I am forwarding this to the group. If it is the second time you've received, apologies for that, just delete it. When I sent it the first time I did not realize it but I was not writing from my Degruylist address. So it got a "not a subscriber" label. I have searched the last couple of issues and cannot find it. So maybe the automatic Rootsweb device pitched it because it did not recognize me as a subscriber. I don't know. In any case since I really need to find out if anyone has any documentation on the death of Antoine, I feel it important to resend. -------- Original Message -------- Subject: {not a subscriber} Antoin Valentin...... please share any discrepancies with us.... Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2004 19:34:20 -0600 From: Renee H. Bennett <bennettrh@earthlink.net> To: Degruy-L@rootsweb.com Does anyone have any documentation on the death of our Antoine Valentin? Especially, where might he be buried? I spent the pm in the library looking for anything and came up empty handed as far as a grave site. And I searched some esoteric microfilms! This is what I was searching this pm.... I plan to look at the reel again.... Trouble is... it's in French and staring into a microfilm machine trying to read French makes me crosseyed - with a threat of imminent blindness! [Source: Microfilm C2899 includes Garrison Register 1825-1876; Parish registers of Notre Dame 1695-1834; St. Joseph 1761-1799; St. Anne de Fort De Chartres 1721-1765; Immaculate Conception at Kaskaskia; St. Joseph de Prairie de Rocher....] Here's what I have in my program. I may have sent this before, so I'm highlighting all the pertinent death info: Death: July 1759 Kaskaskia, St. Clair County, Illinois; Thelma Coignard also has him buried in Illinois [Keep in mind that Marie Therese Aufrere married Joseph Dussault de la CROIX [Dusiau] [Thelma Coignard has: De La Croix] [According to G. Freyder his name was: Joseph des Mazilliers du Suau de la Croix, Sr.] Yesterday I emailed details about Marie Therese's marriage to Dussault De Lacroix, Dussault s/ Dussault de la Croix - chevalier of the order of St, Louis, Mayor of the town of Gap in Dauphine - and Dame Marie Francoise Borel to Marie Therese Aufrere, Widow of Antoine de Gruys, lieutenant of the troops of the marine. Marriage date: 18 Feb 1760. So.... Valentin died in July 1759 and Marie Therese married 7 months later..... Now what is frustrating is that I can find with no trouble a marriage date for Joseph and Therese, but can't find a specific death date or location for Antoin. As much as I'd like to find his death date, I'd also like to find out when and why he came to America in the first place. I don't think they have passenger lists for the 1700's...and would he have been on a passenger ship or would he have been on a military ship; and, if so, did they keep records of who was on which military ship? Would he have gone to New Orleans and then have been assigned to Illinois? Anyway, what follows is from a variety of sources: Alice Fortier via David Perrin, Jerry Freyder...and Celine has sent separately other info. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Alice Fortier says he was a duke in France... maybe to do with Parma... Duke of Parma Full name: Jean Baptiste Antoine Valentin, Ecuyer, Verloin De Gruy, Lord Dumenil Fouchard, Duke of France, Ecuyer, de la Folie native of Versailles David Perrin has: Antoine Valentin DeGruÿsverloin Lord Dumenil Fouchard, Ecuyer de la Folie, Duc of Parma [Parme]. David says "There is no Jean Baptist before the Antoine" From Gerald Freyer: Hi Renee, Unfortunately, I do not have the parents of [Jean Baptist] Antoine Valentin Verloin de Gruy, born about 1720 in Paris, France, died July 1759 in Kaskaskia, Illinois. He was married to Marie Therese d'Aufrere, born December 29, 1728 in Dauphine, Alpes De Haute, France. Marie Therese died Aft. December 17, 1792. They were married about 1745 in New Orleans. [Jean Baptiste] Antoine Valentin Verloin de Gruy is a 5th and 6th great-grandfather of my wife, Karen Diane Delahoussaye. His full name 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." I take that to mean that he was born in the palace of Versailles. I have to admit, I have not focused on finding his parents, but I'm sure they would reveal a fascinating story. On October 1, 1740, he was listed as a Second lieutenant in Louisiana. As early as 1743, he appears in various transactions connected with the exploitation of the lead mines of the Illinois. It was, afterall, the exploration of minerals, (mostly gold which they did not find), that brought the French to America. On June 1, 1746, he was listed as an Ensign en pied. The following is a recount of his promotion (names in brackets were filled in by me): 1746, June 1 - Maurepas to Vaudreuil - officer promotions in response to various letters from 1744 and 1745. The King's decisions: Captain [Cesaire De Blanc] de Blanc [de Neuveville], commandant at Natchitoches, to replace the deceased [Louis Antoine Juchereau de] St. Denis. [Cesaire was the second Commandaner of Fort Saint Jean Baptiste des Natchitoches. He succeeded his father-in-law as commandant of the Post.] Sieurs [Jean?] Marest Dupuy and Hazeur [Francois Marie Joseph Ecuyer Hazeur de L'Orme] to captain. Six promoted to fill vacancies left by the deaths of Gauville, Magdenok, [Joseph? Hertel] de Rouville, and [Nicolas?] La Berge, plus the retirement of de Meric and Ballee, namely: [Pierre?] Voisin, La Perliere, [Antoine Pierre Philippe de Marigny de] Mandeville, [Jean Baptist Antoine Valentin Verloin] De Gruy, Masse, and [Francois "Robert" Gauthier Sr?] Montreuil. (to ensign en pied.) Laurent de Monbrun [Jean Baptiste Boucher de Monbrun de St. Laurent?] given rank of lieutenant reformed as reward for expedition against the Chickasaw; to lieutenant, Paupulus, de Villiers [Nicolas Antoine \Coulon\ de Villiers Jr.], du Coder. Cross of St. Louis approved for the Chevalier de Bertet and de Membrede [Jean Baptiste de Ruelan de Membrede?]. (THE VAUDREUIL PAPERS p.14). In 1746, his partnership in the lead mines with D. Declozeau was terminated. His death occurred about that time, between July and September 1759, according to local historian and genealogist Sidney Louis Villere. On March 13, 1748, he purchased, along with his mother-in-law, Maturine Guilmot, a windmill at Fort Chartres. [Illinois] He resided there at the time. The transaction said: Lieutenant des troupes de la marine, Lord Dumenil - Fouchard, Ecuyer, de la Folie, Officer of a company of infantry detached from the marine garrisoned in Illinois, residing in this town of Kaskaskia". On March 8, 1751, upon the birth record of his son Jean Baptiste, he was listed as an "Officer of the naval troops in this colony, a native of Paris". On October 15, 1752, he was a lieutenant. The following comes from the book, "The Vaudreuil Papers" 1752, Macarty (at Kaskaskia) to Vaudreuil: De Gruis' [Jean Baptist Antoine Valentin Verloin de Gruy?] mine very productive - will pay [Pierre Francois Marie?] Olivier by fall. De gruis on detachment in search of Lusignans who appeared at the mine with some Indians - is dangerous among enemies of the French since he knows the area well. (THE VAUDREUIL PAPERS p.147). What is interesting to me is that Pierre Francois Marie Olivier de Vezin is also one of my wife's ancestors. On July 1, 1759, he is listed as a captain. This is just before he is presumed to have died, according to Sidney Louis Villere. His wife's remarriage to Joseph des Mazilliers du Suau de la Croix Sr. on February 18, 1760 in New Orleans supports Villere's claim. If his parents were in Louisiana, I do not know. His wife's parents were Francois "Antoine" d'Aufrere, born about 1695 in Paris, France, and Marie Maturine Guillemot dit La Lande, born September 9, 1696 in Quebec, Canada. Her parents both died in New Orleans. Marie Therese must have lived past December 17, 1792, since she was present at the baptism of Julia Delphine Verloin De Gruy. The godparents were: Juan Bautista De Gruy [possibly her son] & Maria Theresa Aufrere, natives of Dauphine in France. Karen, my wife, is descended from this couple's daughter, Marie Therese de Gruy, who married Francois Cezar Boutte' from Gerry Freyder According to the Thelma Coignard sheet sent to me by David Perin on 4 Oct 04, in the following: (Jean Baptiste) Antoine Valentin DuFouchard Dumenil DeGruy.... the Jean Baptiste is wrong... and it should read: Antoine Valentine DeGruÿsVerloin, Lord Dumenil Fouchard; [Antoine Valentin De Gruys (with two dots over the 'y') Verloin. So I am changing this now.