felician explorer apr 28

PRESORT STDUS POSTAGE

PAIDZACHARY, LAPERMIT NO. 6

CAR-RT PRESORTPOSTAL CUSTOMERS

ECWSS Postal Patron Local

Feliciana Explorer • Tuesday, April 28, 2015 • Vol. 5, No. 17 • Published Weekly • Circulation 17,000 • felicianaexplorer.com • © 2015

EXPLOREREXPLORERFeliciana

Proud to be the Felicianas' only locally owned, managed, and staffed newspaper.

BANK of ZACHARY.com

BANK of ZACHARYBANK of ZACHARY

(225) 654-2701 • bankofzachary.com

Main Office: Main Street | Zachary

Plaza Office: Church Street | Zachary

central Office: 13444 Hooper Road | Central

Member FDIC

See PATRICK on page 6

See RAILROAD on page 8

Carlos Sam Chosen as New Superintendent of East Feliciana Schools

The East Fe-liciana Parish School Board voted unani-mously Tuesday to offer a con-tract as superin-tendent to Carlos J. Sam.

Sam is cur-rently an associ-ate superintendent in the East Baton Rouge Parish school system.

Sam, a 26-year veteran of the East Baton Rouge system, is now associate superintendent for support services, but served as a teacher, as-sistant principal, principal and direc-tor of magnet programs.

Sam will succeed Henderson Lewis Jr., who resigned last month after being named superintendent of Orleans Parish schools.

Carlos Sam

Underground Railroad in JacksonBy Beth Dawson

On March 27 a lot of hustling and busting was occurring around Jackson as members of the Jackson Assembly prepared for the 50th Anniversary of its Antiques and Art Show. East Fe-liciana football team members were unloading furniture, antiques dealers were setting up their booths, and all the churches and buildings on tour were putting finishing touches on their points of interest.

At this same time, the Prince fam-ily from Buxton, Canada, was on the American Queen, traveling down the Mississippi from Memphis, Tennes-see. When the steamboat stopped in Baton Rouge for a short layover, Edna Jordan-Smith, a Baton Rouge geneal-ogist, and her friend, Celestine Davis, met the Prince family to bring them to Jackson.

Jordan-Smith has been very instru-mental in studying and disseminating the information concerning an event

At the tombstone of John Phares are Edna Jordan Smith, Earl Prince, Bryan Prince and Shannon Prince. Photograph by Beth Dawson

on the Underground Railroad that took place in Jackson around 1850. Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Prince and his father, Earl, came to view the places of his ancestors’ roots.

Jordan-Smith has given bus tours on this very subject; this is her short version of the story.

John Ebenezer Phares was the owner of a small, 640-acre plantation on what is now called Dawson Road in East Feliciana. When he died, he was buried in the Dawson Cemetery, leaving his 30 slaves to his daughters, Mary and Martha. Mary was mar-ried to the Reverend William King, an Irish-born immigrant who was a Presbyterian minister and rector of Matthews Academy, a male prepara-tory school for Louisiana College.

Of the four books Bryan Prince has written, the last contains some researched information about the Underground Railroad in Jackson.

John M. Patrick III Tells His Story: As God Would Have ItBy Patricia stallman

John M. Patrick III, owner, with his wife Phyllis, of Patrick’s Fine Jew-elry in St. Francisville, says, “God had a plan for me. All I had to do was let Him operate the plan in His timing. And God,” Patrick adds, “has a sense of humor. How do I know that? He put an artist into this big old redneck body. That’s an odd combination!”

At the jewelry store, he works for perfection, concentrating on the beauty of “minute details” of jewelry that of-ten reflects nature: jewelry in the shape of flowers, birds, even animals. At his cattle ranch, he says, nature contributes the mud for his boots. As the Swed-ish playwright August Strindberg once said, when accused of living in the clouds: The true poet lives in the mud of reality.

“The cattle business is my balance in life,” Patrick explains. “The work doesn’t have to be so perfect, and if a cow gives me a lot of grief, I fire her and she goes to live with someone else.”

Patrick works two days a week on his ranch in Woodville, Mississippi, the town where he was born and raised. By the age of 6 or 7, he says, he was work-ing on the family cattle farm, though “it wasn’t like work; it was what we did.” By the time he was 12, when his father traveled to Australia to work in the oil fields for three years, Patrick says, “I was running the farm.”

He drove trucks and tractors, baled hay and fed the cattle during the win-ter. Back then the family raised com-mercial cattle; now Patrick raises reg-istered Black Angus and registered Herefords and sells bulls and breeding stock, which, he explains, means heif-ers, cows and pairs (cows and calves).

During his school years at Wilkin-son County Christian Academy, he at-tended Woodville Baptist Church, the oldest Baptist church in Mississippi, where his father, John Marvin Patrick, Jr., of Mobile, Alabama, met his moth-er, Julia Mae Ford of Woodville. His Jeweler and cattleman John M. Patrick III: a sweet smile and a penetrating gaze. At

the work bench in the back of the new Patrick’s Fine Jewelry on Highway 61 in St. Francisville. Photograph by Patricia Stallman

2 Tuesday, April 28, 2015

DRY’S

Email stories and photos to [email protected]

Published Tuesdays52 weeks a year

4104 Main StreetZachary, LA 70791

Phone (225) 654-0122Fax (225) 208-1165

Deadline for news and advertising: Wednesday, 5 P.M.

Call for advertising rates.

Publisher & EditorDaniel Duggan

Graphic DesignerTina Adams

Account ExecutivesGeorgiana Walls

Ashley Evans

Contributing WritersJames Ronald SkainsJen Bayhi-GennaroPatricia Stallman

ZES Bureau ChiefCalla Duggan

RPE Bureau ChiefChandler Duggan

NES Bureau ChiefCecelia Duggan

Daycare Bureau ChiefColton Duggan

EXPLOREREXPLORERFeliciana

Sale $599

Med Lift ReclinerRecliner

Sale

* Minimum monthly payments required. Interest will be charged at regular APR if balance is not paid in full during promotional, or if payment is late. Exclusions: iComfort, Tempurepedic, prior sales and closeouts,TV’s, bedding, appliances or in combination with any other offer.

FURNITURE & APPLIANCES, LLCSince 1957

HOURS: Mon-Fri 9:00-6:00 • Sat 9:00-5:00 3425 Hwy 1 S., Port Allen225-749-0076

372 Hospital Rd., New Roads

225-638-4526www.bellelosonline.com

"A family business of 58 years, we pride ourselves in service and integrity."

False River Road

FALSE RIVER

Hosp

ital R

oad

H

•Wal-Mart

Hwy. 1 Hwy 10

2nd Location...

48 MONTHS NO INTEREST or 15%

DISCOUNT and 12 MONTHS

NO INTERESTUP TO

$299

Recliner Sofa or Recliner Loveseat $849

5 PC DINETTE SALE $449 orig. $599

Sofa & Loveseat SALE $899 orig. $1099

YOUR CHOICE

• BONDED LEATHER • LOVESEAT HAS A USB PORT

Sofa Only SALE $499

CLOSE OUT

Dresser, Mirror & Full Bed SALE $599

FULL BED SALE $269

RefrigeratorFrost Free$399 SALEreg. 699

Appliance Specials

Sale$499 each

Washeror DryerSave $352

Limited Qty.

Sale$499 each

Washeror DryerSave $352

Limited Qty.

By UrsUla shaw

Warning: This article contains an eggsorbitant amount of egg terminology. Reader discretion is advised.

Someone has designated the month of April as National Egg Month. As with all designated holidays, the purpose is “to commemorate or celebrate a particular event or awareness.” Hence, the celebra-tion of that eggceptional food, the egg.

Upon my quest to find the most unique and eggsplicit information about eggs, I found myself opening up a Pandora’s Box or, in this case, a Pandora’s Egg Car-ton. There is a bevy of information that will pique every interest in eggs one may entertain. I wanted only to write a simple article that would honor the most versatile food ingredient that eggsists. But simplic-ity was overridden by eggstravagance. Therefore, let’s eggsplore the Incredible Edible Egg.

If you thought that the hens stopped laying eggs after Easter, then you are in for a shock. According to the National Egg Commission, after Easter the supply of eggs is normal but the demand for eggs is less, so the price is cheaper. From May throughout the summer, eggs are a greater bargain than any other time during the year. Now is the time!

Eggs provide protein as well as vari-ous other nutrients. In a phone interview I conducted with Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Mike Strain, he empha-sized that eggs are a superfood loaded with high-quality proteins, vitamins and good fats. Dr. Strain is also on the Louisiana Egg Commission, which promotes the general well-being of Louisiana's egg in-dustry by encouraging increased produc-tion and quality in Louisiana eggs through marketing and research. He invites you to visit www.laeggs.com for upcoming

Now I’m Eggshausted!events and some eggcelent recipes.

In the spirit of inclusion for all, let me eggstend my love of eggs to vegans and lacto-vegetarians. Currently on the mar-ket is a product called Vegg. It is a veg-an's and a lacto-vegetarian's substitute for egg yolk. See www.veganessential.com

As with any food, according to your health and physical condition, your phy-sician may recommend certain restric-tions on the consumption of eggs.

If I have overindulged in rich egg dishes like Eggs Benedict and various quiches, I beg eggsoneration or at least forgiveness. I have, as well, emphasized

the simple and healthy vegetable omelet and the egg hard-boiled with salad. I have combined the egg with good-for-you tuna or chicken, again in a salad. I eggsude good health!

If this article has egged you on, then mission accomplished. Scramble to the store to purchase the Incredible Edible Egg. In the words of Benjamin Franklin, as quoted from Poor Richard's Almanack, “An egg today is better than a hen tomor-row.” And if you are not too eggshausted, visit my Facebook page, “I Think—I Dream” for some eggceptional Mother’s Day Brunch ideas.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015 3

BLUE CANOPY

10X10 INSTANT

#6830764

9989


West Feliciana Port Preparing a Welcome for More Big ShipsBy Patricia stallman

At the April 20 meeting of the West Feliciana Port Commission, eight members were present: President Paul A. Lambert, Jr., Vice President Z. Da-vid DeLoach, Secretary-Treasurer Robert Fisher, Jr., David Duvic, Greg Ferris, Alan L. Kirkpatrick, CHMM, David R. Opperman and Nolan Percy. Andrew A. Grezaffi, III, was absent.

Tully: docking space and econom-ic impact of cruise ships

Addressing the Commission in place of Tourism Director Laurie Walsh, Tourist Commission Member Susie Tully discussed docking needs for future cruise ship traffic and the economic impact of tourists. Begin-ning next year, she said, the American Queen will add a second ship, as will the Queen of the Mississippi, which will add the American Eagle. Add Vi-king Cruise, which will send at least one ship, Tully said, and the total will be at least five ships vying for space at St. Francisville. “We are going to see multiple boats on multiple days.”

Even now, she continued, the cruise lines “are asking for docking agree-ments.” The American Queen, for ex-ample, “wants priority in docking.” Parish President Kevin Couhig later in-dicated that Viking Cruise Lines also is seeking a priority docking agreement.

Who, Tully asked, is responsible for docking agreements? The Parish Gov-ernment or the Port Commission?

At present, as St. Francisville can-not dock two boats at the same time, Tully foresees scenarios in which one of two boats docks “on the New Roads side” and that second destination “starts grabbing those tourists.” Emphasiz-ing that St. Francisville wants to be “the priority docker,” Tully asked if the land for which Parish President Kevin Couhig has signed a purchase agree-ment will “allow us to handle two boats at a time.”

Mr. Couhig, in a later conversa-tion, indicated that on certain days as many as three or four boats could seek to dock. He identified this challenge as "a high class problem, but one that must be solved to insure that the Parish gets the maximum economic benefit of this opportunity.

“This is exactly the role identified for the Port Commission in its autho-rizing legislation,” Couhig said. “I look forward to working with the Port Com-

mission to seize on this opportunity. "Tully also gave a summary of the

current economic impact of tourists. Of the 20,000 visitors per year to the area, the hotel 3 percent occupancy tax gen-erates $140,000 a year, the 5 percent local tax generates $235,000 and the 4 percent State tax generates $896,000 from food, fuel, shopping and amuse-ment for an estimated total of $1.13 million yearly.

The additional ships and the new cruise line should add considerably to that total.

In answer to another question from Tully, the Commission said that the American Eagle, a relatively small boat, carries 150 people, while a “big boat” will carry “upwards to 400.” To her question regarding the num-ber of times per year each line will dock a boat, President Lambert noted, “Eighty-four landings remain for the rest of this year.”

Lambert continued that the City of Baton Rouge is “taking bids for an up-grade of its dock for multiple boats,” as it too can at present dock only one at a time.

An April 22 trip to the old ferry landing at the bottom of Ferdinand Street in St. Francisville revealed one ship docked at the St. Francisville land-ing and a second ship docked across the river at New Roads.

Authority of the West Feliciana Port Commission

At one point, DeLoach defined the

Commission’s authority as including the “procuring of property” through “purchase, expropriation, donation and lease.” The group discussed property available for boat docking, including the measurements and passenger ca-pacity of the cruise ships, water depth requirements and bus turnaround needs.

Commissioners also discussed whether the Parish would need to el-evate property to accommodate the re-quirements of a new dock. One mem-ber noted that the Parish president may be “looking at buying the old ferry and using it as a floating dock.”

At that point, DeLoch telephoned President Couhig and reported that Couhig, having received the Parish Council’s approval of the appropriate ordinance, “has a purchase agreement on 35 acres.”

On April 20, Commission Secre-tary Rolanda Robinson reported that the two pieces of property involved in the purchase agreement are 20-acre and 15-acre tracts that are “south of the mat field” and separated by a third property owned by Lobdell Enterprises, LLC. Further, an additional, fourth piece of property may be under consideration as well.

Vote to confer with Parish presi-dent

Commissioner Opperman moved that the Commission appoint one or more members to meet with Presi-dent Couhig to determine where the Commission’s and his responsibilities “overlap, join or go in different direc-tions” and to discuss the Commission’s ideas for riverfront development in-cluding riverboat docking. The vote to meet with the president was seven for,

zero against and one absent, with Lam-bert abstaining.

Port Commission’s role under Home Rule Charter

In a telephone interview April 22, Port Commission President Lambert explained that on April 13 the Parish Council approved the ordinance that allowed Parish President Couhig to ne-gotiate for the port property and appro-priated the money for its purchase. The Port Commission, Lambert said, which “has not been actively involved in any negotiations,” will meet with Couhig to determine the Port Commission’s con-tribution, under the Home Rule Charter form of government, with regard to the purchase of property and docking.

When the Port Commission started, Lambert explained, the Parish had a port director “who actively looked for industry to bring in” to what is now the KPAQ area. Under the Police Jury sys-tem, should an industry wish to move to the Parish, the Commission then turned the matter over to the Jury “to issue bonds and raise money.”

Several commissioners suggested that the Port Commission, the Tourist Commission, and the Economic De-velopment Commission work with the Parish president to define their roles in serving the Parish.

As President Couhig said on April 22, the work of the Port Commission includes solving the challenge of dock-ing multiple ships simultaneously. Couhig continued, "For some time the holdup on beginning to build a port has been the need to have a customer to provide the economic justification to invest. Well, we have that now, and we need to make the investment."

Tourist Commission Member Susie Tully addresses the West Feliciana Port Com-mission Monday, April 20. Photograph by Patricia Stallman


2015 CHEVROLET CRUZESTOCK #11100 MSRP $22,165

SALE $17,552

2015 CHEVROLET MALIBUSTOCK #10964 MSRP $23,445

SALE $18,947

2015 CHEVROLET IMPALASTOCK #11124 MSRP $31,195

SALE $24,371

2015 CHEVROLET EQUINOXSTOCK #10930 MSRP $25,260

SALE $20,020

Ginger Hunt Inducted Into the Louisiana Nursing Hall of FameOn March 28th, the Annual

Nightingale Awards were held in Baton Rouge to honor outstanding nurses in Louisiana. The Program is sponsored by the Louisiana Nurs-es Foundation to recognize nurses in numerous categories. The most celebrated category is the Nurses Hall of Fame which recognizes the recipient’s lifelong commitment to the profession of nursing and im-pact on the health and/or social im-pact of the state of Louisiana. Gin-ger Hunt, founder and CEO of the nonprofit Primary Care Providers for a Healthy Feliciana (PCPFHF) a.k.a. RKM, received this presti-gious award.

Hunt has been practicing nurs-ing for 52 years. She received her BSN from Northwestern, her MS in mental health nursing from the University of Southern Mississippi, and Family Nurse Practitioner from Mississippi University for Women. Her career has involved working in the Baton Rouge area as a staff nurse, educator, clinician and ad-ministrator. She is currently the President of the La. Primary Care Association.

Hunt has worked diligently over the past 15 years to achieve her dream of providing rural healthcare, a desire identified in 1978 while at-tending graduate school. Her vision was to provide affordable quality health care to the residents of rural, underserved East Feliciana Parish, where she was born and resided for the major portion of her life. With that goal in mind, she returned to school in 1990 to continue her edu-

cation in a doctoral program, how-ever, her focus shifted to clinical practice and she became a Nurse Practitioner in 1994. In 1999, Hunt and Darie Gilliam, a fellow Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Director of PCPFHF, set up practice in Clinton, La. in Dr. Robert K. Munson’s 800 sq. foot clinic, upon his retirement.

Today, the original site is now over 30,000 sq. ft. and provides pri-mary care, dental services, and be-havioral health care. PCPFHF cur-rently operates eight clinics, four primary care and four school-based clinics, across four parishes - East Feliciana, West Baton Rouge, Liv-ingston and Tangipahoa. There are dental services at three locations. In addition, there are 22 social work-ers providing behavioral health ser-vices at these sites and additional school locations. There were nearly 12,000 clients served and 72,000 visits last fiscal year. There is a total of 148 staff and an annual operating budget of 10 million dollars. Fur-ther expansion is underway.

Nurse practitioners manage all of these clinics. There were many hurdles to overcome in establishing this model of care, especially the re-sistance of the medical community. It has been the innovative leader-ship of Hunt that has recognized the contributions of professional nursing to the delivery of quality health care. Today, health care is provided by 20 APRNs at primary Care sites. The quality of service delivery is recognized by local gov-ernment, community organizations, clients served and accrediting or-

ganizations. PCPFHF is accredited as a Primary Medical Care Home through the Joint Commission, re-ceived the highest level of recog-nition by the National Council of Quality Assurance and receives con-sistently high ratings on consumer satisfaction surveys. This illustrates Hunt’s dedication and commitment to making quality healthcare ser-

vices available to the underserved. It is her dedication, compassion, integrity, high standards and faith that have accomplished the mission of making quality care accessible to the underserved. Hunt’s efforts have provided for the betterment of the community and the residents. As a result, her efforts were recognized as an inductee into the Hall of Fame.

Real Property Management Holds Ribbon Cutting

On April 14, Real Property Management Premium celebrated their opening with an official ribbon cutting ceremony held by the Zachary Chamber of Commerce. Conve-niently located at 2060 Church Street (in front of Leblanc’s Food Store), Real Property Management Premium offers a full-service property management system. “Our mission is to preserve and protect properties in our care. With over 25 years of experience, the company has streamlined practices and procedures to maximize the owner’s income and make the rental process hassle free,” said Mary Jackson, Business Development Manager. Real Property Management Premium serves Zachary, Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas. Owner and Operations Manager, Billy Duncan said, “Since moving to Zachary in 2012, with the experience of being new residents as well as business own-ers here, we are so impressed by the community. We are so happy to be here and look forward to supporting the community in any way that we can.” Call today for FREE property management quote: (225) 570-8739, or visit: www.rpmpremium.com.Photo Caption: (From left to right) Mary Jackson, Business Development Manager; Bessie C. Duncan, Owner and Finance Director; Billy R. Duncan, Owner and Opera-tions Manager; Annie Greene, Office Manager; Kate MacArthur, Executive Director of Economic Development; Brandon Noel, City Councilman; David Gaines, Marketing Director; and Heather Prejean, Chamber Director.


PATRICK continued from page 1

father, Patrick says, worked in the oil field “and would go from rig to rig and work wherever the drilling was.” One Sunday at church, “My grandmother, Janie Anderson Ford, invited my father home for lunch after the service.

“It wasn’t a long courtship,” he smiles, noting that his parents and he lived with his maternal grandparents, Harry and Janie Ford, in their house on Pinkneyville Road. His grandfather “made his entire living and fortune with cattle ranching and loanshark-ing.” When Ford died, he “left enough property and livestock to make self-supporting farms for his three kids in Woodville.” His mother’s ranch is the only one that remains in the family.

Of his paternal heritage, Patrick says it began in Ireland, when Maw Pat-rick’s parents “came over on a boat.” Maw, Sallie McCray Patrick, of Citro-nelle, Alabama, was married to John M. Patrick, Sr. Her father, a McCray, lived to be 101. Patrick recalls that his great grandfather McCray “built log-ging sheds ‘timber frame style,’ with no nails, just wooden pegs.”

Along the path of God’s plan, from the time Patrick turned 15 and had en-tered high school, “my daddy, being in the oil field, took me to work with him on weekends and during the summers, and I’d give a man 24 to 48 hours off to earn my spending money. That was the dirtiest, hardest-working job you’d ever want to do,” he says. “I was big enough and strong enough to do a man’s job, though I don’t know I had the sense enough. God still covers up my igno-rance every day,” he smiles, fixing the listener with a penetrating gaze.

After graduating from WCCA in 1977, John III signed a full football scholarship at Southwest Mississippi Community College in Summit, Mis-sissippi, then quit after two days, during pre-term practice, “before the girls and the books.”

Why? Football was suddenly “a job, not a game.” Three days after his return home, he was on his way to an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. “We flew

there out of Venice.” As part of what he supposes was an initiation, “the young crane operator put me into a personnel net, lowered me about 20 feet over the Gulf of Mexico as a practical joke, and went to lunch for about one and a half hours. Had the cable slipped, I would have died.”

Later, “I had what I will call a strong conversation with him in the locker room and chose not to come back.”

He had, however, earned enough money in three months to repay his mother for her help in the purchase of his car.

Next, along with six other young men who were his former classmates, he shared a house in Woodville—the rent was $35 each—and worked at a menial job, in his case as a gas station attendant. There was little indication that the plan for his life was already long in the works.

Then one of the six friends hap-pened to go shopping at Huey Wilson’s catalogue store on Florida Boulevard in Baton Rouge. His goal: a gift for his girlfriend. There, however, the dia-mond department manager “just hap-pened to wait on him, was impressed with him, and asked him if he’d like to interview for an apprentice jeweler position.” The manager offered him the job “on the spot.”

Harry agreed to take the position

under one condition: that John M. Pat-rick III could also come to work at Wil-son’s to share travel expenses.

The plan was still unfolding.Though Harry “lasted all of three

months” at Wilson’s, before his depar-ture, “we were walking down an aisle in the luggage department, and I saw a beautiful young lady working there. I did not even know her name, but I told Harry, ‘She’s the one,’ and he told me, ‘You’re dreaming. There’s no way she’ll go out with you.’

“I had to ask Phyllis out nine times before she accepted,” John Patrick says. “Somewhere between the sixth and the ninth times I had a conversation with the young man who was dating her—he was much bigger than I—and con-vinced him that it would not be in his best interest to continue his pursuit.”

At Wilson’s, Patrick recalls, he “worked for a dime over minimum wage. I did my time.”

After one and a half years with Huey

Wilson, Patrick took a position with an independent jeweler, Marion Alessi on Florida and Airline, working from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. six days a week. “Dur-ing that time, Phyllis and I married. If you bought your wedding ring set at Alessi’s, you got to ride to your wed-ding and reception in his antique Rolls Royce. Phyllis and her dad, Pat Rivet, who was originally from Brusly—Addis, rode to St. Alphonse Catholic Church, and her dad got a big kick out of it, and then Phyllis and I rode to the reception.”

One week after the wedding, Pat-rick took on a second job at UPS, working from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. as a pre-loader, backing up 18-wheelers to a dock where other workers unloaded packages for the UPS delivery trucks. Because of his experience operating farm equipment at age 12, he landed the job. The plan and the path had be-gun to show themselves. Much more, however, was to come, the final pieces of the journey that was to lead the Pat-rick family to St. Francisville and bring it through hard times.

During his tenure at UPS, John Pat-rick began working afternoons in his in-laws’ utility room on an old console TV that he “turned into a jeweler’s work-bench to earn money for my first set of tools. Once I had those, I convinced the manager of Rider’s jewelry in Cortana Mall that I could do anything he needed on site so that he wouldn’t need to send out repairs.

“As God would have it, a regional manager worked with the store man-ager at that Cortana store. One day he brought in a particular diamond ring that the home office couldn’t produce fast enough. Between 1980 and 1985, I’d find the parts, make the rings and sell them to Rider’s. During the next few years, ending in 1985, we were

John Patrick and his mother, Julia Mae Ford Patrick, “Nana,” feed the Herefords at the ranch in Woodville, Mississippi, which provides the “balance” for Patrick’s exacting work as a jeweler. Photograph provided by Johnny Patrick


Our Mobile App is now available

for Android

supplying 32 stores.For John Patrick III, “This is the eas-

iest work I have ever done. If my back and my eyes hold up, I’ll do it another 20 or 30 years,” he says, noting that the move to the new St. Francisville loca-tion on Highway 61 marks his 31st year in business in West Feliciana.

“I was goldsmithing, that is, sau-tering, filing, shaping and polishing metal. I was assembling and setting diamonds.” His work, he says, “is very detailed, under a microscope.” For ex-ample, with a pave set, he works in di-mensions “less than a millimeter wide. Pave is the style of putting into the metal tiny diamonds with little beads of gold holding each one in a smooth surface…no prongs.” He describes that work as “pretty close to very detailed surgery. I like to be exact.”

Again as God would have it, in 1983 “my mother called and told me about a jewelry store for sale in St. Francisville and said, ‘You need to come buy it.’” Eventually, he did just that. His mother, who taught for 33 years at Tunica Ele-mentary outside Angola, was, he knew, a wise woman.

Those first 10 years in St. Francis-ville, however, were very difficult. “As my grandmother Janie and my mother taught me,” Patrick says, “if money can solve it, it’s not really a problem.

“They also taught me that happiness is a state of mind, not a state of being. I was just as happy when we were starv-ing to death as I am now. Back then, when my sons would ask me, ‘What are we going to do?’ I’d give the same answer every time: ‘Whatever it takes.’ I was not always sure what that was, but I was sure willing to do it.

“When do you learn your best les-son?” Patrick asks. “When you’re in the middle of it. Sometimes it’s hard to remember God is teaching you then. As you mature, you have to make sure that your rate of learning God’s word is faster than your rate of forgetting it.”

During those first 10 years of “starv-ing,” Patrick returned now and then to Baton Rouge for extra work to make ends meet. At Christmas time when his sons were young, he’d borrow $200 from the bank or “swap jewelry” to

buy their gifts. On the path to success, he says, “You need to be hungry.” He recalls, during his youth, the lady his sisters and he called Aunt Jane, who dropped by their house twice a month with a gift of homemade cookies, “sometimes oatmeal, sometimes sug-ar.” One day, when he asked his mother for the back story, she told him that during the Depression, his grandpar-ents had regularly sent meat, bread and milk to Aunt Jane’s family, an ongoing gift that brought her family through the hard times. John Patrick learned a lesson, both from his family and from Aunt Jane, on how to live one’s life.

In 1990, his family’s fortunes began to turn around.

“As my life got closer with God, my business increased and continues to do so. On December 23, 2014, at our new location, we set a record with our sales.

“That night I got a call that my fa-ther had passed. God’s timing is per-fect. Even though my father was gone, I could rejoice in his victory with his promotion to Heaven.”

Throughout the journey, John’s wife Phyllis Rivet Patrick has worked

by his side. From Baton Rouge, Phyllis, the daughter of Pat and Patricia Breaux Rivet, has also stood with her husband as their faith enlarged from one denom-ination to interdenominational. The two touch base with their larger balance each morning, Patrick says. Then they drive south on Highway 61 and open the doors to the new Patrick’s Fine Jew-elry, where they greet their son, John M. Patrick IV. The new store, John III says, was his son Johnny’s vision. The Patricks’ younger son, Jamey, is with Red Stick Armature, a few miles fur-ther south on Highway 61. Both sons earned degrees, John IV from LSU and Jamey from Baton Rouge Community College.

Returning to his philosophy, John III says, “I believe if you treat a customer the way you would want to be treated, whatever the circumstances, you’ve done it correctly. This philosophy is fol-lowed by all our employees…my sister, Janie McCann; my sister-in-law, Cora-lea Gentile; and longtime friends Deb-bie Bryant and Judy Hotard. This store policy is WHY our customers keep re-turning and referring us to family and friends.”

Touring the visitor area in the back of the new building, the area where he performs his “surgery,” John Patrick points out a laser, noting that Patrick’s was “the first jewelry store in Louisi-ana to own one.” The laser, he explains, permits him to repair jewelry without heating the metal and damaging deli-cate gemstones.

Suddenly the phone rings. He lis-tens.

Extending his hand, he smiles broadly. “I’m fixing to have to go sell a bull now,” he says, and he hurries back to the front of the store, where, amid cases and cases of shimmering, beau-tiful jewelry, another rancher waits, ready to dicker.

Left: The Patrick family gathers in 2013. Jamey, at left, is with Red Stick Arma-ture just south of the new Patrick's Fine Jewelry on Highway 61 in St. Francisville. His father and mother, John and Phyllis Patrick, center, and his brother, Johnny run the store. Photograph provided by Johnny Patrick

The four generations a while back: John M. Patrick, John M. “Johnny” IV in the arms of his grandfather, John M. Patrick, Jr. At right is John M. Patrick III of Patrick’s Fine Jewelry. Photograph provided by Johnny Patrick


RAILROAD continued from page 1

This book, My Brother’s Keeper, fo-cuses on the story of Solomon King, one of John Phares’ slaves.

Prince writes, “The news of her father’s death coupled with the ex-cruciating sorrow of having lost her son proved too much for Mary and she followed her father into death the following month, leaving Johanna, their five-month-old daughter, in her father’s care. Johanna died on May 9, 1846, within weeks of her mother, and was placed in the same tomb. Ac-cording to Louisiana law, the timing of this series of deaths dictated that John Phares’ slaves would go to his children, including Mary King and Martha Braeme. Upon her death, Mary’s slaves would go to her only surviving child, Johanna. Upon the death of this child, Johanna’s slaves would go to her only surviving par-ent, William King, which meant that this divinity student and avowed abo-litionist was then the owner of four-teen slaves.”

The Reverend King went to New Orleans and hired a steamer to meet him at the Bayou Sara dock near St. Francisville. He called all his slaves together and told them to pack all their belongings because they were going to Canada. They packed every-thing, thinking they were heading to another plantation called Canada. The minister, however, had spent all his money beforehand, purchased land in Canada and formed the community of Buxton for his slaves and others. The group of formerly enslaved persons traveled together up the Mississippi, then the Ohio and then to Canada.

Bryan Prince commented, about his recent quick visit to Jackson, “It was so meaningful for us to visit the Phares homestead and the cemetery where family members are buried. We have spent a great deal of our lives researching and sharing the stories of those people who were the enslaved and the enslavers and those who were involved in many aspects of their lives. The story of William King, who married John Phares’ daughter Mary, as well as the story of those who found freedom, is central to the story of our museum and our home in Buxton, Ontario, Canada. Today, thanks to Beth Dawson, Edna Jordan-Smith and Celestine Davis, three of those descendants of slaves from Buxton had the opportunity to walk the grounds and attempt to feel the history. We will carry that experience back to the Buxton National Historic Site and Museum and do our best to impart that knowledge and feeling to our visitors, to our families and to our fellow descendants.”

Edna Jordan-Smith stated, “Earl called to tell me a month ago that they would be coming through on the beautiful American Queen Steamboat on their way to New Orleans. Even though I have visited Buxton several times over the years, they wanted to see me because they have always felt close to me after I found them in Can-ada back in 1982. It felt good to see them again…after all these years, 30 to be exact, since Earl Prince was here with a Canadian busload of folk. This time he was just traveling with his son Bryan and daughter in law Shannon.”

Bryan Prince is also the author of the books, I Came As A Stranger, A Shadow On The Household and One More River To Cross. Bryan and his wife, Shannon, are the curators of the Buxton Museum.

Underground Shoots in JacksonBy Patricia stallman

The crew of Underground, the new television series filming in Jackson Monday and Tuesday, April 20 and 21, transformed Charter Street into an 1857 set. The Cente-nary Inn morphed into the Frank-lin Hotel, with a green façade and wine-colored columns. Dirt-topped canvas a block long covered the as-phalt. Horses, their saddles appro-priate to the period, dozed behind the Charter Street Artists’ Studio.

The doors to the McKowen store—recently the venue for the 50th annual Jackson Assembly An-tiques Show—now opened into a mid-1800s post office complete with wanted posters naming run-away slaves.

The subject of the series: the Un-derground Railroad, the network of abolitionists who helped enslaved persons escape to freedom over 150 years ago.

As actors and crew disappeared into Jackson's historic buildings during their lunch break, Aquiles Montalio, assistant location man-ager who hails from New Orleans, Ready for the next shoot: actors John Worrel of Baton Rouge, Josh Muse of New

Orleans, Jamara Laster of Hattiesburg and John David Brumfield of Baton Rouge. Photograph by Patricia StallmanSee UNDERGROUND on page 10


Clinton’s Marston House Hosts April Meeting of Alexander Stirling Chapter, DAR

The Alexander Stirling Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution held its April meeting on Tax Day, April 15, in the former home of Henry Marston of Clinton.The early Marston family members were participants in the Boston Tea Party. Henry Mar-ston, the son and grandson of Revolutionary patriots, had himself been taken to meet George Washington as a small child, an experience that he treasured his whole life. Marston’s great-great grandson and his wife, William A. and Catherine McLelland, came from Shreveport to address the Stirling Chapter, bringing with them a replica of the Liberty Bowl, a sterling silver punch bowl commissioned by the Sons of Liberty, of which John Marston, Sr., Henry’s grandfather, was one. They gave a spirited presentation for the meeting’s program. Though the Parish of East Feliciana owns Marston House, the Marston Family trust (“True Heart Feliciana”) has restored the historic building and operates it under a co-operative agree-ment with the East Feliciana Parish Police Jury. The intent of the trust is to open the facility this year for events, meetings and exhibits when the restoration is more nearly complete. For more information about Marston House, please contact Mildred P. Worrell by email at [email protected]. Submitted by Mildred Worrell. Pictured above: William A. and Catherine McLelland, shown here with their animal companion, Jeb Stuart, provided the program for the Alexander Stirling Chapter of the DAR. Catherine McLelland is holding the frame containing the key to the vault at right. Photograph by Beth Dawson

Gubernatorial Candidate Jay Dardenne Visits the Felicianas

On Wednesday evening, April 22, elected officials, local community leaders and friends of Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne greeted the gubernatorial candidate at Hemingbough in St. Francisville. Over the years, Dardenne, a Republican, has, in his duties that involve tourism, helped the Felicianas keep open their state historic sites, including Rosedown and Audubon in St. Francisville and Centenary in Jackson. With Dardenne, left, is West Feliciana Parish Sheriff J. Austin Daniel, right, who served as a host for the event.


MEMORIAL

Births • Engagements • Weddings Obituaries • Anniversaries • Reunions

Milestones UNDERGROUND continued from page 8

greeted East Feliciana Chamber of Commerce Director Audrey Faciane and State Representative Kenny Ha-vard’s legislative assistant, Diane Womack. Faciane’s office occupies the original East Feliciana Parish Courthouse, which the Jackson As-sembly restored and preserved, and the town’s oldest standing building houses Womack’s office. Both abut the Charter Street set, providing front-row seats for the filming.

Stars for the series, Montalio said, include Christopher Meloni, Aldis Hodge, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, David Born and Alano Miller. Writ-ers are Misha Green and Joe Pokas-ki.

At the Centenary Inn—now Franklin Hotel—actors waited in costume, ready for the next shoot: John Worrel of Baton Rouge, Josh Muse of New Orleans, Jamara Last-er of Hattiesburg and John David Brumfield of Baton Rouge. Worrel says he played an undercover cab driver in Tough Love, New Orleans; Muse appeared in Pitch Perfect II. Laster currently plays a police offi-cer in NCIS—New Orleans and ap-peared in The Best of Me and in the recent James Brown film. Brumfield played the son in Twelve Years a Slave, a cadet in Ender’s Game and a football player in When the Game Stands Tall. Actor David Miller then joined the group, explaining that all of the men play abolitionists in the Underground series.

Producer Mark McNair, who fielded the True Blood television series, anticipates a Fall release on WGN Chicago, Montalio says.

The crew of the television series Un-derground has transformed Jackson’s Centenary Inn into the Franklin Hotel, no longer stark white with white columns. Photograph by Patricia Stallman

Greeting Assistant Location Manager Aq-uiles Montalio, right, are East Feliciana Chamber of Commerce Director Audrey Faciane, center, and Legislative Assistant Diane Womack. Photograph by Patricia Stallman

Happy Birthday!!Sam E. Whitfield

04/27/1952-04/18/2011

We know you are in heaven singing with the angels. Four years have passed but it still

feels like yesterday that you were here. We miss and love you.

McCall Leads Workshops for East Feliciana Drug Council

The East Feliciana Drug Council members attended a workshop on Friday, April 9, at the Lions Club Civic Center in Jackson and on Saturday, April 10, at the District At-torney’s Annex Office in Clinton to study Robert’s Rules of Order, to develop policy and to learn how to build a coalition effectively. Sharon Walker McCall, of the Resource and Fund Development of Baton Rouge, led the workshops in studying the many positive changes that the council hopes to put into place. Co-Chair Rickie Collins, left, meets with Tammy Garig, Community Liaison for Wilson, Norwood and Jackson; Deborah Thomas, Program Director for the Grant; Janice Harvey, Board Member and Fund-raising Committee Member; Sharon Walker McCall, Resource and Fund Development Trainer; Melinda Gaines, Board Member and Chair of Fundraising; Katherine Scales, Finance Chairman; and Rhonda Torrence, Chairperson. Not pictured is Beth Dawson, Media Chairperson. Photograph by Beth Dawson


ClassifiedsPrime multi acre residential homesite in the heart of Zachary. Country living in the City! Ready to build your dream home. Brokered by Monte Real Estate 225-658-1515. Listed at $69,000 with 100% lot financing available through Brandy Westmoreland at Guaranty Bank.GARAGE SALE Saturday May 2nd 7845 Willow in Highland Lakes on Hwy 10 west of Clinton. Look for signs.Immediate opening for manufacturing coor-dinator to create work orders, schedule and track production. Exceptional computer skills a must. Resumes to [email protected]/2BA Mobile Home for Rent on private lot. Central School District. $750/month. Secu-rity Deposit required. All appliances included. W/D. No Pets allowed. Call (225) 954-0655.Asst. Branch Manager - Clinton area loan company. Job duties include: Collections, field calls, taking applications, approving loans, and general office work. Must have reliable transportation. M-F 9-5:30. Salary plus com-mission and Bonuses. Fax Resumes w/ Salary Requirements to (225) 673-4837. Email: [email protected] Graves Autoplex looking for Certified Ram/Chrysler/Jeep Service Tech. Fill out application in person at 7245 Hwy 61 north in St. Francisville.Fantastic Sams is looking for fun, energetic hair stylists for their Zachary and Central lo-cations. Great opportunity for advancement! Send resumes to [email protected], apply in person at 5810 Main Street in Zachary, or call 225-235-2471 to schedule an appointment.1840’s Antebellum Cottage, heart pine floors, 12 ft. ceilings, original doors, modern kitchen. 6.33 ac. $260,000. Steve DiLorenzo, Feliciana Hill Country. Office 683-5454. Cell 719-1810.6 acre mature wooded homesite, Hwy 961, 2.5 miles from Clinton $60,000. Steve DiLorenzo, Feliciana Hill Country. Office 683-5454. Cell 719-1810.22 acres wooded, large hardwood, some pine, secluded, utilities available. $7,000/ac. Steve DiLorenzo, Feliciana Hill Country. Office 683-5454. Cell 719-1810.For Sale 3 Bedroom, 2 bath on ¾ acre in peaceful Clinton. This ranchstyle home is low maintenance/excellent condition. Lots of outside storage, exercise/artist studio, lighted patio with gazebo. Steve DiLorenzo, Feliciana Hill Country. Office 683-5454. Cell 719-1810.Moving Sale. Friday, May 1, 7am & Saturday, May 2, 7am. Furniture, some antiques, ladies designer clothes, western show saddle. 10061 Wadd Kent Rd in Clinton. Call earlier for furniture only: Patti Riley (225) 202-3831.Drivers, CDL-A: Home EVERY Weekend! ALL Loaded/Empty Miles Paid! Dedicated Southeast! Or Walk Away Lease, No Money Down. 1-855-747-6426For Sale: 2003 Ford F350 4x4 XLT 7.3L Diesel. Excellent Condition. Must Sell. $12,800 OBO. 225-772-5296.FOR SALE, Quality commercial pinestraw rolls, and good condition. RxR Cross ties call for price 225-772-5296Drivers: Drive The Best. Drive Maverick. Dedicated Flatbed Run Now Open – Home Daily!!! Must live within 35-50 mile radius of Hammond, LA & be willing to commute daily. $.39-$.40/mile starting pay. Average $55k plus per year. Home daily & Weekends. Excellent Benefits & Top of the line equipment. Class A CDL, 21 yrs old & 6 months of OTR/Driving Experience Req. (LOGO ) 1-800-289-1100 or visit www.drivemaverick.comFOR SALE. 1992 Chevrolet Pickup truck. Cheyenne, 6cyl, A/C, Auto, Cruise, Radio, 152K Miles, New tires, Clean, Runs good. $2,500. neg. Call (225) 287-6668.Regional Runs Available. Choose the Total Package: Auto Detention Pay after 1HR! Weekends Home! Regular Frequent Home Time, Top Pay Benefits; Monthly Bonuses & More! CDL-A, 6mos Exp. Req’d EEOE/AAP 866-326-2679 www.drive4marten.comFOR SALE. Double wide manufactured home. 28 x 48. 3BR/2BA. Located 4 miles south of Zachary. Pantry, laundry room, linen closet. $65,000. Call (225) 341-9756.Cross Creek Cowboy Church. 21160 Plank Rd, Zachary. Sundays 10:30. Come as you are, 225-721-0333. Facebook.com/CrossCreek-CowboyChurch.NOW HIRING @ AMERICANA YMCA CERTIFIED LIFEGUARDS, SWIM IN-STRUCTORS, AQUATICS SUPERVISORS, HEAD SWIM COACH Positions available at other YMCA locations across Baton Rouge area. Apply today! Minimum Age 16+. Flex schedules. We can train you! Great oppor-tunity! Nice commercial building for sale or lease in Zachary. Up to 3,600 square feet available now and total building square feet of 8,097. Call 817-789-0985.

NEED HELP Advertising in the EXPLORER?

JUST CALLAshley Evans @ 225-937-0581

orGeorgiana Walls @ 225-572-8175

PORTABLE BUILDINGS

BUSINESS DIRECTORY | CLASSIFIEDSEVENT RENTALS

BUSINESS DIRECTORY | CLASSIFIEDS

ARTS, DANCE & MUSIC

AUTOMOTIVE

ANTIQUES

CONSTRUCTION

CUSTOM DRAPES

225-936-8649

Fabrics, Slip Covers, Custom Drapery, Roman

Shades,Shutters & Upholstery

Credit cards accepted

“We come to you, FREE estimates”

DOG CARE

INSURANCE

HOME & LAWN

HEALTH/FITNESS

DRY CLEANERS

HAIR & MAKEUP

FRAMING

GUN RANGE

All Breeds Dog BoardingObedience & Retriever Training

www.y-farms.com • 225-445-5012

SAFETY CLASSES

SECURITY SYSTEMS

HOME & LAWN

“God is first in all we do”

Call in or send us your Classified Ad

Only $10 Up to 20 wordsPhone 225-654-0122 or email [email protected]

felician explorer apr 28

Documents