Compagnie du Scioto Meeting at Cafe le Procope (Novel #3B)

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

COMPAGNIE DU SCIOTO MEETING AT CAFÉ LE PROCOPE: Novel #3B

 

 

To read the first part of this post click on: Compagnie du Scioto Meeting at Café le Procope: Novel #3A

   “This coffee is superb,” Jean-Jacques said, standing up to greet them, and, tilting his head almost inaudibly said, “and this table is in a spot where we can talk with some privacy of the matter before us.”
    As the men as they settled down, making certain the stranger was between them, Jean-Jacques asked   “How was the trip from Alencon?” Then he took his seat, all the while eyeing the stranger before him.
     “This is Richard,” Charles said softly to Jean-Jacques while not quite looking at him. “He heard about the American lands, how they offer the opportunity to have a French settlement in the new land, and is quite interested. I brought him with me so he can hear more about our plans.”
     The man, not quite looking up, shook his head, as a confirmation of Charles’ words. There was something quite appealing in his gesture, something familiar to Jean-Jacques, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
     “Are you sure he should be here?” Although Jean-Jacques asked Charles this question with his eyes, Charles understood

Compagnie du Scioto Meeting at Café le Procope: Novel #3A

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

COMPAGNIE DU SCIOTO MEETING AT CAFÉ LE PROCOPE Novel #3A

 

     In 1787 High-level American politicians and military officers succeeded pressing the Scioto Land Grant, a sub-grant of the Northwest Territory Ohio Land Grant, through Congress. In 1788 these men, hoping to reap a fortune from their investment in this land, sent poet/politician Joel Barlow to France to sell a large chunk of it. Joel failed dismally until he met an Englishman, William Playfair, and an aristocrat, a monarchiens, a leader of the National Assembly of France Jean-Jacques d’Epremesmil.
     Hoping to make money in land speculation, William and Jean-Jacques helped Joel craft a land-sale deed that included the formation of a land-sales company, Compagnie du Scioto, on November 3, 1789. Persons joining this company were well-to-do capitalists, military men, noblemen, officials and visionaries. The major participants, many who bought acreage for their own land speculation, became known as The Societe des Vingt-Quatres. Members purchased at least one thousand acres, while Jean-Jacques, realizing the potential for a huge financial gain, purchased 11,000 acres.
January 1790, Paris, France
      Joel Barlow, William Playfair and Jean-Jacques d’Epremesnil occupied a table that offered privacy at the crowded Café le Procope (view photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carolyncholland/3298110433/ ) while waiting for Jean Baptiste de la Roche, Louis Des Isles and Charles de Laittre, to join them. The three men waiting, founders of The Societe des Vingt-Quatres, sipped