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Francois Marie Bissot, Sieur de Vincennes
The city of Vincennes was founded by a French Marine officer named Vincennes. Francois Marie Bissot was born in Montreal on June 17, 1700. He was the third generation of the Bissot family in America. His grandfather Francois came to Canada from Normandy in the 1630s. In 1672 he was given a grant of land, called “the Seigniory of Vincennes,” on the south bank of the St. Laurence River, near Quebec. It was from this seigniory that the family took the title “Sieur de Vincennes.” The second Sieur de Vincennes was Jean Baptiste Bissot, son of Francois. Upon his father’s death in 1719, Francois became Sieur de Vincennes-although he usually signed his name simply “Vinsenne.” He took command at Post Miamis and showed such skill in dealing with Indians that he was placed in command of Post Ouiatenon, near present-day Lafayette. In 1730 Vincennes, now a lieutenant, he married Marie Philippe Dulongpre, daughter of a Kaskaskia Frenchman and an Illinois Indian. In this same year, he persuaded the Piankeshaw Indians to go with him down the Wabash River to establish a new post. This was the beginning of the city of Vincennes. By 1732, Vincennes was in command of a small fort enclosing his house and a barracks for ten men, called “Poste de Vincennes.”
The city of Vincennes was founded by a French Marine officer named Vincennes. Francois Marie Bissot was born in Montreal on June 17, 1700. He was the third generation of the Bissot family in America. His grandfather Francois came to Canada from Normandy in the 1630s. In 1672 he was given a grant of land, called “the Seigniory of Vincennes,” on the south bank of the St. Laurence River, near Quebec. It was from this seigniory that the family took the title “Sieur de Vincennes.” The second Sieur de Vincennes was Jean Baptiste Bissot, son of Francois. Upon his father’s death in 1719, Francois became Sieur de Vincennes-although he usually signed his name simply “Vinsenne.” He took command at Post Miamis and showed such skill in dealing with Indians that he was placed in command of Post Ouiatenon, near present-day Lafayette. In 1730 Vincennes, now a lieutenant, he married Marie Philippe Dulongpre, daughter of a Kaskaskia Frenchman and an Illinois Indian. In this same year, he persuaded the Piankeshaw Indians to go with him down the Wabash River to establish a new post. This was the beginning of the city of Vincennes. By 1732, Vincennes was in command of a small fort enclosing his house and a barracks for ten men, called “Poste de Vincennes.”