M. about 1773 in (probably) Illinois Territory
Wife: Elisabeth Clermond Dubord
D. 8 Jul 1813 in Vincennes, Indiana Territory
Like his father, grandfather and great-grandfather before him, Charles Diel engaged in the fur trade in the Great Lakes region, and was also the fourth generation in a row with that name.
Charles was born on October 16, 1746 to Charles Diel and Felicite Sauve dit LaPlante in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, their first child and only son; he had three younger sisters. His father seems to have died in 1756, and his mother remarried, but she died when Charles was 13-years-old.
On May 29 1765, Charles agreed to a fur trading contract to travel to Michilimackinac for one year, putting his X on the document (he likely had no education as a boy). He was to be paid 300 livres for his work and supplied with some clothing. The contract said Charles was to leave immediately, and he must have traveled by canoe in a convoy to the remote trading post. By this time, England had control over all of New France, but fur trade was still thriving in places like Michilimackinac, which was recovering from an Indian uprising two years earlier known as Pontiac’s Rebellion.
After 1765, there is no record of Charles until ten years later when he turned up at Post Vincennes on a baptism for his own child. He had married Elisabeth Clermond Dubord, a native of Detroit, sometime before that date. It may have been fur trading that brought Charles to Vincennes, but by there’s no evidence that he continued in that business, and most likely he supported his family as a farmer. He and his wife had nine more children born between 1776 and 1798.
Charles was one of the men who made his mark on the Oath of Allegiance in Vincennes in 1778, pledging his support for the American side during the Revolution. Like all French people who lived in Vincennes, he was there when George Rogers Clark took charge of the fort in February 1779, and it’s likely that he helped the soldiers in some way.
On May 29 1765, Charles agreed to a fur trading contract to travel to Michilimackinac for one year, putting his X on the document (he likely had no education as a boy). He was to be paid 300 livres for his work and supplied with some clothing. The contract said Charles was to leave immediately, and he must have traveled by canoe in a convoy to the remote trading post. By this time, England had control over all of New France, but fur trade was still thriving in places like Michilimackinac, which was recovering from an Indian uprising two years earlier known as Pontiac’s Rebellion.
After 1765, there is no record of Charles until ten years later when he turned up at Post Vincennes on a baptism for his own child. He had married Elisabeth Clermond Dubord, a native of Detroit, sometime before that date. It may have been fur trading that brought Charles to Vincennes, but by there’s no evidence that he continued in that business, and most likely he supported his family as a farmer. He and his wife had nine more children born between 1776 and 1798.
Charles was one of the men who made his mark on the Oath of Allegiance in Vincennes in 1778, pledging his support for the American side during the Revolution. Like all French people who lived in Vincennes, he was there when George Rogers Clark took charge of the fort in February 1779, and it’s likely that he helped the soldiers in some way.
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Charles' mark on Vincennes Oath of Allegiance. Gueille was a variation of Diel.
After the war, the French settlers were considered to be patriots, and anyone who could prove they were the head of a household in 1783 received land. But in 1790, when Charles wanted to formalize the title for 136 acres, his claim was rejected because he had only cleared about 4 acres and he hadn’t planted any crops there.
On July 22, 1808, Charles was involved in another land claim, this one for his late father-in-law’s estate. Elisabeth had died by then, so he represented his children as partial heirs to 400 acres of land, and Charles made his mark on the petition to settle the title. It’s not known how this was resolved.
Charles died on in Vincennes on July 8, 1813, and he was buried at St. Francis Xavier church cemetery. The line of French fur traders named Charles Diel stopped here.
Children:
1. Charles Diel — B. 5 Sep 1775, Post Vincennes, Illinois Territory; Marie Helene Cara (?-1796) 4 Apr 1796, Vincennes, Northwest Territory
2. Genevieve Diel — B. 21 Aug 1776, Post Vincennes, Illinois Territory
3. Eustache Diel — B. 16 Sep 1778, Post Vincennes, Illinois Territory
4. Dominic Diel — B. 25 Jan 1784, Vincennes, Virginia Territory
5. Ursule Diel — B. 25 Jan 1784, Vincennes, Virginia Territory
6. Marie-Josephe Diel — B. 25 Sep 1786; M. Jean Montmenier, 12 Sep 1818
7. Joseph Gaile — B. 18 Nov 1788, Vincennes, Northwest Territory; D. May 1835, Lawrence County, Illinois; M. Archange Baillargeon (1793-1849)
8. Susanne Diel — B. 3 Jun 1794, Vincennes, Northwest Territory
9. Marie Diel — B. 3 Oct 1796, Vincennes, Northwest Territory
10. Adelaide Diel — B. 6 Sep 1798, Vincennes, Northwest Territory; D. 30 Nov 1800, Vincennes, Indiana Territory
Sources:
Indiana Diels Descended from Philippe Diel and Marie Anquetin (website)
St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church Records: Baptisms 1749-1838, Barbara Schull Wolfe, 1999
A complete survey of cemetery records, Knox County, Indiana, collected and compiled by Mrs. Alta Amsler
On July 22, 1808, Charles was involved in another land claim, this one for his late father-in-law’s estate. Elisabeth had died by then, so he represented his children as partial heirs to 400 acres of land, and Charles made his mark on the petition to settle the title. It’s not known how this was resolved.
Charles died on in Vincennes on July 8, 1813, and he was buried at St. Francis Xavier church cemetery. The line of French fur traders named Charles Diel stopped here.
Children:
1. Charles Diel — B. 5 Sep 1775, Post Vincennes, Illinois Territory; Marie Helene Cara (?-1796) 4 Apr 1796, Vincennes, Northwest Territory
2. Genevieve Diel — B. 21 Aug 1776, Post Vincennes, Illinois Territory
3. Eustache Diel — B. 16 Sep 1778, Post Vincennes, Illinois Territory
4. Dominic Diel — B. 25 Jan 1784, Vincennes, Virginia Territory
5. Ursule Diel — B. 25 Jan 1784, Vincennes, Virginia Territory
6. Marie-Josephe Diel — B. 25 Sep 1786; M. Jean Montmenier, 12 Sep 1818
7. Joseph Gaile — B. 18 Nov 1788, Vincennes, Northwest Territory; D. May 1835, Lawrence County, Illinois; M. Archange Baillargeon (1793-1849)
8. Susanne Diel — B. 3 Jun 1794, Vincennes, Northwest Territory
9. Marie Diel — B. 3 Oct 1796, Vincennes, Northwest Territory
10. Adelaide Diel — B. 6 Sep 1798, Vincennes, Northwest Territory; D. 30 Nov 1800, Vincennes, Indiana Territory
Sources:
Indiana Diels Descended from Philippe Diel and Marie Anquetin (website)
St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church Records: Baptisms 1749-1838, Barbara Schull Wolfe, 1999
A complete survey of cemetery records, Knox County, Indiana, collected and compiled by Mrs. Alta Amsler
