OF JVEW YORK CITY.                      351
 

CHAPTER XXXV.

In the chapter relating to the Tardy family, I stated
tliat John A. Tardy was for a long time a clerk with
the late Joseph Bouchaud, who was a great merchant
in his day, and did an immense amount of business with
France, Mexico, Campeachy, and South America. He
came to this country about 1805, having been sent for
when quite a lad by Joseph Thebaud. He formerly re¬
sided at Nantes. Joseph Thebaud wrote to his corres¬
pondent in France to sfend him a competent and reliable
young man to take charge of the Interior department of
his counting-house. Joseph Bouchaud was the young
gentleman selected, and possessing testimonials of the
highest character in his native country, arrived in this
city In 1805, being then twenty-two years of age.

Joseph Thebaud, his patron, came to the United
States near 1793. He was the agent of the French East
India Company, and representative of several French
capitalists and merchants. He first settled in Boston,
remained there a short time, then changed his residence
to New Haven, where he became acquainted with and
married Miss Le Breton, a daughter of a highly respec¬
table Martinique gentleman of that place, and from
thence came to the city of New York, where he perma-
nentlv established himself In mercantUe affairs, and up