This is most definitely not the last I will write of Timothy Demonbreun on Digging Up Your Family, but for now I can safely write of his passing, as I have more or less shared some interesting and important moments and events from his life. There is more, trust me. That leaves it wide open for future posts for me to contemplate.
Timothy Demonbreun passed at the age of 79 years on Monday, October 30, 1826 at his home in Nashville. His obituary appeared in the Nashville Whig and Banner on November 4, 1826. I have searched around, but I can’t find a scan of the actual obituary, so I can only go by what others have reported. According to The Agnew Family Genealogy:
"In this town on Monday evening last, Captain Timothy Boucher DeMontbrun (Demumbrane), a venerable citizen of Nashville and the first white man that ever imigrated to this vicinity". The paper continues that "Demumbrane was interred at the little cemetery north of the public square, on a knoll near the sulphur springs where the first settlers had followed herds of buffalo".
The Timothy Demonbreun Heritage Society doesn’t mention this second part of the obituary. I look forward to viewing the microfilm for this issue of the paper someday. I was able to find him mentioned in the December 19, 1826 edition of the Spectator (New York, New York):
At Nashville, Capt. Timothy Demumbrane, at an advanced age.
It is said that he died with perfect teeth, so that’s pretty interesting. As for his burial, that’s even more interesting. The truth of the matter is…well, no one knows where Timothy is buried! I know, I know, above the Nashville Whig and Banner apparently reported that he was buried in the Old City Cemetery. There are reports that he may be buried behind John Geist & Sons, a blacksmith shop, at 311 Jefferson Street in Nashville (which I just noticed is listed as an “endangered property” in Nashville). Other reports are that his body was moved from the Old City Cemetery to the New City Cemetery. But the best, and most “romantic” report (more family legend than report) is that Elizabeth, his secret second common-law wife that he married off to a friend of his, became so distraught and lonely that her son Jean Baptiste had Timothy’s body disinterred from the city cemetery (old or new, I don’t know) and had it moved to Elizabeth’s land in Marrowbone, Cheatham County, Tennessee, the land now in part the Carney Cemetery. Elizabeth is buried here, as is her son Jean Baptiste. And even though no one is sure if Timothy really is buried in Carney, descendants later set a headstone in place. Inscribed on his headstone is:
JACQUÉS TIMOTHE
BOUCHER
SIEURE De MONTBRUN
(TIMOTHY DEMONBREUN)
1747 – 1826
FRENCH CANADIAN FUR
TRADER OF FRENCH LICK
OFFICER OF THE
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
GOVERNOR IN COMMAND OF
THE ILLINOIS COUNTRY
EARLY RESIDENT AND
MERCHANT OF NASHVILLE
ET QUOY PLUS (meaning “and much more”)
Something else interesting is Timothy’s will. I can see an actual copy of it, but since I haven’t received permission from the original poster, I can only transcribe it:
Timothy Demonbrun Dec.d Will
Recorded March 19, 1827
The many days of my existence and my bodily infirmities warn me that I have not long to live in anticipation of my departure I leave the following as my Last will and Testament – In the first place – I appoint my friend Joseph T. Elliston Esq. of Davidson County my executor herein expressly declaring that he is not to be required to give security for the performance of the trust reposed in him by this will – Should Mr. Elliston refuse to Qualify or die before Qualifying or die after Qualifying in either event it is my will and desire that an adminstrat…(page torn away)…reed appointed by the proper tribunals of the country be he who may shall have and possess all…(page torn away)…ting my will that Mr. Elliston can have by Qualifying – It being my great object to leave some per…(page torn away)…authorized to carry my intent into full and complete execution by selling and conveying real estate – As soon as convenient after my death I will and desire that my executor proceed to sell at private or public sale as to him may seem best the part of the Lot No. 45 in the Town of Nashville on which I now live on a credit of one, two and three years with the interest from the date, taking prudent care to secure the purchase money by mortgage or good personal security In like manner I wish him to dispose of all my personal estate of any description whatever on such reasonable credits as in his opinion enhance the sale to the best advantage – I give and bequeath to my daughter Agnes Doza and such child or children she may have living at the time of my death by Mr. Doza in equal shares, the mother and the children, the sum of five hundred dollars, hereby directing my executor to pay this legacy into the hands of the mother Mrs. Doza, which shall forever aquit him against any claim of the children who may have an interest in this devise. I give and bequeath to my daughter Julia Johnson one thousand dollars in cash and hereby declare that the receipt of Mrs. Johnson single or married for the legacy shall aquit my executor forever against the demand of every other person whatever I also give and bequeath to my said daughter Mrs. Julia Johnson two hundred and ninety acres of Land part of the had on which my son Timothy Demonbrun now lives in Davidson County to be laid off and allotted to her by my executor having due regard to Quality by in such way as not to interfere with the plantation of my son Timothy in any way To have and to hold her her heirs and assigns forever – I give and bequeath to the three oldest sons of my daughter Julia Johnson now living to each of them the sum of one hundred dollars to be paid by my executor into the hands of the mother or any guardian properly appointed unless they be of age for their use – if they become of age before the legacy is paid, let it be of course paid to them. I give and bequeath to my son Timothy Demumbrun the sum of one thousand dollars in cash. I also will and devise to my said son Timothy his heirs and assigns forever two hundred and ninety three acres of Land in Davidson County including the farm and plantation on which he now lives – I give and bequeath to my illegitimate son John Batteaste Demumbrun the sum of five hundred dollars – I also will and devise to him said John B. the one third part of a tract of 440 acres of Land for which I have a deed from Capt Joshua Hadley – I bequeath unto my illegitimate daughter late Polly Demumbrun now married to (left blank) the sum of five hundred dollars and also the one third part of of said tract of 440 acres of Land conveyed to me by Capt Joshua Hadley – I will and desire to my illegitimate son William Demumbrun five hundred dollars and the remaining third of said 440 acres of Land deeded to me by Capt Hadley – I give and bequeath to my two sisters Catherine Demumbrun and Polly Demumbrun five hundred dollars each these two sisters if alive reside in the city or neighborhood of Montreal in Canada to which place I wish my executor to
address them notifying them of their interest in my estate – If they or either of them do not in some legal way apply for her or their legacies within the space of three years from my death I then will and bequeath that all their right to the legacies do cease and that her or their legacies be divided in equal proportions among all the legatees named in this will share and share alike – All the rest and residue of my estate if any should remain after paying the aforesaid legacies I wish and devise to be equally divided among all my before mentioned legatees share & share alike – If my estate shall not be sufficient in the end to pay the legacies in full above bequeathed it is my will and desire that each legacy shall abate in equal ratios according to magnitude that is each Legatee shall lose in equal proportions according to the sum divided to him, the larger more – the smaller less – I shall here state what in proper place I should have before directed, to wit, I will and direct that my executor retain for his trouble and services a liberal equivalent out of my estate and if anyone concerned in my estate shall dispute his account being reasonable in that event it is my will and I so declare that if any (it looks like disintered) judge of the highest court Justice in the state shall on inspection declare his charges reasonable and certify the same under his hand. The same shall become conclusive and binding on all parties and the account shall be paid out of my estate – And as it is my wish to guard as much as possible against accident whe…(page torn away)…nt of this will. I here again declare…(page torn away)…the course of human events it shall at any time a…(page torn away)…me necessary for any one to qualify as administrator with the will annexed to this my Last will and Testament then and in that went I hereby most fully and amply vest such administrator be he who he may with complete powers to execute this will an very part there as fully amply & completely as if such administrator by name had by me been made executor to this will remarking however that I do not (looks like incompt) such administrator from giving the necessary security required by law. In the event of my estate falling short whereby the abatement of legacy contemplated in the forgoing part of this will shall take place. I wish it understood &…(page torn away)…declare that such abatement is only applicable pecuniary legacies and is in no wise to affect the devise of real…(page torn away)…which is by me here declared specific. In testimony of all which I have hereto set my hand and seal Sept 24th…(page torn away)…igned sealed and published in Our presence.
Thimote demon Breun (seal)
(page torn away)…y Nelson Thornton E.H. Foster
One thing that mystifies people to this day is that his will doesn’t mention Felix Demonbreun at all, though it is generally believed that he is also Timothy’s illegitimate son. I mentioned Felix briefly in Part Eight, but I can’t really say too much more about him since I haven’t done much research on him. According to a woman named Sherry on GenForum Timothy deeded land to “Philix (Philis)Theodore Bennett, son of Elizabeth Bennett” which can be found page 188 of the Davidson County, Tennessee Deed Book C. Since I haven’t actually seen the book I can only go by what she wrote, though it is interesting. Felix Theodore does show up in Kentucky as Felix Demonbreun, not Bennett. So I guess it’s still up in the air over whether or not he is Timothy’s son, but the general consensus is that…more than likely?
Something to close this out with that I found on The Agnew Family Genealogy website:
“Jacques Timothe was a unique man. He was a scoundrel, but a patriot. He was a womanizer and was caught stealing from the store of a friend, yet he donated land on which to build the first Catholic Church in Nashville. He entertained the privateer, smuggler, patriot, Jean Laffite in his home after the war of 1812 as a gesture of gratitude. It was during this celebration that "Fort Nashborough" became Nashville; changing the "borough" to "ville" to give the city a French flavor to honor the beloved pirate.”
The author of the website points out that Timothy was not the first white man to set foot in the area, but he is considered the Father of Nashville. Also, I had never heard the story about Jean Laffite, let alone thought about him in the same context as Timothy Demonbreun, but you can bet I will be looking up more about that pirate!
