2 - Kankakee Valley Genealogical Society

BOURBONNAIS: OR THE EARLY FRENCH SETTLEMENTS IN KANKAKEE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Continued From Vol. 18, No. 1.
He was born at St. Michel de Yanaska, Province of Quebec, Canada in 1799.
The exact date of his birth Is preserved in his name, for Noel is the French
word for Christmas, and he was born on Christmas night. His family was
poor. Theirs was a log cabin home, and it is probable that very early the
boy Noel became inured to hardship and developed the traits of character and
powers of endurance that were to serve him in this new country. Before he
had completed his eighteenth year he went west with eighty men, under one
Rocheblave, to engage in trade with the Indians. He left Montreal May 15,
1817, and was in Mackinac during the succeeding summer. Here Rocheblave
sold his project to the American Fur Company.
It seems that LeVasseur must have abandoned the service of the fur company
here, for it is said that he and a companion, together with an Indian,
during the year 1817 embarked in a frail canoe on a hazardous trip through the
country now embraced within the boundaries of Wisconsin. Following the west
shore of Lake Michigan to Green Bay, and thence going by way of the Fox river
and the portage to the Wisconsin, they paddled down the latter to the place
where is now Prairie du Chien. Here they found favor with a band of Chippewa
Indians, and remained with them until the following spring. LeVasseur's
adaptability is evidenced by the fact that he so ingratiated himself with
the Indians that when he desired to leave them the chief informed him
that he had been made a member of the tribe, and they would not consent to his
departure; and he and his companion were compelled to plan a secret escape,
which they successfully carried out. But it involved much privation. They made
their way on foot to Green Bay. They were ragged and weakened from
insufficient food when they found succor at a temporary camp of the
American Fur Company on Green Bay. They were then sent on to Mackinac,
and there re-engaged in the service of the fur company.
But LeVasseur's experience with the Indians on this adventure proved of
great value to him. He had learned their tongue, and from this time forward he
was sent to various distant points to barter with the Indians, until the fur
company finally deputed to him the important mission into the Illinois Country
to open trade relations with the Potawatomies, who were reported very
successful in capturing furs. It is said that LeVasseur's dealings with
the Indians were very successful and were likewise always satisfactory to the
Indians. In those early days in all of his transactions with his red brethren,
as well as in his relations to others, he exemplified the spirit of what our
President has popularly characterized the 'square deal".
One of his methods of bookkeeping, particularly, is of Interest, especially in
view of the fact that he could not read or write. His entries were
pictorial. At the head of the account with any particular Indians he would
draw a picture of that which the Indian's name would ordinarily suggest.
For instance, if he had opened an account with an Indian by the name of
Beaver, at the top of the page he would draw the picture of a beaver. And if
Beaver had bought powder on time, there would have been numerous black specks
placed on the page, with the picture of a round moon for each month of time
that credit was given. Or if Beaver had bought a gun or knife an
- 2 -