Display Patriot - P-327385 - Daniel GASPARD/NORMAND

Daniel GASPARD/NORMAND

SAR Patriot #: P-327385

The following information was assembled from numerous sources and cannot be used directly as proof of Qualifying Service or Lineage.
It is considered a research aid and is intended to assist in locating sources that can be used as proof.

State of Service: ESP Qualifying Service: Patriotic Service

Birth: bef 16 Jan 1747
Death: 23 Mar 1818 / Orleans / LA

Qualifying Service Description:

A fusilier in the Company of the Militia for the German Coast of Louisiana serving under Bernardo de Galvez during the Baton Rouge campaign

Additional References:

Albert J. Robichaux, "Louisiana Census and Militia Lists, 1770-1789", Hebert Publications, Rayne, Louisiana, Third Printing, 1994
"Sacramental Records of the Archdiocese of New Orleans", Volume 13, pg 187
DeVille, Winston. "Louisiana Soldiers in the American Revolution." Ville Platte, LA: 1991, pg 52
Schmidt, Elizabeth Whitman. “Louisiana Patriots, 1776-1783. “ Washington, DC; National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, 1994, pg 23
Churchill, Charles Robert. “The Galvez Expedition: 1779-1783, Register of Infantry Regiment of Louisiana, Roster.” New Orleans Genesis, v. 18, No. 71 (June 1979), pg 383

Spouse: Marie Francoise Madere
Children: Francoise;

Members Who Share This Ancestor

Date Approved	Society	ACN	SAR Member Info	Lineage via Child	View Application Detail
2012-01-13	LA	39903	Clifford Joseph Normand (157351)	Francoise
2017-04-21	TX	72736	David Lee Peavy (194635)	Marie

Burial:

Saint Louis Cemetery Number 1_(C-0372646)

Location:

New Orleans / Orleans Parish / LA / USA

Find A Grave Cemetery #:

643477

Grave Plot #:

Grave GPS Coordinates:

n/a

Find A Grave Memorial #:

184797705

Marker Type:

SAR

SAR Grave Dedication Date:

29 Oct 2011

Comments:

On 29 October 2011, Enenomd Meullion (Cenla) SAR Chapter dedicated a plaque at the St. Paul the Apostle cemetery in Mansura, Avoyelles, LA
Memorial to those soldiers who served in the local militias and German Coast Militia
Daniel (Normand) Gaspard is listed as a member of the German Coast Militia
Photos displayed courtesy of David L. Peavy, TXSSAR

Directions to Cemetery / Gravesite:

By Spanish Royal Decree in 1789, the St. Louis Cemetery was opened. Because high ground was valuable, the Cabildo chose a swampy site to locate the cemetery. This resulted in many above ground vaults. City development resulted in the size of the cemetery being reduced. A marker that had been in the center of the cemetery is now at the entrance. The cemetery is owned and operated by the Archdiocese of New Orleans

Photo: 1 of 2

Photo: 2 of 2

Author: David Lee Peavy

Daniel Gaspard Normand was born to Jean Joseph Gaspard Normand and Marie-Josphe Chenier and baptized on 16 January 1747 in Montreal, Quebec. While his surname was Normand, in many later transactions he is listed as Daniel Gaspard. All of his children used the surname Gaspard.

Daniel's family left Montreal in 1761. For the next three and a half years, they travelled down the Mississippi until they finally arrived at St. Charles Parish in Louisiana, also referred to as the First German Coast. His parents bought several pieces of land in 1765 there, one of which was for his brother (Jean Pierre) and his wife. Daniel lived with them, until at least 1770.

He and his brother Jean Pierre, as members of the St. Charles settlement, were members of the St. Charles militia, as evidenced by their names on a 1770 militia roster. The settlement's need for the militia was for protection from English interests, as well as raids by the local Choctaw Indians.

Sometime before 21 April 1773, Daniel married Marie Francoise Matern (b. bef 29 Jun 1755 in Natchitoches, she used as her surname "DeJean" or "Jean DeJean," a derivation from her paternal pedigree (Johannes of Johanes)). We know of at least eight children they had: Daniel, Jr. (b. 1774), Joseph (b. 1776), Marie-Francoise (b. 1778), Hyacinthe (b. 1779), Therese (b. 1782), Jean Baptiste (b. 1785), Francois (b. 1789), and Alexis, Sr. (b. 1795).

Daniel purchased his father's farm in St. Charles in November 1774. On 21 June 1776, Daniel sold this property and moved his family to St. James Parish, the Second German Coast. The June 1778 militia roster for St. James Parish, lists Daniel as a fusilier.

When Spain declared war on Britain, in support of the American Colonies, the Spanish governor, Bernardo de Galvez, called on the colony's militia. Daniel was one of the militiamen who joined Galvez in the campaign to capture Baton Rouge, and other British forts, in 1779-81.

As late as July 1789, Daniel continued to live in St. James, however, he soon relocated to Avoyelles Parish (from this point forward, Daniel Normand became Daniel Gaspard). Because of his service in the American Revolutionary War, he received a land grant from the Spanish King of 640 acres on the Red River. By the time of an 1806 survey, he had 1,015 acres. This property was not too far from his brother's (Jean Pierre) tract of land on the Red River.

Throughout his life, as with most inhabitants of the Louisiana colony, he was a farmer. Almost none of his fellow farmers were formally educated. While it is unclear the extent of education he received, we do know that he was able to sign his name, both "Daniel Normand" and "Daniel Gaspard." Because of this skill, Daniel was often called to witness and sign legal documents in the parish. It was also a sign of respect in which the parish officials held him.

On 31 August 1800, Daniel awoke, not as a subject of Spain, but as a French citizen. He was not aware of this at the time, as Spain continued to govern the colony on behalf of France, until France sold the colony to the United States in 1803, via the Louisiana Purchase. Daniel and his family were now American citizens.

While on a business trip to New Orleans, Daniel died at the age of 71 years on 23 March 1818. He was buried in the St. Louis Cemetery (now referred to as St. Lous Cemetery No. 1) in New Orleans. His wife, Marie-Francoise Matern, died at the age of 83 in 1839.

(See Normand, Mark Joseph. "The Normand Family of Louisiana." Slaughter, LA: Mark J. Normand, 2011, v. 1, pp. 160-177.)

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Additional Information:

No DAR GRS record found - Sep 2022
Daniel Gaspard Normand dropped the Normand surname subsequent to his military service and became Daniel Gaspard