Stephen Henderson, b. 1775, Scotland, d. 1838; immigrated to New Orleans ca. 1800; married Zelia Destrehan in 1825 after purchasing her parents’ home (Destrehan Plantation). Extensive landowner, merchant, planter, businessman, philanthropist, and humanitarian. Served as a delegate in the 1812 Constitutional Convention; chosen as delegate to accept statehood papers; willed funds to churches, asylums, orphanages, charity hospital, and the poor of New Orleans; left land to the firemen of New Orleans. Interred next to wife in St. Charles Borromeo Cemetery. (Photo courtesy of Marilyn Mayhall Richoux.)
The Rost Plantation House in 1893 with Judge Emile Rost, son of Judge Pierre Rost, standing on the right and Mr. Destours on left. Photo taken by Mrs. George Don Luce in 1893. (Photo courtesy of Destrehan Plantation)
Judge Pierre Adolphe Rost, b. 1797 in France, d. 1868, married Louise Odile Destrehan. He was a plantation owner, state senator in Louisiana
Pan American offered homes for its employees on the Destrehan Plantation grounds.
The Destrehan Plantation house was used as an office building for refinery administrators of the Mexican Petroleum Company.
Destrehan Plantation House in the early 1900s.
The former slave quarters of Destrehan Plantation became freed Negroes’ homes after the Civil War.
Portrait of Nicholas Noel Theodule Destrehan, b. 1793, d. 1848; fourth son of Jean-Nöel Destrehan; married Victoire Fortier (m.l), Henrietta Navarre (m.2); father of four children from second marriage; lived in Gretna; active in sugar cane industry; scholar, inventor, astronomer; reportedly drew blueprints for the lock system for the Harvey Canal. Served as Corporal in Battle of New Orleans; reputed to be an original developer of New Marigny (New Orleans) and Mechankham (Gretna) suburbs. Interred in St. Charles Borromeo Cemetery.
President Thomas Jefferson signed what is now referred to as the Jefferson Document appointing four men to the legislative council. One of the four was Jean-Nöel Destrehan of the German Coast. These men were carefully selected and charged with the task of planning the new provisional government. The original Jefferson Document can be viewed at Destrehan Plantation on River Road.
Alexander O’Reilly. (Sketch by Janis Blair)
The Hermitage Plantation was owned by Judge Pierre Adolphe Rost and was located at the center of the present Bonnet Carré Spillway. Judge Rost was married to Louise Odile Destrehan and also owned the former Destrehan Plantation. He was considered one of the most significant and wealthy plantation owners along the German Coast. The Hermitage was seized by the federal government after the Civil War and later returned to Judge Rost. George Frederick Kugler served as overseer for Judge Rost and later acquired Hermitage Plantation. The property was subsequently sold to the United States government to be used as the site for the spillway project. Lumber from demolition of the Hermitage Plantation was used to build houses on Apple Street in Norco. Another African American cemetery known as the Kugler Cemetery is located at this site. Legend lends an interesting story that George Kugler planted many of the oak trees along the River Road.
Jean-Nöel Destrehan. 1754-1823. (Photo courtesy of Destrehan Plantation)
Jean-Noël d’Estréhan de Beaupre (1754-1823). (Source: Louisiana Portraits, courtesy of Marguerite Larue de la Houssaye)