Charles-Stanislaus Dagneau de Quindre dit Fontenay (sieur)

Personal and Family Information

Charles was born on 29 APR 1746 in Fort Saint-Joseph (Niles), Berrien Co. MI , the son of Louis Antoine Césaire Dagneau dit Fontenay and Marie-Anne Picoté de Belestre.

He died on 01 MAR 1833 in Dover Township, Kent Co ON .

He had two marriages/partners. His first wife was Sauvagesse inconnue, who he married in BEF 1775. The place has not been found. Their only known child was Marie-Catherine (c1775-1861).

His second wife was Marie-Catherine Chêne dit Labutte, who he married on 18 NOV 1780 in Assomption, Sandwich, Essex Co. ON . Their three known children were Charles (1781-1827), Marie-Catherine (1783-1866) and Pélagie (1784-1852).

Pedigree Chart (3 generations)

Events

Attributes

Notes

Note 1

Prominent merchant and trader in what is now Michigan and south into the Ohio Valley.

Sackville: Captured Daniel Boone in February 1778

Crowder: Living in Malden in 1789 as "Dequindre, Fontenay, Lieut., Indian Dept

Land titles on Lake St Clair, 16 Aug 1797.

Note 2

Fontenay, Picanier and Pontchartrain were all officers in the Indian Department (See Haldimand Papers circa 1778), all three participated in the expedition to recapture Fort Vincennes in late 1778, Fontenay took part in the capture of Daniel Boone earlier that year and is reported to have been on a scouting mission with up to 300 Shawnees in Sept of that same year. Pontchartrain lead the attack on Boonsboro in the late summer of 1778 after Daniel Boone escaped and fled home.

Note 3

1778/02: "Detroit to Fort Sackville 1778-1779 - The Journal of Normand McLeod, September 25, 1778 to January 22, 1779: Wayne State University" records Fontenay captured Daniel Boone. There are many versions of this event. The common thread is that a party of Shawnee Indians lead by Black Fish and accompanied by Fontenay and Charles Bobian (Charles Jean Baptiste Cuillerier dit Beaubien) captured Daniel Boone and took back to Detroit where the governor apparently attempted to buy his freedom. Black Fish refused and Boone was taken to the Indian village at Chillocotte, Ohio where he was adopted into the tribe. Upon learning of a British expedition/raiding party being sent towards Kentucky he escaped and returned to Boonesboro to warn his family and friends. Fontenay's brother, Antoine Dagneau de Quindre, Sieur de Pontchartrain lead the force of British, French and Indian to attack Boonesboro in the summer of 1778. The siege was unsuccessful and the force withdrew. This event has been highly romanticized on both sides so it is hard to find unbiased information. It has been reported that the force that attacked Boonesboro was flying the English and French flags notwithstanding France were formally allied with the Americans at this time. Fontenay was associated with the Shawnee at the general time of the birth of Catherine so one might speculate his "spouse" was from that tribe. One of the preconditions to serving in the Indian Department was knowledge of Indian ways and language therefore one can reasonably conclude he spoke one or more dialects and spent a great deal of time with the Indians. In Becky Landers, Frontier Explorer by Constance Lindsay Skinner Captain Dagniaux de Quindre is described as "the white man was as bronzed and hawk-faced as any red man but his natural coloring was much lighter. The hair showing under his cap was a brownish tan; his piercing eyes were light gray-green. He was tall, supple and muscular, but his hands and feet were almost as small as a woman's. Those graceful moccasined feet had not burned up all the snow before him, literally, but Captain Dagniaux De Quindre had come almost as fast as if infernal flames had cleared a trail for him - a hundred miles by forced marches, with a band of disgruntled savages whom he had induced to accompany him only by promises of the loot of rich trading supplies and by inflaming appeals to their patriotism." He was apparently named "Wolf" by his Indian comrades and greatly respected and feared by them. It appears this book has combined the real life character of Fontenay who captured Daniel Boone and his brother Antoine who lead the force, which later attacked Boonesboro. Dagniaux De Quindre is described in the footnotes as a real historical figure but it is not known whether or not this personal description is accurate.

Note 4

1778: Sept - Dec: "Detroit to Fort Sackville 1778-1779 - The Journal of Normand McLeod, September 25, 1778 to January 22, 1779: Wayne State University" records Fontenay, a Lieutenant in the British Indian Department. (a military organization) and his two brothers Antoine, Sieur de Pontchartrain and François, Sieur de Picanier ) also lieutenant in the Indian Department as having participated in the Hamilton expedition to recapture Fort Vincennes which had fallen into the hands of the Americans during the Revolutionary War. This area would have been familiar to Fontenay because of his having lived there as a young man. Vincennes was captured late in 1778 but recaptured by the Americans in early 1779. There is no record of Fontenay or his brothers having been made prisoners so they most likely returned to Detroit with the main force after the fort had been secured. Vincennes was the main post between Detroit and Louisiana during the French Regime.

Note 5

1779/02/11: Records of St Anne, Detroit: He was present at the marriage of his brother François, Sieur de Picanier, to Thérèse Boyer and signed the marriage record as a witness. His presence in Detroit at that time confirms he left Vincennes prior to its recapture by the Americans in early 1779.

Note 6

1780/11/28: Fontenay married Marie-Catherine Chene dit Labutte (1761-1787) at Assumption Church, in what is now Windsor, Ontario. Fontenay and Marie-Catherine were distant cousins. Marie-Catherine Trottier dit Beaubien was the great grandmother of Marie Catherine Chêne dit Labutte along the line of her first husband Jean Cuillerier. She was also the grandmother of Fontenay along the line of her second husband François Marie Picoté, Sieur de Belestre. Those signing as witnesses included; Jean Baptiste Leduc, François Dequindre (Sieur de Picanier), Charles Stanislaus de Quindre (Fontenay), Catherine Lamorandière de Quindre (wife of Antoine Dequindre), Antoine Dequindre (Sieur de Pontchartrain), Charles Gouin, Mag'dele Trottier, mark of Marie-Catherine Chene, and Judith Gouin. Some of these names will reappear later in the life of Fontenay in Dover Township, Kent County, Ontario. If Charles had been married to the mother of Catherine, and she had died prior to this marriage, he would have been described as "widower". This suggests he was not married to the mother of Catherine. A translation of the marriage record is as follows: 18/11/1780: Assumption, Windsor: Marriage: "In the year of our Lord 1780, the 18th of November having "dispensed with the reading of the three ordinary bans?" between M, Charles de Fontenay de Quindre, son of Antoine (Louis?) Cesaire de Quindre and of Françoise Marie Anne Picoté Bellestre, daughter of François Picoté, Squire, Sieur de Bellestre and the deceased Lady Marie-Catherine Trottier, the father and mother in legitimate marriage and of Marie-Catherine Chêne, daughter of Pierre Chêne and Marie Anne Cuillerier, the father and mother in a legitimate marriage, of this parish and not finding any impediments, I the undersigned priest responsible for the curial functions of Assumption Church of Detroit certify having received their mutual consent and gave the wedding benediction in the presence of Jean Baptiste Leduc, François DeQuindre and Catherine Chene who have signed with me." Signed: Hubert, Priest: S.J. Signatures: Jean Baptiste Leduc (JWP Note: Denissen records a J.B. Leduc b 2/12/1765 NE Coast of Detroit s/o Philip LeDuc and Marie-Joseph Peltier-Antaya, who married Elizabeth Peltier d/o André and Catherine Meloche. Elizabeth was the sister of Gabriel who later married Catherine Dequindre.) François DeQuindre (JWP Note: Sieur de Picanier, brother, Charles Stanislaus Dequindre (JWP Note: the groom), Catherine Lamorandière Dequindre (JWP Note: wife of Antoine below, Trottier dit Lamorandière), Ant De Quindre (JWP Note: Antoine, Sieur de Pontchartrain, brother), Charles Gouin (JWP Note: Charles Gouin obtained Lot #5 on the Thames River in Dover Twp, Kent County, next to Charles Stanislaus Dequindre. He was reported to have lived in Detroit.), Magdalene? Trottier Timon (perhaps the last word was temoin - witness. "mark" of M. Catherine Chene (JWP Note: looks like the bride could not write.), Judith Gouin (JWP Note: Denissen records a Judith Gouin d/o of Claude Thomas Gouin and Marie-Joseph Cuillerier dit Beaubien. Marie Josephe was the niece of Marie-Catherine Trottier dit Beaubien.)

Note 7

1782/06/16: "A Survey of the Settlement of Detroit Made by Order of Major de Peyster June 16, 1782 (South Shore Only) contained in Windsor Border Region by Lajeunesse lists Fontenay Dequindre's household consisting of himself, a married woman (Marie-Catherine), one young man (Charles born in 1781) and one female (Catherine, his natural daughter). The other two children of the marriage of Fontenay and Marie-Catherine were Marie Catherine born in 1783 and Pelagia born in 1785. Fontenay owned 4 horses, 1 cow, 2 hogs and no slaves. The wheat, Indian corn and oat crops reported were relatively small compared to other settlers on the list which suggests he might not have been much of a farmer. It appears that his natural daughter, Catherine, was raised as part of the family.

Note 8

1808: Fontenay sold 20 acres of the upper part of Lot 4, Front Concession, between Desloge and Jacobs to Charles Dequindre (his son) for 50 pounds.

1821: Oct 13: The will of Charles Dequindre (JWP Note, Fontenay's son, will written in English) contains, among other things "I Charles Dequindrebeing in a bad state of health etc devise and bequeath unto my son Charles Dequindre his heirs and successors the Lot of Land I now reside upon being Number Four in the Front Concession of East Dover together with all buildings erected thereon subject nevertheless to the limitations and restrictions hereinafter listed." This will confirms his residence on Lot #4. He signed with a mark indicating he was illiterate. Fontenay signed as a witness. The preamble to the witness signature block implies that Fontenay understood English. It is interesting to note that Charles, the testator was illiterate but his father Fontenay appears to have been able to speak and write English as well as French and speak or more Indian languages.

Note 9

Fontenay apparently was literate - he signed his name to a document written in English

Note 10

"La population des forts francais d'Amerique" par Marthe Fairbault-Beauregard. (Edition 1982)V MISSION ST-IGNACE DE MICHILIMACKINAC

PAROISSE STE-ANNE, 1725-1821 Volume 1, page 141

BAPTÊMES

DE QUINDRE D"OUVILLE, CHARLES STANISLAS, 23-5-1747 né 29 avril 1746 à St. Joseph, fils de Caesaire & Francoise Marianne Picoté de Belêtre, de retour de St. Joseph et sur le point de partir pour Montreal. Par. M. duPlessis de Morampont, officier d'une Cie du detachment de la Marine, commandant pour le Roi à Cammanokisg8a; Mar. Mme Langlade. P. du Jaunay s.j.

Sources

1. Jack Peltier

   Source:	Jack Peltier
   Authors:	Jack Peltiier
   Publisher:	http://www.rootsweb.com/~wioconto/dagneau.htm