Benjamin Buisson (1793-1874), Jefferson Parish surveyor from 1832 to 1846, immigrated to the United States from France in 1817 at the age of twenty four. Trained as an artillery officer at L'Ecole Polytechnique in Paris, Buisson fought in Napoleon's army and was awarded the Cross of the Legion of Honor. As surveyor for Jefferson Parish, he was called upon to subdivide many of the plantations that now comprise New Orleans' uptown area including Bouligny, Rickerville, Hurstville and Bloomingdale.