Jean-Baptiste Francisco Lafitte (1782 - 1823)

Born 22 Apr 1782 in Port-au-Prince, Saint-Domingue

Ancestors

Died 5 Feb 1823 at age 40 in Gulf of Honduras

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Biography

• Frenchmen of Barataria
• New Spain, part of the first Southern Colonies Project
  

  Jean Lafitte is Notable.
  

  Jean Lafitte served for Louisiana in the War of 1812
  Service started:
  Unit(s):
  Service ended:

Jean Lafitte lived in Louisiana.

Jean Lafitte was a Texan.

Jean Baptiste Francisco "Jean" Lafitte

Jean Lafitte/Lafitte

Ancestry of Lafitte

Accounts of Jean Lafitte's family and life differ according to sources. Historian H.W. Brands reports Lafitte "was French, Spanish or Jewish, depending on which article one reads." Lafitte was born in Port-au-Prince, Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti), April 22, 1782. He was the son of a French father and Spanish Jewish mother.^[1][2][3]

• • Grandfather: Jean Francois BOUET b: Aug. 8, 1706/15 in Gascogne, Nouvelle, France, Mother: Marie (Marianne) DE LAFITTE b: 1713 in France -

Marriage 1 Mary Magedeleine (Marianne) GRAPPE (GRAPA) b: March 26, 1754 in Natchitoches, Louisiana Married: August 28, 1771 in Fort St. Jean Baptiste, Louisiana

Children

• • ...Pierre (Boyt or Boitt) Bouet LAFITTE (LAFFITTE) b: 1773 in Bayonne or Bordeaux, France
  • ...Emanuel LAFFITTE b: 1772
  • ...Jean Baptiste Francisco LAFITTE b: January 24, 1776 in Bayonne, France

• • Father Paul Bouet Lafitte, born March 04, 1746 in Pouy Roque Laure, France Gascogne; died Bef. 1818 in Las Ormefas Claim, Desoto Parish, Louisiana. He was a son of Jean Francois Bouet Lafitte and Marianne de Lafitte. He married Eulalie Marie Ann DeSoto Abt. 1780. (b abt 1764 in Opelusas Post, LA, d aft 1818). She was daughter of Emanuel Antoine Bermundez Y DeSoto and Marie des Nieges de St. Denis.^[4][5]

Pierre Paul (father) was a respected merchant that was land-bound. Pierre Paul had many children, most famous being the Corsair privateer-turned-pirate brothers Pierre Lafitte and Jean-Baptiste LaFitte

DESOTO PARISH, LOUISIANA LAFFITTES WERE BOUETS, by Jean L. Epperson:

Paul Bouet Laffitte, the progenitor of the numerous Laffitte families of today, was actually a Bouet. Historically names have been changed for many and various reasons. Paul Bouet Lafitte likely became a Laffitte because a Spanish official recorded his surname then appended the maternal family name, as was their custom.

The children and descendants of Paul Bouet Laffitte/Lafitte accepted the name as it was recorded in St. Jean Baptiste des Natchitoches Catholic Church, thereby using the patronymic Laffitte and not their Bouet surname. Paul came from Bordeaux, France in September 1764 for Louisiana at the age of 18... He was born March 4, 1746 the son of Jean Francois Bouet and Marie de Laffitte. On the 16 of March 1746 he was baptized in the parish church, St. Balize of Poury- Roqueloure, province of Gers, France. Marie, the wife of Jean Francoise, was the daughter of Pierre de Laffitte and Marguerite Espiat.^[5]

Paul made Bayou Pierre, now known as Carmel, his home, and began trading with the Indians. He married Magdelaine, the daughter of local trader, Alexis Grappe. They had four children. After the death of Magdelaine, Paul married Eulalie Marie Anne, the daughter of Manuel de Soto, one of the earliest settlers of Bayou Pierre. Ten children were born of this union.^[6]

Jean Lafitte the Pirate

Jean Lafitte was born September 25, 1780. He died about Feb 5, 1823. Jean Lafitte was the youngest of eight children (five boys and three girls). He was born in Port-au-Prince on the Caribbean island now known as Haiti, where his father was a tanner who made a comfortable enough living to educate his sons well.^[7] The brothers spelled their surname "Laffite." Contemporary English language documents used "Lafitte."^[3][8]

Jean Baptiste and his brother Pierre became the infamous Barbary Pirates of Louisiana in the early 1800's.^[2][9][10] Early United States law prohibited the legal landing and selling of stolen goods in the United States, but that did not stop the Lafitte brothers. They made their home base in the Barataria Bay of Louisiana, near New Orleans. Since the water there was too shallow, it prevented Spanish vessels' entry. Yet Lafitte's ship could launch into the Caribbean.^[2]

In addition to being privateers and pirates, Jean Lafitte and his brother, Pierre Lafitte, were also spies for the Spanish during the Mexican War of Independence, August 24, 1821.^[11][2][3]

Saint-Domingue' French landowners resettled in the Mississippi River Delta, also owned by France in the years of New Spain. Pierre, elder brother, and Jean Lafitte came to Louisiana about 1804. Families with the surname Lafitte are mentioned in Louisiana documents dating as early as 1765.^[12] According to Ramsay, Jean Lafitte and their widowed mother sailed from Saint-Domingue to New Orleans, Louisiana (New Spain) in the 1780s. ^[11][10]

See the Routes of Smuggling by Lafitte Smuggling Routes

Smuggling routes of Lafitte

"Jean and Pierre Lafitte were the commercial agents of the "pirates." They won prosperity for the band, with rich and frequent prizes. The slave cargoes were profitable. Jean Lafitte walked the decks of the ships. Jean Lafitte equipped vessels, sent them on their cruises, sold their prizes and slaves, and moved throughout the Delta with boldness and sagacity. The pirate prizes were sold in Pierre Lafitte's shop near New Orleans which served as the depot for the smuggled goods and slaves captured by the pirates. The Mississippi's "coasts" in the parishes of St. James and St. John the Baptist were astir with his presence. He and his smaller vessels sometimes pierced the interior as far as Lac des Allemands. He knew the value of popular admiration, and often attended country balls, where he enjoyed the fame of great riches and courage, and seduced many of the simple Acadian youth to sail in his cruises.^[2]

Jean Lafitte's two principal captains were Beluche and Dominique You. "Captain Dominique" was small, graceful, fair, of a pleasant, even attractive face, and a skilful sailor. There were also Gambi, a handsome Italian, who died only a few years ago at the old pirate village of Chenière Caminada; and Rigoult, a dark Frenchman, whose ancient house still stands on Grande Isle. These were the real names of Dominique and Beluche."^[11] And yet again Johnness and Johannot, unless--which appears likely – these were only the real names of Dominique and Beluche." These privateers were the nucleus for Laffite's illicit colony on the secluded islands of Barataria Bay south of the city. They had privateer commissions from the republic of Cartagena (located in current Colombia). Laffite's group preyed on Spanish commerce.^[11] The Lafittes were known as the infamous Barataria pirates of Louisiana of the early 1800's.

1810-1814 Brother Pierre had a blacksmith shop near New Orleans that served as a depot for the smuggled goods and slaves captured by the pirates. From 1810 to 1814 the privateers formed the nucleus for Laffite's illicit colony on the secluded islands of Barataria Bay south of New Orleans. They had privateer commissions from the republic of Cartagena (located in current Colombia). Laffite's group preyed on Spanish commerce.^[13] Lafitte and his brother established their kingdom on an island in Barataria Bay, off the coast of the Crescent City. This became their den of thieves/pirates or smugglers with their booty from piracy. All were men of ill repute.

War of 1812

The British during the War of 1812 offered Laffite $30,000 and a captaincy in the Royal Navy for his allegiance as a privateer. Laffite pretended to cooperate, then warned Louisiana officials of New Orleans' peril.^[14] The governor did not believe him and tried to destroy his colony with the Louisiana militia.^[15]

The privateers were driven more by their hatred of the Spanish and British than a lust for wealth. It was their aid to Andrew Jackson in the Battle of New Orleans which helped to win the War of 1812..."^[14][15] Jean Lafitte and brother Pierre, along with the Baratarians, first agreed to help the British fight against the United States in the Battle of New Orleans, September, 1814 for $30,000 and a captaincy. Jean Lafitte did not help the British. He pretended to help, but warned Louisiana of New Orleans' pending attack.^[11][10][15]

Battle of New Orleans

Instead, Jean Lafitte agreed to aid Gen Andrew Jackson.^[5] The Lafittes were driven more by their hatred of the Spanish and British than a lust for wealth. They aided Andrew Jackson in the Battle of New Orleans which helped to win the War of 1812.^[2][11][10] Pierre Boitt Lafitte, hero in defense of New Orleans against the British ^[14]

Lafitte's men were called the Baratarians, and fought well. Jackson commended Lafitte as one of the ablest men of the battle. Laffite and his Baratarians played a major role in Gen. Andrew Jackson's defense of New Orleans from December 14, 1814, through January 8, 1815. He furnished powder, lead, cannons, and cannoneers.^[2]

After the war of 1812, President James Madison issued a public proclamation of pardon for the group.^[13]

Jean Lafitte and Texas

• Chambers County, Texas

Following the War of 1812, Lafitte resumed his old ways of pirating. He had almost 1,000 followers in 1817. His commune settled on the island later named Galveston, Texas. Lafitte even served as governor there in 1819.^[13]

The Lafitte/Laffite brothers made their home base a pirate colony they developed and named Campeche, on the Island of Galveston. From there, they attacked both merchant ships and Spanish ships.^[16] 1817-1820 The pirate, Jean Laffite/ Lafitte and his 19th century adventures have been romanticized across the Gulf of Mexico. He started a colony in Galveston, Texas. He transformed the Galveston colony into a safe haven for hotbed of smuggling and privateering. They named their safe haven "Campeche".^[17]

1817-1820 The Lafittes worked with Jim Bowie in the slave trading business. They sold the slaves for $1.00/pound and Bowie bought them at that rate, then avoided American laws against slave trading, by reporting his purchased slaves as found in smugglers' possession.^[10]

1821 After a captain working for Lafitte attacked an American merchant ship, the USS Enterprise was sent to Galveston Colony to remove Lafitte from Galveston. Lafitte acquiesced to leave the area without fighting. He left May 7, 1821 on the ship, the Pride. Lafitte's men burned the Maison Rouge fortress and settlement.^[17][2]

Maison Rouge ruins

Maison Rouge

The rumors say Lafitte took a large amount of his Pirate's treasure with him on the ship as well as his mulatta mistress and son. Maison Rouge was thought to have been located near the Galveston wharf (1417 Harborside Drive), although foundations there are dated from the 1870s.^[17]

DEATH
February 4,1823, Lafitte was cruising off the town of Omoa, Honduras, on his schooner General Santander. His ship attacked two Spanish ships, who turned around and attacked Lafitte's ship. Lafitte was wounded in the battle. He is believed to have died just after dawn on February 5, 1823 (age 42). He was buried at sea in the Gulf of Honduras. The Gaceta de Cartagena and the Gaceta de Colombia carried obituaries that noted, "the loss of this brave naval officer."^[10]

According to The Journal of Jean Laffitte, The Privateer-Pirate's Own Story, (1958); by Lyle Saxon, Lafitte may have died in the mid 1820's. "Jean Lafitte Revealed, Unraveling One of America's Longest-Running Mysteries" by Ashley Oliphant and Beth Yarbrough, have published that Lafitte changed his name to Loren(d)zo Ferrer and lived his life in North Carolina to the age of 96.

Richardson-7161 19:37, 7April 2022 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Domingue#:~:text=Saint%2DDomingue%20(French%20pronunciation%3A,the%20Dominican%20Republic%20and%20Haiti.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7} https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/jean-lafitte
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} The Dread Jewish Pirate Jean Lafitte
4. ↑ The Creoles of Louisiana
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Lafitte of Louisiana, by Devereux, Mary
6. ↑ DESOTO PARISH, LOUISIANA LAFFITTES WERE REALLY BOUETS, by Jean L. Epperson, 2012, p. 2
7. ↑ Lafitte, p. 9
8. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Lafitte
9. ↑ The Creoles of Louisiana
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Lafitte
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5} https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/laffite-jean
12. ↑ Ramsay, Jack C. (1996), Jean Laffite: Prince of Pirates, (Austin, TX: Eakin Press)
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2} https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jean-Laffite
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1 14.2} Pierre Lafitte on rootsweb
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1 15.2} https://archive.org/details/creolesoflouisia00cabluoft/page/202/mode/2up pg 203
16. ↑ Wikipedia. Jean Lafitte.
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1 17.2} https://www.galvestonhistorycenter.org/research/jean-laffite

• Wikipedia: Jean LaFitte
• https://www.jeanlafittes.com/pages/jean-lafitte-pirate-king-new-orleans
• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jean-Laffite

• The Creoles of Louisiana

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Frenchmen_of_Barataria
• [1]
• https://www.nps.gov/jela/learn/historyculture/jean-lafitte-history-mystery.htm#:~:text=Lafitte%20was%20associated%20with%20the,New%20Orleans%20at%20Chalmette%20Battlefield.
• "Wikipedia: 'Pierre LaFitte'" [2]
• https://wc.rootsweb.com/trees/516030/I574033595/-/individual
• "Wikipedia: 'Jean LaFitte'" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Lafitte [3]
• The Baratarians and the Battle of New Orleans (1961);
• Jean Laffitte, The Journal of Jean Laffitte,
• The Privateer-Pirate's Own Story (1958);
• Lyle Saxon, Lafitte [sic] the Pirate (1930);
• Stanley Clisby Arthur, Jean Laffite,
• Gentleman Rover (1952); Lyle Saxon et al., Gumbo Ya-Ya (1945);
• Dictionary of American Biography (1946); David C. Roller and Robert W. Twyman, eds.,
• Encyclopedia of Southern History (1979).
• Jane Lucas de Grummond, The Baratarians and the Battle of New Orleans (1961);
• Jean Laffitte, The Journal of Jean Laffitte,
• The Journal of Jean Laffitte, The Privateer-Pirate's Own Story, (1958)
• The Privateer-Pirate's Own Story (1958); Lyle Saxon, Lafitte [sic] the Pirate (1930); Stanley Clisby Arthur, Jean Laffite, Gentleman Rover (1952); Lyle Saxon et al., Gumbo Ya-Ya (1945); Dictionary of American Biography (1946); David C. Roller and Robert W. Twyman, eds., Encyclopedia of Southern History (1979).

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/jean-lafitte

Acknowledgments

This profile was written by Allan Harl Thomas.