CAMERON PARISH, LA HISTORY AND LOOKUP
Parish History Books
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Cameron Parish, Louisiana: A Genealogical Overview
Located in the extreme southwestern corner of Louisiana, Cameron Parish is a vast coastal marshland region, geographically the largest parish in the state. Its identity is deeply intertwined with the Gulf of Mexico, defined by its fishing and shrimping industries, significant oil and gas production, and a unique Cajun culture. Genealogists must be acutely aware that the parish’s history is tragically marked by devastating hurricanes, which have repeatedly destroyed communities, infrastructure, and vital historical records, making research both challenging and rewarding.
I. Parish Formation and Evolution
Understanding Cameron Parish’s formation from two parent parishes and the catastrophic loss of records is the most critical factor for successful genealogical research in this area.
- 1870: Parish Formed: Cameron Parish was established on March 15, 1870, by an act of the Louisiana State Legislature during the Reconstruction era.
- Parent Parishes: It was created from the southern portions of Calcasieu Parish and Vermilion Parish. Records for ancestors living in this area prior to 1870 will be located in the records of those two parent parishes.
- Subsequent Parish Formations: Cameron Parish has not been subsequently partitioned to form new parishes. Its boundaries have remained largely the same, though its coastline is subject to constant change from erosion and storms.
- Name Origin: The parish was named in honor of Simon Cameron, a Pennsylvania politician who served as President Abraham Lincoln’s first Secretary of War and was later a senator and ally of President Ulysses S. Grant.
- Parish Seat History: The parish seat has always been the town of Cameron. The parish courthouse has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times due to hurricanes. The original courthouse was destroyed by Hurricane Audrey in 1957 with a near-total loss of records. Its replacement was destroyed by Hurricane Rita in 2005, and the subsequent temporary facilities were destroyed by Hurricane Laura in 2020. This repeated destruction means many original 19th and 20th-century records do not survive.
II. Settlement and Early History
- Early Inhabitants: The coastal plains and cheniers (oak ridges in the marsh) were originally inhabited by the Atakapa-Ishak people. The parish’s geography of isolated wetlands meant it was sparsely populated for much of its early history.
- Pioneer Settlement and Economy: Early settlement was limited, consisting of cattle ranchers on the high-ground cheniers and some Acadian (Cajun) families who moved into the area. The economy was based on cattle, fishing, trapping (muskrat and mink), and hunting. In the 20th century, the discovery of oil and gas transformed the parish’s economy, leading to the development of a major energy industry, including the LNG (liquefied natural gas) export terminals it is known for today. Commercial shrimping and fishing remain a vital part of the culture and economy.
III. Genealogical Records and Resources
This section provides practical information for locating ancestral records for Cameron Parish, with a strong emphasis on the impact of record loss.
- Clerk of Court: The Cameron Parish Clerk of Court is the primary repository for parish records. The office is located at 119 Smith Circle, Cameron, LA 70631. This office holds land records (conveyances), marriage licenses, and court records. Crucially, researchers should contact the Clerk’s office directly to inquire about the availability of specific records, as so much was lost in Hurricanes Audrey (1957), Rita (2005), and Laura (2020).
- Vital Records:
- Birth and Death Records: Statewide registration in Louisiana began in 1914. These records are held by the Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Vital Records and Registry. For records prior to this, researchers would typically check the parish, but due to the courthouse destructions, very few early local records survive.
- Marriage Records: Marriage records are recorded by the Parish Clerk of Court. While post-1957 records may be available, the collection of records from 1870-1957 was almost completely destroyed.
- Libraries with Genealogy Collections:
- Cameron Parish Public Library: The library system has branches throughout the parish, with its main branch in Cameron. They are an excellent source for local history, newspapers on microfilm, and family histories that may have survived.
- Southwest Louisiana Genealogical and Historical Library: Located in nearby Lake Charles (Calcasieu Parish), this is an essential resource for Cameron Parish research due to the parish’s origins and the loss of its own records.
- Louisiana State Archives: Located in Baton Rouge, this archive may hold microfilmed copies of some Cameron Parish records that were duplicated before the storms.
- Bordering Jurisdictions:
- Calcasieu Parish, LA
- Jefferson Davis Parish, LA
- Vermilion Parish, LA
- Jefferson County, TX
- Orange County, TX