Person:Karl d'Arensbourg (1)

Arensbourg is the present-day Estonian town of Kuressaare, on the island of Saaremaa in the gulf of Riga. At the time of Karl Frerderick's residence, it was under Swedish control, having been acquired from Denmark in 1645 and passing to Russian control in 1721. During all these periods, there was a sizable German community in the town.

Stettin was under Swedish control following the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, but had been German in culture since the 13th century. It passed to Prussia in 1720 and to Poland after World War II.

His father was serving as master of the royal mint at Stettin in 1693, but had previously lived in Stockholm.^[1]

Karl Frederick appears in the French census of 1722 with his family.^[3] In the census of 12 Nov 1724, he is recorded as "commandant" of the German village located ten leagues above New Orleans.^[4]

Probably because of his family's impoverishment at the government's hands (see details on his father's page), he entered the service of King Charles II in 1711 at the age of 17. By the following year, he had attained the rank of sergeant major and was a lieutenant in the Sodermanland Enter Guard Battalion by 1715. In his petition to the Queen, dated 25 May 1719 at Stockholm, he claimed that during eight years of military service he was imprisoned twice and wounded seven times. "It has become necessary for me to leave and after having received permission [to travel to Germany], the travel funds have been revoked." He requested a captain's resignation so that "I don't have to leave your glorious service so miserably and naked."^[5]

On his return to Germany, he learned of John Law's intention to settle German immigrants in Louisiana. On 9 Jan 1721, he received a captain's commission from the Company of the Indies.^[5] M. Darensbourg, a captain at half-pay, is recorded as a passenger aboard Le Portefaix, which arrived at New Orleans 4 Jun 1721.^[6]

First Families of Louisiana      This individual is part of the lineage of a certified Colonial Louisiana Ancestor by the Louisiana Genealogical & Historical Society (Click "First Families of Louisiana" for details)

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Robichaux, Albert J. German Coast Families : European Origins and Settlement in Colonial Louisiana. (Rayne, Louisiana: Hebert Publications, 1997)
   pp. 133-34.

   (citing Baptismal Certificate, Lutheran Church, Stettin)

2. ↑ Robichaux, Albert J. German Coast Families : European Origins and Settlement in Colonial Louisiana. (Rayne, Louisiana: Hebert Publications, 1997)
   p. 142.
3. ↑ Maduell, Charles R. The Census Tables for the French Colony of Louisiana from 1699 through 1732. (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1972)
   p. 28.
4. ↑ Maduell, Charles R. The Census Tables for the French Colony of Louisiana from 1699 through 1732. (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1972)
   "Habitants of the Concessions along the Mississippi River," p. 41.
5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 Robichaux, Albert J. German Coast Families : European Origins and Settlement in Colonial Louisiana. (Rayne, Louisiana: Hebert Publications, 1997)
   p.138.

   (citing Archives of the Colonies, Series B, Vol. 42bis, folio 399)

6. ↑ Benard de la Harpe, Jean-Baptiste; Joan, translator Cain; Virginia, translator Doenig; and Glenn R., editor Conrad. The Historical Journal of the Establishment of the French in Lousiana. (Lafayette: Center for Louisiana Studies, University of Southwestern Louisiana, 1971)
   p. 170.