Lindy Boggs . . .

Lindy Boggs has died.  She was a great woman, a southern woman, a champion of civil rights, a Democrat and finally a cousin.  Born Marie Corinne Morrison Claiborne and named as so many of us are by the house hold servant - Lindy.

Many accolades surround her career ending with the title Ambassador to the Vatican.  Amazing how God provides us with a path, some like Lindy have a great path, most of us just exist.  She was a shinning example of success.  And she did not run rough shod over people to arrive at that position, she was selected.  And she worked hard to obtain it and keep it.

Her husband Hale Boggs and his mate Lindy have always taken us under their rings and treated us with great kindness.

We, the children of John and Polly Morrison, are in twined with the Boggs family.  My father's business partner was Robert Stanley Morrison, a cousin.  He married Hale Boggs' sister, Claire Boggs.  The Boggs family are from Long Beach, Mississippi and remain there to this day.  Stanley's children all live close by the Boggs compound.  Their mother is now the Matriarch of all our families as she is still alive and well.  And she is older than her now deceased sister-in-law, Lindy.   I wonder if I shall see her, I last saw her at Aunt Bobby's funeral in Baton Rouge.

That union Boggs and Morrison families makes for double cousins.   None are mine but they are there.

I have fond memories of short stays with Tommie Boggs and family at Wild Wood Plantation or otherwise known as Mr. Billy Coates place at Lettsworth, Louisiana.  Other visits in New Orleans at Rowena's house on 1312 First Street in the Garden District of the city.  The only vestige of Morrison's other than Chep (DeLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, once mayor of New Orleans and has heirs that still reside in the city) is Lindy's House at 623 Bourbon Street.  Lindy inherited the house from her aunt, Frosty Morrison Blackshear. 

There is a plaque on the house on Bourbon Street.  When the family finally let it go, the owner an admirer of Lindy, had the plaque installed on the outside of the structure.  Surrounded by sleazy dives, the family would not relinquish the place to become yet another Bourbon Street dive.  It has been restored and remains a private residence to this day.

Lindy had many relatives in and around Pointe Coupee.  She was the product of two well known Pointe Coupee families ~ the Claibornes and the Morrisons.  Both families still have a presence in Pointe Coupee to this day.  The first governor of Louisiana was a Claiborne ancestor, the Morrison's arrived on the scene late like 1856.  There was a time when the Morrison;s and the Claibornes were arch political enemies in Pointe Coupee.  But we are not Hatfields and McCoys and that history is long past.

Lindy's mother's house was on Wildwood Plantation.  It has long since been razed, no remnants remain.  I am sure only a few of us know where is was located at Lettsworth.

Lindy will be buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in New Roads.  I suspected that would be her choice.  You see she has a child buried there.  The child died at a very young age.  Her husband lies somewhere in the depths of Alaskan Gulf, so she will rest among her ancestors in Pointe
Coupee.

We shall miss her,  It will be a sad family reunion Thursday at St Mary's Cemetery.