In continuation appeared before said gentlemen, Pierre Tessier, who, having declared that the language which he understood best was French, and that his religion is Catholic, he took an oath by our Lord God and a sign of a Cross to tell the truth on everything that will be asked; and having been to the tenor of the said interrogatory, he said, by means of the interpreter;

To the 1st. That he is called Pierre Tessier, a native of Islas Negras (Black Islands), in a village that is called Calcasieu, Province of Louisiana, of the age of about thirty-eight years; Apostolic Roman Catholic, of marriage state, six years ago, with Mary Magdalena Cedar, a native of Rapides, and baptized by a bishop who passed through there, and has three children, the oldest of five years, all baptized in this Province.

To the 2nd: That he has been a Spanish vassal in Lousiana having taken an oath of allegiance before the Commandant Don Louis de Blanc; and that sixteen years ago he came to this Province. In order to follow in the Catholic religion and in the service of Juan Ignacio Pifermo and since then he has remained without permission of any Commandant.

The the 3rd: That he has absented himself some two months and a half, more than three years ago, in order to go to Natchitoches to visit his brothers and parents without permission of anybody.

To the 4th: That since he is in this Province, they have not required of him an oath of allegiance; but he is ready to do it, affirming and ratifying what he made, as he has said, in Natchitoches, and that in no manner has he made it to another Government.

To the 5th: That his occupation is that of a farmer, living on his ranch of Lobanillo, twenty leagues from this village, where he has built his house on a piece of land without concession from anybody; that he also has ten head of cattle, 20 of hogs, and two horses.

To the 6th: That he has nothing to say concerning the particulars that is asked of him; and having read this, his declaration, by means of the interpreter, he said: That it is the same that he has given; that he has nothing to add to nor take away from it; that what remains said is the truth, on the charge of the oath made; and because of not knowing how to write, he made a sign of a cross, and said gentleman, the interpreter and I signed it, to which I certify.

Life and Activities of Pierre Tessier Lavigne, August 17, 1809
Sworn statement which I, Pierre Tessier, otherwise Lavigne, make of his nativity that I shall express in the following manner:
Pierre Tessier, otherwise Lavigne, a native of Canada, and resident in the Post in Natchitoches, Province of Louisiana, from whence he passed to this jurisdiction of Nacogdoches, fourteen years ago, (Ca 1795) where he was married to Helene Cedar, a native of said Post of Natchitoches, and citizen of this place, by whom he has two daughters, and these, as well as his wife and he, are all of the Apostolic Roman Catholic religion. He is occupied in the occupation of farmer, by which he supports himself. He says he has no other document to accompany his statement, and that all that remains explained is this is the truth, on which it is affirmed and ratified.

And, in order that it be certain, he extends the present, on which, because of not knowing how to write, he made a sign of a cross, Don Manuel Bustamante, a citizen of this place, being a witness. Village of Nacogdoches, August 17, 1809.