The Mystery Behind Wisconsin’s Lost Dauphin State Park

Uncovering the Royal Legend and Strange History Behind a Quiet Park in Brown County

If you think the names of Wisconsin’s state parks are all about nature and wildlife, think again. Some parks come with rich histories, full of intrigue, mystery, and even a touch of royalty. One such park is Lost Dauphin State Park, located in Brown County, which has a fascinating and oddball backstory that you might not expect — and it involves French nobility, a disputed royal lineage, and a Wisconsin missionary with a daring claim to the throne of France.

The park’s name itself is a clue to the strange tale. “Dauphin” was the title given to the eldest son of the King of France. But the “Lost Dauphin” refers to a long-standing mystery surrounding Louis-Charles, the son of King Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, whose fate was clouded in rumor and controversy. Official records say that he died in a French prison in 1795 at just 10 years old, a victim of disease and neglect during the chaos of the French Revolution. But a persistent story took hold — what if the Dauphin had escaped? And if so, who really died in his place?

Now, what does all this have to do with a state park in Wisconsin? Buckle up, because it’s quite a tale.

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The Story of Louis-Charles

Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette were overthrown during the Revolution, and both were executed — the king by guillotine, and the queen not long after. Their son, Louis-Charles, was imprisoned in 1792 and, by all accounts, suffered greatly. The official story says he died of tuberculosis in 1795, but over the years, rumors swirled that the young boy had actually escaped, and a substitute had perished in his place.

In the years that followed, hundreds of people came forward, claiming to be the Lost Dauphin, the true heir to the throne of France. Among these claimants was a man named Eleazer Williams, a Wisconsinite who would become a key figure in the legend.

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Eleazer Williams: The Man Who Claimed to Be Royalty

Born in Canada to Mohawk parents, Eleazer Williams led a fascinating life. He was educated in Massachusetts and later became a missionary, devoting much of his career to the Iroquois people of New York and Wisconsin. He was known as an eloquent speaker, and in many ways, he was an advocate for Native Americans, publishing works in the Iroquois language and working on behalf of the Oneida people.

But Eleazer Williams also believed — or at least claimed — that he was the Lost Dauphin, the rightful heir to the French throne. This is where the story gets truly interesting.

In the late 1830s, while living in New York, Williams began circulating rumors of his royal heritage. Then, in 1843, he had an intriguing encounter in Green Bay with Prince François d'Orléans, a French royal. According to Williams, the prince confirmed his lineage and offered him money to drop his claim to the throne — which Williams reportedly refused. The prince, however, denied the conversation ever took place and claimed his interest in Williams was only in his role as a clergyman with Native American roots.

Despite these denials, the story continued to spread. Some even believed that Williams resembled the boy depicted in a famous portrait of the Dauphin during his imprisonment. An anonymous article published in The United States Magazine and Democratic Review in 1849 furthered the idea that Williams might indeed be the lost heir, and a book by Reverend John Hanson in 1854 helped solidify this belief.

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The Fall and Rise of the Lost Dauphin Legend

Williams' claims were not without consequences. His ties to the Mohawk community became strained, especially after he produced an affidavit — allegedly signed by his mother — suggesting that he had been adopted. His controversial pursuit of royal status caused a rift with his relatives, and when Williams died in 1858, no members of his Mohawk family attended his funeral.

Photograph by: Robert L Weber

Surprisingly, the debate over Williams' claim persisted into the 20th century. It wasn’t until 2000, with the advent of DNA testing, that the mystery was conclusively solved. DNA from the heart of the Dauphin (which had been preserved since his autopsy) was compared with that of his royal family, and it was confirmed: the child who died in 1795 was indeed the son of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette.

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The Park Today: A Royal Mystery in Wisconsin

After Eleazer Williams' death, his 19-acre homestead in Brown County passed into the hands of the state. In 1947, it was officially designated a state park. Although the original house burned down in 1970 and the park’s status was briefly removed, the area is still listed on the Department of Natural Resources website. Visitors can hike to a scenic overlook of the Fox River and explore the remnants of Williams’ homestead, where the foundation of his home still stands as a reminder of a strange chapter in American and French history.

So, why does this all matter? It’s not every day that you can explore a place with such a compelling connection to royal history and mystery. The Lost Dauphin State Park, while modest in its amenities, offers a chance to walk in the footsteps of a man who may have believed — or wanted others to believe — that he was the last hope of a fallen monarchy.

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