On April 18, he sailed for New Orleans to report his activities. instead of just one? "[98] No American newspaper published an obituary of him. After securing victory, Jackson paid tribute in despatches to the Laffite brothers' efforts, as well as those of their fellow privateers. Charles Gayarre wrote the first serious biography of Lafitte. He was nursed back to health by Emma Hortense Mortimer. [117] Laflin had been previously accused of forging letters purportedly from Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, and Davy Crockett. One of the pirate's captains had attacked an American merchant ship. (In English documents, his last name was often spelled Lafitte, but Laffite was the spelling used by Jean and his brother Pierre.) The Ghost of Jean Lafitte in Galveston - Ghost City Tours [2] Some sources say that his father was French and his mother's family had come from Spain. floor after a shipwreck. Jean Lafitte, a one-time resident of Louisiana and privateer, is believed by some to have buried a large cache of treasure somewhere in the bayous of Louisiana. Because of his track record and reputation, Jean Lafitte was still seen as a criminal in the eyes of the United States. He and his older brother Pierre spelled their last name Laffite, but English language documents of the time used "Lafitte".This has become the common spelling in the United States, including places named after him. The name Jean Lafitte is almost legendary around the upper areas of the Texas coastline. He sold those at his location The Temple. The money that he sold them for was Spanish Coin, Reales usually in 2,4,8 denominations, minted in Mexico. She placed Pierre to be raised by extended family elsewhere in Louisiana. unclear why Lafitte had to bury his treasure or even where he was last seen. Lost Gold Of Jean Lafitte is the 4th episode in Season 5 of Expedition Unknown. He and his elder brother, Pierre, spelled their last name Laffite, but English-language documents of the time used "Lafitte", and this is the commonly seen spelling in the United States, including for places named for him. "[26] For several months, the Lafittes would send the ships directly to New Orleans with legal cargo and would take on outgoing provisions in the city. In-between Matagorda Bay and the mouth of the Sabine River, there are dozens of lost treasure tales associated with the infamous 19th Century buccaneer, and over the years there have been countless attempts undergone to recover some of the lost loot that Lafitte supposedly hid. The smuggler became the lawful owner of the slaves and could resell them in New Orleans, or transport them for sale in other parts of the Deep South, which was the major slave market of the time. What: Lecture and book signing. My grandfather never got to look for the treasure s. Ive heard he would sometimes slip into Mobile Bay. The Untold Truth Of Jean Lafitte, The Pirate Of New Orleans - Grunge.com The Sabin, a ship belonging to Robert Kleberg and Van Roeder, is said to have sunk with valuables off Galveston Island. [23], The brothers soon acquired a third ship, La Diligente. The family thinks this could be a clue as to where the actual treasure is. The information I found about the Don Felipe treasure was research I did online not sure if it . [40], Claiborne appealed to the new state legislature, citing the lost revenues due to the smuggling. SS Jean Lafitte (1942) (MC hull number 475), transferred to the United States Navy as Sumter-class attack transport USS Warren (APA-53); sold for commercial use in 1947; converted to container ship in 1965; scrapped in 1977 SS Jean Lafitte (1943) (MC hull number . Throughout Lafittes He vowed his intention to make indiscriminate war upon all God . The headquarters consisted of a two-storey building facing the inland harbor, where landings were made. Lafitte wanted to avoid a Spanish invasion. Guides educate the public on wildlife, Cajun culture, and life on the bayou. Details: $10; galvestonhistory.org. New Orleans issued six such letters, primarily to smugglers who worked with Lafitte at Barataria. [58] On December 19, the state legislature passed a resolution recommending a full pardon for all of the former residents at Barataria. Jean Lafitte was a French pirate and privateer who operated in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. Later United States President James Madison pardoned him and his men for their acts of piracy. Date of Birth - Death c. 1780-unknown. Jean Lafitte was a pirate and privateer known for his smuggling operations. . [7] Lafitte likely helped his brother to sell or trade the captured merchandise. Catiche became pregnant and gave birth to their son, Jean Pierre, on November 4, 1815. below! In a personal note, Lafitte reminded Blanque that his brother Pierre was still in jail and deserved an early release. Why the pirate Jean Lafitte was known as The Terror of the Gulf of [82] Maison Rouge is believed to have stood at 1417 Harborside Drive near the Galveston wharf, but the foundations there have been dated to the 1870s. . Title Smuggler. In the early 1800s, Lafitte makes a fortune in treasure by raiding ships in the Gulf of Mexico . On September 13, 1814, Commodore Daniel Patterson set sail aboard the USSCarolina for Barataria. Louisiana's most well-known buried treasure mystery still to this day is the unfound treasure of Jean Lafitte. Woodblock print of the death of Jean Lafitte from The Pirates Own Book, published in 1837. 419 Decatur St [60] Lafitte realized that the American line of defense was so short as to potentially allow the British to encircle the American troops. Those looking for Gold, Diamonds, Jewelry etc wont find it. Jean was a handsome man by all accounts, of great personal charm and became . Jacques St. Germain, The Infamous Louisiana Vampire, Jean Lafitte: Mystery of the Unfound Treasure, History of the Louisiana Snowball and Its Flavors. [85] Almost half of the combined crew refused to sail as pirates; Lafitte allowed them to leave aboard his largest ship, the brig General Victoria. and the fear of being captured, Lafitte allegedly buried his treasure with the Check out our jean lafitte selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our prints shops. [32] Because the US Navy did not have enough ships to act against the Baratarian smugglers, the government turned to the courts. He refused to allow anyone else to see the original documents until 1969, when he sold them to a professional document dealer. Jean Lafitte (c. 1780 - c. 1823) was a French pirate and privateer who operated in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. Jean Laffite, Laffite also spelled Lafitte, (born 1780?, Francedied 1825? [52], a man who, for about two years past, has been famous for crimes that the civilized world wars against. Luckily, there is more info from Sotto himself about this project that can be found here. [9], Acknowledging that details of Lafitte's first twenty years are sparse, Davis speculates that Lafitte spent much time at sea as a child, probably aboard ships owned by his father, a known trader. You'll need to arrive by 5:30pm and bring your ID plus there is a $3.00 USD boarding fee. They took 80 people captive, but Lafitte escaped safely. Lafitte always insisted that if he committed any crime, it was smuggling, and he blamed American laws for forcing him into illegal activities. Lafittes final resting place is unknown. Long-lost pirate ship may lie in Texas lake / Historical - SFGATE 3. Yet, Lafitte's strong connections to historical figures suggests that he was the culprit of this incident. [44], Captain Nicholas Lockyer, the commander of the Sophie, had been ordered to contact the "Commandant at Barataria". "Ladies and gentlemen, meet Jean Lafitte. In her children's story, Victor and the Pirate: A Story of New Orleans During the War of 1812 (1947), Ruby Lorraine Radford features a fictional child who encourages Lafitte to defend New Orleans. that the treasure is in a different location now than where it was buried? In Jean Lafitte's day, silver and gold filled a pirate's treasure chest, but today's treasures are people, places, and memories. However, the United States did not recognize the government of Cartagena as a legal one and U.S. offi cials suspected Lafittes men of attacking any ships they saw, and so the U.S. government charged Lafitte and his crew with piracy. By 1806, several "Captain Lafitte"s operated in New Orleans; [] The smuggling operations of the well-known privateer eventually came to a screeching halt, though, when the United States began enforcing the embargo in New Orleans city limits some time after the act passed. In approximately 1784, his mother married Pedro Aubry, a New Orleans merchant, keeping Jean with her. The ship would sail to the mouth of Bayou Lafourche, load the contraband goods, and sail "legally" back to New Orleans, with goods listed on a certified manifest. Andrew Jackson asked Lafitte to help defend New Orleans in the Battle of 1815. One of Lafitte's men testified that the Baratarians had never intended to fight the US but had prepared their vessels to flee. that the treasure was on board one of Lafittes vessels and sank to the ocean Radford, Victor and the Pirate: A Story of New Orleans During the War of 1812, Childcraft (Vol. "Finding out who Lafitte really was," Cody Hix said. They had 3 children together: Jean Antoine Lafitte, Lucien Jean Lafitte, and Denise Jeanette Lafitte. [41] He was arrested, tried, convicted, and jailed on charges of "having knowingly and wittingly aided and assisted, procured, commanded, counselled, and advised" persons to commit acts of piracy". Another site near Niblett's Bluff, 40 Gums, had previously been searched. Lafitte attempted to take what appeared to be two Spanish merchant vessels on the night of February 4. Jean's brother Pierre Lafitte died on the way to Dzilam and he was buried in Dzilam in an old cemetery, which later eroded into the sea. He was a reserved man and remained largely . Jean Lafitte, Gulf terror and Christmas pirate . Click the image below to read our free eBook "The Big Book of Credit Union MythsBUSTED! Jean Lafitte in 1813. The brothers adapted the captured ship for use in piracy and named it Dorada. After Jean Lafitte and his Baratarian crew finished fighting in New Orleans, and received their promised pardon, Lafitte could not maintain a simple private life for long, so he returned to life on the high seas. Theres I always wondered why the searchers were only local, and that an organized big search never happened but it never did. Lafitte's fate has remained a mystery for 183 years. Lafitte tried to convince the Americans that they had nothing to fear from him. [19] When Claiborne returned to office, he was relatively quiet on the subject. [86][Note 2], Lafitte and his men continued to take Spanish ships in the Gulf of Mexico and often returned to Galveston or the barrier islands near New Orleans to unload cargo or take on supplies arranged by Pierre. Within weeks, Dorada captured a schooner loaded with goods valued at more than $9,000.