Post by Rivergal on Jul 17, 2012 8:21:11 GMT -6
Julia Kinzie, wife of an Indian Agent, wrote in her book, "Wau-Bun"
"My head ached intensely, the effect of the motion of the boat on the previous day, but I did not like to give up to it; so, after I had been shown all that could be seen of the little settlement in the short time allowed us, we repaired to Mr. Mitchell’s. [Dr. David Mitchell]
We were received by Mrs. M., an extremely pretty, delicate woman, part French and part Sioux, whose early life had been passed at Prairie du Chien, on the Mississippi. She had been a great belle among the young officers at Fort Crawford; so much so, indeed, that the suicide of the post-surgeon was attributed to an unsuccessful attachment he had conceived for her. I was greatly struck with her soft and gentle manners, and the musical intonation of her voice, which I soon learned was a distinguishing peculiarity of those women in whom are united the French and native blood."
[Sophie Mitchell moved to Mackinac and then Green Bay and never lived at Prairie du Chien again. She also became a Protestant around the time of her marriage to fur trader, William Mitchell, son of Dr. David. ]
The wife of William Mitchell, Sophia, was a beauty whose pioneering family had its share of tragedy. Sophia's mother, Pelagie, was, indeed part French. Her father, Pierre LaPointe,
was born in 1747 in Canada, came to Prairie duChien in 1781. He died 1820-1829 Prairie du Chien. Pelagie's mother was Etoukasahwee, said to be a daughter of Wabasha I. They began to live together perhaps in 1872.
Their children were:
Pelagie
Victoria [maried Edward Beszan]
Susan [died young]
Therese [married Pierre Barrette in 1822]
Pelagie LaPointe was first involved with a trader named Lewiss Crawford. With him she had two children, Lewis, Jr., and Sophia, future wife of William Mitchell. Louis Crawford abandoned his family, whereupon Etoukasahwee helped Pelagie raise her children.
The second spouse of Pelagie at Prairie du Chien was Antoine LaChapelle, born 1817. Their children were:
Therese [married Bernard Brisbois in 1832]
Theophile
Pierre
Bernard
Frederick
Joseph
Pauline [married Ira B. Brunson in 1837]
Antoine
Therese died of consumption at the age of 34 in 1850. Pierre died of consumption in 1852. Unfortunately, Bernard blew his brains out at Wabasha, MN, at age 30 and Theophile, who was a lawyer and a member of the Territorial Legislature, went haywire. The memoirs of Mrs. Elizabeth Baird, a half- sister of Jane Rolette [later Jane Dousman] wrote of Theophile LaChapelle:
"After supper we had a call from Theophile la Chappelle, brother of the first Mrs. Mitchell. He was a member of the legislature, a bright and intellectual young man, and an agreeable talker. His sister, Mrs. Mitchell, had died the December previous, and his desire to see me was great, knowing the friendship that existed between her and myself. Poor young man! He became insane soon after this, and spent the remainder of his life at the Hospital for the Insane, near Madison."
It is impossible to say what caused LaChapelle to snap. In 1849 he shot and killed Louis Menard at Prairie du Chien after setting fire to his house. Exactly what Theophile had against Menard, I do not know.
"My head ached intensely, the effect of the motion of the boat on the previous day, but I did not like to give up to it; so, after I had been shown all that could be seen of the little settlement in the short time allowed us, we repaired to Mr. Mitchell’s. [Dr. David Mitchell]
We were received by Mrs. M., an extremely pretty, delicate woman, part French and part Sioux, whose early life had been passed at Prairie du Chien, on the Mississippi. She had been a great belle among the young officers at Fort Crawford; so much so, indeed, that the suicide of the post-surgeon was attributed to an unsuccessful attachment he had conceived for her. I was greatly struck with her soft and gentle manners, and the musical intonation of her voice, which I soon learned was a distinguishing peculiarity of those women in whom are united the French and native blood."
[Sophie Mitchell moved to Mackinac and then Green Bay and never lived at Prairie du Chien again. She also became a Protestant around the time of her marriage to fur trader, William Mitchell, son of Dr. David. ]
The wife of William Mitchell, Sophia, was a beauty whose pioneering family had its share of tragedy. Sophia's mother, Pelagie, was, indeed part French. Her father, Pierre LaPointe,
was born in 1747 in Canada, came to Prairie duChien in 1781. He died 1820-1829 Prairie du Chien. Pelagie's mother was Etoukasahwee, said to be a daughter of Wabasha I. They began to live together perhaps in 1872.
Their children were:
Pelagie
Victoria [maried Edward Beszan]
Susan [died young]
Therese [married Pierre Barrette in 1822]
Pelagie LaPointe was first involved with a trader named Lewiss Crawford. With him she had two children, Lewis, Jr., and Sophia, future wife of William Mitchell. Louis Crawford abandoned his family, whereupon Etoukasahwee helped Pelagie raise her children.
The second spouse of Pelagie at Prairie du Chien was Antoine LaChapelle, born 1817. Their children were:
Therese [married Bernard Brisbois in 1832]
Theophile
Pierre
Bernard
Frederick
Joseph
Pauline [married Ira B. Brunson in 1837]
Antoine
Therese died of consumption at the age of 34 in 1850. Pierre died of consumption in 1852. Unfortunately, Bernard blew his brains out at Wabasha, MN, at age 30 and Theophile, who was a lawyer and a member of the Territorial Legislature, went haywire. The memoirs of Mrs. Elizabeth Baird, a half- sister of Jane Rolette [later Jane Dousman] wrote of Theophile LaChapelle:
"After supper we had a call from Theophile la Chappelle, brother of the first Mrs. Mitchell. He was a member of the legislature, a bright and intellectual young man, and an agreeable talker. His sister, Mrs. Mitchell, had died the December previous, and his desire to see me was great, knowing the friendship that existed between her and myself. Poor young man! He became insane soon after this, and spent the remainder of his life at the Hospital for the Insane, near Madison."
It is impossible to say what caused LaChapelle to snap. In 1849 he shot and killed Louis Menard at Prairie du Chien after setting fire to his house. Exactly what Theophile had against Menard, I do not know.
