Size: 8.3 linear feet
Geographic location: Alexandria
Inclusive date: 1860-1969
Bulk date: 1910-1942
Language: English
Related collections: William Polk papers, Charles Mulholland papers.
Scope and content: The collection, donated by Howard M. Mulder and Elosie Ferris Mulder, spans more than 100 years of business dealings at Ashton Plantation. The bulk of the collection is from 1910-1942, when Harry S. Burrowes owned and operated the property. The collection covers business correspondence, financial statements, bill of sales, plantation inventories, business receipts, as well as land surveys and other business related items.
Series
Ledgers
There were a total of 21 bound business ledgers that were found in the donated trunk. The ledgers include a wide range of business items including: Farm equipment, cash journals, time books, cotton transactions, business expenses, pay roll and inventory. The dates of the entries range from 1908 to 1948, and many of the ledgers skip back-and-forth in time periods. The ledgers were in average condition with several of them, missing several pages, while some others were left blank.
Ledger Pages
There were more than 200 loose ledger pages found underneath the 21 bound ledgers in the trunk. The ledgers are a combination of pages that have been ripped out of ledger books, while others are oversized ledger pages. These pages are primarily dated between the years 1938-42.
Business Correspondence
There were several letters and notes sent to Harry S. Burrowes from business associates. The majority of the letters deals with purchasing or selling of land, sugar cane and back-and-forth correspondence with law firms. The majority of correspondence is dated between 1910-1940.
Bill of Sales
This series consists of bill of sales, with primarily the majority of them being land deeds from the state of Louisiana, as well as oil and gas leases. The majority of records are from the years 1910-1925.
Letters Box
This series stems from the partially alphabetized filing box, which had an array of business correspondence and financial records. This series mainly consists of business receipts concerning Ashton Plantation, from the years 1910-20. The receipts primarily come from grocery stores, garage & repair shops, hardware stores, farm implements dealers and shipping orders.
Trunk
The entire collection was donated inside a vintage trunk by Herkert & Meisel, based out of St. Louis, Missouri. A few of the leather straps for the trunk had been removed or had deteriorated.
Biography/history: Harry S. Burrowes owned and operated Ashton Plantation in the early part of the 20th century. The plantation was located on La. Highway 1 about five miles east of Alexandria. Burrowes came in possession of the property when he married Mary Eloise Polk Ferris in 1910. Eloise had spent the majority of her life on the site of Ashton Plantation, which was originally constructed in 1802 on land acquired from Charles Mulholland. Mary Eloise was born on Sept. 4th, 1864 at a refugee camp on the Sabine River in Texas. With the Union army approaching as part of the Red River Campaign, her family buried the family silver and other valuables and abandoned the plantation. When the family returned, the plantation home had been burnt to the ground, but the family rebuilt on the existing site where Mary Eloise grew up. She married David S. Ferris, from a distinguished New York family, on January 20th, 1885. The couple divorced four years later, with Mary Eloise received Ashton Plantation as part of the divorce settlement. The 770-acre estate was sold by the Hudson family, who renamed the property as Hudson Plantation, to George and Albert Eugene Yarbrough from Arkansas for $237,500 in December of 1965.
Citation: Ashton Plantation Papers, James C. Bolton Library, LSU Alexandria, Alexandria, LA.
Bailey’s Dam
Ezra Bennett Papers
MS06.2009
Size: One folder
Geographic locations: Cheneyville and Bayou Rouge, LA
Dates: April 1843-September 1846, November 1854-March 1855
Language: English
Related collection: Sue Eakin Faculty Papers
Location: Small Collections
Scope and content: Six sets of ledger fragments constitute the extent of this collection. Most of the ledger fragments belonged to Ezra and contain invoices and inventories in addition to purchases and transactions. The final fragment was Maunsel’s.
Biography/history: Ezra Bennett operated a country store in Cheneyville, Louisiana, from 1836-1854, at which time his son, Maunsel, took over the business until 1857. Ezra operated his store during an economic depression and was known to extend credit to his customers under liberal repayment provisions. He often struggled to make a profit from the store. In contrast, the store turned large profits from 1854-1855 under the management of Maunsel. No records for the store exist after 1855.[1]
Citation: Ezra Bennett Papers, Central Louisiana Collections, James C. Bolton Library, Louisiana State University at Alexandria, Alexandria LA.
[1] James, Clayton D. “The Tribulations of a Bayou Boeuf Store Owner, 1836-1857,” Louisiana History, Vol. IV, No. 3, Summer 1963, p. 243-256.
Historic Newspapers Collection
MS 01.2009
Language: English
Citation: Historic Newspapers Collection, Central Louisiana Collections, James C. Bolton Library, LSU Alexandria, Alexandria LA.
The Pictorial Democrat, Alexandria LA, Wednesday March 15, 1863
The Caucasian, Alexandria LA, vol. 1, no. 14, Saturday June 11, 1874
The New Orleans Times, New Orleans LA, Sunday June 13, 1875
Our Home and Fireside Magazine, Portland ME, vol. 6, no 12, June 1979; vol. 7, no. 12, June 1880
The Indiana State Sentinel, Indianapolis IN, vol. 22, no. 6, Sunday June 30, 1862
The Cincinnati Weekly Enquirer, Cincinnati OH, Wednesday morning November 9, 1881, pages 7-8
The Shreveport Times, Shreveport LA, Tuesday November 12, 1918
Mulholland-Polk Family Papers
Number: MS03.2009
Size: One folder, plus 5 certificates
Collection location: Small Collections and Oversized Collections
Geographic location: Bayou Boeuf, Louisiana; New Orleans, Louisiana
Inclusive dates: 11.18.1839-2.20.1857
Bulk dates: 11.18.1839
Language: English
Related Collection: Manning-Compton Collection
Additional information: A transcription exists online through the US GenWeb Project http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/rapides/wills/estate/mulhollan.txt
Scope and content: This collection contains a diary, a “Memorandum Book,” and five deeds of sale for the purchase of slaves.
Biography/history:
Charles Mulholland the first cultivator of Ashton Plantation. He died in July 1846 and was buried on the plantation. Mulholland was one of the board of directors for the Red River Railway which was organized in 1832 and was said to be the first railroad that was constructed west of the Mississippi River.
“ William Polk (1821-1898), a sugar planter of Ashton Plantation near Alexandria in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, was the son of Thomas G. Polk (1791-1869) and Mary Eloise Trotter Polk. He was married in 1857 to Rebecca Eveline Lamar (fl. 1840-1858) of Macon, Georgia, daughter of Jefferson J. Lamar (d.1840) of Stewart County, Georgia. William and Rebecca Lamar Polk had three children: Alice, William, Jr., and Mary Eloise.” http://www.youngsanders.org/manuscript_resources.htm
Citation: Mulholland-Polk Family Papers, Central Louisiana Collections, James C. Bolton Library, LSU Alexandria, Alexandria LA
Inventory
Series 1: Mulholland Papers
Scope and content: The diary notes weather conditions and daily doings of Charles Mulholland and his family from 1849-1853, and the memorandum book, dated June 2, 1840 and addressed to his estate executors, acts as a will. Mulholland recorded several intricate land transactions for Lapointe Plantation and left instructions for the continued care of Charlotte Mulholland.
Named persons: John W. Compton, Hugh Mulholland, John M. Martin, Charlotte Mulholland, George Cary (possible slave), Viney (free woman of color)
Series 2: Polk Papers
Scope and content: The deeds of sale belonged to a cousin of Charles Mulholland named William Polk. The five deeds are all dated 2 February 1857, and note the transfer of ownership of 9 slaves.
Security Bank Papers
Geographic Locations: Louisiana, Alexandria, Pineville.
Inclusive dates: 1927-1972.
Bulk dates: 1931-1953.
Languages: English.
Summary: Business papers kept by the Murchison family. The papers include information about three separate, family owned business—Security Bank, Hyams Realty Company, and Pineville Investment Company. Security Bank papers are primarily composed of legal opinions, and correspondence with indebted. Hyams Realty papers are primarily composed of ledgers, tax information, and mortgage information. Pineville Investment Papers are primarily detail the creation and dissolving of the company.
Access: No restrictions.
Biographical/Historical Note
Scope and Content Note
Security National Bank papers illustrate the operation of a bank that operated in Central Louisiana during the Great Depression. The bank’s papers contain lists of investors names, numerous specific legal opinions concerning various aspects of banking throughout the twentieth century, the bank’s charter (1927), stock certificates, and numerous correspondences and paperwork that was generated through the attempt to collect on defaulted debts. Debt collection paperwork makes up a significant portion of the bank’s paperwork. This paperwork includes loan and check slips, letters from credit recipients, legal judgments and various other material related this the topic of debt collection. (1943-1953) The correspondence is addressed to areas ranging across Central Louisiana, (Pollock, Bossier, Monroe, Alexandria, Pineville, Grant Parish, Winn Parish). The collection also holds a books of Security National Bank stocks with ledgers of sale and stockholders names (1932). Federal deposit insurance certificates for 1934, 1944, 1950, 1974. Due to Security Bank’s affiliation with the Louisiana Bankers Association, there is paperwork concerning membership with the association and treasurers reports (1942-1944). There are also warrants, “process verbals”, judgments, deeds, correspondence, and government statement’s that detail a land dispute that originated in 1830 and was not resolved until 1938.
The Pineville Investment Company papers are limited in scope. The papers include everyday business for the company—check stubs, checks, minutes, and tax information. The papers also tell the story of the company, from its birth to its death. Founding documentation, an act of incorporation, detailed mortgage paperwork, and then legal documents and correspondence with the State of Louisiana detailing the company’s dissolving (1931-1939).
The Hyams Realty papers include tax information and books of stock. There is everyday business paperwork, checks, receipts, judgments, ledgers and business correspondence. (1931-1939) The Hyams realty company was dissolved in 1938, and this is recorded in the collection.
This collection is composed of the papers of three separate companies, all of which were directly controlled by the Murchison family--namely, Henry, Julian, and D. Cameron Murchison. There is no personal information detailed in any of the collection, and it is primarily focused on the main business venture, Security Bank. The two smaller real-estate companies make up only a small portion of the collection.
Series 1 [Security National Bank]
Papers generated by Security National Bank through everyday business. These papers detail debt collection, affiliation with the Louisiana Bankers Association, relationships with the federal government during the great depression. There are various other business related documents including stocks and ledgers. [Inclusive 1927-1987] (Primary range 1930-1955)
Series 2 [Pineville Investment Company]
Papers generated by the everyday business of the Pineville Investment Company as well as founding documentation and legal documents that describe how the company was dissolved [1931-1939].
Series 3 [Hyams Realty Company]
Stocks, papers, and legal documents detailing everyday business and how the Hyams Realty Company was dissolved [1931-1939].
Series 4 [Land Dispute] (Box 5 (folder 8), and oversized box)
Warrants, “process verbals,” judgments, deeds, correspondence, and government statements about a land dispute that lasted from 1830-1938. This includes a modern plan of usage of this land [1992].
Box 1
Folder one, “Legal opinions”.
Folder two, “National Security Bank.”
Folder three, “Debt.”
Folder four, “Debt.”
Box 2
Folder one, “Debt.”
Folder two, “President’s annual report to stock holders.”
Box 3
Folder one, “Stocks.”
Box 4
Folder one, “Stockholder’s ledger”
Folder two, “Offering agreement.”
Box 5
Folder one, “Deposit insurance.”
Folder two, “Stocks.”
Folder three, “Deposit slip books.”
Folder four, “Louisiana Bankers Association 1.”
Folder five, “Louisiana Bankers Association 2.”
Folder six, “Louisiana Bankers Association 3.”
Folder seven, “Louisiana Bankers Association 4.”
Folder eight, “ Land dispute.”
Folder nine, “Tax and corporate information.”
Folder ten, “Pineville business 1.”
Box 6
Folder one, “Pineville business 2.”
Folder two, “Hyams Realty Company business.”
Folder three, “Hyams Realty stock.”
Folder four, “Dissolving of Hyams Realty.”
Oversized Box
Tax returns for the Pineville Investment and Hyams Realty companies. A Hyams Realty business ledger [1932-1933]. Plans for the Pineville expressway. A land study concerning the ownership of Security National Bank (blueprint).
A 1992 land use plan, and a Security National Bank “register of securities purchased for and delivered to customers” [1969-1977].
Lillian Purdy, PhD, MLS
(318) 473-6437
lpurdy@casabo.net
Please contact to schedule your visit