Tour fundraiser planned for historic Donaldsonville tomb

The Joseph Landry Foundation has continued efforts to preserve the large Landry Tomb in the Ascension of Our Lord Cemetery in Donaldsonville.

The foundation has received an affordable bid from NOLA Cemetery Renewal. With money set aside, the group still needs some financial assistance.

Margaret Canella, secretary and treasurer of the foundation, said a cemetery tour has been planned as a fundraiser.

The cemetery has numerous historical graves, which will be explored on the tour.

“Our tomb, as well as many others in the cemetery, are in need of help to preserve the resting places of the founding fathers of Donaldsonville,” she said.

The foundation hopes to portray both black and white former residents. If anyone would like to portray an ancestor, they can contact Canella at chicknft@cox.net.

“If our project is successful, we plan to use funds raised to work on some of the other tombs in the cemetery, once ours is complete,” she said.

Father Matthew Dupre of Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Church has given permission for the group to proceed with the plans. Also, they will be working with St. Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church, as members use the cemetery as well.

The Joseph Landry Foundation is a non-profit organization that pursues the goal of preserving the tomb of Joseph Landry and Ann (Bojul) who were among the first families to settle in Donaldsonville.

Landry was a prominent citizen who was born in Grand Pre Nova Scotia in 1752 and was among the Acadians who were deported in 1755.

The tomb has been included on the National Register of Historic Places.

For more information, see: www.landryfoundation.com.