A Sacred Resting Place for Patriots
- Sharon Spell
- Nov 5, 2025
- 4 min read
SAR Members and Color Guard with Susan Perret, Descendant of Patriot Alphonse Perret
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Cemetery and its American Patriots
The Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) General Philemon Thomas Chapter and Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Wharton Chapter came together in Edgard on Saturday October 18, 2025 to honor Revolutionary War Patriots buried in the St. John the Baptist Church Cemetery. They drew a crowd of around 80 people, many being descendants of the Patriots interred here. Here is more detail about the Historic German Coast of St. John Parish and its Church and Cemetery according to Derrick Spell.
For information about SAR visit President's Page or National Society Sons of the American Revolution – Since 1889
For Information about DAR visit Louisiana State Society DAR | LSDAR or Daughters of the American Revolution
The German Coast Early Days
Settling in what is Now St. Charles and St. John the Baptist Parishes
A group of German immigrants established the second permanent Louisiana settlement near the modern community of Lucy in 1721. Other small settlements were established along the west bank of the Mississippi River in the parishes of St. Charles and St. John the Baptist. This area became known as La Cote des Allemands or The German Coast. A small chapel was built there in 1724 and it was named Saint Jean-Baptiste Des Allemands. By 1769, exiled Acadians had also settled along the German Coast. These settlers wanted their own church and priest. Spanish governor O'Reilly expropriated four arpents of land (almost four acres) from bachelor Jacque Dubroc in 1770 to build a church and cemetery. In 1772, Spanish Capuchin Father Bernardo de Limpach arrived as the first pastor of this new church that carried the name of the original chapel, Saint Jean-Baptiste Des Allemands -- St. John the Baptist Church. The church is third oldest in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, with St. Louis Cathedral first (1718), and St. Charles Borromeo in Destrehan second (1723).
Final Resting Place of Pierre Bozonier Marmillion
Historic Cemetery holds German Coast Patriots
Records indicate that burials began in the St. John the Baptist Church Cemetery shortly after the church was erected in 1772. In 1821, the Poche Crevasse flooded the entire west bank of St. John Parish. These flood waters destroyed the first church and caused damage to the adjacent cemetery. Additional graves were lost when the levee was relocated in 1881, sacrificing the front portion of the cemetery to the Mississippi River. Many of the oldest graves were located in this front portion of the cemetery that was lost. At least forty-nine German Coast residents who fought in support of America's independence were buried in the St. John the Baptist Church Cemetery. Only five of these Patriot graves remain intact today.
At least 49 German Coast residents who fought in support of America's independence were buried in the St. John the Baptist Church Cemetery. Only 5 of these Patriot graves remain intact today.
Forty-three of these men were volunteer members of the German Coast militia. The remaining were soldiers in the New Orleans and Acadian militias. All of these soldiers marched with other regional militia units toward Baton Rouge in late August and early September of 1779. Under the leadership of Spanish Louisiana Governor Bernardo de Gálvez, these troops captured two Louisiana forts that were under British control. First, they captured Fort Bute located near Bayou Manchac on September 7th. Then they marched to Baton Rouge and captured its fort on September 21st. When the British surrendered the Baton Rouge fort, Gálvez also convinced them to surrender the Fort Panmure in Natchez, Mississippi. This gave Gálvez total control of the lower Mississippi River valley.
Documented Militia Records found as recent as 2015
New Patriots in Edgard Identified
In 1925, Louisiana Society Sons of the American Revolution President Charles Robert Churchill published Bernardo de Gálvez, Services to the American Revolution. This book contains 447 pages of history and lists of local militia units that served under Gálvez. Unfortunately, many of the originally published militia rosters were incomplete. This was certainly the case for the German Coast militia. The first additional German Coast militia list was published in 1996 and another supplement was published in 2011.
However, the most important supplement to the German Coast militia was published in the March 2015 issue of Le Raconteur, Le Comité des Archives de la Louisiana, Inc. This supplement contained details of a newly discovered file at the Louisiana State University Hill Memorial Library. This supplement contained additional members of the Second German Coast Militia. These are the militia volunteers from St. John the Baptist Parish. Lists published earlier are primarily composed of members of the First German Coast, or St. Charles Parish.
SAR and DAR prominently mark the graves of the following Patriots:
Jacques Cantrelle
Jean Louis Falgoust
Jean Jacques Haydel
Pierre Bozonier Marmillion
Alphonse Perret
Legacy Matters
Visiting St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Cemetery today is a journey through time and sacred ground indeed. The community and descendants appreciate the efforts of SAR and DAR to remind us of the importance of these Patriots' sacrifice.
For information about SAR visit President's Page or National Society Sons of the American Revolution – Since 1889
For Information about DAR visit Louisiana State Society DAR | LSDAR or Daughters of the American Revolution
If you would like to speak with someone directly, email Attn: Derrick at cairestores@gmail.com
Keep up to date with ongoing renovations to the Caire Stores and learn how you can help by visiting www.cairestores.com and subscribing to our newsletter, as well as following us on Facebook and Instagram.
I am a member of the New Orleans Chapter of the Daughter's of the American Revolution fthrough my ancestor Champagne who fought under Galvez.