USA > Missouri > A history of Missouri from the earliest explorations and settlements until the admission of the state into the union, Volume II > Part 17
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In September, 1791, Foucher was succeeded by Thomas Portelle.
Formas Boxtel 2
Foucher, in 1797, was a half-pay captain in New Orleans. Dur- ing a number of years the settlement of his accounts for the con- struction of the "Fort Celeste" at New Madrid, gave him much trouble, the vouchers which he had delivered to Don Francisco Gutierrez de Arroya, "an official of the chief accountancy of the army," having been destroyed by fire. Foucher claimed that for making and planting the palisades of the fort he paid 2,500 pesos, and that having the lumber sawed and made for the roof of the barracks cost 700 pesos; for clearing the ground around the fort Pedro Lemieux and Santiago Cuturre received 700 pesos. He petitioned the King for relief, and relating his services says, that from 1778 to 1780 he served as a "volunteer carabineer," that
I32
HISTORY OF MISSOURI
he then purchased a commission as lieutenant of the Louisiana regiment and participated in the campaign against "Manchak, Baton Rouge, Movila and Pensacola." After many petitions he finally secured a settlement and adjustment of his accounts.
Portelle, according to LaForge, was "a man of distinguished merit equally in the military as in the cabinet, and who was superior to his position," and who "if he failed, it was because he did not place him- self on a level with the people he had to govern."30 Portelle remained in command from 1791 to 1796. The population of New Madrid during this period was made up of traders, hunters, and voyageurs. Trading and hunting were the principal occupations of the inhabit- ants. Very little land was cultivated, and no progress was made in agricultural development. The French settlers preferred hunting to rural labor. "It was so convenient with a little powder and lead, some cloth and a few blankets, which they obtained on credit from the stores, to procure themselves the meat, grease, and suet necessary for their sustenance, and pay a part of their indebtedness with some peltries." But the game began to disappear, the Indians removed farther into the interior, and it became more difficult to gain support, and then these early inhabitants began to complain and regret the happy days "when they swam in grease, and when abundance of every description was the cause of waste and extrava- gance." They were a merry and social people, those early French settlers of New Madrid, just as everywhere else in America. Festivals and balls were their delight and only came to an end when their purses were empty.
In 1790 three or four American settlers began to cultivate the fertile soil, and plant for the first time large areas with Indian corn. They soon were able to sell their French and creole neighbors corn, butter, milk, cheese, eggs and chickens. When the Indians failed to come to New Madrid to trade, the French, too, began to plant corn, but before the corn was laid by, LaForge says, they all enrolled in the militia to resist the threatened invasion of 1794, abandoned their crops, and when they were paid off were again without supplies and in want. In this year five galleys came to New Madrid from New Orleans and remained during the summer, but the commandant finding no provisions or corn in New Madrid was compelled to send for subsist- ence to the Illinois settlements and to Kentucky. On this occasion
30 Portelle was commandant at Apalachy before he came to New Madrid. The name is usually spelled "Portel" but he himself spells it "Portelle" or "Portell."
I33
GROWTH OF VILLAGE
Don Portelle, Commandant, did not fail to impress on the inhabitants that they should have been in condition to furnish the necessary food and supplies.
In 1795 the establishment of Fort San Fernando des Barrancas, near the present site of Memphis drew away from New Madrid the little surplus corn. Ste. Genevieve and Kentucky again supplied corn not only to San Fernando, but even to New Madrid. The desire to farm then began once more to take root among the French habitans. Nearly all the American immigrants as soon as they arrived made ready to farm. "Then" says Laforge "the French inveighed against the Americans, and, stimulated by jealousy, deter- mined that they too would farm." Thus it was that in 1796 farming was taken up as a serious occupation in New Madrid. But from 1794 to 1796 the population remained stationary.31
Yet no great material progress in the wealth of the settlement was made during the administration of Don Portelle. A large majority of the inhabitants were French and creoles, and LaForge mournfully comes to the conclusion "that the creoles will never make this a flourishing settlement. It will be the Americans, Germans and other active people who will reap the glory of it." In his report he also refers to the fact that although grants of land were made for some time to François Racine, to the Hunots, Paquins, Laderoute, Gamelin, deceased, Lalotte and others, not a single tree had been cut on the land so granted, and that the St. Maries, Meloche, and others had barely commenced work. On the other hand, he points out that when the Americans secure a grant of land they energetically begin to work on it. Of the 159 families of New Madrid 53 had no property, which La Forge thinks "is an evil to which it would be easy to apply a remedy. In a country destined to agricultural pursuits and the breeding of domestic animals, it is too much that one third of its inhabitants should stand isolated from the general interest, and that the other two thirds should be exposed to be the victims of a set of idle and lazy people, always at hand in their slightest necessities to satiate their hunger by preying on the industrious. " 32
From the Spanish records of concessions the general growth and prosperity of the village may be reasonably inferred during this period. Thus between November 30, 1789, and May 1, 1799, the oath of allegi- ance was administered to 601 persons. In 1791 forty-seven lots for
31 La Forge's Letter, I Billon's Annals, p. 266.
32 La Forge's Letter to De Lassus, I Billon's Annals, p. 272.
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI
houses were granted in the village, but during that same time an equal number of lots were abandoned. In 1792 six lots were granted, but fifteen lots abandoned. In 1793 fifty lots were granted and eight abandoned. In 1794 thirteen lots were granted. In 1795 twenty-five lots were granted and one abandoned. In 1796 forty-six concessions of lots were made.
It was while Portelle was commandant at New Madrid that the greatest activity prevailed to separate the western country from the Atlantic states. Portelle on one occasion sent $9,640 in cash, packed in barrels to Wilkinson, from New Madrid. Thomas Power, the agent of the Spanish government, an Englishman, was then a resident of New Madrid. In 1795 Gayoso de Lemos came to New Madrid on a confidential mission to meet a Kentucky delegation, and from New Madrid, sent Power with dispatches to Wilkinson. From New Madrid Gayoso went to the mouth of the Ohio, and at what afterward became known as Bird's Point, erected a small stockade fort to amuse himself, while waiting for a reply. Here he was met by Judge Sebastian, in September, 1795, and together they went by boat to New Madrid and down the river.
Juan Barno y Ferrusola, in 1794, was greffier of New Madrid, Antoine Gamelin, in 1794, Captain of the Second Company of the militia ; Louis Scipion Benoist de Marquet, Captain of another company, and Pierre de Rocher, Captain of the First Company. He was a native of Nantes, France, and a merchant of New Madrid.33 John Shanklin, in 1796, was ensign of the troops, one of the first Anglo-American Spanish officers. It was during the administration of Portelle that the youthful Brackenridge arrived at New Madrid. "As we approached the landing," he says, "a soldier or officer made his appearance on the bank and flourished his sword with a fierce and consequential air, - all this for the purpose of indicating the place for us to land." 34 During his stay at New Madrid at that time, Brackenridge, then a child, records that "coarse, black bread, a kind of catfish soup, hot with pepper and seasoned with garlick, was about the only food they gave us."
33 Son of François Alexis DeRocher and Marie Naude; married Rosalie La- fond of Kaskaskia, daughter of Dr. Jean Baptiste Lafond and Charlotte La- course. In 1793 had a concession on Lake St. Isidore, and on Lake St. Mary ; after his death this property was granted to his wife. The name is also spelled Deroche.
34 Brackenridge's Recollections of the West, p. 18.
I35
DE LASSUS
Portelle in 1796 was succeeded by Don Carlos DeHault DeLassus de Luziere. He was a son of Don Pierre DeHault DeLassus de Luziere, heretofore mentioned as commandant of Nouvelle Bourbon, in the Ste. Genevieve district. Don Carlos De Lassus entered the Spanish service as second lieutenant of the fifth Battalion of the Royal Guards of Waloonian infantry, participated in the campaign of the army of Rosellon as first lieutenant, was one of the first at the assault of Fort San Thelmo; by good mili- tary conduct and bravery distinguished him- self and was breveted lieutenant-colonel. In order to be near his family, who were in great- ly reduced circumstances, he petitioned to be DE LASSUS transferred from the Waloonian Guard35 to the Stationary Regiment of Louisiana. In his petition, dated Madrid, July 5, 1794, he says that his father was a fugitive from France with his wife and children, that during the space of three years, after un- heard of hardships "in traveling through lands, crossing seas, the American rivers, and living among all the savage tribes found on the Scioto river in North America," he reached the Spanish Illinois in the Province of Louisiana, and that there he established himself and built up a small colony in order that he might acquire the means to sustain his life, and "that of his numerous family in his advanced age." In the following August DeLassus was transferred with the rank of lieutenant-colonel to the Louisiana Regiment, but with the pay only of captain, and on August 1I, at San Ildefonso, received his passports to sail from Cadiz, "with a servant, arms and baggage," in order to join his corps. It is said that DeLassus enjoyed the personal acquaintance of King Ferdinand of Spain, and that the King was interested in his welfare and the welfare of his family, but this state- ment may well be doubted, because subsequently when he petitioned that with the rank of lieutenant-colonel he might also get the pay of a lieutenant-colonel, so as to assist his unfortunate family and main- tain himself with the honor that his rank demanded, the petition was denied repeatedly, although strongly recommended by Carondelet. The report was likely circulated to justify the large grants of land
35 Cuerpo de guardias Walonas consisted in Spain of more than 4000 men, in 56 companies, who came from Flanders, then a dependency of Spain, and in service of the Spanish kings until the time of Ferdinand VII.
I36
HISTORY OF MISSOURI
made to the family at different times by the Spanish officials,36 with whom undoubtedly he was a great favorite.37 Carondelet says that he was "a very honorable man."
At the time DeLassus was in command at New Madrid he was very busy. New Madrid was then the gate-way of commerce to the Gulf of Mexico, of all that part of the United States situated west of the the Alleghany mountains, and that commerce at that time began to assume gigantic proportions, at least in the eyes of the inactive and torpid Spaniards. In June, 1797, DeLassus writes to Soulard that he was continually occupied with attending to the business of all manner of people coming down the Ohio "et a present avec le passage de Messieurs des Americans." In fact, he was so busy that he had no time to give attention to his own individual affairs, or the grant of twenty thousand arpens of land he had received in the previous year from Don Zenon Trudeau, Lieutenant- Governor of upper Louisiana. The grant was not located at any particular place,38 and he expected Soulard to look after the matter for him. In his, no doubt, trying work at New Madrid he was assisted at M. P. LEDUC first, as secretary, by Pierre Derbigny, who was also interpreter "los idioms estrangeras à la langua Espangol."
36 In 1798 petitioned for a grant of 30,000 arpens on Salt river, three leagues above its mouth, to establish two manufactories, one for making soap, and the other for a tan-yard, as of great utility to the public, since thus they could pro- cure soap and leather much cheaper than by bringing them from Europe as they were then doing.
37 Andrew Michaux, in his journal, says that one Louisiere or Delousiere was exiled from France for having been concerned in the plot to deliver Havre to the combined English and Spanish fleets. In 1793, Michaux says, that this Louisiere or Delousiere was in partnership with one Audrain at Pittsburg, but he says that Delousiere was not in Pittsburg at that time. It may be that some connection existed between the Delousiere, the French royalist, who attempted to turn over the French fleet to the English and Spanish, and the Delousiere after- ward in Upper Louisiana, and the letter of Carondelet of April 26, 1793, shows that this Louisiere, or Delousiere is DeLassus DeLuziere, and that he was in part- nership with Tardiveau and Audrain, and came from Gallipolis to Nouvelle Bourbon. His son St. Vrain was an officer in the Royal French navy. The Audrain Michaux mentions was no doubt the same trader, afterwards in Upper Louisiana, in partnership with Tardiveau and DeLassus. A trader named Audrain lived on the Missouri not far from Fort Osage after the cession. Audrain county so named in honor of Colonel James Audrain, a pioneer trader and merchant of Missouri, and son of Pierre Audrain.
38 American State Papers, 2 Public Lands, p. 686.
I37
LA VALLÉE
Derbigny afterwards removed to New Orleans, and Marie Philip Leduc, who came to New Madrid in 1792, then acted as his secre- tary, and with him subsequently went to St. Louis.
DeLassus was made lieutenant-governor of upper Louisiana in 1799, and removed to St. Louis. Here he was in command at the time of the transfer of Louisiana. Prior to 1800 New Madrid was in no wise attached to the Illinois country or upper Louisiana. The commandant there exercising the power of a sub-delegate, acted independent of the lieutenant-governor of Illinois country, residing at St. Louis. In the register of Spanish Illinois villages, made in 1796, neither New Madrid or Cape Girardeau are included, evidently either Cinque Hommes creek, or the Rivière des Pommes (Apple Creek) was considered the dividing line between the Spanish Illinois villages and the New Madrid district. After DeLassus was trans- ferred to St. Louis, New Madrid, it seems, was attached to upper Louisiana.39
DeLassus was succeeded in New Madrid, by Don Henri Peyroux de la Coudrenaire,4º Captain of Infantry, as commandant. He came to New Madrid from Ste. Genevieve in August, 1799, and where he had been commandant in 1789. Peyroux remained in command at New Madrid for nearly four years, and then resigned his position, very likely in consequence of his dispute with the Spanish officials as to the northern boundary of the district. From a letter dated January 11, 1803, it appears that at that date he was still commandant of New Madrid. After his resignation he went to France where it is said he had large possessions. Being old and infirm he never returned, but made an agreement of separation with his wife, who did not accompany him, transferring and relinquishing to her all his property and possessions in America, apparently, however, with the exception of his land grant on the Saline, which he leased.
Don Juan La Vallée succeeded Peyroux as commandant of New Madrid and held the position until the country was transferred to the United States. During his administration the expedition of De Lassus to punish "the run-away Indians" then residing in the country west of New Madrid, took place. La Vallée was a very competent 39 2 Martin's History of Louisiana, p. 171.
40 Henri Peyroux, captain of arms, civil and military commandant, vice patron of Parish St. Isidore, married Demoiselle Prudence Rodrique. In 1801 he bought of Tardiveau & Co., a saw-mill, grain-house, canal and land where mill was located at New Madrid.
I38
HISTORY OF MISSOURI
man, a man of education and intelligence. He was a native of France and for a number of years a leading merchant and trader. De Lassus says of him, that he was a "zealous and skilful officer, recommended for a long time for captain," and that "every time I employed him, he gave me great satisfaction in the manner in which he acquitted himself. He speaks and writes Spanish and French and English, and is a firm and brave and prudent man."
The Spanish commandants resided at Fort Celeste, which was situated on the Mississippi river, and erected in 1789, under the super- vision of Don Pedro Foucher.41 A Spanish DON JUAN LA VALLÉE garrison was always maintained here, and the names of some of the Spanish soldiers have been preserved in the New Madrid archives, principally as witnesses. 42 This " Fort Celeste " was originally constructed near the river bank, altogether unmindful of the fact that the river at this point washed away the land. Gradually the intervening land between the river and the fort disappeared and in 1796 when General Collot
Inan Lavallee
visited New Madrid a part of the structure had tumbled in the river. The old fort had been evacuated and a new fort constructed farther away from the river bank. This new fort was an irreg- ular square with four blockhouses as bastions at the corners, con- " One of the contractors, to build the fort, a stone-mason, was Pierre Querez (or Guerez), dit La Tulipe. The carpenter work was done by Jacob Myers. 42 Thus we find the names of Pedro Maltruvin Besnard, a sergeant of infan- try who, in 1793, was employed by Pierre DeRocher to stay on his place on Lake St. Isidore; Ramon Perez, in 1795, a sergeant; Pascal Palazois, in 1794, a corporal of infantry; Diego Dominiquez, in 1794, a corporal of artillery, who afterward died at New Madrid; Juan Jose Garcia, in 1795, soldier of the fifth company of the first battalion of the stationary regiment of Louisiana; Antonio Gonzalez, soldier of the third company of second battalion of the regiment of Louisiana; Domingo (or Dominique) Rueta (or Rouette), baker and soldier of the second company of the first battalion of the fixed or stationary regiment; died in 1804; Barthélemi Rodriques, in 1792, a corporal; Jose Bernardo, sergeant of infantry in the fixed regiment; Antonio Bermet, in 1791, soldier of the garrison, and Jean Ramos also a soldier; Antonio Molina, 1794.
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LA FORGE
nected by palisades twelve feet high and the whole surrounded with a ditch twelve feet wide and three feet deep. The fort was then armed with (8) eight-pound cannon and garrisoned with 24 soldiers of the regular army-had poor barracks for 100 men and a powder magazine made of plank. Gen. Collot had a very poor opinion of this fort and country and says that the place can never be made a " une place de guerre, " nor a large population attracted to reside there.
One of the early distinguished French Canadian residents of New Madrid was Antoine Gamelin, whose name is signed to many docu- ments in the archives, between 1791 and 1794. He came to New Madrid in 1791, from Vincennes. He was a man of some education, was a trader among the Indians in Indiana and acted as interpreter and Indian agent for General George Rogers Clark in 1778 and 1779. In 1790, he was sent by Governor St. Clair as a messenger to the Wabash Indians, and in an interesting journal, made a report of his mis- sion.43 He died in New Madrid in 1796. He was a son of Ignace Gamelin of Montreal, and his mother was a daughter of Captain de M. PIERRE ANTOINE LA FORGE la Jesmerie-celebrated in the military annals of Canada. Another prominent citizen of old Spanish New Madrid was Pierre Antoine La Forge, exiled by the Revolution to the shores of America. Originally educated for the priesthood, he fell in love
Fine Anatomy Lasorge
with his cousin, Marguerite Gabriel Colombe Champagne, and married her, and after that devoted himself to the study of law. With many other French immigrants he settled at Gallipolis and shared
43 Dillon's History of Indiana, p. 245. This journal was sworn to before Major Hamtramck, May 17, 1790.
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI
in all the misfortunes of that settlement. In 1791 he abandoned Gallipolis and came to New Madrid, giving his wife power of attorney in 1794, to sell his property there. His education, intelligence, great common sense, energy, public spirit and literary ability soon secured him a prominent and leading position. Being master of several languages he acted as interpreter. He was an officer of the militia, commissioner of the police, syndic, and executed many confidential missions for the several commandants. His report of the condition of New Madrid, published in 1796, and to which we have heretofore made reference, shows his keen, observing mind, and the relentless logic with which he could condemn the lethargy and want of enter- prise of his own immediate countrymen, and the Canadian-French, and the admiration he felt for American enterprise and energy. DeLassus greatly admired him and says that he performed all his various offices with "correctness and precision," that he was a man "active, earnest and useful for the public service." He owned well improved property in New Madrid, and after the acquisition of Louisiana was appointed civil commandant and judge of the court of common pleas in New Madrid. He was sick when the earth- quake of 1811 occurred, and died from exposure, having been re- moved from his house to a tent.
Don Louis Francois de Marquet, a trader, Chevalier of the Order of St. Louis, at one time a captain of cavalry in the French service, resided one league and a half north of New Madrid, and died there prior to 1794. His son Louis Scipion Benoist de Marquet, also a French officer, died in New Madrid in 1794, and judging from the inventory, for that time possessed a very large estate. Another resident was Auguste Chevalier Brèar de Breville but nothing is known of him. Anna Claude François Riche Dupin in 1790, was sub-lieutenant of militia, and sexton of the parish St. Isidore, and in 1800, captain of militia.44 Joseph Charpentier was royal interpreter and in many instances acted as attorney. He was also a trader. Another prominent resident was Pierre Derbigny who came to Louisiana with Antonio Soulard in 1794 - and to New Madrid in about 1795 and while a resident there acted as a royal interpreter. He was a profound linguist, understood the French, Spanish and English languages and was a classical scholar. During his residence at New Madrid he was captain of a company of militia. He was also
44 He married Jeanne Dennir and in 1804 had a daughter named Française Adelaide.
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MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS
engaged in trade as a partner of LaForge. In 1800 he removed to New Orleans and after the acquisition of Louisiana came into prominence in political affairs. In 1805 he was sent by the people of Orleans Territory to Washington. He was admitted to the prac- tice of the law. When the State government of Louisiana was organ- ized he was appointed by Gov. Claiborne one of the Judges of the Supreme court. In the celebrated Batture controversy in 1808, Jeffer- son greatly relied upon his opinion to sustain the claims of the Gen- eral government to the Batture. He claimed 6,000 arpens of land in the St. Charles district under a concession of DeLassus, dated 1799.
New Madrid, in 1802, had three Spanish military organizations. One of these was a company of dragoons, of which Richard Jones Waters was captain ; George N. Reagan, lieutenant, and John Baptiste Barsaloux, ensign.45 The two other companies of infantry militia were respectively commanded by Don Juan LaVallée, as captain ;46 Pierre Antoine LaForge, as lieutenant; and Joseph Charpentier, as ensign; and of the other infantry militia company, Robert McCoy was captain, appointed by Gayoso when Don Pedro Derbigny moved to New Orleans; Joseph Hunot, lieutenant; 47 and John Harte, ensign.48 A number of Spanish galleys, or what we would now call revenue cutters, were then in commission at New Madrid. Don Francesco Langlois 49 was in command of the "Phillipa" in 1795.
45 A resident of New Madrid in 1795, owned ten slaves, and in 1800 he, Dr. Samuel Dorsey, and Joseph Lafrenays (perhaps should be spelled Lafresniere) make request for grants on the St. François river, the first two for ten thou- sand, and the last for five thousand acres.
46 A merchant in New Madrid, sub-lieutenant of militia of the post, store- keeper of the magazine of the king, and just before the cession, commandant of New Madrid. His wife was Jeanne Chauvin, and a son Edward Octave was baptized in 1804 at New Madrid; he owned a negro named Joseph, who acted as interpreter of the French language for the negroes.
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