I recently found a reference to a "Williamsburg Plantation" in Rapides Parish, LA. The reference appears in a NAME INDEX TO SOME PROBATE DOCKETS OF RAPIDES PARISH LA 1864-1940 ( see: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/la/rapides/est_probate.htm ) which was extracted fromLDS Film 1317238 and reads:

57 ­ Brown, Mrs. Elmira (Minors). 1869. Widow of Wm. R. Brown. Sarah (Cheneyville), Livingston L. Taeton M., Henry Jackson Brown (brother), tutor. Thomas P. Frith, under tutor. Re: Edwin C. Herbert; Patrick D. Spied; Lenn Tanner; Frank B. Johnson; J. R. Ford; Thomas P. Frith; H. F. Song; James Moody; Lindsay L. (Livingston) Brown; Sarah Brown married Laurence Bushnell; Williamsburg Plantation.

Any assistance in finding out who owned this plantation around 1869 and where it was/is located is greatly appreciated.

Capt.Peter Robert, born 19 Aug. 1740, Santee River, S.C., d.
19 Dec 1825 Bayou Boeuf, La.
m. about 1763 in Edisto Is., Colleton Co., S. C., Anne Grimball, born 1747 Edisto Island, Colleton Co., S. C. died bef. 1825 in Bayou Boeuf, Rapides Parish, La.
Families arrived Woodville, Ms. abt. 1804 remaind there ten to twelve years; moved about 1816 with family to Bayou Boeuf, La., Rapides Parish, and settled there - his family remained, children married there, family owned home home until after 1906.

I have the written document that tells about this property and am willing to share information. Please contact me at bengalbell1@me.com

Willimsburg Plantation was on Bayou Boeuf at Loyd Bridge, north of Cheneyville, Louisiana and was owned by my great,great,great grandparents: William Robert Brown and Elmira Toler Brown. William had inherited the plantation from his parents Anne Grimball Tanner and her first husband William Brown (both from North Carolina). Upon the death of William Robert Brown, the property was split among the heirs which included their fourth child, my great, great grandmother, Sarah Brown Bushnell. She and her husband (Lawrence Brown) had the "guest house" moved from the main house area to a portion of the land she inherited. They lived there until Lawrences death on January 23, 1923. Sarah died in 1935. She had 11 children(some of which preceded her in death). As of 1950, the last record I have, a portion of the main house still stood. It was made of hand hewn cypress and mortised and pegged. The Oak trees that lined the avenue leading to the main house have all died. This information comes from family records and I have never actually seen the property.

My long ago grandparents, Robert C. Holland and Mary Elizabeth Bell, were married at Williamsburg Plantation, Bayou Boeuf, Rapides Parish Louisiana in 1874. H J Brown, H L Tanner, and G H Sallis were witnesses. Jesse R Ford was the Justice of the Peace who performed the ceremony.