+S U R P R I SE + G I F T S+ ************************** +FROM A VERY GENEROUS BROTHER+ ++++++++++++++++++++++++ >in the u.s. postal mail yesterday came a large padded envelope from my younger brother ************************** >BEARING THE FOLLOWING GIFTS< *********************************** 1) RAY FAMILY TREE : going back to their tenure in missouri. ( there (G.B. VIA MARYLAND) >was a governor ray and ray county was named after him. their history is very interesting. **************** >incorporating names from american history including the following. ******************************** A) RANDOLPH FAMILY ( virginia, by marriage.... my father named after this early union. B) DANIEL BOONE FAMILY. ( fellow anglo pioneers ... through the cumberland gap wagon train. C) JAMES BOWIE, DAVEY CROCKETT & SAM HOUSTON. ( friends of great grandfather john ray (REVISED LA. STATUTES) >founder / rayville louisiana. lawyer & state legislator esplanade ave. home. D) ABRAHAM LINCOLN friend in the cause of emancipation/ civil war. john ray voted to free the slaves E) MATHEW BRADY photographer of john rays portrait. documented lincoln, legislators & civil war. ****************************** +INTERESTING FACTS FROM THE +RAY FAMILY TREE+ ******************* a) JOHN RAY born in st. francis county missouri., 10/14/ 1816 married CATHERINE de BRES(SE) born 6/15/1822 **************** +from this union emerged 13 children including EUGENE RAY, b. 4/27/1868 >my grandfather who +MARRIED LUCIE VERLOIN deGRUY+ st. patricks church, n.o., 9/20/1893 *********************************** b) +OTHER PERSONA OF NOTE... ***************************** >J.G. RICHARDSON was married to JULIA RAY on march 9, 1876 ***************************** >ANGELA GREGORY famous new orleans sculptress of the statue of bienville, descended from JEAN BAPTISTE BRES(SE) (born 1820 ouachita, la) *********************** 2) +de BRES(SE) FAMILY TREE+ ***************************** >2nd gift from my brother walker. goes back to 18th C. france. **************************** +S Y N C H R O N I C I T Y+ ************************ >the great joy for me was to find... ********************************** +THE LINK BETWEEN CATHERINE de BRES(SE) & BARON/ADMIRAL de BRESSE IN VILLEFRANCHE SUR MER FRANCE. ****************** +ALEXANDRE de BRESSE+ baron / admiral >born february, 10, 1751 villefranche sur mer FRANCE ******** >NOTE: the synchronicity is that years ago while spending a few days in the seaside town of villefranche sur mer i (SUBURB OF NICE, FRANCE) >found, quite by chance, a street which was very old & protected by buildings *************************************** +RUE BARON de BRESSE+ (honored ligurian admiral) >villefranche is THE major french port in this area and GENOA is THE major italian port in this ligurian riviera ! ************************************* +deGRUYERE / de BRESSE+ >DOUBLE CONNECTION< ************************ >I KNEW CATHERINE BRES WAS FROM note:(BRES = de BRESSE as >GRUY = de GRUYERE) >GENOA ITALY AND THAT THE DUKES deBRESSE / SAVOY RULED LIGURIA BACK IN THE 16TH CENTURY ! (genoa/villefranche primary) *************************** >( this part of france was italian then & still has a strong italian flavor) ********************************* >THIS BRESSE FAMILY TREE SHOWS THAT JEAN BAPTISTE BRESSE THE ( born in 1781 ) +SON OF ALEXANDRE de BRESSE (baron / admiral) >IMMIGRATED TO LOUISIANA IN 1799 FROM LIGURIA ! (genoa/villefranche) >+PROBABLY FLEEING THE+ +FRENCH REVOLUTION+ *********************** gene ray, san diego, california (google) eugenerayart.com