THE ALABAMA HISTORICAL SOCIETY IVIONXGOMKRY Reprint No. 16 The French Grant in Alabama A HISTORY OF THE FOUNDING OF DEMOPOLIS BY GAIUS WHITFIELD, Jr. [From the TRANSACTIONS 1899-1903, Vol. IV] MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 1904 IX. THE FRENCH GRANT IN ALABAMA, A HISTORY OF THE FOUNDING OF DEMOPOLIS. By Gaius Whitfield, Jr., Demopolis, Ala. There is no more romantic or interesting chapter in Alabama history than the one which tells the story of the early French colony in Marengo county. It has long proven an attractive field for Southern writers and a number of excellent papers^ have been written, each describing some particular phase of the subject. Yet, perhaps, there may still be room for another account which aims to cover the entire movement in a connected way and supply as far as possible the contemporary authorities upon which our knowledge must finally rest. When the star of Napoleon's glory had gone down at Water- loo, never to rise again, and the famous leader had been exiled to the desolate Isle of St. Helena, his loyal followers were com- pelled by the Bourbons to suffer many kinds of punishment for having served him whom the powers called the Usurper. Some were sentenced to death, some expelled from France and their property confiscated, some were imprisoned and were given no opportunity of defending themselves when they were at last brought to trial, and others were obliged to sell their property and take up their abode in foreign lands. - Special ordinances were directed against them by Louis XVIII, partly perhaps from a desire for vengeance, partly also from the fear that their continued presence and persistent devotion to their exiled leader might assist, or even give rise to, future revolutions. The most important of these proclamations were the two foUow- ^ Among these special attention is called to the chapter in Pickett's History of Alabama entitled "Modern French Colony in Alabama," to Prof. Thomas Chalmers McCorvey's article on "The Vine and Olive Colony," in the Alabama Historical Reporter, Tuscaloosa, April, 1885, to Anne Bozeman Lyon's article on "The Bonapartists in Alabama," in the Southern Home Journal, Memphis. March, 1900 (since reprinted in the Gulf States Historical Magazine, Montgomery, March, 1903) and to a series of articles on the subject in the Demopolis Express by Prof. J. W. Beeson. ° Bourrienne's Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte, vol. iii, pp. .317-318. (321) 322 Alabama Historical Society. The first of these was issued by the king to the French people,^ and was as follows : "I wish to exclude from my presence none but those whose celebrity is a matter of grief to France and of horror to Europe, In the plot which they hatched I perceive many of my subjects misled and some guilty. "I owe it, then, to the dignity of my crown, to the interests of my people, to the repose of Europe, to except from pardon the in- stigators of this horrible plot. They shall be designated to the vengeance of the laws by the two chambers which I propose forth- with to assemble. "Given at Cambrai this 28 of June, in the year of our Lord 181 5 and of our reign the 21st, Louis." • The second was a decree issued by Louis XVIII on the 26th of July, 1815,* and'^ "singles out for example the following general officers, accused of treason against the king before the 23rd of March, etc., Ney, Labedoyere, the two brothers L'AUemand, Drouet d'Erlon, Lefebvre-Desnouettes, Ameith, Breyer, Gilly, Monton, Duvernet, Grouchy, Clausel, Laborde, Debelle, Bertrand, Drouot, Cambronne, Lavelette, Rovigo. "2. The individuals whose names follow, viz: Soult, Alex, Excelmans, Bassano, Marbot, Felix Lepelletier, Boulay de la Meurthe, Mehec, Fressinet, Thibaudeau, Carnot, Vondamme, Lamarque, (general), Lobavi, Harel, Pire, Barrere, Arnault, Pommereuil, Regnault de St. Jean d'Angely, Arrighi (de Padoue), Dejean son, Garrau. Real, Bouvicr, Dumalard, Dirat, Defermont, Merlin de Donai, Durbach. Bory, Soint Vencent Fe- lix Desportes, Garnier de Saintes, Millinet. Hullin, Cluys, Courtin, Forbin Jauson eldest son, Le Lorgne Didevelle, shall depart with- in three days from the city of Paris, and retire into the interior of France, to such places as our ministers of the general police shall point out for them, where they shall remain under sur- veillance, until the chambers shall decide on their case whether they ought to leave the kingdom, or be delivered up for the prose- cution of the tribunals." Nevertheless, Louis and his ministry thought it would be more advantageous to the interests of the Bourbons if they should ex- tenuate the fault of the offenders. In order to obviate the result ' Niles' Weekly Register, vol. viii. * Ibid, vol. ix. ^ An interesting account of the decree, and indeed of the entire situation in France at that time is given in the Memoirs of Talleyrand, vol. iii. p. 170, et seq. p> French Grant in Alabama. — Whitfield. 323 of a trial the king and his ministers tried to provide the Bonapart- ists with money for their escape. Even though the arrests were delayed and passports given to the accused, they were arrested while attempting to leave France. But many of them, with cour- age worthy of their leader, refused to leave the country for which they had undergone so many hardships and braved the perils of numerous battlefields, as their departure would be a tacit admis- sion of their guilt.'' •^ After long debates in the chambers, the following law of am- nesty was passed and sanctioned by the royal assent on January 12, 1816:' "Art. I. A full and an entire amnesty is accorded to all those who directly or indirectly took part in the rebellion and usurpa- tion of Napoleon Bonaparte, saving those hereinafter named. "2. The ordinance of the 26th of July will continue to be ex- ecuted with respect to the individuals named in the first article of that ordinance. "3. The king can in the space of two months from the pro- mulgation of the present law, exile from France such of the indi- viduals comprised in the 2nd article of the said ordinance as he shall keep on it, and as shall not have been previously brought before the Tribunals; and in that case such parties shall quit France within the time fixed for them, and shall not return with- out the express permission of his majesty, under pain of trans- portation. "The king may in like manner, deprive them of all property and all pensions granted to them on grounds of favor. "4. The relations of Napoleon Bonaparte in ascending and de- scending line — his uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces; his brothers and their wives and their issue ; his sisters and their husbands are excluded forever from the kingdom. All are bound to depart therefrom in the space of one month, under the penalties specified in the 91 article of the Penal Code. They cannot enjoy any civil right in France, or possess any property whatsoever, any title or pension granted to them of favor ; and they shall be bound to sell, within six months, all the property that they hold in France by purchase. "5. The present amnesty is not applicable to those persons against whom prosecution has been directed, or against whom judgments have been pronounced, prior to the promulgation of the present law ; such prosecution shall be continued, and such judgments executed conformably to the laws. " Miss Lyon's "Bonapartists in Alabama." ^Annual Register, vol. Iviii. 324 Alabama Historical Society. "6. Are not comprised in the present amnesty crimes or of- fences against individuals, at whatever period they may have been committed. The persons charged with such crimes may be al- ways prosecuted according to the laws. "7. Those of the regicides who in contempt of a clemency al- most boundless voted for the Additional Act. or accepted offices or employments from the Usurper, and who by so doing declared themselves irreconcilable enemies of France, and of the lawful government, are forever excluded the realm and are bound to quit it in the space of one month, under pain of the punishment enacted by the 33rd article of the Penal Coc'e. They cannot possess any civil right in France, nor any property, title or pension granted to them of favor." At the end of 181 6 and the beginning of 181 7, the imperialists, after the trial and execution of Labedoyere and finally of Ney, began to understand the true light in which they were held by the Bourbons. A number of these Bonapartists, broken in spirit and persecuted by Bourbon hatred, sought America,^ where they hoped to find rest from the trying ordeals through which they had pass- ed. It is true their king had shown much nobility towards them, but he might change and they were never certain of the implacable Fouche. After having arrived in America they determined to leave the cities, for the}^ feared that persecution would follow them even there. They decided to form a colony'' in the wilds of * The number coming to America was so great as to start some very wild statements in Paris. See the following extract from Nilcs' Register, Sept. 6, 1817: "It is said in the Paris papers that the French emigrants that have reached the United States 'do not amount to a less number than 30,000.' People do not think what thirty thousand is. I have a right to know something of this matter; and venture an opinion that three thousand have not arrived here, in .ships and vessels, since the first return of Louis; nor do I believe that any have crossed the ocean in balloons. Vessels from France very seldom have more than 10 to 20 passengers. I am certain that they have not averaged 20: this would give us fifteen hundred vessels from France in the period stated." 'The spirit that animated them is well shown by the following extracts from the tri-weekly National Intelligencer, of Sept. 4, 1817: "Never was a project set on foot under better auspices, or entered into, as we learn, with more ardor and a fuller determination to make a fair experiment to show what Frenchmen can do. 'I am astonished,' said a Caf>italist of Philadelphia to Generals Clause! and Dcsnouettes, 'that such men as you who have money at command, should undertake such a Don Quixote expedition, when, by taking your stand in the Exchange, you would get 20 per cent, for your money without trouble.' 'We have been accustomed,' replied General Clause), 'to labour for the glory and happi- ness of our country, not to prey upon their or other people's necessities.' — ■ A reply which marks a noble mind." French Grant in Alabama. — WhitUeld. 325 the West, for they thought it would be a refuge, where they would be able to gather together the forces of body and soul, and begin life again on a new basis free from the cares and dangers of a broken empire.^" A number of these exiles formed an association in Philadelphia, with George N. Stewart, then a youth of eighteen, as its secretary, to establish a colony somewhere in the West. Therefore they sent out their exploring commissioners, Jean A. Penniers and Bazile Meslier, to select a suitable situation for a colony. They made their observations on the soil, productions, etc., of the coun- try lying between the 32d and 36th degrees of latitude, on the west bank of the Mississippi river, but found no place which they thought suitable for a modern French colony. During the ab- sence of Penniers and Meslier, the association dispatched Colonel Nicholas Parmentier,^^ one of their number, to Washington for the purpose of petitioning congress to grant them a tract of land upon which to form a settlement. While Colonel Parmentier was at the capital, the emigrants came to the conclusion that the far West was by no means what their fancy had pictured it. They were easily persuaded by Dr. Brown, of Kentucky, who had trav- eled some in France, to settle near the confluence of the Black Warrior and Tombigbee rivers, in what was then the Mississippi Territory. He took great interest in their welfare and thought they would find the climate and soil of the South very similar to that of their own country. He believed that with little difficulty they would be able to convert the wild fertile lands into a perfect vineyard. They would find in this region, which had once ac- knowledged the supremacy of France, many kindred people ; for Mobile contained many whose hearts were filled with sympathy, admiration and love for their emperor. Louisiana was only a short distance from Mobile, and it was upon this French country that they based their hopes for help in the furtherance of their plans to restore the great Napoleon to his empire. When they learned these things, there was no doubt in their minds that Ala- bama was the country in which they ought to settle, and where the oppressor's hand could not reach them,^^ After they decided '" Miss Lyon's "Bonapartists in Alabama." "Pickett's History of Alabama. ''Ibid. 326 Alabama Historical Society. to settle in the region traversed by the Tombigbee and Black Warrior rivers, congress granted them a tract of land by the fol- lowing act, approved March 3, 1817:^^ "An act to set apart and dispose of certain public lands, for the encouragement of the cultivation of the vine and olive. "Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury, under the direction of the President of the United States, to designate, and set apart, any four contiguous townships, each six miles square, of vacant public lands lying in that part of the Mississippi Territory which was formed into a land district, by the act, entitled 'An act for the ascertaining and surveying of the boundary line fixed by the treaty with the Creek Indians, and for other purposes,' passed on the third day of March, one thousand eight hundred and fifteen ; and the four townships, so designated and set apart, shall be re- served from public and private sale, anything in the aforesaid act to the contrary notwithstanding. "Sec. 2. And be it further enacted. That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized to contract for the sale of the said four townships, which shall have been designated and set apart, as aforesaid, at the rate of two dollars per acre, to be made payable fourteen years after the contract shall have been concluded with any agent, or agents, of the late emigrants from France, who have associated together for the purpose of forming a settlement in the United States ; Provided, That satisfactory evidence shall be produced that such agent, or agents, are duly authorized to form such contract, and that the number of such emigrants, being of full age, for which he or they are authorized to act, are equal at least to the number of half sections contained in the four townships proposed to be disposed of. "Sec. 3. And be it further enacted. That the said Secretary shall have power to make such allotment of the lands among the in- dividuals, and to stipulate, in the proposed contract, for such con- ditions of settlement and cultivation of the vine, and other vege- table productions, as may to him appear reasonable ; and that on the fulfillment of such conditions shall the issuing of grants, for the lands, be made to depend : Provided, That no patent shall be granted for any of the lands aforesaid, nor shall any title be obtained therefor, either at law or equity, until complete pay- ment shall have been made for the whole four townships, and un- til they comply with the conditions of the contract, so to be made as aforesaid ; nor shall a patent be granted for a greater quantity than six hundred and forty acres to any one person." " U. S. Statutes at Large, vol. iii, p. 374. French Grant in Alabama. — Whitfield. 327 Having obtained the grant of land. Colonel Parmentier and others of the emigrants sailed from Philadelphia for Mobile with some of the French gentlemen and their families in the schooner McDonough, which had been procured for the purpose. In a letter to a friend in Philadelphia, Colonel Parmentier wrote thus concerning an accident that occurred while on board :^* Mobile; Bay, May 26, i8iy. "After a passage of 21 days from the capes of Delaware we have arrived within sight of these shores, which not a soul on board had ever seen before ; we had, however, a very narrow es- cape at the moment when about to gain this real land of promise ; we were gliding gently along under favor of a pleasant breeze, lead in hand, when suddenly from nine fathoms we made only two fathoms, or twelve feet, and before we could haul off, ground- ed. You may conceive the feelings of our associates under all our circumstances. However, we were fortunate in possessing in Captain John McCloud, a mind experienced, collected and in- trepid ; his activity, presence of mind and excellent temper were not disturbed by the indiscreet conduct of some on board, whose imprudence and want of self-possession might have been fatal with a man of less manly and less resolute disposition ; he may be fairly said to have saved every person on board by his firm- ness and discretion. By his good disposition we were enabled to obtain succor from Fort Boyer ; a boat from which set off under its intrepid and generous commanding officer, Lt. R. Beal, of the artillery, and Captain Bourke, formerly of the army, who hap- pened to be at the fort. These two gallant men, with four pri- vates, put oft' on discovering our situation and succeeded in carry- ing our passengers on shore, after great and persevering fatigue ; it is by men like these, whose profession inures them to dangers and privations unknown in common life, that the greatest acts of generosity are usually displayed ; not content with rescuing us from danger of wreck, they conducted us into the fort, and with an affection the most unaffected taught us to forget the dangers we had escaped, and to bless the circumstances which enabled us to enjoy their generosity, hospitality and kindness; there was nothing which the country could afford which we were not pro- vided with, and they have left on our hearts impressions of grati- tude which time cannot efface. ''Our vessel being lightened, and having suffered no injury, moved into the channel, and having procured the requisite infor- mation to proceed to our destination, the same kindness which had flown to our relief, contributed to our comfort and gratification and conducted us on board, and, accompanied by such a variety of '^* National Intelligencer, July 17, 1817. 328 Alabama Historical Society. refreshments, and acts of goodness exercised towards individuals whom they had never seen before, but whose fortunes and destiny- appears to have found in their generous hearts a noble sympathy ; they furnished us with letters of introduction to their friends. It is impossible to communicate the sense we entertain of the kind- ness we have experienced — to-morrow we ascend the river Mo- bile, from whence you shall hear from me again. "The country on the margin of the sea presents a scene of the highest luxuriance. The foliage brighter than your more north- ern climate ; the bay is a young sea, and appears to be unbounded ; but it is too soon to give you any ideas of a distinct landscape, to speak of a soil that we have scarcely touched, and that towards which we are approaching too remote yet to be seen." The following extracts of a letter from Colonel Parmentier, dated White Bluff, July 14th, 1817, to a friend in Washington, tell of their treatment while in Mobile and of their trip up the Tombigbee river to the White Bluft*.^' "We reached Mobile^*' on the 25th ult., and found that our arrival was expected. The officers of the government, those who would be benefited by the increase of inhabitants and the aug- mentation of the price of produce, those who were friendly to the prosperity of the country, and, indeed, all who were not actu- ated by a jealousy as short-sighted as pitiable, were favorably dis- posed towards our settlement. Mr. Gibson, a public agent, and a man of liberal education, Mr. John Toulmin, brother of Judge Toulmin, and Mr. Lewis, the collector of the port, distinguished for their merit and affability, treated us with the greatest possible attention and introduced us to the first houses of Mobile, from whom we obtained very particular information of the country we were about to traverse. Mr. Lewis offered us the use of the rev- enue cutter, which we accepted, so that our first excursion up the country was made under the United States flag." When the revenue cutter started on its way up the river, it left the wharf crowded with many friends whom the exiles had made ^^ National Intelligencer, August 30, 1817. '" A short description of Mobile taken from the same letter may interest the reader. "Until lately there was no quay at Mobile to moor vessels to. One is now constructing, which is to be built out far enough to have nine feet of water at its eastern extremity at low tide. It will when completed be very long. The city is situated on a sandy beach perfectly level. The streets are from 60 to 100 feet wide. The houses are almost all of wood, one story high, with some few of two stories. They are raised from two to four feet above the ground on piles of large dimensions. There are from 80 to 100 houses, and they continue to build very fast. The population is estimated at from 1000 to 1500, of every description." French Grant in Alabama. — IVhitfield. 329 during their brief stay in Mobile. They departed on a bright clear summer morning which presented a marked contrast to the day that they entered the harbor. They entered the port friendless and distressed, now they continued their voyage joyously with many friends to pray for their safe passage up the river. Adieus were waved from the wharf as the cutter set out, and were an- swered by cheers from the enthusiastic exiles. "I arrived at Fort Stoddard on Sunday the 31st of May. Judge Toulmin had sent horses to convey me to his residence, distant one and a half miles from the river. This highly respectable magis- trate treated me with the greatest possible kindness, and ex- pressed the interest he felt in our settlement. He accompanied me to Fort Montgomery, and introduced me to his son-in-law (Gen. Gaines), who received me in a manner suitable to our recommendations and his well established character. All the topographical documents in his possession were at my disposal, and he instructed those of his officers, who had been employed in reconnoitering the country, to give me the most circumstantial de- tails as to the courses of the navigable rivers, the nature of the soil on their banks, the hills which rise above them, the ways which have been opened on these hills, and the character of the in- habitants who are already established here and there over this im- mense surface. "On Tuesday I arrived at St. Stephens, ^^ and on delivering my letters of recommendation, I met with the greatest possible at- tention. Mr. McGoffin, of the land office, placed at my disposal all the plans and reports of the surveyors : which most singularly corroborated the information I had previously obtained, although by induction, the surveys extended as yet only to the 32d degree of latitude, which is the northern of the lands for sale on the ist " There is an interesting description of St. Stephens in Parmentier's let- ter of July 14, and an article in the National Intelligencer of September 9, 1817. "The town of St. Stephens, at the head of ship navigation on the Tom- bigbee, is advancing with a rapidity beyond that of any place, perhaps, in the Western country. It is built on very uneven ground, and much time and expense will be necessary to level it. It is situated half a mile from the river, and has an area laid out containing 1320 acres. The lots are 45 feet wide and 90 feet deep. They sold on the first settlement of the town at 200 dollars each. The present proprietors continue to sell at the same price, excepting certain situations, for which it is said 2,000 dollars might be procured if they were for sale. There are already fifty houses, twenty of which are stores. New buildings are erected every day, and there is a want of workmen to build them. A hod-man gets two dollars per day wages. An academy has been erected on the most elevated part of the town, it is directed by professors of acknowledged merit, and has already eighty scholars, several of whom are from New Orleans. The annual amount of merchandise brought and vended at this place, is not less than 500,000 dollars and is still increasing." 22 330 Alabama Historical Society. of July. I acquired much information from Colonels Dale, Fisher, Dinsmore, Watson, and Mr. Malone, etc.'" At St. Stephens they discharged the revenue cutter and procur- ed a barge for the remainder of the trip. After some time the exiles reached the \Miite Blufif, where some of the party landed while the rest pushed high up the river to "old Fort Tombeckbee." There they consulted with George Strother Gaines, who was at that time United States Choctaw Factor, upon a favorable place for locating, and he suggested that they settle at the White Blufif. While they were at the fort, Jean A. Pennier and Bazile Meslier, their exploring commissioners, whom they had sent out to seek a location for their colony, joined them and agreed with the suggestion of Mr. Gaines ; whereupon it was decided to settle at the chalky cliff upon which now stands the town of Demopolis. These two gentlemen were then sent back to Philadelphia with letters to the association, which con- vinced them that this was the country in which to make a settle- ment.^^ In a letter to a friend Colonel Parmentier wrote thus : "We have explored the country situated on the east side of the Tombigby, above the line called the Choctaw boundary, and we have resolved to fix ourselves on the spot known by the name of the White Bluff, about three-fourths of a mile below the junction of the Black Warrior and Tombigby rivers, as part of our grant. It remains to say in what shape the four townships are to be laid out, and this we will do as soon as the meridian line shall be con- tinued twelve miles above the White Bluff, and the lines of demar- cation shall be marked as far as the said Bluff. The season is al- ready advanced, and no resource would be left to a number of individuals during the ensuing winter if the benevolent intentions of the government towards us are not administered with some celerity. White Bluff is one of the finest situations I ever saw in m- life, and the lands lying around it are of the very finest auality. Nature here offers us everything. If we know how to profit by these advantages we must be happy." The county in which they settled was given the name Marengo, at the suggestion of Judge Lipscomb, while a member of the legislature at St. Stephens, in commemoration of the great battle which the imperial army won over the Austrian general, Melas. The emigrants chose lots and erected cabins and made such other improvements as were possible in this wilderness. In the " Pickett's History of Alabama. French Grant in Alabama. — Whitfield. 331 course of a few months quite a number of emigrants had arrived in boats by way of Mobile.^'' They laid out a town on the White Bluff, which they called Demopolis — the city of the people — at the suggestion of Count Pierre Francois Real, one of the Philadel- phia incorporators, who never came to Alabama. In the meantime the land had been surveyed and Charles Villar, agent of the association, had contracted with Hon. William H. Crawford, secretary of the treasury, for township 18, range 3, east, and townships 18, 19 and 20, range 4, east, in the Mississippi .Territory, for which the association agreed to pay one hundred and eighty-four thousand three hundred and twenty dollars on or before January 8, 1833. The contract contained the fol- lowing conditions and stipulations :"" "I. That, before the expiration of three years from the date of this contract, there shall be made upon each tract in the afore- said four townships allotted to the respective associates a settle- ment by themselves individually, or by others on their account. "2. That, before the expiration of fourteen years from the date hereof, there shall be cleared and cultivated within the said four townships at least ten acres of land for each quarter section, taken aggregately. "3. That, before the expiration of seven years from the date hereof, there shall be cultivated within the said four townships at least one acre to each quarter section, taken aggregately, in vines. , "4. That, before the expiration of seven years from the date hereof, there shall be planted within the said four townships not less than five hundred olive trees, unless it shall be previously established to the satisfaction of the President that the olive can not be successfully cultivated thereon. "5. That a report shall be made annually to the Secretary of the Treasury by the agent of the said association, or his succes- sor, showing the number of settlements made within the said four townships in each year ; the progress made in cultivating the vine and olive, and the degree of success with which the same is attended ; and describing the number and kind of such plants which have been cultivated ; and also the said, agent, or his suc- cessor, shall, from time to time, furnish to ihe Secretary of the " It seems that some also came by way of the Ohio if we may credit the following extract from Niles' Register, Sept. 6, 1817 : "The French Emigrants. — By a respectable Indian agent, now at the seat of government we learn, that in coming up the Ohio, he met upwards of a hundred Frenchmen, at different times, directing their course towards the new settlement on the Tombigbee." '*American State Papers, vol. v. 33^ Alabama Historical Society. Treasury such other information touching the condition and state of the association as he may require. "6. That the list of the associates deposited in the treasury aforesaid be recognized, and the persons thereon inscribed con- firmed in the allotments of land annexed to their names respec- tively, with the exceptions following, viz : Martin Pignet Joseph, Wiles and Leclerc, V. M. Garesche, Jacques Brand and John Ros- ter, Jean Thomas Carre, Laurent Faures, Englebert, Samuel Jack- son, Joseph Robard. Pierce Freres, Jean Baptiste Neel, William Tablee, Bellington, George Gaines, S. Voohees, Guillaume Mon- telius, Kimbal, shall be erased therefrom, and Jacques Moncravie, R. A. Terrier, Charles Brugiere, Joseph Ducommun, Madame George, Pierre Garesche, J. Bonno, Pierre Drouet, Emely and Conde, be inserted thereon, and be entitled, in the order in which they stand herein, to the allotment of the persons thus erased ; and the allotments annexed to the names of the others of the persons thus erased shall be assigned to the other late emigrants, under such regulations as are hereinafter prescribed. "7. That such emigrants as are inscribed on the said list, who had previously to knowing of the allotments assigned to them respectively, settled and improved land within the said four town- ships, either in those sections set apart for the small allotments, or in others, and before the first day of August last past, shall be entitled to hold the same, to the extent, and in lieu of the quantity, in the large or small allotment, as the case may be, unless the par- ty to whom such lands were actually allotted shall, within six months from the date hereof, tender to such settler the value of the improvements which he may have made thereon, to be ascer- tained by two respectable persons under oath ; and, on failure to make such tender, the party to whom such land was allotted shall be entitled to the land allotted to such emigrant as the aforesaid to the extent of the allotment so occupied and improved ; or, if the same be insufficient, he shall be further indemnified by the assignment of so much land as will make up the quantity, out of any land not otherwise appropriated. "8. That the land exempted from appropriation by the fore- going provisions may be appropriated to other emigrants from France — not already provided for, and whose names shall be pre- sented to the Secretary of the Treasury for his approbation by the agent of the association, or his successor ; but actual settle- ment shall in all cases be an indispensable condition.'' The following is "a list of the names of the persons who en- tered into contract with the Treasury Department for the culture of the vine and olive, and of the tracts of land allotted to each."-^ American State Papers, vol. iv. French Grant in Alabama. — Whitfield. 333 Nos. or Quantity Nos. oi Marks of of I,and Sections the Land Names to Kach t I Meslier, Bazile, 480 2 Lauret, Louis, 160 2 3 Conte, Honore, 120 4 Reudet, Corneille Cadet, 120 5 Vial, Antoine, 120 6 Bujey, Antoine, 120 7 Godemar, Jean Baptiste, 120 Reserve A. Colomel, 40 3 8 Jeannet, Louis Rene, 320 9 Ve, Julie Pastol, 320 4 10 Allard, Henry, 120 1 1 Combes, Germain, 120 12 Combes, Vincent, 120 13 Sibenthal, freres, 240 Reserve B. Latapie, 40 5 14 Derdrauville, Rene, 240 16 Alma, Anselme 120 16 Salmon, Francois 120 17 Lintroy, 120 Reserve C. Payen, freres, 40 6 18 Shults, Colonel Jean, 320 19 Comb. Colonel Micheal 320 7 20 Martin Francis. 480 21 Pelagot. Antoine Zacharie 160 8 22 George, Edward 480 23 Voile, 160 9 24 Lacombe, Pierre, 480 25 Lalapie. Antoine, 160 10 26 Richard, Etienne, 160 27 Papillot, Etienne, 160 11 28 Frenage. Jean Pierre, 480 29 Rivet, George, 160 12 30 Boutiere, J. Claude Benoit, 240 31 Ve. Louis David 120 32 Delaposte, Louis 120 2Z Meynie, Jean Ulysse, 120 Reserve D. Barthelemine, 40 13 34 Metais, Et. J. B 240 35 Mansuis, Luiller, 120 36 Jouny, Louis Michel, 120 T,7 Vernhes, Jean Vincent, 120 Reserve E- Bestos, 40 14 38 Marchaud, Louis Pre. Th 480 39 Martin. Amedee 160 15 40 Butland, Isaac, 240 41 Keller, Jonas, 240 42 Menou, Dieu Donne, 120 Reserve F. Fouquet, J. and Moulin, 40 16 43 Jordan, Colonel Ambroise, 320 44 Vorster. Colonel Emile 320 17 45 Cadet, Bergache, 240 46 Gallard, Pierre 240 47 Lefeuvre. Claude Joseph 140 Reserve G. ( Not appropriated) , 40 18 48 Paguenaud, Edward, 240 49 Transon, Jean, 240 50 Gaunay, Nicolas, 120 334 Alabama Historical Society. Nos. or Nos .of Marks of Sections the Land Reserve H. 19 51 52 20 53 54 55 21 56 57 Res ierve I. 22 58 59 23 60 61 24 62 63 64 Reserve J. 25 65 66 67 Res erve K. 26 68 69 70 27 71 72 28 73 74 29 75 76 30 77 78 31 79 80 32 81 82 Reserve L- 33 83 85 34 86 87 88 35 89 90 36 91 92 37 93 94 3« 95 96 97 Quantity of I,»nd Names to Each Glenville, 40 Astolphi, Laurent, 480 Knappe, Phillippe, 160 Grouche, Colonel Alphonse, 320 Grouchey, Captain Victor, 160 Pillero, 160 Drouet, Pierre, 480 Bailley, Michel 120 Dupui and Ragon, 40 Lemaignen, Pierre Paul, 480 Lerouyer, Francois, 160 Gavesche, Pierre, 480 Formento, Felix, 160 Gavesche, Pierre, 240 Burkle, Emanuel, 120 Coquillon, freres, 240 Parat, R 40 Drouet, Pierre, 240 Baizeau, 60 Fagot 60 Delpit, 60 Lapeyre, 60 Boutierre, Francois Gaspard, 120 Miot, 40 Robin, Thomas, 240 Nartique, J. Justin, 240 Gerard, Hyacinth, 160 Follin, Auguste Firmin, 480 Follin, freres, 160 Chapron, J. M., 480 Wiell, James 160 Dupouy, Nicholas Alex'r. 480 Manoury, P. Max, 160 Madame, George, 480 Tournel, Jacques, 160 Martin, Picquet, L. I. F., 480 Moucravie, Jacques, 160 Emely, 480 Martin, Picquet, pere, 120 Mangon and Martial, 40 Aieze, freres, 240 Brugiere, Charles, 240 Barrau, 160 Lecampion, Francois, 240 Brechemin, Lewis, 240 Humbert, Jacques Estienne, 160 Jamet, 480 Rigau, Narcisse Pericles, 160 Promis, Gillaume, 480 Desmares 160 Durand, Jean Baptiste, 480 Robaglia, Joseph, 160 Garnier, fils, 240 Peniere, fils, Emile 240 Ve, Audibert, 120 French Grant in Alabama. — Whitfield. 535 Nos. or Nos. of Marks oi Sections the Laud Reserve M. 39 98 99 Re: serve N. 40 100 lOI 41 102 103 42 104 105 43 106 107 44 108 109 45 no III 46 112 113 47 114 115 Reserve 0. 48 116 117 Reserve P. 49 118 119 120 50 121 122 SI 123 124 52 125 126 S3 127 128 129 Reserve Q. 54 130 131 55 132 133 56 134 135 57 136 137 S8 138 139 140 59 141 142 60 143 144 Reserve R. 61 145 146 and 147 148 Quantity of Land Names to Kach Mignon, 40 Nidelet, E. P., 480 Cousin, David, 120 Doudel, 40 Galabert, Colonel Louis, 320 Petitval, 320 Anduze, Mathew Bernard, 480 Frederick, Louis Auguste, 160 Gubert, J. H., 480 Moynier, Jos. Ariste Theo 160 Colonel Douarche, 320 Grouchet, Louis, 320 Villar, Charles, 480 Pagniere, J. Alexander, 166 Dirat, Louis M., 480 Mondin, 160 Pagaud, Pierre, 480 Fallot, Eugene Hyacinthe, 160 Frenage, Marce Antoine, 480 Laurent, Clement, 120 Dalaunay, 4° Vondame Gl, 480 Angeli, Hiacinthe, 120 Foquet, aine, 40 Poculo, Benoit, 320 Baltar, 160 Moquart, 160 Besson, Louis An, 480 Lemeunier, J. Joseph, 160 Mesnier, 240 (Not appropriated), 240 Henry, Germain, 160 Colonel Rigau, 480 Mariano, Pompee, 160 Texier, Lepomerave, 320 Harraneder, Charles, 160 Mataye, Jean Pierre, 120 Penard and Amedee, 40 Martin, J. Du Colombier, 480 Campardon, Bte, 160 Ravesies, F., 480 Bordas, EHe, 160 Debrosse, Charles, 480 Merle, Etienne 160 Lauderelle, M. F. Aug., 480 Canobio, Francois, 160 Davis, L. A., 240 Charles, Fermin B., 240 Montalegri, Hiacinthe, 160 Duval, Jacques S., 48Q Bade, Alexis, fils, aine 160 Lakanal, 480 Desportes, Leonte, 120 C. Desafoe, 40 Tulane, freres, 240 Antoine 240 Boitau, Francois, 120 336 Alabama Historical Society. Nos. or Nos ;. of Marks of Sections the Land Reserve S. 62 149 150 63 151 152 153 64 154 65 156 157 66 158 159 160 161 Reserve T. 67 162 163 Reserve U. 68 164 165 69 166 167 70 168 169 71 170 171 172 173 72 174 175 72, 176 177 74 178 179 75 180 181 76 182 183 184 77 185 186 187 1S8 Reserve V. 78 189 190 Reserve W. 79 191 192 1^3 194 80 195 196 81 197 198 Quantity of Land Names to Each Pueek. 40 Leboutellier, Michel, 480 Plantevigne, 160 Moncravie, Jacques, 240 Bringier 240 Monot, Charles, 160 Cluis. T. Jerome, 480 Ruffier, Ferdinand, 160 Garnier, frere, 480 Simon, 160 Terrier, R. A., 240 Macre, Jean M., 120 Dumas. Antoine, 120 Dalmazeau, J., 120 St. David, 40 Foutanges, P. F., 480 Godan, Victoire, (N), 120 Blancon and Taverly, 40 Belair, Louis, ' 480 Sagnier, Henri Antoine, 160 Lallemand, General Charles, 480 Valcourt, Aime, 160 Clausel, General Bertrand, 480 Blaquerolle, 160 Sar}-, Jean AI. Alex., 160 Gatly, Antoine, 160 Ilari, Benoit 160 Millon, Solidor, 160 Ducommun, Joseph, 480 Genin, Charles Franc, 160 Colonel Charassin, 320 Vasques, Jean, 320 Roland, Jean Francois, 320 Pichon, Claude Charles, 320 Clareton. Joseph Louis, 480 Grillet, Francois, 160 Texier, Jean 240 Martinet, Pierre Louis, 240 Vitalba, Jean Baptiste, 160 Jogan, Antonin, 240 Cavoroc, Charles, 120 Brugiere, Charles, 120 Chapon, 120 Make, 40 Dubarry. John 480 Salaignac, Louis, 120 Lebrusse, 40 Descourt. Leonard Alex., 240 Onfray, Jean Baptiste 120 Pochard, Aug. Francois, 120 Fux, Louis, 160 Colonel Raoul, 320 Neel, J. B., 160 Gilbert, 160 Seveligne 480 Mane, 160 Nos. or Nos. of Marks of Sections the Land 82 199 200 201 202 83 203 204 205 206 Reserve X. 84 207 208 85 209 210 86 211 212 213 87 214 215 88 216 217 89 218 219 220 221 222 90 223 224 91 225 226 Re serve Y. 92 227 228 229 Re serve Z. 93 230 231 232 94 233 234 95 235 236 237 238 96 239 240 97 241 242 98 243 244 99 245 246 100 247 248 lOI 249 250 French Grant in Alabama. — Whitfield. 337 Quantity of Laud Names to Each Richard, George, 160 Nardel, Francois, 160 Chauvot, Charles, 160 Pladaut, Francois, 160 Bono, Charles, 240 Tasche, 120 Blanden, Jean, 120 Azan, 120 Devengen, 40 Victoire, Delaunaj' Jos., 480 Castan, Etienne, 160 Lefrancois. freres 480 Groning, 160 Pothier, Simon 240 Shubart, Henry, 240 Fisher, 120 Soulas, 40 Beylle, Joseph 480 Malozcwsky, Constant Paul, 160 Teterel, Francois, 480 Pagniere 160 Bubosq 120 George, fils. aine, Edward, 120 Lesueur, 120 Dor, 120 Maillet, Henry Pre. A. As., 160 Stallenwereck, freres, 480 Vallot, Joseph, 120 Matthieu, Dr. Joseph, 480 Allain, Joseph 120 Mayer, 40 Jeandrau, Jean 240 Carlebaux, Guillaume 240 Buttand 120 Constantin and Dechoule, 40 Colonel Taillade, 320 Olivieri. Joseph 160 Luciani, Pascal 160 Mai, Grouchy 480 Deschamps, Francois Me 160 Baumier, Cesar, 160 Barbe, Antoine, 160 Stribaud, Charles 160 Decorme, Charles 160 Chandron, Edward, 480 Gilbal, Antoine 160 Martin Prosper 480 Desplan, Samuel 160 Melizet. Francois, 480 Carso, Francois 160 Hamel. Victor 480 Havard 160 Peniere. pere, J. A., 480 Fauchon, Hoe, 160 Lecoq du Marcelay 480 Godat, 120 338 Alabama Historical Society Nos. or Nos. of Marks of Sections the Land 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 III 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 Reserve AA. 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 Reserve BB. 278 279 280 Reserve CC. 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 Reserve DD. 288 289 290 291 292 293 Reserve EE. 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 Quantity of Land Names to Each Morin, 40 Defourni, Col. Fabius 320 Guillot, 320 Badaraque, Thomas, 480 Conte, Marius 160 Desfouch, Charles, 160 Pascal, Paul, 160 Fouasche, Pierre, 160 Bernard, Henrj-, 160 Rapin, Joseph 480 Contardi, Lewis, 160 St. Guiron, Jeune 480 Demony, Dominique Victor, 160 Ravesies, E., 240 Fournier, Honore 240 Farcy, 160 Champenois, P. ]., 240 Savary, Joseph 240 Belmere, pere. and fils 160 Gen. Lallemand, Hy. 480 Prompt, 160 Bayal, Honore, 480 Duriere, Francois, 160 Conde, Charles, 240 Conde, 240 Laurent, Maurice, 160 Chaudron, Simon 480 Boilandry, Eugenie 120 Darembert, 40 Amaud, Camille, 240 Deprest, Rene, frere and Zach 240 Batre, Charles, 120 Lagay, 40 Belange, Mai. Denis, 320 Chasserian, Benoit 320 Real, Pierre Francois 480 Penazi, Louis, 160 Bujac, Mathew and Alfd, freres 240 Germond and Riviere, 240 Guybert, H'y, 120 Payen, freres, 40 Ducoing, Pr^e, 480 Stephens, Samuel J., 160 Fourestier, Elie 480 Gregoire, Etienne 160 Manf redi, Math. Ferd., 160 Dupont, 96 Hurtel, J.. 384 Lefebvre, Gen. Desnouettes 480 Desroures, 160 Jeannet, George, 480 Jeannet, Je, 160 Dumenil, 240 Ducommun, Joseph, 120 Parat, F. Romain, 120 Burgues, Jn. Bernard 120 French Grant in Alabama. — Whitfield. 339 Nos. or NO! i. of Marks of Secli ions the Land Reserve FF. 123 302 303 304 124 305 306 Reserve GG. 125 307 308 Reserve HH. 126 309 310 311 127 312 313 128 314 315 Reserve II. 129 316 317 130 318 319 131 320 321 132 322 U3 324 323 326 327 134 328 329 330 331 Reserve JJ. 135 332 333 334 335 Reserve KK. 136 336 337 137 338 339 340 13B 341 342 343 139 344 345 Quantity of Land Names to Each Cuchet, 40 Ve, Demerest, 240 Boulon, E., 240 Lapeyre, Jn. Bte, 160 Thouron, pere and fils, 480 Larau, Sully, 12c Janin, 40 Bonno, J., 480 Landerin, Francois 120 Bonneau, 40 Legrix, Bellisle, 240 Legras, 240 BuUiard, Etienne, 160 Follin, George, 480 Fauquier, 160 Emery and Duteste 480 Vogeslang, Daniel, 120 Chapotin, 40 Haez 120 Prudhomme, 120 Morel, 240 Murrat, Jean Baptiste, 160 Mestayer, Michel 480 Rieger, Gabriel V 160 Parmentier, Nicholas Sim 480 Bauzan, Pierre, 160 Villemont, 240 Guilleault, 180 Quepart, 60 Verrier, 60 Fisher, 160 Dufourg, Jean Jacques, 240 Dufourg, D. v., 120 Dufourg, F., 120 Lacloix, Rene Francois, 160 St. Guiron, Pre Pascal, aine, 240 Farrouilh, A., 120 St. Felix, Jean R., 120 Decave, Marc Lewis 120 Rapin, 40 Barbarroux, Joseph 240 Cirode, William, 120 Shoeun, Sebastian 120 Gouiran, Joseph Michel, 120 Allouard and Achard, 40 Lajonie, 480 Truck, 160 Colona, Dornano B., 320 Peraldi, Toussaint, 160 Scasso, Vincent, 160 Laroderie, Alphonso, 240 Savournin, Joseph 240 Balbuena, Joseph, 160 Canonge, Pierre August, 480 Lucien, 160 340 Alabama Historical Society. Nos. or Quantity Nos. of Marks oi of I