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C 76.201 19c 727491
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02321 4163
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https://archive.org/details/historicalaccoun00clai
HISTORICAL ACCOUNT - -OF -
HANCOCK COUNTY
AND THE
Sea Board of Mississippi.
AN ADDRESS
Delivered by Hon. J. F. H. Claiborne,
OF BAY ST. LOUIS.
At the request of the Citizens, and in compliance with a Resolution of Congress, and the recommendation of the President of the United States, and the Governor of the State of
Mississippi. July 4th, 1876.
Hopkins' Printing Office, 26 Camp Street, corner Common, New Orleans, La.
1727491
HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF Hancock County and the Sea Board of Mississippi.
An Address Delivered by Hon. J. F. H. Claiborne, of Bay St. Louis, at the Request of the Citizens, and in compliance with a Resolu- tion of Congress, and the recommendation of the President of the United States and the Governor of the State of Mississippi. July 4th, 1876.
For years and years, beyond the memory of man, this sea board and the bluffs and hammocks of its beautiful rivers and bayous, were occupied by Indians, members of the great Choctaw family, who were chiefly concentrated at the Old Towns and Muggalushee Fields, in the present counties of Jasper and Neshoba.
The tradition of the Choctaws is, that the Naniwyha-hill, (near the source of Pearl River, and geographical centre of the State, in the county of Winston) gave birth to two children; that they were suckled by a bear, and afterwards supplied with meat by a panther and a wolf. The boy grew up to be a mighty hunter and warrior ; the girl became the mother of the tribe.
The Choctaws were in the habit of visiting this coast, from the same inducements that bring visitors to it now. Some of them remained permanently, giving the musical names to our streams and localities that many of them are now known by. This place, where we are now assembled, was called A-chouc-poulou, or Bad- Grass-place, in reference to a very troublesome burr, which still annoys us. This shore was, for these children of nature, a para- dise. The woods abounded with game-the waters with fish-no enemies could approach them by ambuscade-their aged and infirm felt, as we now feel, the elixir of the air -- and by these murmur- ing waves, and in those fragrant groves, the young warriors wooed and won the dark-eyed maidens of the tribe! It was savage life, such as Chateaubriand has painted it in the glowing pages of Attala- remote from war-a prolific forest -- a tropical climate fanned by exhilarating breezes and perfumed by the pines-and this beautiful bay, offspring of two rivers, looming out into the depths of the inisty sea, beyond which lay the " happy hunting grounds" of the blessed !
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On a bleak day in January, some 175 years ago, a startling vision presented itself, as the fog rolled away, and the sun beams gilded the waters. It was the fleet of D'Iberville at anchor in Ship Island harbor, which he had safely entered without a pilot or a chart-an evidence of its capacities which should not be over- looked. He had been sent from France to explore the Mississippi River and colonize Louisiana. Placing his people on the island, and leaving his ships, he proceeded in his boats to search for the mouth of the river ; ascended it to the outlet of Manchac. (since called Iberville); thence descended it to a river which he named Amite ; through the lakes, which he named Maurepas and Pont- chartrain to this place, which he styled Bay of St. Louis. He soon after transferred his colonists to the bay of Biloxi, and erected a fort on the northeast shore, manned with twelve pieces of cannon. In December of the same year, 1699, he placed a few families here with a sergeant and fifteen men, in a small fort, near where the Toulmè mansion (Judge Chandler's) now stands. And he then sailed from this place to select a site for a fort on the Mississippi. In the meantime large grants of land on that river, and along this coast, were made by the French Government, on the condition of colonization. The Bay of St. Louis was given to Madame de Mezie- res, and the Bay of Pascagoula to Madame de Chaumont. The former lady does not seem to have improved her concession, but the latter, more enterprising, dispatched a ship, which arrived in Janu- ary, 1721, with three hundred colonists. From these, and from the Acadians expelled by the English from Nova Scotia, and from a few Greek and Minorcan families imported into Florida by the English in 1767, most of the Creole population on this Coast is descended.
In 1701, Bienville, who had become Governor, was ordered to leave a small garrison at Biloxi and transfer his headquarters to Mobile.
In 1717, Louisiana had passed into the hands of a company of French speculators, at the head of which was the famous John Law. This company directed headquarters to be re-established at Biloxi, and a fort, storehouse and barracks, were erected .on the western shore ; and thenceforth the post was known as New Biloxi, or Fort St. Louis. The sagacious Bienville had recommended the present site of New Orleans as far preferable to Biloxi, and Hubert, a capitalist from St. Malo, recommended Fort Rosalie (Natchez), and sailed for France with that object in view, but died soon after his arrival. Thus, in 1720; New Biloxi was the capital of Louisiana.
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The first negroes were brought in by a ship from the coast of Africa ; and some two hundred Germans arrived. The first coinage was introduced. It was of copper, dated 1721, and specimens have often been found in this vicinity.
The first priests that appeared on this coast, were fathers Montegay and Davion, who had left Canada some years before, and had been instructing numerous savage tribes in the faith of Christ. Father Davion had erected a chapel at what is now known as Fort Adams, on the Mississippi, but which was then called La Roche á Davion.
In 1722, Law's company having fallen to pieces-no supplies came from France-little attention had been paid here to the cul- tivation of the soil, and great distress prevailed. The troops were distributed in small posts among the Indians to procure subsistence, and the traces of these posts may yet be seen on the bluffs of Pearl; Pascagoula and other streams.
In 1723, Bienville transferred his headquarters to the present site of New Orleans ; and Biloxi and this coast, was known as the Third Military District, under the command of Loubois, a veteran officer, and a knight of St. Louis. The order to move from these pleasant shores to the swampy banks of the Mississippi, occasioned the same discontent we should experience were we ordered to trans- fer our residence there to-day. Many deserted, and a company of Swiss, in the French service, soldiers distinguished for fidelity, having embarked at Biloxi for New Orleans, as soon as they got into deep water, put the vessel about and made for Charleston, South Carolina. We must condemn the mutiny, but the incident shows that the men of that day properly appreciated the advantages of this delightful region.
The prosperity of this section and of all Louisiana, was seri- ously affected by the disastrous wars of Louis XIV.
In 1758-9, Quebec and Montreal, and all Canada, had been surrendered to the English. On the 10th of March, 1763, by the treaty of Paris, France surrendered to England all her possessions in North America east of the Mississippi river. At the same time, Spain ceded to the English her colonies of East and West Florida. West Florida extended from Apalachicola river to the Mississippi, and was bounded on the north by the 31st degree of latitude ; south, by the Gulf of Mexico, and an imaginary line drawn, mid- channel, through lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas, and the rivers Amite and Iberville, (Manchac) to the Mississippi. Pensacola be- came the provincial seat of government, with a garrison and military government at Mobile.
About the same time the island of New Orleans, and all the French territory west of the Mississippi, were ceded to Spain. She soon became involved in a new war with England, and in 1799, Don Bernard de Galvez, the ablest of the Spanish Governors of Louisiana, attacked and carried the British forts at Mobile, Baton Rouge and Pensacola ; and West Florida, including this Sea-coast, was surrendered to the Spaniards.
Thus, in the course of a few years, our predecessors on these peaceful shores, had been subject to three flags-the silver lilies of France-the gorgeous banner of Spain-and the blood-red cross of England-each of them representatives of the faith of Christ-of chivalry, dominion and civilization !
The Spaniards held Louisiana until the year 1800, when it was ceded to Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the French Republic, with all its original metes and bounds, which carried its eastern boundary to the Perdido river.
Napoleon, with half of Europe in arms against him, and threatened by the maritime superiority of England, found himself unable to take possession of the province; and to prevent its seizure by the English, he sold it to the United States April 30th, 1803. On the 30th November following, the American Commissioners, Gov. Claiborne, of the Mississippi territory, and Gen. Wilkinson, of the U. S. Army, took possession and hoisted the United States flag in the Place d' Armes.
Under this cession of Louisiana, the United States claimed the country to the Perdido, including this Sea-coast and Mobile. But the Spaniards insisted that Pearl river was the eastern boundary of Louisiana. They occupied Mobile and Pensacola with a strong military force. The United States was not in a condition for war, and a complicated diplomatic controversy was carried on between. the two governments.
In the meantime, some eight or ten thousand Americans had settled in West Florida, between Pearl river and the Mississippi, and the 31st degree of latitude and the Lake shore, under grants from the British and Spanish authorities. Becoming dissatisfied with the frequent transitions, and the conflicting tenures of land: and to increase the value of their possessions-they determined to set up for themselves. In 1810 they seized the Spanish fort at Baton Rouge, organized a convention, adopted a flag, declared their independence, sent out military parties to enforce allegiance, and very coolly proposed to be admitted to the Union as a sovereign State, or to be annexed to the Mississippi or Orleans territories. In
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answer to this proposition, President Madison, on the 29th October, 1810, issued a proclamation, declaring that West Florida was within the limits of Louisiana, when ceded by France to Spain, and by Spain to France, and by France to the United States, and direct- ing Gov. Claiborne, of Orleans Territory, to take civil and military possession of the same. And twenty thousand dollars were placed to the credit of the Governor to defray the expenses of the movement.
In pursuance of these orders, Governor Claiborne repaired to Bayou Sara and Baton Rouge, supported by several companies of volunteers, chiefly from Mississippi, and, without opposition, hoisted the American standard. The American settlers had accomplished their main object by placing the district under the jurisdiction of the United States.
It is refreshing and may be instructive, in these days of extrav- agance and official delinquency, to add, that of the sum placed at the disposal of the Governor, he only drew for $4,202,96.
Gov. Claiborne, by proclamation, declared West Florida an integral portion of Louisiana. By an act of the Territorial legisla- ture the country was organized as the county of Feliciana, and divided into seven parishes. Our Coast was divided into the parishes of Biloxi and Pascagoula, the eastern boundary being Bayou Batrie, but was subsequently extended to the Rio Peno or Dog river, near Mobile.
During the time when the Florida or St. Francisville Conven- tion was exercising jurisdiction-from the seizure of the Spanish Fort at Baton Rouge to the assumption of authority by Governor Claiborne on the part of the United States-this coast, and especial- ly the Pascagoula settlement, was in a state of anarchy. Bands of fillibusters or jay-hawkers roved through the country, as they did du- ring the late unhappy war, pillaging the peaceable inhabitants. One Sterling Dupree, styling himself Major, and one Peter Nicola, claiming to be a captain in the service of the Convention, seem to have been the leaders of the free-booters. They carried the flag of the Con- vention and compelled the inhabitants to swear allegiance to it. They obliged masters of coasting vessels to take out pass-ports and pay extravagantly therefor, and they made seizures and exacted contributions and free quarters wherever they went. On one occa- sion the inhabitants of Pascagoula attempted to rescue a heavy seizure of negroes, horses and merchandise, but were driven back by the superior forces of the Convention, with the loss of Samuel Davis killed, and Allen Goodin and others, wounded.
Sailing master Farragut, commanding the sloop Alligator, in the service of the United States, sent the following statement to Governor Claiborne:
" On the 2d December, 1801. I arrived in the bay of Pascagoula. On going ashore next day, a number of men gathered around, and said Majors Hargroves and Dupree wished to see me. I said I would call the following morning Accordingly, on the 4th, I found them at the house of the late John B. Nicolet, On my arrival they ran up the flag of the Convention Next day they pressed John B. Boudro's schooner, and two others owued by Anthony Krebs and Augustine, a mulatto. These they brought before Mr. Nicolet's house, and loaded with negroes, dry goods, liquors, provisions, furniture, etc .- the per- sonal property of deceased. They even removed the locks from the doors. Next day they proceeded up the river, the destination being the residence of their leader, Dupree, two miles south of the 31st degree, the line of demarcation. Peter Nicola, with the commis- sion of captain, was appointed commandant at Pascagoula, with orders to compel the in- habitants as far as Pearl River, to swear allegiance to the Convention. Returning west- ward, I fell in with said Nicola, James Havins and two other men, names unknown, at. the Pass of Christian. They were ordering the people to Pascagoula to take the oath. There were no Spanish authorities on the coast. They had retired to Mobile.
GEORGE FARRAGUT."
On receiving this information Gov. Claiborne dispatched Dr. Wm. Flood, a prominent citizen of New Orleans, as commissioner to the sea coast, with special instructions And on the 25th of January, 1811, he made a long and interesting report, from which the following passages are extracted :
"In compliance with your instructions I left New Orleans on the 5th, on the felucca Alligator, and proceeded to the residence of Simeon Favre, on the east bank of Pearl River, and delivered to him your commission as Justice of the Peace, for the parish of Biloxi, with a copy of the Constitution of the United States, the Civil Code and the acts of the Terirtorial Legislature. I next landed at Bay St. Louis and the Pass of Christian, displaying the United States flag at each place at 2 P. M. At the Pass I presented to Philip Saucier your commission as Justice for Biloxi parish, with copy of the laws, etc. Then proceeded to bay of Biloxi, where I handed the commission of Justice to Jaque Ladnier. Landed near the mouth of Pascagoula River on the 13th, and hoisted the United States colors. Here I overtook Fortesque coming, who had preceeded me to distribute the proclamation. I fell in with several men who had left Dupree a few days before. They informed me that Col. Kemper, commanding the Convention forces, had disbanded. telling his men that in getting under the jurisdiction of the United States their object had been accomplished. I filled up a commission for Mr. Coming as Justice for Pascagoula, and dispatched him up the river to endeavor to recover from Dupree the property he had car- ried off. And, at the special request of the citizens, by whom he is greatly esteemed, I prevailed on sailing master. George Farragut, to accept a commission as Justice. The other commission I handed to Benjamin Goodin, who lives twenty miles up the river. There is but one house at Bayou Batrie, but I caused a flag to be hoisted there,
The population of Biloxi parish may be estimated at 420. Pascagoula at 350, chiefly French and natives of the country- - the most primitive simple and contented prorie I have ever seen. They seem to desire only the mere necessaries of life, and to be without ambition, passion or vice. They appear greatly pleased to be under the protection of the United States."
The first magistrates appointed by 'Gov. Claiborne, were ex- cellent and influential men. Philip Saucier was from an ancient family in France-a man of mark in his day-with the high sense of honor of the old cavalier, and noted for his hospitality and kind- ness. Mr. Ladnier, (or, as the name was then written, L'Adner), was not educated, but was a man of strong mind and inflexible
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firmness and integrity. Judge Favre was a man of education, fortune and high standing. He had originally lived in Mobile and on the Tombigbee river, but as far back as 1777, he was residing on Pearl river. Bartram, the celebrated naturalist, in his travels through Florida and Louisiana. states that, in that year, being at Mobile, on his way to the Mississippi, Mr. Favre offered him a passage on his boat as far as his residence on Pearl river, where he was entertained with much hospitality.
In 1812, the Indians from the extreme northwest to the Gulf, were manifesting a hostile feeling to the whites. The celebrated Tecumseh, and his brother, the prophet, were endeavoring to organ- ize a general confederacy of the tribes. They were then in the Creek Nation, and were employing all their influence to exasperate the Choctaws, whose territory enveloped our settlements, and whose warriors were sufficiently numerous to have butchered the whole country in sixty days. Under these circumstances, Gov. Claiborne addressed the following letter to Judge Favre :
NEW ORLEANS, June 4th, 1812.
Sir :- " Having received information that the Choctaws of the lower towns are com- mitting depredations in the settlements on Pearl, Leaf and Chicka awha rivers, and are disclosing a hostile disposition towards the United States, I have addressed to them a " Talk," which I herewith commit to your care. I request you to proceed without delay to the Nation. and after assembling the Chiefs and Head inen, you will deliver and ex. plain my address, adding such observations and urging such means as your judgment and experience may suggest. During your stay you will make inquiries on the following points : Ist. Whether the Creeks and Choctaws have been furnished with military sup- plies? 2d. The number of warriors in the Choctaw Nation, and what portion of them are supposed to be under Spanish or British influence? 3rd. The name of the towns where the Spanish or British have the most partisans, and the names of the Chiefs and Mingoes of said towns. 4th. Whether Tecumseh or the Prophet have been in the nation or sent their talks.
I confide greatly in your tact and experience."
This patriotic gentleman undertook, and ably performed this delicate mission. No man living, commanded to the same extent, the confidence of that powerful tribe. He checked the intrigues of the hostile agents, and stayed the tomahawk, then uplifted to strike.
The first arrest ever made in this county, then the parish of Biloxi, was made by Judge Favre. On the 10th January, 1811, he arrested one Wm. Bonford, suspected of having stolen two negroes and three horses. There being no jail the prisoner was sent to New Orleans, and he was subsequently delivered on the requisition of Gov. Holmes of Mississippi, to Thomas Torrance, to be tried in the county of Amite, the negroes having been stolen from Thomas Batchelor and Agrippa Gayden of that county.
Judge Ladnier, from some unintentional misconstruction of his authority, got into the hands of Mr. Ellery, a prominent and
sharp lawyer of New Orleans, who usually passed his summers here, on the property now owned by Madame O'Brien. He applied iu person for advice to Gov. Claiborne, who gave him the following letter to the Attorney General.
NEW ORLEANS, June 6th, 1811.
" The bearer, an honest and well meaning justice of the parish of Biloxi, is harrassed for an act, which, although perhaps, not strictly legal, appears nevertheless, to have been very just. Hear his story and advise him for the best. If justices are to be proceeded against for every unintentional and petty irregularity, I shall very soon receive the resig- nations of two-thirds of them. Mr. Ladnier informs me that Mr. Ellery demands of him fifty dollars, and promises to discontinue his complaint. This is a heavy assessment on a poor man for an honest act. But, if nothing else can be done, it may be well to pay Mr. Ellery, at my expense. I often see instances of these poor people being oppressed under color of law, and always regret when I have it not in my power to intervene."
Mr. Ellery, got his fifty dollars, and died not long after, and was buried in the old grave yard on the front.
About that time, 1812, the Mississippi Territory was repre- sented in Congress by the Hon. George Poindexter, a man of great ability, who was then taking measures to have Mississippi admitted into the Union as a State.
Among his papers I find the following letter from Gov. Clai- borne, from which I quote :
"Success attend your efforts to bring in Mississippi, but I cannot approve your wish to attach the whole of West Florida. Had you proposed that Orleans Territory should extend eastward to Pearl river, and up to the 31st degree; and the district from Pearl river to the Perdido, to be attached to Mississippi Territory, I should have made no op- position Eut your demand for the whole is rather extravagant, and would be greatly injurious to the interests of Louisiana. I, myself, would prefer the Perdido for our eastern boundary, and there are strong equities in the claim. But we will compromise and take as far as Pearl river, and leave to you the country on the Pascagoula and Tom- bigbee, and the custody of one of the great avenues of western commerce, the Mobile river."
Mr Poindexter's views did not prevail. There was at that time great jealousy of territorial domination, and a disposition to circumscribe instead of extending boundaries. The State of Georgia, which had once claimed nearly the whole country known as Mis- sissippi Territory, and organized it into a county called Bourbon, was particularly vehement in her opposition to Mr. Poindexter's plan, and even voted against our admission into the Union.
An act of Congress, approved April 11th, 1812, attached all West Florida, lying between the eastern branch of Pearl river, the 31st degree of latitude, and the Mississippi river, to Louisiana ; and happily for us, this Sea-coast became part and parcel of the Missis- sippi Territory ; was constituted 14th December, 1812, into the county of Hancock, and we assisted by our delegate, to make the first constitution preliminary to the admission of Mississippi as a State.
War having been declared by the United States against Great Britain, our volunteers had been principally engaged in severe con-
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Hicts with the Creek Indians, led by Gen. Claiborne of Natchez, and Gen. Nixon, of this county. Two regiments of United States troops, under Gen. Ripley, that had long been stationed here, (near the present mansion of our public-spirited fellow citizen, Alfred Ulman, Esq.), and had recruited into its ranks a number of our residents, had left for Canada, and had participated in the bloodiest battles.
On the 13th December, 1814, a desparate conflict took place off our shore between the American gunboats and the launches of the British fleet, having 1,200 seamen and marines and 45 pieces of cannon. The enemy captured the sloop Alligator, and cut off the schooner Sea-horse, which had been sent here to remove the public stores; but her gallant captain seeing that his vessel could not be saved-blew her up, and the stores with her.
A regiment of militia, under Colonel -, from the interior, had been stationed here several days, to oppose the landing of the enemy. They had two pieces of cannon in position. When the British Flotilla approached to cut off the Sea-horse, the militia be- came nervous, and began to break ranks. Most of our citizens were on the bluff, and an invalid lady, from Natchez, exclaimed : " My God, Colonel, fire one gun for the honor of the country!"
The gallant colonel probably did not hear these words, for he was rapidly retiring, followed by the bulk of his men, and their first halt was at the Big-spring beyond Ho-bo-lo-chitto.
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