Notes for Marie "Mary" Louisa Chapoton

Notes for Marie "Mary" Louisa Chapoton

1850 Census Information
Mary L. Chandonia, age 54, born in Michigan, lived with Mary Bechette, Borsette, or Besette, age 37, b. Michigan, Mary S. b. Indiana, age 6, Edward age 4 b. Indiana, Emily age 1 b. Indiana. Lived in Portage Township, St. Joseph County, Indiana.

1868-1869 St. Joseph Parish, South Bend, Indiana Census: Marie Chandonnet living with Edward Bressett and family.

1870 Indiana Census: Marie Chandonnet living with Anthony and Emma Lamirand.

The 1876 Census for St. Joseph Church in South Bend lists Mary Louisa Chandonia (age 85) living with the Lamirand family. The 1880 church census still lists Mary living with the Lamirand family with no age given. Since the 1876 church census and the 1880 federal census show a 10 year age gap for Mary, one of the ages must be wrong. The 1850 census lists her age as 54. The 1860 census lists her age as 66 years old. The 1870 census lists her as 77 years old. Therefore, the 1880 census should list her age as closer to 84-87....not 95. She may have answered the census takers question with when she was born (abt. 1795) instead of how old she was. An explanation thought of by Jean Chandonia.

A 1903 newspaper article in the South Bend Tribune says that Mary Louisa Chandonia died in Rossville, Kansas "not many years ago at the age of 92." This would make her death closer to 1888-1890.

Source: Broderbund WFT Vol. 25, Ed. 1, Tree #0369:
Both of Mary's parents were French. Mary met John Baptist in Detroit. In the early 1830's Mary left Detroit to be with her husband in South Bend, Indiana. After the death of her husband in 1837, Mary remained in South Bend the rest of her life. Mary petitioned Congress to pass an act granting her and her two children one section of land for services rendered by her husband to the United States during the War of 1812. The record of the 29th Congress of the United States, May 11, 1846 reports:

"The committee on public lands, to which was referred the petition of Mary L. Chandonia, of the county of St. Joseph, Indiana, praying Congress to pass an act granting to her and her two children a section of land for services rendered by her husband to the United States prior to and during the late war, have had the same under consideration and now report: THAT, from the petition and papers in this case, it appears that, upon the petition of John B. Chandonia, a half Potawattomi Indian, the Committee on Indian Affairs in the Senate, in 1832, reported a bill granting a section of land to the petitioner, in consideration of his services rendered to the United States during the late war, but upon which no further action has been had. PREVIOUS to the late war, at the massacre of the whites by the Indians at Chicago, where an indiscriminate butchery of them took place, without regard to the age or sex, Chandonia, by his humane exertions, saved the life of the captain in command at this post, and the life of the captain's lady also.
Chandonia, at the commencement of the late war, being young, active, enterprising and daring--understanding well the manners and customs of the Indians--being well skilled in their mode of warfare, admitted into their secret councils, and possessing an influence over them that no one else, who favored the American cause, did--all these circumstances combined gave him the power of rendering to the United States greater services than anyone else at that time, which he at no time omitted to exercise when it was necessary to save either the lives of the citizens of the United States, or their property from destruction. During the existance of the war his life was devoted to our cause, and his property freely sacrificed for the safety and protection of our citizens."

The above land was issued to Mary L. Chandonia by the United States Government. Probate records from South Bend, Indiana, dated 1852, show the land owned by Lewis Bresette passing to Charles B. Chandonai. Mary lived a long life and died an old, well respected woman in South Bend, Indiana.

From the Abstract of Deeds, St. Joseph County, Indiana 1836-1837 pg. 117
Grantor: Alexis Coquillard and Frances his wife of St. Joseph County, Indiana
Grantee: Mary Louisa Chandonnai of St. Joseph County, Indiana
Date: November 24, 1836 Recorded January 9, 1837
Amount: $1500.00
Description: Section 1 Township 37N R2E 80 acres
Witness: Joseph Andre, Jr. and Francis R. Tuft

From the Abstract of Deeds, St. Joseph County, Indiana pg. 516
Grantor: Lewis Breset (Briset) St. Joseph County, Indiana
Grantee: Mary Louisa Chondanai (Chandania) St. Joseph County, Indiana
Date: Sept 6, 1842 and recorded same day
Amount: $1000.00
Description: Parcel of Land in St. Joseph County cont. 80 acres in Sect. 1 Township 37 N. of R2E
Witness: J A Henricks and Johnson Harrell J P

From Midwest Pioneers: Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Vol 14, pg. 25-26:
"In the fall of 1815, Madame Marie Chandonee, nee Chapoton with her infant son, left Detroit to join her husband, Jean B. Chandonee, in Chicago. When she reached Mackinac, her child was too ill to travel farther; and when he recovered, it was too late that season to resume the journey. Although it was only October, no vessel would brave the autumnal storms, and there was no alternative for Mme. Chandonee but to make Mackinac her home for the winter with her husband's aunt Mme. Therese Schindler. Spring came and went, and not until the middle or last of June 1816, did the first vessel present itself for this route. Then Mme. Chandonee, with her little one, accompanied by my mother and me (Elizabeth Therese Fisher), embarked again for Chicago. The vessel had the then familiar load of pork, flour, and butter. I know not how long she was in going or coming; I only know she was one month making the round drip, which was thought to be doing well."

(Noted by Michelle Margraf: It is possible the events above occurred in the fall of 1816 through June 1817 instead of the fall of 1815 through June 1816. This alternate timing would make more sense based on the marriage date in Detroit of Marie and Jean Baptiste Chandonnet in August of 1815 and the birth of their first child (Charles Chandonnet) in Detroit in July of 1816. This would make their first child an infant during the fall of 1816.)

Continuing text on pg. 26:
"We were entertained by the hospitable inmates of this pleasant home, Mr. and Mrs. Kinzie (father and mother of John H.) being old friends of my mother. Mme. Chandonee was a stranger to the family; but her husband was an inmate of the household, being there in employ of the government. The establishment consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Kinzie, two sons and two daughters, and the men and women retainers, who seemed to be many. This home, the garrison, and the home of Jean Baptist Beaubien, were all there was of Chicago at that time."