JEAN LAFITTE ~ The Pirate King Of New Orleans

Jean Lafitte's ~ Kingdom of Barataria ~ Island of Grand Terre' Louisiana

His self-made kingdom, from the Gulf of Mexico through the villages and plantations to and including New Orleans, was a part of an untamed wilderness that came as part of the package called the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. This delta was a new and lusty territory, overgrown with willows and wildlife. Within its miles and miles of marshlands a man could get lost and wander until he maddened and died of starvation. Unlike anything the government knew; the topography, coupled by its habitation of misunderstood Creoles (Half French & Half Spanish) and Cajuns (French Acadians), confused and perplexed Washington decision makers.

Much more, overcome with other, deepening international problems, the nation abandoned this wetland with its foreign cultures to fend for itself. Therefore, to facilitate a struggling New Orleans from economic collapse, Jean Lafitte created one of the country’s first and most successful retail outlets, boldly advertising on billboards and posters throughout New Orleans.

Known as America’s first great Laissez Faire entrepreneur, Jean Lafitte always provided the finest merchandise such as clothing, coffee, liquor, tobacco, spices and trinkets, all sold at discount prices, avoiding high tariffs, to the grateful citizens of New Orleans. In short, Jean Lafitte's piratical methods, despite their negative connotation, proved to be a survival factor for what was to become a major American city and State of Louisiana.

And then came a new territorial governor, William C.C. Claiborne, who decided that it was not conventional to let, what he thought was an outsider, let alone a notorious pirate, become a part of the blossoming American texture. Harassment and imprisonment followed, even destruction of Jean Lafitte's Valhalla on Grande Terre’. But the governor and the rest of burgeoning America were to learn that Jean Lafitte's importance to this new territory meant much more to him than his own personal prosperity. When men were needed to keep New Orleans and the entire Mississippi River from enemy hands, Jean Lafitte, despite the chastisement and near ruination he faced from American mediators stepped forward to defend them.

Many stories have been told of Jean Lafitte. Some considered him a rapacious rogue, a man of unmitigated violence. Others, many of whom were young women, regarded him as a charming person. He was seductive, perhaps deceptive, but always elegantly gracious.

He was well-read, 'graceful and elegant in manners, well-dressed, very cultured gentleman for his young age who spoke four languages (English, French, Spanish and Italian) fluently and could discuss the venues of politics and policies of New Orleans better than members of its founding families.

With his obviously French accent and decorum, Jean Lafitte melded well into the Creole and Cajun cultures, cultures he obviously knew as a native. And yet this was the man who was often described in very different terms as the 'Gentleman Pirate' or the 'ferocious' head of 'desperadoes.'

Most physical descriptions of Jean Lafitte seem to agree that he was tall, with light skin, and he had large dark eyes. He was clean shaven except for a beard extending part-way down his cheeks. Jean Lafitte was first seen sporting a mustache when he returned to New Orleans from a survey expedition of the Mississippi River, during the winter of 1816. Additional others said he was "remarkably handsome" with Gallic features and possessed a "brilliancy of teeth". "When he walked the streets of the city, he exhibited an aire of gentlemanly self-confidence".

However, his temper was ferocious, and most accounts support that; a man who could be kind and serene but turn panther-like when pushed. When a small group of armed and boisterous Baratarians gathered outside his home threatening mutiny, Jean Lafitte appeared on the porch, pistol in hand, and shot their leader at point-blank range. The mutiny ended.

He devised laws to protect the men and their women from lawless rampages.  Retribution was swift: cast adrift for molesting a woman, hanged for murdering a Baratarian.  Any man that went against Jean Lafitte's orders were dealt with accordingly. Hangings were his favorite disciplinary action.  Bodies of men who had been hanged were left dangling for weeks, as a reminder that Jean Lafitte was in charge.

But this need for violence to maintain order was rare. To lead, he depended on and honed his innate flexibility; he knew how to adjust to the moment — to be the gentleman, the rascal, the radical, entrepreneur, the patron of the arts, the lover or the pirate to fit the situation at hand.

Women loved Jean Lafitte. That he was aware of his seductive qualities is evidenced in the manner by which he sought and won female company. A regular at the formal balls in town, usually a guest of some rich merchant or landowner, he tantalized the belles in the room with his courtly demeanor and fine-cut figure, which he primped in the finest cloths and silks of the day. He waltzed as well as the high society crowd.

It is said he preferred the company of the quadroons, dark-eyed beauties one-quarter African-American who in Southern society were demanded by wealthy men as mistresses. Jean Lafitte had several and would provide for them well-furnished apartments in town. One of these women whom he visited regularly was Catherine Villard, whose sister Marie Villard lived with and gave children to Jean Lafitte's older half-brother Pierre Lafitte.

In no other field of activity is early New Orleans more identified with than that of dueling. Both Creoles and Americans practiced the sport to avenge their name or sometimes merely to impress their women. Insulted by a statement made by a congressman, Governor Claiborne was once compelled to cross swords, as were many other members of the gentry. Two popular dueling spots were the gardens behind the St. Louis Cathedral after Mass on Sundays or under the weeping willows of a park near Bayou St. John outside of town.

One frequent practitioner was Jean Lafitte, adding the term swashbuckler to his romantic image. Jean Lafitte excelled in the art of the rapier and never lost a bout, although he was "called out" many times by men testing his skill. One evening, legend has it that, while dining with his lady at what later became the famous restaurant Courtyard of Two Sisters, he fought three separate unrelated duels beneath the magnificent oak that centered the open air inn. Unscathed and unflustered, he finally sat down to eat his dinner.

But...pirate, thief, swordsman, businessman or savior, Jean Lafitte's legend has grown exponentially over the last two centuries. Complex in nature, shrouded in mystery, and often painted in splashes of color, he lives on in the role of auspicious hero.

Lafitte or Laffite? Jean Laffite spelled his last name with two f’s and one t, "Laffite", but English language documents of the time used "Lafitte". This has become the common spelling in the United States, including places named after him. 

Pictured above is a very rare, authentic signature of Jean Laffite

Who was Jean Lafitte (Laffite) and Where was he really born?

The infamous pirate Jean Laffite was born, Jean Henri Laffite, on December 27, 1778, in the home (located on Royal Street, French Quarter, New Orleans) of his maternal grandparents, Henri Roche dit Belaire (Master Cobbler) and Catherine (Catalina) Laurendine Roche, and baptized January 17, 1779, Saint Louis Cathedral, New Orleans. Jean Henri Laffite was the son of Jean Louis Laffite, native of Bayonne, France, and Elizabeth Ysabel Roche, native of New Orleans. Jean Louis Laffite married his second (2nd) wife, Elizabeth Ysabel Roche on September 15, 1777, Saint Louis Cathedral, New Orleans.

Pictured above is an Official Transcription of the Baptism of Juan Enrique Lafito aka Jean Henri Laffite. Saint Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, Louisiana. Original Entry January 17, 1779: Juan Enrique (Juan and Isabel Lafito), b. Jan. 17, 1779, bn. Dec. 27, 1778, s. Luis Enrique Lafito and Catalina Laurendine Roche (SLC, B9, 42, #194). Baptism entry signed by Father Josef Hernandez Duque” (SLC B9, 42, #194). A true copy from the original: L.S. Martin, New Orleans ~January 19, 1915

Historical note: The Louisiana Territory was under Spanish rule from 1763 through March 1803. All legal documents and church records were written in Spanish during this time period, therefore, Jean Henri Laffite is written as Juan Enrique Lafito on his baptismal entry into the Sacramental Records of the Roman Catholic Church of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Volume 3, 1772-1783 p.172, SLC B9, 42.

Scholars, authors, historians, and Laffite researchers have consistently misidentified Jean's father, Jean Louis Laffite as Jean Lafitte, Jr. (Cadet) who was a native of Damon, Bishohonie, France and married to Louise Langlois. Jean Lafitte, Jr. (Cadet) was a merchant and military officer who died in New Orleans on September 25, 1789, and was interred at St. Peter Cemetery, New Orleans. Jean Lafitte, Jr. (Cadet) was the son of Jean Lafitte, Sr, & Jeane Goze Lafitte and not related to Jean Henri Laffite the pirate. Consequently, this significant error discredits the New Orleans theory, leading researchers to investigate and ultimately publish numerous fictitious possibilities.

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 from Port Royal (Jamaica) to Cape Francois (Haiti). His body was never recovered. He is listed in the Spanish Census of 1778 as Juan (Jean) Lafitte, Ship Captain, son-in-law of Henri Roche, residing on Rue Royal in the French Quarter. Jean Louis Laffite was a native of Bayonne, France and the son of Louis Henri Laffite and Marguerite Ardi Laffite.

Pictured above is the first page of a fifteen page document titled "Marriage Contract of Jean Laffite and Elizabeth Roche". This page contains the names of the paternal and maternal grandparents of Jean Henri Laffite the pirate. Paternal Grandparents are inscribed as Louis Laffite and Marguerite Ardi of Bayonne France and Henri Roche and Catherine (Catalina) Laurendine Roche of New Orleans.

 

Pictured above is an excerpt taken from the Succession of Catherine Laurendine Roche, dated September 11, 1782, identifing her daughter, Elizabeth Roche as the widow of Jean (Juan) Laffite. Note: Notice the two (2) F's and one (1) T.

Childhood Home of the pirate Jean Henri Laffite

After the death of her husband on August 1, 1782, Elizabeth Ysabel Roche Laffite married Jean Pierre Nicholas Bruno Aubry on October 28, 1784, Saint Louis Cathedral, New Orleans. On March 12, 1785, Henri Roche dit Belaire sold the family home on Royal Street to his son in law, Jean Pierre Nicholas Bruno Aubry. Jean Henri Laffite was six (6) years old at the time of this sale, however he had resided at this location since his birth on December 27, 1778.

610-614 Royal Street was the location of the Childhood Home of the infamous pirate Jean Henri Laffite. The original structure was lost in the Great Fires of 1788 & 1794. Jean Henri Laffite was ten (10) years old in 1788 & sixteen (16) years old in 1794.

Who was Francois Mayronne and what was his relationship to Jean Laffite?

Jean Henri Laffite and his older half-brother Pierre established their base of operations on the Island of Grand Terre in 1805. Despite their ownership of the establishment, they did not possess ownership of the land or any property within the Barataria region. The first owner of record of Grand Terre was Joseph Andoeza, who received a grant for the island in 1794. The following year, Francois Mayronne purchased the island. Mayronne owned Grand Terre in its entirety from 1795 until he subdivided it in 1821. The Laffites occupied the island from 1805 to 1817, at which point they departed from Grand Terre and relocated to Galveston.

1813 map of the Island of Grand Terre by Barthélemy Lafon. Lafon was a notable French architect, engineer, city planner, and surveyor in New Orleans. Lafon led a double life, as a respectable architect, engineer, and citizen; but also as a privateer, smuggler, and pirate. In later life his association with piracy, specifically with Jean & Pierre Laffite became public knowledge.

Grand Terre Island ~ A Strategic Stronghold

The islands of Grand Terre, Grand Isle and Cheniere Caminada shield Barataria Bay from the Gulf of Mexico. Grande Terre was a combination of sandy beach and palm trees, lush oaks and oleander,  lagoons and marshes, and shifting tides and foaming waves. Its deep-blue waters were loaded with speckled trout, pompano, black drum, flounder, shrimp and crab. Brown pelicans strutted its beaches and flapped their wings in tune to the to the drumbeat of roaring surf. In some areas shoreside, thick oaks protected inhabitants from the gales of winds that tended to blow in before a storm. Dangers of hurricane were prevalent during the months from June through October, and often certain parts of the island found itself under several feet of sea after a fierce tropical downpour.

In a bold move, Laffite invited all members of his contracted ships (those seamen he had hired to bring in smuggled goods) to make their home on the island with him. He told them this would be their essential quarters. Some of them had already settled there with their women and were praising the freedom of isolation it offered.

Out toward the Gulf of Mexico Laffite's siege guns aimed, oiled, packed and ready to literally sink any interference from the waters. Laffite could laugh at the suggestion of any threats to dismantle his operations. Louisiana, being a new territory of the United States, did not have an army of sufficient size to protect its coast, much less have the audacity to attack his pirate kingdom by the sea.

Overnight, Grande Terre was inundated with 1,000 men, consisting of privateers, pirates, ship's carpenters, ship's cooks, sail makers, sail riggers, gunners and navigators. Many of these men were wandering spirits from across the globe who had shunned their native France, Italy, Portugal, the Caribbean, Germany, Russia and other countries.

By 1808 Laffite's operations had expanded to a net worth of $2,000,000 dollars (equal to approximately $50,000,000 in 2024). He had constructed a beautiful, brick two-story house facing the Gulf of Mexico. When not in New Orleans, Laffite entertained on his verandah, shaded by palms.  Often, he could be found here among its luxurious decor gathered for himself from the vast quantities of stolen treasures.

Why would Francois Mayronne allow a pirate from foreign lands to establish such a large base of operations on his property?

Quite simple, he wouldn’t. As mentioned before, Jean Laffite's origins are often misconstrued by scholars, authors, historians, and Laffite researchers; he was neither from France, Spain, nor Santo Domingo. Jean Henri Laffite was born in New Orleans on December 27, 1778, and resided at the home of his grandfather Henri Roche dit Belaire located at 610-614 Royal Street from 1778 to 1791. His grandfather’s home was adjacent to that of Francois Mayronne, located at 616-618 Royal Street. Mayronne, a Ship Merchant, was not only Laffite's neighbor but also a business associate of his stepfather, Jean Pierre Nicholas Bruno Aubry (Ship Merchant) and uncle, Arnaud Magnon (Ship Builder). Additionally, Mayronne is referenced in the succession records of Laffite's maternal grandfather, Henri Roche dit Belaire, which validates a strong personal relationship with the Laffite/Roche/Aubry family.

In conclusion, these undisputed facts establish a direct connection between Francois Mayronne, the owner of Grand Terre, and Jean Henri Laffite, along with his family, long before Laffite embarked on his piratical endeavors. Furthermore, this evidence substantiates how Laffite had such extensive knowledge of the bayou's intricate waterways and his standing order for his men to never attack American ships.

616-618 Royal Street was the location of the home of Francois Mayronne, owner of the Island of Grand Terre, Jean Laffite's base of operations.

Was Dominique You (Youx) the brother of Jean and Pierre Laffite?

Contrary to the spurious Journal of Jean Laffite, Dominique You WAS NOT the brother of Jean and Pierre Laffite (Note: Pierre Laffite was born in Bayonne, France in 1770 and was the older half-brother of Jean Laffite). According to information he provided the masonic lodge in New Orleans, Dominique was born in Cette (now spelled Sète) in Languedoc, France in 1775. He served as an artilleryman in the French Revolutionary Army. In 1802, he accompanied General Charles Leclerc's expedition to quell Toussaint Louverture's Haitian Revolution.

Following the failure of this expedition, Dominique You managed to reach Louisiana and joined up with Jean and Pierre Laffite as a privateer. He became the captain of the schooners Le Pandoure and Le Tigre. He was called "Capitaine Dominique" by French Creoles.

According to history, he had a reputation for being very bold and daring. His men fought in the battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815, and were mentioned in General Andrew Jackson's general order of January 21st as, "Having shown uncommon gallantry and skill in the field". He settled quietly in New Orleans where he became a politician and supporter of General Jackson.

The man feared by many in Central and South America, and throughout the islands of the Caribbean, was pardoned by special proclamation of President James Madison. He took the path of peace and the straight and narrow after the pardon. He never married but devoted his life, late in years, as a member of the New Orleans City Council. Members of the city council never knew that he was part of a crack team of buccaneers and pirates that helped to save the city from British attack during the Battle Of New Orleans, 1815. He seemed like a man seeking to shield his pirate days and swashbuckler ways from all of those who only knew him as a notable member of polite society, admired by those first identifying as “Americans”, who ventured to New Orleans after the war of 1812, when Louisiana became part of the United States.

The old buccaneer who had led a secret life also had a very public death at the age of 55 in 1830. Though he didn’t die in public, but rather at home on the corner of Love Street and Mandeville Street (now N. Rampart and Mandeville in the Marigny neighborhood). His death was made notable in the daily papers as the old writers and editors of New Orleans never forgot the name of Dominique You and his history that had served the city of New Orleans well.

Dominique died on November 15,1830 and was given full military honors at his funeral. His grave is located in St. Louis Cemetery #2 in New Orleans. On his grave reads, "Intrepid warrior on land and sea. In a hundred combats showed his valor. This new Bayard without reproach or fear could have witnessed the ending of the world without trembling."

Grave of Dominique You ~ St. Louis Cemetery #2, New Orleans, Louisiana