Nicolas Geffrard (general)

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Nicolas Geffrard (b. 10 November 1761 in Camp-Perrin - d. May 31, 1806 in Les Cayes) was a Haitian general, and a participant in the Haitian Revolution. He was a signatory to the Haitian Declaration of Independence.

Born on the Périgny estate in Camp-Perrin, Geffrard was one of seven children born to Nicolas Geffrard pere and Julie Coudro, alongside Mathurin, Fénélon, Marie-Anne, Marie Catherine, Louis and Jacques.

After Haiti's independence, he headed the southern peninsula, where he supervised the construction of the Fort des Platons (today in the town of Torbeck).

Jean-Jacques Dessalines sent General Nicolas Geffrard to put down the last uprisings of the supporters of Lamour Desrances in Jacmel. Lamour Desrances was arrested and his party annihilated. Jean-Jacques Dessalines thus became master of the situation with 15,000 troops.

He was the father of:

• Fabre (1806-1878, born to Marguerite Claudine Lejeune; general and later president of Haiti)
• Marie-Marthe (8 May 1799-?, born to Geffrard and Anne-Catherine)
• Alexandre (ca. 1805-?, born to Geffrard and an unknown parent)
• Marie-Catherine (?-?, born to Geffrard and Geneviève Lannière)
• Marie-Madeleine (?-?, born to Geffrard and an unknown parent)
• Adélaïde Marie-Antoinette (2 May 1804, born to Geffrard and Mélisse Gaspard)

Through this brother Fénélon, Nicolas was the uncle of the musician Nicolas Fénélon Geffrard, who co-wrote "La Dessalinienne", which became the national anthem of Haiti in 1904.

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