Militia Land Donations In Vincennes 1780's-1790's

The following men and the heirs of said men, were trying to claim their militia donation land in Vincennes, but because of lack of proof and other seasons all the claims were rejected, but for the last ( five cases which were special cases. ) Because these claims were rejected there is no need to state anything about the land as it is not important now, and there was so little information in any case. But the information given by testimony and witness’s in these cases is very important, as it may fill some holes in your ancestors history, and you may find something out about your ancestor you never know before.

Note. This information came from the department of public Land, Volume 7., 1834-1835, which is housed at the Library of Congress.

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Pierre Pettier .

François Pettier, father of Pierre Pettier lived at Vincennes before and after the country was taken possession of by the Americans; that he kept house, and died about 20 years ago; that Pierre Pettier is the only surviving child, and has always lived at Vincennes. By reference to the records of the Catholic church, it further appears, that Pierre, the only surviving child and heir, was born in February, 1783.

Rene Campeau.

Rene Campeau was on the militia roll at Vincennes, from the year 1786, until the year 1795..

Francois Cardinal.

Francois Cardinal did militia duty at Vincennes under deponent for two years previous to the marching of Col. Hamtramck up the Wabash, (that is to say the fall of the year 1790,) and that he was ordered to march with said expedition.

Bernice Lefevre.

Bernice Lefevre was married and kept at Vincennes when Captain Helms took possession of the country, that he died in the year 1779, or 1780, that he left no children, but left two nieces and one nephew living in Vincennes.

Jean Baptiste Valcour.

Jean Baptiste Valcour was at Vincennes when the Americans took possession of the country, that he had a family, lived and kept house therein, until about twenty-seven years ago, when he died; that his eldest son, who is now the only heir, according to one witness, is twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, and according to another witness forty-two years old, and has always lived in Vincennes.

Pierre Borgne, alias Belfin.

Pierre Borgne came to Vincennes a soldier under Gen. Clark in the year l’179, that he was a single man, rented deponent’s house for a year, wherein he worked at his trade in partnership with one Cantara, for about nine months, after which, he went and lived with one Lavislitte, about three months, at the end of which, he left the country, and has never lived in it since.

Charles Bonneau.

came to Vincennes before the Americans took possession of the country; that he kept house; but no evidence being adduced to establish the precise time of his death, whether before or since the expedition of Gen. Clark.

Samuel Bradley.

Samuel Bradley came to Vincennes, in the year 1785, lived and did militia duty therein until 1788, went to Illinois and returned in. 1789, that he then went to Kentucky to join his family, whom he moved to Vienna on Grand river. That he came to Vincennes on business, in July or August 1790, when he was detained until October waiting for company to return home with; it is further proved that he was ordered to go on Col. Hamtramok’s expedition, (in that year) was seen on the parade with a gun on his shoulder, but did not go. From the circumstances stated it appears that claimant was not a settled inhabitant of Vincennes, but a traveler, whose place of residence was Kentucky, that he was accidentally detained by apprehension of the Indians, and waited for company.

John Balis or Bayless.

John Balis or Bayless came to Vincennes as an officer under general Clark; that he married in the winter of 1780, or 1786, and vent to live in a house with his wife in the back part of the town, but whether he resigned his commission is not known; that he went away about the time the troops of general Clark left Vincennes, but did not go with them; they went by water and claimant by land. From the above statement it appears that claimant can be viewed in no other light than that of an officer of general Clark’s, to whom, no more than the privates, the act of 1791, in relation to heads of families, can by any means apply; it may also be observed, that the officers and privates of the Illinois regiment have been provided for elsewhere.

Pierre Beaupre.

Pierre Beaupre came to Vincennes about 20 years ago; (that is, 1785) kept house therein by himself for two years, when he went away; claimant having come two years subsequent to the year 1783.

Jean Baptiste Chicotte.

Jean Baptiste Chicotte lived in Vincennes before and after the Americans took possession of the country, was a single man and lived with his brother; claimant cannot be considered as the head of a family.

Victal Caron.

Victal Caron lived at Vincennes and kept house, but died before the Americans took possession of the country.

Francois Dumay.

Francois Dumay lived in Vincennes and was about twelve years old when the country was taken possession of by the Americans.

Pierre Dumay.

Pierre Dumay was on the militia roll, and did militia duty at Vincennes, but it is uncertain at what time that he left Vincennes four or five years before colonel Hamtramck’s expedition against the Indians (in the year 1790.)

Joseph Dumay.

Joseph Dumay came to Vincennes about thirty-eight years ago, and lived there until about nine years ago, when he died; that he acted as an interpreter at the United States garrison at Vincennes, and at Greenville in 1795, but it is not known whether he was enrolled in the militia, and it is believed by deponent that he was exempted by being interpreter.

Isaac T. Decker.

Isaac T. Decker did militia duty, in the summer of 1790, at the river Duchis station, about six miles from Vincennes; that claimant is older than deponent’s son Moses, who was born in the year 1780, and who has received a militia donation, (from the governor when acting as commissioner.) It does not appear that claimant was enrolled on the first of August, 1790, but on the contrary was not of sufficient age to be enrolled, or to do militia duty.

Josette Fauvelle.

Josette Fauvelle was the wife of Jean Baptiste Ravelet, who left Vincennes about the year 1777, leaving his wife and family behind, and has never returned; that she left Vincennes before captain Holmes took possession of the country, (that is, June, 1778.)

Charles Finley.

Charles Finley came to Vincennes in the year 1786, staid about six months and went away, returned to Vincennes with the Kentucky militia who went with colonel Hamtramck against the Indians up the Wabash, n the year 1790, from which facts it appears that claimant was not a resident at Vincennes.

Jean Baptiste Frizy.

Jean Baptiste Filzy lived in Vincennes, in the year 1786, did militia duty therein, went with general Clark against the Indians in the same year; that he left the country in the year 1787, and has never returned.

Vital Goyoux.

Vital Goyoux lived at Vincennes when the country was taken possession of by Americans; that he was a single man, is not known (to deponent) that he kept house, or when he went away.

Antoine Goyoux.

Antoine Goyoux lived in Vincennes when the country was taken possession of by the
Americans; that he was a single man; that about thirty-three years ago, he, deponent, and a certain Mr. Larsh, lived together and kept house for one year.

Charles Lognon.

Charles Lognon was a trader and kept store at Vincennes when the country was taken possession of by the Americans; was a single man and lived with his brother; that he married about twenty years ago, and remained at Vincennes until about ten years ago, when he went away; he cannot be viewed as the head of a family between the years of 1779 or 1783.

Vincent Lafoy.

Vincent Lafoy lived at Vincennes, before and after the Americans took possession of the country, was a single man, had cattle, and kept house in company with a certain doctor Oliver, who was also a single man, but whether before or after the country was taken, deponent does not recollect; that after leaving Oliver, he lived with Angelique Mallet and a Mr. Cartier.

Jean Baptiste Langlois.

Jean Baptiste Langlois did militia duty at Vincennes, twenty-one years ago next September (to wit September, 1790), in captain Edelin’s company, wherein he remained as a private until about fourteen or fifteen years ago; that he has continued in the country ever since. It not appearing by any testimony adduced, that claimant did militia duty previous to and on the first of August, 1790.

Luke Matson.

Luke Matson did militia duty in the summer of the year 1790, at the river Duchis station (about six miles from Vincennes); that he is perhaps two years older than deponent’s son Moses (who was born in the year 1780.) At such a tender age the claimant’s services as a militiaman could not be of any real importance, and the act of 1791, cannot be understood to apply to children, but to effective militiamen.

Alexis Roubaux.

Alexis Roubaux lived at Vincennes before and after the Americans took possession of the country; that he was a blacksmith and kept a shop of his own; was a single man, and lived with one Cornoyer.

Jacob Pea.

Jacob Pea did militia duty at Vincennes, in the years 1785, 1786 and 1787, and then went away; that it is not known whether he was at Vincennes in the year 1790.

Joseph Patterson.

Joseph Patterson was an effective militiaman at Vincennes in the year 1.786, was wounded by the Indians at the battle on Embarras creek, in the same year, staid at Vincennes some time, and went away to have his wounds cured, and has since died.

John Richardson.

John Richardson lived in and did militia duty at Vincennes in the years 1785 and 1786, and went away in 1787.

Edmund Hogen.

Edmund Hogen came to Vincennes in the year 1780, did militia duty thereinn for about a year, and then went away.

John Glass.

John Glass came to Vincennes in the year 1785; that he was in the battle on Embarras creek with the Indians; that he piloted general Harmer from the mouth of Pidgeon on the Ohio to Vincennes, and died in the latter end of the year 1788.

Joel Baker.

Joel Baker came to Vincennes in the year 1785, and did militia duty therein; was in the battle of Embarras in l786; sometime afterwards he went on a hunting party with some Indians, and was heard of no more.

Antoine Rimbeault.

Antoine Rimbeault was living with his father in Vincennes when the Americans took possession of the country; that his said father left Vincennes before that event; that he continued to live with the rest of the children in the father’s house after the said father had went away; that Pierre, the eldest brother, was married, but whether he lived with Antoine is not known; that Pierre was killed by the Indians; that Antoine afterwards went on La Balmis expedition against Detroit (in the fall of the year 1789), and was also killed by the Indians.

Jean Baptiste Trudell.

Jean Baptiste Trudell came to Vincennes with general Clark, from the Illinois, when he came to take possession of the country, but had lived there before; that he remained in Vincermes many years after the country was taken; that he was not married, nor did he own a house of his own, though sometimes he lived by himself and sometimes boarded with others.

James Talbert.

James Talbert did militia duty at the river Duchis station, (about six miles from Vincennes in the year 1790, but whether he was enrolled is not known; that he stood his draft when colonel Hamtramck marched up the Wabash in the fall of that year. No evidence is adduced to prove that claimant did militia duty before or on the 1st of August, 1790.

Jean Marie Barrois.

Jean K Barrois lived at Vincennes before and after the Americans took possession of the country; was a single man and kept house by himself; the same witness being re-examined, said that he sometimes lived by himself and sometimes with his brother; that he never had a family.

Jean Moise Malbouef.

Jean Moise Malbouef was in Vincennes 36 or 37 years ago, that he had a house and lot, and was the head a family and lived therein, until about the year 1787 or 1788, when he went away and has never returned; another witness proves that he married in the year 1785 and was a hunter; another that he was a day laborer and sometimes hunted; that he had a house and lot of his own, on and before the year 1783, wherein he lived by himself; but had no family until the year 1785, when he married at the falls of the Ohio.

Joseph St. Marie Racine.

Joseph St. Marie Racine lived at Vincennes before the Americans took possession of the country; but he does not know whether he was alive when that event took place; that he was never married but kept house; another states the same circumstance with this difference only, that he believes he was alive when the country was taken by the Americans. The want of positive proof that Joseph Marie Racine was living when the country came unto the possession of the Americans, for the vague expression fact, of one of the witnesses that he believes he was, is far from establishing that fact, would be a reasonable ground of rejection; but the fact well established, that he was a single man and the total want of evidence of every circumstance which would induce a belief that he lived at the head of working people or other dependents, forbids the liberal extension of the law to this case.

Special cases.

*Joseph Pancake.

Joseph Pancake was an effective militiaman at Vincennes in, the year 1786; that he was with and under deponent’s (John Small,) command in the same year the engagement with the Indians on Embarras, where he was killed.

*Jacob Howell.

*Jacob Howell was an effective militiaman at Vincennes, in the year 1786; that he commanded a party at the engagement with the Indians on Embarras, wherein he was killed.

*Alexander Wilson.

Alexander Wilson came to Vincennes in the year 1784; that he lived and did militia duty therein, until the year 1786, when he was killed by the Indians in the Embarras engagement.

*Daniel Sullivan.

Daniel Sullivan came to Vincennes in the year 1785, when he did militia duty until 1790, in the month of April of which year he was killed by the Indians.

*Jacob Tevebaugh.

Jacob Tevebaugh came to Vincennes in the year 1785, did militia duty therein until the year 1)190, and that in the month of April of the same year he was killed by the Indians, with Daniel Sullivan.

* Preceding commissioners have construed the provision of the act of 1791, relating to militia grants, strictly, rejecting the claim of those who had left the country before the first of August, 1790, and although they had. done militia duty for years before, and granted one hundred acres to such as, however recently arrived in the country, happened to be on the militia roll on that day. The present commissioners entertained some doubts on the correctness of that coutruction, and were inclined to believe that more liberality would accord better with the intentions of Congress; they could not entirely reject the idea, that the clause of the act of 1791, in favor of militiamen, went to provide a reward of one hundred acres of land for every man who, having not received the donation allotted to the heads of families, had done militia duty during their residence in the country, since it had come under the American government, and that the enrollment, on the first day of August 1790, was required as evidence of the performance of that duty rather than a condition indispensable for obtaining the bounty.

Fully sensible, however, of the importance and necessity of an uniform system of decisions, they have hitherto made no innovations therein in relation to militia claims, and rejected those which were predicated upon performance of militia duty not extending to the first of August, 1790. But the foregoing claims present themselves under a very different aspect. The several persons in whose right the bounty of one hundred acres is demanded by their representatives, not only did militia duty, but lost their lives, some in the actual performance of that duty, and all by the hands of the common enemy.

To have peremptorily rejected them, would have savored of injustice; to have confirmed them, would have been perhaps too great a deviation from the letter if not the spirit of the law and mode hitherto adopted in the decision of land claims. Under these circumstances, the commissioners, under a strong impression of the equity of the claims alluded to, have deemed it proper to lay the whole in the form of a special report, under the view of Congress, who akne can grant the relief which the law puts, (perhaps,) out of the power of the commissioners to award; and feel no hesitation in expressing their opinion, that the respective claimants ought to receive the bounty of one hundred acres earned at the expense of the blood of their fathers and relatives.