Boyce, Louisiana

Geobox Town
name = Town of Boyce
native_name =
other_name =
other_name1 =
category = Town


image_size =
image_caption =


flag_size =
symbol =
symbol_size =
symbol_type =
nickname =
motto =
country = United States
state = Louisiana
region = Rapides
region_type = Parish
area_imperial = 0.6
area_land_imperial = 0.5
area_water_imperial = 0.1
area_water_percentage = auto
area_percentage_round = 2
area_round = 1
location =
lat_d = 31
lat_m = 23
lat_s = 12
lat_NS = N
long_d = 92
long_m = 40
long_s = 14
long_EW = W
elevation_imperial = 85
elevation_round = 1
population_as_of = 2000
population = 1190
population_density_imperial = 2239.5
population_density_round = 1
government =
established_type =
established =
leader =
timezone = CST
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
postal_code =
postal_code_type =
area_code = 318
area_code_type =
code2_type =
code2 =
free_type =
free =
free1_type =
free1 =


map_size =
map_caption = Location of Boyce in Louisiana
map_locator = Louisiana
map1 = Map of USA LA.svg
map1_caption = Location of Louisiana in the United States
website =

Boyce is a town in northern Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,190 at the 2000 census. The community is nearly 75 percent African American.

History

Originally called Cotile Landing, the name was changed to Boyce in 1880, when the Texas and Pacific Railroad made Boyce its terminal point. The town was named for Judge Henry Boyce, who owned the land on which the town was located. Being of Irish descent, Boyce, and/or his son Henry Archinard Boyce, gave all the streets Irish names as he did his own plantation, Ulster, which was immediately adjacent to the town along Bayou Jeunes des Gens (Jean de Jean). The original incorporation date is not on file.

Death of Mayor Julius Patrick

On November 26, 2006, Julius Patrick, Jr., the African American Democratic mayor of Boyce, was killed in a vehicular accident on Interstate 10 in Ascension Parish near Baton Rouge. Patrick had served as mayor since 1978. He had just won an eighth term in the November 7 general election. Patrick had retired in 2005 from a 41-year career in education, mostly in Rapides Parish.

Indictment of Police Chief Claude Williams

Boyce Police Chief Claude Williams (born 1957) was indicted on December 10, 2007, on three federal weapons charges. Williams allegedly possessed a machine gun, sawed-off shotgun and short-barreled rifle.

He was also indicted on double malfeasance charges by the State of Louisiana, which alleges that during the past ten years, Williams failed to submit at least 117 felony arrest files to the office of Rapides Parish District Attorney James Downs. Those cases hence were not prosecuted.

The state indictment also alleges that on six separate occasions, Williams altered, moved, or removed substances believed to be drugs with the intent of distorting the results of investigations.

Williams is free on the federal charges under a conditional bond, which places limitations on his ability to carry a weapon. He was then booked in the Rapides Parish jail in Alexandria on the state malfeasance charges and released on $100,000 bond.

If convicted of the federal charges, Williams could face as many as thirty years imprisonment and be fined $30,000. The state charges could net a maximum sentence of eight years in prison and a $15,000 fine. [ [http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071211/NEWS01/712110321 The Town Talk - www.thetowntalk.com - Alexandria-Pineville, Louisiana ] ]

Geography

Boyce is located at coor dms|31|23|12|N|92|40|14|W|city (31.386778, -92.670577)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.5 km²), of which, 0.5 square miles (1.4 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (8.62%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 1,190 people, 426 households, and 310 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,239.5 people per square mile (866.9/km²). There were 485 housing units at an average density of 912.7/sq mi (353.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 23.19% White, 74.37% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.25% from other races, and 1.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.67% of the population.

There were 426 households out of which 40.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.0% were married couples living together, 35.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.2% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.32.

In the town the population was spread out with 34.8% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 77.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 67.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $17,727, and the median income for a family was $20,000. Males had a median income of $24,000 versus $13,600 for females. The per capita income for the town was $9,616. About 37.9% of families and 40.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 52.3% of those under age 18 and 27.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Boyce is served by Northwood High School, which opened in 1988, as a new consolidation of the old Boyce Junior High School and the former A. (Alfred) Wettermark High School. Patrick's funeral was held in the Northwood gymnasium and more than a thousand mourners attended, including District Attorney Downs, who was once the Boyce town attorney.

References