Michel Dragon | |
|---|---|
 Lieutenant Dragon | |
| Birth name | Michael Dracos |
| Nickname(s) | Don Michel Dragon |
| Born | 1739 Athens, Ottoman Empire |
| Died | March 11, 1821 (aged 81–82) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | Spanish Army |
| Service years | 1762–1805 |
| Rank | Lieutenant First Sergeant Second Sergeant |
| Unit | Louisiana Provincial Militia |
| Conflict | |
| Children | Marianne Celeste Dragon |
| Other work | Entrepreneur |
| Family | Dimitry Family (Creoles) |
Michel Dragon (Greek: Μιχάλης Δράκος; 1739–1821) also known as Don Michael Dragon or Michael Dracos was a Greek merchant[1] and lieutenant who served in the Spanish Army during the American Revolution, fighting with the Patriots for the independence of the United States of America. He participated in the Gulf Coast Campaign, notably in the Battle of Baton Rouge, Battle of Fort Charlotte and in the Siege of Pensacola where he was in command of the provincial militia. Dragon was one of the first Greek Americans and one of few to fight in the American Revolutionary War. He married a former slave of African descent and they had two children, one of them being Marianne Celeste Dragon. Both he and his daughter were the subjects of two different portraits by Josef de Salazar.[2] He was also a businessman and major planter. Dragon and his wife Francoise Chauvin Beaulieu de Monplaisir were major planters in New Orleans.[3][4][5]
Dragon was born in Athens in Ottoman Greece. He migrated to New Orleans sometime around 1760. He briefly joined the French militia but then became part of the Spanish military when Spain took over New Orleans. He fought in the American Revolutionary for the Spanish. Around 1775, he had a relationship with a former slave named Marie Françoise Chauvin de Beaulieu de Montplaisir. She belonged to Mr. Charles Daprémont de La Lande, a member of the Superior Council.[6] Marie and Dragon had two children Louise Dragon and Marianne Celeste Dragon. Dragon became an American revolutionary war hero. He was honored by King Charles III of Spain and given the rank of Lieutenant. He became a U.S. citizen when Louisiana became part of the United States. Marie Françoise De Montplasi and Don Michel eventually married. His daughter Marianne Celeste Dragon inherited a massive fortune.[4]
Dragon's family became one of the oldest and most influential Greek families in United States history. His grandson Alexander Dimitry, who was mixed-race due to his mother's partial African ancestry, was the first person of color to attend Georgetown University. He was also the first Greek American and first person of color to become a U.S. Ambassador. His first granddaughter, Euphrosyne, married Paul Pandely, another native of Greece. Paul's mother, Elizabeth English, was a member of the English royal House of Stuart. His granddaughter Clino Angelica Dimitry married a prominent Italian surgeon Giovanni Pieri, MD. He was actively involved in the unification of Italy and collaborated with Giuseppe Mazzini to form the first Italian government known as the Roman Republic (1849). Their actions eventually led to the Unification of Italy.[7]
- ^ Moskos, Peter C. (2017-07-05). Greek Americans: Struggle and Success. Routledge. p. 5. ISBN 978-1-351-51669-3.
- ^ Staff Writers (March 19, 2022). "Portrait of Micheal Dragon in Military uniform". Louisiana Digital Library. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- ^ Kendall, John Smith (1922). History of New Orleans Volume 3. Chicago And New York: The Lewis Publishing Company. p. 1104.
- ^ a b Pecquet du Bellet, Jaquelin & Jaquelin 1907, pp. 161–164.
- ^ Thompson 2009, p. 39.
- ^ Mixed Marriages In Louisiana Creole Families 164 marriages (August 18, 2018). "Landry Christophe" (PDF). Louisiana Historic & Cultural Vistas. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Pecquet du Bellet, Jaquelin & Jaquelin 1907, pp. 161–190.