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This tract embraced a 15 die wide strip running north frorr. the Gulf of >'exico for about Uo riles to the 31*t degree of latitude, vhich runs through the present town of Lumberton with the eastern boundary running north from Bay St. I.ouis and the western boundary running north from Pearlington. Assuming that this vaguely defined line ran due north from Pe»rlinv:ton, all the land east of Picayune, after getting ''bout tvo or three Biles out, would have been in this big grant. Survey required Under the Spanish law, the grantee to land was obligated to survey and mark out any land to vhich he laid claim and to nut said land to use. Up to the time of Boisdore’s death, he had failed to meet these requirements of th? law, In 1803, Boiidore having died, his widow tried to get the land surveyed and staked out, but the Surveyor selected to do the work vas so busy and the outlook for getting paid for such a stupendous Job so poor, that he deleyed starting the work. Another reasoj for lack of interest on the part of both the heire and the surveyor vas that the land actually had little value et that time. ^hen the United States started taking over this area in 1810 and l8l' the Bcisdore heirs became alarmed at the possibility of losing their claii Another surveyor was hirpd to hastily prepare a nlet of the land, which tl heirs presented to the United States Government for confirmation. Vhil e not definitely refusing to confirm the title to the land in th< Boisdores, the wetter was Indefinitely deleyed. Thus the Eoisdore grant stood in abeyance for 20 years or more. Land in this general area was by now becoming more and more valuable The Boisdore heirs finally entered suit for confirmation of title to the huge tract of land. The rovernment attorneys t in the presentation of their opposition testimony to the confirmation presented evidence to show thst the lend had never been surveyed and that the description of the lam vas vague and indefinite, both in violation of Spanish law; that BoisdDee held the land for 20 years under Spanish rule without ccrnlyini- with the law calling for a survey, that nt> effort w?s made for 37 years to take title or take actual possession thus sleeping on their rights, that in the meantime large masses of the land claimed by the Boisdores had been granted unto others and that thir neglect vas in nlain violation of the terms under which the land had teen granted and in violation of both the levs of Sprjin r.nd th? United rtRtes. T and >-Tot Used Proof vas produced which shoved th^t Boisdore used only a few acres of the land during his lifetime and that his heirs had net increased this usage, putting into cultivation only a fev acres out of the immense tract and that instead of trinping hi? family and numerous slaves on to the land, Boisdore h^d sent only p. single slnve, who kept a few cattle, and cultivated only a fev p.cre?. It was shown thst Boisdore*!? occupation of the land could hardly have teen lers than it vas without having no one there ot all. and that he ^ Standonea his crl*in21 »»'•»» 00 Vhich th, .rant »ade.
BSL 1950 To 1969 Achoucoupoulous-(2)