Biography

Simeon (L'Ecuyer) Lecuyer was born about 1807 in Wisconsin. He was the son of Jean "John" L'Ecuyer and Mahnahteesee Therese Dekaury. Records of Saint Anne parish, Detroit, show that he was baptized at the St. Francis Xavier mission in Green Bay. He had been baptized conditionally^[1] by Charles Reaume. His Godparents were Pierre Grignon (who later was his wife's uncle) and Nancy McCrea.

Simeon first married Angelique Powell in 1826. His parents were listed as Jean Lecuyer and Terese Dekaury.^[2] Angelique was the daughter of Peter Panell (?) and Lisbeth.

Simeon sold land to Joseph Pocate (Paquette) containing five hundred acres of land in the Territory of Michigan.^[3] This deed was recorded on the 30th of October 1828, and 'signed' with Simeon's mark. Two years prior Jacques LeCuyer and Simeon sold a claim in Green Bay to Joseph Paquett.^[4] In the 1830 census Simeon was in Brown, Michigan Territory.^[5] He was the only person in his household. Eight years later he was listed as a United States interpreter at Prairie du Chien. He was listed in the congressional records as being half Winnebago. He was mentioned along with Benjamin L'Ecuyer, Jacques L'Ecuyer, Antoine Grignon, and John Roy. It was said

".. they are equally respectable, and sufficiently intelligent to manage their own affairs, and competent to make contracts, and take care of their rights and interests..."^[6]

Each of them had received $2,000 for their services to the United States government.^[6] In 1839 Simeon was again listed as an interpreter for the Indian Department.^[7] By then he had married Marguerite "Margaret" Grignon.

Simeon was hired in 1848 to help remove the Winnebagoes from their land in Wisconsin.^[8] He was paid for each person that he moved. They were directed to Long Prairie, Minnesota. In the 1850 census Simeon (age 43) was in Wahnahta County, Minnesota.^[9][10][11] He was listed as a white laborer. His wife Margaret was now thirty-four years old. They had six children in the home, ages infant to thirteen.

1. Felicity Lecuyer b. 1837^[10]
2. Julia Lecuyer b. 1840, d. 1905^[10]
3. Victoire Lecuyer b. 1842^[10]
4. Louise Lecuyer b. 1844,^[10]
5. Margaret Lecuyer b. 1847^[10]
6. Josette Lecuyer b. 1850^[10]

In 1853 Bernard W. Brisbois sued Simeon.^[12] The case was decided upon on the 23rd of April in favor of the plaintiff. The sum of $464.16 was awarded.

Parents

The siblings of Therese were: "Benjamin, James, Simeon, and Phelise Lecliyer, Julia and Antoine Grignon, and Alexis Peyet." (Kappler)

"The mother of Julia Grignon (Man-ne-te-se) is the full sister of the Décarra Chiefs, the principal most influential Chiefs of the Tribe. She was married to John Lequyér in early life, and is the mother of Simeon & Benjamin Lequyér & of their bothers & sisters whose names are before the board." (Waggoner, 31b)

“… deponent Louisignon knows that they were married by Charles Rayon about the Year seventeen hundred & ninety seven. … deponents have known said Children since their birth, and always knew them as, and believed them to be the Children of said Ecuyer and Man, na, tee, see, which said children are as follow:

Therese, now the wife of Francis Roy

Benjamin, married to Elizabeth a Menominee Woman

Jacques, married to Margaret Brunet

Simeon married to Margaret Grignon

Felice, now the Wife dead

Juliettte [probably refers to Man-na-tee-see’s daughter, Julia Grignon]”

(Waggoner, 66b)

Research Notes

Simeon was the son of a French father and a Native American mother. He made a claim after the Indian Treaties, and was listed as being 1/2 Native American. Other relatives such as Nicolas Boilvin, Catherine Myott, and Hyacinthe St. Cyr made similar claims. For Simeon's family he listed Margaret, Mary, and Julia.^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ Conditional baptisms are 'emergency' baptisms, conducted when a child is born and the parents fear his imminent death. This could be performed by a midwife or a priest. (Image on Ancestry)
2. ↑ Marriage: "U.S., French Catholic Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1695-1954", database with images, Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 1111 #47269 (accessed 6 February 2023), Simeon Lauzier marriage to Angelique Powell in 1810-1831 in Détroit, Ste-Anne; Autres Registres, Michigan, USA.
3. ↑ Brown County, Territory of Michigan Deeds, Vol. B 1828-1844
4. ↑ pgs 62-6 (see on Ancestry)
5. ↑ 1830 Census: "1830 United States Federal Census", database with images, Year: 1830; Census Place: Brown, Michigan Territory; Series: M19; Roll: 69; Page: 214; Family History Library Film: 0363348, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8058 #1817798 (accessed 6 February 2023), Simeon Leenyer in Brown, Michigan Territory.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Testimony by J.D. Doty about the character of the Simeon, Benjamin and Jacques L'ecuyer, Executive Documents 1838, 25th Congress, Document 229, page 91.
7. ↑ Executive Documents, 26th Congress, 1st session.
8. ↑ Winnebagoes from Wisconsin to Long Prairie, Minnesota, Wis. Hist. Col. Vol.12,
9. ↑ 1835-1890 Census: "Minnesota, U.S., Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1835-1890", database, Jackson, Ron V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp.. Minnesota Census, 1835-1890. Compiled and digitized by Mr. Jackson and AIS from microfilmed schedules of the U.S. Federal Decennial Census, territorial/state censuses, and/or census substitutes, Ancestry Record 3555 #14108486 (accessed 6 February 2023), Simeon Lecuyer in Wahnahta County, MN.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6} 1850 Census: "1850 United States Federal Census", database with images, The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M432; Residence Date: 1850; Home in 1850: Long Prairie, Wahnahta, Minnesota Territory; Roll: 367; Page: 66b; Line Number: 10, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8054 #3328933 (accessed 6 February 2023), Simeon Lecuger (43), Laborer, in Long Prairie, Wahnahta, Minnesota Territory, USA. Born in Wisconsin.
11. ↑ 1850 Census: "Minnesota, U.S., Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905", database with images, Line: 11; Roll: MNSAM_350, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 1058 #203727 (accessed 6 February 2023), Simeon Lecuyer (43) in Long Prairie, Wahnahta.
12. ↑ 1853 > June > 20: "River Times (Fort Winnebago, Wisconsin)", database with images, 1853 > June > 20, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Image (accessed 6 February 2023)
13. ↑ Waggoner, Linda M. "Neither White Men Nor Indians" (WI: Park Genealogical Books, 2002), pp. 33, 54. Note: Transcribed from a National Archives microfilm record: Territorial papers of the United States (selected from many record groups) Wisconsin, 1836-1848 M236. "Special files of the Office of Indian Affairs, 1836-1846. Special file 161 (Roll 41).

• Linda M. Waggoner (ed.), “Neither White Men Nor Indians: Affidavits from the Winnebago Mixed-blood Claim Commissions, Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin, 1838-1839” (Roseville, Minnesota: Park Genealogical Books, 2002). Extracted from Territorial Papers of the United States, Wisconsin, 1836-1848. M236. “Special Files of the Office of Indian Affairs,” 1836-46. “Special File 161” (Roll 41). “Special File 190” (Roll 42). National Archives, Washington D.C., Documents on Microfilm, Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (Record Group 75).
• Charles J. Kappler, Indian Affairs: Laws and Treaties, Vol. 2, Treaties (Washington : Government Printing Office, 1904) 2:301.