Pedro Piernas

Pedro Joseph Piernas ^[1] was a Spanish military who exerted as Commandant (1768) and lieutenant governor of Illinois (between 1770 and 1775).

Biography

Pedro Piernas joined to Spanish Army in his youth, in 1747,^[2] place where he stressed, obtaining the captain of infantry,^[3] Colonel,^[4] Commandant and Lieutenant grades.

Although apparently Piernas already had ruled Upper Louisiana in 1768, he arrived to Saint Louis on March 10, 1769 ^[5] and was appointed Lieutenant governor of Illinois by Alejandro O'Reilly, in August this year. The French commandant of the village, St. Ange, transferred formal control to Piernas on May 20, 1770, and St. Ange was named assistant to Piernas and special adviser on Amerindian affairs.^[6] In addition, also become Louis St. Ange de Bellerive, the former commander of the fortress, in a captain of infantry in the service of Spanish Crown and he's always maintained friendly relations with him.^[7] Indeed, after the transfer, Piernas confirmed St. Ange's and Laclède's land grants and rented Laclède's headquarters as government offices, and Spanish soldiers provided local security.^[6]

After Pedro Piernas assumed the office of Lieutenant Governor of Upper Louisiana, perceived that the population has rejected the Spanish government (Louisiana was French until 1763, when the colony passed into Spanish hands after his defeat in the Seven Years' War) and was strongly submitted to the French and Spanish colonial laws. So, he began working to reconcile the population of the province with the Spanish government and eliminate their prejudices. Although he changed very little in the government of the colony, he introduced some new regulations, which benefited the population of the province, which favored that after a few months, the population to accept Piernas.

In addition, he appointed a French surveyor, Martin Duralde, which allowed the lines of the various subsidies could be determined properly, and established a conclusive proof of its borders. The appointment of a Frenchman as surveyor was unexpected and highly supported by the population. In addition, Piernas stated publicly all donations that he had made, which was done without any legal authority. These acts of power, and the absence of such things as oppression or the incorporation of many French people in many subordinate offices, being they the majority of the people working there, favored the support of the population to the new governor Spanish.

In 1772, to attempted to keep the Osages and Missouri tribes under control, suspended all trade with them, but then British merchants from Canada began to trade them. In 1773, Piernas sent Laclede and a troop of forty men, who captured the crew of the British merchant Jean-Marie Ducharme, merchandise and furs, but that escaped and fled to Canada.^[8] In addition, Piernas also sent soldiers up the river with wampum belts to enlist the aid of the chiefs against the American interlopers.^[9]

In addition, he refused and suspected of Amerindians, unlike what they did the French, who respected them and traded with them, which caused Amerindians avenge. Thus, a Shawnee chief came to St. Louis, invited by Piernas, to make a treaty of some land in the neighborhood of Ste Genevieve and could set a barrier between St. Louis and enemy western tribes, with some followers and dressed in their traditional clothes Osage warrior, and he said publicly kill to have the opportunity. He called to of a member of Osage tribe to fight against Piernas, but he was stabbed in the heart and buried in the mound from which the current heap street bears his name.^[7]

Piernas imprisoned to Shawnee chief in 1773.^[5]

In 1774, a small prison was built Piernas against the stone structure that Laclede had originally built as the headquarters of trade and residence. He also built a small chapel to replace the tent that was formally used for services and encourage a Capuchin friar, Father Valentin, to live in the village as their primary residence cure. He and his wife had a new bell for the new church, dubbed "Pierre Joseph congratulated."^[8]

Piernas left his office of lieutenant governor of Illinois in 1775, being replaced by Colonel Francisco Cruzat,^[6] when he went to New Orleans, with the broke of Tallier case. Likely, Piernas was to Bernardo de Galvez, viceroy of New Spain in this time, to support his old friend, Francois Vallé.^[10]

Personal life

He married a French lady named Portneuf, who also contributed much to the popularity of the former lieutenant governor. His house was one of the first built in St. Louis.^[7]

References