Jean-Antoine Leclerc

Jean-Antoine Le Clerc, also known as Louis Milfort, also spelled as Milford (February 2, 1752 - July 17, 1821 Le Clerc adopted different aliases during his life, especially Jean LeClerc Milfort, and Louis Le Clerc Milfort. He served in the French army from 1764-1774. According to his 1802 memoir, after having killed a servant of the king's household in a duel, Milfort emigrated to North America, arriving in Boston. Le Clerc offered his services to the government, specifically to make a Franco-Creek alliance and revive French claims in North America. During the Russian invasion of 1814, Milfort was attacked in his house and was rescued by French grenadiers. He died on July 17, 1821 at Villevallier.

Marriage and family As part of his alliance with the Creek, Milfort married Jeannet McGillivray, a sister of the chief Alexander McGillivray, of the Creek Indian Nation. They were both of Creek and Scots descent. Their nephew was the chief William "Red Eagle" Weatherford.

After returning to France, Milfort married Marie-Anne Beya (1778–1849) on 16 December 1811 in Clavy-Warby, Ardennes. The couple bore two children: François, born in 1813, and Marie Ortonica Amika, born in 1814, who died in infancy.

His memoirs He published Mémoires, ou coup-d'oeil rapide sur mes voyages en Louisiane, et mon séjour dans la nation Creeke (Paris: De l'Imprimerie de Giguet et Michaud, 1802). In his account, he described his travels, hoping to stimulate French interest in the lands of the Creek and Southeast Indians. In his 2007 book, the scholar Darius Alexander Spieth noted that Milfort used a ghostwriter for his memoirs. His book has been printed in English translation by Lakeside Classics.