History

The J.M. Burguières Co., Limited was founded in 1877 from three sugar plantations. Jules Burguières, Sr., acquired land in St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes through sheriff’s sales and auctions, establishing a sugar empire. JMB is the largest single family-owned land holding company currently in operation in Louisiana. Through the last 144 years JMB has matured into a thriving family owned business. Enjoy this interactive journey through our great companys rich family history….

In the year 1830, Eugène became part of a mass immigration of Europeans who had signed up with French promoters to colonize a remote area that is now Veracruz, Mexico. When they arrived in February 1831, after a harrowing journey on the French brig La Glaneuse, it became apparent that the conditions at Veracruz were not as represented by the businessmen. Colonists were dying of yellow fever and starvation. By April, Eugène was bound for New Orleans.

Eugène Burguières was 27 when he arrived in Louisiana. He settled in the southwest frontier village of Houma and by the mid-nineteenth century Eugène had become a attorney and teacher. Eugène married Marie Marianne on July 25, 1837 and they had 8 children.

Jules Martial Burguières, Sr. was the seventh child of Eugène and Marie Marianne Burguières. During his lifetime, America changed drastically. Jules changed with the times by adapting, experimenting, and perservering through difficult times. With few financial resources to begin a career in sugar planting Jules learned the business from his half-brother Alfred Delaporte who leased plantations in Terrebonne Parish. In 1873, 23 year-old Jules recognized the possibilities of owning and leasing lands that could be turned into sugar-cane-producing properties.

When Alfred died prematurely, his leases went to Jules. Shortly after the Civil War, Jules and his oldest brother Ernest Denis (E.D.) Burguières began purchasing land in St. Mary Parish. Jules soon owned three plantations: Cypremort, Florence, and Inez Plantations. Ernest Denis owned Alice B. Plantation, contiguous to Cypremort Plantation.

On April 21 of the same year, Jules married Marie Corinne Patout in Old St. Nicholas Church in Patoutville, Iberia Parish. Jules and Marie Corinne moved from Houma to St. Mary Parish settling at Cypremort Plantation, which Jules had purchased in 1877. That year also marked the formation of The J. M. Burguières Company and the start of a Sugar Empire.

In 1899, J.M. Burguières Sr. died. Two years later in 1901 Jules’ three sons Joseph E. Burguières, Jules Martial Burguières, Jr., and Denis P. J. Burguières incorporated the family enterprise as a Louisiana corporation — The J. M. Burguières Company, Limited (JMB Co., Ltd). Stocks in the family business are distributed among the children of JMB, Sr.

From 1877 to today, JMB Companies continued to grow and mature into a diverse company with multiple streams of revenue consisting of Salt, Oil, Gas, Cattle, Water, and Conservation. JMB still holds the legacy of Jules Burguières Sr., with maintaining a large portion of land in agriculture.

In 2013, 13 million pounds of sugar was harvested from JMB lands. The production of sugar and the viability of the market for sugar production in the US has and always will be a primary interest of the company.

Southern States Land and Timber Company owns minerals and surface access rights interests in about 300,000 acres in south Florida. The company sells surface use waivers or complete surface releases of its surface rights to interested parties and occasionally sells its mineral rights.

JMB owns 33,657 acres in Brewster and Pecos counties in west Texas. This area is a high desert between the Glass and Davis mountain ranges. We manage our own cattle herds on our ranches which has the added benefit of keeping our fences, water systems, and ranch houses in good condition.

JMB currently has a fully staffed mitigation banking business that not only services our own landholdings but also does joint ventures with other qualified landowners. JMB’s Mitigation Banking and Environmental unit is a do all operation specializing in all facets of Mitigation Banking from mitigation design and permitting to selling credits. JMB’s environmental staff has the dedication, passion, and experiences to provide the highest quality service to all of our clients Wetland Mitigation Banking solutions.

JMB’s holdings in Louisiana and Texas contain significant oil & gas reserves that the company actively markets and maintains leases on. JMB also leases its interest in the Cote Blanche Island salt dome to North American Salt Co., a division of Compass Minerals. Southern States Land and Timber is responsible for the sale and lease of minerals and surface access rights interests in south Florida. JMB’s interest in west Texas contains an extensive fresh water aquifer which is being developed for an Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) project.