Here are some of my notes on the litle bit of research I do some 10 to 12 years ago on this family. I know there may be some errors in them and would appreciate corrections. Some of this has been posted before. Antonie Valentin Degruy Name appears as Juan Bautista (Jean Baptiste) in Sacramental Records of Archdio. of New Orleans, vol 6, 1796-1799 p. 102/103 (a throwdown name when the priest could not remember a persons name, at least that is what I have read) Baptismal records of children indicate he was a French naval officer, ecuyer, and was a native of Paris, France. From "Village at Chartres," K-185a land sale; Antoine and his mother-in-law purchase a tract of land and windmill from Jean Baptiste Lelande, executed 13 Mar 1748..."unto Dame Maturine Guilmot, wife of Aufrere, merchant in New Orleans, parish of St.Louis, therein residing, trading separately, now in this town of Kaskaskia and Mr. Antoine Valentin De Gruyuerloin, Lord Dumenil-fouchard, Ecuyer Delafolie, officier of a company of infantry detached from the Marine garrisoned in Illinois, residing in this town of Kaskaskia..... This sale is thus made for the sum of three thousand in bonds of the King's treasury and thirteen hundred pounds of flour....and the three thousand livres in bonds said Dame Aufrere promises to pay unto said Lalande; saving recourse for one-half agains De Gruyuerloin her son-in-law, to whom she gives by the presents a delay of two years to repay the same to her... In a deed executed on 10 Jan 1753 (Village of Chartres, p. 576-77 he signs as a witness. From Village of Chartres K-225(H286) p.622 Jaques Hennet and his wife sell land described as follows: "a parcel of land of two arpents in front situated near the old Fort de Chartres, and bounded by it on one end, and on the other end by the depth to the hills, on one side by the land of Mr. le Chevalier Devilliers, and on the other side by the windmill and lot of Mr. De Gruys...." executed 23 Apr 1757 Antoine Valentine was in the Lousiana territory as early as 1742 when he was listed on a list of officers in Louisiana in a letter from Maurepas to Vaudreuil, p.2 LO16, from "The Vaudereuil Papers" In a letter of 1 Jun 1746 from Maurepas to Vaudreuil he was among six promoted to fill vacancies caused by deaths and resignations LO 76 in "The Vaudereuil Papers," he was promoted from 2nd lieutenant to ensign en pied In LO 259 he is mentioned in a list of French troops stationed in New Orleans He was promoted to 2nd lieutenant in 1740; ensign en pied in 1746; lieutenant in 1752; captain in 1759. In a list complied from LO 299 he is listed as second ensign in De Membrede's Company. Later documents in the Vaudreuil Papers indicate that he was in charge of a lead and silver mine in the Illinois country. DEATH: Probably 1759 the year he was promoted to captain since his widow remarried in early 1760 to M. Dessault in Illinois. Marie Therese Aufrere-b.1728, bapt. 29 Dec 1728 d. abt 1774 BAPTISM: First Families of Louisiana, p. 114 DEATH: From Inventory/Partition of Propery, St.Charles Original Acts, 1774 #107 6-30-1774 MARRIAGE: 2) February 18, 1760. Mon. Dussault de la Croix, officer of the troops, son of Dussault de la Croix, chevalier of the order of St. Louis, major of the town of Gap in Dauphine, and Dame Marie Francoise Borel; married Dame Marie Therese Aufrere, widow of Antoine de Gruys, lieutenant of the troops of the marine with Macarty's permission. One ban. From KASKASKIA UNDER THE FRENCH RULE, Natalia Maree Belting, Polyanthos, New Orleans, 1975, p.84 INVENTORY OF THE COMMUNITY PROPERTY OF JOSEPH DUSIAU AND HIS LATE WIFE, THERESE AUFRERE. Upon learning of the death of Therese Aufrere, wife of Joseph Dusiau and widow of DeGruys, Bellile orders that an inventory of the community property be taken. Inventory taken by Glapion and Pierre Rillieux in the presence of Dusiau; Jean-Baptiste DeGruy and Joseph DeGruy, children of the decedent by her former marriage. First item inventoried was a farm 15 arpents wide by the customary depth, located about 30 miles above New Orleans and on the same side of the river, which was the residence of Dusiau. Another farm 10 arpents wide by the customary depth, located about 27 miles above New Orleans on the same side of the river, bounded above by the Degruy minors and below by that of Livaudais. Community debts are owed to: Francois Waldric, Barbet, Allain Lavergne, Pradier (and other names that are illegible). A provisional settlement was made by Madame Dusiau and the children (Degruys) of her first marriage on Dec. 20, 1772. Partition, Dec. 20, 1772. Joseph Dusiau, seeking to conclude his responsibilities as tutor of the children of Degruys, renders an account of his tutorship to the Degruys children, namely: Marie-Therese, Hyacinte, Jean-Baptiste, Joseph, Antoine and Pierre Degruys. Madame Dusiau was formerly married to Degruys. Dusiau, in the presence of Francois Cheval and Jacques Massicot, then sets out the inheritance of the children. Signed by Joseph Dusiiau and his wife Therese Aufrere Dusiau. Also signed by several of the Degruys children.