Montgomery, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Montgomery is a town
in Grant Parish
, Louisiana
, United States
. The population was 787 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Alexandria
Metropolitan Statistical Area. Founded in 1712, even before New Orleans
, Montgomery is situated on U.S. Highway 71 in the northwesternmost section of Grant Parish close to the boundary of Natchitoches and Winn parishes. It is located east of the Red River.
In the 1950s, Montgomery was known as one of the smaller communities in the state which could draw considerable crowds to political gatherings. William J. "Bill" Dodd, veteran Louisiana politician
, in his memoirs Peapatch Politics: The Earl Long Era in Louisiana Politics, recalls a 1955 gathering in which he "eulogized" Huey Long
, Earl Long
, and attorney general
candidate Jack P.F. Gremillion
. Dodd satirized Gremillion's World War II
record: "Why he almost got killed himself when an enemy shell plowed into one of his most vital organs; if you don't believe Jack Gremillion earned his Purple Heart
, he will show you the scars he has to prove it." The scars were on Gremillion's rear end, much to the embarrassment of the successful candidate. From Montgomery, the Long train headed to the parish seat of Colfax
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 787 people, 332 households, and 210 families residing in the town. The population density
was 379.0 people per square mile (146.1/km²). There were 395 housing units at an average density of 190.2 per square mile (73.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 77.00% White, 20.33% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.13% from other races
, and 2.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.38% of the population.
There were 332 households out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were married couples
living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. Nearly 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37, and the average family size was 3.03.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $18,462, and the median income for a family was $23,558. Males had a median income of $28,125 versus $17,083 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $11,533. About 34.0% of families and 39.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 49.8% of those under age 18 and 32.3% of those age 65 or over.
, Northside Baptist, and Hargis Baptist, all Southern Baptist in affiliation, a United Methodist Church, and a Pentecostal congregation. Northside was located on the main highway during the 1990s. The church building burned and was thereafter rebuilt on the same site. Hargis Church is located in the Hargis community east of Montgomery.
Montgomery High School, operated by the Grant Parish School Board
, is located adjacent to the Northside Baptist Church.
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 Grant Parish
Grant Parish, Louisiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 18,698 people, 7,073 households, and 5,276 families residing in the parish. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 8,531 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
, 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 787 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Alexandria
Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
Metropolitan Statistical Area. Founded in 1712, even before New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, Montgomery is situated on U.S. Highway 71 in the northwesternmost section of Grant Parish close to the boundary of Natchitoches and Winn parishes. It is located east of the Red River.
In the 1950s, Montgomery was known as one of the smaller communities in the state which could draw considerable crowds to political gatherings. William J. "Bill" Dodd, veteran Louisiana politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, in his memoirs Peapatch Politics: The Earl Long Era in Louisiana Politics, recalls a 1955 gathering in which he "eulogized" Huey Long
Huey Long
Huey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...
, Earl Long
Earl Long
Earl Kemp Long was an American politician and the 45th Governor of Louisiana for three non-consecutive terms. Long termed himself the "last of the red hot poppas" of politics, referring to his stump-speaking skills...
, and attorney general
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
candidate Jack P.F. Gremillion
Jack P.F. Gremillion
Jack Paul Faustin Gremillion, Sr. , was the Democratic attorney general of Louisiana from 1956-1972. He was a member of the Earl Kemp Long political faction. Though he opposed school desegregation, he was a party loyalist and was an elector for the John F. Kennedy--Lyndon B. Johnson presidential...
. Dodd satirized Gremillion's 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...
record: "Why he almost got killed himself when an enemy shell plowed into one of his most vital organs; if you don't believe Jack Gremillion earned his Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
, he will show you the scars he has to prove it." The scars were on Gremillion's rear end, much to the embarrassment of the successful candidate. From Montgomery, the Long train headed to the parish seat of Colfax
Colfax, Louisiana
Colfax is a town in and the parish seat of Grant Parish, Louisiana, United States. The town, founded in 1869, is named for the vice president of the United States, Schuyler M. Colfax , who served in the first term of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant, for whom the parish is named. Colfax is part of...
.
Geography
Montgomery is located at 31°39′58"N 92°53′12"W (31.666001, -92.886539) and has an elevation of 154 feet (46.9 m).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 2.1 square miles (5.4 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 787 people, 332 households, and 210 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 379.0 people per square mile (146.1/km²). There were 395 housing units at an average density of 190.2 per square mile (73.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 77.00% White, 20.33% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.13% from other races
Race (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 2.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.38% of the population.
There were 332 households out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% 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, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. Nearly 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37, and the average family size was 3.03.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $18,462, and the median income for a family was $23,558. Males had a median income of $28,125 versus $17,083 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 $11,533. About 34.0% of families and 39.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 49.8% of those under age 18 and 32.3% of those age 65 or over.
Community life
Montgomery-area churches include St. Patrick's Catholic Church, First BaptistBaptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
, Northside Baptist, and Hargis Baptist, all Southern Baptist in affiliation, a United Methodist Church, and a Pentecostal congregation. Northside was located on the main highway during the 1990s. The church building burned and was thereafter rebuilt on the same site. Hargis Church is located in the Hargis community east of Montgomery.
Montgomery High School, operated by the Grant Parish School Board
Grant Parish School Board
The Grant Parish School Board is an entity responsible for the operation of public schools in Grant Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is headquartered in the town of Colfax.-Secondary Schools:*Grades 9-12**Grant High School...
, is located adjacent to the Northside Baptist Church.
Notable people
- A. Leonard AllenA. Leonard AllenAsa Leonard Allen was an educator, attorney, and member of the United States House of Representatives from the state of Louisiana...
, late U.S. representative, once taught school in the Verda community east of Montgomery.
- Mary Dell Smith Fletcher (June 16, 1923—April 21, 2009) was a Grant Parish educator and civic leader from Montgomery. She was born in the Verda community to Littleton Mapp Smith and the former Jennie Woods. A 20-year professorProfessorA professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, she was also a retired chairman of the Graduate Studies Division at Northwestern State UniversityNorthwestern State UniversityNorthwestern State University, known as NSU, is a four-year public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the University of Louisiana System.NSU was founded in 1884 as...
in NatchitochesNatchitoches, LouisianaNatchitoches is a city in and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named after the Natchitoches Indian tribe. The City of Natchitoches was first incorporated on February...
. She procured her bachelor'sBachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and master's degree from NSU and her Ph.D.Ph.D.A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana State UniversityLouisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
in Baton RougeBaton Rouge, LouisianaBaton 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...
. She edited several collections of works in her speciality – the literature of the American South. In 1970, she served as president of the College Writers Society of Louisiana. Prior to her NSU career, Fletcher taught for five years at the former Colfax High School. She was a member of the First BaptistBaptistBaptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church of Montgomery, the Louisiana Pecan Festival, the Grant Parish Arts Council, and the Grant Parish Historical Society. She served for almost twenty-five years on the Grant Parish Library Board, including a stint as chairman. The widow of William P. "Will" Fletcher (1917–1999), a retired United States ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
colonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
and a former Grant Parish deputy sheriff, she was survived by a daughter, Janet F. Dyson of Baton Rouge, two grandsons, three great-grandchildren, and her brother, Maurice Smith, a former Montgomery High School principal and Grant Parish school superintendent. She is interred at Hargis Cemetery near Verda.
- Stephen L. "Steve" GunnStephen L. GunnStephen Lee "Steve" Gunn is the departing Independent mayor of his hometown of Montgomery in northern Grant Parish in north central Louisiana...
, former mayorMayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and former member of the Louisiana House of RepresentativesLouisiana 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...
- Lula WardlowLula WardlowLula Ethredge Wardlow was a businesswoman, United Methodist minister, and the first woman ever elected mayor of a Louisiana community. She served from 1926-1930 in Montgomery , a village in northern Grant Parish.Mrs. Wardlow was born in Grant Parish to Wesley Ethredge and the former Alpha Jane Baker...
, a Methodist minister and denominational leader, served as mayor from 1926–1930; great-aunt of Steve Gunn. She was the first woman to have served as mayor of a Louisiana community—only six years after ratificationRatificationRatification is a principal's approval of an act of its agent where the agent lacked authority to legally bind the principal. The term applies to private contract law, international treaties, and constitutionals in federations such as the United States and Canada.- Private law :In contract law, the...
of the Nineteenth AmendmentNineteenth Amendment to the United States ConstitutionThe Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits any United States citizen to be denied the right to vote based on sex. It was ratified on August 18, 1920....
to the United States ConstitutionUnited States ConstitutionThe Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
.
- Controversial child pageant star Makenzie, who made waves on TLC's Toddlers and Tiaras, is a resident. She is known for her bawdy sense of humor and for sucking on her "NiNi", her pacifier. She is 5 years old.