Wisconsin Historical Collections, Volume IX (1882)

              traditions and recollections of prairie du chien related by hon b w brisbois noted down and annotated by lyman c draper mr brisbois states that he was born at prairie du ohien october 4th 1803 his father michael brisbois sr was born at maska below montreal in 1760 his grandfather migrated from nor mandy ; his parents were joseph and marguerite de vault bris bois when fifteen years of age in 1775 michael brisbois was a student in college at quebec when the americans attached that city under montgomery at the close of the year ; and the students were armed and assigned a place in the defence but there was no attack on their quarter michael brisbois probably received only a partial education ; but he could read and write well we find him at mackinaw in 1779,1 when nineteen years of age of the time of his arrival at prairie du chien b w brisbois can only refer to his father's statement made in 1820 to judge isaac lee the united states commissioner for adjusting land titles that it was thirty-nine years previously — that is in 1781,2 when he was twenty-one years of age in that year the indians who claimed the country sold to governor patrick sinclair at mackinaw for basil griard pierre antaya and augustin ang6 pierre lapointe was interpreter michael brisbois was present and probably returned with the indians griard and associates to prairie du chien thus making his advent there and there he continued to reside for fifty six years b w brisbois says this land purchase embraced nine miles square ; and he believes that griard antaya and ange were only a committee who acted in behalf of the settlers he does not know the amount paid in goods for the grant nor the indian chiefs who made it but al ways understood the indians were satisfied with the sale 1 it 8 public lands iv p 814 8 u 8 public lands iv pp 851-52