Pg. X

Rene Carel was born in Paris, France, and came to Gallipolis in the spring of 1803, accompanied by his wife and two children, Franklin and Virgil. On the way from Pittsburgh to Gallipolis, by river, he stopped to visit Blennerhassett at his island, and he was in after years fond of mentioning the cordial courtesy with which he was received; the elegance, amounting to grandeur, of the palatial residence of Blennerhassett, its rich furniture and art embellishments, and the beauty of the grounds, the more remarkable from the fact that this section then was an almost unbroken wilderness. Mr. Carel immediately engaged in business pursuits after his arrival, establishing what was probably the first salt works in the State, the salt works being located just below Chicamauga creek, and the ground upon which it was situated is now within the corporate limits of the city. He lived a respected citizen and died March 27th, 1843.