Orleans Territory
Encyclopedia
The Territory of Orleans or Orleans Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from October 1, 1804 until April 30, 1812, when it was admitted to the Union
as the State of Louisiana.
In 1804, all of the Louisiana Purchase
south of the 33rd parallel
became the Orleans Territory, and the remainder became the District of Louisiana
. (The District of Louisiana was later renamed the Louisiana Territory
, and still later, when the Orleans Territory became the State of Louisiana, the Louisiana Territory was renamed the Missouri Territory
.)
The Organic Act of 1804 also created the United States District Court for the District of Orleans
—the only time Congress has ever provided a territory with a United States district court
equal in its authority and jurisdiction to those of the states. Congress also established the Superior Court for the Territory of Orleans whose three judges were the top territorial court.
On April 10, 1805, the Territorial Legislature organized 12 counties (starting from the southeast corner moving west and north): Orleans County, LaFourche County, German Coast, Acadia County, Iberville County, Attakapas County, Pointe Coupée County, Opelousas County, Rapides County, Concordia County, Natchitoches County, and Ouachita County. The Florida Parishes
on the east bank of the Mississippi were not included in Orleans Territory at this time, as they were in the Spanish
territory of West Florida
until they were annexed in 1810. The western boundary with Spanish Texas
was not fully defined until the Adams–Onís Treaty in 1819. A strip of land known as the Sabine Free State
just east of the Sabine River served as a neutral ground buffer area from about 1807 until 1819.
The Orleans Territory was the site of the largest slave revolt in American history, the 1811 German Coast Uprising
.
There were two Territorial secretaries, James Brown
(1804–1807) and Thomas Bolling Robertson
(1807–1811). Daniel Clark
became the first Territorial Delegate to the U.S. Congress, in December 1806.
Judges of the Superior Court were John Bartow Prevost
(1804–1808), Ephraim Kirby
(1804) (died en route to New Orleans), Peter Stephen Duponceau
(1804) (declined President Thomas Jefferson
's appointment), William Sprigg
(1805–1807), George Mathews, Jr.
(1805–1813), Joshua Lewis
(1807–1813) and Francois Xavier Martin
(1810–1813). Judge Dominic Augustin Hall
was the federal district judge of the Territory.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as the State of Louisiana.
In 1804, all of the Louisiana Purchase
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...
south of the 33rd parallel
33rd parallel north
The 33rd parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 33 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America and the Atlantic Ocean....
became the Orleans Territory, and the remainder became the District of Louisiana
District of Louisiana
The District of Louisiana, or Louisiana District, was an official, temporary, United States government designation for the portion of the Louisiana Purchase that had not been organized into the Orleans Territory. It officially existed from March 10, 1804 until July 4, 1805, when it was incorporated...
. (The District of Louisiana was later renamed the Louisiana Territory
Louisiana Territory
The Territory of Louisiana or Louisiana Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1805 until June 4, 1812, when it was renamed to Missouri Territory...
, and still later, when the Orleans Territory became the State of Louisiana, the Louisiana Territory was renamed the Missouri Territory
Missouri Territory
The Territory of Missouri was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 4, 1812 until August 10, 1821, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Missouri.-History:...
.)
The Organic Act of 1804 also created the United States District Court for the District of Orleans
United States District Court for the District of Orleans
The United States District Court for the District of Orleans was a United States district court created on March 26, 1804, by 2 Stat. 283, to resolve disputes in the Territory of Orleans, the portion of the Louisiana Purchase south of the 33rd parallel....
—the only time Congress has ever provided a territory with a United States district court
United States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
equal in its authority and jurisdiction to those of the states. Congress also established the Superior Court for the Territory of Orleans whose three judges were the top territorial court.
On April 10, 1805, the Territorial Legislature organized 12 counties (starting from the southeast corner moving west and north): Orleans County, LaFourche County, German Coast, Acadia County, Iberville County, Attakapas County, Pointe Coupée County, Opelousas County, Rapides County, Concordia County, Natchitoches County, and Ouachita County. The Florida Parishes
Florida Parishes
The Florida Parishes , also known as the North Shore region, are eight parishes in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Louisiana, which were part of West Florida in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Unlike much of Louisiana, this region was not part of the Louisiana Purchase, as it had been...
on the east bank of the Mississippi were not included in Orleans Territory at this time, as they were in the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
territory of West Florida
West Florida
West Florida was a region on the north shore of the Gulf of Mexico, which underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. West Florida was first established in 1763 by the British government; as its name suggests it largely consisted of the western portion of the region...
until they were annexed in 1810. The western boundary with Spanish Texas
Spanish Texas
Spanish Texas was one of the interior provinces of New Spain from 1690 until 1821. Although Spain claimed ownership of the territory, which comprised part of modern-day Texas, including the land north of the Medina and Nueces Rivers, the Spanish did not attempt to colonize the area until after...
was not fully defined until the Adams–Onís Treaty in 1819. A strip of land known as the Sabine Free State
Sabine Free State
The Neutral Ground was a disputed area between Spanish Texas and the United States' newly acquired Louisiana Purchase...
just east of the Sabine River served as a neutral ground buffer area from about 1807 until 1819.
The Orleans Territory was the site of the largest slave revolt in American history, the 1811 German Coast Uprising
1811 German Coast Uprising
The 1811 German Coast Uprising was a slave revolt that took place in parts of the Territory of Orleans on January 8–10, 1811. The revolt took place on the east coast of the Mississippi River in what are now St. John the Baptist and St. Charles Parishes, Louisiana. While the slave insurgency was...
.
Leaders and representatives
William C. C. Claiborne was appointed the only governor of the Orleans Territory. He later became the first governor of the state of Louisiana.There were two Territorial secretaries, James Brown
James Brown (Senator)
James Brown was a lawyer, U.S. Senator from Louisiana and Minister to France. He was the brother of John Brown, the cousin of John Breckinridge, James Breckinridge and Francis Preston, the brother-in-law of Henry Clay, the uncle of James Brown Clay, Henry Clay, Jr., John Morrison Clay, the great...
(1804–1807) and Thomas Bolling Robertson
Thomas B. Robertson
Thomas Bolling Robertson was a member of the U. S. House of Representatives representing the state of Louisiana, the third Governor and the Attorney General of Louisiana, and a United States federal judge....
(1807–1811). Daniel Clark
Daniel Clark (politician)
Daniel Clark was the first Delegate from the Territory of Orleans to the United States House of Representatives. Born in Sligo, Ireland and educated at Eton College in England, he migrated to the United States in 1786 and settled in New Orleans, Louisiana...
became the first Territorial Delegate to the U.S. Congress, in December 1806.
Judges of the Superior Court were John Bartow Prevost
John Bartow Prevost
John Bartow Prevost was the first judge of the Superior Court of the Territory of Orleans from 1804-1808.-Early life and family:Prevost was born on March 6, 1766 in Paramus, New Jersey...
(1804–1808), Ephraim Kirby
Ephraim Kirby
Ephraim Kirby was a Revolutionary War soldier, published the first volume of law reports in the United States, was the first General High Priest of the Royal Arch Masons of the United States and was the first judge of the Superior Court of the Mississippi Territory.-Early life:Kirby was born in...
(1804) (died en route to New Orleans), Peter Stephen Duponceau
Peter Stephen DuPonceau
Peter Stephen Du Ponceau or DuPonceau, born Pierre-Étienne Du Ponceau, was a French linguist, philosopher, and jurist...
(1804) (declined President Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
's appointment), William Sprigg
William Sprigg
William Sprigg was a Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, the Superior Court of the Orleans Territory and the highest court of the Illinois Territory.-Early life:...
(1805–1807), George Mathews, Jr.
George Mathews (judge)
George Mathews, Jr. was a Judge of the Superior Court of the Territory of Orleans and a Judge of the Louisiana Supreme Court from 1813 until his death in 1836.-Early life:...
(1805–1813), Joshua Lewis
Joshua Lewis (judge)
Joshua Lewis was a judge of the Superior Court of the Territory of Orleans and, after Louisiana became a state, the 1st Judicial District Court of that state.-Early life:...
(1807–1813) and Francois Xavier Martin
Francois Xavier Martin
François Xavier Martin , was an American jurist and author, the first Attorney General of State of Louisiana, and longtime Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. Born in France, he immigrated to North Carolina before the American Revolutionary War...
(1810–1813). Judge Dominic Augustin Hall
Dominic Augustin Hall
Dominic Augustin Hall was a United States federal judge, appointed by two different presidents to four federal judicial positions....
was the federal district judge of the Territory.
See also
- Historic regions of the United StatesHistoric regions of the United StatesThis is a list of historic regions of the United States.-Colonial era :-The Thirteen Colonies:* Connecticut Colony* Delaware Colony* Province of Georgia* Province of Maryland...
- History of LouisianaHistory of LouisianaThe history of Louisiana is long and rich. From its earliest settlement by Native Americans to its status as linchpin of an empire to its incorporation as a U.S...
- Territorial evolution of the United StatesTerritorial evolution of the United StatesThis is a list of the evolution of the borders of the United States. This lists each change to the internal and external borders of the country, as well as status and name changes. It also shows the surrounding areas that eventually became part of the United States...
- Territories of SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
that encompassed land that would later become part of the Orleans Territory:- FloridaSpanish FloridaSpanish Florida refers to the Spanish territory of Florida, which formed part of the Captaincy General of Cuba, the Viceroyalty of New Spain, and the Spanish Empire. Originally extending over what is now the southeastern United States, but with no defined boundaries, la Florida was a component of...
, 1565–1763 - TejasSpanish TexasSpanish Texas was one of the interior provinces of New Spain from 1690 until 1821. Although Spain claimed ownership of the territory, which comprised part of modern-day Texas, including the land north of the Medina and Nueces Rivers, the Spanish did not attempt to colonize the area until after...
, 1690–1821 - LuisianaLouisiana (New Spain)Louisiana was the name of an administrative district of the Viceroyalty of New Spain from 1764 to 1803 that represented territory west of the Mississippi River basin, plus New Orleans...
, 1764–1803 - Florida OccidentalWest FloridaWest Florida was a region on the north shore of the Gulf of Mexico, which underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. West Florida was first established in 1763 by the British government; as its name suggests it largely consisted of the western portion of the region...
, 1783–1821
- Florida
- Territory of FranceFrench First RepublicThe French First Republic was founded on 22 September 1792, by the newly established National Convention. The First Republic lasted until the declaration of the First French Empire in 1804 under Napoleon I...
that encompassed land that would later become part of the Orleans Territory:- LouisianeLouisiana (New France)Louisiana or French Louisiana was an administrative district of New France. Under French control from 1682–1763 and 1800–03, the area was named in honor of Louis XIV, by French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle...
, 1682–1764 and 1803
- Louisiane
- Territory of the Kingdom of Great BritainKingdom of Great BritainThe former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
that encompassed land that would later become part of the Orleans Territory:- West FloridaWest FloridaWest Florida was a region on the north shore of the Gulf of Mexico, which underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. West Florida was first established in 1763 by the British government; as its name suggests it largely consisted of the western portion of the region...
, 1763–1783
- West Florida
- U.S. territory that encompassed land that would later become part of the Orleans Territory:
- Louisiana PurchaseLouisiana PurchaseThe Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...
, 1803–1804
- Louisiana Purchase
- U.S. stateU.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s that encompass land that was once part of the Orleans Territory:- State of Louisiana, 1812
- State of Texas, 1845
- Territories of Spain
- United States Congressional Delegations from Orleans TerritoryUnited States congressional delegations from Orleans TerritoryThe Territory of Orleans was the name given to most of what is now the state of Louisiana. From 1806 until 1811, the Territory sent one non-voting Delegate to the United States House of Representatives.- Delegates:...
External links
- 1805 Orleans Territory Map
- Louisiana Documents The counties as defined by the Territorial Legislature, 1805.
- The Political Graveyard Secretaries of Orleans Territory