HomeMy Public PortalAbout2022 0927 Acknowledgement - Marquis du ChatelCITY OF RIVE >D L. , I/VA
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
WHEREAS, the City of Riverdale has over the years been under many jurisdictions which are being
highlighted this year as part of a series of proclamations.
WHEREAS, on September 14th, 1712, the King of France, deeded the entire Mississippi River basin,
including those lands which now include Riverdale, to the merchant Antoine Crozat. He would later
be proclaimed the Marquis du Chatel.
WHEREAS, Crozat was allowed 15 years to establish commerce, mines, and manufactures within this
broad region, and in any places where he was successful, the lands would be ceded to him forever so
long as he made royalty payments to the King. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Crozat was also
the local manager of France's slave trade in the region although there are no apparent records that
that barbaric practice extended to our area even though the ownership technically allowed for it.
WHEREAS, Crozat abandoned his post after 5 years after losing the equivalent of nearly $1 B and it
was transferred to Scottish economist John Law.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT, I, Anthony Heddlesten, Mayor of the City of Riverdale, Iowa, do
hereby acknowledge that September 14th is the day that Riverdale transferred hands to the Marquis
and for a brief while was able to legally support the slave trade, which is an unfortunate part of our
history that today will only be acknowledged, but not proclaimed.
FURTHER, I encourage all staff, residents, and visitors to learn more about the history of the founding
of our region and those who first help establish our community.
_l -
Anthony Heddlesten, Mayor
City of Riverdale, Iowa
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/—cmamcrk4/pkt9.html
https://www.hnoc.org/sites/default/files/lesson plans/LessonPlan FrenchColonial.pdf