As I was researching information for the article that I was writing about the General Land Office surveys of Town and Village Lots (see post of April 10, 2012), I came across an interesting deposition given by Pierre Boyer of Mine à Burton (present City of Potosi, Missouri) and recorded by Theodore Hunt, the U. S. Recorder of Land Titles in Missouri, while hearing claims and testimony pertaining to Town and Village Lots in 1825. Spelling is as it appears in the minutes of Recorder Hunt. Source reference: Hunt's Minute Book #2, pages 87 and 88 (Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Land Survey Repository microfiche location: 720/3194B2).
***********************************************************************
Pierre Boyer being duly sworn says, that about forty five years ago this deponent was employed by Joseph Yaso Breton to assist him in hunting, who took this deponent to the present tract called mine à Burton which said Breton informed this deponent He had discovered the year before (while hunting) to contain quantities of Lead. Immediately after this there was some Cabbins built where the Village now is, and they commenced to dig mineral, and that He this deponent was one of the first that went to live there and this deponent further says, that from the time they first commenced living where the Village of Mine à Burton now is till the change of Government from France to the United States, they the Inhabitants suffered great inconvenience from the repeated inroads made by the Osage Indians on the said Inhabitants during the Spring of almost every year, when the Indians used to come and plunder the Cabins, steal their Horses and sometimes flog the Inhabitants, and He this deponent says He has been one of those Inhabitants that has suffered all these inconveniences above stated. This deponent says that said Breton was a Frenchman by birth and that He came to this country as a Seaman or Cannonier and afterwards became a Hunter.
Pierre (his X mark) Boyer
Sworn to before me
July 22nd 1825
Theodore Hunt
Charles Boyer being duly sworn says He has had the testimony of Pierre Boyer read to him, and of His knowledge He believe it to be true
Charles Bojeye
Sworn to before me
July 25, 1825
Theodore Hunt
Recorder L T
I James G. Soulard do solemnly declare I have truly translated the foregoing Testimony to each of the above named Persons to wit Pierre Boyer and Charles Boyer.
July 25, 1825
James G. Soulard
-------------------------------
Transcribed by Steven E. Weible
