Page "Gonzales, Louisiana" Paragraph 11

Early settlers of the area which would eventually become Gonzales were, for the most part, of Spanish and French ancestry, settling amidst the Houma Indians who lived in the area.

By 1851, the small settlement had only ten residents.

A school was established in 1855 by Adlard Gautreaux for the children in the area.

By 1886, the settlement had grown to where the citizens of the community elected " Big " José Gonzáles as their sheriff.

Joseph's son, " Tee-Joe " Gonzales, opened a general store and post office in 1887.

Because the post office was known as the Gonzales Post Office, a few years later the Railroad Commission ordered the local railroad to change the name of the community from Edenborn to Gonzales to match the post office name.