Eleazer Williams facts for kids
Eleazer Williams (born May 1788 – died August 28, 1858) was a Canadian-American clergyman and missionary. He was of Mohawk descent. Later in his life, he made a very unusual claim: he said he was the "Lost Dauphin" of France. This meant he believed he was the rightful heir to the French throne.
Williams was born in Sault St. Louis, a place in Quebec, Canada. His father was Thomas Williams. Eleazer went to Dartmouth College for his education. He was very involved in writing and translating. He created books and a spelling guide in the Iroquois language. He also translated the Book of Common Prayer into Iroquois. Plus, he wrote a book about Chief Te-ho-ra-gwa-ne-gen, who was his father, Thomas Williams.
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Becoming a Missionary
In 1815, Eleazer Williams joined the Episcopal Church. A missionary is someone who travels to teach about their religion. In 1817, a church leader named Bishop John Henry Hobart chose Williams for an important job. He was to be a missionary to the Oneida people in upstate New York.
Helping People Move West
In the early 1820s, Williams helped lead groups of Native Americans. They traveled to Green Bay, Wisconsin. There, they worked to get land from the Menominee and Winnebago tribes. This land was in the Fox River Valley, near places like Little Chute and Duck Creek.
Historians still discuss how much Williams led this move. They also look at the role of Oneida leaders, like Daniel Bread. The next year, Williams moved to this new area himself. He married a Menominee woman named Madeleine Jourdain. In 1826, he became a deacon in the church.
The Lost Dauphin Claim
Starting in 1839, Eleazer Williams began to say something very surprising. He claimed he was the French "Lost Dauphin." The Dauphin was the title for the son of the King of France. The real Louis XVII disappeared during the French Revolution. Many people wondered what happened to him.
During the 1850s, Williams openly said he should be the King of France. However, his claim was never accepted. He passed away in 1858, living in poverty in Hogansburg, New York.
Where He Was Buried
Eleazer Williams was buried at Saint James' Cemetery in Hogansburg on August 28, 1858. Many years later, in 1947, his remains were moved. His tombstone was also moved to Holy Apostles Cemetery in Oneida, Wisconsin. His tombstone there shows that he was a Freemason.
His Legacy
The land where Eleazer Williams lived in Wisconsin was special. It was a 19-acre plot. This land was once named Lost Dauphin State Park by the state. Later, it was no longer a state park, and his house burned down. However, the area is still called Lost Dauphin Park. The land is still owned by the state. You can still see the old flagstone foundation of his house there.
