Indians began to trickle into the North American continent about 10,000 BC. In 7,000 BC, there were two families of about 15 each who were wandering - following the herds - that were probably the first humans to set foot in what is now Avoyelles. Their camp was in the Belledeau area.

Robert Neitzel, quoted in
Marc's Town;
DeCuir, Randy 1979

MUSKOGIAN.
This large group, seen of culture more primitive, populated the Southeastern United States, from east Louisiana to the coast of Georgia and South Carolina, from the Gulf of Mexico into Tennessee. In the Savannah valley were the Muskogee and the several Hitichi tribes occupied the rest of southern and central Georgia. Central and northern Alabama had the Alibamons or Alabama, including Coweeta, Coosa, Eufaula, Tuskegee and Kosati. North Mississippi and west Tennessee were Chickasaw country, and to the south were the Choctaw. At the Gulf coast were Appalachee and Chatot of the Florida panhandle, thence westward were Mobile and Pascagoula. Though not clearly Muskogian, the Louisiana coast was Chitimacha east and Atakapas west. Near the Mississippi River were smaller tribes; Natchez, Taensa (Tensas) and Avoyel believed to have been remote Muskogian offshoots. Tunica at the north and Bayougoula at the south were other related tribes along the Mississippi."

Gabrielle's People;
Saucier, Walter J.; 1991

For more information about the Native American tribes in the Avoyelles Parish area, particularly the Biloxi - Tunica tribe, see: Louisiana Division of Archaeology

"The lengthy lower Mississippi River (below the Ohio) is dynamic, changing in time, as meanders lop off and new ones form. Upriver from Baton Rouge a large meander completed cutoff around 1722. At its cut point, pointe coupee a prominent settlement naturally grew in benefits of excellent agriculture on broad natural levees bordering oxbow lake (Fausse Riviere or False River), of abandoned meander nearly 23 miles long. Pointe Coupee, at the commercial artery connector of New Orleans with the broad interior and Canada, became a favored way-station for Mississippi voyages and transport. Pointe Coupee's records of St. Francis church from 1737 are treasurers of information on original settlers of central Louisiana. The census made there in 1745 is unmatched in its quality and completeness."

"Later on, Pointe Coupee served migration of families to the Avoyelles Post prairie during the Spanish period. The older Avoyelles families (Bordelon, Decuir, Ducote, Goudeau, Guillot, Joffrion, Juneau, Lacour, Lemoine, Mayeux, Rabalais, Riche, Roy, etc.) were Pointe Coupee habitants well before the end of the French era. Among names listed some arrived downriver from Canada, others from France or sites near the Gulf coast. Opelousas (St. Landry) church records stem from the 1770s, Avoyelles church records from 1796. Gentral parts of the state were served by the Pointe Coupee church alone until well into the Spanish period."

Gabrielle's People;
Saucier, Walter J.; 1991

"Native Americans were the first residents of the part of Louisiana now known as Avoyelles Parish. When the first white man arrived he found a friendly tribe, ready to barter with him. There is some disagreements as to the meaning of the word Avoyelles. Iberville, sent by Louis VIV to establish a colony in Louisisna, said that the word Avoyelles meant "Flint People". Iberville's historian said if meant "People of the Rocks". Bienville, successor to Iberville, met Native Americans on January 21, 1718. These were of the tribe Tamoucougoula, otherwise called "anoy"(sic). On January 28, 1718 his group was able to obtain corn from the Tunica tribe. It is reasonable to assume that the Avoyelles and the Tuinicas were neighbors. A chain of mounds along Red River and in the vicinity of Marksville, the remains of the early residents of the area, were thoroughly explored in the 1930s." [Today, a casino in Marksville is being operated as a part of the reservation occupied by the descendents of the early Tunica.]

"According to family legend the first white man to settle in what is now Avoyelles Parish was Joseph B. RABALAIS. This legend had been repeated many times, and has come to be believed. However there are no known documents to prove it. Mr. RABALAIS was an early settler, possibly one of the earliest. An early Avoyelles colonial document in which he is mentioned is dated 8 Sep 1783. However, it must be remembered that there are no parish records which pre-date 1783. Mr. RABALAIS was born at Pointe Coupee about 1736. He died at Avoyelles Post about 1788. Mr. RABALAIS was a resident of the area at the time that it was part of Natchitoches district."

"Many of the first settlers of Avoyelles Indians area were French "coureurs de bois" [literally, 'Woods runner'] and Indian traders who were living in the area by 1720. One such resident was Jacques CHALIN whose daughter Marie Therese, was born "aux Avoyelles" in 1722, and is believed to the one of the first, if not the first, white child born at Avoyelles."

Gremillion & Gremillion, 1982

The high and dry land of the area attracted others, and soon there was a thriving settlement, with the nucleus between what is now Mansura and Marksville. By 1780 the settlement had grown to such proportions that GALVEZ, Governor of Louisiana, realized it was eneroaching on the rights of the Native Americans, taking their land from them. Accordingly, he sent a commander to look after the welfare of the Indians, and to administer justice to the new settlers. The oldest record in the courthouse is dated 1783, and signed by Jacques GAIGNARD, civil and military commander of Avoyelles Post.

The first church in what is now Avoyelles Parish was located at Hydropolis, between Marksville and Mansura in 1796. The first reference to schools in Avoyelles is a list of names of trustees of public schools for the year 1823. It is not known how many schools were in operation, under the control of these trustees. Act 117 of the legislation of 1833 established academies in various parts of the state. Just when the Avoyelles Acadamy opened is not definitely known. It was not opened in 1838, according to the records of the Police Jury for that year. One source says that Daniel WEBSTER presided over the Avoyelles Acadamy in 1842. The authenticity of WEBSTER's ever having been in Louisiana is questioned. It could have been another Daniel WEBSTER. Webster's successors, the McDONNELLS are known to have conducted the Acadamy, being there in June, 1850.

SURNAME, Given Name	SURNAME, Given Name	SURNAME, Given Name	SURNAME, Given Name
BADIN, Louis	DENNIS, Louis	LACHENEY, Antoine	PHILLIP, Augustin
BADGER, Richard	DE CUIR, Paul	LAMATHE, Nicolas	PLAUCHE, Alexis
BAREBAUX, Francois	DESHOTEL, Jacque	La TULIPE ---	POIRET, Jean
BARRET, Michel	DESSELLE, Pierre	LACOMBE, Jean	PONTHIEUX, D.
BATEN, Joseph	DUBROC, Joseph	LACROIX, Michel	POULUS, Pierre
BEDAULT, Etienne	DUCOTE, Pierre	LAFLEUR, Antoine	POYDRAS, Pierre
BERNARD, Francois	DUPUIS, Pierre	LAVALLE, ---	PORSONY, Jacuques
BONTANT, Jean	DUPLECHEIN, Antoine	LANDRENAUX, Pierre	RABALAIS, Baptiste
BORDELON, Augustin	ELICHE, Marc	LAPIN, Nicolas	RECOULY, Claude
BORDELON, Pierre	FABRE, Jacquis	LANDRY, Simon	RICHE, Jean B.
BORDELON, Valois	FLORES, Antonio	LEJEUNE, Jean B.	ROBERT, Pierre
BRADLEY, Henry	FERRET, Joseph	LEMOINE, Guillaume	ROBICHAU, Xavier
BROUILLETTE, Francois	FIRMIN, Joseph	LONGLEAU, Pierre	ROBINET, G.
BROWN, Sam	FRANTOUX, Louis	LUNEAU, Augustin	ROY, Joseph
BROUSSARD, Louis	FANBOURINE, Antoine	MAYEUX, Jean B.	ROUSART, ---
CAPPEL, Charles	GAUTHIER, Guillaume	McNUTTY, James	ROUTH, Benjamin
CAPPEL, Thomas	GASPARD, Laurent	MARSHAL, Edward	ROUSET, Gabriel
CARNOUVA, Antonio	GARCELLIER, Augustin	MALBERT, Jean B.	ROFTY, William
CARMOUCHE, Joseph	GOUDEAU, Antoine	MAROCTTE, Francois	RUSTE, John
CASANOVA, Augustin	GRAHAM, Richard	MARTIN, Gabriel	RYAN, John
CAVELLER, Joseph	GREMILLION, ---	MONCLA, Baptiste	ST. ROMAIN, Etienne
CHAMARD, Michel	GUILLOT, Zenon	MOORHOOR, Ralph	SMITH, George
CHATELAIN, Alexis	GUILLORY, Julien	MOREAU, Celestin	SOILEAU, Baptiste
CLARK, Daniel	GUICHARD, Louis	M0RRIS, James	SUDELING, J. Henry
COCO, Dominique	HEBERARD, Jean	NICOLET, Jean B.	TASSIN, Nicolas
COCO, Joseph	HOOTER, Phillip	NORMAND, Jean	TIMBAL, Jean Paul
COUVILLION, Amable	JOFFRION, Joseph	OLIVIER, Maurice	TOURNIER, Jacques
COUVILLION, Pierre	JOHNSON, Charles	PAMPALON, Michel	TRUDEAU, ---
DALE, JAMES6	JUNEAU, Joseph	PARKER, Thomas	VILLARD, Jean
DAUZAT, Antoine	LABORDE, Pierre	PEYTAVIN DURIBLOND, Charles	WADE, Richard
BORDELON, Francois	LACOUR, Cyprien	WALLACE, James	WALKER, Gideon
WEST, George	WILSON, James	YOUNG, James