Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/133

 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST IMISSOURI 73 of executive ability. He so conducted af- fairs in his district that it became rich and populous; he governed the Indians well and displayed at various times a great deal of military ability. Lorimier was buried in the old cemetery, called after him, in the city of Cape Girardeau. The graves of him and his wife are side by side. They are covered with flat slabs of stone and are most interesting relics of the old times. The slab above Lori- mier 's tomb has this inscription: To the Memory of Major Louis Lorimier, A native of Canada and first settler and commandant of the post of Cape Girardeau under the government of Spain. He departed this life the 26th da.y of June, 1812, aged 64 years three months. Ossa Habeant pacem tumulo cineresque sepulti: Immortali animae luceat alma dies. These words may be translated: "Peace to his bones and his ashes interred in this grave; may the eternal day illumine his im- mortal soul." The tomb of his wife bears this inscription: ' ' To the Memory of Charlotte P. B. Lorimier, Consort of Major Louis Lorimier, who de- parted this life on the 23rd day of March, 1808, aged .50 years and 2 months, leaving 4 sons and 2 daughters. Vixit, Chaoniae praeses dignissima gentis ; Et decus indlgenum quam lapis iste tegit ; Ilia bonum dedicit natura — magistra. Et, duce natura, sponte secuta bonum est, Talis honos memorium. nullo eultore, quotannis Ma- turat frustus mitis oliva sues." These words ma.y be translated : ' ' She lived the noblest matron of the Shawnese race, a native dignity covered her as does this slab. She chose nature as her guide and vir- tue, and with nature as her leader spontane- ousl.v followed good, as the olive, the pride of tlie grove without the planter's care, nat- urally brings its fruit to perfection. ' ' This was Lorimier 's iirst wife, if, indeed, he was married to her at all. He spoke of her in his will as the Indian woman with whom he had lived and whom he regarded with atfection. They were probabl.y married after the Indian custom. After her death he married Marie Berthaume. She was an In- dian, or at an.y rate a half breed. After Lori- mier 's death his widow was married the sec- ond time to John Logan, the father of Gen- eral John A. Logan. General Logan, how- ever, was the son of another woman, his father's second wife. Cape Girardeau was possibly named for one (iirardot who was an ensign in the com- pany of French soldiers stationed at Kas- ka.skia in 1704. He was a trader with the In- dians and it seems probable that he came to the site of Cape Girardeau and traded at that place, from which circumstance it was called after him. Houck says that the church records at Ste. Genevieve show that one Girardeau was at Fort Chartres in 1765. It should be noted that the name of the place in early years wa.s various wa.vs spelled, sometimes it was written Girardot, sometimes Girardo, and again Girardeau. "We may not be certain, but it seems quite probable, that it received its name from one of these two men. It had been named, it seems, before Lorimier settled here in 1793. The site for the settlement was well chosen. The cit.v is located on the foot-hills of the Ozarks and lies also on the border of the al- luvial plain. The country about it possessed wonderful resources ; there was an abundance of the finest timber ; there were a great many fur bearing animals and many varieties of game ; and more than ffll there was a great