Patriots Sainte Genevieve, Missouri

The Plaque above is located at the Center for French Colonial Life in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. The
Roadside Marker stands out side of the Memorial Cemetery on Market Street in St. Genevieve.

The plaque contains a QR code that is directed to this website page, so that Center visitors can
easily find these patriot biographies.

The Patriots honored on this plaque aided the American cause during the Revolutionary War. They include Ste. Genevieve
militia members who defended St. Louis against a British attack at the Battle of Fort San Carlos on May 26, 1780, British
subjects from across the Mississippi who aided George Rogers Clark in his conquest of Vincennes, as well as Revolutionary
War soldiers from the original thirteen colonies who later migrated to Ste. Genevieve and are buried here. A brief biography
of each and their contributions to the American cause follow. Please also visit the Revolutionary War wayside marker
located on Market Street west of Fifth Street for more information.

Patriots at Memorial Cemetery Biographies

Ste. Genevieve Militia

François Vallé père

SAR PRS Number: P-346209

François Vallé père – Born in 1716 at Beauport, Quebec, Vallé came to the Illinois Country where he first
lived and married in Kaskaskia. He moved his family across the river to the new town of Ste. Genevieve in
the 1750’s and became Ste. Genevieve’s Capitaine de Milice (Captain of the Militia) in 1760. When the
Spanish took over Upper Louisiana in 1790, Alejandro O’Reilly, the Governor of Louisiana, again named
Vallé as Captain of the Militia. In addition, he gave Vallé the title of Lt. Particulier de Juge and along with
the title, special administrative powers in the village. In May 1780, Vallé was too ill to accompany the
Ste. Genevieve militia as they traveled to defend St. Louis against a British attack. In his place, he sent
his son, Charles, to command the militia and his son, François II as second in command. In 1782, even
though the senior Vallé had not personally participated in the battle, the King of Spain honored him
with the title of brevet Lieutenant in the Spanish army. Vallé was the most influential man in
colonial Ste. Genevieve. He died in 1783 and was buried in the Old Town’s cemetery. His remains
were washed down the Mississippi but there is a Memorial Tablet in Church of Ste. Genevieve

François Vallé II

SAR PRS Number: P 346210

François Vallé II – Born in 1758, François was the third son of François Vallé père. He was first listed
as a cadet in the 1770 Ste. Genevieve militia and was promoted to sub-lieutenant in 1777 and was identified
as such in the November 1779 militia rosterent with the militia to the battle of Fort San Carlos the next
year. While his name is not among those Ste. Genevieve militiamen present at St. Louis in July and August
1789, he was later officially recognized for his contributions at the battle. He continued to serve in the
Militia and was named Lieutenant in 1783 and served as such under two Spanish military officers in the
consolidated position of Commandant and Captain of the Militia. When this individual was absent,
François acted as the interim Commandant and Captain. In 1794, he was appointed Commandant and
Captain of the Militia for Ste. Genevieve. He was retained this position until he died on March 6, 1804,
just 4 days before the ceremony in St. Louis to acknowledge the transfer of power from Spain to France
and to the United States of Louisiana. He was buried under the front pew of the first church constructed
in the New Town. His exact grave site is unknown at the church square but a memorial tablet can be
found by the side of the first pew in the Church of Ste. Genevieve.

Charles Vallé

SAR PRS Number: P 340247 DAR Patriot Ancestor Number A135021

Charles Vallé – Born in Canada in 1748, Charles was a nephew of François Vallé père and a cousin
to the Charles Vallé who was in charge of the Ste. Genevieve Militia at the Battle of Fort San Carlos. The
Charles being honored was listed on the 1779 Ste. Genevieve militia roster as having been born in Canada
and a voyageur by occupation. Charles was listed as being in St. Louis in July and August, 1780 and as
such, fought at the battle of Fort San Carlos. Charles married in Ste. Genevieve and a number of
descendants still reside in Ste. Genevieve. Charles died in 1814 and was buried in Memorial Cemetery
but no tombstone exists.

Jean Baptiste Vallé

SAR PRS Number: P 346206

Jean Baptiste Vallé was born at Ste. Genevieve in 1760, the youngest son of François Vallé père. At the
age of 14, he became a cadet in the Ste. Genevieve Militia, a call to arms that he would answer for the
next 30 years. Even though he was listed on the 1779 militia roster, he remained in Ste. Genevieve during
the Battle of Fort San Carlos to assist his ailing father and to supervise planting of the crops. In 1787, he
was named sub-lieutenant of the local militia. The Governor of Louisiana named him as captain of the
militia in the neighboring district of Nouvelle Bourbon in 1794. With the death of his brother, François Vallé
II, Jean Baptiste was named as the last French Commandant and Captain of the Militia in Ste.
Genevieve’s colonial history. On March 10, 1894, Captain Amos Stoddard appointed him as the first
commandant of the newly Americanized Ste. Genevieve District. Jean Baptiste Vallé continued to serve
his town as a justice of the peace and was the most recognized citizen for many years. He died in 1849
and was buried in Memorial Cemetery. A large tombstone marks his grave.

Étienne Parent

SAR PRS Number: P 346207

Étienne Parent was born in 1754 at Beauport, Quebec. He was listed as a rifleman on the 1779 Ste.
Genevieve militia roster and was a voyageur by trade. Parent was present at the Battle of Fort San Carlos
and served as the 2nd Sergeant of the Ste. Genevieve militia force. He later served as the 2nd Sergeant
of the Ste. Genevieve militia from December 1782 to February 1783. Parent died in early 1803 and was
buried in Memorial Cemetery. No tombstone marks his grave.

Charles Vallé

SAR PRS Number: P 346846

Carlos Vallé (Charles Vallé) 1^st Lieutenant of the Ste. Genevieve milice at the Battle of Fort San
Carlos. Born circa 1751 in Kaskaskia, Pays du Illinois, Charles was the eldest son of François Vallé père.
He became involved with the milice at an early age as the 1766 roster of the Milice de Ste. Genevieve
listed him as a fusilier (rifleman). In 1772, Lt. Governor Piernas promoted Charles from cadet to 2^nd
Lieutenant. In 1777, he was promoted 1^st lieutenant of the Milice after the death of his father-in-law
Henri Carpentier. Due to the illness of François Vallé père during 1780, Charles became the ranking
officer of the milice de Ste. Geneviève under the command of commandant Cartabona when the milice
went north to defend St. Louis against a British attack. Charles remained in St. Louis after the battle
and signed the rosters of Ste. Genevieve milice members present there on July 5, 1780, and August 5,
1780. He remained in St. Louis until September when the detachment returned home to defend Ste.
Geneviève. In December 1780, Charles was appointed interim commandant of Ste Genevieve for six
months as commandant Cartabona was recalled to St. Louis in anticipation of another attack. Charles’
personal life soon began to deteriorate and when François Vallé père died September 1783, Charles
expected to receive his father’s title of Capitaine de Milice and Lt. Particulier du Juge of the Post of Ste.
Genevieve in the Illinois Country. While he did become Capitaine, he was denied the special title of Lt.
Particulier du Juge, and that title was never again bestowed on a Ste. Genevieve citizen. His reputation
in disarray, Charles left Ste. Geneviève around 1787 and settled at Bayou Teche near Opelousas,
Louisiana along with his two children and his slaves. He died there in 1796. His son Jean Baptiste and
daughter Pelagie returned to Ste. Genevieve and their descendants still reside in the area.

Jean Baptiste Fortin

SAR PRS Number: P 346848

Jean Baptiste Fortin was born at La Durantaye, Canada on October 25, 1730, to Marguerite LeBlond and
Louis-Marie Fortin, a captain of the local milice. Jean Baptiste immigrated to the Illinois Country and married
Agnes Blot, the widow of Pierre Marot dit LaBonte on February 6, 1858, at St. Anne church near Fort de
Chartres. He and two of his brothers were listed on the Ste. Genevieve milice roster of 1766 as fusilier
(rifleman) and Jean Baptiste was listed on the November 1779 milice roster having been born in Canada and
habitant (farmer) by occupation. Jean Baptiste was one of sixty Ste. Genevieve milicien who participated in
the May 1780 Battle of Fort San Carlos. He was listed on the July 5 and August 5 rosters of Ste. Genevieve
miliciens in St. Louis. He and the other miliciens returned to Ste. Genevieve in September 1780. Jean
Baptiste Fortin continued providing defense for Ste. Genevieve as was listed on the December 1782 and
February 1783 rosters of the Ste. Genevieve milice. He died in Ste. Genevieve and was buried in Memorial
Cemetery on February 25, 1794. He and his wife’s graves there are unmarked.

Raimond Govreau

SAR PRS Number: P364852

According to the November 1779 milice roster, Raimond Govreau was born in the Illinois Country and was
voyageur by trade. He was the son of Etienne Govreau and Marie Anne Millet. Govreau was one of the sixty
Ste. Genevieve miliciens who helped defend St. Louis against the British attack on May 1780. Govreau died
in Ste. Genevieve and was buried November 25, 1782, in the cemetery at the Old Town site. He was 25
years old. The Mississippi washed away the Old Town cemetery and as a result, there is no tombstone
marking his remains. Raimond Govreau is honored by the Sons of the American Revolution for his service
in defending St. Louis.

Charles Belmard

SAR PRS Number: 346890

Charles Belmard was listed on the November 1779 roster of the Ste. Genevieve Milice as born in
Canada and a voyageur by occupation. Belmard answered the call to arms as one of the sixty miliciens
who went from Ste. Genevieve to St. Louis and helped successfully defend that village on May 26, 1780,
against the British attack known as the Battle of Fort San Carlos. He remained in St. Louis until the Ste.
Genevieve contingent returned to Ste. Genevieve in September 1780. Charles Belmard died at Ste.
Genevieve at the age of 40 and was buried October 26, 1794, in Memorial Cemetery in an unmarked grave.

Joseph Courtois

SAR PRS Number: 346891

Joseph Courtois was born 1739 at Kaskaskia in the Illinois Country to Jean Joseph Courtois
dit Lebeau and Marguerite Perthius. He is listed on the November 1779 roster of the Ste. Genevieve
Milice as born in the Illinois Country and a voyageur by occupation. Courtois answered the call to
arms as one of the sixty miliciens who went from Ste. Genevieve to St. Louis and helped
successfully defend that village on May 26, 1780, against the British attack known as the Battle of
Fort San Carlos. He remained in St. Louis until the Ste. Genevieve contingent returned to Ste.
Genevieve in September 1780. Joseph Courtois died at Ste. Genevieve on December 31, 1790, and
was buried in Memorial Cemetery in an unmarked grave.

Kaskaskia Residents Who Aided George Rogers Clark

Jean Baptiste DeLafont

SAR PRS Number: P 232265

Jean Baptiste DeLafont – Born in the West Indies in 1739, DeLafont was a surgeon in Kaskaskia
when George Rogers Clark captured the village in 1778. Before Clark embarked on his famous 1779
march to capture Vincennes, he sent DeLafont and Pierre Gibault, curé of Kaskaskia, to Vincennes
to determine the mood of the French persons. They were successful in convincing the people of
Vincennes to side with the Americans and the inhabitants gave oaths to that effect. Delafont eventually
moved across the river to Ste. Genevieve in1788 and died here two years later. As burials were occurring
in both the Old and New Towns at the time of his death, it is uncertain which was the resting place for
his body. However, in recognition of his service, there is a memorial tombstone which includes a DAR
marker in the southwest corner of this cemetery.

Nicholas Janis

SAR PRS Number: P 224134

Nicholas Janis was born 1720 in Québec, Canada. In May 1779, Janis was appointed captain of
Kaskaskia’s 1st Militia company after George Rogers Clark captured the town in 1778. In 1779, he was
appointed as one of the first magistrates by John Todd. As one of the prominent citizens of Kaskaskia, he
provided assistance and goods to Clark. Janis and his family moved to Ste. Genevieve in the late 1780’s
and built the Nicolas Janis House which was subsequently operated by his son, François, as the Green
Tree Tavern. This tavern and inn housed the first Masonic lodge west of the Mississippi. Nicolas died in
1804 and was buried in Memorial Cemetery. No tombstone exists to mark his grave.
Nicholas Caillott dit LaChance was born 1730 in France. From February 6 to March 13, 1779, he
served in Francis Charleville Company of Kaskaskia Volunteers and during this time participated in
Clark’s famous march to Vincennes and the subsequent capture of Fort Sackville there. Later in 1779, he
was appointed 1st Lt. in the 2nd Co. of the 1779 Kaskaskia Militia. LaChance also provided goods to
George Rogers Clark for which he was later compensated. Nicholas Caillot dit LaChance died in 1799
and was buried in Memorial Cemetery. No tombstone exists to mark his grave.

Jean Baptiste St. Gemme dit Bauvais

SAR PRS Number: P 111827

Jean Baptiste St. Gemme dit Bauvais – Born at Kaskaskia in 1746, Jean Baptiste St. Gemme dit
Bauvais is being honored today because of the support he provided George Rogers Clark at Kaskaskia
in 1778 and 1779. Later during the Revolutionary War period, Bauvais served as an elected judge in
Kaskaskia during 1781 and 1782. In 1787, he and his family moved to the west side of the Mississippi.
His house, one of the rare posts in ground houses, still exists and was the first house to become part
of the Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park. Jean Baptiste St. Gemmed dit Bauvais died in 1833
and was buried in one of five co-joined crypts in Memorial Cemetery.

Nicholas Caillot dit Lachance Sr.

SAR PRS Number: P 346208 DAR Patriot Ancestor Number A018128

Nicholas Caillott dit LaChance was born 1730 in France. From February 6 to March 13, 1779, he served in
Francis Charleville Company of Kaskaskia Volunteers and during this time participated in Clark’s famous
march to Vincennes and the subsequent capture of Fort Sackville there. Later in 1779, he was appointed
1st Lt. in the 2nd Co. of the 1779 Kaskaskia Militia. LaChance also provided goods to George Rogers Clark
for which he was later compensated. Nicholas Caillot dit LaChance died in 1799 and was buried in
Memorial Cemetery. No tombstone exists to mark his grave.

Pierre Gibault

SAR PRS Number: P 364849

Pierre Gibault was born circa 1737 in Montreal, New France. He was educated at the seminary of Quebec,
ordained a priest 19 March,1768, and sent the Illinois Country to serve as a missionary there with the title
of Vicar-General. Gibault resided at Kaskaskia but the area he served included Ste. Genevieve, Vincennes,
and Cahokia. In 1770, also, he blessed the first wooden chapel erected at Paincourt, the local nickname for
St. Louis. Despite many difficulties and in the face of grave dangers incident to long journeys, he succeeded
in vastly improving religious conditions in the scattered missions of the surrounding country. His journeys
led him to such distant points as Peoria, Ouiatenon, St. Joseph’s, and Michilimackinac. Gibault frequently
ministered to the people of Ste. Genevieve and was an influential person on both sides of the river. When
George Rogers Clark captured Kaskaskia in 1778, Father Gibault’s influence was such that the inhabitants
submitted without protest and took the oath of allegiance to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Through his
influence the people of Cahokia also took the same step. Clark sent Father Gibault and Jean Baptiste
Delaffont to Vincennes to determine the mood of the French residents there. Their successful mission
there precipitated Clark’s famous wintertime march to capture Vincennes. Gibault also conveyed Clark’s
regards to the Piankeshaws, and that Miami tribe remained neutral in the conflict. Gibault’s activities
earned him the wrath of the British Lieutenant Governor Henry Hamilton of Detroit thought Gibault
should be hanged. Gibault later served as pastor of Ste. Genevieve from 1778 to 1784 when he returned
to the east side of the Mississippi. In 1791. he left Illinois, then a part of the Diocese of Baltimore, and
retired to New Madrid in Spanish Upper Louisiana. He died there and was buried in an unmarked grave.
He is honored for his service for the citizens of Ste. Genevieve and his support of George Rogers Clark.

Revolutionary War Soldiers

Israel Dodge

SAR PRS Number: P 148864, DAR Patriot Ancestor Number: A032805

Israel Dodge, born September 3, 1760, at Canterbury, Connecticut, joined the Revolutionary troops from
Connecticut at the age of fifteen. He participated in the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777, and
was wounded in the chest by a bayonet during hand-to-hand combat. Later, Israel served as a second
lieutenant in the continental army and near the end of the war, married Nancy Ann Hunter. After George
Rogers Clark’s conquest of Kaskaskia and Vincennes, Israel’s brother John was appointed Indian agent for
the Illinois country. Israel and his young wife moved to Kaskaskia where he served under the military
authority of his brother. In about 1788, Israel and his brother moved to the Spanish province of Upper
Louisiana settling at New Bourbon near the town of Ste. Genevieve. On October 1, 1804, Dodge was
appointed sheriff of the Ste. Genevieve District by William Henry Harrison, governor of Indiana and the
District of Louisiana. He served on the panel for the first term of the court in the district and was appointed
to receive proposals for the building of a jail. He continued to perform his duties as sheriff and farm his
lands until he died in 1806. He was buried September 24^th of that year in Ste. Genevieve’s Memorial
Cemetery. No tombstone exists to mark his resting place. Israel Dodge is an honored remembrance of the
Sons of the American Revolution for his service with the Connecticut continental troops during the
American revolution.

French Naval Personnel

Jacques Missé

SRS PRS Number P 336314 DAR Patriot Ancestor Number A133324

Jacques Missé as he signed his name, was born in France in 1746. He first came to America with
General Comte d’Estaing in 1779. He served on the Compte’s ship when it captured the British ship
Experiment of fifty guns. He served at the siege of Savannah in 1779 where Count Pulaski was killed and
the Compte wounded. He then went to St. Domingo and subsequently back to France. He returned to
America in 1790 and resided in Gallipolis, OH. After two years there, he moved to Ste. Genevieve where
he lived until his death in 1834. He was buried in Memorial Cemetery and a memorial tombstone is in the
southwest corner of the cemetery.

Patriots Sainte Genevieve, Missouri