Breutin’s map of 1722 of the Natchitoches area, shows the names of inhabitants who owned land: Durion, Derbonne, Duplisses, Marachal, Lebrun, Boquet, Prudhomme, LaFleur, Roland, St. Denis, Dauphine, Rondain, Frainbouis, Rambin, Robert and Frainaries.
Other known inhabitants of the Natchitoches area were: Redot, Lieutenant of the Company of the West; Marley Dupuy, Ensigne; Medar Jalot, St. Denis’ valet; Pierre Cotolleau, farmer; Pierre Fausse, Farmer; Francois Berry, soldier; Francois Lemoine, soldier; Estinne LeRoy, soldier; Pierre DuBois, blacksmith; Marainne Benoist, housewife; Louise Francois Gillot, housewife; Pierre Dupuy, called Gaupillion, to distinguish him from Dupuy the ensigne; Jeanne Grinot, housewife; Collette de Poissot, housewife; Marie Cathern de Poutree, housewife; Martine Bonnet, housewife; Antoniette Audebrands, housewife; Pierre Marineau; Sieur De Champingnole, sergeant; Lieutenant Maillard; Louis Reclos, soldier; Emanuella Sanchez Ramone, wife of St. Denis; Sieur Barme, storekeeper; and Jean Lagross and the two Barberousse brothers who had settled near Campti, establishing a trading post among the Yatasee Indians, which had moved from Nantanchie Lake in 1722.
LA PRESIDIO NUESTRA DE SENORA DEL PILAR DE LOS ADAIS
Established in November 1721 and completed early in the Spring of 1722 by the Marquis de Aguayo.
Knights in Armour are usually associated with the European countries and the valiant deeds accomplished by such men, but here on this tiny hill among the Adais Indians two Knights met, The Marquis de Aguayo, a Black Knight of the Argonne, and Louis Juchereau de St. Denis, who had previously received The Order of the Cross of St. Louis delivered to St. Denis by D’Artagnan, a direct envoy of the King and Queen of France. Thus, two Knights met at the Adais, supped and visited, each recognized the abilities of the other, each having received the highest honor which could be bestowed by their respective King.
Camino de Los Ais Camino de la Lag Camino de Natchi
1. Governor’s House. 2. Church. 3. Soldier’s Barracks. 4. Guardhouse. 5. Stables. 6. Mess Hall. 7. Kitchen. 8. Privy. 9. Powder Magazine. 10 and 11. Water wells.
This Spanish Fort was erected in the shape of a hexagon. Aguayo had six cannons and building the Fort in this shape permitted the greatest amount of cannon fire in all directions. One will notice that on the hilltop, the site of this Spanish presidio, several hundred yards in all directions there is an absence of large trees and that those that are growing are second and third-growth trees. The reason is that Aguayo followed the same methods a trained military officer would have done. He would have cleared the Land of all trees and undergrowth for at least three hundred yards in all directions, so that should an attack occur, the enemy would not have the benefit of any kind of natural cover. The shoulder guns of that period had a fairly accurate killing effect for a distance of 150 yards. Therefore the Musketeer in the presidio would have some extra 150 yards in which to sight the enemy, take aim and fire. This presidio is unique in this respect: It stood for nearly fifty years as a frontier command-post and never once had to defend itself.
This plan of the Presidio at Los Adais, showing the effectiveness of a hexagon shaped fort with cannon spaced to give the maximum protection to the fort, was submitted to Aguayo to his superiors at Mexico City in 1722.