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Toussaint Dubois Sr. was the son of Charles Quintin dit Dubois (abt 1713-1788) and Cecile Amable Couvret (abt 1733-aft 1765). His exact birth year is uncertain but he is thought to have been born in the middle 1750s (abt 1754 ?). NOTE: The French word "dit' translates to English as "called" .
Birth dates for Toussaint from various sources actually range from 1736 to 1764. Since it thought that his PARENTS married on Feb. 26, 1753 and since he is thought to have been their first born child, his birth may have been about 1753/54. We know that he was born in/near Saint-Laurent, Montreal, Quebec, New France (present day Canada). St. Laurent is now the largest borough (a small town/district) in Montreal.
Some Dubois family trees mistakenly show Toussaint's parents as Jean Baptiste Dubois (1741-1801) and Marie Euphrisine La Belle (1751-1795). Actually, Toussaint (a French name meaning "all saints") and Jean Baptiste Quintin Dubois (abt 1755-aft 1790) were sons of Charles Quinton dit Dubois and Cecile Amable Couvret. It was his father's second marriage. His first wife, Mary Louise Serre dit St. Jean (1721-1752), had died in 1752. Both of Toussaint's parents were born in Quebec, New France (present day Canada) and were of French descent.
There are some who believe that Toussaint Sr. was born of nobility in France, however, we know that his paternal grandfather, Jean Quintin Dubois (1670-1719), immigrated to Quebec from France still while unmarried and that Toussaint's father, Charles, was later born in Quebec. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that Toussaint's father would have returned to France to get married and have his first child (Toussaint Dubois Sr.).
Another popular story that has developed over the years is that Toussaint came to America from France with General Lafayette to fight for American independence and consequently was disinherited by his father. While that certainly makes for an interesting story, there seems to be no evidence to support this narrative. As mentioned earlier, Toussaint was born in Quebec, New France (present day Canada), as were his parents.
It is thought that Toussaint left Quebec about age 25 and arrived in the Fort Vincennes area sometime around 1778. While definitely supportive of the American cause, his involvement in the American Revolution in the Vincennes area would have been somewhat limited due to the time of his arrival. However, on July 20, 1778, it is thought that he and all the inhabitants of Fort Vincennes, swore an Oath of Allegiance to the Republic of Virginia and the United States.
Toussaint disliked the British immensely. He served under Colonel George Rogers Clark in capturing nearby Ft. Sackville from the British on Feb. 23-24, 1779. For his efforts he received a land grant located in what is now Lawrence Co., Illinois.
It was in Vincennes, on Oct. 6, 1788, that Toussaint married 18-20 year old Anne Jeanette "Janne" Bonneau (1770 ?-1800). At the time of their wedding, which was held in the St. Francis Zavier Church, Vincennes was located in the "Territory North of the Ohio River", then commonly referred to as the "Northwest Territory". Vincennes in now part of Knox Co., IN. Knox was established as one of the Northwest Territory's 3 counties in 1790.
Janne, also of French descent, was the daughter of a well-to-do family. Her parents were Charles Bonneau (1714-1784) and Genevieve Charlotte Dudevoir (1732-1773), both buried in the Old Cathedral Cemetery in Vincennes. Both are buried in unmarked grave sites. Janne's maiden name was usually spelled "Bonneau", however, her grave marker spells her surname as "Boneau".
Toussaint and Janne were married for twelve years and had six known children. They were Susanne Dubois (1789-1820), Toussaint Dubois Jr. (1790-1833), Honore "Henry" Dubois (1792- ?), Francois Dubois (1794-1794), Charles Dubois (1795-1819) and Emanuel L. Dubois (1798-1818). All were born in or/near Fort Vincennes (present day Vincennes).
Janne died on Nov. 15, 1800 in Vincennes at the young age of 28-30. She is buried in what is now referred to as The Old Cathedral "French and Indian" Cemetery in Vincennes, Knox Co., Indiana. She has one of the few marked graves in that cemetery of over 4,000 burials.
As mentioned earlier, Janne's grave marker spells her surname "Boneau". It also says she was only 28 and spells her husband's name as "Touissaint Duboi". Surnames, as well as other words in general, were often spelled as they sounded. Consequently, it is not uncommon to find differences in the spelling of the same surname. Spelling was quite flexible in those days and often depended on the individual doing the writing.
About 1805, about four years after the death of his first wife, Toussaint married Marie Jane Baird (1781-1842). She is thought to have been born in Somerset Co., Pennsylvania. Their wedding, most likely, took place in Vincennes. By this time Toussaint was 50 years of age. Jane was only 24. Jane's first given name "Marie" is found on the baptism record of her son, Jacques Debois.
Jane was the daughter of Revolutionary War soldier, Thomas Baird II (1749-1834), and his wife, Hannah Esther Kilgore (1758-1790), both born in Pennsylvania. Thomas was born in Franklin Co., PA and is buried in the Upper Indiana Cemetery in Bruceville, Knox Co., IN. Hannah, born in Cumberland Co., PA, died 44 years before her husband and her burial site is currently unknown. She is thought by some to have been the daughter of Irish immigrant, Charles Kilgore (1703-1778), and Virginia born, Jane Clark (1725-1778).
Toussaint and his second wife, Jane, were married about 14 years and had three known children. They were Thomas Baird Dubois (1806-aft 1851), Jacques "James" Debois (1808-1856) and Jesse Kilgore Dubois (1811-1876). Their third son, Jesse, is known for having been a close friend of Abe Lincoln when both were living in Springfield, Sangamon Co., Illinois.
Toussaint was a very successful fur trader with the Indians. He and his partners, Pierre Menard and Francis Vigo, owned general stores located in towns of Vincennes (IN), Kaskaskia (IL) and Cahokia (IL). Eventually Toussaint, and his partner Vigo, owned a great deal of land in Lawrence Co., IL, in and around the towns of Lawrenceville and St. Francisville where Toussaint lived in a large and elegant home located on Robeson Hills (formally called Dubois Hills).
Toussaint was a well respected and influential citizen in his community. He is thought to have been a member of the Catholic Church and one who gave to his church quite liberally. He served on the Board of Trustees for Vincennes College as early as 1806 and was one of the first trustees elected for the newly incorporated town of Vincennes in 1807.
Possessing an excellent knowledge of the surrounding territory, Toussaint, despite his age (abt 57), served as the Captain of a Company of Spies and Guides for the Indiana Militia during the Tippecanoe Campaign and took part in the Battle of Tippecanoe on Nov. 7, 1811. He later served as a Major in the War of 1812.
On March 11, 1816, Toussaint drown while trying to ford the rain swollen Little Wabash River on horseback in present day Clay Co., Illinois. He was returning home from a business trip to his general store in Kaskaskia, then the capital of the Illinois Territory. If born in 1754 he would have been about 62 years of age at the time of his death.
In reporting Toussaint's death on Sat. Mar. 16, 1816 the Western Sun (the old Vincennes weekly newspaper reported that "On Monday (Mar. 11) last, in attempt to cross the Little Wabash River, was drown Major Toussaint Dubois. In him the poor have lost a benefactor, his country a friend. He was a kind husband, an indulgent father and an honest man." Earlier accounts reported that his body had not been found. However, it was eventually found, several days after his accidental death. March 16, 1816 was on a Saturday so the newspaper reported that Toussaint had drown on Monday Mar. 11, 1816.
Toussaint was a member of the Masonic Lodge. Minutes recorded for Mar. 18, 1816, state
"His funeral ceremony was held at the lodge and that his body was then
taken to the Catholic burial grounds in Vincennes where he was interred with
honors of a Mason."
Leo W. Graff, Jr. (Professor, Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan) wrote in his excellent 1988 paper (Toussaint Dubois: Political Patriot of Old Vincennes) that Toussaint "was interred in the French Cemetery in Vincennes after Masonic burial rites, as recorded in the minutes of the local Masonic Lodge on March 18, 1816."
Toussaint is buried, along with his first wife, Jeanne, in the Old Cathedral "French and Indian" Cemetery, located in Vincennes, in one of it's approximately 4,000 unmarked graves. At that time is was a French tradition to bury people on top of each other, 3 and 4 deep. By doing that it was thought that the deceased person's ashes would eventually mingle with those of their ancestors. Toussaint's brother, Joseph Dubois (1765-1791), is also buried in this cemetery and has one of the few markers that is readable.
On Dec. 20, 1818, not quite three years after Toussaint's death, a new Indiana county was created from portions of Orange, Pike and Perry counties. It was named Dubois County in his honor. There are also streets (Dubois Street) in both Vincennes and Lawrenceville named after him. In 1821, Toussaint's residence in Lawrenceville, Illinois served as the seat of government after the formation of Lawrence County.
On Oct. 13, 1919, approximately 100 years after the creation of Dubois County, my maternal grandmother, Mary G. "Mamie" (Tracy) White Boyles (1869-1945), a GG-grand-daughter of Toussaint, was one of twenty charter members of the newly created Toussaint Dubois Sr. NSDAR (local chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution). That chapter is still active today.
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The information contained in this memorial for Toussaint Debois Sr., his two wives, family members, ancestors and descendants, is thought to be correct. This memorial is revised/corrected, however, as new information becomes available.
**************************************************************************************
Toussaint Dubois Sr. was the son of Charles Quintin dit Dubois (abt 1713-1788) and Cecile Amable Couvret (abt 1733-aft 1765). His exact birth year is uncertain but he is thought to have been born in the middle 1750s (abt 1754 ?). NOTE: The French word "dit' translates to English as "called" .
Birth dates for Toussaint from various sources actually range from 1736 to 1764. Since it thought that his PARENTS married on Feb. 26, 1753 and since he is thought to have been their first born child, his birth may have been about 1753/54. We know that he was born in/near Saint-Laurent, Montreal, Quebec, New France (present day Canada). St. Laurent is now the largest borough (a small town/district) in Montreal.
Some Dubois family trees mistakenly show Toussaint's parents as Jean Baptiste Dubois (1741-1801) and Marie Euphrisine La Belle (1751-1795). Actually, Toussaint (a French name meaning "all saints") and Jean Baptiste Quintin Dubois (abt 1755-aft 1790) were sons of Charles Quinton dit Dubois and Cecile Amable Couvret. It was his father's second marriage. His first wife, Mary Louise Serre dit St. Jean (1721-1752), had died in 1752. Both of Toussaint's parents were born in Quebec, New France (present day Canada) and were of French descent.
There are some who believe that Toussaint Sr. was born of nobility in France, however, we know that his paternal grandfather, Jean Quintin Dubois (1670-1719), immigrated to Quebec from France still while unmarried and that Toussaint's father, Charles, was later born in Quebec. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that Toussaint's father would have returned to France to get married and have his first child (Toussaint Dubois Sr.).
Another popular story that has developed over the years is that Toussaint came to America from France with General Lafayette to fight for American independence and consequently was disinherited by his father. While that certainly makes for an interesting story, there seems to be no evidence to support this narrative. As mentioned earlier, Toussaint was born in Quebec, New France (present day Canada), as were his parents.
It is thought that Toussaint left Quebec about age 25 and arrived in the Fort Vincennes area sometime around 1778. While definitely supportive of the American cause, his involvement in the American Revolution in the Vincennes area would have been somewhat limited due to the time of his arrival. However, on July 20, 1778, it is thought that he and all the inhabitants of Fort Vincennes, swore an Oath of Allegiance to the Republic of Virginia and the United States.
Toussaint disliked the British immensely. He served under Colonel George Rogers Clark in capturing nearby Ft. Sackville from the British on Feb. 23-24, 1779. For his efforts he received a land grant located in what is now Lawrence Co., Illinois.
It was in Vincennes, on Oct. 6, 1788, that Toussaint married 18-20 year old Anne Jeanette "Janne" Bonneau (1770 ?-1800). At the time of their wedding, which was held in the St. Francis Zavier Church, Vincennes was located in the "Territory North of the Ohio River", then commonly referred to as the "Northwest Territory". Vincennes in now part of Knox Co., IN. Knox was established as one of the Northwest Territory's 3 counties in 1790.
Janne, also of French descent, was the daughter of a well-to-do family. Her parents were Charles Bonneau (1714-1784) and Genevieve Charlotte Dudevoir (1732-1773), both buried in the Old Cathedral Cemetery in Vincennes. Both are buried in unmarked grave sites. Janne's maiden name was usually spelled "Bonneau", however, her grave marker spells her surname as "Boneau".
Toussaint and Janne were married for twelve years and had six known children. They were Susanne Dubois (1789-1820), Toussaint Dubois Jr. (1790-1833), Honore "Henry" Dubois (1792- ?), Francois Dubois (1794-1794), Charles Dubois (1795-1819) and Emanuel L. Dubois (1798-1818). All were born in or/near Fort Vincennes (present day Vincennes).
Janne died on Nov. 15, 1800 in Vincennes at the young age of 28-30. She is buried in what is now referred to as The Old Cathedral "French and Indian" Cemetery in Vincennes, Knox Co., Indiana. She has one of the few marked graves in that cemetery of over 4,000 burials.
As mentioned earlier, Janne's grave marker spells her surname "Boneau". It also says she was only 28 and spells her husband's name as "Touissaint Duboi". Surnames, as well as other words in general, were often spelled as they sounded. Consequently, it is not uncommon to find differences in the spelling of the same surname. Spelling was quite flexible in those days and often depended on the individual doing the writing.
About 1805, about four years after the death of his first wife, Toussaint married Marie Jane Baird (1781-1842). She is thought to have been born in Somerset Co., Pennsylvania. Their wedding, most likely, took place in Vincennes. By this time Toussaint was 50 years of age. Jane was only 24. Jane's first given name "Marie" is found on the baptism record of her son, Jacques Debois.
Jane was the daughter of Revolutionary War soldier, Thomas Baird II (1749-1834), and his wife, Hannah Esther Kilgore (1758-1790), both born in Pennsylvania. Thomas was born in Franklin Co., PA and is buried in the Upper Indiana Cemetery in Bruceville, Knox Co., IN. Hannah, born in Cumberland Co., PA, died 44 years before her husband and her burial site is currently unknown. She is thought by some to have been the daughter of Irish immigrant, Charles Kilgore (1703-1778), and Virginia born, Jane Clark (1725-1778).
Toussaint and his second wife, Jane, were married about 14 years and had three known children. They were Thomas Baird Dubois (1806-aft 1851), Jacques "James" Debois (1808-1856) and Jesse Kilgore Dubois (1811-1876). Their third son, Jesse, is known for having been a close friend of Abe Lincoln when both were living in Springfield, Sangamon Co., Illinois.
Toussaint was a very successful fur trader with the Indians. He and his partners, Pierre Menard and Francis Vigo, owned general stores located in towns of Vincennes (IN), Kaskaskia (IL) and Cahokia (IL). Eventually Toussaint, and his partner Vigo, owned a great deal of land in Lawrence Co., IL, in and around the towns of Lawrenceville and St. Francisville where Toussaint lived in a large and elegant home located on Robeson Hills (formally called Dubois Hills).
Toussaint was a well respected and influential citizen in his community. He is thought to have been a member of the Catholic Church and one who gave to his church quite liberally. He served on the Board of Trustees for Vincennes College as early as 1806 and was one of the first trustees elected for the newly incorporated town of Vincennes in 1807.
Possessing an excellent knowledge of the surrounding territory, Toussaint, despite his age (abt 57), served as the Captain of a Company of Spies and Guides for the Indiana Militia during the Tippecanoe Campaign and took part in the Battle of Tippecanoe on Nov. 7, 1811. He later served as a Major in the War of 1812.
On March 11, 1816, Toussaint drown while trying to ford the rain swollen Little Wabash River on horseback in present day Clay Co., Illinois. He was returning home from a business trip to his general store in Kaskaskia, then the capital of the Illinois Territory. If born in 1754 he would have been about 62 years of age at the time of his death.
In reporting Toussaint's death on Sat. Mar. 16, 1816 the Western Sun (the old Vincennes weekly newspaper reported that "On Monday (Mar. 11) last, in attempt to cross the Little Wabash River, was drown Major Toussaint Dubois. In him the poor have lost a benefactor, his country a friend. He was a kind husband, an indulgent father and an honest man." Earlier accounts reported that his body had not been found. However, it was eventually found, several days after his accidental death. March 16, 1816 was on a Saturday so the newspaper reported that Toussaint had drown on Monday Mar. 11, 1816.
Toussaint was a member of the Masonic Lodge. Minutes recorded for Mar. 18, 1816, state
"His funeral ceremony was held at the lodge and that his body was then
taken to the Catholic burial grounds in Vincennes where he was interred with
honors of a Mason."
Leo W. Graff, Jr. (Professor, Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan) wrote in his excellent 1988 paper (Toussaint Dubois: Political Patriot of Old Vincennes) that Toussaint "was interred in the French Cemetery in Vincennes after Masonic burial rites, as recorded in the minutes of the local Masonic Lodge on March 18, 1816."
Toussaint is buried, along with his first wife, Jeanne, in the Old Cathedral "French and Indian" Cemetery, located in Vincennes, in one of it's approximately 4,000 unmarked graves. At that time is was a French tradition to bury people on top of each other, 3 and 4 deep. By doing that it was thought that the deceased person's ashes would eventually mingle with those of their ancestors. Toussaint's brother, Joseph Dubois (1765-1791), is also buried in this cemetery and has one of the few markers that is readable.
On Dec. 20, 1818, not quite three years after Toussaint's death, a new Indiana county was created from portions of Orange, Pike and Perry counties. It was named Dubois County in his honor. There are also streets (Dubois Street) in both Vincennes and Lawrenceville named after him. In 1821, Toussaint's residence in Lawrenceville, Illinois served as the seat of government after the formation of Lawrence County.
On Oct. 13, 1919, approximately 100 years after the creation of Dubois County, my maternal grandmother, Mary G. "Mamie" (Tracy) White Boyles (1869-1945), a GG-grand-daughter of Toussaint, was one of twenty charter members of the newly created Toussaint Dubois Sr. NSDAR (local chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution). That chapter is still active today.
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The information contained in this memorial for Toussaint Debois Sr., his two wives, family members, ancestors and descendants, is thought to be correct. This memorial is revised/corrected, however, as new information becomes available.
**************************************************************************************
*************************************************************************************
Toussaint Dubois Sr. was the son of Charles Quintin dit Dubois (abt 1713-1788) and Cecile Amable Couvret (abt 1733-aft 1765). His exact birth year is uncertain but he is thought to have been born in the middle 1750s (abt 1754 ?). NOTE: The French word "dit' translates to English as "called" .
Birth dates for Toussaint from various sources actually range from 1736 to 1764. Since it thought that his PARENTS married on Feb. 26, 1753 and since he is thought to have been their first born child, his birth may have been about 1753/54. We know that he was born in/near Saint-Laurent, Montreal, Quebec, New France (present day Canada). St. Laurent is now the largest borough (a small town/district) in Montreal.
Some Dubois family trees mistakenly show Toussaint's parents as Jean Baptiste Dubois (1741-1801) and Marie Euphrisine La Belle (1751-1795). Actually, Toussaint (a French name meaning "all saints") and Jean Baptiste Quintin Dubois (abt 1755-aft 1790) were sons of Charles Quinton dit Dubois and Cecile Amable Couvret. It was his father's second marriage. His first wife, Mary Louise Serre dit St. Jean (1721-1752), had died in 1752. Both of Toussaint's parents were born in Quebec, New France (present day Canada) and were of French descent.
There are some who believe that Toussaint Sr. was born of nobility in France, however, we know that his paternal grandfather, Jean Quintin Dubois (1670-1719), immigrated to Quebec from France still while unmarried and that Toussaint's father, Charles, was later born in Quebec. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that Toussaint's father would have returned to France to get married and have his first child (Toussaint Dubois Sr.).
Another popular story that has developed over the years is that Toussaint came to America from France with General Lafayette to fight for American independence and consequently was disinherited by his father. While that certainly makes for an interesting story, there seems to be no evidence to support this narrative. As mentioned earlier, Toussaint was born in Quebec, New France (present day Canada), as were his parents.
It is thought that Toussaint left Quebec about age 25 and arrived in the Fort Vincennes area sometime around 1778. While definitely supportive of the American cause, his involvement in the American Revolution in the Vincennes area would have been somewhat limited due to the time of his arrival. However, on July 20, 1778, it is thought that he and all the inhabitants of Fort Vincennes, swore an Oath of Allegiance to the Republic of Virginia and the United States.
Toussaint disliked the British immensely. He served under Colonel George Rogers Clark in capturing nearby Ft. Sackville from the British on Feb. 23-24, 1779. For his efforts he received a land grant located in what is now Lawrence Co., Illinois.
It was in Vincennes, on Oct. 6, 1788, that Toussaint married 18-20 year old Anne Jeanette "Janne" Bonneau (1770 ?-1800). At the time of their wedding, which was held in the St. Francis Zavier Church, Vincennes was located in the "Territory North of the Ohio River", then commonly referred to as the "Northwest Territory". Vincennes in now part of Knox Co., IN. Knox was established as one of the Northwest Territory's 3 counties in 1790.
Janne, also of French descent, was the daughter of a well-to-do family. Her parents were Charles Bonneau (1714-1784) and Genevieve Charlotte Dudevoir (1732-1773), both buried in the Old Cathedral Cemetery in Vincennes. Both are buried in unmarked grave sites. Janne's maiden name was usually spelled "Bonneau", however, her grave marker spells her surname as "Boneau".
Toussaint and Janne were married for twelve years and had six known children. They were Susanne Dubois (1789-1820), Toussaint Dubois Jr. (1790-1833), Honore "Henry" Dubois (1792- ?), Francois Dubois (1794-1794), Charles Dubois (1795-1819) and Emanuel L. Dubois (1798-1818). All were born in or/near Fort Vincennes (present day Vincennes).
Janne died on Nov. 15, 1800 in Vincennes at the young age of 28-30. She is buried in what is now referred to as The Old Cathedral "French and Indian" Cemetery in Vincennes, Knox Co., Indiana. She has one of the few marked graves in that cemetery of over 4,000 burials.
As mentioned earlier, Janne's grave marker spells her surname "Boneau". It also says she was only 28 and spells her husband's name as "Touissaint Duboi". Surnames, as well as other words in general, were often spelled as they sounded. Consequently, it is not uncommon to find differences in the spelling of the same surname. Spelling was quite flexible in those days and often depended on the individual doing the writing.
About 1805, about four years after the death of his first wife, Toussaint married Marie Jane Baird (1781-1842). She is thought to have been born in Somerset Co., Pennsylvania. Their wedding, most likely, took place in Vincennes. By this time Toussaint was 50 years of age. Jane was only 24. Jane's first given name "Marie" is found on the baptism record of her son, Jacques Debois.
Jane was the daughter of Revolutionary War soldier, Thomas Baird II (1749-1834), and his wife, Hannah Esther Kilgore (1758-1790), both born in Pennsylvania. Thomas was born in Franklin Co., PA and is buried in the Upper Indiana Cemetery in Bruceville, Knox Co., IN. Hannah, born in Cumberland Co., PA, died 44 years before her husband and her burial site is currently unknown. She is thought by some to have been the daughter of Irish immigrant, Charles Kilgore (1703-1778), and Virginia born, Jane Clark (1725-1778).
Toussaint and his second wife, Jane, were married about 14 years and had three known children. They were Thomas Baird Dubois (1806-aft 1851), Jacques "James" Debois (1808-1856) and Jesse Kilgore Dubois (1811-1876). Their third son, Jesse, is known for having been a close friend of Abe Lincoln when both were living in Springfield, Sangamon Co., Illinois.
Toussaint was a very successful fur trader with the Indians. He and his partners, Pierre Menard and Francis Vigo, owned general stores located in towns of Vincennes (IN), Kaskaskia (IL) and Cahokia (IL). Eventually Toussaint, and his partner Vigo, owned a great deal of land in Lawrence Co., IL, in and around the towns of Lawrenceville and St. Francisville where Toussaint lived in a large and elegant home located on Robeson Hills (formally called Dubois Hills).
Toussaint was a well respected and influential citizen in his community. He is thought to have been a member of the Catholic Church and one who gave to his church quite liberally. He served on the Board of Trustees for Vincennes College as early as 1806 and was one of the first trustees elected for the newly incorporated town of Vincennes in 1807.
Possessing an excellent knowledge of the surrounding territory, Toussaint, despite his age (abt 57), served as the Captain of a Company of Spies and Guides for the Indiana Militia during the Tippecanoe Campaign and took part in the Battle of Tippecanoe on Nov. 7, 1811. He later served as a Major in the War of 1812.
On March 11, 1816, Toussaint drown while trying to ford the rain swollen Little Wabash River on horseback in present day Clay Co., Illinois. He was returning home from a business trip to his general store in Kaskaskia, then the capital of the Illinois Territory. If born in 1754 he would have been about 62 years of age at the time of his death.
In reporting Toussaint's death on Sat. Mar. 16, 1816 the Western Sun (the old Vincennes weekly newspaper reported that "On Monday (Mar. 11) last, in attempt to cross the Little Wabash River, was drown Major Toussaint Dubois. In him the poor have lost a benefactor, his country a friend. He was a kind husband, an indulgent father and an honest man." Earlier accounts reported that his body had not been found. However, it was eventually found, several days after his accidental death. March 16, 1816 was on a Saturday so the newspaper reported that Toussaint had drown on Monday Mar. 11, 1816.
Toussaint was a member of the Masonic Lodge. Minutes recorded for Mar. 18, 1816, state
"His funeral ceremony was held at the lodge and that his body was then
taken to the Catholic burial grounds in Vincennes where he was interred with
honors of a Mason."
Leo W. Graff, Jr. (Professor, Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan) wrote in his excellent 1988 paper (Toussaint Dubois: Political Patriot of Old Vincennes) that Toussaint "was interred in the French Cemetery in Vincennes after Masonic burial rites, as recorded in the minutes of the local Masonic Lodge on March 18, 1816."
Toussaint is buried, along with his first wife, Jeanne, in the Old Cathedral "French and Indian" Cemetery, located in Vincennes, in one of it's approximately 4,000 unmarked graves. At that time is was a French tradition to bury people on top of each other, 3 and 4 deep. By doing that it was thought that the deceased person's ashes would eventually mingle with those of their ancestors. Toussaint's brother, Joseph Dubois (1765-1791), is also buried in this cemetery and has one of the few markers that is readable.
On Dec. 20, 1818, not quite three years after Toussaint's death, a new Indiana county was created from portions of Orange, Pike and Perry counties. It was named Dubois County in his honor. There are also streets (Dubois Street) in both Vincennes and Lawrenceville named after him. In 1821, Toussaint's residence in Lawrenceville, Illinois served as the seat of government after the formation of Lawrence County.
On Oct. 13, 1919, approximately 100 years after the creation of Dubois County, my maternal grandmother, Mary G. "Mamie" (Tracy) White Boyles (1869-1945), a GG-grand-daughter of Toussaint, was one of twenty charter members of the newly created Toussaint Dubois Sr. NSDAR (local chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution). That chapter is still active today.
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The information contained in this memorial for Toussaint Debois Sr., his two wives, family members, ancestors and descendants, is thought to be correct. This memorial is revised/corrected, however, as new information becomes available.
**************************************************************************************
Toussaint Dubois Sr. was the son of Charles Quintin dit Dubois (abt 1713-1788) and Cecile Amable Couvret (abt 1733-aft 1765). His exact birth year is uncertain but he is thought to have been born in the middle 1750s (abt 1754 ?). NOTE: The French word "dit' translates to English as "called" .
Birth dates for Toussaint from various sources actually range from 1736 to 1764. Since it thought that his PARENTS married on Feb. 26, 1753 and since he is thought to have been their first born child, his birth may have been about 1753/54. We know that he was born in/near Saint-Laurent, Montreal, Quebec, New France (present day Canada). St. Laurent is now the largest borough (a small town/district) in Montreal.
Some Dubois family trees mistakenly show Toussaint's parents as Jean Baptiste Dubois (1741-1801) and Marie Euphrisine La Belle (1751-1795). Actually, Toussaint (a French name meaning "all saints") and Jean Baptiste Quintin Dubois (abt 1755-aft 1790) were sons of Charles Quinton dit Dubois and Cecile Amable Couvret. It was his father's second marriage. His first wife, Mary Louise Serre dit St. Jean (1721-1752), had died in 1752. Both of Toussaint's parents were born in Quebec, New France (present day Canada) and were of French descent.
There are some who believe that Toussaint Sr. was born of nobility in France, however, we know that his paternal grandfather, Jean Quintin Dubois (1670-1719), immigrated to Quebec from France still while unmarried and that Toussaint's father, Charles, was later born in Quebec. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that Toussaint's father would have returned to France to get married and have his first child (Toussaint Dubois Sr.).
Another popular story that has developed over the years is that Toussaint came to America from France with General Lafayette to fight for American independence and consequently was disinherited by his father. While that certainly makes for an interesting story, there seems to be no evidence to support this narrative. As mentioned earlier, Toussaint was born in Quebec, New France (present day Canada), as were his parents.
It is thought that Toussaint left Quebec about age 25 and arrived in the Fort Vincennes area sometime around 1778. While definitely supportive of the American cause, his involvement in the American Revolution in the Vincennes area would have been somewhat limited due to the time of his arrival. However, on July 20, 1778, it is thought that he and all the inhabitants of Fort Vincennes, swore an Oath of Allegiance to the Republic of Virginia and the United States.
Toussaint disliked the British immensely. He served under Colonel George Rogers Clark in capturing nearby Ft. Sackville from the British on Feb. 23-24, 1779. For his efforts he received a land grant located in what is now Lawrence Co., Illinois.
It was in Vincennes, on Oct. 6, 1788, that Toussaint married 18-20 year old Anne Jeanette "Janne" Bonneau (1770 ?-1800). At the time of their wedding, which was held in the St. Francis Zavier Church, Vincennes was located in the "Territory North of the Ohio River", then commonly referred to as the "Northwest Territory". Vincennes in now part of Knox Co., IN. Knox was established as one of the Northwest Territory's 3 counties in 1790.
Janne, also of French descent, was the daughter of a well-to-do family. Her parents were Charles Bonneau (1714-1784) and Genevieve Charlotte Dudevoir (1732-1773), both buried in the Old Cathedral Cemetery in Vincennes. Both are buried in unmarked grave sites. Janne's maiden name was usually spelled "Bonneau", however, her grave marker spells her surname as "Boneau".
Toussaint and Janne were married for twelve years and had six known children. They were Susanne Dubois (1789-1820), Toussaint Dubois Jr. (1790-1833), Honore "Henry" Dubois (1792- ?), Francois Dubois (1794-1794), Charles Dubois (1795-1819) and Emanuel L. Dubois (1798-1818). All were born in or/near Fort Vincennes (present day Vincennes).
Janne died on Nov. 15, 1800 in Vincennes at the young age of 28-30. She is buried in what is now referred to as The Old Cathedral "French and Indian" Cemetery in Vincennes, Knox Co., Indiana. She has one of the few marked graves in that cemetery of over 4,000 burials.
As mentioned earlier, Janne's grave marker spells her surname "Boneau". It also says she was only 28 and spells her husband's name as "Touissaint Duboi". Surnames, as well as other words in general, were often spelled as they sounded. Consequently, it is not uncommon to find differences in the spelling of the same surname. Spelling was quite flexible in those days and often depended on the individual doing the writing.
About 1805, about four years after the death of his first wife, Toussaint married Marie Jane Baird (1781-1842). She is thought to have been born in Somerset Co., Pennsylvania. Their wedding, most likely, took place in Vincennes. By this time Toussaint was 50 years of age. Jane was only 24. Jane's first given name "Marie" is found on the baptism record of her son, Jacques Debois.
Jane was the daughter of Revolutionary War soldier, Thomas Baird II (1749-1834), and his wife, Hannah Esther Kilgore (1758-1790), both born in Pennsylvania. Thomas was born in Franklin Co., PA and is buried in the Upper Indiana Cemetery in Bruceville, Knox Co., IN. Hannah, born in Cumberland Co., PA, died 44 years before her husband and her burial site is currently unknown. She is thought by some to have been the daughter of Irish immigrant, Charles Kilgore (1703-1778), and Virginia born, Jane Clark (1725-1778).
Toussaint and his second wife, Jane, were married about 14 years and had three known children. They were Thomas Baird Dubois (1806-aft 1851), Jacques "James" Debois (1808-1856) and Jesse Kilgore Dubois (1811-1876). Their third son, Jesse, is known for having been a close friend of Abe Lincoln when both were living in Springfield, Sangamon Co., Illinois.
Toussaint was a very successful fur trader with the Indians. He and his partners, Pierre Menard and Francis Vigo, owned general stores located in towns of Vincennes (IN), Kaskaskia (IL) and Cahokia (IL). Eventually Toussaint, and his partner Vigo, owned a great deal of land in Lawrence Co., IL, in and around the towns of Lawrenceville and St. Francisville where Toussaint lived in a large and elegant home located on Robeson Hills (formally called Dubois Hills).
Toussaint was a well respected and influential citizen in his community. He is thought to have been a member of the Catholic Church and one who gave to his church quite liberally. He served on the Board of Trustees for Vincennes College as early as 1806 and was one of the first trustees elected for the newly incorporated town of Vincennes in 1807.
Possessing an excellent knowledge of the surrounding territory, Toussaint, despite his age (abt 57), served as the Captain of a Company of Spies and Guides for the Indiana Militia during the Tippecanoe Campaign and took part in the Battle of Tippecanoe on Nov. 7, 1811. He later served as a Major in the War of 1812.
On March 11, 1816, Toussaint drown while trying to ford the rain swollen Little Wabash River on horseback in present day Clay Co., Illinois. He was returning home from a business trip to his general store in Kaskaskia, then the capital of the Illinois Territory. If born in 1754 he would have been about 62 years of age at the time of his death.
In reporting Toussaint's death on Sat. Mar. 16, 1816 the Western Sun (the old Vincennes weekly newspaper reported that "On Monday (Mar. 11) last, in attempt to cross the Little Wabash River, was drown Major Toussaint Dubois. In him the poor have lost a benefactor, his country a friend. He was a kind husband, an indulgent father and an honest man." Earlier accounts reported that his body had not been found. However, it was eventually found, several days after his accidental death. March 16, 1816 was on a Saturday so the newspaper reported that Toussaint had drown on Monday Mar. 11, 1816.
Toussaint was a member of the Masonic Lodge. Minutes recorded for Mar. 18, 1816, state
"His funeral ceremony was held at the lodge and that his body was then
taken to the Catholic burial grounds in Vincennes where he was interred with
honors of a Mason."
Leo W. Graff, Jr. (Professor, Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan) wrote in his excellent 1988 paper (Toussaint Dubois: Political Patriot of Old Vincennes) that Toussaint "was interred in the French Cemetery in Vincennes after Masonic burial rites, as recorded in the minutes of the local Masonic Lodge on March 18, 1816."
Toussaint is buried, along with his first wife, Jeanne, in the Old Cathedral "French and Indian" Cemetery, located in Vincennes, in one of it's approximately 4,000 unmarked graves. At that time is was a French tradition to bury people on top of each other, 3 and 4 deep. By doing that it was thought that the deceased person's ashes would eventually mingle with those of their ancestors. Toussaint's brother, Joseph Dubois (1765-1791), is also buried in this cemetery and has one of the few markers that is readable.
On Dec. 20, 1818, not quite three years after Toussaint's death, a new Indiana county was created from portions of Orange, Pike and Perry counties. It was named Dubois County in his honor. There are also streets (Dubois Street) in both Vincennes and Lawrenceville named after him. In 1821, Toussaint's residence in Lawrenceville, Illinois served as the seat of government after the formation of Lawrence County.
On Oct. 13, 1919, approximately 100 years after the creation of Dubois County, my maternal grandmother, Mary G. "Mamie" (Tracy) White Boyles (1869-1945), a GG-grand-daughter of Toussaint, was one of twenty charter members of the newly created Toussaint Dubois Sr. NSDAR (local chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution). That chapter is still active today.
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The information contained in this memorial for Toussaint Debois Sr., his two wives, family members, ancestors and descendants, is thought to be correct. This memorial is revised/corrected, however, as new information becomes available.
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