Pierre Allain, son of Lieut. Jean Francois and Marie Francoise (Ricard) Allain was born on September 11, 1762 in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. Pierre’s father served gallantly under Bernardo de Galvez in the campaigns against the English during the Revolution. By 1803, Pierre was residing in Baton Rouge District, Spanish West Florida. Life was good under the old Spanish regime and many of its inhabitants enjoyed the laxity of protocol and liberal land grants. Mme Hortena Vahamonde, daughter of an earlier Spanish commandant – Capt. Jose Vasquez Vahamonde, came under the eye of Mons. Allain. A youthful girl of only fourteen, however, had fallen for the elderly Gov. Grand-Pre, commandant of Baton Rouge from 1800-1809. Pierre eventually wed Mme Marie Paulina Manette Duplessis on May 31, 1804 at the St. Louis Cathederal in New Orleans. They returned home to West Florida where Pierre and his bride had a sizable estate and plantation. Pierre resided in Baton Rouge until he died on February 8, 1820.



Transcription of letter

“Baton Rouge the 12th April, 1803

My Dear Armand, I have received your letter that you have made out of friendship to write to me with joy. You must have believed by my silence that I have not thought of you anymore. No, my friend! The circumstances where I found myself after the death of your poor comrade, Alexandre Patin; I was charged with all of the affairs of his succession and that made me neglect many things that I would have never neglected otherwise in other moments. I have shown your letter to your cousin who has been very sensitive to your memory and has cried from joy to learn of your news. She charges me to embrace you and my family tenderly. Your cousin Manette marries with Dubroca, the cousin of your mother-in-law. I don’t go into detail with you on the subject of your family, Planton. I write you this same occasion of your baby sister who is still pretty and plump. She speaks often of her brother Armand. Your father wouldn’t have rarely missed the opportunity to let you know that you have another sister who is also charming. Our friend, Dufref, who is hurrying me and taking care of this letter, leaves this moment from Baton Rouge to go down to New Orleans to embark for Bordeaux. However, he leaves me time to speak of Madamoiselle Hortena Vahamonde with whom I had promised to marry at the moment of the conclusion. You will find this bizarre that she prefers the Governor Grand-Pre with whom she would be married even if her father and mother had been opposed. You will find as strange that an old liar of 64 years without a fortune with 11 children is able to please a young girl of 14 years. I ask of you to embrace tenderly the little one and tell him that I hope that he will write me also. Goodbye my dear Armand. I wish good health and I hope to have this pleasure to see you soon and I am always your devoted cousin.”

Pre. Allain