History of southeast Missouri : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume I, Part 15

Author: Douglass, Robert Sidney. 4n
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 844

USA > Missouri > History of southeast Missouri : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 15

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).

"I am told that you are coming to St. Louis with your savages. Because I am de- prived of all merchandise, their visit will be a little embarrassing. Therefore I ask you to come by yourself (when your presence here is necessary) and attend to it, that when the boats arrive you are here to make a suit- able present to the savages.

"May God take you in His holy keeping. "ZENON TRUDEAU.

"P. S .- I keep your permit for an occasion to which I can intrust it. It states that you shall not be troubled from the Missouri to the Arkansas in your trade, also in the set- tlements or encampments which you have formed with the savages, the Shawnese and Delawares, etc. and that you shall be pro- tected at Cape Girardeau."

It will be seen that this grant conferred great privileges upon Lorimier. In the spring of 1793, in anticipation of this grant, he had removed from the Saline to Cape Girardeau. Here he built a house and estab- lished himself with his Indian friends and allies. They settled on unoccupied lands and engaged in hunting over a large part of Mis- souri and Arkansas.

In 1796, Lorimier made another trip east of the river gathering more Indians who were

brought to this side of the river. He was an active and energetic man, and was moved not only by devotion to Spain, but also by hatred to the Americans. He had never forgotten nor forgiven the destruction of his property in Ohio, and he seemed to take great pleasure in doing everything he could to injure the people of the United States. In recognition of this and other services he received from time to time grants of land which, by the year 1797, aggregated 8,000 arpents. This land included the site of the city of Cape Girardeau. It will be seen that the Spanish had been liberal in their dealings with him. He was the owner of large bodies of produc- tive land, and he had exclusive right to con- trol of the Indians. This meant, of course, a monopoly of Indian trade. The only condi- tions annexed to the grants of land were that the land should be settled within a reasonable time and that roads and other public im- provements should be made. In 1799 he was engaged in building a new house called The Red House on the present site of St. Vincent's church. Near his house, at the corner of the present William and Lorimier streets, was a large spring. The hills were covered with trees, and on these wooded hills in the viein- ity of this spring, the Indians were accustomed to camp when they eame for conferences with Lorimier. IIe was appointed comman- dant of the post of Cape Girardeau, holding this place until the transfer to the United States in 1804. He was held in high esteem by the Spanish officials, as is shown in the fol- lowing letter written by De Lassus: "M. Louis Lorimier, the commandant at Cape Girardeau can neither read nor write, but he has a natural genius, since he has always had the judgment to have some one near him able to assist him in regard to his correspond- ence. He signs nothing without having it

HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

read to him two or three times, until he comprehends it, or it must be read again. He has maintained order in his post with in- credible firmness against some inhabitants who designed to mutiny against him without cause. He is extremely zealous when em- ployed. Although supposed to be interested, I have known him to neglect all his business to execute a commission which would cause him rather expense than profit. He is much experienced in Indian matters, particularly with the Shawnese and Delawares. It was through his influence with the latter tribe that the Delaware Indian, who had killed a citizen of the United States on the road to the Post Vincennes, was taken by his nation to Kaskaskia. I had an incontestible proof of his talent with the Indians at New Madrid, where, without his mediation, I would have been obliged to employ force to execute the Mascoux Indian. He is brave, and extremely well posted in the Indian method of war- fare, feared and respected by the savages." In 1799 he presented a petition to De Lassus, setting out the service he had rendered to Spain, the expense and worry he had suf- fered, and the hardships and dangers he had been forced to undergo. He declared that for fifteen years he had faithfully served the Spanish government in every possible way, and that his services had been practically un- rewarded. He called to mind the fact that it was owing to his efforts and his in- fluence with the Indians that Upper Louis- iana had received a large influx of Indian population. He asked that the governor should grant him 30,000 arpents of land, to be surveyed when he chose, and to be se- lected in any place whatsoever, so long as the selection did not interfere with persons hav- ing grants already established. This peti-

tion was granted by De Lassus and the land prayed for was given to him.

In 1798, Lorimier had a law suit concern- ing this land with Gabriel Cerre. Cerre was the trader who had sent the La Sieurs to New Madrid. He had extensive dealings with the Indians and considerable influence with them. The Spanish government recog- nized his service and was willing to reward him; however, his claim to the land of Lori- mier was denied. In the decision, which was in Lorimier's favor, the Governor-General said that he was unwilling to deprive Lori- mier of his land for the reason that his serv- ices had been so valuable. He ordered, how- ever, that Cerre should be given an equal amount of land in another place.

Lorimier continued to trade with the In- dians up to the time of his death. He bought the goods, which he sold them, in Kaskaskia. Besides trading, he engaged in farming and also in the operation of mills. He built a water mill on Cape La Croix creek, not far from where the Scott county road crosses this stream ; later he built another mill on Hubble creek. Lorimier claimed as his right all the ponies and horses found in the woods on his extensive grants. After the cession of Louis- iana to the United States an attempt was made to deprive him of his land. This grant, was afterward confirmed to Lorimier's heirs by the United States by an act dated July 4, 1826.

Lorimier was not an educated man; he could not read though he could write his name. His signature, which has been pre- served on a large number of documents, is bold and firm, evidently the writing of a man of determination and character. All of his dealings were characterized by energy and perseverance, and he evinced a high degree

HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

of executive ability. . He so conducted af- fairs in his district that it became rich and populous; he governed the Indians well and displayed at various times a great deal of military ability. Lorimier was buried in the old cemetery, called after him, in the city of Cape Girardeau. The graves of him and his wife are side by side. They are covered with flat slabs of stone and are most interesting relics of the old times. The slab above Lori- mier's tomb has this inscription :

To the Memory of Major Louis Lorimier,

A native of Canada and first settler and commandant of the post of Cape Girardeau under the government of Spain. He departed this life the 26th day of June, 1812, aged 64 years three months.

Ossa Habeant pacem tumulo cineresque sepulti: Immortali animae luceat alma dies.

These words may be translated: "Peace to his bones and his ashes interred in this grave; may the eternal day illumine his im- mortal soul."

The tomb of his wife bears this inscription :

"To the Memory of Charlotte P. B. Lorimier,

Consort of Major Louis Lorimier, who de- parted this life on the 23rd day of March, 1808, aged 50 years and 2 months, leaving 4 sons and 2 daughters.

Vixit, Chaoniae praeses dignissima gentis; Et decus indigenum quam lapis iste tegit; Illa bonum dedicit natura-magistra. Et, duce natura, sponte secuta bonum est, Talis honos memorium, nullo cultore, quotannis Ma- turat frustus mitis oliva suos."

These words may be translated : "She. lived the noblest matron of the Shawnese race, a native dignity covered her as does this slab. She chose nature as her guide and vir- tue, and with nature as her leader spontane- ously followed good, as the olive, the pride

of the grove without the planter's care, nat- urally brings its fruit to perfection."

This was Lorimier's first wife, if, indeed, he was married to her at all. Ile spoke of her in his will as the Indian woman with whom he had lived and whom he regarded with affection. They were probably married after the Indian custom. After her death he married Marie Berthaume. She was an In- dian, or at any rate a half breed. After Lori- mier's death his widow was married the sec- ond time to John Logan, the father of Gen- eral John A. Logan. General Logan, how- ever, was the son of another woman, his father's second wife.

Cape Girardeau was possibly named for one Girardot who was an ensign in the com- pany of French soldiers stationed at Kas- kaskia in 1704. He was a trader with the In- dians and it seems probable that he came to the site of Cape Girardeau and traded at that place, from which circumstance it was called after him. Ilonek says that the church records at Ste. Genevieve show that one Girardean was at Fort Chartres in 1765. It should be noted that the name of the place in early years was various ways spelled, sometimes it was written Girardot. sometimes Girardo, and again Girardean. We may not be certain, but it seems quite probable, that it received its name from one of these two men. It had been named, it seems, before Lorimier settled here in 1793.

The site for the settlement was well chosen. The city is located on the foot-hills of the Ozarks and lies also on the border of the al- luvial plain. The country abont it possessed wonderful resources ; there was an abundance of the finest timber ; there were a great many fur bearing animals and many varieties of game; and more than all there was a great

HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

deal of the finest and most fertile soil; the district was well watered, having an abun- dance of creeks and springs and bordered on the Mississippi river. No other site along the river surpassed this as the place for a town. Nature seems to have destined it as the site of a considerable city.

It is a remarkable thing that the settlers of Cape Girardeau district were nearly all of them Americans. It is said that in 1804 there were only five French families in the dis- triet. One of the most remarkable of the French settlers was Barthelimi Cousin. He was the secretary for Lorimier and the offi- cial interpreter and surveyor. He was, per- haps, one of the most remarkable men ever in the district. He was a native of France and probably came directly to Cape Girar- deau when he emigrated to this country. He was a highly educated man, spoke a number of languages fluently, was polished, culti- vated, and knew the world. He had ability to meet people and to make friends with them. All the new settlers applied to Cousin for assistance. He drew up their petitions and their permits and was the means of in- dueing many of the early settlers to come to the district. He lived near the corner of the present Main and Themis streets. He was granted a large tract of land on White Water and Byrd's creek. It was said of him that he was a careful student of mathematics and physics; that he continued his mathe- matical studies during his entire life. One evidence of his knowledge of physical laws was the fact that he built a water mill on two flat boats which were anchored in the Missis- sippi, the action of the current generated the power to drive the mill. He died in 1824.

Some of the other settlers were Steinback and Reinecke who formed a partnership in

trade. Their house was north of Cousin's, standing near the site of the Union Mills.

Solomon Thorne was a gun-smith, he also lived in the town; the town's blacksmith was John Rishe; David Wade was the carpenter and John Patterson and David Seavers were some of the other settlers in town.

Cape Girardeau was laid off as a town in February or March, 1806, by Barthelimi Cousin. At this time the entire town was owned by Louis Lorimier. As surveyed then, and its limits fixed, it extended from North street on the North to William street on the South, and from the river west to Middle street. The streets within its area were the same number and width as they are at the present time. The first lots were sold at $100 each. Among the early purchasers were John Risher, John Randol, Solomon Ellis, William Ogle, Ezekiel Abel, John C. Harbi- son, William White. Some of the other early residents were: B. & F. Steinback, Robert Blair, Dr. Erastus Ellis, James Evans, Fred- erick Gibler, Levy Wolverton, Robert Worth- ington, Frederick Reinecke, Joseph MeFer- ron and George Henderson.

Louis Lorimier lived in a long, low frame house which had been constructed before the laying out of the town, on the lot now occu- pied by St. Vineent's academy. This house was called "The Red House" and was re- ported to be haunted. There were four or five brothers of the Ellis family who came to the district from Georgia. Charles G. Ellis built a large, two-story, log house on the corner where the Opera House now stands. This was for a good many years the leading hotel in the town. Ellis was also a merchant and carried a general stock of goods. He was also instrumental in organizing the Cape Girardeau Milling Company. This company

HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

built a small mill in the north part of the town. It followed the plan first used by Cousin in being built out over the water, and was propelled by a screw turned by the ac- tion of the current. Dr. Erasmus Ellis, an- other one of the brothers occupied a log house which stood at the side of the Baptist Church on Lorimier street. Solomon Ellis built a brick residence at the corner of Lori- mier and Bellevue. D. P. Steinback, who was a son-in-law of Louis Lorimier, lived on the corner where the Sturdivant Bank now stands. He and Frederick Reinecke opened one of the first stores in the town. Robert Blair was another one of the prominent cit- izens. He was Judge of the Court of Quarter Sessions. He was a native of Ohio, and came to Cape Girardeau about the time of the establishment of the town. After his death, in December, 1810, his widow married George Henderson. Henderson, afterward, became Judge of the Probate Court, Recorder, Au- ditor, Treasurer, and was for a time the Judge of the County Court.

Ezekiel Abel was another one of the prom- inent citizens of the old town. By trade he was a blacksmith, but his principal busi- ness during the years he lived in Cape Girar- deau was trading in land and land grants. He erected the first public buildings in this dis- trict. He had some financial difficulties, but finally became wealthy. In 1811 he con- structed the first brick house in the town. It was finished just in time to be badly dam- aged by the earthquakes of that year. He left a large family, consisting of four sons and two daughters. His eldest daughter, Mary, became the wife of Gen. W. H. Ashley. The younger daughter, Elizabeth, married W. J. Stevenson.

The town was incorporated in 1808. The

petition which was presented to the Court of Common Pleas, is as follows :

"Limits of the town of Cape Girardeau : The town of Cape Girardeau extends in front, 3,058 feet and 9 inches from Botany Street (North Street), the northern boundary, to the Street of Fortune (William Strect), the southern limit, inclusively; and its depth is 1,773 feet 2 inches exclusive of Water Street, i. e. from the front of Water Street to the Street of Honor (Middle Street), inclusively, containing 126 acres and 34, nearly, the divers parts and divisions of the town to be more particularly designated in the plan of the same.

"July 23rd, 1808.

(Signed ) "Louis LORIMIER."

"To the Honorable Court of Common Pleas, For the District of Cape Girardeau : Your Petitioners pray that the court will ap- point commissioners agreeable to a law, passed by the Legislature of the Territory of Louisiana, for the incorporating of towns and villages within the state. Territory agreeable to the above metes and bounds.

(Signed) John Randol, John C. Harbison.

James Evans, William White.

A. Haden, Isaac M. Bledsoe,

Rob't Worthington, Joseph White,

Charles G. Ellis, J. Morrison, Jr ..

D. F. Steinback, Ezekiel Abel,

Levy Wolverton, Frederick Gibler.

John Van Gilder."

The court granted the petition, and or- dered that an election be held for the selec- tion of five trustees for the town. This elec- tion was held August 13th, 1808, at which

HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

time Joseph MeFerron, Anthony Haden, producing a perceptible rapid, these are of Robert Blair, Daniel F. Steinback and Isaac white limestone abounding in the remains of marine animals; if you travel some distance they will be found to alternate with the com- mon blue limestone so frequently seen in sec- ondary districts. Through the substrata of this sparry lime-stone the rock is literally di- vided by seams and furrows and would un- doubtedly effect a valuable marble not unlike the Daring marble qarry on the Hudson. M. Bledsoe were elected. These trustees im- mediately entered upon their duties, and under their direction the town continued to grow and prosper for a number of years. It received its first blow in the establishment of the county seat at Jackson. This took away from the town a great deal of its importance and built up a rival near it. It did not re- cover from this disaster until the develop- ment of the steamboat trade at a later time. In 1818 it had only two stores and about fifty houses.

Flagg visited Cape Girardeau in 1836 and describes the mills put in motion by a spiral water-wheel acted on by a current of the river ; these are doubtless the wheels of which it is said that Barthelimi Cousin was the inventor. These wheels floated upon the sur- face of the water parallel to the shore rising and falling with the water and were con- nected with the gearing in the mill house by a long shaft. At the time of Flagg's visit there was a pottery in operation in Cape Girar- deau using the clay from Tywappaty bottom,

Long, who visited Cape Girardeau in 1819, gives this description of the town and its site:# "The town comprises at this time about twenty log cabins, several of them in ruins, a log jail no longer occupied, a large unfinished brick dwelling falling rapidly into decay and a small one finished and occupied, it stands on the slope and part of the summit of a broad hill elevated about 150 feet above the Mississippi and having a deep primary soil resting on a strata of compact and sparry limestone. Near the place where boats usually land is a point of white rock jutting into the river and at very low stage of water

"The streets of Cape Girardeau are marked out with form of regularity intersecting each other at right angles but they are in some parts so gullied and torn by the rains as to be impassable; others overgrown with sneh thickets of gigantic vernonias and urticlas as to resemble small forests. The country back of the town is hilly covered with heavy for- ests of oak, tulip tree and nyssa intermixed in the valleys with the sugar tree and the syl- vatica and on the hills with an undergrowth of American hazel and the shot bush. Settle- ments are considerably advanced and many well cultivated farms occur in various direc- tions."

The principal population of the district however was outside the town itself. The dis- trict was large, embracing the present coun- ties of Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Wayne, and parts of others. The land, too, on which the town of Cape Girardeau was situated be- longed to Lorimier who refused to dispose of it for a long time and thus kept away some settlers who might otherwise have come.

Besides Cape Girardeau the principal set- tlements within the limits of the present county of Cape Girardeau before the transfer to the United States in 1804 were the Ram- say settlement near Mt. Tabor, a chain of settlements extending from the Big Swamp south of Cape Girardeau around to the Jack-

* "Long's Expedition," p. 87.

HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

son road, the Byrd settlement on Byrd's creek, the Rodney settlement near Gordon- ville, the Randol settlement on Randol creek, Gordonville on Hubble creck, a settlement near the headwaters of Cape La Crux creek, one on the river north of Cape Girardeau, the Daugherty settlement south of Jackson, and the settlement on Whitewater, now called Burfordville, but long known as Bollinger's Mill. An account of these various settlements is here given.

One of the earliest settlers outside the town was Andrew Ramsay who in 1795 settled land near Mt. Tabor and immediately adjoin- ing Lorimier's grant. Ramsay was a Vir- ginian, coming to Cape Girardeau from the neighborhood of Harper's Ferry. He was re- lated by marriage to Daniel Morgan of Vir- ginia. He had been a soldier, was among the Virginia troops at the time of Braddock's defeat, and it is quite probable that he was a soldier in the Revolution. He was induced to settle in the Cape Girardeau district by his acquaintance with Cousin whose scholarly ability and friendliness attracted him. Ram- say was followed by members of his family and friends.

William Daugherty and Samuel Tipton were sons-in-law of Ramsay. They came to the district soon after him. Daugherty set- tled near his father-in-law and Tipton near Jackson.

Among the friends of Ramsay who settled near him were Nicholas Seavers, Jeremiah Simpson, Alexander Giboney and Dr. Blevins Hayden. These settlers were very naturally followed by their friends and by the year 1804 their settlements reached from the Big Swamp south of the town around to the Jack- son road. Stoddard, who visited the district in that year said that it was the richest set- tlement in Upper Louisiana.

Ramsay was a leader among these settlers and his place became the headquarters for all persons who came to the district. They made their way first of all to Ramsay's farm. IIe assisted many of them to secure good loca- tions in the near-by country. In fact, it seems to have been a custom for the American settlers to gather at Ramsay's place, espe- cially on Sunday, where the day was spent in the amusements that the country afforded. Ramsay became rich, owning the largest tract of land in the settlement and having also many slaves. He was interested in education and was influential in establishing the first English school west of the Mississippi river. This school was founded in 1799 at Mt. Tabor.

Ramsay's family was a large one. Besides the two married daughters who came with their families soon after his location, he had three other daughters and five sons. Mar- garet Ramsay married Stephen Jones and moved to Arkansas; Mary became the wife of Peter Craig who was afterward killed at the battle of the Sink Hole; Rachael married Jolın Rodney.

Ramsay's sons were John, who married Hannah Lorimier; Andrew and James, who married two sisters, Pattie and Rebecca Worthington; William, who married Eliza- beth Dunn and Ellen. The first three sons here mentioned subsequently removed to Mis- sissippi county.

Among the settlers the Giboney family was prominent and numerous. They came to the district prior to 1797. The head of the fam- ily was Alexander Giboney. He was a Vir- ginian and a man of great ability and influ- ence. He died, however, shortly after his removal to the district, and the care of the family fell upon his widow Rebecca (Ramsay) Giboney. Mrs. Giboney was a remarkable woman, possessing a high degree of intelli-

HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

gence, great energy and enthusiasm, and no small amount of executive ability. She con- tinued to reside npon her plantation which was granted by the Spanish in 1797 until her death in 1840.

This plantation is now called Elmwood, and is the home of Honorable Louis Houck. Mrs. Houck is a grand-daughter of Rebecca Gibo- ney.

Alexander Giboney left seven children, four sons and three daughters. One of the sons, Robert, lived on an adjoining grant, which is still occupied by his descendants. Of his daughters, one married Judge W. C. Ram- say, and another Dr. Wilson Browne, who was prominent in Missouri politics, having been at one time state anditor, and at the time of his death was Lieutenant Governor of the state.

Another son, Alexander, was killed at the battle of the Sink Hole; a third son, whose name was John, lived a mile west of the grant to his father. His descendants are very nu- merous and still live in Cape Girardeau and adjoining counties. One of the daughters of John Giboney married Doctor Henderson of Scott county and another married Colonel Solomon G. Kitchen of Stoddard county. The youngest son of Alexander Giboney was named Andrew, he lived to the age of 82, dy- ing in 1874. He was married in 1832 to Mary Hunter; Mrs. Louis Houck is a daugh- ter of these two.

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.

History of southeast Missouri : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume I, Part 15

Author: Douglass, Robert Sidney. 4n Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 844

Author: Douglass, Robert Sidney. 4n
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 844