Hi All, For the next few entries that I make, I'll send some excerpts from interesting emails on the DeGruys that I've received over the past year. This first entry is from Jerry Freyder who will be joining Degruy-L soon: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "My wife, Karen Delahoussaye, is a direct descendant of the Verloin de Gruy family. Since my hobby is to research old Louisiana families, of course, I have saved every bit of information I came across on that line. The earliest de Gruy I currently have in my wife's direct line is Jean Baptist Antoine Valentin Verloin de Gruy, born about 1720 in Paris, France, died July 1759 in Kaskaskia, Illinois. His full name and title was Jean Baptiste Antoine Valentin, Ecuyer, Verloin De Gruy, Lord Dumenil Fouchard, Duke of France, Ecuyer, de la Folie. He was described as a "native of Paris" and a "native of Versailles." He was a French officer. As early as 1743, he appeared in various transactions connected with the exploitation of lead mines of the Illinois, according to the genealogist and historian Sidney Louis Villere. He was married to Marie Therese d'Aufrere, born December 29, 1728 in Dauphine, Alpes De Haute, France, and died after December 1792. After Jean Baptiste died, Marie Therese remarried Joseph des Mazilliers du Suau de la Croix Sr.and had at least five more children. I feel that the family name in France is probably Verloin. de Gruy and Dufrochard are probably "estate" names (names of properties either he or his family held). This was a common practice of naming children in early France." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ PS.... for those who haven't yet read it, you might take a look at the book, KASKASKIA UNDER THE FRENCH REGIME. There is also an interesting article [about 13 pages long] on Antoine Valentin in the Missouri Historical Review entitled: Antoine Valentin de Gruy: Early Missouri Explorer by Carl J. Ekberg... Antoine was in my neck of the woods south of St. Louis by a little bit .. Kaskaskia... and he forged rivers I drive over all the time... like the Meramec. The article gives his full name as Antoine Valentin de Gruy Verloins Dumesnil Fouchard de la Folie....According to the article, he arrived at Fort de Chartres around 1741. It says "He certainly was a member of the large De Gruy family from the area around New Orleans...." Hope you find this helpful.... Renee