>note: this is a condensation of a more detailed message (i wrote yesterday) >THAT IS KNOWN ONLY TO GOD & ANGELS. >THERE IS A deGRUY BRANCH THAT HAS GROWN FOR CENTURIES IN THE LOW COUNTRIES OF OLD EUROPE. >jean baptiste valentin degruy was stretching his dutch connection >probably<, for benefits +BUT IT DID EXIST & HERE IT IS+. >count michael de gruyere went to +HAINAULT COUNTY+ >seeking aid to save his principality +HIS AUNT WAS THE SENESCHAL+ (highest authority) +IN THE COUNTY OF HAINAULT+ +DUCHY OF BRABANT+ (ref. mrs dekoven) +HAINAULT+ (google for detailed info) was located in the 16th century >IN A LARGE AREA OF THE FLANDERS (france,belgium,holland) >REGION NEXT TO LUXEMBURG WITH (dutch=bergen) >MONS BELGIUM AS CAPITOL. +it is of importance to note..... 1) the verloin degruy closest neighbors at magny fouchard +WERE THE LUXEMBURG ROYALTY+ 2) the de virgy family of count michael's mother were very powerful +HIS deVIRGY UNCLE WAS FIELD ( uncle claude ) >MARSHAL OF BURGUNDY >with habsburg ties< 3) THE HABSBURGS AND THEIR HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE TOOK OVER THE LOW COUNTRIES. >philipp lll, valois duke of burgundy's daughter, mary of valois married +MAXIMILIAN VON HABSBURG+ >we must remember that count michael (in addition to the french court) >de gruyere spent part of his youth +AT THIS HABSBURG COURT+ (ref. de koven) +SUMMERY+ >out of this "dutch" branch of the degruy family grew a prolific, vital & active (LARGE FAMILY TREES) >group of distant relatives who must have great interest in +OUR TROPICAL BRANCH+. >RESEARCH MAY HAVE INTERESTING RESULTS IN THE deGRUYERE AND (dutch=degrue/degruyter etc) +VERLOIN deGRUY HISTORY+. gene ray, san diego, california