Crider - McDowell Family Tree

HIS LIFE

About Garoutte, Michael Antoine

The story is, in 1775 Michael Garoutte outfitted one or two ships at Marseilles at his own expense and brought a large number of men to America to aid the Colonists in their fight for freedom. Michael was riding with a party of American and French officers during the fighting when they met a party of British officers. In the fight that followed, Michael was wounded in the head and left for dead. An old Quaker passing by with his wagon saw signs of life and carried Michael home and nursed him back to life. Michael married his daughter, Sophia Smith. Michael never received a pension for fighting in the war or payment for the money he had loaned the Continental Government. The records of his loans burned. And Records of the Pension Bureau at Washington D. C. show that the pension he asked for was refused because his service was on private ships instead of ships of the Continental Government. *From "Abstract of Graves of Revolutionary Patriots" Michael Garoute, buried at Methodist Episcopalian Cemetery, Pleasant Mills, NJ *From "Abstracts of Rev. War Pension Files" Garroutte, Michael, R3931, Sea Srv on the Brig "Enterprise" & the Sloop or War "Race Horse", vet`s papers were returned to him & none are on file according to Earl D. Church Commisioner of Pensions. Michael was the Cousin to Louis XVI of France and at one time was pardoned from Dueling in court, which was punishable by death. Michael went to visit his sister in Marseilles in 1787. When he returned home he brought his wife a silver scissors clip inscribed HRH for Her Royal Highness and some fine cloth from his cousin the Queen of France Marie Antionette. Betty Youngman of Harvey Cedars, NJ., Now has the scissors hook given to Michael by the Queen of France. Michael received money from his estate in France up until 1820. But died on the side of the road without a penny to his name. A sad fate for one who gave so much of himself and his money to the US government.
Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine

1057. Garoutte.—Michael Garoutte was born in Marseilles, France, in 1750. His father, Antoin Garoutte, was an Admiral in the French navy, and when Antoin was b. in Marseilles Jan. 19, 1695. his father, Henry Garoutte, was Attorney General for the southern division of France. The brothers and sisters of Michael Garoutte all died young except Madaline. She married Le Noble Antoin Joseph d'Espenosey. They lived at Signes, a small town near Triton. Their son, General d'Espenosey was member of the House of Representatives that formed the first Republic of France. In the Armorial of France, folio 737, is found the rescription of the Garoutte coat-of-arms.—I. M. G.