| 1740 September 21 |
Don Juan Filhiol is born in Eymet, in Perigord, France, not far from Bordeaux. |
| 1763 |
Filhiol travels to Saint Domigue. |
| 1779 May |
Arrives in New Orleans after going to Philadelphia intending to join the Count D'Estaing who was returning with his French troops to France. But arrives late and heads to New Orleans. |
| 1779 August |
Takes part in the conquest of West Florida by Galvez, wins a commission as Captain of the Army, commandant in the militia is posted to Opelousas where he meets and marries Francoise Poiret. |
| 1783 February 1 |
Governor Miro commissions Don Juan Filhiol to be commandant of the Ouachita District. His first location is at Ecore- a-Fabri which is now Camden Arkansas Filhiol serves as Commandant for 15 years, and will be succeeded in 1800 by Don Guilaume de la Baume, Captain of the Dragoons in the Militia who is succeeded by Don Vincente Fernandez Texiero. |
| 1785 |
After realizing the original settlement is too remote Filhiol and De la Baume move down river to Prairie des Canots which becomes the Ouachita Post, later Fort Miro and finally Monroe. Filiol is granted a large tract on both sides of the river at this time. |
| 1786 |
A report by Don Juan Filhiol to Miro states that none of the original inhabitants - the Ouachita Indians, still exist. At the second settlement site he notes vestiges of structures that had been there before the massacre - in the Villemont prairie and the De Siard Manor. Filiol reports on other areas: Black River - uninhabitable because of flooding beginning at the end of winter. Bayous Tensas and Catahoula flow into the Ouachita where it becomes the Black River. Silver Bayou and Bayou Macon flow into the Tensas. Above Bayou Bacheloi, a branch of the Ouachita above the Catahoula, the hills of Ouachita begin. Bayou Louis is above Prairie Villemont on east. Boeuf River about two leagues higher than Bayou Louis with excellent lands that are unfortunately difficult to reach because of high water most of the time. Higher up is the Bayou la Saline, the Little Missouri. |
| 1788 |
A few other settlers are drifting in slowly and given concessions near the Juan Filhiol's grant and along Bayous De Siard and Bartholomew. Population reaches 232. |
| 1790 August 29 |
A number of settlers petition commandant Don Juan Filhiol to build a fort. |
| 1795 April 2 |
A letter from Carondelet to Juan Filhiol mentions another possible contractor. He is a Dutch man Felipe Enrique Neri, the Baron de Bastrop. Like the Marquis, his French properties had been confiscated in the revolution and they had been banished from France. |
| 1799 August 1 |
Carondelet sends a letter to Don
Juan Filhiol confirming his command in the Ouachita Valley. Filhiol
is considering resigning. Another letter from Carondelet to Filhiol mentions the expected arrival of Baron de Bastrop. |
| 1796 June 20 |
A Carondelet decree is sent to Don Juan Filhiol to designate 12 leagues square for Bastrop's settlers on Bayou Siard for the cultivation of wheat alone. |
| 1796 June 30 |
A letter from governor Carondelet to Filhiol announces that he has named M. de Grand Pre as Lt. Governor of the area as well as the Rapides and Avoyelles Districts. The letter also mentions the building of a new fort by Grand Pre and a possible garrison of a sergeant and 15 foot soldiers. |
| 1796 |
Don Juan Filhiol to Carondelet: The Commandant is having trouble with Maison Rouge fulfilling his contract. He has not provided the 30 families and those that have settled have gotten a larger share which they intend to sell parts to later settlers in defiance of the spirit of the contract. Also the Marquis is obliged to honor the lands of earlier inhabitants. |
| 1796 July 30 |
Carondelet to Filhiol: Grand Pre is in Natchitoches. Filhiol should compel Maison Rouge to chose other land, but he is not to encroach upon the old inhabitants. Chevalier D'Anemours establishes a plantation next to Filhiol's grant. Wheat is to be transported from Mexico for settlers to sow. |
| 1797 March 5 |
Carondelet to Don Juan Filhiol: An engineer is on his way to construct a new fort. Baron de Bastrop is to arrive with wheat. |
| 1797 March 6 |
Carondelet
to Don Juan Filhiol: Grand Pre has been ordered to compel Maison
Rouge to pay a debt to M. De la Baume or forfeit his property. Natchez and Nogales are being evacuated by the Spanish. Carnet, an American, is forbidden to settle in Ouachita. Peace signed between the French Directory and the King of Prussia. Filiol is ordered to scout between Ouachita and the Arkansas River. He is to establish a direct line of communication with Spanish settlements and posts in the upper reaches of Louisiana. The Spanish commandant of Arkansas post is also alerted. |
| 1797 June 14 |
The survey plat and process verbal dated on this day by Trudeau is later declared fraudulent as per testimony of Don Juan Filhiol, McLaughlin and Pomier. The actual survey was in December 1802 and January 1803 after the Marquis' death. |
| 1797 August |
The Baron is buying up land not in the limits of the "grant", including a parcel from Juan Filhiol with ten arpents on the river at the point of and continuing along the southern bank of Bayou Siard that will be called Point Plantation. Here he builds his plantation and large warehouses. He will conduct extensive mercantile business ( see De Lisle-Serpi in N.O.) and Indian trade under an exclusive concession given to him by Casa Calvo in 1801. |
| 1800 March 26 |
Don Juan Filhiol who served as Commandant for 15 years, is succeeded in 1800 by Don Guilaume de la Baume, Captain of the Dragoons in the Militia. Baume will be succeeded by Don Vincente Fernandez Texiero (Tejeiro). Filhiol, now former commandant, writes that the colonization effort has been a failure and that the immigrants have an unfavorable character. |
| 1804 January |
Lieutenant Joseph Bowmar takes over the post in the name of the United States from Tejeiro. French traveler and writer Robin is at Ft. Miro at the time. American Lt. Bowmar becomes commander, but does not occupy the Spanish stockade that was built on Don Juan Filhiol's private property. |
| 1821 September 28 |
Don Juan Filhiol dies. |