DeSoto Parish, Louisiana Genealogy

United States   Louisiana    DeSoto Parish

Parish Courthouse
DeSoto Parish Courthouse Parish Courthouse Mansfield, LA 71052 Phone: 318.872.3110 Parish Clerk has marriage and land records from 1843, divorce, probate and court records.

Quick Facts

 * Named for Hernando deSoto (small "d"), the Spaniard who explored the future southeastern United States, discovered and named the Mississippi River.
 * The first Parish courthouse was a log house.

Parent Parish

 * 1 April 1843: DeSoto Parish was created from Natchitoches and Caddo Parishes. Parish seat: Mansfield

Boundary Changes

 * Eastern part of the parish was set off 2 March 1871 to form Red River Parish


 * See an interactive map of DeSoto Parish boundary changes. (map also shows parish boundaries for census years)

Populated Places

 * City: Mansfield
 * Towns: Keachi . Logansport . Stonewall
 * Villages: Grand Cane . Longstreet . South Mansfield . Stanley

Neighboring Parishes or Counties

 * Caddo
 * Natchitoches
 * Panola County, Texas
 * Red River
 * Sabine
 * Shelby County, Texas

African American

 * Louisiana African American Griots Project ~  USGenWeb Project
 * Afrigeneas - African Ancestored Genealogy

Cemeteries

 * DeSoto Parish LA. Cemeteries - LAGenWeb
 * Click here to check out Trish Cannon website for cemetery lists.
 * LA Tombstone Transcription Project ~  partial records and photos  ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Interment.net ~ LA cemetery records by county
 * African American Cemeteries ~  listing by county
 * FindaGrave.com ~  cemetery records with search by cemetery, by surname

Census

 * Louisiana Census Images  ~  USGenWeb Census Images Project

Church

 * Louisiana Historical Church Information
 * Directory of Churches in Louisiana ~  by city  ~  Church Angel

Local Histories
Louisiana Museums

Maps

 * USGW Digital Map Collection ~  USGenWeb Project

Civil War Battle
The following Civil War battles were fought in DeSoto Parish.


 * April 8, 1864 = Mansfield, also known as Sabine Cross-Roads or Pleasant Grove
 * April 9, 1864 = Pleasant Hill


 * Map showing Civil War battles in Louisiana.

Louisiana Military History Online

Newspapers

 * Louisiana Newspaper List ~  listing by name/parish  ~  USNPL
 * Louisiana Newspaper ~ listing  ~  Newslink

Probate
Louisiana Probate Records ~  information on.

Vital Records
Louisiana Records and Statistics Information ~ where and how to order information.

Societies and Libraries

 * Louisiana Historical Society
 * Louisiana Historical Association

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Web Sites

 * LAGenWeb -  Louisiana State Records
 * USGenWeb ~  Records, Maps, Archives and Other Projects
 * Louisiana Archives ~  USGenWeb Archives Project * Family History Library Catalog for DeSoto Parish.
 * The DeSoto Parish LAGenWeb Project, an member of The LAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * DeSoto Parish, Louisiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)