St. Joseph Cemetery - Est.1824

 THE FIRST CEMETERY IN BATON ROUGE WAS THE

CEMETERY OF LA YGLESIA DE LOS DOLORES DE LA

VIRGIN, OUR LADY OF SORROWS, ESTABLISHED IN

1792 BY ORDER OF KING CARLOS OF SPAIN. THIS

PRESENT CEMETERY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1824 AND

THE REMAINS OF BATON ROUGES FIRST SETTLERS

WERE MOVED HERE FROM THE ORIGINAL

SPANISH CEMETERY.

This cemetery is between North and Main Streets across Main street from the old Godchaux's building.

Internment List 

ST. JOSEPH

CATHOLIC

CEMETERY

______________________

In 1825 St. Joseph Church

purchased the property for

a graveyard. Remains of some

of Baton Rouge's first settlers

were moved here from the

old Spanish Cemetery, or

cemetery of the Church of

Our Lady of Sorrows, which

became St. Joseph's. Philip 

Hicky, Adrien Persac, and

Theophile Allain are among

prominent Louisianians buried

here. The Catholic Diocese

of Baton Rouge owns

the cemetery.

Notes on the names mentioned on plaque:

Colonel Philip Hickey, owned a Sugar Plantation named Hope Estate five miles below Baton Rouge on the left bank of the Mississippi.

Marie Adrien Persac, a Louisiana Artist

Theophile Allain, born a mulatto* slave, after emancipation he helped start Southern University.

Planter, Francois Allain...is remembered principally by the remarkable reputation achieved by one of his slaves; the bright, intelligent, good-looking mulatto born on his place, who was named Theophile, but called by his master "Soulouque," after the Haitian hero. He was his master's factotum (a general servant or a person having many diverse activities or responsibilities.), accompanying him everywhere (even to Europe). After emancipation, Soulouque, as his talents demanded, quit menial service and entered the brilliant arena of politics, at that tune opened to the negro. He rose easily above his contemporaries, whom he dominated by his intellect and fine address. He was elected State Senator; and, at Baton Rouge, further distinguished himself as a parliamentarian and a speaker.

* a person having one Black and one White parent.