Biography

"This affiant states that he has resided in the Green Bay settlement somewhere about thirty eight years and that he is well acquainted with Joseph Pauquette and his family, that he this affiant knows that Madame Pauquette now dead was the granddaughter of a Winnebago Chief by the name Dekorree and that Joseph Pauquette had by his wife Madame Pauquette four children whose names are Sophia Moses Esterre and Felicite, and that Madame Pauquette was a half Breed of the Winnebago Tribe of Indians and that her aford children by aford Joseph Pauquette are one fourth of Winnebago blood; that he this affiant is a near neighbor of sd Joseph Pauquette and knows the said children from their birth. That this affiant has frequently seen Therese Ecuyer or Monatice the mother of Madame Pauquette at the house of Joseph Pauquette & he always heard and believes that sd Therese Ecuyer or Monatice was the child of Dekoree a Winnebago Chief." (Waggoner 55a)

"Joseph Paquette of Green Bay, Wisconsin Territory, who being duly sworn [15 Sept. 1838] according to Law doth depose & say, That he is the same person that in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty was legally married to Felicite Lacuyer, a half breed Winnebago woman who was the daughter of Ma-na-ta-see, a full blood Winnebego woman who was sister to the principle Chief[s?] of the nation—'That their issue was four children. viz Sophia now aged about fourteen years, Moses aged about thirteen years, Easter aged about eleven years, and Felicite aged about nine years, all of which children are active & intelligent, and now and ever have resided with their said father—That their mother died when the youngest child was but six months old, and that he has with both maternal & paternal care watched over them … (Waggoner, 53b-54a)

Joseph Paquette stated in an affidavit, "That their mother died when the youngest child was but six months old ..." (Waggoner, 54a)

Siblings

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

“… 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)

Children

In an affidavit of 30 Aug. 1839, “That he the sd Joseph Pauquette avers that he has living & maintained by him the following children born of his wife Celeste decd.
Sophia Pauquette a female infant child of about the age of fifteen.
Easter Pauquette a female infant child of about twelve
Felicite Pauquette of about the age of ten years
Moses Pauqette a male infant child of about the age of fourteen.” (Waggoner, 53b)

Sources

• 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.