Louisiana State Society
Daughters of the American Revolution

Located in Destrehan, Louisiana
Chapter Meetings - the third Thursday of the month
 

The German Coast is the historic name given to the parishes that are located along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. It was largely settled by German and Acadian immigrants, some as early as 1718. When Spain allied with the American colonies in their fight for freedom, Louisiana, being governed at the time by Bernardo de Galvez, established four militia regiments with German and Acadian recruits. These militias fought under General Galvez and would take part in the battles of Fort Bute (1779), The Battle of Baton Rouge (1779), The Battle of Mobile (1781), and the Siege of Pensacola (1781). 

In 1803, just before the sale of the Louisiana Territory to the United States of America, the colonial prefect of Louisiana wrote that the German Coast was "the most industrious, the most populous, the most at ease, the most upright, the most respected part" of the French colony. This homogeneous area of settlers who joined up with a Spanish General was praised by the French officials, and ultimately became American citizens. 

One of the locations where the struggle for America's freedom was fought is along the Mississippi River in what is currently known as the "river parishes". Many men and women, unfortunately, had not been recognized as American patriots. To remedy this and in honor of Bernardo de Galvez and those patriots of German and Acadian descent, Charlotte Larson Nagy, Louisiana State Historian, and Helen Richardson Newman, Louisiana Organizing Secretary, began the long overdue process of recognizing these patriots. 

In the Spring of 2023, several women from the river parishes met with the State officers at the East Bank Regional Library in Destrehan, LA, to lay the foundation for forming a DAR chapter in The German Coast region. Numerous ladies became members-at-large during the Summer of 2023, transferring from the Vieux Carre' Chapter: Joan Becnel, Yvette Bergeron, Jara Roux, and Cherie Thibodeaux.

On February 24, 2024, The German Coast chapter held an inauguration reception, swearing in its founding officers:

Regent Sabrina Schexnayder Phillips

Vice-Regent Charlotte Larson Nagy

Chaplain Fredie Terral Seab

Recording Secretary Cherie Bergeron Thibodeaux

Treasurer Nicole Moore Zeringue

Registrar Kim Ayme Bordelon.

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Present at the reception was State Regent Cheryl Whitlow Gott to swear in the officers

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The main goal of this chapter is to locate, identify, and mark the graves of as many local patriots as possible who fought for this country's freedom in the militias formed along both sides of the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The second is to invite all women to join The German Coast Chapter, if eligible, to build a chapter to honor, not only the local patriots, but all DAR patriots, for the years to come.