Francis Godfroy
Francis Godfroy was a prominent figure of Miami heritage, born to a French father and a Miami mother, who grew up near present-day Fort Wayne, Indiana. He gained recognition as a war chief and aligned himself with Tecumseh during the early 1800s, participating in efforts to resist white immigration into the Old Northwest. Physically imposing, Godfroy was noted for his large stature, eventually weighing over four hundred pounds. He played a significant role during the War of 1812, where he allied with the British and led a Miami force that successfully defeated American troops commanded by William Henry Harrison. Following the war's conclusion and the British defeat, Godfroy adapted to the changing circumstances by relocating to his father's former trading post along the Wabash River. He transitioned into a successful trading career and accepted various grants of cash and land, often at the expense of the Miami people's traditional homelands. His life reflects the complex dynamics of Native American leadership and adaptation during a time of significant upheaval and change.
Francis Godfroy
- Born: c. 1788
- Birthplace: Kekionga (now Ft. Wayne, Indiana)
- Died: May 1, 1840
- Place of death: Mount Pleasant Trading Post, Indiana
Category: War chief
Tribal affiliation: Miami
Significance: Godfroy was an ally of Tecumseh during Tecumseh’s Rebellion and fought on the side of the British in the War of 1812
Francis Godfroy was born of a French father (Jacques Godfroy) and a Miami mother. He grew up near the present-day site of Fort Wayne, Indiana. He won renown as a war chief and as an ally of Tecumseh in Tecumseh’s 1809-1811 attempt to stop white immigration into the Old Northwest. Godfroy was a large, stout man. Late in his life he weighed more than four hundred pounds.
Godfroy allied with the British during the War of 1812, and at one point he commanded a Miami force of three hundred men that routed troops sent against Miamis under the command of William Henry Harrison. With the defeat of the British, Godfroy accommodated the American advance as he moved to the site of his father’s former trading post on the Wabash River and became a prosperous trader. He also benefited from grants of cash and land as he signed away much of the Miamis’ homelands to the United States.