Live Oak Boys

The Live Oak Boys was an Irish street gang who dominated New Orleans throughout the 1860s and 70s. Led by "Red" Bill Wilson, the Live Oak Boys were formed in 1858. Their name derived from the oaken clubs that were their weapon of choice. They were less well-organized than their Five Points counterparts, members often keeping for themselves whatever money or goods they had managed to steal. This often lead to infighting among the group's members; the stealing of each other's loot and at times even the killing of other members, such as the 1867 murder of Henry Thompson by Jimmy O'Brien.

Based on Gallatin Street, the gang would be hired out by local businessmen to commit assault, arson, and other acts of vandalism against competitors. Dance halls were frequent targets, the Fireproof Coffee-House being one popular dance hall hangout owned by former gang member Bill Swan.

The gang continued to dominate New Orleans for more than a decade. However, many members were eventually killed or imprisoned during the 1870s, and by 1880 the gang had declined to the point where they were often persecuted by the city's younger gangs. The Live Oak Boys disappeared shortly after.

Further reading
  • Asbury, Herbert. The French Quarter: An Informal History of the New Orleans Underworld. New York: Alfred A. Knoff, 1936. ISBN 1-56025-494-7
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