Jean Baptiste Baudreau II
Encyclopedia
Jean Baptiste Baudreau Dit Graveline II (1715–1757) was a colonist in French Louisiana, and is one of the few persons to ever be executed in the Americas by the breaking wheel
.
). He was the son of Sieur Jean Baptiste Baudreau Dit Graveline, the captain of the Pascagoula militia (and the first settler of Pascagoula, Mississippi, and one of the original settlers of the old Mobile), and an Indian woman named Suzanne. Having originally been born as an illegitimate child, his father married the Indian woman in 1727 in an attempt to legitimize him. In 1734, Baudreau married Marie Catherine Viconneau, with whom he would have all of his legitimate children.
In the 1750s, Baudreau was imprisoned at the French prison on modern day Cat Island, Mississippi for charges of illegal salvaging wrecked ships. In 1757, soldiers stationed at the prison, staged a mutiny and killed the commanding officer. They took Graveline hostage and forced him to be their guide as they went into the hinterlands away from the colony. They provided him with a signed certificate saying he had not been a party to the mutiny. Goveror Kerlerec had him court martialed and he was sentenced to death. He was executed by breaking wheel in front of the St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans, Louisiana
on June 7, 1757. The French authorities subsequently mutilated what were left of his remains and deposited them in the Mississippi River. A movement is currently ongoing by some of his descendants to get the City of New Orleans to erect a marker in Jackson Square commemorating his life and brutal execution at that site.
In 1763, when his father died, he disowned his son in his will, stating that he had only married his mother to legitimize him, and then proceeded to list a number of reasons justifying the disinheritance.
Urbain Baudreau Dit Graveline Park in Montreal, Quebec was named for his grandfather, who was an important figure in the history of Quebec
.
Baudreau was the 6th great-grandfather of singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett
, the 6th great-grandfather of actress Diane Ladd
, 7th great-grandfather of actress Laura Dern
, and the 5th great-grandfather of Mobile, Alabama
cook, socialite and television personality Connie Bea Hope
.
His 3rd great-grandson, Charles Clements, was one of the Confederate soldiers executed by Union authorities at Ship Island, Mississippi.
Baudreau's affair with Marie Henriette Huet served as the basis for the book "The Passion of the Princes" by author Eloise Genest.
A movement is currently underway to get the city of New Orleans to erect a historical marker in Jackson Square commemorating his life and grizzly death. Advocates of the march held a rally in New Orleans in 2007.
http://www.portersvillerevivalgroup.org/Baptiste.htm
http://www.portersvillerevivalgroup.org/Coden_orig.htm
Breaking wheel
The breaking wheel, also known as the Catherine wheel or simply the wheel, was a torture device used for capital punishment in the Middle Ages and early modern times for public execution by bludgeoning to death...
.
Early life
Jean Baptiste Baudreau Dit Graveline II was born in the 1710s (presumably 1715) on the French Louisiana settlement of Massacre Island (modern day Dauphin Island, AlabamaDauphin Island, Alabama
Dauphin Island is a town in Mobile County, Alabama , on a barrier island also named Dauphin Island , at the Gulf of Mexico. The population was 1,371 at the 2000 census. The town is included in the Mobile metropolitan statistical area...
). He was the son of Sieur Jean Baptiste Baudreau Dit Graveline, the captain of the Pascagoula militia (and the first settler of Pascagoula, Mississippi, and one of the original settlers of the old Mobile), and an Indian woman named Suzanne. Having originally been born as an illegitimate child, his father married the Indian woman in 1727 in an attempt to legitimize him. In 1734, Baudreau married Marie Catherine Viconneau, with whom he would have all of his legitimate children.
Illegitimate Children
In the 1740s, he began having an affair with a girl named Marie Henriette Huet, whose family owned a plantation in the area around modern day Portersville Bay. He had two illegitimate children with her, the majority of whom would use the surname of Baptiste (in modern day Mobile, this has evolved into Battiste). One of these children is regarded by modern historians to be the founder of Coq'd'Inde (Coden, AlabamaCoden, Alabama
Coden is an unincorporated coastal fishing village in southern Mobile County, Alabama. Located near Bayou la Batre, it is across the Mississippi Sound from Dauphin Island.-History:...
Conflicts with the French Authorities and Execution in New Orleans
During the course of his life, he had problems with French authorities and was subject to imprisonment several times. Despite his warm relations with Bienville, he was regarded with suspicion by some French authorities, because of his unique relationship with the local Native American population, due in no large part because of his half Indian heritage. At the same time however, he was a vital part of the French colonial operation, as he was often the one who was sent on trading excursions into Creek territory. In the 1740s, he had been imprisoned by French authorities on kidnapping charges related to an excursion he took to Havana, Cuba. He broke out of prison and took refuge in Native American villages north of Mobile. The native Americans refused to engage in any further trade with the French until he was pardoned. Governor Vandrieul petitioned for King Louis XV to drop the charges, which he did.In the 1750s, Baudreau was imprisoned at the French prison on modern day Cat Island, Mississippi for charges of illegal salvaging wrecked ships. In 1757, soldiers stationed at the prison, staged a mutiny and killed the commanding officer. They took Graveline hostage and forced him to be their guide as they went into the hinterlands away from the colony. They provided him with a signed certificate saying he had not been a party to the mutiny. Goveror Kerlerec had him court martialed and he was sentenced to death. He was executed by breaking wheel in front of the St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
on June 7, 1757. The French authorities subsequently mutilated what were left of his remains and deposited them in the Mississippi River. A movement is currently ongoing by some of his descendants to get the City of New Orleans to erect a marker in Jackson Square commemorating his life and brutal execution at that site.
Relations with his father
In 1747, while he was on the run from French authorities following his prison escape, the mother of his illegitimate children, Marie Henriette Huet, filed a claim with the French authorities for support of her children. The senior Graveline, the grandfather of the children, agreed to help provide for their support.In 1763, when his father died, he disowned his son in his will, stating that he had only married his mother to legitimize him, and then proceeded to list a number of reasons justifying the disinheritance.
Impact on Gulf Coast culture and life
Graveline Bay, which borders southern Mississippi and southern Alabama, is named for his father.Urbain Baudreau Dit Graveline Park in Montreal, Quebec was named for his grandfather, who was an important figure in the history of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
Baudreau was the 6th great-grandfather of singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
, the 6th great-grandfather of actress Diane Ladd
Diane Ladd
Diane Ladd is an American actress, film director, producer and published author. She has appeared in over 120 roles, on television, and in miniseries and feature films, including Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore , Wild at Heart , Rambling Rose , Ghosts of Mississippi, Primary Colors, 28 Days , and...
, 7th great-grandfather of actress Laura Dern
Laura Dern
Laura Elizabeth Dern is an American actress, film director and producer. Dern has acted in such films as Smooth Talk , Blue Velvet , Fat Man and Little Boy , Wild at Heart , Jurassic Park and October Sky...
, and the 5th great-grandfather of Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
cook, socialite and television personality Connie Bea Hope
Connie Bea Hope
Connie Bea Hope was the stage name for Beatrice Walker Hope , a television personality and chef in Mobile, Alabama, on the local cooking program "Connie's Cupboard", which began in 1955 on WKRG-TV. She also appeared on the station's daily midday program Woman's World...
.
His 3rd great-grandson, Charles Clements, was one of the Confederate soldiers executed by Union authorities at Ship Island, Mississippi.
Baudreau's affair with Marie Henriette Huet served as the basis for the book "The Passion of the Princes" by author Eloise Genest.
A movement is currently underway to get the city of New Orleans to erect a historical marker in Jackson Square commemorating his life and grizzly death. Advocates of the march held a rally in New Orleans in 2007.
Sources
http://www.ubgga.com/letters.phphttp://www.portersvillerevivalgroup.org/Baptiste.htm
http://www.portersvillerevivalgroup.org/Coden_orig.htm