USA > Missouri > A history of Missouri from the earliest explorations and settlements until the admission of the state into the union, Volume II > Part 14
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47
45 Thus Andre L' Andreville (1788), tavern-keeper and merchant, also a res- ident of St. Louis claimed 4,000 arpens, but never settled the land; Charles Bruire (1800) claimed 800 opposite Cedar island but it does not appear that he or. Joseph Bissonette (1799) lived on their claims; Joseph Brazeau (1797), Antonio Brazeau probably a relative of the Brazeau's of St. Louis, and Fran- çois Belonge (1799) claimed land in this district but did not reside on it; James W. Cockran (1800), forty miles west of St. Louis; George Crumps (1800) two miles west of St. Charles, built a house on his claim; Therese Crely (1803) wife of Louis Honore dit Tesson claimed 3,500 arpens on the river Jeffron but lived at Florissant; Jesse Cain (1799) planted corn on his land; also lived on the Ma- ramec before he came to this district, in Nathan Boone's company of rangers in 1812; François Cayolle (1799) opposite Prairie du Chien on river Jaune, proba- bly François De Salle dit Cayolle of Carondelet, claimed 7,000 arpens which he sold to Dubuque; Jean B. Chartier; Daniel Clarkland speculator made claims under Louis Charbouseau, François La Rivière, Vincent Guitard and others on the river Loutre, on the Aux Vase in 1804 and Cuivre, also bought several tracts in the St. Louis district; François DeLauriere dit Normandeau (1799) on Loutre river; Pierre Derbigne (Derbigny) (1799), of New Madrid; Veuve Susan- nah Dubreuil (1799) the mother of ten children, her husband did not receive a concession claimed 7,000 arpens; Louis Dupree (1799); Louis Delisle claimed 2,500 arpens in this district and Louis Delisle, junior (1799), 800 on the Bonne Femme; Jacob Eastwood (1801) claimed 800 arpens sixty miles northwest of St. Louis; Pierre Gamelin (1799); Daniel Griffith (1801); Duritt Hubbard located thirty-one miles northwest of St. Louis, and Euribus, Daniel and Felix Hubbard about 1800 located sixty miles northwest of St. Louis; Purnell Howard (1799) on Smith creek, also in the forks of the Missouri and on the Femme Osage; Jean Baptiste Lacroix (1795) at Cul de Sac, in 1797 at St. Charles and in 1799 at Portage des Sioux; Pierre Lord (1799) at Bay du Roy, sold to John Camp- bell and White Matlock in 1805; John Long (1801) on Bonne Femme; James Michew (Michau) ; Alexander McClean, on McClean's creek; Baptiste Marion (1800); Mrs. McKnight (1800) of Tennessee, said to have killed several Indians, her son came to this district in 1817, and was the owner of Mcknight island
IO2
HISTORY OF MISSOURI
were also claimed in this district and upon which no actual settle- ments had been made.
in the Mississippi; Jean McMillan in 1799 was a saddler on a stream north of the Missouri; Thomas Overstreet; John Orain had a claim on the Cuivre; Paul and Pierre Primo (1799); William Palmer dit Beaulieu in 1802 was at Cape au Gris; Andrew Peltier (1800) maybe came from Vincennes; James Rankin (1800), deputy surveyor sometime between 1799 and 1803, in 1804 was at Creve Coeur, also St. Ferdinand; Seneca Rollins (1802); Joseph and James Russell (1802); George Robert Spencer (1797) on river Jacob; a Robert Spencer was at Portage des Sioux, on river Cuivre and Dardenne at Spencer's Run; Benjamin Spencer settled on Grand Glaise in this district and worked a saline, according to Charles Fremon; Thomas Spencer also on the Grand Glaise; Andrew Som- malt or Zoomalt (Zumwalt) senior, a son of Jacob, (1799) came with the family of Christopher Sommalt; Etienne St. Pierre (1799) a resident for a long time, had a grant at foot of hills below mouth of rivière à Berger including Point Basse, to establish stock-farm; Thomas Todd (1801) sixty miles northwest of St. Louis; Samuel Watkins; John Wedder (or Wedden) (1802); Rowland Willard; Nathan- iel Warren dit Waring (1802); Joseph Drouen (1799); Daniel Baldridge, thirty- five miles west of St. Louis; Josiah M. Lanaham and Jacob Hany were residents in this district as assignees of Antoine Lamarche; John Young (1801); Albert Tesson (1793) claimed land fifty-one miles north of St. Louis and on Salt river, also owned property in New Madrid; on the Missouri and Isle aux Boeufs, John and Hugh Morel, and in 1797 secured a grant, they were Irish Catholics, and in 1798 sold to Robert Young of St. Andre; James Pritchett; John Phillips made a claim under date of 1803 on the aux Boeuf with Thomas Gibson, and Charles Phillips, witnesses. So also the Kaskaskia land speculator Jean François Perry claimed that he received a grant on the aux Boeuf 130 miles north of St. Louis in 1798.
On Mill creek Harry Cook, from Kaskaskia, where he rendered military service, made a claim to land as heir of one McCormack. He was a son of John Cook, who came to the Illinois country from the Eaton's station, Cumberland, near Nashville, in 1787. Of this John Cook the Kaskaskia com- missioners for land claims do not speak in complimentary terms, saying "This man is a Dutchman without property, fond of strong drink, and without char- acter," and that although not long in the country he has given testimony to sup- port about two hundred claims. (P. L. p. 126.) Christy Romine (1798) was another settler on this stream; Jerusha Edmonson (1803); Benjamin Horine; Israel McGready; Henry Pinkley, a witness on this stream, one Antoine Gaguier in 1800 on the Missouri as far up as Howard county-a settler.
CHAPTER XIV.
New Madrid-Physical Features of the New Madrid Ridge-Hunters and Traders the First Settlers-"An Aboriginal Station"-Abundance of Game -"L'Anse à la Graise"-The Le Sieurs-Delaware Village at the Mouth of Chepoosa River-Report to Miro of Captain McCoy, 1786-Colonel George Morgan-His Life-Receives a Grant from Gardoqui-Extent of Grant-Explores the Territory between the Mouth of the St. Cosme and New Madrid-Letter Describing Country Published in Philadelphia- Reveals Spanish Designs-Preparations of Morgan to Settle his Grant- Plan of Surveying the Same-New Madrid Laid Out -Distribution of Lots -An Agricultural Settlement-Professional Hunters not Favored- Morgan's Advertisement-Morgan's Plans Antagonized by Wilkinson- Miro Objects to Grant-Morgan's Plan Destroyed by Miro-Peyroux Cancels Grants Made by Morgan-Pierre Foucher Appointed Com- mandant of New Madrid-Builds Fort Celeste-Morgan's Estimate of Foucher-Letter to Gardoqui-Great American Immigration to New Madrid-La Forge Details Work Foucher Accomplished-General Forman at New Madrid-Thomas Portelle, Commandant in 1791-Population of New Madrid-Americans Open Farms in 1790-Small Progress of Settlement-Thomas Power, Spanish Agent at New Madrid-Gayoso there in 1795 - Portelle Succeeded by De Lassus - Biography of De Lassus-New Madrid Gateway of Commerce to the Gulf-New Mad- rid Attached to Upper Louisiana in 1799 - Peyroux, Commandant, 1799 -Succeeded by La Vallée in 1803-Fort Celeste Residence of Commandants -Antoine Gamelin - Pierre Antoine LaForge-Three Companies of Militia-Galleys Stationed at New Madrid-Names of Early Settlers- Merchants-Richard Jones Waters-Captain Robert McCoy-Barthel- emi Tardiveau-The King's Highway North-Settlers on the Same- Territorial Limits of the New Madrid District-Principal Settlements- Bayou St. John-Lake St. Mary-Lake Ann-Bayou St. Thomas-Little Prairie Settlement Founded, 1794-The Portage of the St. Francois- Tywappity Bottom-Prairie Charles-Oath of Loyalty Administered to Early Settlers.
Long before the advent of the white pioneers in the valley of the Mississippi, the region which became known as the New Madrid district was inhabitated by a numerous pre-historic population. The main physical feature of this New Madrid district is a low, par- tially clay and alluvial ridge which, beginning at the Scott county hills, runs south parallel with, and at some distance from, the Missis- sippi, to near where the St. Francois river empties into it. This ridge, however, is not of uniform height, but here and there is bisected by low depressions through which the river flows when at flood tide. At New Madrid, at Point Pleasant and at Little Prairie (now Caruthersville), in Missouri, this ridge touches the Mississippi and at these points the soil for many ages has crumbled away under the erosions of the mighty river, at New Madrid making the great bend
103
104
HISTORY OF MISSOURI
where is located this ancient settlement. Here everything combined to attract the early voyageurs and coureurs des bois; here the open prairie with its scattered trees, lending a park-like appearance to the landscape, and near by a large lake of clear and limpid water bordered with a white sandy beach, overshadowed by great isolated, wide-spreading oaks that had withstood the storms of centuries, invited the tired hunters and oaismen to rest; here, a fruitful soil yielding a hundred-fold when tickled with the hoe or scratched with a wooden plow, made its cultivation a matter of pleasure; here, a prai- rie covered with luxuriant grass offered forage at all seasons; here, and in the adjacent cane-brakes was found an abundance of the game of the virgin land, the bear, the deer, the otter, the beaver, and other fur-bearing animals, and the fowls of the air, prairie, and water. Northwardly this ridge extended for many miles, an open forest. In the spring, the earth covered with variegated and fragrant flowers, filled the air with perfume. The high hills of the Ozarks separated and protected this district from the untempered blasts of the north- western winds. The varied year vouchsafed just enough winter to fully mark the beauty of spring and the magnificent splendor of summer. In autumn all the manifold beauties of the season over- spread the landscape. The oaks here grew to immense proportions ; the pecan and hickory, the walnut and butternut yielded a never- failing harvest, the gum raised its serried columns to the clouds, the sassafras, the elm and beach, the hackberry and ash,-all found a ge- nial soil. The paw-paw, the plum, the mulberry and the wild grape flourished, and the redbud, the dogwood, the burning bush and many other blooming shrubs made the woods splendid in the spring with their blossoms.
The earliest white inhabitants of this part of Missouri raised their humble huts at this favored spot - hunters, traders, and adventurers. An Indian village was situated here. Along the ridge going north a great Indian trail and warpath led to the hills in what is now Scott county, and farther on to the Saline and the hunting grounds on the banks of the Missouri and tributary streams. A trail and war-path also led south to the mouth of the St. Francois and the Arkansas from here, and another west to the hills on the other side of St. Francois, crossing it at a point long known as the "Indian Ford," and thence to the Ozark highlands, as yet uncovered with timber, and where, in the high prairie grass ranged herds of buffalo, lords of the plateau.
105
L'ANSE À LA GRAISE
On this New Madrid ridge, at many places, the works of the mound-builders were visible. "The site of the town" says Nuttall, who visited the place in 1818, " bears unequivocal marks of an ab- original station, still presenting the remains of some low mounds, which as usual abound with fragments of earth-ware.'' Numerous mounds marked the trails and war-paths. Everywhere ancient earth-works and fortifications, many of which have long since been leveled by the plow, were noted by observing and thinking early trav- elers. A few only, comparatively, of these, protected by the forests, have been preserved. This locality evidently was the favorite habita- tion of a people which had disappeared before the advent of the Indian. It is certain that on his march northward De Soto bivouacked on this ridge.2
The bend of the river where the town of New Madrid is situate became known as "L'Anse à la Graise"- cove of fat or grease. Coxe, in his "Carolana," published in 1772, speaks of the place as "a good landing just below the mouth of Chepoosa creek," the name by which St. John's bayou was then known. Pope says that the name "L' Anse à la Graise," according to the governor of Pensacola, "originated from the river forming an extensive curve, where, upon the first settlement of the place, great quantities of bear meat were stored up for the use of the garrison and the French and Spanish navigators up and down the Mississippi, which meat is of a very oleose quality, though in my opinion the greasiness of the soil, with the divexity of the river, sufficiently justify the epithet.''3 And La Forge in his report, dated 1796, says that the first traders "found abundance of game, and especially bears and buffaloes, hence the name "L 'Anse à la Graise.''4
And this abundance of game and consequent certainty of trade, caused traders to congregate annually at "L'Anse à la Graise," at the mouth of the Chepoosa river, and here eventually some of of them settled. Among the first settlers were François and Joseph Le Sieur, natives of Trois Rivières of Canada. According to Godfrey Le Sieur, they were at "L'Anse à la Graise" in 1783, having been sent there by Gabriel Cerré, the principal merchant, at the time, of St. Louis. But as stated, no doubt at a much earlier period, traders
1 Nuttall's Arkansas, p. 46.
2 Nuttall's Arkansas, p. 251.
3 John Pope, His Tour, pp. 21-22.
4 Billon's Annals of St. Louis, vol. I, p. 264.
106
HISTORY OF MISSOURI
annually came to this locality and it is also certain that some remained there with the Indians. But Francois and Joseph Le Sieur must be considered the founders of the New Madrid settlement.5 At the time
françois le Sunt
the Le Sieurs came to what is now New Madrid, Godfrey Le Sieur says they found a village of Delaware Indians located where the town was afterward established. But it is a matter of doubt whether these In- dians were permanent residents there, because it was not until some time subsequent that the Shawnee and Delaware Indians were induced to emigrate to the Spanish possessions, by Lorimier at the instance of
the Spanish authorities. Yet in 1789 Morgan found a Delaware village on the Chepoosa or St. John bayou in what is now Mississippi county. In 1783 an Indian village was located at or on the margin of what is now known as Lewis'Prairie, and another in Big Prairie near the present Sikeston, all within a comparatively short distance from
5 It is worth mentioning that in the Spanish Census of 1787 both Joseph and François Le Sieur appear as members of Cerré's household and that consisted then of 48 persons. They were natives of Machiche, parish of St. Ann, Three Rivers, Canada; sons of Charles Le Sieur. Joseph Le Sieur married in Canada; had two sons; died in New Madrid in 1796; and, also his two sons, leaving no descendants. François Le Sieur, his brother, married Cecile Guibault (Guilbeaut), a native of Vincennes in 1791, and in 1794 removed from New Madrid to Little Prairie, becoming the founder of that settlement, and syndic. He was a lieutenant of the second company of militia; a merchant, owned many tracts of land, and in 1801 owned a flour-mill. He died in 1826 at or near Point Pleasant, to which place he removed after the disastrous earthquakes of 1811. He was married three times. By his first marriage he had seven children; by his second marriage with Miss Bonneau, a native of Vincennes, he had one son. In 1820 he married a third wife, Mrs. Loignon, the widow of Charles Loignon of Little Prairie. In 1798 Raphael Le Sieur, a nephew of Joseph and François Le Sieur, also came from Canada to New Madrid. He too reared a large family. Godfrey Le Sieur and François V. Le Sieur who both have given us interesting accounts of the early settlements of New Madrid, were the sons of François Le Sieur. François V. Le Sieur married a daughter of Gen. Augustus Jones, son of John Rice Jones.
IO7
THE LE SIEURS
" L'Anse à la Graise" and which at that time must have been the trading place of these Indians.
The Le Sieurs, having traded successfully at " L'Anse à la Graise" the first season, returned to St. Louis and reported what they had seen and the advantages that would result from building a trading house there. They consequently returned in the following year with a stock of suitable goods for the Indian trade, and this venture also proved exceedingly profitable." After this second venture, the Le Sieurs permanently established themselves at New Madrid, and a settlement sprang up. They were followed by Ambrose and François Dumay; Godin, dit Chatouiller; Pierre Saff- ray; François Berthiaume; the St. Mary's, Hunots, Racines and the Barsaloux,. all from Vincennes. Some of these settlers naturally began to cultivate the rich and fertile soil. But Captain Robert McCoy says, that in 1786, when he was on his way to New Orleans from Vincennes, he stopped where New Madrid was afterward located, and that then no one lived there, that it was a perfect "wilderness." McCoy says also that while in GODFREY LE SIEUR, SON OF FRANÇOIS LE SIEUR New Orleans Governor Miro sent for him to secure information as to the condition and situation of the place,7 from which it may be inferred that "L'Anse à la Graise" must then have been at least recognized or known as a favorable location for the establishment of a trading post. In 1787 on his return up the river McCoy found that a trading post had been established, and among the traders was Joseph Le Sieur.
Whatever the origin of the settlement at the mouth of the Che- poosa, "L'Anse à la Graise," it is certain that it existed at first with- out a commandant, either civil or military. No one was clothed with any authority to enforce any rule of law. The Indian traders and early settlers managed to get along without a commandant, and ac- cording to La Forge "all were masters, and would obey none of those who set themselves up as heads or commandants of the new colony." While this condition of affairs existed a murder was com- mitted, and "then their eyes were opened, they began to feel the
6 See letter of Godfrey Le Sieur, dated March 1, 1872, published in the Mis- souri "Republican."
7 2 Hunt's Minutes, p. 144, Missouri Historical Society.
108
HISTORY OF MISSOURI
necessity of laws, and some one at their head to compel their observ- ance."8 No doubt this lawless state of affairs at "L'Anse à la Graise" was known to the commandants at Ste. Genevieve and at St. Louis, and may have been reported to the governor-general at New Orleans, and perhaps induced him to make inquiries from travelers who came down the river.
1
George Morgan -lie
About this time the district in which was located "L'Anse à la Graise" was granted to Colonel George Morgan, as he at least sup- posed. Morgan, a native of New Jersey and a graduate of Princeton, was a remarkable man. Now very little is generally known of him, yet in his day his exploits, his scheme, his vast projects, attracted great attention. At a time when a trip from the Atlantic states to the Mississippi valley consumed weeks, and involved great personal hardship and endurance, we find this bold and daring spec- ulator and adventurer frequently crossing the mountains and traversing the western wilder- - ness on horseback, and paddling his canoe up and down solitary rivers, no doubt dreaming - of vast projects. In 1764 he traded with the ·Indians of Kaskaskia,9 in co-partnership with Baynton, his father-in-law, and Wharton. In 1766 he was one of the judges of the general court there, under the English government. He was with O'Reilly's fleet when he ascended the Mississippi river, and took possession of New Orleans. On the breaking out of the war between England and the colonies, he entered the Revolutionary army and acted as Indian agent for the Middle De- partment at Fort Pitt. He had great influence among many of the In- dian tribes of the west, and understood well their characteristics. It is said that on one occasion, in 1776, while at one of the Shawnee towns on the Scioto, he received intelligence of three Six Nation warriors having passed with two boys they had taken sixteen days before from Virginia and who he afterwards ascertained were the sons of Andrew McConnell. Morgan followed them and got to their town before they
8 I Billon's Annals of St. Louis, p. 284.
9 He was on intimate terms with the old French families of Kaskaskia, the Janis', Datchuruts, Charlevilles, Beauvais, Picards, and others. In a letter dated Princeton, December 1, 1780, addressed to Captain Jno. Dodge, he sends his regards to Mrs. Janis, Madame Felicite, "et toutes des enfans". He knew well the country and its ancient inhabitants.
109
GEORGE MORGAN
got there, prevented the usual punishment of the prisoners on their entry, and insisted that they be delivered to him unless they intended this breach of the peace as a declaration of war. The boys were sur- rendered to him, and he brought them to Fort Pitt and delivered them to their uncle, a resident of Westmoreland county.10 In 1777 he was in command of Fort Pitt. While in command of this important post he kept up an active correspondence with Don Bernardo de Galvez, then governor of Louisiana, and his daring and enterprising character is shown by the fact that he proposed to Galvez to surprise Mobile and Pensacola, then in British possession, if allowed to purchase or charter vessels and procure artillery on short notice at New Orleans. In his letter to Galvez he says, "Should we be able to procure trans- ports at New Orleans, I think we could easily surprise Mobile and Pensacola, destroy their fortifications and possess ourselves of all their munitions, unless these forts are better fortified and defended than we imagine.''11 Subsequently Galvez himself suc- cessfully carried out this plan, thus first suggested by Morgan.
On September 14, 1779, he presented a memorial to the Con- tinental Congress setting out that at an Indian congress held at Fort Stanwix in 1777, in consideration of the loss of some eighty-five thousand pounds of sterling sustained by certain trad- ers, the Six Nations granted them a tract of land lying on the southern side of the Ohio, between the southern limits of Pennsylvania and the little Kanawha river, called "Indiana," that before the Revolutionary war began this tract of land was included within the bounds of a larger territory called "Vandalia," and by the King and Council separated from the dominion which Virginia claimed, that as the memorialists are advised the tract is subject to the United States and not within the jurisdiction of any particular state, and that Virginia is directing the sale of the lands in question within the territory of "Vandalia," thereby intending to defeat the interposition of Congress. And very actively Colonel Morgan pressed his claims and even applied to the state of New Jersey, some of his partners being citizens of that state, for the protection of his interests. But this claim, like many others to vast districts of land, title being derived by purchase from the Indians, finally was held invalid and ignored. The states and United States were firm in the determination to deny the power of the Indian tribes to alienate any portion of the soil to
10 Draper's Collections, vol. 16, Clark's MSS., p. 128.
11 Gayarré, Spanish Dominion of Louisiana, p. 110.
IIO
HISTORY OF MISSOURI
private parties. So Colonel Morgan became bankrupt. He consid- ered, however, that he had been despoiled of a fortune, that he had been wronged by Virginia and by the United States, and when the agitation arose in the country west of the Alleghanies for an outlet via the Mississippi to the sea, Colonel Morgan was quick to perceive another opportunity to secure a fortune. While at New York he entered into negotiations with Don Diego Gardoqui, the Spanish ambassador. In a memorial addressed to him Morgan proposed to establish a colony near the mouth of the Ohio, and in territory now within the limits of Missouri, and says, that within ten years at least one hundred thousand souls will inhabit this district if the conditions he proposed should be accepted and strictly adhered to. One of the conditions was that the settlers should have the right of self-govern- ment, and another, that the colonists should be exempt from taxation. In glowing words he depicted the advantages that would result to Spain if his scheme should be adopted, and in conclusion asks that the rank of Colonel, held by him in the Army of the United States, be secured to him in the Spanish service, that he be granted a concession of twenty square miles with a pension for life, and other advantages and privileges for himself and family. Don Gardoqui was captivated by the brilliant plans and glowing picture of a Spanish-American state at the mouth of the Ohio, and expressed his warmest approbation of the scheme of colonization and advised Colonel Morgan that he had forwarded it to be submitted to his king, but assured him that all that had been asked would be granted. In order to facilitate the establish- ment of the colony he transmitted a passport and letter to the Spanish authorities in New Orleans, in the words of his letter, "so that you may go at once and examine the territory in which you contemplate making your settlement."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.