INSTRUMENTS OF EMPIRE: COLONIAL ELITES AND U.S. GOVERNANCE IN EARLY NATIONAL LOUISIANA, 1803-1820 A Dissertation by MICHAEL KELLY BEAUCHAMP Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY December 2009 Major Subject: History INSTRUMENTS OF EMPIRE: COLONIAL ELITES AND U.S. GOVERNANCE IN EARLY NATIONAL LOUISIANA, 1803-1820 A Dissertation by MICHAEL KELLY BEAUCHAMP Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Approved by: Chair of Committee, April Hatfield Committee Members, Walter Kamphoefner Colleen Murphy James Rosenheim Head of Department, Walter Buenger December 2009 Major Subject: History iii ABSTRACT Instruments of Empire: Colonial Elites and U.S. Governance in Early National Louisiana, 1803-1820. (December 2009) Michael Kelly Beauchamp, B.A., The University of Dallas; M.A., Texas A&M University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. April Hatfield The United States confronted new problems of territorial expansion with the Louisiana Purchase, as it involved, for the first time, the transfer in sovereignty of a territory that contained a population who by birth, language and religion differed substantially from the inhabitants of the United States, but who had been guaranteed the rights of full citizens. A series of other colonial powers faced these same problems on the North American continent, notably the Spanish in Louisiana. As with those earlier powers, ultimately the United States pursued processes that both brought Louisiana government and law into line with its institutions, and allowed for continued local control. County and parish officeholders through their interactions with U.S. authorities prove especially useful for an examination of the processes that gradually integrated the Territory of Orleans into the United States. Neither a study of high political figures in Washington nor marginalized groups in Louisiana can accurately demonstrate how this process of accommodation worked. Local elites and U.S. officials served as the middlemen who oversaw the implementation of new policy and therefore were in a position to obstruct these policies if they so chose. Native-born Louisiana elites confronted significant iv challenges in dealing with a U.S. administration that in some areas chose to accommodate them, but in many others chose to implement policies through Anglo- American or foreign French newcomers to the territory. The change in sovereignty to the United States offered many individuals from local elites new pathways to power in the territorial legislature, and later in a stronger state legislature. Local governance played a central role in the success of U.S. sovereignty within Louisiana. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my committee chair, Dr. April Hatfield, and my committee members, Dr. James Rosenheim, Dr. Walter Kamphoefner, and Dr. Colleen Murphy, for their guidance and support throughout the course of this research. All of them significantly improved the dissertation with their comments, recommendations, and corrections. Of course any shortcomings or mistakes within the dissertation are wholly my own. I owe a particular debt of gratitude that I can never repay to Professor Hatfield and Professor Rosenheim; it is doubtful that I ever could have completed my degree if not for numerous small and large acts of kindness on both of their parts. I would also like to thank Dr. R. J. Q. Adams, Dr. Jonathan Phillips, Dr. Rebecca Schloss, Dr. David Vaught, and Dr. John H. Lenihan for their encouragement and help in making me a better historian and teacher. Graduate education in the humanities is a luxury with a dubious market value at best. My parents Brian and Margaret Beauchamp, and my grandmother Margaret Beauchamp have offered an immense amount of support, both emotional and financial without which I never would have been able to undertake or finish my course of study. Thanks also go to many other family members: Alexander Beauchamp for his love, humor, and as the source of numerous heated arguments that I think improve both of our positions if not our dispositions, Brentt and Elizabeth Brown of San Francisco for their love and encouragement, Patrick and Michelle Beauchamp and their son Robert for their hospitality in numerous stays in New Orleans and invitations to God knows how many vi restaurants and bars, and numerous other relatives, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins in California, Louisiana, Texas, and Washington D. C. I also would like to thank many friends associated with the history graduate program at Texas A&M. One of the department’s few strengths in my time there was that its graduate students subscribed to the view that misery loves company. Brian Neumann, Phil Smith, Ryan Wadle, Jenny Whisenhunt, Ashley Blair Chadwick, Roger Horky, Tracey Hayes, Derek Mallett, Paul Springer, Catherine Minerich, Jon Beall, Lori Henning, Ralph Morales, Mathew Keyworth, Delilah Besah, Rian Bobal, Chris Thomas, Tara Scamardo, Victoria Eastes, and Damon Bach and many other graduate students made my time in the History Department and College Station far better. I also owe a large debt to Kamran and Cynthia Omidvar, Stephen Frisbie and the incomparable Lee Daub for their encouragement, friendship, support and advice throughout my life. Finally, I am deeply indebted to Sudina Paungpetch as a source of inspiration, not for a dissertation, but for daily existence, and for her infinite patience and understanding, which I hope would include patience and understanding over receiving such a maudlin acknowledgement. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT.......................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................... v TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................... vii LIST OF FIGURES............................................................................................... viii LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................ ix CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ............................................................................ 1 II THE ACADIAN AND GERMAN COASTS..................................... 27 III IBERVILLE, POINTE COUPEE, AND WEST BATON ROUGE…. 87 IV ATTAKAPAS AND OPELOUSAS .................................................. 139 V THE NORTH…………………………………………………………. 194 VI LAFOURCHE AND ORLEANS……………………………………... 253 VII WEST FLORIDA……………………………………………………. 287 VIII CONCLUSION………………………………………………………. 339 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................. 347 APPENDIX A....................................................................................................... 371 VITA..................................................................................................................... 372 viii LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE Page 1 Map of Territory of Orleans 1810 ........................................................... 21 2 Map of State of Louisiana 1820 .............................................................. 23 3 Map of Acadian and German Coasts in the Territory of Orleans 1810..... 28 4 Map of Iberville, Pointe Coupee, and West Baton Rouge in the Territory of Orleans 1810 ...................................................................................... 88 5 Map of Attakapas and Opelousas in the State of Louisiana 1820............. 140 6 Map of the North in the Territory of Orleans 1810 .................................. 195 7 Map of Lafourche and Orleans in the State of Louisiana 1820..………… 254 8 Map of West Florida and the Territory of Orleans 1810…………...……. 288 ix LIST OF TABLES TABLE Page 1 Acadian Coast Officials, Slave Holdings…………………............…...…. 48 2 Acadian Coast Elected Representatives, Slave Holdings ......................... 50 3 Sixth Militia Regiment, Slave Holdings .................................................. 51 4 German Coast Officials, Slave Holdings………………………………… 54 5 German Coast Elected Representatives, Slave Holdings………………... 61 6 Fifth Militia Regiment, Slave Holdings…………………………………. 62 7 Iberville Officials, Slave Holdings………………………………………. 102 8 Iberville Elected Representatives, Slave Holdings………………………. 103 9 Seventh Militia Regiment, Slave Holdings……………………………… 105 10 Pointe Coupee Officials, Slave Holdings………………………………... 117 11 Pointe Coupee Elected Representatives, Slave Holdings……………….. 122 12 Ninth Militia Regiment, Slave Holdings………………………………… 128 13 West Baton Rouge Officials, Slaveholdings……………………………… 131 14 Attakapas Officials, Land and Slave Holdings………………………….. 174 15 Attakapas Elected Representatives, Land and Slave Holdings…………. 176 16 St. Martin and St. Mary Officials, Land and Slave Holdings………….... 179 17 Opelousas/St. Landry Officials, Land and Slave Holdings……………… 186 18 Opelousas Elected Officials, Land and Slave Holdings…………………. 190 19 Eighth Militia Regiment, Slave Holdings……………………………….. 192 x TABLE Page 20 Natchitoches Officials, Slave Holdings………………………………….. 211 21 Natchitoches Elected Representatives, Slave Holdings…………………. 212 22 Rapides Officials, Slave Holdings………………………………………. 229 23 Rapides Elected Representatives, Slave Holdings………………………. 231 24 Catahoula Officials, Slave Holdings…………………………………….. 234 25 Avoyelles