The Blueprints for History
Robin De Logny and the Foundations of Destrehan Plantation
Robin de Logny, a prominent landowner, played a crucial role in establishing what would become Destrehan Plantation. He commissioned a skilled builder, Charles Paquet—who was enslaved at the time—to construct a grand French Colonial-style home. The contract specified a raised structure measuring 60 by 35 feet, encircled by a 12-foot balustrade gallery and supported by 10-foot brick piers. The home’s distinctive double-pitched roof, multiple fireplaces, and use of locally sourced materials made it well suited for Louisiana’s climate. Construction began in 1787 and was completed in 1790.
De Logny compensated Paquet with rice, corn, livestock, 100 piastres, and an enslaved man named Leveiller. During the construction of the house, Paquet gained his freedom through the will of his father, a free man of color. Remarkably, the original contract still exists and is preserved in the St. Charles Parish Courthouse. Today, visitors can admire Paquet’s master craftsmanship in the plantation’s cooling room and interpretive areas.
The Family Home – Destrehan Plantation
The Destrehan Family Legacy
The Destrehan family in Louisiana begins with Jean Baptiste Honore Destrehan, Sieur De Peaupre (1716-1765). He was the son of Jean Baptiste Destrehan (ca. 1670-1740), who was counselor to King Louis XIV and treasurer of all arts and crafts guilds in Paris and its environs. In 1730, when Jean Baptiste Honore Destrehan arrived in Louisiana, he took a job as a clerk in the office of ordonnateur held by Edme Gatien de Solmon. After Salmon’s dismissal, the new ordonnateur, Lenormant appointed Destrehan the treasurer of the colony.
Jean Noel Destrehan’s Political Influence
Jean Noel Destrehan played a key role in shaping Louisiana’s early government. When Louisiana was transferred from Spain to France and then to the United States in 1803, he advocated for immediate statehood. He was elected Speaker of the territorial House of Representatives and later appointed by President Thomas Jefferson to the Legislative Council, where he helped draft Louisiana’s legal framework. His efforts ensured that Louisiana retained its civil law system rather than adopting common law.
Jean Noel later served in the State Legislature, ran for Governor, and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1812. His contributions were instrumental in Louisiana’s transition to statehood and the formation of its laws.