+M O B I L E+ ************** >has always been special in my >(deep seated)< +G E N E T I C +M E M O R Y+ **************************** >after all it was the original french colony along the gulf coast and i remember how impressed i was as a boy in the cabildo >TO FOCUS ON THE STONE +MARKED 1699+ *************** >such a precious talisman< FOUND AT THE SITE OF THE ORIGINAL +MOBILE FORT+ ************** +THE LOST COLONY+ >even later in life i remember writing to a stamp shop in mobile inquiring >FOR LOST FRENCH COLONIAL +C O R R E S P O N D E N C E+ **************************** >(mobile was rather like new orleans in its primal days >with a french genus loci) ************************* +THANKS TO KARMA FOR+ (wonderful name) >I L L U M I N A T I N G< ********************** +THE MOBILE VERLOIN deGRUY+ ( shades of bienville ) >this branch were well known by my father, randolph ray sr. son of +LUCIE VERLOIN deGRUY RAY+ ****************************** >she was the daughter of james verloin degruy, son of francois verloin degruy OF PINELAND PARK PLANTATION ( near madisonville ) ****************** >+( WHOSE PORTRAIT HANGS IN OUR LIVING ROOM ) *********************** >MY GREAT GRANDFATHER'S< (dapper younger brother) >james verloin degruy's younger brother the dapper francois verloin degruy of the derby hat photograph. (degruy family website) *********************** +HAD A SON, AGAIN NAMED FRANCOIS VERLOIN deGRUY, WHO ORIGINATED THE MOBILE VERLOIN deGRUYS. ********************************* >it was his son, by this time with name modernised to +FRANK VERLOIN deGRUY+ ( but really francois) >that was my fathers friend and of +HIS GENERATION+ ****************** >IT WAS HIS SON, RECENTLY DECEASED, ( yes, known as frank degruy) & OF MY GENERATION THAT I SPOKE TO BY TELEPHONE 3 YEARS AGO. ********************************** +CORDIAL MEMORY+ >he remembered my father who would stay with them during gulf coast trips of the 1940s. ***************************** >THE RAY / deGRUY FAMILY OF MY NEW ORLEANS GRANDMOTHER HAD MAINTAINED CLOSENESS >TO THE MOBILE deGRUYS. *************************** >my father was deeply fond of the mobile degruy branch. a child absorbs that family empathy. +I NEVER SAW THEM+ >we could have passed on the street like ships in the night. ***************************** +GENETIC NOSTALGIA+ (the lost degruys) >FRENCH TROPIC SYNDROME< >i do believe the nostalgia i have felt about mobile, ( our ship this year to the yucatan left from mobile) ********************************* >CAN BE TRACED VIA MY FATHER AND HIS MOTHER TO HER father +JAMES VERLOIN deGRUY+ brother of +FRANCOIS VERLOIN deGRUY+ whose son went to mobile >(NEVER TO RETURN)< ******************** >during my conversation with "frank" degruy on the telephone he told ( SEE INTERNET ) >me about michael degruy his marine biologist son who lives in santa barbara. ********************** >I EXTEND AN INVITATION TO HIM TO VISIT US IN SAN DIEGO **************************** +VAUDECHAMP PORTRAIT+ (check the internet) >where the portrait of his great (3) grandfather, francois verloin degruy of pineland park ************************* >POSESSES EYES THAT SHALL FOLLOW HIM AROUND OUR LIVING ROOM *********************************** >AND THE KING'S DIAMONDS STILL SPARKLE ON HIS >FORMAL WHITE SHIRT< (elegent & noble) **************** gene ray, san diego, california (google) eugenerayart.com