Claude Trépagnier

Claude de Trépagny, or Trepagnier, depending on who’s telling the tale.

When Claude (Trépagny) Trepagnier was born on 11 April 1671, in Cap-Tourmente, Québec, Canada, New France, his father, Romain de Trepagny, was 43 and his mother, Geneviefe Drouin, was 27.

Claude wasn’t just any ordinary settler. Nope, he was one of the first Americans in our family tree to set foot in the Louisiana territory. He sailed across the ocean alongside the famous Iberville and Bienville, on a ship called the Renommee. And get this, his younger brother Jean Baptist was right there with him. But sadly, Jean’s journey ended tragically, as he passed away aboard the ship before they even reached land.

Claude, though, he was made of sterner stuff. He rolled up his sleeves and got to work, helping to set up forts along the mighty Mississippi River and even in Mobile, which back then was the capital of Louisiana. Can you imagine the adventures they had, carving out a new home in the wilderness?

In 1704, fate smiled on Claude when a ship named “Le Pelican” docked at Mobile. Among its passengers was Genevieve Burelle, who soon became his wife. Their love story wasn’t all smooth sailing, though. They faced the harsh reality of life in the New World, with illnesses like Yellow Fever claiming the lives of many aboard the ship and soon after they arrived.

Claude and Genevieve didn’t let that deter them, though. They started a family, raising three children at Fort Louis and four more down at Fort Conde, a good distance away. Can you imagine the hustle and bustle of life at those forts, with kids running around and stories of adventure echoing through the walls?

But Claude’s journey didn’t end there. In 1719, he packed up his family and set his sights on New Orleans, where he set up a trading post. Their home, nestled on the corner of Charters and St. Ann St., became a hub of activity. Claude wasn’t just a trader, though. He was also a loyal friend to Bienville, helping out with trade and forging relationships with the Native Americans who lived nearby.

Sadly, Claude’s story came to an end in 1724. But his legacy lived on, not just in the memories of his family, but also in the wealth he left behind. His estate was valued at an impressive 27,104 livers, a testament to the life he’d built in the wilds of Louisiana.

And that, my dear family, is the story of Claude de Trépagny, the pioneer who laid the foundations for our Louisiana legacy.

The Trepagnier family (spelled several ways) are some really tough and crazy guys. Over several generations they own multiply plantations in South Louisiana one in the Spillway, Ormond, Destrehan and the property next to Saint Louis Cathedral. Also a female of this name was involved with the formation of Jefferson College in Convent Louisiana. This educational facility was established for planation owners sons could learn the proper French education in management. Jefferson College today is Jesuits the Manresa House of Retreats.