Louisiana AHGP
Part of the American History and
Genealogy Project
Washington L. Oakes
Washington L. Oakes is one of the progressive, intelligent and enterprising agriculturists of Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, and was born in Perry County, Louisiana, in 1827, and there grew to maturity, being the fourth of his parent's ten children: Elizabeth (deceased, was the wife of Isaac Harkines, of Perry County, Louisiana), Eliga M. (now a resident of Claiborne Parish, Louisiana), Haney (widow of Isaac Harkines), Washington L., Reuben M. (died during the war, leaving a widow and family), Susan (widow of Thomas Brittain, of Nacogdoches County, Tex.), Isaac C. (died during the war, leaving a widow and two children), Frances (died at the age of eighteen years), Nancy W. (now Mrs. John Naremore, of Claiborne Parish), and John L. (died a prisoner at Fort Delaware, during the war). The father of these children, Isaac Oakes, was born in Georgia, in 1797, being the youngest of the following children born to his father, who also bore the name of Isaac: Thomas, Reuben, John, Jonathan, Nancy, Persiller and Loney.
The grandfather was born about 1758 and at the age of eighteen
years became a Revolutionary soldier, and served throughout the
struggle that followed. He was born in Virginia. The maiden name
of the mother of the immediate subject of this sketch, was Amy
Martin, a daughter of Claiborne Martin, who was a Virginian.
Washington L. Oakes received a common education in the schools
of Alabama, but after he had attained his twentieth year he
began farming for himself, and in 1852 was married to Miss
Martha A. Scarborough. in 1861 he enlisted in Col. Scott's
company that went out from Claiborne Parish that year, and soon
after was in the fight at Belmont, but after the first year's
service he was sent back to "Louisiana, and served in this State
until the close of the war. He has been a Democrat of long
standing, having cast his first presidential vote in 1848, and
since locating in the parish, in 1852, he has held the position
of justice of the peace and police juror a great portion of the
time.
Socially he has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for many years, in which he has taken all the degrees of the council. He and his estimable wife have been members of the Missionary Baptist Church since 1846, and as citizens and neighbors are highly esteemed by all who know them. Mr. Oakes has resided on his present farm of 1,000 acres since 1852, and has 400 acres of land under cultivation, all of which is admirably adapted to raising all the products of the South.
Biographical Sketches| Claiborne Parish
Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana, Southern Publishing Company, 1890
