Ask Blake

The Odd Fellows Rest cemetery at Canal Street and Metairie Road was established by one of the many benevolent societies that have proliferated in New Orleans through the years.

Photo by Eileen Loh Harrist

Hey Blake,

I saw your answer to a question about the elk on a tomb in Greenwood Cemetery. You gave some good info, and I was wondering if you could tell me who or what your source was? I am a student at a local college in New Orleans, and I have to do an oral history project on benevolent societies. I would appreciate it if you could give me any information that you have. It would be ideal if I could interview someone who was in a benevolent society.

A Desperate College Student

Dear Desperate,

Since you read my column of about a year ago, you know that in the 19th century, it became the custom for people to form mutual benevolent societies. There were groups of every kind: ethnic, religious, trade, profession, and social. One of the purposes of the societies was to provide assistance in the form of doctors and medicine, burial insurance, and a place to be buried. In the mid-19th century, there were about 50 of these societies in the white population alone, as well as slave societies that erected their own tombs.

I wrote about the many of these society tombs in Greenwood including the Firemen's monument next to Elks tomb and the Confederate monument that stands in the left corner near the Interstate entrance. This one, erected by the Ladies Benevolent Association of Louisiana, marks the mass graves of 600 Confederate soldiers. And, of course, there is also a tomb constructed by the Police Mutual Benevolent Association.

Readers also learned about the two cemeteries near Greenwood that were founded by benevolent societies: Cypress Grove, founded by the Firemen's Charitable and Benevolent Association in 1840, and Odd Fellows Rest, established by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a secret benevolent society, in 1849.

Vault burial was introduced in New Orleans during the Spanish regime, and our oldest cemetery -- St. Louis No. 1 (1789) -- has society tombs built by the French Society, the Portuguese Benevolent Association, the Cervantes Mutual Benefit Society, the Italian Society, and the Orleans Battalion of Artillery.

Today, one very famous benevolent society is the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, officially incorporated in 1916. If you are from here, I know you have seen its fabulous parade on Mardi Gras.

As for sources, Old Blake doesn't need sources; he knows it all. However, if you want to do research about our city on your own, go to the Louisiana Division of the main branch of the New Orleans Public Library on Tulane and Loyola avenues. There you will find a wealth of material on our cemeteries and benevolent societies as well.

Good luck with your research!

Hey Blake,

In the April 1 issue of Gambit, in the Blake Pontchartrain column, reference was made to 72 "official" neighborhoods. Would you please furnish me with either the names of the official neighborhoods or information as to where I can obtain a copy of this information?

Gaspar J. "Buddy" Stall

Dear "Buddy,"

I can't tell you how delighted I am to hear from the younger generation of New Orleans historians.

In 1973, the City of New Orleans began to use the term "neighborhood" for planning and gathering socio-economic data. City planners gave each neighborhood a name. They also produced a series of books containing all sorts of useful and important information. The books -- one on each neighborhood -- indicate the boundaries, census tracts, councilmanic districts, senatorial districts, wards, and a great deal of demographic information. Many of the books also include a history of the area. Of course, some of the information is no longer up to date.

Now, a list of 72 neighborhood names would make for pretty tedious reading as you might guess, especially since most of the neighborhood names are not particularly creative. So I'll give you the same advice I gave "Desperate": you can find these interesting books on the third floor of the main branch of the New Orleans Public Library. Just ask any one of the smart and helpful librarians to show them to you. And don't forget to tell them Blake sent you.

Question for Blake? Email blresponse@gambitweekly.com or mail to 3923 Bienville St., 70119.