Gandy to Anthony McGee and Noah Martin, trustees of the Baptist denomination. Among other lot owners in the original town, up to 1869, were Eli Self, J. F. Smith, K. G. McLemore, Wiley Weeks, G. C. DeBerry, James Garner, Joe Hobbs, William Cook, G. G. Garner, B. Campbell, Littleton Cook, George Densmore, Louis Levison, Louis Vanshoebrook, John Waterhouse, G. W. Gibson, Isaac Rains, G. E. Jackson, J. B. Stoddard, Dr. E. Thigpen, James Brown, Abe Harris and J. B. Vandegaer.
Although the parish police jury had planned to build a courthouse in which public offices would be located with money from the sale of lots in the new town, a courthouse was not constructed in Sabine Parish until almost 40 years after the parish was created. That left Baldwin's Store to continue initially housing many of the parish's public offices and later, the Methodist and Baptist Churches would be used for parish offices. The first sessions of court in Sabine were held in the Methodist Church, and the Clerk of Court's office was later located in the Baptist Church building.
Construction on the first parish courthouse in Sabine
Sabine Parish, Louisiana
Sabine Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The seat of the parish is Many. In 2010, the parish's population was 24,233....
was completed in 1880, at a cost of $11,000. The first census for the Town of Many, taken in 1880 by Leo Vandegaer, revealed a population of 147 citizens (The first census taken for Sabine
Sabine Parish, Louisiana
Sabine Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The seat of the parish is Many. In 2010, the parish's population was 24,233....
Parish was in 1850, and showed a population of 3,347 whites and 1,168 slaves.)A sense of history in Many ever-present, in that the 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...
-Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
east-west transportation corridor of years-gone-by, mirrors a picture of activity that passed through Sabine country long before the Town of Many was settled. Later the corridor became known as El Camino Real, translated in Spanish as Royal Highway or King’s Highway. The term El Camino Real referred to all main government roads in both Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Spanish America during the colonial period, so there is more than one El Camino Real in Spain and Spanish America. Bobby Murray, Bass Masters Classic winner 1971 and 1978 began his fishing career on Toledo Bend in Many, LA in 1968 as a fishing guide.
Geography
Many is located at 31°34′4"N 93°28′40"W (31.567769, -93.477721).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 3.1 square miles (8 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
923.4 people per square mile (356.4/km²). There were 1,272 housing units at an average density of 406.5 per square mile (156.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 48.18% White, 47.42% African American, 1.70% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other racesRace (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.70% of the population.
There were 1,073 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.6% 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, 23.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 82.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $20,000, and the median income for a family was $24,329. Males had a median income of $28,500 versus $15,870 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 $12,153. About 28.4% of families and 35.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.7% of those under age 18 and 26.3% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Public schools in Sabine Parish are operated by the Sabine Parish School BoardSabine Parish School Board
The Sabine Parish School Board is an entity responsible for the operation of public schools in Sabine Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is headquartered in the town of Many.-Schools:*Grades 9-12**Many High School...
. The town of Many is zoned to Many Elementary School (Grades PK-3), Many Junior High School (Grades 4-8), and Many High School (Grades 9-12).
There is also the Sabine Valley Vocational-Technical School in Many.
Notable people
- Cliff AmmonsCliff AmmonsClifton R. Ammons , known as Cliff Ammons, was an educator and businessman from Many, Louisiana, who served from 1960-1964 as a Democrat from Sabine Parish in the Louisiana House of Representatives...
, former Louisiana state representativeLouisiana State LegislatureThe Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
and the "father of Toledo Bend ReservoirToledo Bend ReservoirToledo Bend Reservoir is a reservoir on the Sabine River between Texas and Louisiana. The lake has an area of 185,000 acres , the largest man-made body of water in Texas, the largest in the South, and the fifth largest in the United States. The dam is capable of generating 92 megawatts of...
", was on the faculty of Many High School from 1948-1967.
- Frank Estes ColeFrank Estes ColeFrank Estes Cole, sometimes known as F. E. Cole , was an educator from Many, Louisiana, who served as a Democrat in both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature between 1944 and 1960....
, former football coach at Many High School who served in both houses of the Louisiana State LegislatureLouisiana State LegislatureThe Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
between 1944 and 1960
- Charlie JoinerCharlie JoinerCharles B. Joiner Jr. is a former American football player who starred in professional football for eighteen seasons, virtually exclusively at the position of wide receiver. He retired with the most career receptions, receiving yards, and games played of any wide receiver in NFL history. He was...
, former National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
wide receiverWide receiverA wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
and member of the Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
, was born in Many.