Weiss Post Office

File prepared by D.N. Pardue

From the book entitled "The Free State - A History and Place-Names Study of Livingston Parish" by the members of the Livingston Parish American Revolution Bicentennial Committee in cooperation with the Livingston Parish Police Jury and the Louisiana American Revolution Bicentennial Commission, 1976. Reprinted by permission. Dedicated to the memory of Reuben Cooper and Raymond Riggs.

WEISS is the name of a former post office which existed in Livingston Parish for 4 years, from 1899 to 1943. Although the post office is no more, the community in the extreme northwest corner of the parish is still known by this name.

According to Frank A. Nesom, son of the first postmaster, his father wanted to establish a post office, but he was not familiar with government "red tape" so he sought the assistance of his friend Fred Weiss. (1)

Weiss, a past resident of the area, readily agreed to help. He was qualified because he had been postmaster in East Baton Rouge Parish at the Fred Post Office, which he named after himself in 1894. The post office was discontinued in 1908. (2)

In gratitude for Fred Weiss' assistance, Henry Nesom gave his proposed office Fred's surname -- Weiss -- and the application was approved, making Weiss one of the few people to have two different post offices in the same state named for him.

It is known that Weiss was a resident of the parish in 1875, for he is listed by the Port Vincent Triune, in its May 24, 1875 issue, as being their agent at Live Oak Store. He is also listed in the Livingston Parish Police Jury Minute Book No. 1 on page 111 (June, 1879) as being the road overseer on that section of the road from the parish line to Spiller Branch.

Frank Nesom concluded by stating that his father's farm adjoined the Livingston-St. Helena Parish line. He said that there had been a mill and a store in Weiss.

Established in 1899, Weiss Post Office was discontinued on May 14, 1910; re-established the next year; moved to St. Helena Parish on February 13, 1943; and finally discontinued on April 30, 1949 with the mail being sent to Denham Springs. (3) --- Clark Forrest, Jr.

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(1) Telephone interview with Frank A. Nesom, Baton Rouge, by Clark Forrest, Jr. on March 8, 1973.

(2) Letter from joseph Howerton, Assistant Chief for Reference, Industrial and Social Branch, National Archives and Records Service, Washington, D.C., to Clark Forrest, Jr. dated April 3, 1973.

(3) "US Post Office Department Records" (Record Group 28), National Archives.