Andrea Dimitry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andrea Dimitry
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Andrea Dimitry
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| Born | January 1775 Hydra, Greece
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| Died | 1 March 1852 (aged 77) New Orleans
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | Alexander Dimitry |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ |
U.S. Navy |
| Years of service | 1812–1815 |
| Rank | private |
| Battles/wars | War of 1812 |
Andrea Dimitry (born January 1775 – died March 1, 1852) was a Greek person who moved to New Orleans. He was a successful businessman and a hero in the War of 1812. He married Marianne Celeste Dragon, a woman from Louisiana with Greek, French, and African family roots. Andrea fought alongside Major General Andrew Jackson in the famous Battle of New Orleans. His son, Alexander Dimitry, became a well-known author and educator.
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Andrea Dimitry's Early Life
Andrea Dimitry was born on the island of Hydra in Greece. His parents were Nicholas Dimitry and Euphrosine Antonia. The Dimitry family had moved to Hydra to find safety from the Turks. This is where Andrea was born. The family name Drussakis is common on Hydra.
Life on Hydra was difficult because of high taxes and strict trade rules. Only ships from the Ottoman government were allowed in the area. In 1792, a serious illness spread across the island. Many people died, and many others left. Andrea left Hydra around this time.
After traveling for a long time, Andrea settled in New Orleans. At that time, New Orleans was controlled by both Spain and France. He arrived in the 1790s. There, he met a respected Greek man named Lieutenant Michel Dragon. Lieutenant Dragon had moved to New Orleans around 1760. He was a soldier in the Spanish Colonial Army.
When Spain took control of the Louisiana Territory around 1764, Dragon became an officer in the Spanish army. During the American Revolution, Lieutenant Dragon helped Spain and the United States fight against Britain. They won an important battle at Pensacola in 1781. For his service, he became a second lieutenant in 1792.
Michel Dragon had a daughter named Marianne Celeste, who was born in 1777. Andrea met Dragon when he first arrived in New Orleans. In 1799, Andrea married Marianne Celeste. On their marriage certificate, she was listed as white. In 1803, the United States bought the Louisiana Territory from France. This meant Andrea and his family officially became American citizens.
Life in America
Andrea and Marianne Celeste had ten children. One of their children was Alexander Dimitry, who became a famous educator and author. In 1805, Andrea Dimitry lived next door to Michel Dragon in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Their homes were very close to Jackson Square.
When the War of 1812 started, Andrea joined the Louisiana Militia as a private. He helped Captain Frio Delabostris's company. He fought in the Battle of New Orleans and helped General Andrew Jackson. Andrea became a local hero for his bravery.
Andrea Dimitry owned a store. His wife, Marianne Celeste Dragon, inherited a large piece of land, about 1,000 acres, on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Andrea built a large house there.
Andrea made sure his children received an excellent education. His son, Alexander, and some of his other children went to Georgetown University. By the age of ten, Alexander was learning from private teachers. He could speak classical Greek and Latin very well. He also spoke English, French, Greek, Italian, and Spanish. He eventually learned eleven languages! At fifteen, Alexander went to Georgetown University and graduated with high honors in 1826. Andrea spent a lot of money to educate his children, and they became part of the upper class.
Alexander married Mary Powell Mills. Her father was Robert Mills, a famous architect who designed the Washington Monument. Alexander and Mary were married in Washington D.C. in 1835. They had ten children. Alexander later became the first superintendent of schools in Louisiana. He was also the first person of color to hold this important job.
Andrea's oldest daughter, Euphrosyne Dimitry, married Paul Pandely in New Orleans in 1822. Paul's father was Nicholas Pandeli, a Greek man who moved to England and married Elizabeth English. Elizabeth was related to the English royal family, the House of Stuart. Euphrosyne and Paul had four children.
Their son, George, ran for political office in New Orleans around 1854. His political opponent tried to use his grandmother Marianne Celeste's background against him. This caused George to be disqualified from the election. Around this time, Alexander Dimitry also left his job as superintendent. The family, who had many important connections, sued the opponent for slander and won. Alexander later became the first person of color to represent the United States as an ambassador to Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
Marianne and Andrea's Legal Case
Marianne Celeste inherited a lot of money from her father, Don Miguel Dragon. He owned 1,000 acres of land. He officially married Marianne's mother, Francoise Chauvin Beaulieu de Monplaisir, in 1815.
In February 1834, Marianne took Andrea to court. She believed he was not managing their family's money well. She won the case and received $27,000, which would be worth almost $1 million today. By May, she sold off the remaining family property. This lawsuit was very important because the court sided with a woman of color.
Death and Legacy
Andrea Dimitry passed away in 1852 at 77 years old. He received a special funeral for a war veteran. A military group called the Washington Artillery came to the family's home. Many military officers and people from New Orleans attended his service. The military fired cannons and muskets, and a band played music to honor him. There was a Greek ship in New Orleans at the time, and its officers and crew also attended the funeral. The ship's flags were lowered to half-mast. Andrea's wife, Marianne Céleste, died four years later in 1856, at about 78 years old.
Andrea and Marianne Céleste had ten children: Euphrosine, Mannella Airnée, Alexander, Constantine Andrea, John Baptiste Miguel Dracos, Clino Angelica, Marie Francesca Athenais, Nicholas Dimitry, Mathilde Elizabeth Theophanie, and Antonie Marie. Many of their children married people from other countries, including Greek, French, and Italian families. They were all Greek-American.
Andrea Dimitry's children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren became a very important and well-known family in New Orleans. They were also a notable Greek-American family with strong political connections.
