In a message dated 8/10/2003 5:26:15 PM Central Daylight Time, ACADIAN-CAJUN-D-request@rootsweb.com writes: > Which Diocese? > For the years in question, 1747 - 1767, the area of New Orleans and the German Coast were under two different diocese. Under the French regime, it was under the Diocese of Quebec, and when the Spanish took over in latter 1760's, it became a part of the Diocese of Havana. The records that would have been from the old German Coast church on the West Bank of St. Charles Parish, and would have included the marriage of Marie Agnes Falgoust and Joseph Michel, were later housed at the Church of St. Charles at Destrehan (known as the Little Red Church), and were destroyed in a rectory firein the 1800's. I have done extensive research on the Falgoust families for my book, "Falgoust, a History and Genealogy, 1555-1988" and I could not find a civil marriage contract in New Orleans, St. Charles Parish, or St. John the Baptist Parish for her marriage. Of course, there is always a possibility that one might exist, which I might have overlooked at the time of my research. Marie Agnes Falgoust had five chidren by her first husband, Joseph Michel: 1. Marie Louise Michel, m. 10 July 1792 at St. James Catholic Church to Paul Pertuis, s/o Francois Pertuis and Angele Lepine. (SJA-2, No. 16) 2. Euphrosine Michel, m. April 19, 1802 at St. James Catholic Church to Jean Baptiste Montet, s/o Jacques Montet and Marianne Durande of Chateauroux, Diocese of d'Embrun in Dauphine. (SJA-2, No. 61) 3. Hyacinthe Michel, m. at St. James Catholic Church on June 17, 1794 to Jean Baptiste Delaune, s/o Christophe Delaune and Marie Boudreaux of Nantes, France. (SJA-2, No. 24 & 25) 4. Joseph Michel, m. at St. James Catholic Church on February 20, 1797 to Marie Magdelene Pertuis, d/o of Francois Pertuit and Angelique Lepine. (SJA-2, No. 37) 5. Pierre Michel, native of St. John the Baptist Parish, m. at St. James Church on February 2, 1807 to Celeste Guedry, d/o of Jacques Guedry and Anne Marie Bonvillain. (SJA-2, No. 102) Marie Agnes Falgoust married a second time to Jean Lignac. They had a child: 6. Celesie Lignac, b. St. John the Baptist Parish, m. at St. James Catholic Church on December 5, 1808 to James Price of London, s/o William Price and Rebecca Harrison. Marie Agnes Falgoust died in St. James Parish, and her burial was recorded, as follows: "The 10 of August, eighteen hundred thirty, the body of Marie Falgoust, widow of Jean Lignaque, aged 89 years, was buried in the parish cemetery." Signed: Chs. De la Croix (St. Michel Church, Convent, Burials, Item 8, Pg. 89) There is a discrepancy of six years between her actual age and that stated in her burial record; she was actually 83 years old. The succession of Marie Agnes Falgoust was filed by her heirs in the Lafourche Parish Courthouse on September 11, 1830. The record named all of her children. (If you want to e-mail me, I can send you a translation.) I know this doesn't answer your question concerning the parentage of Joseph Michel, but I hope the other information will be useful to you. Barbara Allen Metairie, LA