No Man's Land: A History of El Camino Real

LAND GRANTS

In 1816 the United States Land Office sent representatives to Natchitoches, although previously representatives had been in Natchitoches in 1806 to register land claims within the Neutral Strip area. Proof was demanded of people settling land in the Neutral Strip, referring to either French or Spanish grants.

In 1730 Zavallez, then Governor of Los Adais, granted three square leagues of land to Manuel Sanchez on Los Pedro Creek (Bayou Pierre), the grant was listed as La Nana de Los Rio Pedro. (Note: The wife of St. Denis was a Sanchez, her mother being Maria Esperrillo Sanchez before her marriage to Don Diago Ramone). The Sanchez Grant is also referred to as Los Tres Llanos (Three Plains) was approved again in 1742 by Governor Larros in the name of Governor Winthusin. The son of Manuel Sanchez was eighty two years of age when in 1832 a clear title was issued by the United States Land Office. The Sanchez family had lived on the land 102 years before they obtained a clear title to it.

Juan de Mora was granted one league square of land on Bayou Dupont at Los Adais by Zavallez which is the land located in an area known today as “Fish Pond Bottom.”

Testimony of Gregoria Mora before the land office officials shows: “This is a receipt of tithes I collected on land west of the Calcasieu River, West of Bayou Kisachey and west of Arroyo Hondo. Also west of Bayou Pedro (Bayou Pierre) dated in Nacogdoches, Feb. 27, 1797, and signed by Jose Maria Guadiana (Rubric)

Owner of Land	Location
Pablo Lifita	Los Pedros Creek (Bayou Pierre)
Andres Balentine
Jose Lavina	Los Cebellas Prairie
Pedro Dolet	Los Adais Creek (Winn Creek)
Antonio Dubois
Francisco Prudhomme	In village of Adais Indians, one mile north of Robeline near site of the Presidio de Los Adais.
Francisco Morban (Der Bonne)	Dorango Creek (west of the village of Allen and three miles northwest of the village of Shamrock)
Widdow of Tontin Bisson	On Topolcot Creek at Allen site, near Leroy Anderson Plantation
Manuel Prudhomme	On Lago Ocosa Near Cypress, Louisiana
Marfil	On Lago de Los Adais (Spanish Lake)
Francois Rouquier	West of Lago Tierre Noir (Sibley Lake)
Santiago Wallace (Englishman)	On San Juan Creek (Bay St. John in the Lake Charles area)
Jose Piernas	At Santo Maria Adelaide (vicinity of Zwolle, Louisiana)

Claim of Pedro Dolet, Frenchman (Pierre Dole)

On December 29, 1795, I, Jose Cayetano de Zepede, executor to Los Adais and by request of Antonio Gil y Barbo Governor of Texas at Nacogdoches, went with my assistant, Don Jose de La Vega to a place at Los Adais, where a petitioner had built a home there. I granted this land.

He pulled up Grass,

Planted Stakes,

Threw dust into the air,

To show his possession.

I have granted this land and designate the aforesaid tract of land as “San Pedro de Los Adais.”

Signed:

Don Luis de La Vega.

Vincente Del Rio

Jose Cayeleno de Zepeda

Executor

Claim of Edward Murphy

Don Edwardo Murphy, petitioner from the post at Natchitoches, states that on a creek La Petit St. Jean and Reo Hondo I find advantageous to collect my cattle, I humbly ask of you to give me possession of this land.

Nacogdoches, October 17, 1791. In consequence of petitioner and that the land solicited is in the province of Texas and vacant I do grant in due best form and that it may so appear.

Signed:

Antonio Gil y Barbo

(Note: This tract of land was in the area of southwest from the Country Club of Natchitoches on Highway 1 North).

Claim of Edward Murphy for the Firm of Murphy, Smith, Barr and Davenport

Edward Murphy, Leander Smith, William Barr, Samuel Davenport. (District Judge William Murray heard the plea of the Firm of Murphy, Smith, Davenport and Barr).

August 1, 1798, Don Jose Guadiana, Governor at Nacogdoches, granted to Don Edward Murphy a grant of land named “La Nana Prairie” located seven leagues east of the Rio Sabinas on the road to Natchitoches, 144 sections of land astraddle El Camino Real (a 12 square mile land grant, extending eastward from Bayou Lana and could have very well taken the townsite of Many, Louisiana. Murphy transferred this land to the above mentioned firm, November 3, 1798).

Claim of Michel Crow

Michel Crow, son of Isaac Crow, who wed the widow Chabineau of the Post at Natchitoches, bought the land of Miguel Viciente which has been granted to Miguel Viciente in 1769 by Governor Hugo O’Connor, who was at that time Governor of Los Adais and all of the Texas country. The grant was listed as San Miguel de Los Rio Patrice and was located on the Sabine River and Patrice Creek in the northwest portion of Sabine Parish.

One incident in which an arrest and the results of which served as evidence in favor of the victim occurred while Lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike was in command of a police patrol of the Neutral Strip in 1806, when he arrested Michel Crow and brought him to the post at Natchitoches, accusing him of contraband operations to and from the Texas country. Captain Bernardino Mantero, leading a Spanish patrol with the assistance of Lieutenants Pike and McGee, came to the ranchero of Michael Crow and upon questioning Crow’s wife and her two sons, learned of the actions of Lieutenant Pike previously. Captain Mantero went to Natchitoches and declared that Crow was innocent of such charges and that the unfortunate Crow was only engaged in farming and ranching; further the Spanish did not have Crow’s name on the list of traders in contrabrand known to the Spanish at Nacogdoches, thus, when Michel Crow registered his claim for land, he had proof of the length of time he had resided there taken from the arrest papers.

Claim of the Heirs of Widow Tontin

In 1791 Anthanase De Mezieres granted to Julian and Pierre Bisson land called Ecore Rouge (Red Hill) located at the present day hamlet of Allen between Robeline and Powhattan, Louisiana, one hundred ninety square arpents of land on each side of Topelcot Bayou. The widow Tontin, nee Possiot, wed Julian Bisson (Note: The store at Allen and the home of Leroy—Dobber—Anderson are located atop Ecore Rouge).

Claim of the Heirs of Anthanase Poissot

In 1792, Anthanase De Mezieres, Governor of the Texas region at Natchitoches Post, granted land to Anthanase Poissot in recognition of his claim of having bought the land of La Tres Cabanes (Three Cabins) from Chief Antoine of the Hyatasses (Yatassee Indians) on Bayou Pierre.

An exact reproduction of one of the officers’ quarters at Fort Jesup which now houses the relics pertaining to the fort.

Fort Jesup, originally “Cantonment Jesup,” was established in the spring of 1821, by Lieutenant Colonel Zachary Taylor, who was executing the orders of Major General Edmund Pendleton Gaines. Taylor had under his command four companies of the United States 7th Infantry.

On November 29, 1845 the Adjutant General ordered that Fort Jessup was no longer required as a military post and that all military supplies, buildings and land be disposed of.

Original plans of Fort Jesup

1. Mess Hall
2. Enlisted Men’s Quarters
3. Officers’ Quarters

Officers’ Quarters—another view.

Claim of the Firm of Murphy, Smith, Davenport and Barr

The Los Ormegas Land Grant of Jacinto Mora contained two hundred seven thousand three hundred sixty acres bordering on the east bank of the Sabine River and astradle El Camino Real. The grant was issued by Jose Cayeleno de Zepeda, Governor at Nacogdoches and was sold to the above mentioned firm in 1805. The land was transferred under the title of Santa Marie Adelaide Ormegas, but was not recognized by the United States Government until 1842.

Claim of the Heirs of Pierre Gainnie (Pedro Gane) (Pier Gagnier) Hipolite Bordelon Francois Grappe (Francisco Grebb) (Franquis Grebbe)

These three men bought the land of the Chescher Indians (The area comprises the Mibermel Ranch near Powhattan, Louisiana, and the area of Three League Bayou or Nine Mile Bayou).

This grant was recognized by Anthanase DeMezieres of the Post at Natchitoches.

Families of the Neutral Strip (1805)

Records of Diago Maria Morfil, representing the Spanish of that area, in lieu of Jacinto Mora, directive of the Governor at Nacogdoches of the Texas Region, presented this record of families considered under the jurisdiction of Presidio Neustra Senora Del Pilar de Los Adais to the United States Land Agents in 1816:

Don Marcelo de Soto, farmer, wife, Dona Maries Baillio, Frenchwoman, two sons, two daughters, resided on Los Pedro Creek (Bayou Pierre).
Pedro Lafita, Spanish, wife, Louise Gainnie, Frenchwoman, resided on Bayou Los Tres Leagues.
Luis Beltran, Frenchman, resided on Rio Hondo (Young’s Bayou) or Bayou La Jeune. (Unmarried)
Vincente Rolan, Frenchman, wed Melanie Vascoque, Frenchwoman, residing on Bayou Durange. (This bayou drains Cypress Swamp and empties into Topelcot Creek, also known as Cypress Swamp, Hall Break area, north of Marthaville, Louisiana).
Don Antainse Possiot, Frenchman, wed to Juanna Elena Pabi, Frenchwoman. Note: This is the Anthanase Poissot who bought land from the Chescher Indians on Three League Bayou, which extended westward to Bayou Pierre.
Michael Rambin, Frenchman wed to Theresa Baillio (Theresa Baillio, sister to Maria Baillio who wed Marcelo De Soto) resided on Los Pedros Creek (Bayou Pierre). There was one hired hand on this farm, Jose Crafon, Spanish.
Jean Balbado, Frenchman wed to Lenore Tessier, Frenchwoman, resided on Arroyo Hondo (Hagewood or Coldwater vicinity between Robeline and Natchitoches, Louisiana).
Jean Tessier, Frenchman and widower, resided in the same area as above.
Louis Fortin, Frenchman, wed to Manuella Aragon, Spanish, resided on land of Francois Prudhomme which was among the Adais Indians, at Los Adais.
Francisco Prudhomme, Frenchman wed to Anne Marie Rambin, Frenchwoman, two sons and seven daughters. Prudhomme in 1805 was 74 years old. This land among the Adais Indians was granted to Prudhomme by DeMezieres in 1771. Francois Prudhomme was a trader among the Indians and at the same time had a Spanish co-partner, Antonio Gil y Barbo, who traded among the Spanish along El Camino Real. Manuel Flores was another partner of Prudhomme, also Miguel Viciente who later sold his grant to Isaac Crow. It is very likely that Viciente at his out of the way home on Sabine River was a trader in contraband merchandise supplied by Prudhomme. The trail leading from Sabine River and the home of Miguel Viciente on Bayou San Patrice and eastward to the Red River via Converse, Pleasant Hill and to Bayou Pierre was a contraband trail. In 1723 Paul Muller established Post du Bayou Pierre, with contraband trade with the Spanish as his aim. Post du Bayou Pierre developed into the Town of Bayou Pierre. This trail was traveled by Gutierrez and his followers when they were pursued by the Royalists, Spanish Troops. Post du Bayou Pierre, The Town of Bayou Pierre, King Hill and Jordan Ferry are all one and the same.
Pierre Dole (Pedro Dolet or Peter Dolet), Frenchman mentioned earlier wed Dona Rose Duprez, Spanish woman, resided on Bayou Adais (Winn Creek, west of Robeline, Louisiana).
Andria Valentine (Andria Balentine) Frenchman, wed Angela Molis, French woman, resided on Bayou La Jeune (Youngs’ Bayou) near Coldwater vicinity.
Elina Wales, widow, American, three sons, Jacob, Thomas and Benjamin, resided on Bayou La Jeune.
Jacinto Gane (Jacinto Gannie, Gainnie, Gagnier), evidently a son of Pierre Gainnie, resided on land grant mentioned before.
Bacitio Gane of the same family mentioned above, Frenchman, wed Marie Lafita, Spanish woman.
Miguel Viciente, Spanish, mentioned before, wed Elena Roubeaux French woman, is the same land grant sold to Isaac Crow, which was being claimed by his son, Michel.
Pedro Roblo, Pierre Roubeaux, Frenchman, wed Magdelina Baptiste, Spanish woman, resided on Durango Creek.
Francisco Moran, Frenchman, wed Anna Maria, an Apache mestizo, the word mestizo in Spanish refers to a half-breed offspring of Spanish and Indian parents. Moran was an Indian trader for Anthanaze De Mezieres and operated along El Camino Real with a certified passport. He was said to speak French, Spanish and thirty-eight Indian dialects. He often accompanied DeMezieres as an interpreter. He asked for and received three acres of land on El Camino Real in the vicinity of Robeline, Louisiana. In 1805 Moran was seventy-eight years old.
Santiago Christine, Frenchman wed Marie D’Ortigeaux, French woman, resided on Bayou Pierre.
Antonio Rocquier, Frenchman, wed Marrianne, an English woman. This grant by De Mezieres has already been mentioned as to location.
Michel Crow, Englishman, wed Margarita La Fleur (LaFleur-Flores) Spanish woman, resided, as before mentioned in the claim of the firm, Murphy, Smith, Barr and Davenport.

In 1806 the following had applied for homesteads and received quarter sections of land: William Eldridge, George Mac Tier, Manuel Flores, John Cartez, Asa Becherson, Stephen Wallace and Seaborne Maillard.

Peter Belieu, who had been living on Bayou Pierre for fifty years, declared squatters’ rights, as did Walter Weathersby, Francois Dubois, David Chase, Jean Pierre Grappe, Joseph Teanriz, Mickel Chasneau, Benjamin Boullett, William Cockerville, Denise Dies (Diez).

In the area of Cypress, Flora Provincal and Kisatchie, Louisiana, the land was granted by Athanase De Mezieres in 1771-1776, to: Pierre Joseph Maises, at Cypress, Louisiana, on Lago Acasse; Baptiste Prudhomme, also near Cypress; Madam Marie Palagie on Drunkard’s Bayou near Flora, Louisiana; Thomas Vascoque near Provincal, Louisiana; Joseph Procell, a Spaniard, west of Bayou Derbonne, west of Melrose, Louisiana; Pierre Sanscalier on Bayou Kisatchie near Kisatchie, Louisiana, who used the fresh spring water of Kisatchie and made the finest corn whiskey on the whole Neutral Strip; and, Leander Lasso on Petite Bayou Pierre, south and west of present-day Cloutierville, Louisiana.

Within the area of present day Sabine Parish were these settlers in 1805: Joe Leaky, John Wadell, Christopher Anthony, Thomas Hicks, Jacob Winfree, Jose Rivers, Peter Patterson, David Weathersby, David Walters, John Gordon, Benjamin Winfree, James Kirklin, Andres Galinto, Jose Procell, James Denny, Manuel Bustamento, John Yocum, Jessy Yocum and Michel Crow. E. Dillon, A. Davidson, Barbe, Beebe, Cartinez, Slocomb and Addington.

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