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Subject: Did Louis Vieux live at THE COUNCIL BLUFFS? Where?
Date: 6 Dec 2003 13:48:01 -0700

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Surnames: Vieux, Greenwood, Bridges
Classification: Query

Message Board URL:

http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/ok.2ADE/2650.1.1.2.1

Message Board Post:

John: Do I detect, on your part, a hesitancy in accepting an Iowa residency for Louis Vieux? Although I have had several university classes on research, my authority for acceptable standards of a historical proof comes from a cousin of mine, Mabel Bridges. She was a history major, and stressed that a researcher must have three primary--and separate--sources in order to confirm an historical fact. In your situation, I am wondering how many separate census records you might have which show Louis Vieux's children were born in Iowa?

Even if you had none, there are three (1842, 1843 and 1845)separate annuity rolls made at The Council Bluffs on which the name Louis Vieux is enrolled. While the sub-agent was disbursing the monies, the Chiefs were standing by at the time, and would testify that the enrollment was correct. In addition, the payments were attested by other individuals. As a result, there appears to be little chance that mistakes would be prevalent.

Mabel also was strong in her opinion that no number of secondary sources (other people saying so-and-so did such-and-such) could possibly outweigh three separate instances where the person himself is found making the claim that he did such-and-such--as the census enumerations.

I looked at my notes on Louis Vieux. As of this time, I can see no indication as to where within the The Half Breed Farms neighborhood Vieux might have lived. Some of these people lived on the banks of the Missouri where they had established woodyards for the steamboats. As to how far east of the Missouri, I can see reasons for thinking they established homes atop the loess bluffs. At some time during the past 50 years, I have read the statement of an old Fremont county pioneer who mentioned that when he came to the county, he found an orchard along the road between present Sidney and Tabor, in which the fruit trees were bearing fruit. I remember thinking it simply had to be older than the Mormon time line which commences in 1846.....Now, I wish I had copied what I thought at the time was a figment of his imagination....My great great grandfather, Judge Thomas Greenwood, lived just east of present day Thurman, and while our records are plentiful, there are none which spea!
ks of him breaking the prairie on his farm. So I can easily think he bought an old mixed breed farm on which this task had already been done.

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