Alexis Bailly: (1798-1861)
He was the son of Joseph Bailly & Angelique McGulpin (daughter
of Patrick McGulpin), born at Grand Haven (near Lake Huron). His grandfather
(Michel Bailly de Messein) was in the 1735 punitive campaign against the
Fox and in 1754 at the defeat of George Washington at Ft.Necessity.
Alexis served in the War of 1812 under the British flag and in 1812 was
at Mackinac. Late in the year of 1821 he was at Ft.Snelling as a part of
a cattle drive from the south. He and three others drove the cattle to
the Selkirk Colony on the Red River of the North. By 1823 he was trading
at Mendota (mouth of the Minnesota River) and in October of 1824 he was
appointed, Register of Probate for Crawford County, by Territorial Governor
Cass. From 1825 to 1831 he was in partnership with Joseph Rolette and employed
Alexander & Jean Bte.Faribault as his clerks with posts at Traverse
des Sioux & the mouth of the St.Peters (Minnesota River). 1832-33 Bailly
& Rolette business relationship is effected by a dispute over business
accounts. In 1834 Henry Sibley arrives at Mendota to replace Alexis as
the American Fur Co. agent. 1835-42 Alexis resides at Prairie du Chien
then in 1842 moves to Wabasha where he lives the remainder of his life.
He was first married to Lucy Anne Faribault in 1826 who died in 1855, then
married Julia Marie Cory in 1857. His children were: Alexis Philip (1826-1898);
Henry George (1828-1865); Frederick Edward (1831-1833); Isabella Antoinette
(1833-1849); Lucy Anne (1835-?); Charles Edward (1838-1839); Daniel Barthelmy
(1841-1921); Marie Louise (1845-1934) & Esther Clothilde (1848-1850).
In September of 1837 Alexis was part of a delegation of traders that accompanied
twenty Chiefs to Washington D.C. and it has been said that he gave his
hospitality at Wabasha to both Jefferson C. Davis & U.S.Grant while
they served in the U.S.Army early in their military career.
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