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The Montz Family of Louisiana 1721 - Present |
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by Monty Montz |
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Page 22 |
GOING TO CHURCH THEN WAS A RITUAL. WHOLE FAMILIES STRUTTED to Church adorned in the best of clothes to kill.
Oh, the neighbors took note too. For it was just as important to outdo your neighbors in clothing as it
was to go to Church on Sunday. Entire pews in the Church were "reserved" for families, and the same
pews were used every Sunday. Because most of the people in the earlier times along the German Coast
were Catholic, most of the earlier generations saw each other at least one day a week-- on Sunday. Bingo
parties, bazaars, and get-togethers such as these were frequent. Everyone knew everyone else, and they
usually knew what they did even before they did it.
LOOK OUT FOR GRINDING TIME1 IN THE SUGAR CANE AREAS,
grinding time signaled a time for hard work and a time for a good harvest. Grinding was a rugged
task, but a profitable one if the cane was cared for and hurricanes or floods didn't damage the crops.
In fact, had it not been for the sugar cane industry along the German Coast, many of the Montz generations
would have probably scattered all over the country
seeking employment opportunities wherever they could. The sugar cane industry held the community together.
Truck farming was also popular. Strawberry farms dotted the countryside. The pay was not extreme, but
the fringe benefits included syrup and table sugar. Who could pass that up?
AND SO, SOCIAL LIFE WENT ON. EASE IN TRANSPORTATION AND shorter distances eventually made families associate
less and less. For today, even when travel and distances are infinitely small, families seldom get
together in comparison to those times. For today, there are too many things to do, too many television
programs to watch, too many events to associate with, too many clubs to join, and too much money to make.
But even today, many of the older generations of Montz families can have fond memories to look back on
and fine events to remember forever.
DEFINITION OF CREOLE ANCESTRY:
MANY TIMES IN EARLIER BOOKS, AND EVEN TODAY, MENTION IS given to the name, "Creole." Deiler indicates that
it has an important meaning. The descendents of the founders of the German Coast and descendents of all
Germans born before 1803 are called "Creoles" of German descent. Creoles are children born to European
emigrants living in Louisiana before 1803. Therefore, the original name of "Manz" or "Montz" could be called
a Creole name of German descent. (36)
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