Page VIII -
backwoodsman.  In 1852, when eighty-six years of age, he eagerly accepted an invitation from Charles Creuzet to accompany him to Philadelphia to "see the elephant."  Everything was new and full of interest to the old gentleman.  He tired out his young companion the first day, who tried to follow him in his sight-seeing.  Arising in the morning at day-light, he perambulated until night, day after day, during their stay, attended the theatre at night and kept Mr. Creuzet up until midnight relating the wonderful things he had witnessed about town.
     He died July 26th, 1863, in his ninety-eighth year, and his remains were buried in the family burial ground upon his farm, a few miles from Gallipolis.  His descendants are numbered among some of the most prominent families in this part of the country.

     JOHN PETER ROMAINE BUREAU was born at Beton Bazoche, France, Province of Bric, Mar. 21st, 1770.  He embarked for this country Feb. 19th, 1790, and arriving at Gallipolis, cast his lot with the French emigrants, the victims of the Scioto Company.  He was unable to find employment, and went back to Marietta the following spring.  The Indian war of 1791 had broken out, and the inhabitants were compelled to retire to their garrisons.  Edward W. Tuper (about the age of young Bureau), sympathizing in the misfortunes of the young emigrant, invited him to his father's house, in Campus Martius, to stay until he could find something to do.
     Horace Nye, esquire, an intimate friend from boyhood, writes of him, that in December, 1792, Mr. Bureau returned to Gallipolis and was commissary of troops there.  After the close of the war, a little trade along the river and among the few scattered settlers around the village, was all that offered inducement to any other enterprise than cultivating the soil and hunting.  His ill health unfitting him for the former, and having no task for the latter, his natural talent soon caused him to be singled out for other and more responsible positions.  He early obtained and ever afterward retained the confidence and respect of his fellow citizens, and very few men had so many offices conferred upon them, who have filled them with so much credit to themselves and satisfaction to their constituents.  He was postmaster, justice of the peace, clerk of the supreme and common pleas courts, member of the legislature and also held other responsible positions.  He was elected member of the House of the Sixth General Assembly (the first in which Gallia county had a representation), in 1807; re-elected in 1808; member of the Senate in 1809; re-elected to the Senate in 1810 and 1811; re-elected member of the House in the Fourteenth General Assembly, 1815, and again of the Thirty-Third in 1834.  He was a member of the first board of trustees, and appraiser of houses, in Gallipolis township, in 1802, and for many years his name appears in the old records of the township in connection with positions of honor and trust. 
     The latter part of his life, for thirty years, he devoted to successful mercantile pursuits, until advanced years, and the death of his only son, rendered the task to arduous.  Mr. Bureau had some knowledge of law, and his advice was much sought after in early times.  He was also a good surveyor, and his business extended over a large extent of territory in this section of the State and in West Virginia.  He always rode in a side-saddle, because of injuries he had received and a lameness in one knee.
     February 19th, 1799, he was married to Madelaine Francoise Charlotte Marret.  At that time there was no justice of the peace in this part of Ohio, and they were obliged to obtain one from Point Pleasant, Virginia, and the ceremony was performed in a boat on the river, in order to be in the jurisdiction of Virginia.  Mad. Bureau was the third daughter of Peter and Madelaine Marret, of the early French emigrants.  She was but seven years of age when her father emigrated, and sixteen when she married.  She was noted as a woman of great spirit, vivacity and wit, a fine swimmer and an excellent housekeeper.  She died June 22, 1834, aged 51 years.
     The children of this marriage were as follows:  Madelaine Romaine, born Nov. 20, 1799, died 1873; Romaine Madelaine, born 1802, died 1831; Mary, born 1820, died in infancy; Charles Louis Valcoulon, born Aug. 25, 1812, died Mar. 20, 1848.  Madelaine Romaine married Dr. Le Moyne, of Washington, Pennsylvania, a gentleman of distinction, education and wealth, the first candidate for Vice-President on the abolition ticket, and the founder of Le Moyne University, at Nashville, Tennessee, for the education of colored youth.  Romaine Madelaine married Hon. Samuel F. Vinton, of Gallipolis, a member of Congress.  She was a talented lady and a leader in society, and her early death was much lamented.  Only one child survived her, Sarah, who married D. Converse Goddard, esquire, of Zanesville, and sometime after his death she was united to the late Admiral Dahlgren, U. S. N.
     Hon. J. P. R. Bureau did more probably to build up the interests of the town and county, and is more closely identified with them than any one else.  HE died at his home in Gallipolis, Dec. 31, 1851, at the advanced age of 81 years and 7 months, and in the cemetery stands, a monument to the memory of himself and family.

     CLAUDIUS CADOT was born February 17th, 1793, in Gallipolis.  He was probably the first male child born in Gallia county, and at the time of his death was the oldest male child born in Gallia county, and at the time of his death was the oldest male child born of the French colonists of Gallipolis.  His parents, Claudius Cadot and Jane Bastine, were married in Paris, France, in 1790, shortly previous to the emigration of the French colonists, with whom they embarked, arriving with them in the fall of that year at Gallipolis.  On January 28th, 1791, Maria Louise Cadot was born, the first child born in Gallipolis; about two years later, as stated above, was born her brother Claudius, the subject of this sketch; two years later a younger brother, Lemuel.  For a time all went well with the young married pair, but Mons. Cadot early fell a victim to the malaria of the climate, leaving his wife with three helpless babes to struggle for an existence in this wild country, a life for which she was wholly unprepared, except with the energy inspired by a brave spirit.  Within about three months she married a young Frenchman of the colony named Charles Francis Dutiel, who immediately made preparations and removed his family to their lots on the grant in the fall of 1797, being among the first families that went down.  He was accompanied by Mons, Bureau, the subject of a former sketch.
     Young Claudius was employed for a number of years in working on the farm in the summer, and in his father's distillery in the winter; distilling wines and liquors being a very general business among the early settlers of the grant.  He had the advantage of eleven months of schooling at that time, which was all he ever obtained.  In October, 1809, his sister Marie Louise married Mons. Francis Le Clercq, the subject of a following sketch.
     In the spring of 1812 Governor Meigs issued a call for volunteers in defence of the frontiers from the depredations of the Indians, and war was then imminent with Great Britain.  Two companies went from Scioto county, and Claudius, being at that time eighteen years of age, enlisted in one of them, commanded by Captain John Lucas, for one year.  They received their arms at Chillicothe, from whence they marched to Dayton, where they formed the 1st Ohio Regiment, under Duncan McArthur.  They went to States regulars, under Colonel Miller.  Here was organized that little army, which, under command of General Hull, marched through the wilderness of Detroit.  While on this march war was declared by Congress against England.  The dispatches notifying Hull, never reached him, as the messenger fell into the hands of the enemy.  On the 16th of August Mons. Cadot was taken prisoner, being among the troops surrendered to the enemy by the traitorous Hull at Detroit.  The prisoners were taken to Malden and paroled, and on transports sent to the mouth of the Cuyahoga river, the present site of Cleveland, and left to find their way home as best they might.  Mons. Cadot, with some of his companions, walked across to the Ohio river at Georgetown, below Pittsburgh, and started down the river in canoes, the ordinary mode of traveling in that day.  When they arrived at Gallipolis, Mons. Cadot stayed at the house of his sister, Mad. Le Clercq.
     As his parole of honor had been given, and he was not exchanged, he soon went back to work upon the farm.  When the war was over he followed keel-boating upon the river for four years, accumulating means with which he purchased a farm in Vinton township, paying the government therefor four dollars an acre.  He was married in 1818 to Nancy Ball, and two years later moved onto his farm, and commenced the real business of his life.  His first wife died in 1836, and he afterwards married Cynthia Stockham, who also died in a few years, and he then gave up the farm to his son Claudius, and lived with his oldest daughter, Mrs. Mary Hayward, at the grant.  He afterwards purchased a home and lived at Wheelersburg, where he spent the remainder of his days.
     He was noted as being the first male child born at Gallipolis.  He was being the first male child born at Gallipolis.  He was among the last of the keel-boatmen, that peculiar class that was once very numerous, now nearly extinct.  He drew a pension for his services in the war, and was the last of his company to survive.  He had a family burial ground upon his farm where his remains were placed.

     MONS. ANTOINE CLAUDE VINCENT was one who came with the first settlers in 1791.  With him came M. Antionme, with whom he joined himself, upon his arrival, in the jewelry business;  But the trade not being especially adapted to a new country, Antionme started in a boat for New Orleans, with all their combined stock in trade, to establish business, whither his partner was soon to follow.  When near the Big Sandy he was killed and all the goods were lost.  Mons. Vincent, upon learning the fate of his companion and the loss of all his worldly goods, with pluck and energy, started to carve his fortune anew.  He had studied and nearly learned the English language on his passage across the ocean, and commenced teaching school, raised chickens and gardened.  He went to Marietta to study, after a time, and married in 1799.  In a passage from Marietta to Belpre, in a canoe, he nearly lost his life by falling overboard and freezing, but recovered under the care of physicians at Gallipolis, although he was left in a crippled condition.  He moved to the grant in 1801, where he continued to reside, although he made frequent trips to Gallipolis to visit friends, always going on foot.
     His life was full of incidents.  While at Marietta, and still unmarried, Louis Phillippe, then Duke of Orleans, came to this country incognito, and stopping at Marietta, became strongly attached to Mons. Vincent, and urged him to accompany him to New Orleans and share his fortunes, but he could not be prevailed upon to go.  when, in 1830, Louis Phillippe was seated upon the throne of France, Mons. Vincent regretted that he had not been more easily influenced.  He was a gentleman of culture, refinement and education, and was greatly respected here.  A sketch of his life would make an interesting volume.  He died August 22d, 1846, aged nearly 74 years.

See Page IX - 

< BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS OF HISTORY OF GALLIA COUNTY, OHIO >