USA > Missouri > History of southeast Missouri : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 17
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 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103
"All the oblongs, or squares of the city, shall be of the same dimensions, if possible ; viz .: extending from east to west eighty rods or perches, and from north to south twelve perches, so that each oblong or square will contain six acres, which shall be subdivided by meridian lines, into twelve lots of half an acre each; by this means every lot will have at least two fronts, and the end lots will have three fronts. The lots shall be num- bered from No. 1 upward, on each side of every street; extending from east to west ; commencing at the east end.
"The streets shall be distinguished by names in the following manner: the middle street shall be a continuation of the middle range or road, extending from the first me- ridional line to the Mississippi river, and shall be called King street; and the streets north of this, extending from east to west, shall be called first North street, second North street, and so on, reckoning from King's street or Middle street. In like man- ner all the streets south of Kings street or Middle street, extending from east to west, shall be called first South street, second South street, and so on, reckoning from King street ; so also, all the streets extending North and South shall be distinguished by the names of first River street, second River
street, and so on; reckoning the space be- tween the eastmost squares and the river, as first or front River street.
"The space between the eastmost squares and the river, shall not be less than one hundred feet at any place, from the present margin or bank of the river, to be kept open forever for the security, pleasure and health of the city, and its inhabitants; wherefore re- ligious care shall be taken to preserve all the timber growing thereon.
"The lots of each square shall be num- bered from the above space fronting the river. The eastmost lot of each square being No. 1, and so on, to the westmost lot of the whole city; by which means every lot in the city may be easily known and pointed out by any person.
"The two lots No. 1 on each side of King street are hereby given forever to the citi- zens for market places. The two lots No. 13 on each side of King street are hereby given forever to the citizens; viz. : that on the south side for a Roman Catholic school, and that on the north side for a Roman Catholic church ..
"The two lots No. 13 in the fifth North street are hereby given forever to the citi- zens, viz: that on the south side for an Epis- copal school, and that on the north side for an Episcopal church.
"The two lots No. 13 in the fifth South street are hereby given forever to the citi- zens, viz .: that on the south side for a Pres- byterian school, and that on the north side for a Presbyterian church.
"The two lots No. 13 in the tenth North street are hereby given forever to the citizens, viz .: that on the south side for a German Lutheran school, and that on the north side for a German Lutheran church.
"The two lots No. 13 on the fifteenth North street are hereby given forever to the citizens
87
HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
-that on the south side for a German Cal- vanistic school, and that on the north side for a German Calvanistie church.
"In like manner the two lots No. 13 in every fifth North street, and in every fifth South street throughout the city, shall be re- served and given for churches and schools, to be governed by such religious denominations as shall settle in New Madrid, on their re- spective plans.
"All these lots, thus given, or reserved to be given are to be esteemed so many of these forty promised as before mentioned.
"Every landing on the river opposite the city shall be equally free for all persons ; un- der regulation, however, of the magistrates of the police.
"No trees in any street of the city, nor in any road throughout the country, shall be injured or be cut down, but under the direc- tion of the magistrates of the police, or an of- ficer of their appointment, who shall be ac- countable in the premises; and no timber in- jured or cut down in any street or road, shall be applied to private uses under any plea whatsoever.
"The banks of the Mississippi, throughout the territory, including a space of four rods in breadth, shall be a highway and kept open forever as such ; and the trees growing there- in shall not be injured, nor be cut down, but by the magistrates of the police or their or- der. for the reasons given above in relation to other roads.
"No white person shall be admitted to re- side in this territory who shall declare him- self to be a hunter by profession, or who shall make a practice of killing buffaloes or deer without bringing all the flesh of every carcass to his own family, or to New Madrid, or carrying it to some other market. This regu- lation is intended for the preservation of
those animals, and for the benefit of neigh- boring Indians, whose dependence is on hunt- ing principally-this settlement being wholly agricultural and commercial, no encourage- ment shall be given to white men hunters.
"No person shall be concerned in contra- band trade on any account. Care will be taken to instruct the inhabitants what is con- traband, that they may not offend innocently.
"Every person having permission to settle in this territory shall be allowed to bring with him his family, servants, slaves and ef- feets of every kind, but not to export any part thereof, deemed contraband to any other part of his Majesty's dominions.
"Every navigable river throughout the territory shall be esteemed a highway ; and no obstruction to the navigation shall be made therein for the emolument of any person whatsoever.
"No transfer of lands within this territory shall be valid unless acknowledged, and a rec- ord thereof be made in an office to be erected for that purpose in the district. This is meant to prevent fraudulent sales, and not to obstruct those made bonafide to any per- son whatsoever, being a Spanish subject.
"All mortgages must in like manner be recorded at the same office for the same pur- pose; the fees of the office shall be reasonable, and the books, with alphabetical tables kept of the buyer and seller, and of the mortgagor and mortgagee, shall be open for examin- ation.
"The foregoing regulations and directions are meant as fundamental stipulations for the government and happiness of all who shall become subjects of Spain, and shall re- side in this Territory.
Given under my hand at New Madrid this sixth day of April, 1789.
GEORGE MORGAN."
88
HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
A number of settlers were attracted by the generous conditions on which land was granted and by the real desirability of the site of New Madrid, and Morgan steered well on the way to the accomplishment of his de- sire. He came in conflict however with plans that had been formed by Governor Miro the Spanish governor of Louisiana whose head- quarters were at New Orleans and who was engaged in intrigue with General James Wil- kinson. Wilkinson was an officer in the army of the United States in command of the dis- trict along the Mississippi river. He had planned with Miro to incite a rebellion among the people of the United States west of the Alleghanies, with the intention of separating this territory from the United States and of joining it to the Spanish territory. Wilkin- son was drawing a pension from the Spanish government and had hopes that his efforts in securing a part of the territory of the United States for Spain would result in his receiving some very great reward. Of course Morgan's plan of drawing settlers to New Madrid and making that a prosperous and flourishing center of trade for Upper Lonisiana was in direct opposition to the hopes of Wilkinson. He saw in Colonel Morgan a rival and set to work to thwart his plans. He wrote Governor Miro that he had applied for a grant in the Yazoo country in order to destroy the place of a certain Colonel Morgan. He told Miro that Morgan was a man of education and in- telligence, but a thorough speculator. He also said of Morgan that he had been twice in bankruptcy, and that he was very poor, but also very ambitions. He also said that he had had a spy searching ont information concerning Morgan and his agreement with Don Diego Gardoqui and that he was con- vinced that Morgan's scheme would be suc- cessful unless steps were taken to counter-
act it. He assured Miro that their plans would be greatly hindered if Morgan would be allowed to carry on his settlement.
Acting on this information Governor Miro proceeded at once to try and put an end to the operations conducted by Morgan. On the 20th of May, 1789, he wrote to the Span- ish government protesting against the grant that had been made to Morgan. He said that it formed a state within a state and asked the government to cancel this grant; at the same time he wrote to Morgan himself and charged him with having exceeded his powers and with having acted toward the government of Spain in bad faith. He said that Morgan had no authority to lay out a town and provide for a government. He informed Morgan that it was his intention to construct a fort at New Madrid and to place a detachment of soldiers there to control the situation. Mor- gan saw that this interference would very likely work the ruin of all of his hopes. He replied to the letter in a most apologetic man- ner, saying that if he had, indeed, exceeded his authority he had done so because of his zeal in the service of the King of Spain. He was unable to conceal the fact, however, from those colonists who had come and were com- ing to New Madrid, that he had fallen into disfavor with the government and they im- mediately began to fear that he would be unable to carry out his promise. It seems too that an emissary of Miro visited New Ma- drid and succeeded in stirring up some ill feeling against Morgan and his rnle. The col- onists complained about some of the regula- tions and finally sent an agent, one John Ward, to present a petition to Governor Miro. Acting on this petition Miro carried out his threat and sent a company of soldiers with orders to construct a fort at New Madrid and
89
IHISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
to take entire charge of the government of the post. This practically destroyed Mor- gan's influence, and with its loss went all his hope of making a settlement at New Madrid. The post was continued under the govern- ment of Spanish officials.
The officer whom Miro sent with the com- pany of thirty soldiers to take charge of the post was Lieutenant Pierre Forcher who laid off a town between Bayou St. John and the Decyperi. The fort which he built on the bank of the river he named Fort Celeste, in honor of the wife of Governor Miro. Com- mandant Forcher was a man of energy and administrative ability and under his rule or- der and prosperity reigned in the community. He was succeeded after about eighteen months by Thomas Portell. Portell was a man well suited to the place, governed with justice, and was able to satisfy most of the people.
A letter is here inserted which was written in 1796 by Pierre Antoine La Forge to Charles DeHault De Lassus. De Lassus had been appointed military and civil command- ant of the post and district of New Madrid. La Forge was a resident of the post and thor- oughly acquainted with the entire situation. His letter cannot fail to be of interest as it covers the conditions at New Madrid at that time.
NEW MADRID, Dec. 31, 1796 .- To Mr. Chas. Dehault DeLassus, Lieutenant-Colonel ad- mitted into the Stationary Regiment of Lou- isiana and Military and Civil Commandant of the Posts and Districts of New Madrid- Sir, the Commandant :- Before handing you the first census of New Madrid under your commandment, I have ventured upon a sketch of the origin of the settlement of this post, and the courses which have retarded its growth and chiefly its cultivation. If former
defects have kept it until this time in a spe- cies of stupefaction, your sagacious views and the zeal you exhibit to second the good will of Mr., the Governor General of this Province, towards this settlement, can in a little while efface the trouble it experienced in its birth.
I was present, Mr. Commandant, when you pronounced with effusion these words, which I wish that all of the inhabitants might have heard; words which depicted so frankly your kind intention, and the interest which Mr., the Governor, takes in us.
"The Governor," said you, "is surprised at the langour exhibited by this settlement and its little advance; he desires its pros- perity. I will reflect upon its failure," added you, "and will endeavor to remedy it; I ask your assistance. If the inhabitants need en- couragement, if they stand in need of help, let them inform me of their wants, and I will convey them to the Governor General." This offer was appreciated by those near you; lit- tle accustomed to hear the like, they won- dered at you, and appeared to rest content.
Nevertheless different statements were spread among those who heard you. Why so long a silence since your generous offer ? Is it distrust on their part ? Is it mistrust of their own misunderstanding? Is it profound reflection to better further your views? or may it be self interest that induces some to remain silent ? I am ignorant of their mo- tives, and limit myself to the hope that they will eventually break their silence and make known to you their solitary reflections.
If my knowledge equalled my desires, I would lasten with all my power, sir, the commandant, to tender you the homage of my services, but they fall too far short to allow me to hope that they could be of any utility to you. I will confine myself solely to com- municate to you such knowledge as I have
90
HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
acquired, and my reflections thereon since I have been at this post, and may a series of these reflections assist in your benevolent heart some happy idea that may tend to the advantage and prosperity of this colony.
Some traders in pursuit of gain, came to l'anse a la graissse (cove of fat or grease), a rendezvous or gathering place of several In- dian nations, and where, as we are told by tradition, they found abundance of game, and especially bears and buffaloes, hence the name of l'anse a la graissse. A first year of success induced them to try a second, and to this others. Some of them, determined to es- tablish their homes where they found a sure trade and unlimited advantages, divided there among themselves the land. The bayou, named since St. John, was the rallying point, and the land the nearest to this then became settled, therefore we find that Messrs. Fran- cis and Joseph Lasieuer, Ambrose Dumay, Chattoillier, and others, divided among them- selves this neighborhood; property which Mr. Foucher, the first commandant, considered as sacred, and which he did not disturb. The profits of the trade of l'anse a la graissse hav- ing been heard of as far as the Post Vincen- nes, the St. Maries, the Hunots, the Racines, the Barsalonx, etc., of that place accom- plished for some years very advantageous trips. They congratulated themselves, more- over, that the Indians of l'anse a la graissse traded with them amicably, whilst those of the United States were treacherous towards them, and made them averse to inhabit a post where their lives were in constant danger.
Nevertheless an unfortunate anarchy, a singular disorder, prevailed, at l'anse a la graissse : all were masters, and would obey none of those who set themselves up a heads or commandants of this new colony. A mur- der was committed by an inhabitant on an-
other-then their eyes were opened, they be- gan to feel the necessity of laws, and some one at their head to compel their observance. They bound the culprit and sent him to New Orleans. Everything tends to the belief that the commandants of the posts of Ste. Gene- vieve and of St. Louis had, during these transactions, apprised the Governor-General of what was occuring at l'anse a la graissse ; but a new scene was in preparation.
One Morgan, having descended the Ohio the first year that traders settled at l'anse a la graissse, examined, in passing, the land, and found it suitable to fix here a settlement Returning to America (U. S.), he removed and succeeded in bringing down to this post several families. He selected for the village the elevated ground, where at present are the habitations of Jackson and of Waters, near the Mississippi. They built some houses on the land, and, full of his enterprise and the success he expected from it, Morgan de- scended to New Orleans to obtain, not encour- agement simply in his plans, but proprietary and honorary concessions beyond measure. He was baffled in his pretensions, and did not again set his foot in the colony.
These various occurrances determined the Governor General to send a commandant to this post, and M. Forcher was selected. Men are not gods, they all possess in some respects the weaknesses of human nature; the pre- dominant one of the first commandant was self-interest; and who in his place would not have been so sent to a desert in the midst of savages, to bring the laws of a regulated gov- ernment to new settlers as barbarous as the Indians themselves ? What recomponse would he have received for neglecting his personal interests? What obligation would the new colony have been under to him? None.
Mr. Forcher was the man that was wanted
91
HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
for the creation of this new colony. Busy- ing himself at the same time with his own in- terests as of those of the inhabitants; with his own amusements as well as theirs, but al- ways after having attended first to his busi- ness ; and by a singular address, if he some- times plucked the fowl, he not only did it without making it squall, but set it dancing and laughing. M. Forcher remained but a very short time at this post, and did a great deal. In eighteen months he divided out the country, regulated the land necessary for the village and that of the inhabitants. He built an imposing fort, promulgated the laws of the King and made them respected. He was the father and friend of all, lamented, regretted and demanded again, from the Governor Gen- eral down, by the unanimous voice of all the inhabitants.
In all his labors was Mr. Forcher assisted by anyone ? Had he overseers at the head of the works he presented ? Not at all ; he alone directed everything; he laid out the work, penetrated the cypress swamps to select the useful trees; he walked with the compass in hand to align the streets and limit of lots ; he demonstrated by his example to the perplexed workmen how much men with but little main strength, but with intelligence and dexterity, can multiply the extent of the same, and sur- mount obstacles. His administration was too brief to ascertain the good lie might have done, had it continued the ordinary period. What is certain is that, during the eighteen months that he was in command, there came to New Madrid the largest portion of families that are still there, and it was he that at- tracted them there.
M. Portell, successor to M. Forcher, com- manded this post during five years ; the popu- lation did not increase under his administra-
tion, and the growth of agricultural labors was but slightly perceptible.
M. Portell did not value the inhabitants sufficiently to do them a substantial favor, nor did he use the proper means to improve the condition of the colony. He was not a man of the people, and when by chance his interest required him to assume the charac- ter, he was extremely awkward in it; they perceived that he could not play his part, and that a residence in court would have infinitely better suited him than one in a new settlement mostly ill composed. M. Por- tell had a good heart, he was by nature noble and generous, but his mind was somewhat mistrustful and suspicious, and his age placed him in a position to be influenced by his surroundings. I am convinced that if M. Portell had come alone to this colony, he would have exhibited much less weakness and that his time would have been much more to him for the public good than it had been.
The little progress made by the colony must not, however, be attributed to the ap- parent indifference which seemed to form the base of M. Portell's character; physical and moral courses retarded its advancement.
At the period when M. Portell assumed command he found the inhabitants of this post. made up of traders, hunters and boat- men. Trade was still pretty fair for the first two years of his residence here, so that nearly everyone, high or low, would meddle with the trade and not a soul cultivated the soil. It was so convenient, with a little powder and lead, some cloth and a few blankets, which they obtained on credit at the stores. to procure themselves the meat, grease and suet necessary for their sustenance, and pay off a part of their indebtedness with some pel- tries. Some of them, but a very few, seeded.
92
HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
equally as well as badly, about an acre of corn, and they all found time to smoke their pipes and give balls and entertainments. How often have I heard them regretting those happy days, when they swam in grease, and when abundance of every description was the cause of waste and extravagance, and the stores of fish from their dragnets gave them whiskey at four or five reaux (bit of 121/2) a gallon, and flour at four or five dollars a barrel, maintained and kept up these fes- tivals and pleasures, which only came to an end when their purses were exhausted.
Mr. Forcher, a young man who, during his command of the post, never neglected his work or business for amusements, yet found time to be at them all, and often was the first to start them, but M. Portell was not so soci- able in this respect. He found fault with this giddiness and folly, and judged that a col- ony, peopled by such individuals, could not attain a very brilliant success.
At last, game in these parts becoming scarcer, the Indians removed themselves fur- ther off, and were seldom here; the traders knew very well where to find them, but the inhabitants waited for them in vain; then grease, suet, meat and peltries being no longer brought by the Indians, it was only a few resident hunters and the traders them- selves who provisioned the village; the un- fortunate habit of not working had gained the day, it was too difficult to overcome it, so great distress was often seen in the coun- try before they could snatch a few green ears of corn from a badly cultivated field. Three or four Americans, at most, as far back as 1793, had risqued the settlement of farms on large tracts of land. The Creoles under- valued them, did not eat their fill of dry corn bread, and smoked their pipes quietly. They were, however, surprised to see that, with sev-
eral cows, they often had not a drop of milk, while these three or four Americans gorged themselves with it, and sold them butter, cheese, eggs, chickens, etc.
By dint of looking into the matter, and waiting in vain for the Indians to supply them with provisions, it struck them that the most prudent thing they could do would be to become farmers. It became, then, a species of epidemic, and the malady spreading from one to another, there was not a single one of them but who, without energy, spirit, animals or ploughs, and furnished only with his pipe and steel, must needs possess a farm.
It was towards the close of the year 1793 that this disease spread itself, and towards the spring of 1794 all the lands in the vicin- ity of New Madrid were to be broken up and torn into rags, to be seeded and watered by the sweat of these new farmers. Who can tell how far this newly awakened enthusiasm might have been carried ? It might have pro- duced a salutary crisis, and self-love and ne- cessity combined, we should be supplied with farmers at all hazards, and whose apprentice- ship might, perhaps, have resulted in some success.
An unlooked for occurrence calmed this effervescence; all were enrolled into a militia to be paid from January 1, 1794, and they found it much pleasanter to eat the King's bread, receive his pay, and smoke his pipes, than to laboriously grub some patches of land to make it produce some corn and po- tatoes. These militiamen were disbanded about the middle of 1794; their pay was al- ready wasted. They found it a great hard- ship to be no longer furnished with bread by the King, the largest portion of them had neglected their planting, they found them- selves at the year's end in want, and clam- ored as thieves against the King, saying it
93
HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
was all his fault. M. Portell knew his people and disregarded these outeries.
In the meantime five gallies had come up in the course of this year, and had passed all the summer at New Madrid, and they had caused a great consumption of food. M. Por- tell found nothing in the village for their sub- sistence, and drew his supplies for them in part from Illinois and from Kentucky. He did not let pass the opportunity of making it felt by those of the inhabitants of long resi- dence, that should have been in a condition to have furnished a part of these supplies, but the blows he struck came too late, and made but little impression-the hot fever which had occasioned the delirium, where every one saw himself a farmer, had now subsided; no one thought any more of it, some of them who had made a trial of their experience at Lake St. Isidor, had so poorly succeeded, that the laugh was not on their side, and it needed bnt little for hunting, rowing, and smoking the pipe, to resume their ancient authority over nearly all the colony.
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.