Loisel, Regis.—Among the early French fur traders that operated along the Missouri river was Regis Loisel, whose history is of peculiar interest to Kansans on account of the extensive land grants made to him by the Spanish authorities before Louisiana was ceded to the United States. Loisel, whom Ingalls calls a soldier of fortune, was born near Montreal, Canada. In 1798 he landed in St. Louis, and soon afterward conceived the idea of extending the fur trade to the headquarters of the Missouri. Interesting Pierre Chouteau and Jacques Clamorgan in his scheme the three formed the firm of Clamorgan, Loisel & Co., and the following year Loisel established a trading post on an island in the Missouri near the site of the present city of Bismarck, N. Dak. The partnership did not last long, but Loisel continued in the business until the spring of 1800, when he made application to De Lassus, lieutenant-governor of Upper Louisiana, for a grant of land. In his application he explained at some length the sacrifices he had made to form friendly relations with the Indians "in the interest of future commerce," and continued:

"The petitioner, intending to continue on his own account the commerce his partners have abandoned in that quarter, hopes that you will be pleased o grant to him, for the convenience of his trade, permission to form an establishment in Upper Missouri, distant about 400 leagues from this town. . . . And it being indispensable to secure to himself the timber in an indisputable manner, he is obliged to have recourse to your goodness, praying that you will he pleased to grant to him a concession in full property for him, his heirs or assigns, for the extent of land situated along the banks of the said Missouri, and comprised between the river called the Old Englishman's and the one called Medicine Bluff, hereabove mentioned, by the depth of one league in the interior on each side of the Missouri, and including the island known by the name of Cedar island," etc.

This petition was filed with De Lassus on March 20, 1800, and on the 25th Loisel's request was granted, the official order to that effect stating that "the said land being very far from this post, he is not obliged to have it surveyed at present; but, however, he must apply to the intendant-governor in order to obtain title."

The tract granted to Loisel at that time was 5 by 15 miles in extent, and was located in the northeastern part of the present State of Nebraska. Loisel continued in the fur trade until the fall of 1804, when he became ill while on his way to New Orleans. While he was in that city he made his will and started back north, but died near the mouth of the Arkansas river on Oct. 2, 1804. In his will Loisel named Auguste Chouteau and Jacques Clamorgan as executors, who in July, 1805, by order of the court at St. Louis, offered the Cedar island concession for sale to the highest bidder. It was sold to Jacques Clamorgan for $10 worth of dressed deer skins, but for many years the authorities refused to recognize the validity of the title thus established, although in the treaty of cession the United States agreed to recognize the land grants made by the French and Spanish governments while Louisiana was under the domination of those powers. By the acts of Congress, approved May 24 and June 2, 1858, the grant made to Regis Loisel was confirmed to his legal representatives, and provision made for the relocation of the claim "upon any vacant lands of the United States."

Pursuant to these acts John Loughborough, surveyor-general of Illinois and Missouri, on Aug. 8, 1859, issued his certificate of location for 38,111.16 acres in the counties of Jackson, Pottawatomie, Marshall, Nemaha and Marion, in the State of Kansas, and on Sept. 6, 1866, a patent was issued by the United States for these lands "to Regis Loisel, or his legal representatives." By a decision of the district court within and for the county of Nemaha, and State of Kansas, rendered on May 23, 1872, the title to these lands was perfected and vested in certain parties at interest—heirs and legal representatives of the original grantee, Regis Loisel. The lands were also divided by the decree of the court among the claimants, so that they could sell and convey them by deed to actual settlers. The Seneca Courier of May 24, 1872, in commenting upon this case, said: "This decree was rendered in an action wherein every person in any way connected with this heretofore complicated title was made a party, and this, as before stated, effects a complete settlement of the question at issue. This conclusion will be further cemented and secured by full deeds of mutual release between the parties, which will be immediately placed upon the record."