LAVERMIL-L Archives

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Subject: Escudier; Fleming foundry
Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2000 15:00:54 EDT

Here are a couple of items from the Franklin, La. Planters' Banner.


9-17-1848
"Barber Shop"

"The undersigned has the honor to announce to the inhabitants of Franklin
and its vicinity that he has just opened a Barber Shop in this village; where
every comfort can be found.
He makes Wigs and Toupees, and also all articles for Ladies; Dresses for
the hair, Bracelets, Neck Bands, Watch Guards, Ear Rings, with the hair that
may be given him.
He will use every effort to deserve the patronage of Gentlemen and
Ladies. His shop is adjoining the Franklin Reading Room.
M. Escudier
Franklin, Aug. 17, 1848"

This is most probably Antoine Marcellin Escudier, father of Charles
Escudier and grandfather of Arthur and Albert Escudier. If so, he died in New
Iberia in 1877.

The next item is almost word for word from the article about

Fleming's Foundry

10-19-1848 Fleming's Foundry is located 2 and one half miles below Franklin.
Mr. Fleming (sorry, no first name given), the owner, came to this country in
1835 and his first job was to put up the machinery of the Lake Chicot Saw
Mill.
He has since worked at engineering on numerous plantations...
He has not engaged in casting to any extent before the present year, and
has begun late in the season, on account of difficulty of getting workmen.
He gets, on the bank of the Teche, excellent loam for moulding (sic) and
expects to be prepared next spring to make all kinds of castings, including
sugar cylinders. We saw at his foundry 3 cylinders, formally filled with
wood which had been thrown aside as useless, and which were filled with metal
of his own casting. Last year, he filled one of those 'shirt mills' which he
took off a crop."

I wonder what a "shirt mill" is.
The Fleming Foundry was later taken over by Keenan and Garrett, and later
was reopened by Charles Stott, of Stott and Lutzenberger. The latter
gentlemen had operated a foundry in New Iberia until Stott took over the
Fleming Foundry, in 1880. Apparently Stott continued to work in New Iberia,
because the Stott and Lutzenberger foundry was credited, in 1881, for
building 2 complete engines for a steamboat.
Ken Dupuy

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