Louis Anne Paterne Bouan (or Buan) was born in Auray, France, in February 1753, the son of Louis Joseph Bouan. He had at least two siblings, François Cecile and Julienne Anne. In 1776, he earned a degree from L'École royale du génie de Mézières, after which he served as an engineer in the French army. During the American Revolution, he served with a French corps assisting the Continental Army and participated in the Battle of Yorktown. Louis A. P. Bouan died in 1834.
From the guide to the Louis A. P. Bouan collection, Bouan, Louis A. P. collection, 1763-1814, 1763-1782, (William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan)