The Vidrine Family prepares to celebrate the 275^th anniversary of Jean Baptiste Lapaise de Védrines’ departure from France and arrival of LA in 2018. During these Fall months as we prepare for 2018 and the 275^th anniversary, we can remember how the months leading up to their journey were filled with anticipation and excitement for Jean Baptiste Lapaise de Védrines and all who would travel with him across the Atlantic. Thanks to Jackie and Warren Vidrine’s book, Governor Vaudreuil’s Voyage to Louisiana: The Passenger List of the Charente and the Navigational Logbook of the Lion d’Or for their Voyage of 1743, we are able to know about the anticipation and excitement that filled these months 275 years ago.

Having just celebrated his 30^th birthday on May 12, 1742, Jean Baptiste Lapaise de Védrines was commissioned as an Officer (Cadet a l’Aiguillette) in the Royal French Marines to serve in the LA Territory on May 29, 1742 (Surrey, B75:303).

On July 1, 1742, Pierre de Rigaud de Vaudreuil de Cavagnial, Marquis de Vaudreuil was appointed Governor of the Louisiana Province to succeed Jean Baptiste le Moyen de Bienville. Following the appointment, he received instructions to sail to LA from France aboard the Royal Ship, Charente. It was expected to depart from the shipyard at Rochefort to sail to LA in September of 1742, but it was delayed for several months. In October, it was announced that the ship would need another month to be ready. (Governor Vaudreuil’s Voyage to Louisiana, p. 2).

On October 29, 1742, we find the name of Jean Baptiste Lapaise de Védrines listed as a Cadet a l’aiguillette assigned to the New Orleans garrison (Loudoun Collection, Vaudreuil
Papers, 19, year 1743, Huntington University, San Marino CA).

By November 15, the Charente began taking on cargo for the voyage, and the expectation of the French Colonial Ministry was that the Charente would depart before December. (Governor Vaudreuil’s Voyage to Louisiana, p. 3).

A passenger list for the Charente destined for LA was composed at Versailles on November 26, 1742, and Jean Baptiste Lapaise de Védrines was listed on it (Archives Nationales Coloniales, B 75 379).

Finally, on January 1, 1743 the Charente set sail to cross the Atlantic for what would be a four month voyage with Gov. Vaudreuil and Jean Baptiste Lapaise de Védrines among the 41 passengers, not counting the domestic servants (Governor Vaudreuil’s Voyage to Louisiana, p. 9). Included were four Capuchin Priests (Governor Vaudreuil’s Voyage to Louisiana, p. 6).

In addition to the Charente and its supply ship the Vestale, there were at least three other ships destined for LA: the Lion d’Or of the Rasteau brothers, the Compte de Maurepas of Jean Jung of Bordeaux, and the Duc d’Aiguillon of Sieur Bourgine. (Governor Vaudreuil’s Voyage to Louisiana , p. 2) We’re able to know a few things about the voyage because of the logbook of the Lion d’Or’s second leg of the journey, from Saint Dominque to La Balize, beginning on April 9, 1743 (Governor Vaudreuil’s Voyage to Louisiana, p. 3).

*See Governor Vaudreuil’s Voyage to Louisiana: The Passenger List of the Charente and the Navigational Logbook of the Lion d’Or for their Voyage of 1743, Vidrine, Jacqueline Olivier and Vidrine, Drouet Warren, fils, Drouet Warren Vidrine, San Clemente, CA, 2014