Cahokia records, 1778-1790, Part 63

Author: Alvord, Clarence Walworth, 1868-1928
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 856

USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Cahokia > Cahokia records, 1778-1790 > Part 63

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I have furnishd him with one of the state Horses which you will be Pleasd to keep and let him have another to Return with if you should think proper, I have also sent annother state Horse by Battist Allerey which is to be Delivered to the Packhorsmaster, if aney.

I am Dr Sr your most Obdt friend & Humb' Ser.

Joº Bowman

MCCARTY TO TODD, SEPTEMBER IS, 1779.1

Sir

I am under the Necessity of informing you of what Party of the Inhabitants of this Village hath been Guilty of in Destroying a Part of my Stock the Quantity I cannot Ascertain; having been called out on the Service of my Country in January last and always Since been Obliged to attend the Service, to the prejudice of my own; I could not lay in a Sufficiency of Provisions &c. for the Subsistence thereof unless let run in the woods about my Settle-

1 Dr. MSS., 49J72, original manuscript.

615

MCCARTY'S LETTERS

ment Six Milles Distant from this town. the People of this Village have Sowen Grain out in the open fields & meadows without Any fence or inclosure to preserve it as I am at Such a Distance from this Village it cannot be Supposed that I have any Connections with them in the Town Laws Concerning their Commons, as I am Quite on the other Side of them It would be very Rediculous to Suppose that If any Person Should take it in their heads to Sow Grain in any Part of the Lands between this and Post Vincent without any inclosure and have a Right to Shoot any mans Cattle hogs &c. should they find out such a field and Enter it.

I dont see yet through the Designe of a few Dispicable Inhabit- ants who say they are authorized by you, to parade themselves in the fields Destroying My property when there is Numbers of other hogs in the Same place that are as fauctious as Mine Whither it is because I command a party of of the State Troops hear or not, perhaps they want us away. Indeed unless there is Soon a Change made for the Better me nor my Soldiers will have no Buissiness hear, Neither can we Stay half Naked, what we are paid with Call'd down by the Civil power; with what can we get our Neccessaries of Life; as long as I had any thing in my hands I furnished it for the Service, but at this rate it will not be long in my power to Subsist, when my Stock is Shot down in the Open fields and no redress to be had in this Country; Neither do I kno' the Laws you have Established. I am Sir with Respect Your most obedt & very Humb Servt

Cahos 18 7br 1779 To

Richard MºCarty

Colº. Todd

MCCARTY TO MONTGOMERY, SEPT. 19, 1779.1

Sir

Since you left us my men Desert dayly. they are Continually with me to Cloath them or give them there Discharge, that they may Cloath themselves I have trouble enough with them and have thought could we Contrive a Method by the intermission of Mr Bourgard to Satisfie them for the present for If Something

1 Dr. MSS., 49J71, original manuscript.

616

ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS

is not done, they will all leave me Except my English who are the least Clamourous, yet they Complaine, and Colo. Todds Residence here will Spoil the people intirely for the Inhabi- tants no more Regard us then a Parcel of Slaves. Neither do I chuse to do any thing yet Soldiers & people Disatisfied, you may think what a poor life your humble Servt hath. My Schem is to purchase as much Strouds as will make a short jacket, and a pair of long Trowsers to each man, the jacket to have a red Cuff turned up by which they will be uniform it will take 2} Ells to each man and there is no Hats we can make them caps. for Shoes we must Shift with Mogasins. Mr Ceres has linnen two Suppos we furnish each man with one Shirt untill Better turns out - Mr Ceres asks 151b in Peletries per Ells, 151b do Pr Shirt &c. It will be A Terrible Price to the State but yet it will be perhaps better to pay that then have in a few days no Soldiers which I think will Shortly be the Case If Some Such Method is not taken.

Mt Perault will tell you our Situation and what the Result would be in case of an attack.

I think it would be a happy thing could we get Colo1 Todd out of the Country for he will possitively Sett the Inhabitants and us by the Ears. I have wrote him a pretty Sharp Letter on his Signing a Death Warrant against My poor hogs for Runing in the Oppen fields. I hear inclose a Copy of it-on Some Com- plaints by the Inhabitants the other day he wished that there was not a Soldier in the Country I wish so two provided we were any where else to do Something for we are but poor fellow's now. If you approve of this I beg you will give me an Answer as Soon possible for perhaps If two days Retarding may even put it out of our power to even procure this I have never Seen the people of this place So Mutinous as they are by the Encouragement of Colo1. Todd, for they even begin to threaten to turn my men out of Doors and god knows what I shall do If they do for we are not Above 20 Strong and them Sick that I could depend on So they may Starve us if they like I am Sir with Compliments to the Gent1 Your Most Obedt and very Hum Servt

Richard Mc. Ca [MS. torn]

617

TODD TO GRATIOT, DECEMBER, 1779

Ca 19th Sepr. 1779 [MS. torn.]

My People just are come in and give me an accot of fourteen Hogs killed & wounded. four of which they have brought to town and Sold amongst them there are Several Sowes Just ready to Pig. at least my loss is Estimated at 14001b in Peletries. [Addressed] on the Service To

Colo1 Jnº. Montgomery Command.g the Illinois &c &c &c at

By favour of Fort Clark

Lt Perault

TODD TO GRATIOT.1 Falls of Ohio, Decr 19th, 1779.

Sir :

I am safely arrived here without Occurrence of moment.

Wishing you Health & Appetite for your Girl & Glass I pro- ceed to explain the Business of this Letter.

I expect to return again to the post in Feb. or March & perhaps to Cohos & request you to purchase upon the best terms you can any Quantity of Lead not exceeding 5000 lb & send it to Capt. Winston to be lodged with him one half) & the other sent to me at the commanding officer at the Falls by the first Oppy. I will satisfy you for your Trouble & repay you - pray do not be scru- pulous concerning the payment of debts contracted in behalf of the State. Rest assured that rewards are in store for the spirited pa- triot who will act nobly in her cause - I hope your future conduct will tally with your past & you need not the Favor of Government.

I sincerely wish you Happiness & am your Mo. Obedt Servt Compliments to the officers, Jno. Todd Jr. military & Civil, & all friends, J. T.

[Addressed] Charles Gratiot, Esq., of Kohokia.

1 In possession of Mrs. Armand Peugnet of St. Louis, Mo., a descendant of Charles Gratiot. Original manuscript. Transcription by Miss Mary Louise Dalton of Mo. Hist. Soc., St. Louis.

618

ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS

MCCARTY TO CLARK.'

Cascakia 14th Octor 1780

Sir

I have so many things to Inform you of I dont kno' Rightly where to begin; being an Intire Stranger to the Intentions and designes of Government, for this Country; however as I imagine, what has and is going on hear Regards you in Part I think it my Duty to Inform you thereof as far as comes to my knowledge; and this by way of Journal-

Extract from MeCarty's Journal. Cascakia.

"The 27th July Mr. Bentley arrived from Au Post,? and Say's there is a french Officer arrived there call'd Colo1 Dela Balme 3 and that he Said the french intends fighting Both the English & Big knife, he Said to the Inhabitants why dont you drive these Vagabonds away, Speaking of our Troops; that the Best way to get Quit of 'em was not to furnish them any Provisions &c. in a a Council with the Indians had told them he Re- commended there Sending immedeat advice to the Shawnese that Colo1 Clark was going against them, and that If he was a Little Bird, we would flye and tell them; Colo1 Montgomery being at Cahôs and only Capt. Rogers and myself hear, we waited on Mr. Bentley and beged of him a Circumstantial accot of this man in writing that Colo1 Montgomery might be assured of what was goeing on, which Mr Bentley said he could not give having it only from hearseay But that Mr Dalton had wrote to Colo1 Mont- gomery an accot thereof.

Capn Roger's & Self went up to Caho's arrived the 29th and Informed Colo1 of it & Delivered Daltons Letter; The Inhabi- tants presented a petition to Colo. Montgomery to be eased of a part of the Troops, and to have them equally devided in the Other Village, Colo1 M. Refused to devide the Troops and will Evacuate the Country intirely I with Several Other Officers de- sire a Council thereon before done but were Not harkened to.

1 Dr. MSS., 50J66, original manuscript.

2 Vincennes.

3 For an account of De la Balme, see Introduction, pp. Ixxxix. et seq.

6 19

MCCARTY'S JOURNAL

Colo1 went off to Cascakia 30th Gave orders to march in 8 day's Our men are very near all Sick, Some dies &c.

Sunday 3ª Lt. Girault arrived from Cascakia with News that Camp Jefferson was besiged and with Orders for All the Troops to March for to give it Succour, we have only one Boat of the State hear and that impossible, for it to Swim up Unless Mended, no Pitch nor Oak'um, Major Williams gave orders Munday the 4th for me to go with all the Men able, to its Succour. I got Boat mended with old rags as well as could be, but was obliged to have it Sunk to try to make it tight, the 5th had the Boat loaded but was obliged to unload her, it Sinking and was obliged to Press all the Little Boats to the Nº of five to Carry Men & Provisions and Sett of about 2 O'Clock camped at Marramack to wait for the rear; all came up at Sundown No Ma [MS. torn.] Night boats Small & Mississippi low. the 6th passed Missere1 Mr Valley gave my people 22 loaves of Bread, obliged to Leave Seven Sick Men not being able to help themselves, and Sent word to Kennedy at Cascakia to have them taken care of, the State having a Store there; 23 Indians from Missere followed me without being asked, & we were 33 men & officers Capn Keller very Sick the 8th met Mr Sarpys Boat at the Ohio, all well-Indians Gone &c. Got into the Mouth of Chanel of fort Jefferson at 3 O'Clock afternoon Mr Dalton arrived about 2 hours after me from auposte having Evacuated it. The whole people here are Sick a General Mur- mur Children Dieing fast, Numbers of the Inhabitants goeing off, the Enemy having Distroyed their Corn pumkins, Cattle horses &c. Colo1 Montgomery and Sundry of the Officers de- sired me to draw up a writing Setting forth the Situation of the place &c.

the IIth held a Council where it was Generally desided to Change the Situation of the place or to export all State Stores &c. up to the Illenois Untill things Should be Better prepared for the Establishing Said Place

The 13th; Sett of to Return to Islenois, and I endeavoured to Bring up What Boats I could of those pressed at Cahos but was

1 Ste. Genevieve.

620

ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS

hinderd, we have nothing to eat but Corn without Grece or Salt Much Murmuring Amongst the Troops, arrived at Cascakia the 20th Myself very Sick, Colo1 Mont“ & Dodge &c arrived a day before by Land Colo1 Dela Balme is Arrived hear from auposte with an Escorte of 30 men french and Indians and is now at Cahos & St Louis he arrived from Cahos did not wait on Colo1. Montgomery nor Colo1 Montgomery on him the People in Gen- eral Seem to be Changed towards us and Many things Said Un- fitting. Mr Dodge hath discoverd that he has dined (he says) with this Colo1 at Philadelphia at the french Ambassadors and in Consequence from having him put in Irons, pay's Great Court to him, the two Colo's has not at Yet Met. My Men have been three days without Provisions, and can not procure Any for them they have killed hogs in the Commons this Creats Bad Blood &c. and Some of My Men as well as Capn Kellars have deserted I am informed, the 27th in the Evening had a dispute with GÌ Dodge on accot of his not getting Provi- sions &c. tho' he has orders therefor from Colo1 Montgomery to purchase; and that Some of our poor Soldiers Died purely for want of Subsistance. Next day he complained to Colo1 Mont- gomery who arrested me, thos jarret Williams whorswhiped Dodge & Complained yet Colo1 Montgomery Never arrested Williams.

got a Permision in writing from Colº Montgomery to go to Cahos & St Louis on my Private Buissiness the 30th Sett off for Cahos arrived Sunday Ist Octor 2d went to St Louis to See My Uncle came back the 4th; when I found Colo1 dela Balme Raising a Party for Detroit of Voluntiers with those from Cascakia Captn. Plassy at their Head, Our Little Doctor Ray with them the 5th Sett of, My Serjt Villiers is goeing with them & Many Others of my Men but I only Saw him, I informed Serjt Meryweathers of the Light horse that he was a Soldier of My Cº and had State arms and that he was a Deserter, myself being under an Arrest had no orders to give, Serjt merwether took Said Villiers & Con- fined him, Capt Plassy Gave orders and the Little Doctor at the Head of a Rabble went and Rescued him from the Guard and

621

PENTECOSTE'S CLAIM

have taken him along with them, they Amount to About 40 men, with their arms &c. each man fournishes every Necessary-40 days Provisions two pounds powder & Led. I Suppose they have 30 horses or near that nº with them they are to be joined at Ouias by the poste People, I am also informed by one of the In- habitants of Cahos that the people, (that is a Sett of them) of Auposte, Cascakia & Cahos have Sent by this Colo1 dela Balme to Congress or the french Envoy, a Circumstantial acct of all their Supposed Grievances and Enormitties Committed in this Country by our Troops much Exagirated; but I must Confess Many things has been done which Should not; a Sort of Com- bined Trade Between Dodge & Bentley for the purchasing the Certificates from the people have raised their hatred of us to Such a Pitch that they will not suffer no Troops hear, and Desire we all March of Either by fair means or otherwise &c this Colo1 dela Balme the Morning he left Cahos told the Indians by Tom Brady wife Interpreter that they should be & Remain Quiet for in the Spring they would See french Troops hear .- the Span . ish Commander hath given him no Countenance whatever and is Surprised he is Suffered on our Side he being Authorized by no State or Power in America to do what he does in Short as things are now the people in General are allinated and Changed from us there must be a Reason for it, had Colo1 Clark been hear or an officer to Second him this would not have been. McCarty

Copy of Colo1 Montgomerys Answer to My Letter viz Sir

you are Permitted to Go and do Your Bisniss & be a Shured I was Much a Ganst the Arest But his Complaint Compeled me to it and I am Sir as Before your Humble Servt

To Magor Mº Cartey

(Signed) Jnº Montgomery (Draper MSS. 50 J "

PENTECOSTE TO LACROIX, NOVEMBER 16, 1785.1

On my return Home from your part of the Country I Pur- chased from Generall Clark the Grant made to sir Stephen Trigg adjoining the lands I bought of Mr Gerardine, and by Sir Stephen

1 Papers of Old Congress, xlviii., 55, from copy. This copy was enclosed in the memorial printed on p. 581.

622

ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS

Conveyed to the Said Genl. Clark Including the Caskaid and the feilds [sic] Adjoining between the Abbee Springs and Caskaid and the Mills, this grant is ten Arpents extending out from the line of Common. Easterly one half Arpent North of the Caskaid and thence down the Missisipi with the said Line of Common 21 arpents in Depth and as those Expressions in the Original Lan- guage means Different from yours of the Kanadian Customs I am appprehensive some of the people will be dissatisfied, but it cannot be helped, for for [sic] it includes upwards of Twelve Thousand Acres our measure, which will Extend down the River Near Four Miles, therefore it is not my Intent to disturb any person either setled within the bounds or that tend feilds [sic], Captn, Peterson will give them Leases for ten years without rent subject to the tak- ing Care not to make waste and to keep up the fences, and any person that may have built in the bounds shall have their buildings and a Suitable piece of Land adjoining thereto without paying me any thing for which this shall Serve as an Obligation, and I Expect you will Assist Captn Peterson in Negociateing this business. I enquired at Congress Relating to grants of your Country made by . your Preists [sic] or Vicar Generals under his Lordship the Bishop of Quebeck, and the United States Agree they are Valid and Can- not be Controverted, which is one of the Titles I hold by, and it may be pleaseing to your Setlers to know their property is secure to them - the Post Vintsent People seems to be on a Diferent footing, but it seems the Kaskaskias and your people have a Quite different authority to grant Lands.1 I saw the Generall Clark in Philla- delphia Last sumer who told me as soon as the Late Indian Treaty was Completed that he would Come down to your town and Lay out my lands agreeable to Pattent but if he should not be down this summer please to assist Captn Peterson in doing it as he has a Coppy of the deed with him with the Engles and Calculations agreeable to which it must be done, the Original deed is recorded in the Office for Recording Deeds in the Village of Kaskaskias in book or Folio No 172 Pages 122: 123 and 124 to which refference may be had .?

1 With few exceptions, the courts of Kaskaskia and Cahokia confined their grants of land within what they claimed was their commons.

This volume is in Chester, Ill.

623

PENTECOSTE'S CLAIM

Coppy of Part of A Leter Wrote by Collonell Penticost to John Baetiest [sic] Lacroix Dated Washington County November 16th 1785 No. I.

July 18th. 1786

Done by me Nathl Wells

je Souissigne procureur des Etats unis de lamerique aux ilinois residant aux Cahos Certiffie a tous quil apartiendra que lextrait cy dessus a Eteé tiré de la veritable lettre du Sr pentecoste que foy doit y etre ajoutée comme a loriginal qui a resté en mains du Sr La Croix Magistra du dt district en foy de quoy j'ay signé le present et a iceluy aposé mon Cachet ordre aux Cahos le dix huit juillet mil sept cent quatre vingt six.

Labuxiere pt des Etat

[Translation of the certificate]. I, the undersigned state's attorney at Cahokia of the Illinois of the United States of America, certify to all whom it may concern that the above extract has been copied from the very letter of M. Pentecoste and that faith should be given thereto as to the original which remains in the hands of M. LaCroix, magistrate of the said district. In faith of which I have signed the present and set thereon my seal, at Cahokia the eighteenth of July, 1786.

Labuxiere, State Attorney.

624

ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS

CENSUS OF CAHOKIA, AUGUST 27, 1787.1

1787, aoust 27. Recensement des habitants et de leurs enfans males de la paroisse des Cahokias aux Ilinois. Savoir

[Translation: 1787, August 27, census of the inhabitants and their male children of the parish of Cahokia in the Illinois, To wit:] Mr. françois Trottier pere 2 Etienne nicole I ses enfans

francois Trottier

Deshayes I Lagrave. I

Clement

Philipe Le Boeuf I

joseph.

Joseph Lachanse 7 I

auguste.

Gabriel Langlois

Raphael Langlois

Charle Lefevre pere 3

Alexis Brisson º

Charle Lefevre

Alexis son fils 2

auguste.

Charles Cadron pere 10

Louis

Charle .

Etienne. ses fils 3 alexis.

1 Papers of the Old Congress, Ixviii., 189, original manuscript. This census was made after Harmar's visit to Illinois, and was used by Barthèlemi Tardiveau in his petitions to Congress for grants of land. There are similar lists of the inhabitants o! Vincennes, of Kaskaskia, and of the American settlers. The last gives the date of the arrival of each in Illinois.

For the following notes I am greatly indebted to Mr. Benjamin Sulte of Ottawa, Canada, who has traced for me the families from France to Canada, and, when possible, from Canada to Illinois. The chief sources of information have been Tanguay, Dictionnaire Genealogique, 7 vols., Mr. Sulte's own notes, notes of Hon. Walter B. Douglas of St. Louis, Mo., the docu- ments printed in this volume and a collection of marriage contracts belonging to the Cak. Rec. in Belleville, Ill. Identification is made very difficult by the common usage among the French of two names, the regular surname and a second name given for some peculiarity of character in an ancestor or taken from place of origin or habitation. In the documents of the time either, or both, of the names is used.

2 The family was in Canada as early as 1647, some members of which moved to Detroit at an carly date. In 1758 François Trottier married at Cahokia Louise Laroche. Reynolds (Pioneer History, 35) says that there was a Joseph Trottier in Cahokia in 1775, who carried on an extensive commerce with New Orleans. I have found only one reference to him .- Supra P.459. François was very prominent after the coming of Clark, was made the commandant of the village and was elected justice both of .Clark's court and in 1779 of that of the district of Cahokia.

3 Lefebvre or Lefevre called Courier. The family is a large one in Canada, but I have not been able to follow this particular branch to Illinois. There was a Lefebrve acting as judge in the Illinois under the French in 1765. It is possible that Charles is descended from him. Charles married Françoise Nicolle September 19, 1761. It is probable that the other Couriers of the records were also Lefevres.

4 Correct spelling Nicolle. Probably a son of the Etienne Nicolle who was poisoned by the negroes. See supra, p. 13 el seq .

5 Deshayes called St. Cyr. The family settled near Three Rivers, Canada, in 1672.

6 Three families of this name settled carly in Lower Canada.

7 Caillot called Lachanse. Probably the son of Nicolas Lachanse of Kaskaskia, who had a son of this name.

8 Langlois is a common second name in Canada, and is found both in Cahokia and Kas- kaskia used as a surname. A Clement Langlois was a justice in 17So, but what his relation to these two was I do not know.

9 Born at St. Pierre-les-Becquets near Three Rivers, Canada, March 6, 1745, he married at Cahokia Julienne Locat, widow of Pierre Roy, on September 25, 1787. As the preceding pages show, he was of a lawless character and gave the authorities much trouble.

10 From Lower Canada.

CENSUS, AUGUST, 1787

625

joseph Bellecour 11

Louis ..

joseph Labuxiere pere 1 6

joseph Cecire pere 12

Antoine.

ses fils

joseph son fils .

francois

joseph Lapensée 13

jean Bte. Lalande.

francois Lapensée

antoine Lepage

joseph Lepage 14

andré Becquet

simon Lepage.

Louis Lepage.

4 Charle Becquet Philipe Gervais 19 Louis Philipe ses fils + 4

antoine Boyer

Ignace

augustin dubuque 15

Pierre Lajeunesse 20

11 His signature reads Belcour. This was a very common second name among the French. I have noted it as given among the Cahokians to a Saucier and a Lebrun.

12 Cesire in Canada and Casirre according to the signature of his father. The family was at Lachine, Canada, in 1670. Antoine, the father of this Joseph, was in Cahokia as early as September, 1753. at which time he married. He was the most important citizen of Cahokia in 1778. He died in 1779. His son, Joseph, married on February 9, 1777, Marie Alarie. He was one of the justices in 1781. On August 6, 1783, he married Marie Louise Levy, widow of Michel Monet.

13 The name as given here was probably the correct spelling, but since this member of the family was the only one who could write and he preferred to spell the name Lapancé, I have followed that spelling throughout the volume. The name was the second name of the Roy family. Jean Roy, his father, emigrated from Lachine, Canada, to Cahokia before 1752, for he was married there in that year to Marie Pancrasse. Joseph Roy called Lapancé was evi- dently an important citizen, since he was twice elected to the office of justice, in 1783 and 1786. He married on February 8, 1781, Catherine Cesirre, daughter of Antoine Casirre.

14 The Lepages of Cahokia probably came from Canada, where several families of that name settled between 1665 and 1750. A Joseph Lepage was elected justice in 1780, but whether he was this one or the father of these four I do not know.

15 The Dubuques came from St. Pierre-les-Becquets in the district of Three Rivers, Cana- da. The most important of the family was Julien Dubuque, after whom Dubuque, Iowa, was named. It has been said that he was at Cahokia for a time, but I have found no evidence of his presence there .- Tassé, Les Canadiens de l'ouest, 239 et seq. What is known about Augustin Dubuque will be found in this volume. See Index.

16 Not Labussiere or Labusciere, as it is sometimes written. Billon, Annals of St. Louis, 27, says he came from Canada, but no trace of him has been found there. He became notary- clerk in the Illinois in 1757 and served the French government till 1765, when he went to St. Louis, where he received the first grant of land in the new settlement. Here he continued to exercise his functions under the government of the interregnum. After the Spaniards took possession he served as notary till about the year 1781, when he went to Kaskaskia and was appointed state's attorney and notary. See supra p. 487. On account of the disorders of the village, he moved to Cahokia, and, as the preceding pages show, gave the community able ser- vice. He died April 29, 1791 .- Missouri Reports, iv, 343.

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Cahokia records, 1778-1790, Part 63

Author: Alvord, Clarence Walworth, 1868-1928 Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages: 856

Author: Alvord, Clarence Walworth, 1868-1928
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 856