350&356. Capt Jean Baptise Baudreau Dit Graveline I & 351. Suzanne ?
& 357. Marie Suzanne Panyouasas [Can, Fra, MS]
5/18/1671, Jean born in Montréal, Québec, Canada; s/o 700. Urbain Baudreau Dit Graveline & 701. Mathurine Marguerite Julliett Dit Avignon.
5/18/1671, Jean baptized in Notre Dame, Montréal, Ile de Montréal. (S) No. 700 Family notes.
~1672 Suzanne born in born in France. (S) Old Mobile.
1681 Census of Montreal, “Baptiste”, 11 and living with his family. [This is the last record found of Jean in the Montreal/Quebec parish archives]
9/1697, Jean participated in the attacks on Hudson Bay with Pierre Le Moyne D’Iberville. Jean Baptiste as a young man courageously risked his life many times “...for the service of his Majesty, first in the expeditions in which he took part in Canada against the Iroquois, where he always distinguished himself, as well as in the journeys that were made there by sea to take Hudson’s Bay and ravage the coasts of Newfoundland ...”. (S) Bouzage Bosarge, P95. In the battle of Fort Nelson [Fort Bourbon by the French], D’Iberville’s ship the Pelican defeated 3 British ships in a battle during a gale-force storm. Pierre Le Moyne D’Iberville [founder of Mobile], Joseph Le Moyne de Serigny, and Bienville Le Moyne [founder of New Orleans] were all Canadian-born sons of Charles Le Moyne of Montreal; the birthplace of Jean Baptiste, son of the Lord Mayor of Montreal.
1/17/1699, Jean was present for the inventory of his father’s estate in Montreal, Canada.
1699, Jean was one of 60 Canadians that sailed from New Foundland to Rochefort, France with Joseph Le Moyne de Serigny, who became the Governor of Rochefort. By orders of Pontchatrain, the Canadians awaited the return of Pierre Le Moyne D’Iberville. If D’Iberville’s expedition was successful, the men would be ready for D’Iberville’s 2nd voyage to the new French colony of LA.
1699, Jean married 1st Suzanne ? in La Rochelle, France. Suzanne was a Protestant [as were many of the residents of the La Rochelle area] that took her religion seriously. (S) Old Mobile, P443.
10/1699, Jean left France with D’Iberville on the ship La Renommee from La Rochelle.
1/8/1700, Jean arrived by ship at the MS coast (Biloxi) where Fort Maurepas was established. Jean remained at Fort Maurepas until the capital was moved in 1702 to a site on the Mobile River, where he then lived at Fort Louis for a time.
5/25/1700 Census of Biloxi, Canadians – Jean Baptiste Graveline. (S) Census Tables 1699–1732.
1/1702, Jean moved with D’Iberville to establish Fort Louis up-river from current Mobile, AL. He was a Militia Captain. [Jean is considered one of 27 Founder’s of Old Mobile]. (S) Love’s legacy, P29. At this time there were only 240 Frenchmen and Canadians in lower LA. (S) Old Mobile, P113.
6/1702, Jean built a one-story [probably 2 room] house from young pine. A well-to-do Canadian, his home was one of the largest; about 50 ft long and 20 ft wide; with a covered gallery outside for use in the heat of summer. The mortar for the walls was composed of damp clay, sand and oyster shells. The majority of his allocated land was used for private gardening. (S) Old Mobile, PP88-90.
1705, Jean, no longer in the King’s service, and some other more ambitious residents were planning large plantations to be able to sell produce to Havanna, Vera Cruze, Pensacola, and the French King’s stores on Massacre Island. There main problem was a lack of slaves to supply the labor. (S) Old Mobile, P224. The French administrators had an anti-slave policy to try to win the support of, and peace among the local Indian tribes, from which slaves were being bought by the English.
~1706 Marie born in LA Terr., d/o 714. Pierre Panyouasas & 715. Marianne ?. (S) No. 714 Family notes.
8/1706, Jean and some business partners boarded the ship Aigle headed for Havana. At Havana they switched to the English-built ship Conventry, which arrived in La Rochelle, France a few months later. Jean and partners Derbanne, La Fresniere and La Source, were interested in starting a trade in beaver furs, but they needed a ship. Jean, at 36, possessed more resources than any other merchant in the colony. In France, Jean and his partners ran into problems with an already assigned beaver monopoly. Jean believed there would still be profitable trade in France for LA resources. (S) The Descendents, V2, #1, Spring 1981. (S) Old Mobile, P391-3.
10/1707, Jean sent word to his brothers Gabriel and Paul about the venture to sell resources in France through La Source, who was traveling to Montreal to get married. Jean was able to purchased the ship Marguerite, by which he returned to Mobile with supplies that they sold for a good profit. On the return trip Jean bought a bull and other cattle while stopped in Havana. (S) Old Mobile, P394. Jean is identified as having 4 slaves: 2 male Indians, 1 female Indian, and 1 black male. (S) Old Mobile, Appendices.
3/1/1708, all Canadians were dismissed from the French King’s service, and they moved from the fort. Jean, having previously been removed from the service, moved to Dauphin Island. Jean believed the island’s grasslands would be excellent for raising cattle [See CD Misc Graphics 350 map]. It is hard to read, but Graveline’s land is identified on the large-scale map to the right as the “square patch” above the “S”. This map of Dauphin Island is dated 4/4/1717 and resides in the Biblioteque National, Paris, France. The map on the left is the detail around the lagoon “L” in the map on the right, but dates from 1714 [See CD Misc Graphics 350 map]. Note that “L” is identified as “graveline” and “M” translated means “other house of graveline that serves as a church”. Note that in the drawing building “M” has a cross. (S) Graveline Society Publication of 2004, article “New Discovery” by Eloise Genest. Right-map: (S) Old Mobile, Illustrations.
Spring-1709, Jean loaded the Marguerite with a small cargo and returned to France. (S) Old Mobile, P394.
Fall-1709, the ship Marguerite returned from France with passengers Joseph Simon dit la Pointe and his family. They were to become very close friends of Jean; with Joseph eventually becoming the 2nd husband of Catherine Douçin359. Jean had also arranged for more cattle to be bought in Havana. Jean had not heard from his brother Gabriel, and because the Mobile colony was in dire straits, Jean sold the ship to Bienville for the colony’s use. He received 2000 livres for the Marguerite. (S) Old Mobile, P398. Jean’s wife Suzanne probably arrived on this same trip. Her first mention in the colony is when Jean is living on Massacre Island.
1/1710, Jean’s brother Gabriel arrived in Mobile.
Summer-1710, Jean’s and 15 other families were living on Dauphin Island. The buildings pictured were owned by Jean, but he lived near what is now called Graveline Bay where the grasslands were abundant and he could tend to his cattle. This house, described as “the finest private home in the colony”, was a 2-story building costing Jean over 2000 livres. (S) Old Mobile, P442. Suzanne began to instruct her servants in the Protestant faith. Even though this might have been a problem, the Jesuits and Cathloic priests were too busy fighting with each other over who should have control of the “missions” to make her faith an issue.
9/9/1710, a English pirate ship masquerading as a French brigantine anchored off Dauphin Island near Pelican Island. The next day the pirates took control of the island, gathered the residents in a few of the houses where they could be watched, and looted the island’s warehouse. The next day they burnt the buildings not holding residents [Jean’s house was spared along with several others not located near the lagoon]. A Canadian returning to the island came upon a lingering pirate and shot him. The other pirates heard the shot and thought a contingent from the fort was arriving so they returned to their ship and sailed father from the island. They came back the next day in an attempt to retrieve the bull and cattle. Jean and 3 other Canadians used guns that had escaped seizure and fought them off, firing and and then quickly moving to a different location and firing again to make the pirates believe they were a much larger force [remember these were men that had been in battles against the British and Indians]. Jean’s cattle had been saved, but almost everything else of value on the island had been seized or destroyed. (S) Old Mobile, P446-8.
10/1713, Suzanne died on Dauphin Island, AL. (S) 10/1713 letter of Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. (S) Old Mobile, P442.
10/10/1716, Graveline, together with a group of his Canadian friends [including La Fresniere, Durbanne], formed a commercial company. Jean left Mobile and traveled to Spain’s new Kingdom of Leon, what is now East Texas, then called “Tejas”. It was a challenging journey into a territory which was sprinkled with missions, and friendly and unfriendly Indians. At one Point in Texas, the French enterprisers were attacked by 60 Indians, who took 33 of their mules along with the belongings of the men. (S) The Historical Journal of the French in Louisiana, USL History Series, PP100-5. (S) Exploration des affluents du Mississipi et découverte des montagnes Rocheuses (1679-1754), Chap. VI.
10/25/1717, Jean arrived back in Mobile. (S) Same as above.
1717, Jean married 2nd Marie Suzanne Panyouasas. [Apparently because she was “with child”.] If correct, it would not have been that unusual. Many instances of marriage of 12-13 year olds occur in this document, especially with French-Canadian ancestors who were trying to survive and populate new territories. Many of them had children by Native Americans [aka Metis.]
~ 1718, Jean moved to “Martin’s Bluff”, on the west side of the Pascagoula river in MS. With the help of Indian and Negro slaves, he farmed and raised cattle on his river plantation.
9/12/1724, Jean Baptiste (Baudreau) and his daughter (Magdeleine) were godparents to Jean B C Ladner160i. (S) SRAoM, #396. On the same day they were also the godparents to two Nego children “Jean Baptiste” and “Magdelaine”.
3/1725, M Gorty Census, habitants Pascagoula, Graveline, 2 children [Magdelaine & Jean]. (S) Census Tables 1699–1732.
1/1/1726 Census of the colony of Louisiana. At Pascagoula, Graveline, 2 children, 19 Negro slaves, 2 Indian slaves. (S) Census Tables 1699–1732.
8/26/1726, Jean’s daughter Magdelene was married in his house. (S) No. 174 Family notes.
7/3/1727, Jean formally married 2nd “Suzanne”, an Indian. 7/3/1727, “I a missionary Priest and Curate of Mobile in the course of my mission and within my jurisdiction on the river capiene having accorded and dispensed the three banns by the authority which I had received from my superior and vicar General the Bishop of Quebec, have received the mutual consent of John Baptiste Boudreaux of Graveline now a resident of Capiene, and of Suzanne, an Indian, in the presence of John B. Boudreaux Jr. son of the contracting parties, aged ten years, is legitimized by this marriage. There being no objection made I have given them the nuptial blessings, with the ordinary ceremonies of the Church. The following pesons witness the said marriage, Pierre Paquet, Etienne du Chenem Charles Egron, D.A. la Motte and Joseph Bourgror, Christian, who signed. P Benanld, of St. Lawrence, Louis Brasillier of Tourengence, who made their marks. In faith of which I have signed the day and year above mentioned.” /s/ F.F. Mathias – Curate, /s/ Boudreaux, /x/ The Indian Susanne, /s/ Pierre Paquet. (S) Graveline Society Publication of 2004, article “New Discovery” by Eloise Genest. (S) 1762 Certification of marriage: “I a Capuchin Priest, and Missionary Apostle, now Curate of Mobile, certify that the present is a true copy of the original, having been copied word for word from the record. In faith of which I have delivered it to serve the required will. Mobile 28th of January 1762.” /s/ F. Ferdinand, Curate.
3/1733, Carte de partie de la Louisiane …, by Baron De Crenay, March, 1733. Courtesy Archives Nationales, Section d’Outre Mer, DFC, Louisiane, 1A. Note Jean’s home with a cross on top [being used as a church] on the west side of the Pascagoula River [the then location of Pascagoula].
3/1/1734, Jean witnessed and signed at the wedding of his son Jean178 in Pascagoula. (S) No. 178 Family notes.
6/20/1735 at Fort Conde, Mobile, Jean witnessed the wedding of Guillaume Bousquera and Marie Anne Preau. Joseph Moreau226 was also present.
4/5/1736, Jean was the godfather to his granddaughter Marie Marthe174i.
12/3/1736, Jean was named the godfather for the baptism of his grandchildren Mary178i and Jean178ii. (S) Love’s Legacy, P123.
Aft. 1740, Jean married 3rd Martha LaVergne.
7/1744, Jean350 sailed down to Cuba to return his son, Jean Baptiste, to provincial Louisiana where he faced kidnapping charges as filed by consort Marie Henriette’s guardian.
4/25/1747, a petition was granted by Louboey, the commandant at Mobile, to award Marie Henriette a pension for support of Marie Henriette and the children, Julie and Pierre. The petition had been filed by Jean350, as the paternal grandfather of the children. Commandant Louboey remarked to the grandfather that “your charity is well placed regarding Henriette Huet...” (S) Records of the Superior Council of Louisiana.
1747, Jean’s wife Martha LaVergne died.
3/19/1748, Jean attended the guardianship hearing in New Orleans of his granddaughter Marthe. (S) No. 174 Family notes.
9/16/1750, A will was written by Jean Baptiste Baudreau dit Graveline in 1750, 80 years of age at the time: “This sixteenth day of September one thousand seven hundred and fifty Before the Royal notary of the province of LA dwelling in New Orleans ... generally residing at a place called “la Bellefontaine” at old Biloxi, ... he had said & declared to us that he is born in Montréal in Canada & that he is in this colony since the year one thousand Seven hundred, that the came to this Colony with Mr. Iberville & that he believes that out of a hundred who came with him he is the only living person; that having had carnal communication with a Squaw of the Indian Nation (a daughter of a great chief) he had a son who is about thirty of age at this present time which compelled him under this consideration to marry the Said Squaw (or Indian Woman) in presence of our Mother the Roman Catholic & Apostolic holy church as acting the part of a true Christian with the intention of doing a good par to his Son ? named John Baudreaux, but that the severe language and bad conduct which his Son has this day shown to him, he is under the necessity of disinheriting him, having even attempted his life many times by putting his fist upon his throat, threatening to kill him, & other menaces calling him an old Bugger & only seeking daily his destruction ... his unfortunate Son never comes to his house but to pillage him & threaten his life which compels him this day ... to abjure him as his Son ...looking upon him as a miserable wretch who does not deserve all the property that he has made for him sonce he came into the world no more than his wife who has ill treated him … he is well know unfortunately for him by the whole Colony, … (S) Bouzage Bosarge, P96. (S) National Archives, Washington D.C., Ref. Div. D, MS, Item126, V203, P473-4.
1750’s, Jean disinherited his son, and slowly became blind.
1/1762 Jean died in Pascagoula, MS.
(S) Bouzage Bosarge, PP95–100. (S) Programme de Recherche en Démographie Historique, Univ. of Montreal.
Family notes:
• Because Jean has a younger brother with the same name born 19 years after him, there is a problem identifying which one is the correct one in documents after about 1705.
• Jean Baptiste Baudreau Dit Graveline I was an adventurer. The earliest of the ancestors to move from New France to the gulf. He reached Fort Maurepas (Biloxi, MS) on 1/8/1700 with a group representing D’Iberville’s second expedition to the area.
• In a letter to Maurepas in 1748, Governor Vaudreuil wrote of Graveline, “... he came here for the settlement of this colony, at which he has always worked steadily, both by the frequent voyages which he had made to France to contract for and conduct people here, and by the voyages he had made to Vera Cruz and Havana in order to open a commerce there and to have transported to this country the first purebred horned livestock seen here ... he was one of the most opulent and where by his generosity in assisting all those who asked it of him has merited the esteem and the protection of all decent men ...”. Governor Vaudreuil praised Jean saying that he had distinguished himself “...since he has been in Louisana in the difficult journeys that he had undertaken, both to manage certain Indian nations for us and to suppress the insolence of several others, having marched against them at the head of the militia, of which he is the oldest captain, whenever we have formed an army to fight them.”
• There is an archives historical marker near the Interstate 10 rest area.
Children of Jean and Suzanne:
i. Magdeleine Pany Baudreau Dit Graveline ( 175), born 1708¬–1711.
Children of Jean and Magdelene Pany [aka Marie Suzanne]:
ii. Jean Baptise Baudreau Dit Graveline II ( 178), born 1717.
