Francis La Fontaine, or Toohpia (Miami: "frost on leaves" [1]) (1810 – 1847) was the last principal chief of the unified Miami tribe, and oversaw the split into the Western and Eastern Miami tribes.
La Fontaine's grandfather, Peter LaFontaine, was a French trader from Fort Detroit who came to Kekionga in 1776. He arrived with Charles Beaubien, and both men married Miami women and declared their loyalty to the Miami.[2] In 1828, at age 18, La Fontaine became the chief of his Miami village.[3] The same year, he married Catherine, the daughter of Chief Jean Baptiste Richardville.[4] Richardville and La Fontaine worked together on a treaty in 1840 which removed half of the Miami nation to an area west of the Mississippi River.
This historic marker is on Indiana State Road 5
Chief Richardville died in 1841, and Chief La Fontaine became the new principal chief of the Miami. He moved his family into Richardville's house at The Forks Of The Wabash, which doubled as the tribal headquarters.[4][5]
In 1846, the Miami nation was forcibly split. Although the terms of the treaty allowed La Fontaine to stay in Indiana with the Eastern tribe, he first travelled with the Western tribe to Kansas. On his return trip, he died in Lafayette, Indiana. Speculation exists that he may have been poisoned by a member of the Western Miami tribe who viewed La Fontaine with suspicion.[6] La Fontaine's body was returned to the Forks of the Wabash, and his remains lie in Mt. Calvary Cemetery near Huntington, Indiana.[7]
Catherine La Fontaine died two years later. Francis and Catherine had seven children: Esther (married John Zahn), Frances (married George Gawn), Archangel (married Chris Engleman), Louis, John, Joe, and Tom. The youngest of the children were placed in the care of the Roman Catholic Church, and the sons were educated at the University of Notre Dame as payment for a mortgage Francis had granted the school to keep it financially stable.[4] The family maintained ownership of the house until 1941, and it is currently maintained by Historic Forks of the Wabash, Inc.
Imagesedit
A ditigal image of La Fontain[e] (from a tintype in paper frame,) is available through the George Winter Collection at the Tippecanoe County Historical Association.
Images at Allen County / Fort Wayne Historical Society 2010-06-28 at the Wayback Machine
Notesedit
^Patee, Annis Jean Hite (Sep 29, 2009). "Chief Francis Toohpia Lafontaine". Find-A-Grave Memorial. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
^ abc(PDF). Archived from the original on July 26, 2011. Retrieved 2008-07-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link), Historic Forks of the Wabash. Website accessed 11 July 2010.
^. Historic Forks of the Wabash. Archived from the original on July 4, 2008. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
Allison, Harold (1986). The Tragic Saga of the Indiana Indians. Turner Publishing Company, Paducah. Graphic Design of Indiana. ISBN0-938021-07-9.
Federal Writers' Project. Indiana: A Guide to the Hoosier State 3rd edition, 1947. ISBN1-60354-013-X
Poinsatte, Charles (1976). Outpost in the Wilderness: Fort Wayne, 1706-1828. Allen County, Fort Wayne Historical Society.
External linksedit
. The Ohio Valley-Great Lakes Ethnohistory Archives: The Miami Collection. Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology. Archived from the original on May 3, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
March 16, 2024
francis, fontaine, toohpia, miami, frost, leaves, 1810, 1847, last, principal, chief, unified, miami, tribe, oversaw, split, into, western, eastern, miami, tribes, toohpiamiami, leaderpreceded, byjean, baptiste, richardvillechiefpersonal, detailsborn1810died18. Francis La Fontaine or Toohpia Miami frost on leaves 1 1810 1847 was the last principal chief of the unified Miami tribe and oversaw the split into the Western and Eastern Miami tribes Francis La FontaineToohpiaMiami leaderPreceded byJean Baptiste RichardvilleChiefPersonal detailsBorn1810Died1847Lafayette IndianaResting placeHuntington IndianaSpouseCatherine RichardvilleChildrenEsther Frances Archangel Louis John Joe TomLa Fontaine s grandfather Peter LaFontaine was a French trader from Fort Detroit who came to Kekionga in 1776 He arrived with Charles Beaubien and both men married Miami women and declared their loyalty to the Miami 2 In 1828 at age 18 La Fontaine became the chief of his Miami village 3 The same year he married Catherine the daughter of Chief Jean Baptiste Richardville 4 Richardville and La Fontaine worked together on a treaty in 1840 which removed half of the Miami nation to an area west of the Mississippi River This historic marker is on Indiana State Road 5Chief Richardville died in 1841 and Chief La Fontaine became the new principal chief of the Miami He moved his family into Richardville s house at The Forks Of The Wabash which doubled as the tribal headquarters 4 5 In 1846 the Miami nation was forcibly split Although the terms of the treaty allowed La Fontaine to stay in Indiana with the Eastern tribe he first travelled with the Western tribe to Kansas On his return trip he died in Lafayette Indiana Speculation exists that he may have been poisoned by a member of the Western Miami tribe who viewed La Fontaine with suspicion 6 La Fontaine s body was returned to the Forks of the Wabash and his remains lie in Mt Calvary Cemetery near Huntington Indiana 7 Catherine La Fontaine died two years later Francis and Catherine had seven children Esther married John Zahn Frances married George Gawn Archangel married Chris Engleman Louis John Joe and Tom The youngest of the children were placed in the care of the Roman Catholic Church and the sons were educated at the University of Notre Dame as payment for a mortgage Francis had granted the school to keep it financially stable 4 The family maintained ownership of the house until 1941 and it is currently maintained by Historic Forks of the Wabash Inc Images editA ditigal image of La Fontain e from a tintype in paper frame is available through the George Winter Collection at the Tippecanoe County Historical Association Images at Allen County Fort Wayne Historical Society Archived 2010 06 28 at the Wayback MachineNotes edit Patee Annis Jean Hite Sep 29 2009 Chief Francis Toohpia Lafontaine Find A Grave Memorial Retrieved December 5 2012 Poinsatte 14 Federal Writers Project 315 a b c Chief s House and Miami Interpretation PDF Archived from the original on July 26 2011 Retrieved 2008 07 26 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link Historic Forks of the Wabash Website accessed 11 July 2010 The History of Historic Forks of the Wabash Historic Forks of the Wabash Archived from the original on July 4 2008 Retrieved December 5 2012 Federal Writers Project 198 Allison 293 Allison Harold 1986 The Tragic Saga of the Indiana Indians Turner Publishing Company Paducah Graphic Design of Indiana ISBN 0 938021 07 9 Federal Writers Project Indiana A Guide to the Hoosier State 3rd edition 1947 ISBN 1 60354 013 X Poinsatte Charles 1976 Outpost in the Wilderness Fort Wayne 1706 1828 Allen County Fort Wayne Historical Society External links edit Francois Lafontaine Index of Miami Names in Archives The Ohio Valley Great Lakes Ethnohistory Archives The Miami Collection Glenn A Black Laboratory of Archaeology Archived from the original on May 3 2012 Retrieved December 5 2012 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Francis La Fontaine amp oldid 1192658075, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
