Pedro Piernas

Pedro Joseph Piernas ^[1] was a Spanish military official who rose to the rank of commandant in 1768 and served as Lieutenant governor of Illinois between 1770 and 1775.

Biography of Pedro Piernas

In 1747, Pedro Piernas may have joined the Spanish Army^[2] and he probably obtained the ranks of infantry captain,^[3] colonel,^[4] commandant, and lieutenant.

Piernas had already ruled Upper Louisiana in 1768, but he arrived in Saint Louis on March 10, 1769 .^[5] In August of that same year, he was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Illinois by Alejandro O'Reilly. The French commandant of the village St. Ange transferred formal control to Piernas on May 20, 1770. St. Ange was then named assistant to Piernas and special adviser on Amerindian affairs.^[6] In addition, Piernas also made St. Ange an infantry captain in the service of the Spanish Crown and maintained friendly relations with him.^[7] After the transfer, Piernas confirmed St. Ange's and Laclède's land grants and rented Laclède's headquarters as government offices, while Spanish soldiers provided local security.^[6]

After Piernas assumed the office of Lieutenant Governor of Upper Louisiana, he realized that the population rejected the Spanish government (Louisiana was French until 1763, when the colony passed into Spanish hands after their defeat in the Seven Years' War). Piernas immediately began working to reconcile the provincial public and the Spanish government in order to ease their concerns. Although he changed very little in the government of the colony, he introduced some new regulations that benefited the population of the province.

Additionally, Piernas appointed Martin Duralde, a Frenchman, as Land surveyor to establish conclusive proof of the provincial borders. The appointment of a Frenchman as surveyor was unexpected and highly supported by the population. In addition, Piernas publicly stated all donations that he had made, which was done without any legal requirement. These acts of power combined with a less oppressive government and the incorporation of French people in many subordinate offices helped Piernas gain support as the new Spanish governor.

In 1772, to attempt to keep the Osages and Missouri tribes under control, he suspended all trade with them, and British merchants from Canada began to trade with them instead. In 1773, Piernas sent Pierre Laclede and a troop of forty men to capture the crew of the British merchant of furs Jean-Marie Ducharme. After the capture, they escaped and fled back to Canada.^[8] Piernas also sent soldiers up the river with wampum (shell beads used as a native money for the Eastern Woodlands tribes) belts to enlist the aid of the chiefs against the American interlopers.^[9]

Unlike the French, who respected and traded with local Amerindians, Piernas was standoffish and less diplomatic. A Shawnee chief was invited to St. Louis by Piernas to sign a land treaty near Ste Genevieve, which was designed to create a barrier between St. Louis and enemy western tribes. His followers, who were all dressed in their traditional clothing, accompanied the chief. After a series of threats, an Osage warrior was called upon to fight against Piernas.^[7] Piernas imprisoned the Shawnee chief in 1773.^[5]

In 1774, a small prison was built by Piernas against the stone structure that Laclede had originally built as the headquarters of trade and as his residence. He also built a small chapel to replace the tent that was formally used for services and encourage a Capuchin friar, Father Valentin, to live in the village as their primary resident priest. He and his wife provided a new bell for the new church, dubbed "Pierre Joseph congratulated."^[8]

Piernas left office as Lieutenant Governor Of Illinois in 1775, being replaced by Colonel Francisco Cruzat.^[6]

Personal life

Piernas married a French woman named Portneuf, which may have also contributed to his popularity with the French residents there.

His house was one of the first built in St. Louis, Missouri.^[7]

References