Pierre Etienne LeBourgeois, Livingston, St. James and Orleans Parishes, Louisiana File prepared by D.N. Pardue ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From the French Settlement Historical Register, published by the French Settlement Historical Society, French Settlement, Louisiana 70733. The LaGenWeb Archives thanks them for contributing this information. Vol. 5, December 1980 Originally submitted to the FSHR by Mariette L. Lambert. PIERRE ETIENNE LEBOURGEOIS Pierre was born on the twentieth of August 1787 and baptised in New Orleans at the Cathedral of St. Louis on the ninth of September 1789. He was the son of Pierre LeBourgeois, a native of Caen in Normandy, France and Marie Margarita Reine, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. In the Battle of New Orleans in 1812 Pierre is listed as a First Lieutenant. Pierre married in St. James Parish, La. the 26th of December 1825, Artimise Matherne, daughter of Pierre Matherne and Celestine Fontenot. A few years later he negotiated with John McDonough, who was a neighbor in St. James Parish, to buy a tract of land on the Amite River. This property was the site of a Spanish Fort. It was also known as the Benjamin Key headright. There right on the banks of the river, was a stone-house, where Pierre and Artimise lived. It was known as the old LeBourgeois Place. After the Civil War, a new farm house was built about a quarter of mile inland from the stone-house, the new house was given the name "Whitehall". No death dates have been found for Pierre and Artimise, however on this property there is a small family cemetery and I would like to believe they are buried there. In the 1850 Census of Livingston Parish the family of Pierre LeBourgeois and Artimise is listed as follows: LeBourgeois, Pierre age 63 Artimise age 44 Aris age 21 Peter age 18 Louis age 14 Stephen age 10 Louisa age 11 On the following pages are translated copies of the correspondence between Pierre LeBourgeois and "The John McDonough". Pierre's letters were beautifully penned in French. McDonough's letters were in English and very hard to decipher. ********************************************************************************** Letter No. 1 St. James Parish, october 24, 1828 Mr. McDonough New Orleans Sir: Knowing that you own some lands along the Amite River, and intending to settle in that neighbor hood, I would like for you to do me the pleasure of letting me know if it were possible for you to sell me a portion which would be advanta- geous to me, either for cultivation or for some other purpose. As I recall having heard you say formerly, that the lot on which your sawmill is located, was advantageous to a man will- ing to work. Should you wish to sell this portion to me at a reasonable price and with reasonable conditions, perhaps I would be able to make arrangements with you. I think I should tell you that I am not rich, I dare flatter myself that you will have regard for my situation. In case these sawmill lands no longer belong to you, I will ask you to please give me the necessary information so that I may know to whom to address myself. Please have the complacency of answering my letter right away, and believe me to be With Consideration Sir: Your Very Humble And Obedient St. And Friend (signed) Pre LeBourgeois (On back: Mr. McDonough, New Orleans) ****************************************************************************** Letter No. 2 New Orleans, November 3, 1828 Mr. P. LeBorgeois (draft) Your favor of the 24th was this moment handed to me and as you requested I will reply. You inform me of your inten- tion to establish, on the River Amite and request to know whether I can sell you a tract of land in that District, and particular a tract where I formerly had a sawmill. To this I have observed that I will sell you a tract (with great pleasure) of valuable land, any where within my surveys, that you may select -- with the exception of a few tracks which I wish to reserve, but as I had two sawmills on that river, one propelled by steam, the other by water power -- I do not know which you referred to. The steam mill was near the lake, this tract I do not wish to sell, the other was high up on the Amite, above the mouth of the Comite. This situation with the improvement of land I will sell you, if it is what you wish. Not knowing what your particular object is, I cannot say which part of the country would suit you best. If your object is commerce the country above at this time is the place for a store. If your view is agriculture, the land below is best adapted as they are generally rich. The whole country from the Lake to Galvez is a rich body of land. Those lands are now cheap being worth from 4 to 5 cents the acre. Say 160 to 200 dollars for six (?) acres front by 40 arpents in depth. But in a very short time, will settle the country and make the land very valuable, as in a few months we will be established**. It has been in contestation for 25 years and has kept the country from settling. The conditions will be made (East of the river) and I will feel pleasured of being of service if it is in my power. The lumber business becoming a great object (in New Orleans). Two or 3 negroes even in making pine cord wood would make a great deal of money. It sells to the steam boats generally at 5 or 6 dollars for four cord and one half -- at times they cannot procure it. On the Tickfaw River there is a great deal of pine. I send you a rough sketch of the lines of my survey for your information. With Esteem and Regard Verfied Lot 12 JMcD P.S. Parish of St. Jacques I have tracts of lands in vaious situations on the side of the lake-- some of which perhaps might suit your object better than the Amite. **Reference to the establishment of Livingston Parish (Founded 1832) ******************************************************************************* St. James, November 18, 1828 Mr. McDonogh New Orleans My Dear Sir: This morning I had the honor of receiving yours of Nov. 3, in answer to mine of October 24th last. I am deeply grate- ful for the good offers you make me, and for the kindness you had in sending me expressions of your friendship. I did not know that you had two sawmills on the River Bank, one operated by steam which was located one league from Lake Maurepas. The other seemed to me, to be too far from the Capital. I had the occasion to travel through a good part of the Amite River, and the only place which could answer my purpose, would be the 1st where your steam operated sawmill was located. My wife (Artemise Matherne) who was raised in the country bordering on the Amite, is worrying me for a long time to make these ar- rangements with you. She wants to bring there her family, which is very numerous and very poor. It consists of first of all, her father (Piere Matherne), three or four brothers, as many sister, brothers-in-law and all of them have fathers and mothers of families of childrens. So that with from 5 to 6 slaves that I have, we will make a total of from 25 to 30 per- sons -- they are industrious people accustomed to field-work. I will use some to cultivate the ground, others to make cord wood, posts, shingles, stave-wood. Besides, we will have the facil- ities for many animals, such as cattle, hogs, sheep, chickens, and being near to New Orleans, by using a bark, we will be able to carry on a commerce which will enable us to pay you more readily. You are rich my dear Mr. McDonogh, you can easily do without this land, in the name of old friendship which existed between you and us, sell it to me, or sell me a portion of it. I promise you as an honest man, it is to facilitate the lives of these good people as it is for me. I will be at their head, you will have to deal only with me. I have the honor of being with consideration Sir Your very humble & obedient St. & friend (signed) Pre LeBourgeois Mr. John McDonogh New Orleans ************************************************************************** Letter No. 4 New Orleans, November 28, 1828 Mr. Piere LeBourgeois, (my draft) I have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of your esteemed favor of the 18th. In the contents of which I note and in reply have to observe that I have refused twenty times to sell to rich men the tract of land you wish to purchase of me and only then says I will, to a gentlemen with 50 slaves who wished to establish it as a sugar estate, but when you ask me to join you in the doing a good act (one that does you great honor) the objecting to make a dozen poor families com- fortable and happy, I confess I cannot refuse you. I will therefore do all I can for the poor community you are desirous of serving, and upon how you will become their father. I will sell you a part of the tract of land you wish where I had my steam mill fronting the Amite River so as to include a suffi- cient body for all your friends. When your time will admit, take your horse and come down, that I may converse and explain to you in person, as I write you in haste being much occupied. Present my respects to your venerable mother* and your lady**, and believe me to be in great regard and esteem, Your friend and well wisher, (signed) JMcD * Mother -- Marguerite Reine ** Lady (wife) -- Artemise Matherne