The women, most importantly, “Jane”, were essential for the existence of Villa Louis, Prairie du Chien. Jane had lived her entire life at Prairie du Chien. She probably played on the mounds, forest and swam in the Mississippi. She knew and was known by the other settlers/immigrants and native americans. Her ancestry was well connected to the foundations of Prairie du Chien – both as an anglo-saxon and native American breed. She, also, knew of the wealth the fur trade brought to the world and to Prairie du Chien – as her grandfather, father and later husband’s were rain men in business.
a.k.a. Jane Fisher, when researched, has many names:(and probably more than the list below)
a.k.a Genieveve Fisher
a.k.a. Jane Fisher Rolette
a.k.a Madame Jane Dousman
a.k.a. Jane Fisher-Dousman
a.k.a Jane F. Dousman was born sometime around 1803-1804 at Prairie du Chien. Her birth date on her grave index certificate states 12 Apr 1804.
She is the daughter to Captain Henry Monroe Fisher (1776- May 21,1846) (Scottish/British) and Madeline/Magdeleine de Verville (May 1779 -1812(1809?)) (French Canadian/Native American). Madeline and Henry also had a son George Fisher.
Jane’s mother, Madeline de Verville. Munro Fisher, was a descendant of the the famous French Indian, fur trading, families in the Northwest. (Flandrau, 1890) Madeiline’s father, Claude Charles Gauthier (Gauthier) de Verville (born February 3, 1738, died 1803). Claude Charles Gautier was a trader in Prairie du Chien. He is also know to have had many children with many women of different native american tribes.
On January 1, 1779, Claude married Madeiline Paschal/Chevalier at Prairie du Chien. They had two daughters Magdeline Gautier (Jane’s mother) and Domitille Madeline Gautier born 1781 (Jane’s Aunt and who married Michael Brisbois jr.)
Jane’s father, Henry, was born on November 14 1776, in Hebron, Washington County, New York, United States. He was a descendant from a wealthy Scottish family.
Henry was the command captain and translator to the native american’s at Fort Shelby, Prairie du Chien approx September 1805 (Durrie,1872) Translators were required for the French and Englishman to negotiate with the tribesmen.
In her childhood, Jane saw many battles including:
The War of 1812. British/French Canadian and Indian Allies kept control of Prairie du Chien – not the Americans.
1814 “Battle of Prairie de Chien” Battle for Fort Shelby US Forces surrender after 3-day bombardment. (Boundaries, Page 65)
She also saw many prosperous times for Prairie du Chien.
The fur trading post and warehouse of the American Fur Company was built, in 1815, by Michel Brisbois, Uncle of Jane Dousman.
In 1816 Fort Crawford was built by American soldiers.
In 1818, Joseph Roulette (24 Sep 1781 (Grave Index States this date)- 03 Dec 1842) a French Canadian fur trader, married a thirteen to fourteen year old Jane (Genieveve) Fisher. Jane bore three children: Frederick, Virginia and Joseph Jr.. (Frederick and Virginia died young. )
1818 Col. John Shaw built a grist mill at Fisher’s Coulee, four miles above the prairie, where the Dousman mill now stands.
June 19th, 1819 to Sept. 14th, 1819 Rolette goes to Mackinaw by canoe and boat. Possibly takes Jane with him ?
August 5 -15, 1825, the US government (William Clark) and the tribes from Wisconsin, Minnesota and the Mississippi River Valley met at Prairie du Chien for an inter-tribal council.
In her adult years, she experienced and saw many losses personally and publicly:
In 1834, the American fur company collapsed and diversified their business into real estate and fishing (Bieder, 135)
In 1836, Joseph Rolette and Jane Fisher, were legally separated, but not divorced, as they were of Catholic faith. As part of the settlement, Joe Rolette built, what is today known as, the Brisbois House for his estranged wife, Jane, on Water Street, St. Feriole Island, Prairie du Chien, WI. Jane Fisher Rolette, a relative of Michel Brisbois, who upon her second marriage, transferred the title of the property to her cousin Bernard Walter Brisbois.
In 1837 deadly smallpox epidemic possibly lead to the 1840’s near economic collapse at Prairie du Chien.
In 1840, Joseph Rolette owned lots 16, 19, 20, and 21. The American Fur Company owned lots 14 and 18 in 1830, and Hercules L. Dousman owned lots 13 arid 17, as well as several lots to the north, in 1840.
The 1820 and 1840 census says he lived in the Wisconsin territory at Prairie du Chien. No one was listed in Joseph Rolette’s household.
In 1834, Joseph Rolette bought lot 16 at the auction of Bouthellier’s estate. Before he died, he built, on it, a two-story residence and a stone store used by the American Fur Company. In 1840, Rolette mortgaged lot 16 and other real estate to B. W. Brisbois, in trust for his wife, Jane Fisher Rolette, in order to guarantee her annuity of $800 agreed upon when they separated. This act mentions that village lot 16 and 100 feet on the south side of lot 15 were the same site “on which the store of the American Fur Company is now located.” This store was probably the largest building in the main village when it was built about 1835. Popularly referred to as the Hudson Bay Company store, although there is no evidence that they ever owned it, the building was two and one-half stories, stone, rectangular, and had five bays with a center door and twin gable-end chimneys. In 1842, Joseph Rolette sold to his daughter Elizabeth “all within the east and west boundaries of lot 16, and south of the line drawn six feet south of the stone store aforesaid (American Fur Company), and to include the new frame dwelling house now being erected by me.”
In 1842 Joseph Roulette (03 Dec 1842 Grave Index states) (and his daughter, Elizabeth died. They were buried in the Frenchtown cemetery. Jane Fisher became the heir of her estranged husband’s property.
Women at this time were not meant to be single with property. It was best to find a husband.
In 1844 Jane Fisher married Hercules Dousman. Hercules and Jane had a son, their only child, Hercules Louis Dousman II, in 1848.
The first house built, by HL Dousman, atop the mound was called the “House on the Mound” was built in 1843-44. Designer unkown …north of Brisbois house on the site of old Fort Crawford (CITY OF PRAIRIE DU CHIEN HABS No. WI-302) 85,000 red bricks were used – probably brought by steamboat and carriage as the railroad had not yet arrived in Prairie du Chien. An ice house, barn, root house, back house also built at the same time in1844. Madame Jane Dousman called her house “Chateau Brilliante” b/c of the 1000’s of candle lit on the porch.
American Civil War Apr 12, 1861 – May 13, 1865
Her son William H. Fisher, Joseph Jr. ?, died in the civil war and she became a war dependent pensioner. He was a part of the Veteran’s Military Unit 12 Wisconsin Infantry Veteran’s Military Company E
Her occupation in the 1880 US census was “keeping house”. She did manage the house along with Louis Luboun. She had several servants from different parts of the world.
1850 Census
Hurcules L Dousman M 47 Michigan
Jane F Dousman F 46 Wisconsin
Hurcules L Jr Dousman M 2 Wisconsin
George Hoffman M 40 Germany
Caroline Anderson F 18 Norway
Louisa Marsh F 12 Wisconsin
Hannah Preston F 30 Missouri
Hercules L Dousman senior died 12th day of September, 1868.
1870 Census
H L Dousman M 22 Wisconsin
Jane Dousman F 66 Wisconsin
Louis Leboun M 38 Canada
Bernard Brisbois M 61 Wisconsin
1880 Census
Penelope Mcleod Other F 62 Scotland
Louis Le Bron Other M 48 Canada
Hakina Johnson Other F 29 Norway
Mary Johnson Other F 40 Norway
Joseph Drew Other M 70
Daniel Swingle Other M 28 Canada
Jane Fisher Dousman died (13 Jan 1882 Grave Index states) at home and was buried beside, not below, her husband, HL Dousman in the Calvary cemetery donated to St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church.
Ponder the idea of Jane Fisher being born, into the same family, as a boy.
Considering Jane was a woman in a time when women had very little public power, I believe the fact that she survived was the backbone to the story of Villa Louis. Without Jane Fisher there would have been no Villa Louis. Whether her gender was a boy or a girl the fact that she had the property and connections in Prairie du Chien made her an asset to the town.
(Writing this Part II of the story of Villa Louis has been difficult in that not much has been published on the women. Most has been published on the men. For example, I would like to know where Jane Fisher went to school and what was her favorite subject ? Did she enjoy sports? How devout was she as a catholic? Did she have any hobbies? Did she travel to New York City ? How did she decorate her first and second homes ? Did she want to be an architect ?
If readers of this part know of any information it would be added to this blog writing. This writing is a living document which will hopefully shed more light onto a very important person in the history of Villa Louis – but one that doe not get talked about when you tour the property. )