You'll need to arrive by 5:30pm and bring your ID plus there is a $3.00 USD boarding fee. The couple had six children, including at least three daughters. The Pride. Lafitte was granted a commission and given a new ship, a 43-ton schooner named General Santander in honor to Vice-President General Francisco de Paula Santander. The Baratarians. Thus, on August 13, 1814, Captain Nicholas Lockyer of the British ship Sophie sailed on that mission. A number of details about Jean Lafitte's early life remain obscure and often sources contradict each other. Lafitte was later Louisiana's most well-known buried treasure mystery still to this day is the unfound treasure of Jean Lafitte. Inside a tunnel stylized as pirate's cattacombs would've led to Laffite's old hideout, a capsized ship in Sawyer's island. locations along the Gulf Coast. A statue dedicated to the pirate Jean Lafitte can be found next to the water by the fishing boats In February 1823, the infamous pirate Jean Lafitte, severely wounded from an encounter with Spanish warships, sailed his schooner General Santander westward from the coast of Cuba into oblivion. He was said to use it as a base for arranging the transfer of smuggled goods. In her children's story, Victor and the Pirate: A Story of New Orleans During the War of 1812 (1947), Ruby Lorraine Radford features a fictional child who encourages Lafitte to defend New Orleans. These questions During this time in New Orleans, Lafitte became a very rich man, acquiring extraordinary amounts of money, ships, and weapons. There are many stories about what happened to Lafitte and where he died. national hero. The Americans took custody of six schooners, one felucca, and a brig, as well as 20cannon and goods worth $500,000. Lafitte's ship is called "The Pride," but that's something they've already found. Sale of the slaves and additional cargo generated $18,000 in profits. [62], Patterson praised the Barataria men who served on one of the US Navy ships, and whose skill with artillery was greater than their British counterparts. Enslaved Africans there gained their independence from France in 1804 and renamed this territory as Haiti. Who was Jean Laffite? It was cloudy with low visibility. [67] By early 1817, other revolutionaries had begun to congregate at Galveston, hoping to make it their base to wrest Mexico from Spanish control. At its height, the colonists and privateers earned millions of dollars annually from stolen or smuggled coin and goods. THE LEGACY OF JEAN LAFITTE IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA By W. T. Block Reprinted from TRUE WEST, Dec., 1979, p. 26ff; . The Spanish ships appeared to be fleeing but at 10:00 pm turned back for a frontal counterattack against Lafitte's ship. Mystery and legend surround the life of Jean Lafi tte. However, reports suggest that the anglers had been fishing for . In February 1823, Lafitte was cruising off the town of Omoa, Honduras, on his schooner General Santander. Claiborne took a leave of absence in September 1810, leaving Thomas B. Robertson as acting governor. Constructed in the 1720s, the structure stands today as possibly the oldest building in the United States housing a bar (Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar).[105][106]. They had his only known son, Jean Pierre Lafitte (d. 1832). An American ship was boarded near our coast, . The Historic New Orleans Collection, 1983.123.8. The park was given the mission of preserving the natural and cultural resources of Louisianas Mississippi River delta region. [34] Biographer Jack Ramsay speculates that the voyage was intended to "establish [Lafitte] as a privateering captain". 1417 Harborside Drive. They might have been businessmen in New Orleans or independent privateers before becoming associated with the smugglers of Barataria. They married and had two sons together, Jules Jean and Glenn Henri. I'm proud of them for digging into it," Tony Hix said. Wheres your backyard? Jean Lafitte : biography 1780 - 1826 Davis places Lafitte's brother Pierre in Saint-Domingue in the late 1790s and the early 19th century. Lafitte attempted to take what appeared to be two Spanish merchant vessels on the night of February 4. Jean Lafitte was born September 25, 1781. I grew up back there, in those waterways, in that area and found many interesting things. By midmorning, 10 armed pirate ships formed a battle line in the bay. games, shows, and moviesbut what if they werent made up just for the sake of Catiche became pregnant and gave birth to their son, Jean Pierre, on November 4, 1815. [48] Lafitte had copies of the letters sent to Jean Blanque, a member of the state legislature who had invested in the Barataria operation. By 1810 he was in Louisiana with his older brother Pierre. Jean Lafitte's ship was named "The General Jackson". Jean Lafitte was a pirate and privateer known for his smuggling operations. . [72] Ships operating from Galveston flew the flag of Mexico, but they did not participate in the revolution. . The fleet anchored off Grande Terre and the gunboats attacked. below! The Mystery of the Final Years of Jean Lafitte . Jean Lafitte (c. 1780 - c. 1823) was a French pirate and privateer who operated in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. The United States government passed the Embargo Act of 1807 as tensions built with the United Kingdom by prohibiting trade. "Very few shipwrecks have been found that still have the stove intact," Irion said. [93], In June 1822, Lafitte approached the officials in the Great Colombia, whose government under General Simn Bolvar had begun commissioning former privateers as officers in its new navy. His maternal grandmother and mother, both Conversos, fled Spain for France in 1765. And whether it's a pirate's ship or not, they hope it's a clue to their ultimate treasure. They had two children together. chagrin of the locals that helped drain the swamp, there was no trace of the From Pirates to shipwrecks along its coastline to its history of explorers it's no wonder that Florida has lost treasure to be found. These men were pardoned after testifying that they had deserted from Lafitte's ship in Galveston when they discovered that it did not have a valid privateering commission. Guests could've been able to enter Laffite's crypt near the Haunted Mansion. during the Battle of New Orleans. He was nursed back to health by Emma Hortense Mortimer. Although the handbills were made in Lafitte's name, Ramsay believes "it is unlikely [the handbills] originated with him". Although General Andrew Jackson, commander of the American troops, originally described Lafitte as a hellish banditti, he finally accepted Lafittes help because of the ammunition, cannoneers, and knowledge of the area Lafi tte could supply. Lafittes image changed from pirate to patriot during the War of 1812. on Grand Terre. In November 1822, he made news in the American press after escorting an American schooner through the pirate-infested area and providing them with extra cannon balls and food.[96]. [60], On December 23, advance units of the British fleet reached the Mississippi River. He achieved notoriety through his daring exploits, but also for having "the coolest name ever.". In 1958, Laflin self-published an English translation of the journal. His men tore down the existing houses and built 200 new, sturdier structures. The information I found about the Don Felipe treasure was research I did online not sure if it . Dissatisfied with their role as brokers, in October 1812 the Lafitte brothers purchased a schooner and hired Captain Trey Cook to sail it. Lafitte visited in March 1817. Very little is known about Laffite, and speculation about his life and death continues among historians. [77], At its peak the colony had more than two thousand inhabitants and 120 separate structures. Catiche died July 2, 1858, around the age of 65. [55] Jackson responded, "I ask you, Louisianans, can we place any confidence in the honor of men who have courted an alliance with pirates and robbers? Long-lost pirate ship may lie in Texas lake / Historical treasure could be wreck of Jean Lafitte. Within a short period, Lafitte's men abandoned their ships, set several on fire, and fled the area. There is even an event in La Porte, Texas centered around the treasure called the Annual Search for Lafittes Gold.. that the treasure is in a different location now than where it was buried? [10] Davis places Lafitte's brother Pierre in Saint-Domingue by the late 1790s and the early 19th century. parties, as the Mystery of Jean Lafittes Unfound Treasure seems to be a voyage Rumors abounded that he had changed his name after leaving Galveston and disappeared, that he was killed by his own men shortly after leaving Galveston, or that he had rescued Napoleon and that both had died in Louisiana. Where: 1859 Ashton Villa, 2328 Broadway Ave. J, Galveston. Discover New Orleans' rich cultural mix. Look it up. I have no doubt that the Historians will decry what Ive said here, and Im cool with that, I know what I saw and found, and I know what others saw and found. . His exact whereabouts after that are unknown. Lafitte's fate has remained a mystery for 183 years. Was it buried underground or lost under water? Founded in 1805 by the infamous pirate Jean Lafitte, the legendary Lafitte Trading Company is dedicated to preserving New Orleans' rich pirate history, culture & traditions. I always wondered why the searchers were only local, and that an organized big search never happened but it never did. Jean Lafitte was a Privateer Captain in the early 19th century. End of Campeche[edit] In 1821, the schooner USS Enterprise was sent to Galveston to remove Lafitte from the Gulf. [25] Dorada captured a fourth ship, a schooner they renamed Petit Milan. According to Ramsay, Lafitte, his elder brother Pierre, and his widowed mother migrated from Saint-Domingue to New Orleans in the 1780s. [29], On June 18, 1812, the United States declared war on Britain. Jean LaFitte, that colorful character who roamed the Gulf Coast in the early 1800s was said to be many things - smuggler, pirate and patriot. Date of Birth - Death c. 1780-unknown. Most of the people were locals, from Lafourche Parish, the southern part, mainly Cut Off and Larose and the Gheens area, and also from the Des Allemands location. On September 3, 1814, the British ship HMS Sophie fired on a pirate ship returning to Barataria. This story was told to me several years ago by a man in his 80 s Back in 1940 or 41 two men hired to clean up around what is said to be Lafittes red house disapeared after a few days. Little is known of Laffite's early life, but by 1809 he and his brother Pierre apparently had established in New Orleans a blacksmith shop that reportedly served as . [52], Following the custom of the times, Patterson filed a legal claim for the profits from the confiscated ships and merchandise. In exchange, the king asked for Lafitte and his forces to promise to assist in the naval fight against the United States and to return any recent property that had been captured from Spanish ships. An 1802 newspaper ad mentioned a blacksmith named Lafi tte, but no first name was given and the shop was not at the corner of Bourbon and St. Phillip streets where the business known as Jean Lafi ttes Blacksmith Shop stands today. Thankful for their help with the American victory, in February 1815 President James Madison offered pardons to the Baratarians for any crimes committed against the United States. [59] With Lafitte's encouragement, many of his men joined the New Orleans militia or as sailors to man the ships. Later, in return for a legal pardon, Laffite and his fleet helped General Andrew Jackson during the Battle of New Orleans to defend the city during the War of 1812. The benefits of Jean Lafitte agreement to the British were numerous and well calculated. Yes I visited his home the Mason rouge in Campeche Galveston tx. ships as a last-ditch effort to gain an advantage in the pivotal Battle of New a legend in his own time, after his patriotic actions in the Battle of New Orleans. They took 80 people captive, but Lafitte escaped safely. well as the fortunes left on the merchant ships that he captured. Jean Lafitte was a French pirate and privateer who operated in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. Louisianas [3], Lafitte and his brother Pierre also claimed to have been born in Bayonne. William Bartlett explored a three-hundred-year-old shipwreck. Lafitte worked with several smugglers, including Jim Bowie, to profit from the poorly written law. Theres That was problematic for New Orleans merchants, who had relied heavily on trade with Caribbean colonies of other nations. Jean Lafitte (also spelt Laffite, c. 1780 to c. 1820 CE) was a Franco-American leader of pirates and privateers who captured merchant vessels of various states in the Gulf of Mexico from 1810 to 1820. The name Jean Lafitte is almost legendary around the upper areas of the Texas coastline. Actually, his men attacked several American ships but apparently did not kill any crewmen, possibly because they did not fight back. There is no . According to historian William C. Davis, Laffite began a public relationship with his mistress in 1815, Catherine (Catiche) Villard, a free woman of color. It's okay, because we're here to bust them! there were treasure legends, and the most common story is that Lafitte stranded a ship, a Spanish ship with gold, in Matagorda Bay in Corpus and was taking it to St. Louis on some wagon trains over roads that don . Is his last name spelled Lafi tte or Laffi te? The captured schooner was not considered useful for piracy and so after they had unloaded its cargo, the Lafittes returned the ship to its former captain and crew. The building was surrounded by a moat and painted red; it became known as Maison Rouge. Other variations of the mystery say Lafitte buried the treasure in multiple In 1978, Congress created Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, combining Chalmette National Historical Park (established in 1938) with the Louisiana state park and authorizing a visitor center in the French Quarter. [7], According to Ramsay, as a young man, Lafitte likely spent much time exploring the wetlands and bayou country south of New Orleans. I always heard that an area Boat Company Owner started his business with a 5 gallon bucket of silver taken from that area. Jean Lafitte (c.1780 c.1823) was a French pirate and privateer who operated in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. Within weeks, Dorada captured a schooner loaded with goods valued at more than $9,000. The Sabin, a ship belonging to Robert Kleberg and Van Roeder, is said to have sunk with valuables off Galveston Island. But why? With the [41] The legislature appointed a committee to study the matter but, as most of their constituents benefitted by the smuggling, they never authorized the militia. SS Jean Lafitte (1942) (MC hull number 475), transferred to the United States Navy as Sumter-class attack transport USS Warren (APA-53); sold for commercial use in 1947; converted to container ship in 1965; scrapped in 1977 SS Jean Lafitte (1943) (MC hull number . Their patrols and interventions reduced the number of active pirates in the region. Numerous novels and stories refer to Lafitte's exploits. "Ladies and gentlemen, meet Jean Lafitte. Found bones of mamouth and Indian tools. In September 1814, British military officials sought Lafittes help in their campaign to attack the U.S. from the Gulf of Mexico. [43] Lafitte's ship grounded in shallow water where the larger British ship could not follow. He was given a burial at sea in the Gulf Of Honduras and speculation about the whereabouts of his treasure hoard has . He withdrew his battered troops and ended French involvement in North America, selling the US what became known as the Louisiana Purchase in 1803: French-claimed lands west of the Mississippi River. [31], As the smuggling operations reduced the amount of revenue collected by customs offices, American authorities were determined to halt business at Barataria. Though much of his life has been obscured by legend and time, the story of 19th-century French pirate Jean Lafitte is nonetheless one of intrigue, crime, and heroics. Pinkerton is a mysterious figure. [23], The brothers soon acquired a third ship, La Diligente. . Widely publicized, the raid was hailed by the Niles' Weekly Register as "a major conquest for the United States". Jean Laffite, Laffite also spelled Lafitte, (born 1780?, Francedied 1825? Jean Henri Laffite's father, Jean Louis Laffite, was a ship captain who died on August 1, 1782, aboard the privateer ship "EL POSTILION" during a hurricane in route . After Jean Lafitte and his Baratarian crew finished fighting in New Orleans, and received their promised pardon, Lafitte could not maintain a simple private life for long, so he returned to life on the high seas. After first escaping with some crew, he and his men were captured and jailed. A mysterious shipwreck is capturing imaginations as a team of researchers sift through the remnants of an early 19th-century vessel located 150 miles off the Galveston Island coast.. The silver that Lafitte accumulated from selling captured slaves, cotton, and other goods was stored in wooden kegs or casks. He and his older brother Pierre spelled their last name Laffite, but English language documents of the time used "Lafitte". The slave smuggling business expanded in 1809 when Jean joined his brother in the Crescent City and the two found a new source of enslaved people: French privateers commissioned to attack Britain . The park was named after Lafitte because of his smuggling operations in the area. Slaves captured in such actions who were turned over to the customs office would be sold within the United States, with half the profits going to the people who turned them in. Here, there would be lots of different activities for the kids. [99] In 1843, Mirabeau B. Lamar investigated many of the Lafitte stories and concluded that, while there were no authentic records of death, Lafitte was likely dead. . knowledge (or educated guess) of Lafitte being the best privateer around, United Watch an alligator bask on a bayou's bank. "[100] Given his legendary reputation, there was much speculation about whether, or how, Lafitte had died. , It was also the location that US Forces attacked, causing his band to make a hasty retreat. Lafitte se rvla un alli prcieux pour les tats-Unis lors de la . mystery afoot! [50], Lafitte committed himself and his men for any defensive measures needed by New Orleans. On this occasion Lafitte's ship had been in dire danger of attack as he prepared to enter the Calcasieu Pass, for he found that the New Orleans revenue cutter "Lynx" was engaged in antislaving patrols between him and the mouth of . - Advance Reservations Suggested - - Please check website for specific information and ticket pricing - Learn more about Jean Laffitte Pirate Dinner Cruise by visiting their . In 1948, John Andrechyne Laflin approached the Missouri Historical Society with a French-language manuscript he claimed was a journal Lafitte kept from 1845 until 1850. Switching gears back to Louisiana, this Jean Lafitte tale quotes a former student of Mount Carmel Academy in New Orleans stating that the treasure is buried near an oak tree on the schools campus. Lafitte for a time lived a lavish lifestyle, complete with servants and the finest housewares and other accoutrements.[78]. Those looking for Gold, Diamonds, Jewelry etc wont find it. Lafitte escaped. treasure to speak of. [He] is supposed to have captured one hundred vessels of all nations, and certainly murdered the crews of all that he took, for no one has ever escaped him. Rogers was a member of Jean Lafitte's pirate crew in 1812. Jean Lafitte. Laflin said he himself was a descendant of Jean Lafitte and had found the book in a trunk he had inherited. The prizes that Lafitte took were slaves, cotton, commodities, etc. To this day, Jean The boys were given a basic Catholic education. Could it be that there were multiple burial locations Jean Lafitte was a Franco-American privateer captain and pirate of the Caribbean sea who operated off of Baratia Bay, Louisiana in the early 19th century. He was accompanied by a Royal Marine infantry captain, John McWilliam,[45][46] who had been given a package to deliver to Lafitte. Legends of the Gulf Coast museum on the Strand. any leads as to where Lafittes treasure might be? he was in his early twenties. Families with the surname Lafitte have been found in Louisiana documents dating as early as 1765. On November 10, 1812, United States District Attorney John R. Grymes charged Lafitte with "violation of the revenue law. Suzanne Johnson features a living Lafitte in her urban fantasy series, Jean Laffite is a character in the historical fiction novel Ashes & Ecstasy by Catherine Hart, Published March 1st 2000 by Leisure Books (first published November 1st 1985), In the 1960s and 70s a barefoot cartoon pirate named, Lafitte: the pirate of the Gulf a book from 1836, This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 13:45. Galveston after his adventures in Louisiana. Metal detector companies may be the only satisfied His reading and writing abilities, therefore, remain unclear. [116] Many researchers noticed a similarity between John Laflin's handwriting and the writing in the journal. [42], Following the charges of November 10, 1812, and subsequent arrest and jailing of his brother Pierre, Jean Lafitte operated the piracy and smuggling business.