The Pierre LeMieux Family
LeMieux, LeMeux, LeMeu, LeMew, LaMew
Lawrence County, Arkansas
Warning: This page CONTAINS known errors. Please
check out what I have done. I only had census, marriage, and
cemetery records to pull this family information together. As
corrected information comes in, I will update this page!
Thanks ... Michael Brown
Spanish and French explorers established the first settlement on the east side of Black River where the river seems to outline a clover leaf. This odd geographical quirk gives the name Clover Bend to a community established at the same spot in the early 1800s by a Frenchman named Pierre Le Mieus. In the days before drainage ditches, the hillock upon which Clover Bend rested was virtually the only desirable place in the area for a settlement because much of the area was swamp land.
LeMew "as descendants of Lawrence County spell it" married Victoria Janis, a daughter of Anthony Janis, a Frenchman who made a claim in 1808 with Joseph Guignolet for tracts of land on Black River. In 1816 the grants were confirmed to John Baptiste Janis, the son of Anthony Janis who had died before the confirmation of the grants. In 1816 the land rights were sold to William Russess and a Charles Logan. All Frenchmen who had settled prior to the grants had sold by 1816 to LeMew. Other than records of grants and sales, little is known about LeMew except that he lived, raised a family, died and was buried in an unknown plot in the Old Clover Bend Cemetery.
The records of old land
deeds at Powhatan and in the General Land Office in Washington,
D.C., furnish documentary proof of their presence along Black
river about 1800. One record is of a deed made in 1816 by Pierre
LeMieux to Lewis DeMunn conveying "an improvement made by
the said Pierre LeMieux on Black river at a place about fifteen
miles
above the mouth of Current river in 1800, called by the French
`Petit Baril' and by the Americans `Peach Orchard'." The
place is now in Clay county, and a small nearby town is still
called by that name. One guesses that LeMew brought some peach
seeds with him and there on his improvement planted the first
peach orchard in the country.
The importance of that old record is that it helps to fix the date of the French settlement of the region. LeMew evidently was not alone in the country at that time. He, with a few others, is credited with having settled at Clover Bend about l800, which seems to conflict with his having made an improvement at the same time at Peach Orchard, but LeMew's father in law, Anthony Janis, who is known to have been settled at or near the old site of Lauratown as early as 1803. LeMew probably gave up his improvement at Peach Orchard in order to live near his wife's people. He lived and died and was buried at Clover Bend. He still has descendants in the county.
Ron < VOLFN @ aol.com > is a
LaMew descendant and researcher. He has correct information about
this family. Also, David at <
SpicelandRD @ Appstate.Edu > is another LaMew researcher.
Descendants of Pierre LAMIEUX
First Generation
1. Pierre LAMIEUX was born in <Canada>, died before 19 Apr 1817 in
Lawrence Co., AR and was buried in At Clover Bend, Lawrence Co., AR.
Probate Records from Lawrence County, Arkansas
84. LeMEUX, Pierre, deceased. Bond of Charles LOGAN, DAVIDSON.
Heirs: Seven children (not named).
85. LeMEUX, Pierre, deceased. Bond of James CAMPBELL,
administrator de-bonis-non, November 19, 1818. Securities: Joseph
HARDIN, James M. KUYKENDALL.
Lemuix, Pierre (also see Lamew and Lemew)
d. 1817 Adm'r 19 April 1817, Charles Lodan Alpt'd.
Adm'r de bonis non: 19 Nov. 1818, James Campbell appt'd. Logan had
died Gdn.: 26 June 1827, Pierre Lemuix appt;d for Joseph Lemuix, a
minor heir of Pierre Lemuix, dec'd. Division of estate (1828):
Pierrre, Victor, Argot (a female), Lody, Antoine and Joseph Lemuix.
Other information:
In the 1850 census, there is a Joseph age 28, Brazzell age 26, and
a Mary LaMew age 36 living with a Henderson and Nancy D. Striclin
family in Black River township, just two dwelling places from the
Peter LaMew family.
Is Mary the seventh child? Is so, why is she not listed in his
probate records?
Pierre married Victoria JANIS, daughter of Antonio JANIS and
Unknown.
They had the following children:
+ 2 M i. Peter LAMEW was born in 1799 in Lawrence Co.,
AR and died in 1860 in Lawrence Co., AR
3 M ii. Victor LAMEW was born about 1801 in Lawrence
Co., AR.
4 F iii. Argot LAMEW was born about 1803 in Lawrence
Co., AR and died in 1840 in Lawrence Co., AR.
Not sure that Argot and Aggy are the same, but here it is:
Lamew, Agness (Aggy Lamew)
d. 1840
Will: Dated 16 Feb. 1840 Proved 13 April 1840.
Exec'r: Latta Logan
Only legatee: Sephan (sic) Logan. Her Will was ruled invalid
and of no force by the court Adm'r: 1 June 1840, Peter Lamew
appt'd. Heirs: Peter Lamew; Roda Runnels, Alias Roda Lamew;
and the heirs of Victoria Vinson, dec's, alias Victoria
Lamew. All lived in Lawrence co. except Roda who lived in
Jackson Co., AR.
5 M iv. Lody LAMEW was born about 1806 in Lawrence Co.,
AR.
6 M v. Antonio LAMEW was born about 1808 in Lawrence
Co., AR, died about 1834 in Lawrence Co., AR
and was buried in At Clover Bend, Lawrence
Co., AR.
Probate Record in Lawrence County, Arkansas:
86. LeMEW, Antoine, deceased. Bond of Perro (Peter) LeMEW,
administrator; June 30, 1834. Securities: Henderson WHITE,
Champ T. STUART. Heirs: None, according to statement of
administrator.
Lemew, Antoine (see also Antoine Lamew)
d. 1834 Adm'r: 30 June 1834, Peter Lemew appt'd.
Lamew, Antoine (see also Antoine Lemew)
d. 1834
Inv.: 9 June 1835
Adm'r: Peter Lamew
Gdn.: April 1838, Peter Lamew, gdn of Joseph Lamew, a minor
under age 21, recved this minor's share from the estate of
the minor's deceased father (name of Father not given).
Heirs: (17 July 1838) - Peter Lamew; Elijah Vinson, Agga
Lamew (a female), and George W. Runnels.
7 M vi. Joseph LAMEW was born about 1811 in Lawrence
Co., AR, died before 26 Jun 1827 in Lawrence
Co., AR and was buried in At Clover Bend,
Lawrence Co., AR.
Probate Records from Lawrence County, Arkansas:
190. LAMUIX, Joseph, minor, heir of estate of Pierre LAMUIX,
deceased. Bond of Pierre LAMUIX, guardian, June 26, 1827.
Security: Elijah VINSON.
8 F vii. Mary LAMEW was born about 1814 in Lawrence Co.,
AR.
Mary is living with the Henderson & Nancy D. Striclin family
in the 1850 census. Her age puts as one of the earliest
LaMews. If there is an older child than Peter, then she
could be a granddaughter of Pierre LeMieux.
Second Generation (Children)
2. Peter LAMEW was born in 1799 in Lawrence Co., AR and died in 1860
in Lawrence Co., AR.
Gdn.: 26 June 1827, Peter was appt;d for Joseph Lemuix, a minor
heir
of Pierre Lemuix, dec'd.
Lamew, Peter (see LEMIUX also) d. 1860
Adm'r: 5 June 1860, John w. Bush appt'd.
Heirs: The minor heirs of Amy Childers, dec'd; Emeline Bush;
Joseph Lamew, California D. Lamew; and Henry Lamew. Petition of
Land; (1872): Elizabeth Lamew as widow of Joseph Lamew, dec'd, and
their children California Lamew, Joseph A. J. Lamew and William
Lamew to receive together an undivided fifth interest; and John W.
Bush and wife Emelime. a fofth interest; and William Jackson and
wife California, a fifth interest; and a fifth jointly to Andrew J.
Childress and Thomas Childress right of their mother; and a fifth
interest to Henry S. Lamew in his own right.
Peter married Matida __________, daughter of Unknown and Unknown.
(Matida __________ was born in 1815 in MS.)
They had the following children:
+ 9 F i. Amy C. LAMEW was born in 1830 in Lawrence Co.,
AR and died before 1860 in Lawrence Co., AR
10 M ii. Aikin LAMEW was born about 1832 in Lawrence
Co., AR. Listed in the 1850 census as 21 years
of age.
11 M iii. George LAMEW was born about 1832 in Lawrence
Co., AR.
+ 12 M iv. Joseph LAMEW was born about 1833 in Lawrence
Co., AR and died on 6 Jun 1870 in Lawrence
Co., AR
+ 13 F v. Emaline LAMEW was born about 1839 in Lawrence
Co., AR
14 M vi. Peter LAMEW was born about 1841 in Lawrence
Co., AR.
+ 15 F vii. California D. LAMEW was born in Apr 1850 in
Lawrence Co., AR
16 M viii. Henry S. LAMEW was born about 1851 in Lawrence
Co., AR and died in 1873 in Lawrence Co., AR.
Lamew, Henry d. 1873
Gdn.: On 11 Oct. 1865, Joseph Lamew requesrted to be appt'd
gdn for his under age 14 brother, Henry S. Lamew who was heir
of Peter Lmew, dec'd. Bush said Henry was insame and died in
1873. Adm'r: 22 April 1875, John w. Bush, Senr., appt'd.
Third Generation (Grandchildren)
9. Amy C. LAMEW was born in 1830 in Lawrence Co., AR and died before
1860 in Lawrence Co., AR.
Marriage record: A2-212
Amy married John J. CHILDRESS on 13 Jul 1848 in Lawrence Co., AR.
(John J. CHILDRESS was born in 1823 in AL.)
They had the following children:
17 M i. Andrew J. CHILDRESS was born in Jul 1850 in
Lawrence Co., AR.
18 M ii. Thomas CHILDRESS was born about 1853 in
Lawrence Co., AR.
12. Joseph LAMEW was born about 1833 in Lawrence Co., AR and died on 6
Jun 1870 in Lawrence Co., AR.
Joseph is listed with Elizabeth in the 1860 census Marion Twsp
15/99/104.
But only Elizabeth is listed in the 1870 Census Marion Twp 11/10
Lamew, Joseph
d. 6 June 1870
Will: dated 14 May 1870, Proved 18 June 1870
Exec'rx: Elizabeth Lamew, wife. She later married John J. Carr.
Children: California Lamew, Joseph A.J. Lamew and William
Lafayette Lamew. Mentions: His interest in lands known as the
"Peter Lmew farm: in Lawrence County. Adm'r de bonis non With the
Will Annexed: 7 Nov. 1871, Robert Franklin Perry Mack Appt'd.
Marriage record: C-056
Joseph married Elizabeth LAUGHLIN on 3 Jun 1860 in Lawrence Co.,
AR. (Elizabeth LAUGHLIN was born about 1830 in IL and died in
1878 in Lawrence Co., AR.)
Lamew, Elizabeth d. 1878
Inv.: 7 May 1878
Gdn.: John Wyatte gdn. of the heirs of said estate.
Heirs: California Wyatte, William Lanew and Fannie Carr
Marriage record: D-123
They had the following children:
19 M i. Henry LAMEW was born about 1853 in Lawrence
Co., AR.
+ 20 F ii. California LAMEW was born about 1861 in
Lawrence Co., AR
21 M iii. Joseph A. J. LAMEW was born about 1865 in
Lawrence Co., AR.
+ 22 M iv. William Lafayette LAMEW was born on 2 Nov 1866
in Lawrence Co., AR, died on 30 Dec 1939 in
Lawrence Co., AR and was buried in Clover Bend
Cem, Lawrence, AR
13. Emaline LAMEW was born about 1839 in Lawrence Co., AR.
California LaMeu, Emaline's sister, is living with the Bushes' in
the 1860 census.
Marriage record: B-101
Emaline married John W. BUSH on 27 Aug 1854 in Lawrence Co., AR.
(John W. BUSH was born about 1834 in IL.)
They had the following children:
23 M i. Stephen W. BUSH was born about 1857 in
Lawrence Co., AR.
24 M ii. Felix BUSH was born in 1861 in Lawrence Co.,
AR.
25 F iii. Clementine BUSH was born in 1864 in Lawrence
Co., AR.
26 F iv. Julia BUSH was born in 1866 in Lawrence Co.,
AR.
27 M v. William BUSH was born in 1869 in Lawrence Co.,
AR.
15. California D. LAMEW was born in Apr 1850 in Lawrence Co., AR.
Lamew, California D. (minor)
Gdn.: at the dec. 1870 term of Court, her gdn., J. W. Bush said
she had married a Mr. Jackson.
Marriage record: D-039
California married William JACKSON.
Fourth Generation (Great Grandchildren)
20. California LAMEW was born about 1861 in Lawrence Co., AR.
California married John WYATTE.
22. William Lafayette LAMEW was born on 2 Nov 1866 in Lawrence Co.,
AR, died on 30 Dec 1939 in Lawrence Co., AR and was buried in
Clover Bend Cem, Lawrence, AR.
Lamew, William (minor) (see also Wm. Lemew)
Gdn.: 6 May 1878, John D. Wyatt appt'd for this minor heir of
Joseph Lamew, dec'd Gdn: 27 Nov. 1882, Frank W. Tucker Alppt'd for
a minor named William Lemew on 16 Nov 1886, California Benett (sic)
signed a receipt for$16.00 from F. W. Tucker, gdn. of William
Lamew, for payment of board for said William a minor.
Marriage record: J-425
William married Nancy M. or Ann CAGLE on 16 Oct 1890 in Lawrence
Co., AR. (Nancy M. or Ann CAGLE was born on 30 Jan 1872 in
Lawrence Co., AR, died on 31 Aug 1940 in Lawrence Co., AR and
was buried in Clover Bend Cem, Lawrence, AR.)
They had the following children:
+ 28 M i. Luther LAMEW was born in Jun 1891 in Lawrence
Co., AR
29 M ii. Oscar LAMEW was born in Aug 1893 in Lawrence
Co., AR.
+ 30 M iii. Claude Edgar LAMEW was born in Sep 1896 in
Lawrence Co., AR
31 M iv. Joseph "Joe" LAMEW was born on 8 Mar 1898 in
Lawrence Co., AR. Owned LaMew's Grocery in
Sedgewick.
32 F v. Eunice LAMEW was born about 1901 in Lawrence
Co., AR.
+ 33 M vi. Harry LAMEW was born on 17 May 1903 in
Lawrence Co., AR
34 F vii. Clara LAMEW was born about 1905 in Lawrence
Co., AR.
35 M viii. Troy LAMEW was born on 15 Jul 1909 in Lawrence
Co., AR, died on 9 Aug 1915 in Lawrence Co.,
AR and was buried in Clover Bend Cem,
Lawrence, AR.
36 M ix. Roy LAMEW was born on 15 Jul 1909 in Lawrence
Co., AR.
Fifth Generation (Great Great Grandchildren)
28. Luther LAMEW was born in Jun 1891 in Lawrence Co., AR.
Luther married Maymie WEBB on 10 Oct 1915 in Lawrence Co., AR.
(Maymie WEBB was born on 9 Sep 1897, died on 8 Oct 1917 in
Lawrence Co., AR and was buried in Clover Bend Cem, Lawrence,
AR.) Luther also married Katie WRIGHT on 10 Nov 1919 in Lawrence
Co., AR.
30. Claude Edgar LAMEW was born in Sep 1896 in Lawrence Co., AR.
They had the following children:
37 M i. Arlis LAMEW (All details for this living
person have been suppressed.)
33. Harry LAMEW was born on 17 May 1903 in Lawrence Co., AR.
Harry married Grace Florence PAYTON. (Grace Florence PAYTON was
born on 12 Sep 1907 in Lawrence Co., AR.)
They had the following children:
38 M i. Harry LAMEW was born on 22 Feb 1924 in
Lawrence Co., AR.
39 M ii. Vincent Lafayette LAMEW was born on 19 Sep
1925 in Lawrence Co., AR.
40 F iii. Hazel Jane LAMEW (All details for this living
person have been suppressed.)
41 M iv. Elzo Franklin LAMEW was born on 27 Aug 1932 in
Lawrence Co., AR.
42 F v. Almeda Joan LAMEW (All details for this
living person have been suppressed.)
Supporting information: (Other information is listed above under the appropriate name)
I received this
informtion from Ron Williams of Memphis, Tennessee.
Thought I would take time to pass on a few Le Mieux tidbits....
I believe the parents of Pierre LeMieux to be Charles-Francois LeMieux (1704/5-1763) and Angelique Goulet (1706-1760) residents of Quebec. Pierre was the last child of this couple, born at Ste. cap Ignace, Quebec. He had an older brother, Claude Fermin LeMieux, who is very well documented as being a long time resident of Kaskaskia, Illinois Country. It is my belief that Claude and Pierre came to the Illinois Country about 1770 or so, with the intent , like so many other frenchmen, of making their fortunes in the fur trade.
The first mention of Pierre is in the Spanish records relating to the construction of Fort Celeste, which later became New Madrid, Missouri. In 1790, the Commandant is clearing his financial accounts and one of the entries is a payment to Pedro LeMieux for services rendered as contractor for the clearing of land for the fort.
Next mention of Pierre is at Arkansas Post in the censuses of 1796 and 1798. In the latter, he is married to Marie Victorie Janis, the daughter of Anthony Janis and Angelique LaPlume. The story of the Janis family is remarkable, but it is another story. Anthony Janis was a "Coeur de Bois", or "Hunter of the Woods", one of those hardy people who lived in the wilds of what is now Arkansas and Missouri for most of the year, hunting and skinning animals for the fur. Arkansas Post was the gathering place to buy supplies, pay debts, sell furs, ect.
In any case, Pierre and Anthony must have known each other well. Anthony had married Angelique LaPlume in 1781 in Kaskaskia, where the marriage record still exists. She is described in the marriage records as "a pagan Indian of the Cree tribe". That tribe is now known to us as the Arikara tribe, and is part of The Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota, the Arikara homeland. How Angelique got to Illinois from North Dakota is anyone's guess, but she had been living with Anthony in Arkansas for some time, because the marriage ceremony also "made legitimate" Marie Victorie ( born about 1777) and her younger brother Antonio.
Thus, Victorie was a half Indian, and all us LeMieux are part Arikara. I have several photos of LeMieux ancestors, and a dark swarthiness is apparent in them. In the tiny community of Arkansas Post, her marriage prospects must have been very small. At the time of her marriage to Pierre, in about 1796, she would have been around 20, while Pierre was 53. This age difference was not uncommon for the day. Shortly thereafter, Anthony moved down the Current and Black Rivers to the land grant, and Pierre moved with him, as you have documented.
Just a few comments, and I will close for now. A confusion is that Pierre LeMieux and Peter Lamew are the same person. Several Lawrence County histories say that, but they are really father and son, as you have noted.
Peter's son Joseph was the direct forbearer of the present day Lamew in Arkansas. he died of TB in 1870. His wife was Elizabeth O'Laughlin, daughter of Pleasant O'Laughlin and Artimesa Merryman. They were from Indiana. Elizabeth married William Carr after Joseph died, and also had several brothers from Lawrence County who were Confederate soldiers. After the war, they sold their lands to Joseph and promptly disappeared.
Joseph and Elizabeth had three children, two of which survived into adulthood. California Ann LeMieux, born 1861, was my G-Grandmother. She married John Wyatt, and when he died, John F. Bennett. her brother, William Lafayette Lamew, is well mentioned in your write-up. California lived until 1943 and is buried in Calvin Crossing cemetery in Lawrence County under the name Callie Bennett.
More later. Again, thanks for your work, I look forward to meeting you.
Ron Williams < VOLFN @ aol.com >
If you copy this page down, please keep my home address with this page. I am not directly related to this family, but I have a cousin by marriage who is a descendant of Peter LaMieux (LaMew). His name is Arliss LaMew and he lives in Walnut Ridge, Lawrence Co., Arkansas. This page was created for his descendants and for the County of Lawrence since the LaMieux family was one of the founding families.
Michael Brown, 2204 N. 22nd St., Paragould, ARkansas 72450
This chart was updated last on January 06, 2000