NAVARRE:
Lt. Col. Francois Navarre was born in Detroit about 1763 and came to the River Raisin in the 1780’s, where he received lands from the Potawatomies and Ottawas. Generally considered the founder of the French Town settlement along the River Raisin, Navarre was instrumental in easing the transition from British to American rule in the 1790’s. With the departure of Colonel John Anderson in the summer of 1812, Navarre was left in nominal command of the local militia, who, by the terms of Hull’s capitulation, were disarmed and placed on parole as prisoners of war.
During the brief liberation of French Town in January of 1813, Navarre acted as the liaison between the local population and the American army. General Winchester established his headquarters at Navarre’s house, although it was almost a mile away from his main camp. After the war, Navarre continued to be a prominent civic leader until his death in 1826.
About 30 members of the extended Navarre family served in the War of 1812. Most famous as a scout for the American army was Peter Navarre, who resided along the River Raisin, but moved to the Maumee with his family about 1807.
Peter Navarre helped guide the detachment under Lt. Col. Lewis to French Town on January 18, 1813, and participated in the battle to liberate the town from an occupation force of British militia and Indians. He and his brothers also fought in the Battle of the River Raisin on January 22, escaping through the surrounding Indians just as the Kentuckians were surrendering. He spent the rest of the war as a courier and scout for General Harrison. Considered the founder of Toledo (or at least East Toledo), he died in 1874.
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