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The Montz Family of Louisiana 1721 - Present |
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by Monty Montz |
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Page 18 |
worked diligently to take a lead in managing a
small village. One of these was Charles Friedrich D' Arsenbourg, probably the most noted leader of
the German Coast. He served for some forty years as commander of the German Coast in Louisiana. It was
under his leadership that the rebellion of 1768 against the Spanish was undertaken and successfully
won.
D'ARSENBOURG LIVED WITH MANY GERMAN FAMILIES..."FOR IT WAS there (The German Coast) that the sturdy German
colonists who emigrated to Louisiana from 1719 to 1721 and settled there for generations, reaped a rich
harvest. (31)
CHARLES FRIEDRICH D'ARSENBOURG'S NAME IS STRESSED AT THIS point to build an interest in the fact that possibly
it was under his guidance that the first progenitor of all Montz (then Manz) families of Louisiana
prospered. This man's name, indicated as the first "Manz" is JOHANN BAPTIST MANZ. This will be mentioned
later.
A DESCRIPTION OF THE GERMAN COAST DURING THE PERIOD:
AS MENTIONED BEFOREHAND, GOVERNOR BIENVILLE HAD GIVEN THE Germans rich land about twenty-five miles above New
Orleans on the right bank of the Mississippi (going North). This area is indicated as where the first
generations of all Montz families began.
DEILER STATES THAT THE EXACT PROXIMITY OF THE GERMAN COAST began about twenty-five miles above New Orleans and
extended about forty miles above that on both banks of the Mississippi River, but mostly on the right
bank. (32)
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER ALONG THIS AREA WINDS ALONG LIKE A snake. There is only an area of about three miles
inland from the river on the right bank (East side) which is capable of being harvested,
because beyond that lies swamps, cypress forests, alligators, and bad terrain. Today, -bbic land liea to the left when
traveling from Baton Rouge to New Orleans on Interstate Highway 10. (Figure 4-1).
3l Arthur, p. 176
32 Deiler, p. 47