I am hoping someone out there can help me. I am doing research for someone else, so I am not a descendant.

There is an unconfirmed rumor that Napoleon Louis Bonaparte - second son of Hortense DeBeauharnais and Joseph Bonaparte - did NOT die in Italy in 1831, as official history books state. Instead, he was secretly exiled to the United States, where he settled in Indiana and changed his name to Frederick Bender. His wife and children followed him there, as did his brother, Louis Napoleon - who became John Jacob Bender. I have census records from Indiana that prove this. The rumor also says that Napoleon Louis sailed on the Andromede from Portugal to the United States under an assumed name. The Andromede was a frigate in the French navy and did land at Norfolk, Virginia in April 1837.

I know there are many Bonaparte descendants who reside in the United States - descendants of Joseph Bonaparte of Point Breeze, New Jersey, and Jerome Bonaparte of Baltimore, Maryland - and I suspect also some of the slaves owned by the family, especially in the southern states. My question is WHY the Bonapartes came to the United States in the first place. From what I understand, Napoleon - son of Carlo and brother of Joseph and Jerome - controlled much of what his family did only for the sake of his own control over his empire.

I am hoping someone out there can confirm the rumor of the Bonaparte/Bender family. I will also post this message to the Bender board.

Thank you.