The area known as “Vacherie de Monsieur Boisdore,” stretching from Bay de St Louis to the Pearl River in Louisiana and Mississippi, is depicted on the map along with the Rigolet and the mouth of the Pearl River. This area was granted to Louis Joseph Barbeau, also known as Boisdore, by the Spanish Governor of Louisiana for the purpose of cattle farming. “Vacherie” refers to this type of agricultural activity. Boisdore likely received the grant due to his service as a Spanish officer during the American Revolution.
Louis Barbeau, also called Boisdore, was already a successful planter and cattle producer in the Houmas and Pointe Coupee areas. His wife and later his heirs sought formal recognition of their ownership from the United States Government based on the Spanish Land Grant, as per the conditions of the Louisiana Purchase. However, the ownership and status of the original land grant underwent various changes over time, and the descendants of Barbeau dit Boisdore never regained possession of the land.
During Louis’s time, Spanish authorities often referred to him as Luis Boisdore instead of Louis Joseph Barbeau dit Boisdore.