New Madrid County, Missouri Genealogy Trails

Don Juan LaVallee ( Jean Bouchard dit LaVallee ) succeeded Peyroux as commandant of New Madrid and held that position until the country was transferred to the U S. During his administration the expedition of DeLassus to punish the run away Indians then residing in the county west of New Madrid, took place.. LaVallee was a very competent man, a man of education and intelligence. He was a native of France (actually, Quebec CA ) and for a number of years a leading merchant and trader. DeLassus says of him, that "he was a zealous and skillful officer recommended for captain" and that " every time I employed him, he gave me great satisfaction in the manner in which he acquitted himself. He speaks and writes Spanish, French and English, and is a firm and brave and prudent man.". The commandant resided at Fort Celeste which was situated on the Mississippi River and erected in 1789 under the supervision of Don Pedro Foucher. A Spanish garrison was always maintained here and the names of some of the Spanish soldiers have been preserved in the New Madrid archives, principally as witness. Fort Celeste was originally constructed near the river bank, altogether unmindful of the fact that the river at this point washed away the land. Gradually the intervening land between the river and the fort disappeared and in 1796 when Gen Collot visited New Madrid a part of the structure had tumbled into the river. The old fort had been evacuated and a new fort constructed away from the river.