Two names that are imperishably connected with Clark's conquest and which as imperishably stand as reminders of public ingratitude, are those of Father Pierre Gibault and Francis Vigo, the former a Catholic Priest in spiritual charge of the French residents of the Illinois country, and the latter a Spanish merchant. With the arrival of Clark at Kaskaskia Gibault heartily espoused his cause and it was largely through his influence that the French generally rallied to the support of the invader. He it was who suggested that the easiest way to win Vincennes, as the English commandant and his garrison were temporarily away, would be by a peaceful conquest of the French there, and his proposition was that he go and, by virtue of his power among them, accomplish that end. This program was carried out with fullest success, and after he had paved the way Captain Helm was sent to take charge of Fort Sackville, which he held until the English governor, Hamilton, recaptured the place. The penalty for Gibault's zeal was excommunication by his bishops, besides pecuniary loss for which he was never reimbursed. In his old age he sent a memorial to General St. Clair, Governor of the Northwest Territory, in which he stated that he had risked his life and sacrificed his little property to aid the Americans; that his loss had amounted to at least fifteen hundred dollars, and that he was now dependent. All that he asked was a beggarly pittance of five acres out of the millions he had worked to secure, where he might have an orchard and a home in which to spend his few remaining years. He never received the five acres and eventually he betook himself into Spanish territory beyond the Mississippi, where he died in 1804 (Dunn's "Indiana," pp. 151).

Francis Vigo, a merchant of St. Louis, then a Spanish possession, who carried on an extensive trade in the Illinois country, espoused the American cause, as did Gibault, when Clark invaded the territory, although he did so at considerable risk, being a citizen of a neutral nation. He is was that brought to Clark, at Kaskaskia, the news that General Hamilton had recaptured Vincennes from Captain Helm, and the result of the information he had gained was Clark's swiftly executed winter campaign which forestalled Hamilton's plans for the spring, and won Vincennes permanently. Vigo did most important service by rendering of financial aid. IN the midst of his operations Clark became seriously handicapped for want of funds to provision his little army and to renew enlistments, the expiring of which threatened to disband his force. No help could be had from Virginia. In this emergency his only recourse was private aid, and exercising the discretion given him by his letter of instructions he issued drafts on the State of Virginia. Accepting these drafts as security, Vigo furnished money and supplies to the amount of $12,000 or more. Being wealthy at that time and Virginia being embarrassed with her debts, he did not push his claim for years. When his needs began to press him the Virginia agent was unable to meet his drafts and he sold some of them at a discount of eighty percent. He still held one for over $8,000 and twenty-one years after its date of issue this was put in the hands of two collectors. Through some seemingly criminal negligence, not explained in history, the draft was lost and with it all chance of recovering the money until it was found again amid the dust in the attic of the State Capitol at Richmond. The debt was now fifty-five years old. Meanwhile Vigo, stricken in years and long suffered poverty. Three years later he died, unrelieved. Thirty-nine years more of dawdling and red tape passed and finally, ninety-seven years after the original transaction, the money that made possible the capture of Vincennes plus accumulated interest was paid to the heirs of the man who had been more generous than prudent. The expenses of his funeral, even, were not paid until forty years after his death (English, p. 188).

Soon after Clark's conquest Vigo became an American Citizen and came for permanent residence to Vincennes, where he was honored and prominent for many years. His sense of gratitude was livelier than that of the nation he had served, for in appreciation of the fact that Vigo County was named for him, he provided in his will that, if his claim on the government were allowed, $500 should be given to the county for a Court House bell. He died in Vincennes in 1836 and is buried there.