LAST CIVIL WAR SHOT FIRED IN 1945?

A column in the June 25, 1953 issue of the Banner-Progress told of a woman from the small town of Pelican, Louisiana in Desoto Parish who claimed that the last shot of the Civil War was fired in 1945.

“When was the last shell of the Civil War shot?”

“Mrs. D. H. Rust, of Pelican, La., says it was fired on May 5, 1945, at Pelican, which should establish something unique in history.”

“Mrs. Rust fortifies her claim in the following statement which she sent to the Banner-Progress: A good many years ago while Mr. Spencer Phillips was principal of the Pelican High School, one of the students brought him a shell that had been picked up in the woods along the Jefferson Highway between Pelican and Mansfield. Mr. Phillips liked relics of past history, and found the shell one of the type used in the Civil War, so it was obvious that the shell had been lost by a soldier who engaged in the battle of Mansfield:

“The shell was placed in a cabinet used to store Indian relics and other objects of past history. On May 5, 1945, Mr. A.E. Robinson, who was then principal of the school, on examining the shell, decided it had not been shot. He gave it, with other refuse, to the janitor [S]am McGraw, to be burned in a wire basket. In a few minutes such an explosion burst out that workmen and citizens came running to fin[d] out the cause. Mr. Robinson says that Sam McGraw, the janitor, fired the last shot of the Civil War, 81 years late.”

Have some fun with local history by visiting the Bossier Parish Library Historical Center.

By: Ann Middleton

Second Sunday Showings

The Historical Center is starting free monthly movie showings! Join us for our "Second Sunday Screenings" where we will feature history-based films. All movies will be shown in the Historical Center meeting room. Complimentary popcorn and drinks will be provided.

Call us at 318-746-7717 to find out which movie selection is playing each month!

Ratings will be posted when available and parents or guardians are solely responsible for deciding what their child may view. Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian (18 or older). ID will be required for any movie rated R.

Seats are strictly limited to 50 on a first come first served basis and movies begin promptly.

MENTION OF GEORGIA PEOPLE IN BOSSIER PARISH

Mr. J. T. Manry at Plain Dealing School in 1939 celebrating his 88th birthday.

The November 22, 1928 issue of the Bossier Banner noted that a number of Bossier Parish residents originally came here from Georgia.

“Our attention has been called to a brief article appearing in last week’s issue of the News-Gazette, published in Barnesville, Ga., three paragraphs of which read:

“’Though nearly a thousand miles from Lamar County, there is a former citizen, Mr. L. S. Moore, who is making good at his chosen profession, that of a construction engineer.’”

“Up in the northwest corner of Louisiana, hardly an hour’s drive from Texas or Arkansas, Mr. Moore has been retained by the municipality of Plain Dealing to superintend the construction of a large water supply and sewerage disposal plant. The town got its name from the first settler, who we also understand was from Georgia, and had named his estate by that name, ‘that those about him may know that wealth would never turn his head.’ And when the Cotton Belt railroad, a pet of the late Jay Gould, came through the town took on a progressive spirit. Seven years ago it had built a $112,000 school plant, only to build another this year to care for the overflow of children.”

“Natural gas is produced within nine miles of the town, and close by are oil wells spouting forth their contribution to the resources of the people, many of whom went from Georgia thirty or more years ago. Mr. Moore tells of meeting Mr. J. T. Manry, a brother of the Messrs. John T. and Ben H. Manry, of the Goggans community, this county. Mr. Manry left here sixty years ago, after finishing an apprenticeship under Joel Chandler Harris on the Monroe Advertiser, Forsyth. Other homefolk nearby are Mr. and Mrs. Albright, Mrs. Albright being a descendant of the Potts Family, of this county.”

To discover more about the origins of early families of Bossier Parish visit the Bossier Parish Library Historical Center.

By: Ann Middleton

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A FEW EARLY BOSSIER PARISH SCHOOL TEACHERS NAMED

Prof. J. E. Johnston

Just a few days before school opened in Bossier Parish, The Bossier Banner recalled several
early school teachers in the parish. The September 8, 1938 issue named some of the first school
teachers.

“… Jim Manry, veteran newspaper writer, who resides in Plain Dealing, writes in to suggest that
the proper authorities take steps to secure the pictures of two pioneer Bossier Parish school
teachers [and] have them framed and displayed in the proper schools so that present and future
generations of school pupils might ‘know them.’”

“As [Manry] says: Miss Birdie Scott, daughter of the late Dr. J.J. Scott, a one-time resident of
Red Land, up in North Bossier, was the first teacher in Bossier City. As some ten students was
considered the minimum number to make up a class at that time, Miss Scott had to exact tuition
from her pupils, since she began her class with but five.”

“Miss Birdie is now Mrs. Blackman, beloved wife of the late Dr. R.H. Blackman, of
Shreveport.”

“Bossier City’s second teacher was Miss Mary Gilmer, a resident of Plain Dealing. Her school
was located at the foot of the old V. S. and P. bridge, then used by the railway and for vehicular
traffic and before her death she often told many amusing stories of the children’s actions when
the late Dr. T. E. Schumpert would drive over the bridge, in full view of the school children, in
his automobile, the first one in this section and the first one to be seen by the students. ‘They’d
crowd into the door and windows to catch a glimpse of the “gasoline buggy,”’ Miss Gilmer said.
This was about 1886. Miss Mary taught in Plain Dealing for many years, before her passing.”

“Another bit of interesting history of education in Bossier Parish concerns Plain Dealing High
School, which was founded by the late S. J. Zeigler and the late Prof. J.
E. Johnston. The first day
of school there were 14 students to enroll. Now there are nearly 1000 attending this school
which is steadily growing.”

The archival collection of the Bossier Parish Library Historical Center contains quite a lot of
information about the growth of schools in Bossier Parish. Pay us a visit to learn more!

By: Ann Middleton

TOWN OF GOLDEN RULE NAMED BOOMING TRADE CENTER

The Bossier Banner-Progress proclaimed the virtues of Plain Dealing in its January 1, 1959
issue.

"Plain Dealing, the simplest name for Golden Rule, passed on from Gilmer’s plantation to the
incorporated village in 1888, has continuously been the guiding motto in the minds of her
citizenry since that day.”

“Today, January 1, 1959, we are that same municipality, a fast growing town, featuring that
principle in the greatest trade expansion in its history. There seems to be a real upsurge in the
enthusiasm of all our business firms and with a real appreciation for the growing sentiment
among our people that home trading is by far better especially when we have all commodities
easily available and at prices that are certainly not excelled for savings.”

“By way of diverging, it seems that just the wear and tear from Benton north, by far over
balances any savings that could be found on the ordinary household buyings. In this matter we
checked with the best prices offered in Shreveport metropolitan area and the balance seemed to
fall in favor of Plain Dealing.”

“It isn’t a case of people being strange. They, like all of us, like to be appreciated and that is just
what adherence to the Golden Rule ideal implies.”

“In talking to one of our hustling young businessmen recently, he said, ‘Mr. Phillips [F. G.
Phillips was the editor of The Bossier Banner-Progress in 1959] we really appreciate the new
business we are receiving and we do our best to make them know it. We just like new friends,
too.’”

“We predict that this new year will be the greatest in Plain Dealing history in which event we all
should be more grateful and in humility offer our thanks to a beneficent Providence.”

To learn more about the captivating history of Plain Dealing visit the Bossier Parish Library
Historical Center.

By: Ann Middleton

SOUTHERN BELLE TO BEGIN OPERATIONS

The August 22, 1940 issue of the Bossier Banner announced the beginning of operations for train service between Kansas City and New Orleans.

“Beginning regular schedule Monday, September 2^nd, the Kansas City Southern-Louisiana and Arkansas Railway will inaugurate the ‘Southern Belle,’ streamlined train service, between Kansas City and New Orleans.”

“Described as the ‘Sweetheart of American Trains,’ the three new super-streamlined aluminum trains will offer the traveling public served by these lines unexcelled service and comfort, available on few railways in this country.”

“The inaugural run of the train will be made Friday of this week, when the train will carry railway officials, newspaper men and contestants for the ‘Miss Southern Belle’ beauty contest.  This contest, sponsored by the lines, will see 13 beauties, from as many cities along the route, vie with each other for the honor of being the new streamliner’s sponsor with the title of ‘typical Southern Belle.’ “

“Since Saturday of last week the trains of the line have been using the mammouth [sic] Mississippi River Bridge at Baton Rouge, thus eliminating the ferry at Angola.  A short section of trackage of the Texas and Pacific, from Torrence to Baton Rouge, is being utilized to get from the capital city, via the new bridge, to Torrence.  It is expected that when the piece of track has been improved, and improvements are already planned, the scheduled, already shortened considerably by the use of the old L.R. and N. line, via Coushatta and Alexandria, and the use of the new bridge, will be curtailed even more.”

“A bird’s-eye view of the train on paper shows that it offers all the comforts and conveniences that modern science and engineering skill can provide.  It is powered by diesel engines, eliminating smoke and dust.  It is air conditioned throughout.  Although each of the three trains purchased for this service is an articulated unit, they are designed to use standard equipment if the need arises.”

“The trains include baggage, mail and express car: chair cars, lounge, diner and bar car and ten-section bedrooms.  There are bedrooms for day use by weary travelers.”

“The inauguration of this Kansas City to New Orleans service will provide faster, more comfortable travel for people from the Middle West to the port of New Orleans.  It is predicted by many that these trains will result in increased passenger travel through Shreveport, to New Orleans and Port Arthur, also served by the lines.”

“Officials of the lines have announced that the train will remain in New Orleans through Sunday, on display to the public.  It will then be brought back to Baton Rouge, where it will be open to the public until it comes to Shreveport, to be open to public inspection between the hours of eight a.m. and nine p.m., Thursday, August 29^th.”

“While the train is in New Orleans a full program of entertainment is planned for those who make the trip.  The sponsor-beauty contest, a dance, sightseeing and other pleasures have been planned by the railway.”

“It is expected that scores of Bossier Parish people, especially those who have availed themselves of the splendid service offered by the lines on ‘The Hustler,’ The Shreveporter’ and the ‘Flying Crow’ in the past will visit and inspect the ‘Southern Belle’ while it is on display in Shreveport.”

The train whose operating speed was 40-42 mph, ended service on November 3, 1969.

Learn more about the train lines in and out of Northwest Louisiana when you visit the Bossier Parish Library Historical Center.

By: Ann Middleton

Read & React: 1 Book, 4 Evenings