Eleventh Generation

2040. Pierre MAYEUX.. Two different sources state that Pierre was from "Maintenon of Picardy, Bishopric of Amiens" or "Maintenoy, Bishopric of Amiens in Picardy". There is no such commune called Maintenoy and Maintenon is not located in the traditional areas of Picardy or the Bishopric of Amiens. I believe that Pierre was, instead, referring to Maintenay.¹²⁵⁷ He came to New France via the ship 'Le Profond' - bound for John Law's concession. The ship set sail from LaRochelle (Charente-Maritime) on 10 June 1720 and arrived at Biloxi on 16 September 1720. His wife, Marie Sellier (per the ship list), was on the ship with him as was identified as a 'worker's wife'. Supposedly, those who arrived via 'Le Profond' "seem to have been the only ones of the thousands recruited for Law in Germany who actually reached the howling wilderness of the Arkansas River, traveling from Biloxi by way of the inland route: Lake Borgne, Lake Ponchartrain, Lake Maurepas, Amite River, Bayou Manchac, and the Mississipp River". ³¹⁵⁶However, we have no other proof that Pierre and Marie made it to Arkansas Post although their first-born son, François Pierre, who is believed to have been born c1723 was identified as a native of Arkansas in his 1745 marriage record to Nicole Prévost. They do not appear on the 1723 census there. However, the concession was miserable failure and it is believed that he and his family may have been living in the area around the concession. The family was still not listed on any census in 1726. By 1727, Pierre was listed as a witness to a marriage in New Orleans. His presence and the presence of his wife in New Orleans around this time seems to be confirmed by the fact that his daughter, Geneviève, who is believed to have been born c1727 was identified as being "of New Orleans" in her 1743 marriage record to Jean François Décuir. According to Randy Decuir, "Pierre Mayeux was one of only two white men spared by the Indians in the infamous Natchez Massacre in November 1729 which wiped out the French settlement of about 250 settlers. Mayeux was apparently spared because of his occupation as a wagon driver. He was needed by the Indians to gather the clothing of the massacred victims and bring it back to them." In this instance, the third child of Pierre and Marie Cellier, Cécile, who is believed to have been born c1729 appears to confirm the presence of Pierre and Marie Cellier in Natchez at about the time of the Natchez Massacre. Cécile was identified as a native of Natchez in her 1747 marriage to Jean Louis Hommard. ¹⁵⁸¹ In the 1731 census, Pierre, his wife and 3 children were living on the 'left bank descending of the Mississippi River' (what is now the east bank) along with 1 negro slave. This was likely the Pointe Coupee area. The couple's two youngest children - Magdeleine and Marguerite - are both identified as being natives of 'this parish' in their 1749 Pointe Coupée marriage records which would confirm the family's presence there c1733 - the estimated year of Magdeleine's birth. Pierre MAYEUX appeared in the census in 1745 in (Pointe Coupée Parish), Louisiana, USA with Marie Françoise Manne - his second wife - whom he had married in 1739, and three children from his first marriage to Cellier (Cécile age 16, Magdeleine age 12, Marguerite age 10). He was identified as being 48 years of age. By this time, the family had established a sizeable plantation. They had 36 cattle, 8 hogs, and 1 horse. In addition, the family had 80 arpents under cultivation with quite a bit of the fruits of their labor on-hand (corn 150, beans 40, tobacco 15). The family also had 22 slaves (6 black men, 6 black women, 4 black boys, 6 black girls). In addition, the family had 4 muskets, 1 pistol, 10 powder, and 4 lead & balls. He was regarded as one of the wealthiest planters in the area. ¹²⁵⁷ He died on 16 December 1747 in (Pointe Coupée Parish), Louisiana, USA.¹⁴⁰³ He was buried on 16 December 1747 in (Pointe Coupée Parish), Louisiana, USA.¹⁵⁸² Pierre had his estate in succession on 19 March 1748 in (Pointe Coupée Parish), Louisiana, USA.^1,1583 Marie (Marianne) CELLIER (SELLIER) and Pierre MAYEUX were married before 1720 in France.

[Note: Pierre signed a marriage contract with Marie Françoise Manne on 27 February 1739.]

2041. Marie (Marianne) CELLIER (SELLIER). She came to the New World via/on "Profond" in 1720 with her husband, Pierre.¹ Although it is believed that the family were originally destined for the Law Concession at Arkansas Post, they do not appear on the 1723 census there. However, the concession was miserable failure and it is believed that he and his family may have been living in the area around the concession. The couple's son, François Pierre, who is believed to have been born c1723 was identified as a native of Arkansas in his 1745 marriage record to Nicole Prévost so they do appear to have lived in Arkansas. The family did not appear in the 1726 census. In 1727, Marie's husband, Pierre, was listed as a witness to a marriage in New Orleans. It is believed that the couple's daughter, Geneviève, was born there c1727 which would confirm the presence of Pierre and Marie in New Orleans at that time. Marie appears to have lived in Natchez at about the time of the Natchez Massacre. The couple's daughter, Cécile, who is believed to have been born in Natchez c1729 would seem to confirm Marie Cellier's presence there with her husband. She appeared in the census in 1731 in what is believe to be the Pointe Coupée area. The couple's two youngest daughters, Magdeleine and Marguerite, were born there c1733 and c1735. Marie died before 29 January 1739 in (Pointe Coupée Parish), Louisiana, USA. On that day, Pierre requested a family meeting to name a tutor for their children. The record states that Marie Cellier was deceased. ^1,3174The meeting to name a tutor was held the same day. Pierre Mayeux (spelled Maieux on the document) was elected tutor of his children and Jean Carron was elected as their special tutor. Each took an oath to perform well and faithfully the duties of their respective office.^1,3175 It's unclear if this meeting took place in New Orleans or Pointe Coupée. On 14 February 1739, a succession inventory of Marie's possessions took place at Pointe Coupée. The total value of her estate was 13739 livres. ^1,3176 READ:The 14 February 1739 Succession Record of Marie (Marianne) Cellier

CAUTION!!

9/9/2013: I now believe that the parents of Pierre Mayeux/Mahieu/Mahiu (who married Marie Cellier/Sellier) are NOT (Pierre) Francois Mayeux/Mahieu/Mahiu and Marie Grelin/Breslin and that the baptismal record for a Pierre Mahiu dated 12 April 1699 in Maintenay (Department of Pas-de-Calais) is for a different Pierre Mayeux.

Children were: