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disappearance from our midst, giving place to a more heartless and speculative generation that succeeds them. We look upon and think of the noble and generous with admiration, but seldom to emulate; yielding rather to the corrupting influence of the busy throng that surrounds us.

JOSEPH BISSONETTE,

About the

A Canadian, first settled in Detroit. year 1800 he removed to the River Raisin, and settled upon the farm on the south side of the river, containing about two hundred acres, the front of which farm is now owned and occupied by Mr. Kline. Joseph married Eunice Robert. The children of this marriage were Joseph, Alexander, Gabriel, David and Antoine; Mary, who married Joseph Chovin; Catharine, who married Peter Vallequet; Pelisha, who married Alexis Nadeau; Julia, who married William Brown; and Victorie, who married Richard Mettez.

Joseph Bissonette lived on this farm during the War of 1812, but sent his family for safety to Detroit. He was a great favorite with the Indians by whom he was surrounded, and quite intimately acquainted with Shawenaw-Bab, Wassagan and Ponette, the chiefs of three of the tribes, through whose influence he was protected from depredations of the savages. Gabriel, one of the sons, then a little boy, was adopted by one of the chiefs, Shawenaw-Bah. The child was a source of amusement to the chiefs, who enjoyed making him dance. The chiefs ceded his father for the benefit of Gabriel one-half section of land on the Macon, all signing a parchment conveying the tract. But Joseph, the father, then owned two large farms, and as land was at that time considered of little value, the gift was not appreciated. At this time Father Richard, when in this vicinity in discharge of his duties as a priest of the Catholic church, generally made it his home with Mr. Joseph Bissonette, and usually had the services of Mr. Bissonette, who was familiar with the Indian trails as guide to the various tribes of Indians. Father Richard suggested to Mr. Bissonette a gift of this tract on the Macon to the Catholic church, as he then had more than he and his family could cultivate. He readily complied with the suggestion, and

ceded the tract, expecting it would inure to the benefit of St. Mary's Catholic church, of Monroe, but by some mistake it was ceded to St. Anne's church of Detroit. This tract was for many years known as the Macon Reservation, and was subsequently sold by St. Anne's church of Detroit to the Hon. Isaac P. Christiancy, who opened and developed the stone quarry thereon of a very superior quality for building purposes; he also built a two-story stone dwelling and mills thereon.

Gabriel Bissonette, the son of Joseph Bisso nette, was born in the year 1810, on the homestead farm; was very well acquainted with Major Caldwell, from whom he learned his catechism. Major Caldwell was a member of the Protestant Episcopal church prior to coming to Michigan, but became here a member of the Catholic church, to which he adhered the rest of his life. He was an officer under Colonel Proctor in the British army at the time of the massacre at the River Raisin; was from a wealthy and influential family in Montreal, at which place he made the acquaintance of Miss Lasselle, who subsequently became his wife. She survived the Major a number of years, and died at the residence of her daughter in Monroe in 1885. Major Caldwell during life received a pension from the British Government, and was in sympathy with the British Government and regarded by the American citizens for some time after the war with suspicion.

To return to Gabriel Bissonette from this digression. He was married to Mary Davis, to whom were born Charles and Daniel, now living in Grand Rapids; John, now living at Stillwater, Minnesota; Martha, married Mr. Beach, living at Midland; Mary, married John Golden, who resides at Bay City, a justice of the peace. By his second marriage to Bridget Navy, were born James and Joseph, who reside at Grand Rapids; Louis Napoleon, lives at Bay City; and Richard, now living with his parents; the daughter, Margarette, was married to Thomas Adams, Esq., an attorney and counselor-at-law in Monroe; Annie Victorie, mar. ried William Fisher, now resides in Bay City; and Emily, now single. Mr. Gabriel Bissonette at the age of forty removed to Ionia, in Michi. gan, and remained there eighteen years, then returned to Monroe county and purchased of Elleroy Cicott, one of the sons of John Bt. Cicott, the farm on the north side of the river

about one and one-half miles west of Monroe, generally known as the Cicott farm.

The houses on the Lasselle farms (afterwards Caldwell farms), as well as those on the river, were one story and a half log-houses, with a chimney built of clay. A very capacious fireplace was at one end of the building, a gable window at the other end, accessible by a rough ladder from the outside; a front door with a window on each side, and opposite it a lookingglass, with a fiddle on one side and a crucifix on the other.

Mr. Gabriel Bissonette still lives with us in good health, with the manners of a Parisian gentleman, one of the most intelligent of the French citizens, highly esteemed, and a very exemplary and devoted member of the Catholic church.

BENJAMIN TIBBETTS

Was born at Frenchtown, November 9, 1804. His parents were natives of Rhode Island. His father was a sea-captain before his removal to the then far West. He was in command of a vessel at the time of his death, which was accidental, the result of falling through an open hatchway in the darkness at the dock at Detroit. The mother of Benjamin Tibbetts removed immediately after her husband's death to Frenchtown, three months prior to the birth of Benjamin. Benjamin, though a youth at that time, remembers distinctly the burning of the buildings in which the Kentuckians were confined, and from his home could hear the shrieks of the doomed men. He frequently accompanied his mother on her errands of mercy to relieve the wants and provide for the comfort of the imprisoned captives, which gave the family a deep personal interest in their welfare. The succeeding horrors made a permanent impression on the mind of the youthful Benjamin. A full and connected account of his child life would exceed in interest and hairbreadth escapes many works of fiction. His life and the lives of the family were in many instances saved by their ability in speaking the French language. The Indians in a number of instances lifted him up by his light hair, and flourishing their scalping knives asked him whether he was French or Yankee. His fluent French with his blue eyes and fair complexion puzzled them, and they were un

certain as to duty. The period after Hull's surrender, when the country was in the possession of the British, was a time of especial peril.

Mr. Tibbetts' experience with a half-breed Indian boy, the son of a British officer, nearly resulted in his capture and death. He accidentally shot an arrow which bit the boy over the eye, making a black and blue spot. The boy went to his mother with the grievance, and she, a fierce squaw, took an older son and a large rope and immediately started on the war-path to revenge the insult. The grandmother of Benjamin saw her coming and hid him between two feather beds. A six-acre field of oats opposite their house was trodden down and served as an encampment for about fifty Indians. Benjamin's mother fled to seek the protection of the British officer commanding. He did not choose or dare to cross as a rule the inclinations of the Indians, but in this case told her if she would hide the boy near a high board fence which separated their yard from the street, that he would ride by on horseback; to be on the lookout for him, and if the boy could be on the fence at the moment he rode by he would take him on his horse to the fort, as he could not protect him elsewhere. In an opportune moment his mother removed him from the house to the shelter of some large currant bushes in the garden. While waiting there for the noise of approaching hoofs, the Indians passed within six feet of them. At a signal given by his mother he mounted the fence, so high that the feat at any other time seemed impossible. The officer took him to the fort, where he remained until Detroit was again in the possession of the American forces and the Ironsides family were back in Canada. While in the fort the soldiers amused themselves by trying to hire him to become a British boy, but the inducements were indignantly repelled.

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a merchant for many years, then removed to Galesburg, Illinois, where he died July 7, 1851. Achsah was born in Trenton, New Jersey, February 16, 1795; married Colonel Green of Kentucky. Elizabeth was born in Kentucky December 16, 1796; married Oliver Johnson at the River Raisin July 23, 1818; they had one son, Charles G. Johnson, now residing in Monroe, and one daughter, Elizabeth, who married Talcott E. Wing, of Monroe, and died September 26, 1857. Mary was born at Dayton, Ohio, February 13, 1809; married to Thomas G. Cole, a merchant of Monroe, January 27, 1828; Thomas G. was born February 24, 1806, and died at Detroit January 25, 1862.

The children of Thomas G. and Mary (Disbrow) Cole were as follows: Sarah E., born October 22, 1828, who married James A. Rayner at Monroe October 19, 1853; died in New York January 21, 1885, leaving two daughters Anna, who married Mr. Wells, of New York, and Lizzie, who married Mr. Bush, of New York, now deceased. James Luther, born August 25, 1830; died April 25, 1880. Eliza was born August 9, 1832; married George W. Armitage December 7, 1853; had one son, Thomas, and two daughters, Harriet and Mary; Mary was married to Nelson Phinney, a lawyer, who resides in Kansas. Henry T., born December 9, 1834; married Emily Paulding, daughter of Morrison Paulding, of Monroe; had three sons, William, Thomas and Morrison, all resid. ing in Monroe; married for his second wife Mary Kendall, daughter of Nathan N. Kendall, of Monroe. Daniel T., born January 19, 1837; now residing in Monroe. Harriet Francis, born February 8, 1839; married Frank Tryon, a merchant of New York, July 25, 1865; had two daughters, Sarah and Anna. Mary Disbrow, born February 17, 1846; married John M. Bulkley June 22, 1865, merchant of Monroe; has one son, Henry Conant Bulkley, and one daughter, Mary, living.

Henry Disbrow was in Detroit at the time war was declared with Great Britain; be had gone there with a load of provisions, and did not return to his family for about two years. He was made a prisoner of war while visiting his wife in Sandwich, Canada, at the residence of Major Caldwell. Mr. Kenzie was captured at the same time and was with Mr. Disbrow placed under a guard of Indians. Mr. Disbrow

was released, but Kenzie was placed in irons and sent to Montreal.

When Henry Disbrow removed his family to the River Raisin, they came in a schooner from Sandusky and landed in front of the farm he subsequently bought of Menard. Disbrow afterwards sold the farm to Charles J. Lanman, and Lanman to Stuart, who platted it as a subdivision known as Stuart Plat. After selling the farm Mr. Disbrow removed to Detroit, remained there two years, then returned to Monroe. He purchased in an unfinished condition the McComb Street House, of Mr. Taylor, a lawyer.

Mr. Disbrow was by profession a surveyor, but for a number of years both before and after the War of 1812 he was engaged as a merchant, transporting goods from Dayton and disposing of them at River Raisin and Detroit. At one time he had a store on Front street, Monroe, opposite the grocery of James Nadeau. While occupying this place one Tebo, a Frenchman, burglarized the store. The thief was detected and punished on the public square at the whipping-post with fifty lashes save one on his bare back, administered by John Mulhollen and Miles Thorp. Well do I remember seeing and hearing the blows of the rawhide, which drew blood at nearly every stroke, and how shocking it was to my feelings in common with those of the bystanders.

Mr. Disbrow was a gentleman of great strength and force of character, highly esteemed as a citizen, and was at the time of his death and for many years previous an elder in the First Presbyterian church of Monroe.

ALEXIS SOLEAU,

The grandfather of Touissant Soleau and Frank X. Soleau, at present merchants of this city, came from France at a very early day, and was among the first settlers on the River Raisin. He purchased a farm on his arrival at Detroit, in Springwells, now West Detroit, and subsequently exchanged his farm in Springwells for the Doctor Clark farm, now owned and occupied in part by Mr. Andrew Beier as a residence, and a large portion by I. E. Ilgianfritz as a nursery. He exchanged the Clark farm for a farm on Sandy Creek, three miles

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north of Monroe; was in sympathy with the Americans, and took an active part in the War of 1812, and was, with his son Touissant, taken prisoner by the British at Sandy Creek and confined at Malden until both were exchanged, soon after the battle of Brownstown. Was present at Detroit at the surrender of General Hull, and witnessed the indignation of the American army when the white flag was run up over the fort; saw General Cass in anger thereat break his sword over one of the cannon, declaring the surrender a national disgrace.

Alexis was a millwright and carpenter, and built the first grist-mill on the front of the farm subsequently owned by Doctor Clark, near and below the point where the dam crossed the river. He also built the mill at Stony Creek where Brest is now located, both of which mills were burned and destroyed by the British in the War of 1812.

He purchased a farm on Stony Creek, west of the Lake Shore railroad, which Touissant, sr., his son, cleared and resided on the remainder of his life, dying August 3, 1870; was buried at Newport. Touissant Soleau, sr., was married to Genevieve Burke, at Frenchtown; had eight sons and four daughters.

Touissant Soleau, jr., the eldest, was born October 1, 1820; married November 25, 1847, Phoebe Boardman; is now a merchant in Monroe, copartner of James Robert, on West Front street. He has two sons and two daughters: William T., an attorney practicing in Monroe, who was elected clerk of the city for two terms, also one of the Circuit Court commissioners at this time; his second son, Milton B., now resides at Monroe, clerk in a store; his elder daughter, Ada, married James I. Robert, his present copartner; the younger daughter married Charles Golden, a lawyer in Monroe and at present the prosecuting attorney of the county.

The second son of Touissant Soleau, sr., David A. Soleau, died early, in the State of Virginia.

The third son, Alexis, resides on his farm on Stony Creek.

The fourth son, Oliver, studied for the priest. hood, and in crossing the ocean on his way to St. Thomas was lost at sea.

James enlisted in the War of the Rebellion, and died from disease contracted in the army.

Adrian was killed in the War of the Rebellion at Pulaski.

Henry acted as sutler during the War of the Rebellion.

Frank X. Soleau, son of Touissant Soleau, sr., now a merchant on West Monroe street, served with a very creditable record through the whole War of the Rebellion, and was commissioned as captain of a company.

Of the four daughters of Touissant Soleau, sr., Roselle married Eli Sancraint; Adaline married Joseph Hyatt; Zoe married Mr. Duboy, now deceased; and Mary was a music teacher, acquired an education in the convent, and as a Sister died in the State of New York.

LOUIS LAFONTAIN, SR.,

Father of Louis Lafontain, jr., a resident of this city, was for many years an Indian trader, with headquarters at Fort Wayne, Indiana. In the year 1804 he made a trip to Montreal, Canada, for the purpose of purchasing goods; there he made the acquaintance of Laurent Durocher in the office of a notary public in which he was a clerk, and induced him to return with him. Pleased with the beautiful banks of the River Raisin, lined on either side with vines loaded with clusters of grapes, Mr. Durocher determined to locate here, and sub sequently became quite prominent among the early settlers on the River Raisin, a particular sketch of whose life will be found elsewhere in this volume.

Louis Lafontain, sr., purchased the farm on the bank of Detroit River, now constituting a part of the city of Detroit, and known as the "Lafontain farm." The farm adjoining was purchased and occupied by Mr. Schoebert, whose four daughters married John Bougrand, Joseph Loranger, Nathan Hubble, and Louis Lafontain, sr, all of whom moved to and were identified with the early settlement of Frenchtown on the River Raisin.

Julia, one of the daughters of Louis Lafontain, jr., married Major James W. Spalding, of Monroe, and after his death she married Charles Ross, of Detroit. A second daughter married Theodore Ilgianfritz, one of the proprietors of the extensive nurseries in this city.

Louis Lafontain, sr., with Laurent Durocher,

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