Francis Vigo Francis Vigo ( born Giuseppe Maria Francesco Vigo ) ( 1747 - March 22 , 1836 ) was an Italian - American who aided the American forces during the Revolutionary War and helped found a public university in Vincennes , Indiana , USA . Born in Mondovì , Italy , he served with the Spanish Army in New Orleans . In 1772 he established a fur trading business in St . Louis . In 1783 Vigo moved to Vincennes and operated a fur trading business there . American Revolution . Vigo often aided American forces during the Revolutionary War , most famously as an informant to George Rogers Clark . Vigo was sent by Clark to Post Vincennes to inspect and report on the conditions there , but was captured by American Indians and turned over to Lt - Gov Henry Hamilton , who had recaptured Vincennes for the British Crown . Vigo was a Spanish citizen and thus , in 1778 , considered a non - combatant , but Hamilton was suspicious of Vigo and held him on parole until the French citizens of Vincennes , led by Father Gibault , demanded that he be released at the threat of cutting off local supplies to Fort Sackville . Hamilton released Vigo on the condition that he would not " do any thing injurious to the British interests on his way to St . Louis . " True to his word , Vigo travelled down the Wabash , Ohio , and Mississippi Rivers to St . Louis before returning to Kaskaskia to inform Col . Clark of the British hold on Vincennes , which prompted Clark to retake the town in 1779 . In addition to his services as a patriot and spy , Vigo was the foremost financier of the American Revolution in the Northwest . When Clark arrived with Continental promissary notes of paper , Vigo exchanged them evenly for hard coin . The American dollar traded poorly among the French citizens , and soon became worthless . Vigo was never repaid during his lifetime , and would recollect that the term " douleur " to the French signifies grief or pain . Post - War years . In the 1790s Vigo traded with American merchants on the East Coast of the U . S . In 1801 , Vigo petitioned the U . S . Congress for a donation of land to establish the Jefferson Academy in Vincennes . In 1806 , Vigo was named one of the original trustees of the now renamed Vincennes University . From 1790 to 1810 he was a colonel in the Knox County Militia before resigning , citing age and infirmity . In 1818 Vigo County , Indiana was established and named for him . After he was royally feted during a visit to Terre Haute , the Vigo County seat , on July 4 , 1834 , Vigo revised his will to provide money to purchase a large bell for the Vigo County Courthouse , should he ever be compensated by the United States for services rendered during the Revolution . Vigo died 22 March 1836 , while living in the home of Jean Baptiste and Elizabeth ( Martin ) LaPlante , in Vincennes . It was not until 1875 that his estate was allowed payment for $ 8 , 016 . 00 , the amount he had used to fund Clark ' s aborted campaign to take Fort Detroit . This was the only expense the government would officially recognize , but it came with $ 41 , 282 . 60 in interest . As Vigo had no blood - related descendants , however , the government only had to pay for the expenses requested in Vigo ' s will ( which included a bell for the courthouse in Vigo County ) .