Near this site stood the plantation home of the French couple Jean Baptiste and Francois Poiret Filhiol, who arrived in the area shortly after their marriage in 1780 and were among the first settlers there. The site was part of his large Spanish land grant. They were a pioneer couple and had two sons and a daughter. As a Frenchman, Jean Baptiste served in the Spanish Army fighting against the British in the Florida Parishes. While campaigning he became known as Don Juan Filhiol. He relinquished this Spanish title in 1800 upon his retirement as Commandant of Fort Miro and the Ouachita Territory.