A History of the Rachal Family of White Point, Texas - New Page 1

1697Marie-Anne (or Marianne) Benoist was born in St. Laurens Parish, Paris, France, on 27 February1697. Her father was Michel Benoist.Before 1713Pierre arrived in the Americas from Rochefort, France, as a soldier and was assigned to Ft.Toulouse, near present day Mobile, AL. At that time, Mobile was the capital of the LouisianaColony. One record shows he arrived on the ship La Marichal D‘Estries. Another says he arrivedon either the Ludlow or the Paon.About 1714French soldiers from Ft. Toulouse moved westward towards modern day Northwestern Louisianawith orders to establish an outpost to facilitate trade with Mexico and to deter the Spanish fromentering the Louisiana territory. They were led by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis. One member ofthis band of soldiers was possibly Pierre Rachal dit St. Denis because sources say he wasinvolved with the early settlement of Natchitoches as a soldier.As the soldiers traveled along the Red River, they came to an impasse in the river, near to a tribeof Indians known as the Natchitoches Indians. A trading out post (one or two buildings) wasbuilt and 10 soldiers remained onsite while the remainder of the army proceeded towardsMexico. Pierre might have been one of the soldiers who stayed. Or, he may have come later asaddition French soldiers populated the outpost.1717The military outpost at Natchitoches was finally completed. It was called Fort Jean Baptiste desNatchitoches. More soldiers arrived in this time frame to man it. Perhaps Pierre Rachal was partof this new fortification of soldiers.1719Marie Anne Benoist immigrated to the Louisiana Colony and settled in Natchitoches, Louisiana.Natchitoches was a young and poor village at this time.Note: Marie Anne, born in 1697, was the daughter of Michel Benoist. In about1719, she was exiled to the French colony of Louisiana for life by the King ofFrance. She had been tried in the King‘s court in France for ―Blasphemy‖ andwas classified as a convict (femmes de force – translation: women of strength) or"girl sent from Paris by order of the King". She and others (who were for the mostpart tried and convicted of prostitution), were sent to the Colony as part of anoverall plan to provide wives for the male French colonists. She arrived in theFrench colonies (port of entry unknown) on the ship La Mutine and ended up inNatchitoches.It is also thought that her father Michel was also exiled to the Colony for life forblasphemy and may have also been a French soldier stationed in Mobile. Hermother‘s name is unknown.3 | A H i s t o r y o f t h e R a c h a l F a m i l y