GALLIA COUNTY OHIO BIO: SHEETS, Lewis M. (published 1882) *********************************************************************** NOTICE: All distribution rights to this electronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner. *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in Gallia County Biographies by Donna M. Tivener dtivener@kosinet.com August 22, 2001 *********************************************************************** Gallipolis, Gallia County Ohio Biography. Nicholas Thevenin was a member of the "French 500" these French people came to America in 1790 from France. They settled later in Gallipolis, Gallia Co. Ohio located in southeaster Ohio on the Ohio River. The town of Thivner just south of Gallipolis is named for Nicholas Thevenin. His descendants have used various spellings for the name of Thevenin. Some our Thivener, Tivener, Tivner. *********** Nicholas Thevenin member of the "French 500" came to America in 1790 he received Lot No. 2 of the First French Grant. He, Nicholas held several county offices during his lifetime. Among these were: "Lister of Property" in 1802 as recorded in Township records A.D.1802 Territory of the United States, Northwest of the River Ohio, Washington County (Now Gallia Co.) This meeting was held at the home of John Bing on the first Monday of March A.D. 1802. (This was the old Baxter house on Front Street). He also was the Sheriff of Gallia Co. Ohio, and Justice of the Peace of Gallia Co. He must have been an educated man, since I have a note signed by him, and not just the normal "x" of the early pioneers. "French 500" Ship landing in Philadelpia. 31 March 1790 Ship.. Philadelphia Packet & 4 OCT 1790 Ship Mary. Source: These dates and ship names are from the book "Pennsylvania German Pioneers" by Ralph B. Strassburger and William J. Hinke, published in 1934 by the Pennsylvania German Society, Norristown, PA. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1790 (March 31) The Philadelphia Packet 1790 (October 4) The Mary Several ships carried these French people. They arrived from LaHarve, France and landed in Alexandria, Virginia, from here to Winchester, Va. and then to Brownsville, Pennsylvania, they then went to Wellsburg, Virginia (Now W.Va) then onto Gallipolis, Ohio arriving on the 17th. of October 1790. Upon their arrival, the "French 500", as they were known, found the deeds to their land, which they had purchased in Paris, France, was no good. The land had not been paid for by the Scioto Company from who they had purchased the land. Many of the French people had to pay for their land again, and some even returned to France. Congress did give to the French Inhabitants of Gallipolis a Grant. This was called the "French Grant" and Nicholas Thevenin, received Lot #2 as recorded in the Land Grant Office in Columbus, Ohio in the Ohio State Auditors Office. The lot of 217 39/100 acres located in the southern tip of Ohio across from the Little Sandy River in Kentucky. Nicholas did not improve upon this land, but rented it out to a man for a carpenter business. This land was located in the now Scioto county, later called the "French Grant" and still later called the town of Haverhill, Ohio. Located between Ironton and Portsmouth. The Old French Grant Cemetery at Haverhill, was in very bad disorder, until 1981. an article dated Tuesday October 19, 1982 in the Citzen-Journal, by Mike Harden states-" French 500 kissed off by pioneering chiselers." The cemetery has since been cleaned up, and is now in good condition. I visited this cemetery in 1982. This might be where Anne Thevenin, the first wife of Nicholas might be buried, since a newspaper obituary states, that Collin Thevenin, son of Nicholas and Anne was from the French Grant. *********** Ohio Records of Pioneer Families, Vol. 1. states: "Thevenin, H. petition to Congress 1792. From the French Inhabitants of Gallipolis, Ohio praying the interposition of Government in confirming the titles to their lands purchased of W. Duer, agent for Scioto Company. I contacted the Land Office in Columbus, Ohio and they show only one Thevenin as receiving land from the French Grant, and it is N. Thevenin, not H. [The "H" is probably a error in copying the hand written record, it is "N"] ************ FRENCH GRANTS: From; OLD TIMES Gilruth on Early Settlers in Lawrence County From the Ironton Register March 23, 1872. Transcribed by Mary Ann St. Louis Lot No. 2 was drawn by Nicholas THEVENIN. He sent a man by the name of James LOGAN to settle on it. He came and went to work, but hearing that the boat which contained his wife and children had through mistake passed by in the night, he followed them and never returned. Robert BUCHANAN next occupied the place. His wife's name was Polly. Their children were Nancy, Clarisssa, George; the babe's name I have forgotten. BUCHANAN was a cabinetmaker, and reputed a first class workman and closely followed his business. His was the first cabinet shop between Scioto and Big Sandy on either side of the river. After some years, he moved to Missouri. Vincent FERGUSON bought the lot and moved on, but after laboring on it for some years he was let to think that he could do better by working a little Sandy Salt Works; consequently he left his farm and moved up there. In his absence, the place was occupied by the William GILLILLEN and family. Soon after he came on, his wife went back to Greenbrier County, VA and never returned. Their children's names were Pressley, William, Rhoda, Hannah, Peninah and Jane. PRESSLEY married Agnes DIDWAY Will married ______ASHLEY; Rhoda married David STUMBO; Hannah married Carter HAILEY; Peninah married Jesse DOLLARHIDE and Jane married Elias WEBB. FERGUSON'S experience at the salt works let him to return to his farm. He was a steady, quiet, hard-working man. After raising his family, he divided his farm between his two sons, John and James. ************ The original land map of the Lots drawn by the French 500 is on record at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Record Group #49 Case F. No. 95, and shows Nicholas Thevenin's name written on the Lot No. 2. It is also recorded at the Auditors Office in Columbus, Ohio under Land Grants. ************ In October of 1998 I wrote to Joselyne Zanelli who was researching the French people who came to American. This is her response: Joselyne Zanelli 7th. October 1998 "LeClos Mougeot" 8, rue de Villeneuve 45130 Baule Dear Mrs Tivener, Thank you for writing. I'm sorry I cannot tell you a lot about your ancestor Nicholas Thevenin. He crossed the Atlantic on the American ship Pennsylvania (Capt. Harding) from Le Havre and reached Philadelphia on Feb. 26th. 1790. This ship was the first out of the ten I have found out so far. Thevenin was traveling in company with 17 other Frenchmen going to the Scioto. Only seven of this group [ TRENET, CHANTEREL, THE VENIN, HE DOUIN, LANGUILLE, LEMONINE, BRUZENET] followed a M. Franks (one of the Ohio Company's attorneys in Philadelphia) to the camp which later became Gallipolis. Most of these men, and particularly those who disappeared at their arrival at Philadelphia, might have been indentured servants who had contracted with the Compangnie du Scioto in Paris which paid for their passage and allotted them a tract of land after three years work at Gallipolis.-I have several contracts of this type signed by William Plyafair, but unfortunately that of your ancestor is not among them- What makes me think he was indentured is that I have not found his deed at the French notary archives in Paris while I have found those of some of his companions: Chanterel, Hedouin, Lemonine and Bruzenet. The source for this information is a petition they sent to the notary of the Compagnie du Scioto in Paris, attesting they had been well treated etc. in July 1790. Another source in the Craigie Mss confirms their arrival. His name then appears on several lists such as that established by the Ohio Cy on Jan. 20th. 1791, when Putnam distributed the 4 acre-lots to the settlers in Gallipolis; He is next seen on a petition list addressed to the U. S. Congress on Dec. 22nd. 1792, requesting title deeds for their lands at Gallipolis. In Nov. 1795, his name appears on the list of those granted with a tract in the French Grant, and on Dec. 26th. Of the same year, he is one of the purchasers of tracts from the Ohio Cy at Gallipolis. This is about him. As long as the purchase contract is not found at the French notary, it is very difficult to know about a settler's origin; you cannot say where he was from, whether he was rich or not etc. ****************** The following is the contents of a letter received by the colonist, from President Geroge Washington, after their inquiry about the titles to their land, purchased in France form the Scioto Company: New York, June 30, 1790 Gentlemen: At the time when your first application arrived, my health was unfortunately in such an impaired condition as to prevent me from attending to any business whatever. My sickness at that period also deprived me of the pleasure of seeing several gentlemen concerned in the Scioto settlement, who were then in this town. Upon my recovery and before those gentlemen returned to Alandria, I received another address.. But understanding that arrangements had been made to remove most or all of the difficulties which occurred, and understanding likewise that the persons best advised on the subject were well satisfied with the measures which had been taken, and in general with the prospects, I omitted to acknowledge the receipt of those applications at an earlier day. The variety of subjects which demanded my immediate attention, or the re-establishment of my health, must be considered (as was really the case) a principle occasion of this delay on my part. The design of this letter is particularly to acquaint you gentlemen that I had not through inattention neglected taking notice of your address; to welcome you upon your arrival in this country, and to assure you of all that countenance and protection from the General Government of the United States which the constitution and laws will enable the executive to afford under existing circumstances. With the sincerest wishes for your health and prosperity, I am gentlemen, your most obedient and most humble servant, G. Washington. (Source: of this letter from History of Gallipolis, Ohio by Edward Maret, M.D.) ******************* OLD TIMES, Gilruth on Early Settlers in Lawrence County, From the Ironton Register February 1, 1872 to July 18, 1872... Lot No. 2 was drawn by Nicholas THEVENIN. He sent a man by the name of James LOGAN to settle on it. He came and went to work, but hearing that the boat which contained his wife and children had through mistake passed by in the night, he followed them and never returned. ****************** Nicholas Thevenin was friend to "The Marquis de Lafayette" Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roche Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette was born in 1757. Before his second birthday, his father, a Colonel of grenadiers was killed at Minden. At the age of twelve, his mother passed away and a few weeks later he lost his grandfather to death as well. He was left a very young, wealthy orphan. On April 9, 1771, at the age of fourteen, Lafayette entered the Royal Army. When he was sixteen, Lafayette married Marie Adrienne Francoise de Noailles -- allying himself with one of the wealthiest families in France. (She was related to the King.) The great general died in 1834.[One of his dress coats is on display in the "Our House Museum in Gallipolis, Oh.] ****************** Real Estate Purchases for Nicholas Thevenn: The original land map of the Lots drawn by the French 500 is on record at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Record Group #49 Case F. No. 95, and shows Nicholas Thevenin's name written on the Lot No. 2. It is also recorded at the Auditors Office in Columbus, Ohio under Land Grants. Note of interest the Thevenin Family Reunion is now ninety nine years old. Many of the descendants of Nicholas Thevenin our "Members of the First Families of Gallia Co. Ohio." Submitted by Donna M. Tivener 22 Aug. 2001