Tensas Parish, Louisiana Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for the Taensa people. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

Parish Courthouse
Tensas Parish Courthouse Courthouse Square; PO Box 78; Saint Joseph, LA 71366 Phone: 318.766.3921 Parish Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1843.

Parent Parish

 * 1843--Tensas Parish was created 17 March 1843 from Concordia Parish. Parish seat: Saint Joseph

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Louisiana Parish boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Louisiana Parish Boundary Maps" (1805-1990) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

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 county:

Neighboring Parishes or Counties

 * Adams County, Mississippi
 * Catahoula
 * Claiborne County, Mississippi
 * Concordia
 * Franklin
 * Jefferson County, Mississippi
 * Madison
 * Warren County, Mississippi

African American

 * Louisiana African American Griots Project
 * Afrigeneas - African Ancestral Genealogy
 * African American Cemeteries, listing by county

Bible Records

 * Family Bible Records of Tensas Parish, Louisiana (USGenWeb Archives)

Biographies

 * Tensas Parish Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Tensas Parish Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)

Cemeteries
The following web sites may have additional information on Tensas Parish cemeteries.


 * Interment.net Louisiana cemetery records by Parish.
 * African American Cemeteries, listing by county

Census

 * Louisiana Census Images (USGenWeb Census Images Project)
 * 1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - Louisiana - Tensas Parish
 * Index to Tensas Parish Census Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Church

 * Louisiana Historical Church Information
 * Directory of Churches in Louisiana, by city (Church Angel)
 * Tensas Parish LA Church Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Court

 * Court Records of Tensas Parish LA (USGenWeb Archives)

Local Histories
Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Louisiana: Embracing an Authentic And Comprehensive Account of the Chief Events In the History of the State, a Special Sketch of Every Parish And a Record of the Lives of Many of the Most Worthy And Illustrious Families And Individuals ... Chicago: The Goodspeed publishing company, 1892. (Tensas Parish is described on pages 203-204 in Volume 2. In addition, a search for "Tensas" in this book will bring up brief biographies of several residents of the parish.)

[http://louisdl.louislibraries.org/cdm/ref/collection/LWP/id/4465 Louisiana Works Progress Administration (WPA). St. Joseph in Tensas Parish, Louisiana from the 1930s. 1936.]

Maps

 * Maps of Louisiana (1805-1990)
 * United States Digital Map Library: Lousiana: Tensas Parish (Note: scroll down to Tensas Parish)
 * Johnson's Plantation, Section and Township Map of Tensas Parish, Louisiana..., 1873
 * Johnson’s Plantation and Township Map of Tensas Parish, Louisiana, 1878
 * Map of the Parish of Tensas, Louisiana, 1860
 * Also see 1940 Census Enumeration District Maps above.

Military

 * Military Records of Tensas Parish, Louisiana (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Military History Online: Louisiana

Civil War
Online Records
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1883 - List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883, Tensas Parish, Louisiana (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1898-1950 - at FamilySearch — images
 * 1811 - Enumeration of Ex-Confederate Soldiers and Widows of Deceased Soldiers: Tensas Parish, 1911
 * - 3rd Regiment, Louisiana Cavalry (Harrison's)(Confederate), Company A
 * - 4th Field Battery, Louisiana Artillery (Confederate)

World War I

 * 1917-1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Honor List of Dead and Missing Army & Army Air Forces Personnel, Tensas Parish, Louisiana (Genealogy Trails)
 * Enlistment Records, Residence CountyTensas
 * Enlistment Records, Reserve Corps, Residence CountyTensas
 * Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel from Louisiana., 1946: Tensas Parish

Korean War

 * Dead and Wounded Army Casualties
 * Korean, Vietnam, Gulf, and Terrorism Wars, and Peacetime (1950-2006): Casualties

Newspapers

 * Louisiana Newspaper List, listing by name/parish (USNPL)

The original weekly Tensas Gazette was founded in 1852 in St. Joseph, Louisiana. Since that time it has operated under various owners and names. One of the oldest newspapers in Louisiana, it is still in publication under its original name. The Library of Congress has digitized the issues from 1894 to 1922 which can be browsed or searched at its Chronicling America website.

See the Chronicling America website for a full history of the Tensas Gazette, as well as information on the Waterproof Enterprise which was published in the early 1900s.

Probate
Louisiana Probate Records

Online Probate Records
 * 1756-1984 - Louisiana Wills and Probate Records 1756-1984 at Ancestry — index and images $
 * Tensas Parish Wills and Probate Records (Genealogy Trails)

Obituaries

 * Obituaries and Death Notices, Tensas Parish, Louisiana (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Obituaries, Tensas Parish, Louisiana (USGenWeb Archives)

Vital Records

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

Births

 * Tensas Parish Birth Records. Click on Births at left. (USGenWeb Archives)

Marriage

 * 1837–1957 -  at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Tensas Parish Marriage Project (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Tensas Parish Marriages. Click on Marriages at left. (USGenWeb Archives)

Death

 * 1850-1875, 1894-1960 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Societies and Libraries

 * Louisiana Historical Society Website
 * Louisiana Historical Association Website

Museums and Historic Sites

 * National Register of Historic Places: Lousiana: Tensas
 * Winter Quarters State Historic Site, St. Joseph, Louisiana: The only plantation left standing in Tensas Parish after Grant's troops marched through in 1863.

Websites

 * Louisiana Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Louisiana Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Tensas Parish (LAGenWeb)
 * Tensas Parish, Louisiana (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Tensas Parish, Louisiana Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Tensas Parish, Louisiana, Genealogy and History (Genealogy Trails)
 * Tensas Parish LA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * Tensas Parish LA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)