Richland Parish, Louisiana Genealogy

Guide to Richland Parish, Louisiana ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The Richland Parish was named for the rich fertile land and was created on September 29, 1868. The parish seat is Rayville and is located in the northeast area of the state.

Parish Courthouse
Richland Parish Courthouse 708 N Julia St. Rayville, LA 71269 Phone: 318-728-4171 Richland Parish Courthouse Parish Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1869.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this parish:

Bible Records

 * Richland Parish Family Bible Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Biographies

 * Index to Richland Parish Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Richland Parish Local Family Histories (USGenWeb Archives]
 * Early Settlers of Richland Parish, Louisiana (Genealogy Trails)
 * Pioneers of Richland Parish (RichlandRoots)

Census Records

 * Richland Parish Census Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Louisiana Census Images (USGenWeb Census Images Project)

Church Records

 * Delhi Presbyterian Church, Delhi, LA
 * First Baptist Church, Delhi, LA
 * First Baptist Church, Rayville, LA
 * Mangham Baptist Church, Mangham, LA
 * Start Baptist Church, Start, LA
 * Louisiana Historical Church Information
 * Directory of Churches in Louisiana — at Church Angel — by city
 * Richland Parish Church Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Historical Churches of Richland Parish (RichlandRoots)

 List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
 African American
 * Louisiana African American Griots Project
 * Afrigeneas - African Ancestored Genealogy
 * African American Cemeteries, listing by parish
 * Richland Parish African American History - RichlandRoots.com

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Richland Parish Deed Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Old Land Surveys & Records (LA Division of Administration)

Local Histories

 * Richland Parish History Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * RichlandRoots

Richland parish was organized by an act of the state legislature in 1868, out of Ouachita, Franklin, Carroll and Morehouse parishes.

Rayville was at once selected as the parish seat of justice, and a California plank house was immediately erected to serve for court purposes. This frame building was used for several years, until a substantial two-story brick building was completed. A strong, two-story brick jail also occupied a site beside the courthouse in courthouse square.

The parish has an area of 578 square miles, nearly all of which is susceptible of cultivation, and the remainder is covered with a thick growth of valuable timber, comprising many varieties of oak, hickory, ash, cypress, red gum and many others.

Rayville, Delhi, and Mangham are its only incorporated towns. Delhi and Rayville were incorporated under the act of the state legislature of 1882.

When Rayville was selected as the site for the seat of justice it was "in the timber." As the parish site it soon grew into a flourishing village and secured a charter of incorporation about 1884. It was visited by a very destructive fire in the fall of 1890, when one-half or more of the business portion of the town was consumed. Again, in 1891, it was visited by a similar disaster.

The first newspaper published in Richland parish was the "Richland Beacon," established at Rayville about 1869 by Thomas J. Mangham. The first sheriff and clerk of the parish was A.J. Lidell and J. Newt Pitts, respectively.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Louisiana (1805-1990)
 * RichlandRoots Map Collection (RichlandRoots.com)
 * Louisiana Digital Map Library at USGen Web Archives
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this parish - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * Richland Parish Military Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Louisiana Military History Online
 * RichlandRoots Veterans Collection

 Civil War
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images at Partner Site
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images at Partner Site
 * 1898-1950 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Known Confederate Burials in Richland Parish at RichlandRoots

World War I
 * 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Richland Parish Letters, Newspapers Accounts From World War 1 at RichlandRoots

World War II
 * 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Honor List of Dead and Missing Army & Army Air Forces Personnel, Richland Parish, Louisiana (Genealogy Trails)
 * Richland Parish Letters Homes, Newspaper Clips from WWII (RichlandRoots)

Newspapers

 * Richland Beacon News, Rayville, LA
 * Louisiana Newspaper List, listing by name/parish (USNPL)
 * Louisiana Newspaper listing (Newslink)
 * Richland Parish Newspaper Articles (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Old Newspaper Clips from Richland Parish (RichlandRoots)

Obituaries

 * Obituaries of Richland Parish (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Richland Parish Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
 * RichlandRoots Obituaries (RichlandRoots)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1756-1984 Louisiana Wills and Probate Records 1756-1984 at Ancestry — index and images $

School Records

 * Richland Parish School Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Historic Information on Schools and Former Schools (RichlandRoots)

Social Security Records

 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Birth

 * Births from Richland Parish (Genealogy Trails)
 * Richland Parish Birth Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Marriage

 * 1837-1957 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Richland Parish Marriage Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Death

 * 1850-1875, 1894-1960 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Richland Parish Death Records (Genealogy Trails)
 * Richland Parish Death Records (USGenWeb Archives)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Monroe Louisiana FamilySearch Center
 * Ruston Louisiana FamilySearch Center

Libraries

 * Richland Parish Data Website
 * Richland Parish Library Website

Societies

 * Louisiana Historical Society 428 Hector Ave Metairie, La. 70005-4412 Website
 * Louisiana Historical Association 101 LSU Student Union LSU Box 25435 Baton Rouge, LA 70803 Facebook Website

Websites

 * Richland, Louisiana Genealogy & History Network
 * Richland Parish (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Richland Parish, Louisiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Richland Parish Genealogy and History (Genealogy Trails)
 * Richland Parish LA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * RichlandRoots, a history blog of Richland Parish
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.