Gov. Claiborne had issued an ordinance on December 7, 1810 that claimed for Louisiana all of the territory Spanish West Floridaast the "County of Feliciana."
The Louisiana legislature and Gov. Claiborne passed an Act on April 24, 1811 which divided the County of Feliciana into six parishes, including two parishes west of the Pearl River. The fifth was called the Parish of Biloxi, lying South of the Mississippi Territory and extending from the Pearl River to the "river falling into the bay of Beloxi. [sic]" The sixth was called the Parish of Pascagoula, lying South of the Mississippi Territory and extending East from the River falling into the bay of Biloxi, including all the remainder of the County of Feliciana.
( Bayou Manchac was an important waterway that linked the Mississippi and Amite rivers. It was also called the d'Iberville River or Yberville).
