ALLEN PARISH by John Berton Gremillion

Allen Parish as an entity dates back only to 1912. Before that time, however, its identity merges retrogressively into that of “Imperial Calcasieu”, still farther back into that of St. Landry; and finally becomes absorbed in the vast region of southwest Louisiana known under French and Spanish dominion as the “Opelousas District”. This was the hunting grounds of the Opelousas Indians, a branch of the savage Attakapas, known and feared as “man-eaters”.

The parish of Allen was named by Governor Jared Y. Sanders in honor of Henry Watkins Allen, Confederate governor of three-fourths of Louisiana from 1864 to 1865. During that one year, by using Confederate money for trade with Mexico, he did such significant work for the restoration of industry in the state that he has been called the single great administrator produced by the Confederacy.

Little is known of the very early settlers of this region, and no definite effort at colonization was made until the latter half of the 18^th century. This section was off the regular trade routes, which converged at Natchitoches; it lay also in that “no man’s land” between the French Louisiana and the Spanish Mexico. The limits of this disputed territory were never definitely defined, except that it lay between the Rio Hondo and the Sabine River in the Natchitoches district, and extended into lower Louisiana east of the Sabine and west of the Calcasieu River. However, owing to the distance from Spanish posts and to the scarcity of permanent settlers, the boundary question here never assumed the importance it reached in Natchitoches, except in so far as it affected land titles.

The earliest efforts at colonization followed the cession to Spain in 1763. In 1769, Alexander O’Reilly, having found the total population of the Opelousas district to be only 409 persons, encouraged settlers by large grants for land, including cattle, provisions, and farming implements. It is possible that many of the Acadians who arrived in Louisiana between 1765 and 1790 found their way into this prairie country. Under O’Reilly’s proclamation all grants of land in the Opelousas district were limited to one square league. Records show many tracts given to Spanish, French, and English grantees between the Calcasieu and the Sabine River. The impetus thus given colonization had by 1788 brought the population to 1985. These grants, though often unrecorded, caused no contention so long as Spain owned Louisiana. After the United States acquired the territory, the Spanish claims, particularly in this neutral strip, became the subject of extensive litigation in Washington. By the terms of the Treaty of 1819, which gave the entire area to the United States, this country agreed to recognize the Spanish grants wherever proof of such ownership could be established. In 1823 Congress passed an act providing for the execution of the titles to the land in the neutral strip, and agreed to take, in default of any authentic data, the testimony of reliable witnesses. Prominent among these were Jose Mora, Samuel Davenport, and Jose Flores, each of whom established rights to vast areas in what is now Allen Parish.

Allen Parish lies in the prairie section of Louisiana, and is bisected by the Calcasieu River. The soil is classified as prairie, Pine Hills, and wooded lowlands. Formerly this region was considered very low grade land, suitable only for grazing and timber. Stock raising became the chief industry of the early settlers, who furnished New Orleans with many thousands of cattle annually. On the rich lands bordering the rivers and bayous, cotton, corn, and rice were produced. About 1885 a revolution in industry took place here. Previously the culture of rice had been confined to the lowlands along the streams. The discovery that the prairie is under laid by a substratum of hard-pan which retains irrigation water changed the whole process of rice culture in southwest Louisiana. A group of farmers from the Midwest came into the district, bringing northern methods of cultivation. Within the past fifty years, modern machinery, more productive varieties of seed, and improved milling processes have transformed this region into the greatest rice producing area of the nation.

Much of the virgin forest of Allen was cut for lumber before the organization of the parish. Reforestation has been intensively practiced in the past twenty-five years, so that today lumber mills are again active. Cotton, sweet potatoes, and Satsuma oranges are good money crops for the farmers, while experiments as to the adaptability of the soil for tung oil appear promising.

The present day Allen Parish governmental system is the result of compromises between various conflicting social and political ideas. The years before the Civil War were marked by the struggle between Latin and Anglo-Saxon political ideas, with the final outcome a modification of the Latin system. The period from 1861 to 1898 was primarily one of transition, evolution and reorganization in local affairs, embittered by violent radical and political differences. Since the adoption of the Constitution of 1898 there has been comparatively little change, except that a few new offices and boards have been created.

In 1910, an act was passed by the legislature providing for the creation of Allen Parish. The effect of this act, however, was made contingent upon a majority vote for Calcasieu Parish in favor of the creation of this new parish, and upon the territory which was to be set apart showing more than 7,000 inhabitants in the United States census of that year. Because of a disagreement over the number of new parishes to be formed from “Imperial Calcasieu,” as well as the division lines between them, an election was held in 1911 selecting 118 delegates to a parish wide division convention, which was held in the Arcade Theatre in Lake Charles in February of 1912. The report of this convention was the basis for the acts of 1912, which created Allen, Beauregard, and Jefferson Davis parishes.

The provisions of an act of 1910 were declared null and void insofar as they conflicted with the provisions of the creating act. Because of this, police jurors were elected instead of being appointed by the governor, at an election held on the third Tuesday of December 1912. The parish was divided into five police jury and justice of the peace wards. At the same election, a clerk of court and ex-officio recorder, who also acted as registrar of voters, justices of the peace, a sheriff, and ex-officio tax collector, constables, and a coroner were elected.

As now constituted, the police jury is the principal administrative and legislative agency of the parish.

Let us take a closer look at the residents of Allen Parish. In 1950 the total population of the parish was 18, 835. In 1960 total population figures for the parish were 19,867.

In addition, Allen Parish has experienced a very slight change from rural to urban status. For example, in 1950 the resident population of the parish residing in urban areas represented 29.7 percent of the population. Latest figures available for 1960 indicated more urban residents in the parish than at any other time with 33.3 percent reported. However, Allen Parish remains a highly rural area with approximately 67 percent of the population classified as rural farm and non-farm.

Furthermore, Allen Parish is, population wise, comparatively young. The average age per person in1960 was 24.3 years as compared with the average of 25.3 years. There were approximately 2,537 children under 5 years of age in Allen Parish in 1960 and 8,440 of the total population of 19,867 were under 18 years of age.

Allen Parish has a background which is predominantly agricultural. Diversified farming has met with increasing popularity; and today, corn, rice,
sweet potatoes cotton, and other crops as well as livestock contribute to the agricultural income.

According to latest census figures, there are approximately 767 farms in Allen Parish. The average size of these farms is approximately 196 acres as compared with 109 acres in 1954. The approximate land area of the parish is 496,000 acres of which 14,880 acres, or 30 percent, are in farms. Most recent figures available indicate that 1,3317 acres were planted in corn with a production of 33,904 bushels, 22,114 acres of rice produced 391,280 barrels, 96 acres were planted in sweet potatoes with a yield of 9,930 bushels, and 277 acres of cotton produced 171 bales. In addition, sale of dairy products proved to be a source of income for many Allen Parish farmers. Farm income derived from dairy products amounted to $39,415. Too, poultry and poultry products sold increased to $119,309 in 1959. For example, 190,510 dozens of eggs, 82,970 chickens were sold in 1959. The value of sales of livestock and livestock products has products has increased from $680,761 in 1954 to $1,075,119 in 1959.

Tree fruits, nuts, and grapes are found in limited and abundant scale in Allen Parish. For example, peaches 65 bushels; pears 850 bushels; plums; figs; and pecans 10,400 pounds are harvested throughout the area.

The total value of all farm products sold in 1959 by farmers in Allen Parish amounted to $4,159,895 or an average of $5,424 per farm. This

average was considerably higher than the parish average of $3,449 in 1954 and higher than the state average of $4,503 in 1959.

In the decade 1952-62, the school age population in Allen Parish has risen from 5,892 to 5,992. This represents an increase of 2 percent. The state average for the same period was up to 36 percent. Meanwhile the number of high school graduates increased approximately 82 percent having risen from 146 to 266 in the same period.

The enrollment of more children in school plus the enrichment of the instructional program in various subject matter areas have necessitated the addition of numerous public school teachers. In 1952, a total of 166 teachers were employed. Today the number is 219. Ten years ago only 72 percent of the teaching staff had earned four or more years of college as compared with 90 percent of the staff with four or more years of college preparation at the present time.

An excellent measure of the importance of education and the support provided the program is the mount of money expended for the education of each public school child. In 1952 Allen Parish was spending about $206. Today, the amount is $395. The increase of 92 percent exceeds the state average. In addition, the bonded debt per school age child has risen from $107 in 1952 to $211 in 1962 – up 97 percent. Investments in school facilities - that is buildings, sites, and equipment have increased more than 100 percent since 1952. Today, investments in facilities exceed $1,439,434 as compared with $3,757,439 in 1952. The people of Allen Parish are to be commended for their outstanding support and interest in the public school program.

Louisiana has a ten year tax exemption law for the benefit of industrial expansion. An important index of the extent of industrialization which has occurred in a parish is best exemplified by the approved value of manufacturing plants under active ten-year contracts as of December 31, 1961. Since 1956 total tax exemptions have amounted to $5,051,934.01. These investments represent a significant contribution in the economy of the area, and continued growth and expansion will add considerably to the future of Allen Parish.

In 1956, a total of 3,001 residents in Allen Parish were employed. Of this total 64 percent were engaged in manufacturing, 16 percent were employed in trade occupations, and 6 percent were in mining. Service occupations accounted for 5 percent of the work force in the parish.

In 1961, manufacturing was the leading occupation of 58 percent of the working force. Trade and service were also very active and leading occupations of Allen Parish.

Average weekly earnings increased from $58.91 in 1956 to $75.38 in 1961. This increase represented a rise of 28 percent. The rate for the state for the same period was 19.5 percent.

Retail sales in Allen Parish increased 10 percent from 1956 to 1961. In comparison the state average for the same period was 12.8 percent.

Assessments in Allen Parish have increased from approximately $10,877,510 to about $15,040,990 or up 38 percent. These data reflect the growth and progress made in Allen Parish.

In 1962 the leading minerals and produce severed from the soil in Allen Parish were gas, oil and distillate. Other minor products were timber and pulpwood. As a result of these minerals, severance tax collections increased from $411,634.53 to $731,709.79 in the period 1957-1962. This source has provided Allen Parish with additional revenue.

Item	1956	1962	%
1. Effective buying income (000)	$20,144.00	$22,077.00	10
2. Per capita income	1,012.00	1,088.00 (?)
3. Income per family or households	3,730.00	4,014.00
4. Income breakdown of households	--	--
a. $0-$2499	42.9%	46.1%
b. $2500-$3999	31.9%	22.4%
c. $4000-$6999	18.8%	21.7%
d. $7000-$9999	4.1%	5.5%
e. $10,000 and over	2.3%	4.3%
5. State average - per capita	1,286.00	1,431.00
6. U. S. average - per capita	1,682.00	1,967.00

Item	1956	1961
1. Industrial Exemptions	--	$5,051,934.01
2. Assessments	$10,877,510.00	$15,040,990.00

Item	1956	1962
1. Severance Tax collected	$411,634.53	$731,709.79
2. Major resources (Taxes more than $10,000)
a.	Oil	Gas
b.	Distillate	Oil
c.	Gas	Distillate
3. Minor resources (Taxes less than $10,000)
a.	Timber	Timber
b.	Pulpwood	Pulpwood
c.	Natural and Casinghead Gasoline	Natural and Casinghead Gasoline

Item	1955		1961		%
1. Annual average weekly earnings in establishments	$58.91		$75.38		28
2. Total wages paid in employments covered	9,082,191.00		10,661,312.00
3. Employment by parish in:	No.	%	No.	%
a. Mining	187	6	70	3
b. Construction	108	4	51	2
c. Manufacturing	1,910	64	1,557	58
d. Transportation	145	5	233	9
e. Trade	481	16	507	19
f. Finance	6	.002	81	3
g. Service	143	5	143	5
h. Others	21	.008	28	1
i. Total	3,001		2,670