Document of the Month - 2018 Archive
We were pleased to begin these pages in April 2012 and have presented a variety of historical documents of interest to our members and visitors. This page is an archive of documents for the year 2018 in reverse chronological order.
1918 Influenza Pandemic
(12/1/18) The 1918 influenza pandemic was the most severe pandemic in recent history. It spread worldwide during 1918 and 1919. In the United States, it was first identified in military personnel in the spring of 1918. At Camp Beauregard, an army training camp located northeast of Pineville, Louisiana, the epidemic peaked in early October with over 4,000 cases. This month's document records the death of one soldier from Iowa, Arthur H. Klinge, age 31, a sergeant in Company B of the 29th Infantry. The names of his parents are not listed, but he was undoubtedly the eldest son of Henry Kling, a farmer from Germany, and his wife Ida, listed on the 1910 Iowa census in Farmersburg Township of Clayton County. Klinge died on the 1st of December 1918 of influenza, broncho pneumonia, and pleurisy suppuration. His death certificate can be found at the Louisiana State Archives (Statewide Deaths, 1918, vol. 50, #22872)
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End of World War I
(11/1/18) November 11th marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. In recognition of this, November's document features the death certificate of Claire Lee Chennault, who served in the Army Air Service during WWI and as commander of the Chinese Air Force, a group of American military pilots nicknamed the "Flying Tigers" during World War II. Although born in Texas, Chennault grew up in Louisiana and attended LSU from 1909 to 1910. At the time of his death from lung cancer at Ochsner Hospital in New Orleans in 1958, he was 67 years old. His parents were J.S. Chennault and Jessie Lee, natives of Gilbert, in Franklin Parish. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery (Louisiana State Archives, Orleans Deaths, 1958, vol. 12, #414). For a copy of his World War I discharge record, see the November 2013 Document of the Month.
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Sesquicentennial of Iberia Parish, 1868-2018
(10/1/18) Iberia Parish was created from St. Martin and St. Mary Parishes on October 30, 1868. In recognition of its Sesquicentennial, this month's document is a portion of the 1898 Iberia Parish Voter Registration Roll. Included in each entry is the voter's name; age; race; nativity; residence; occupation; time of residence in state, parish, and ward; year born; and when and where naturalized. In an attempt to disenfranchise African American and poor, illiterate whites, the Louisiana Constitution of 1898 included a "Grandfather Clause" which stated that no male would be disenfranchised if he, his father, or grandfather had been a registered voter on January 1, 1867. Most, but not all African American voters were disenfranchised, as some could prove descent from a white man. The information in these rolls may, therefore, provide important family links not available elsewhere. The 1898 rolls include registrations for 55 of Louisiana's 64 parishes. They, along with the 1913 rolls, are found on microfilm at the Louisiana State Archives in a collection entitled Voter Registration: 1898 & 1913 (P1975-28).
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Lucius Hamilton Hayward Death Certificate, 1937
(9/1/18) July's Document featured the founder of Tabasco Sauce while September's Document recognizes another iconic Louisiana brand, Camellia Brand. Lucius Hamilton Hayward, Jr., founded L.H. Hayward and Company in 1923 to sell red beans in the French Quarter of New Orleans. He named the brand Camellia after his wife's favorite flower. His son would later come up with the revolutionary idea of packaging beans in individuals bags for consumers to purchase in the grocery store. L.H. Hayward, Jr., died on the 12th of September 1937 at the age of 56. His death certificate indicates he was married to Bessie B. Hart, a merchandise broker, and the son of Lucius H. Hayward and Ann E. Campbell. He is buried in Metairie Cemetery. The document can be found at the Louisiana State Archives (Orleans Deaths, 1937, vol. 210, p. 772).
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Marie Seebold Molinary Death Certificate, 1948
(8/1/18)
Born in 1866 into an artistic New Orleans family, Marie Seebold studied art in New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago. She began exhibiting her work in 1881 and won many prizes. She is known for her still life paintings, but she also painted portraits, landscapes, and other scenes. She worked as a graphic designer and taught art at the Delgado Museum of Art in New Orleans. This month's document is her death certificate indicating she died in New Orleans on the 19th of August 1948 at the age of 82. She was the daughter of William Emile Seebold and Lisette Boehm and was the widow of Andres Molinary. The document can be found at the Louisiana State Archives (Orleans Deaths, 1948, vol. 224, #4818).
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Edward Avery McIlhenny Death Certificate, 1949
(7/1/18) In 1868, Edmund McIlhenny grew his first commercial pepper crop on Avery Island. The next year, he sent out 658 bottles of his pepper sauce to grocers in and around New Orleans. He called it "Tabasco," which has become famous around the world. This month's document pays tribute to the 150th anniversary of McIlhenny's company. Featured here is the death certificate of his son, Edward Avery McIlhenny, who was born on Avery Island the 29th of March 1872. He served as President of the company from 1898 until his death on the 8th of August 1949. The document can be found at the Louisiana State Archives (Statewide Deaths, 1949, vol. 9, #659)
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Jayne Mansfield Death Certificate, 1967
(6/1/18) Jayne Mansfield was a film and television star of the 1950s and 1960s. Born Vera Jane Palmer, she took the name Mansfield from her first husband and added a "y" to Jane. She was killed in 1967 on her way from Biloxi, Mississippi, to New Orleans, where she was to appear on a local television show, when the car in which she was traveling crashed into the rear of a tractor-trailer that had slowed. She and two others in the front seat were killed instantly, while her three children sleeping in the back seat suffered minor injuries. Her death led to the installation of a guard, sometimes referred to as a "Mansfield bar," on all tractor-trailers. This month's document is her death certificate, filed under the name of her second husband, Hargitay. It indicates that she died on the 29th of June 1967 about one mile west of Rigolets on Highway 90. She was the daughter of Herbert William Palmer and Vera Jeffery of Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania. The document can be found at the Louisiana State Archives (Orleans Deaths, 1967, vol. 0, #4357).
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Willie Francis Death Certificate, 1947
(5/1/18)
This month's document is the death certificate of Willie Francis, a teenaged African American who is believed to be the first survivor of a failed execution by electrocution in the United States. Francis was convicted of the murder of Andrew Thomas, a pharmacy owner in St. Martinville, and sentenced to death. In the first attempt to electrocute him, the chair failed, and was later found to be improperly set up by a drunken prison guard and inmate. His case was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, but rejected. Francis was returned to the electric chair on May 9, 1947, and successfully executed. His death certificate (Louisiana State Archives, Statewide Deaths, 1947, vol. 6, #482) indicates that the was born in St. Martinville in 1929, the son of Frederick Francis and Louise Taylor. Two books, a documentary, and a novel are based on the life and death of Willie Francis.
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Robert Tallant Death Certificate, 1957
(4/1/18) Robert Tallant was a New Orleans writer noted for his short stories and articles of local interest. He worked as an editor for the Louisiana Writers' Project of the WPA, during which time he completed the writing of Gumbo Ya-Ya, a compilation of Louisiana folklore. His 1951 The Pirate Lafitte and the Battle of New Orleans won the Louisiana Library Association award for the best book of that year. In 1952 his revision of the New Orleans City Guide was published by Houghton Mifflin. During the last years of his life, Tallant lectured in English at Newcomb College and worked as a reporter for the New Orleans Item. He died in New Orleans 1 April 1957. His obituary in The Times Picayune described him as "a writer of unique abilities that fit perfectly his unique setting." His death certificate featured here identifies his parents as James Tallant, a native of New Orleans, and Lucy Magruder, a native of Louisiana. The original is on file at the Louisiana State Archives (Orleans Deaths, 1957, vol. 0, #2310). His papers are available at the New Orleans Public Library.
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Mose "Toots" Johnson Death Certificate, 1928
(3/1/18) Mose "Toots" Johnson was a well-known Baton Rouge band leader of the early 1900s. While in his 20s, he founded a two-piece orchestra consisting of himself on the banjo and Little William on the harmonica. They played for dances of the lower river country and became much in demand. Eventually, they added a third member on the cornet. References to Toots Johnson's orchestra are found in the Baton Rouge newspaper throughout the 1920s. He fell ill a year before his death, but his orchestra played on. According to his death certificate, featured as this month's document, Mose Johnson died on Liberty Street in Baton Rouge on the 26th of March 1928. He was 54 years old, a bandmaster, and the son of James Johnson of Baton Rouge and Martha Sanford of Clinton. He was buried in Sweet Olive Cemetery. (Louisiana State Archives, Statewide Deaths, 1928, vol. 8, #3355). Upon his death, the Baton Rouge Chief of Police eulogized Toots as a generous contributor to charity, always willing to perform at charitable events. A related document regarding his funeral charges appears as the November 2017 Document of Month.
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Old New Orleans
(2/1/18) In recognition of New Orleans' Tricentennial, this month's document is a photograph featuring the Café Du Monde, an historic coffee house on Decatur Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The corner of Jackson Square can be seen to the left. The photo is undated, but appears to be from around the 1930s or 1940s. The photo was taken by John B. Gasquet and can be found in the J. Dawson and Mark Cordes Gasquet Collection: 1920-1970 (Image 21C 1, Accession N1993-28), at the Louisiana State Archives. It is reproduced here with the permission of the Louisiana State Archives.
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Jack Teagarden Death Certificate, 1964
(1/1/18) Jack Weldon Teagarden was a jazz trombonist and singer. Born in Texas in 1905, he came from a musical family and learned to play many musical instruments at a young age. As a professional musician, he played with Louis Armstrong and many notable band leaders. He also formed his own orchestras and had a successful recording career. Teagarden fell ill during a Christmas Eve performance in New Orleans and died there on January 15, 1964. His remains were flown to Los Angeles for burial in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills. This month's document is his death certificate from the Louisiana State Archives (Orleans Deaths, 1964, vol. 0, #406).
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