M. 2 Aug 1784 in Vincennes, Virginia Territory
Wife: Françoise Agnes Godere
D. 1835 in Vincennes, Indiana
At the point in time of the English takeover of Canada, the waterways south of the Great Lakes were dotted with remote French outposts. This is where Louis Favel Ravellette spent his entire life, seeing a transition as others eventually moved in.
Louis was born in the Detroit River area to Jean-Baptiste Ravellette and Rosalie Marie-Françoise Fauvel; his parents got married in September 1758, but he may have been born before their wedding. Louis had at least one brother and four sisters. The family moved to Vincennes by 1767, where two of Louis’ sisters were born.
England took control of New France during Louis' childhood, then as he came of age, the American Revolution began. In 1778, French men living in Vincennes, including Louis, pledged an oath of allegiance to support their cause. The following year, George Rogers Clark fought a victorious battle to take Vincennes from the English, and did so with the help of the French inhabitants. It’s likely that Louis, at about age 20, was one of those who joined in.
England took control of New France during Louis' childhood, then as he came of age, the American Revolution began. In 1778, French men living in Vincennes, including Louis, pledged an oath of allegiance to support their cause. The following year, George Rogers Clark fought a victorious battle to take Vincennes from the English, and did so with the help of the French inhabitants. It’s likely that Louis, at about age 20, was one of those who joined in.
Louis' mark on the Vincennes Oath of Allegiance.
In the spring of 1783, Louis got involved with a 16-year-old girl named Françoise-Agnes Godere, and she became pregnant. To make things right, Louis agreed to a contract where he promised to marry her. On a document dated September 1, 1783, he committed to having 150 livres paid from his estate if he died before the wedding took place. Their baby was born in January, a girl they named Marguerite, and on August 2, 1784, Louis married Françoise-Agnes at St. Francis Xavier church in Vincennes. The couple went on to have 11 more children over the next 20 years.
Louis was part of a French Creole culture that was vastly different from that of the Americans who were moving into Vincennes. French farmers kept their cattle on common land, a system that had to be abandoned under the Americans. They didn't live on their farms, but instead had their houses clustered together with their neighbors in town; Louis' house in 1790 was on a lot that was little more than 1,000 square feet. Living in close proximity to each other, families sought to balance farming with enjoying a lively social life.
Creole culture in 18th-century Illinois and Indiana.
With the rush of new settlers moving to the Vincennes area seeking to buy land, the new American government needed to verify the French settlers’ ancient claims to their property. It was a process that dragged out for years. Louis had two land claims rejected, one for 400 acres and one for 68 acres. A claim that he had for 136 acres was validated, so Louis did end up with some land, but it was too much work to clear much of it, and he sold it off within a few years. For the French settlers, this period began a downward spiral, where they found themselves selling off acres to pay living expenses, and it wasn’t long before their tracts of land shrunk to small amounts.
Louis died in 1835, and by that time, the French settlers of Vincennes were in the minority. With few exceptions, non-French people formed the leadership and society of Vincennes. It was a sad outcome for the people who were the earliest settlers of the town.
Children:
1. Marguerite Ravellette — B. 25 Jan 1784, Vincennes, Virginia Territory; M. Jean Mominy, 16 Aug 1802, Vincennes, Indiana
2. Louis Ravellette — B. 20 Feb 1786, Vincennes, Virginia Territory; M. Helene Campeau, 1 Oct 1810, Vincennes, Indiana
3. Pierre Ravellette — B. 24 Jan 1788, Vincennes, Northwest Territory
4. Antoine Ravellette — B. about Oct 1790, Vincennes, Northwest Territory; M. Adelaide Cabassier, 6 Jul 1818, Vincennes, Indiana
5. François Ravellette — B. 9 Nov 1791, Vincennes, Northwest Territory; D. 7 Dec 1857, Vincennes, Indiana; M. Elizabeth Turpin (1798-1835)
6. Andre Ravellette — B. 4 Feb 1794, Vincennes, Northwest Territory; D. 17 Oct 1794, Vincennes, Northwest Territory
7. Françoise Ravellette — B. 19 Aug 1795, Vincennes, Northwest Territory; François Bono, 16 May 1816, Vincennes, Indiana
8. Marie-Theotiste Ravellette — B. 19 Aug 1795, Vincennes, Northwest Territory; M. Pierre Renaud dit Deslauriers, 12 Nov 1813, Vincennes, Indiana
9. Agnes Ravellette — B. 30 Sep 1797, Vincennes, Northwest Territory
10. Helene Ravellette — B. 25 Feb 1799, Vincennes, Northwest Territory
11. Marie-Amable Ravellette — B. 13 Jun 1802, Vincennes, Indiana Territory; M. Pierre Meteyer, 2 Oct 1820, Vincennes, Indiana
12. Elizabeth Ravellette — B. 26 Mar 1804, Vincennes, Indiana Territory; M. Pierre Cabassier, 24 Jul 1820, Vincennes, Indiana
Sources:
History of Knox and Daviess Counties, Indiana, 1886
St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church Records: Baptisms 1749-1838, Barbara Schull Wolfe, 1999
St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church Records: Marriages and Deaths 1749-1838, Barbara Schull Wolfe, 1999
Indiana: A Redemption from Slavery, Jacob Piatt Dunn, 1888
American State Papers: Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States, Part 8, Volume 7, 1860
