Unlocated Claims, Opelousas Land District; Evangeline Par., LA
Date: 3 Jan 1999 
Submitter: Houston Tracey, Jr.

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Family History Library, Microfilm Roll # 1376266, 3rd folio

     BENJAMIN SMITH claims a Tract of Land of one League square, lying in the Prairie of Nez Pique, in the Bayou Caoman (Cayman ?, an alligator ?), Opelousas County, by virtue of a Purchase made from a Chief of the Attakapas Nation, the savauge LE TORTUE and conveyed to the said claimant a Deed properly executed before the Commandant, and dated the 28th Day of September 1804.
As will more fully made by Reference to the said Deed & filed with this
Notice. Given under my hand, this 22nd Day of December 1806.  (signed)  BENJAMIN SMITH

     O.B. (Old Board) Opelousas, No. 104, 6 April 1815 - Unlocated
In the claim of BENJAMIN SMITH, for a Tract of Land of one league square in the Prairie Nezpique and purchased from CELESTINE LE TORTUE, a Chief of the Attakapas tribe of Indians.  JOHN TAYLOR (Taylor stricken-out & replaced with TELLER), aged about 48, being sworn deposeth, that he well acquainted with the land claimed and has been particularly acquainted in that quarter for about 27 years. - That at the time when the deponent first became acquainted in that part of the Country, the Attakapas Indians had their Village at the Island of woods, now known by the name of Lacasine of the which an Indian called LACASINE was understood to be the Chief.  -  That their Village extended the whole length of the said Island, which this deponent supposes may be about 2 leagues - That the principal settlements were made at the upper end of the Island, which is embraced by the Claim in question. - That the Chief LACASINE has been dead about 15 years, that about that time of his death the Village
was abandoned by the surviving inhabitants, the principal part of whom,
removed to the now only remaining Attakapas Village on the River Nementou (Mermantau ?). - That the Indians so far as the deponent knows, did not abandon their claim to the land at the said Island of Lacasine, but on the contrary, he knows that they continued to claim it as their property, until they sold it to the two Mr. SMITH's (2nd Smith is not named) - That an Indian Chief named CELESTINE now residing on Nementou is understood to have succeeded LACASINE in his authority and power to dispose of the property of the said Village and the deponent has heared (sic) the said Indians of the Attakapas Village frequently say that the said CELESTINE had made the sales to the above named gentlemen, expressly with them.

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