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Cemeteries of
Lower Lafourche and Jefferson Parishes

last updated:  06-Mar-2005

The cemeteries of Lower Lafourche and Jefferson Parishes are not unique in the method of burial used. Raised tombs are common in the southern part of Louisiana due to the high water table. What is different in our cemeteries is the orientation of the tombs. Because of the lack of roads at the time many of the cemeteries were established, transportation was mostly by boat. The older tombs and many of the new tombs therefore are oriented so that the crosses or figurines face the bayou. Tombs of relatively recent construction are now oriented perpendicular to the bayou. In the older cemeteries some people were buried directly in the earth with cement coverings flush with the ground. Many infants, as well as a few adults, are thus buried.  Many of the inscriptions on the crosses or markers are obscured by multitudes of paint coatings, usually applied just prior to All Saints Day. The cemeteries in Leeville are flooded at high tide, a condition caused by subsidence of the land since the cemeteries were established.

Located behind the church at 12911 East Main Street in Larose is the cemetery first known as the Harang cemetery, Octave Harang donated the land on which the cemetery was established in 1873. In the mid 1880’s a small chapel was built at the juncture of Bayou Lafourche and the Harang Canal, now known as the Intracoastal Canal. The area now named Larose was composed of about 300 inhabitants at this time. The earliest burial recorded was of Marie Guidry Diague (sic) who was interred on August 10, 1876

This mausoleum is behind the First Baptist Church in Larose at 113 West 16th Street. The land was purchased from the Peterson family. Mrs. Washington Nicholas Whitney, heir of the Peterson family sold the property to the church. It is noted that of the twelve people buried here, three are military veterans.

This cemetery is located across from 182 East 23rd Street, Larose, Louisiana. Entombed here are mostly African-Americans. The Sunrise Benevolent Society and the New Mt. Zion Baptist Church owned the property originally.

After the devastating hurricane of October 1, 1893, many of the residents of Cheniere Caminada migrated to Cote Blanche. By 1899 there were about 200 inhabitants living in this area. On June 17, 1899 Joseph Guidry Sr. donated a ½ arpent plot of land to the Diocese. A chapel was built on the site shortly after that time. Another hurricane in 1909 severely damaged the chapel, which was then repaired. After an outbreak of yellow fever in 1905 the Sacred Heart Cemetery was formed. At that time it was known as the Callahan/Lang Cemetery, later called the Cote Blanche Cemetery then the Sacred Heart Cemetery. It might be noted that a small portion of the cemetery is reserved for infants that died before being baptized a fairly common practice in Catholic cemeteries. This cemetery is behind the Sacred Heart Church at 15300 West Main Street, Cut-Off, Louisiana

The tomb of Jean Eugene Pitre is located across from 115 East 97th Street in Cut Off. He was born May 22, 1863 and died of yellow fever in April of 1906. His wife was Ernestine Marie Gisclair. The tomb is enclosed with an iron fence.

Located on Highway 308 in Galliano, the Cheramie Cemetery is on land donated by Zenon Cheramie in 1832 as a burial site for his wife Delphine Terrebonne Cheramie at her death. It is a popular burial ground since only a nominal fee is charged for interment here. It is one of the largest in lower Lafourche Parish. Mr. Gilbert Griffin is caretaker of this cemetery.

Located on Louisiana Highway 1, behind the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Galliano at 17980 West Main Street. The church began as a wooden chapel with a palmetto roof in 1858. It was destroyed by the hurricane of Oct. 1, 1893. Fr. Emile Peufier purchased the property in 1887 in his own name from Mrs. Marguerite Charpentier Guidry. The community now known as Galliano was named Cote Cheramie at that time and had about 200 residents.

Adolphine Derousse, the widow of Onesime Hebert Sr, donated the Hebert Cemetery on August 18, 1879. The plot was one-half arpent (recorded September 1, 1879). This property was part of a land grant given to Onesime Hebert Sr. by Louisiana Governor Thomas Moore. The grant was recorded April 6, 1871. This cemetery was to be used for burials of direct descendants of Adolphine and Onesime, but others have been buried here. It is located at 18738 West Main Street in Galliano, Louisiana

The Williams Cemetery was established prior to 1899. William Reilly Williams, had purchased the land from Isaac Lusk, who is thought to have obtained the original property by a land grant. William Williams dedicated the land as a cemetery. Isaac Lusk is reputed to be the first person to settle in Golden Meadow. This cemetery is located at 134 Williams Street, Golden Meadow, Louisiana.

This cemetery is located behind Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church at 723 North Bayou Drive, Golden Meadow, Louisiana. By 1910, Golden Meadow was sufficiently populated to be called by its present name, In 1916 Father Grail had a chapel built and named it St. Yves Church after his patron saint. This later became Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church. The first burial here was of Jean Boudreaux in 1916, the second was of 14 year old Estella Williams. The cemetery was completed in 1920. The first recorded funeral was of Mrs. Etienne Jambon in 1922, The land was purchased from, or donated by, Felicien Plaisance.

This cemetery was established in 1880 on land donated by Gregoire Serigny. He is buried there in the ground with only a wooden cross to mark the site. There is a depression there in the ground indicating that he was buried directly in the ground without a crypt enclosing the casket. Those entombed are mostly members of the Houma Indian Tribe, but other related friends and families are also here. It is located on West 223rd Street, Golden Meadow, Louisiana.

The Dardar Cemetery is located at 20907, Louisiana Highway 1.. Entombed here are mostly members of the Houma Indian Tribe, although a few others are buried here. There are several unmarked tombs, many of those that are marked are illegible. The land formerly belonged to the Dardar family. Harvey Peltier owned this property when the First Baptist Church of Golden Meadow purchased it for $750.00 on October 17th 1962. The lot was 70 feet on Highway 1 by 150 feet deep. The first church built on the site was destroyed during hurricane Betsy in September 1965. They rebuilt another wooden church. When their present church inside of Golden Meadow was completed, Frank Naquin purchased the wooden church, The church was moved further up the bayou and converted into a home in which Frank and his wife Hilda Williams Naquin now live. Mr. Naguin owns the land on which the cemetery now stands. They are the caretakers of the cemetery.

This cemetery is located about ½ mile below the large shrimp factory, about half way between Golden Meadow and Leeville, Louisiana. It is on the bayou side of Louisiana Highway 1. The Griffin family had a small settlement on the far side of the bayou. Abraham Griffin had established a family commune on the East side of Bayou Lafourche, across from this and the No. 2 cemetery, He is buried here. Mrs. Joseph O. Authement owned the land where this cemetery and the Griffin No. 2 cemetery are located, in 1922. There have been no additional burials in either Griffin cemetery since the survey done in 1987 by members of the La Société des Cajuns, the genealogy society of lower Lafourche Parish.

This cemetery is located about 500 feet south of Griffin Cemetery No. 1, also on the bayou side.

There have been no additions to this cemetery since 1914. Many of these burials were the result of yellow fever epidemics in 1905 and 1908. A map of Leeville done in 1922 shows the location of the cemetery, which may have been on land formerly owned, by the church that no longer exists. This cemetery is located on the bayou side shortly after entering Leeville.

This cemetery is almost completely deteriorated. It is located on the northeast corner of the juncture of the East-West Canal and Bayou Lafourche. The remnants are still visible to the left as you cross the Leeville Bridge. The area in which it is located was called Cheniere Grillade, so named because it was a gathering place for deer hunters after the hunt. They grilled their catch under the large oak trees that were there at the time. The trees are no longer there, victims of subsidence and salt water intrusion.

The Griffin Cemetery is to the right of the Leeville Bridge just as you start to cross going southbound. It is at the canal’s edge near the juncture of the East-West canal and Bayou Lafourche. Only the tops of two tombs are visible, they are now partially submerged. Wave wash from vessels passing through canal has eroded this cemetery almost out of existence. This part of Leeville was formerly named Orange City.

The Bernard Cemetery is located behind the former Standard Supply Co. warehouse at the end of a road accessed to the left as you descend from the Leeville Bridge. The land is now marked as private property and can only be entered if you are a family member of a person buried there, or have permission from the owners. There have been no recent burials at this site.

This cemetery is located on the right side of Louisiana Highway 1, just as you approach Cheniere Caminada. Caminadaville was a thriving community of about 1200 people in 1893. In the early 1880’s a wooden church named Notre Dame of Lourdes was built adjacent to the cemetery. It was destroyed in the October 1, 1893 hurricane. More that 700 people were buried in mass graves in and around the cemetery as the result of this tragedy. Only a few graves remain, some badly deteriorated.

This cemetery located on Church Street in Grand Isle is on property donated by Miss Mercedes Adam and was dedicated in 1918. One of the first individuals buried here is Louis Chighizola Jr. the son of Nez Coupe (Louis Chighizola Sr.) of Jean Lafitte fame.

This is reportedly the site of burials of some of Jean Lafitte’s followers. Nothing is left of this cemetery, which is located on land of the Grand Isle Ship Yard.

(Author not indicated): La Benediction des Bateaux, publication to celebrate the 75^th anniversary of Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church, Golden Meadow, LA. Privately published.

Rousse, Nares H.: The History of St. Joseph Church in Galliano, June, 1975, privately published

St. Joseph Church. 25^th Anniversary Directory, 1983, privately published.

Mark Pitre and Randy Vega: Sacred Heart Church of Cote Blanche:, 1973, Cut Off, La., privately published.

Daviet, Juliette: Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church , Larose LA., privately published.

Excerpt from the Meeting of the Board of Directors of the First Baptist Church of Golden Meadow: registered in COB 212363, Clerk of Court, Lafourche Parish.

Lafourche Parish Court House Records: Thibodaux, LA

Baudier, Roger: The Catholic Church in Louisiana, 1939, New Orleans,

Rousse, Nares H.: "The Catholic Church in South Lafourche, Cheniere Caminada and Grand Isle", Lafourche Country II, The Lafourche Heritage Society, 1996

Grimeau, Father Ferdinand J.: "The Mission in Cheniere Caminada", Lafourche Country II, the Lafourche Heritage Society, 1996