In a message dated 98-03-24 22:44:51 EST, [email protected] writes: << To all my fellow cousins that are not only hooked on geneaology but history too. Here is my short version of John Law and the Missippi Bubble. Hope its ok to put this on the rootslist, let me know if my keyboard needs taken away Father was William Law born Scotland around 1653, reportly entire family was close to Charles II, William was a wealty gold and silver merchant and also a man of the "CLOTH". His family dates back to the 15th century to Abeerdean Scotland. Mother was Jean Campbell, daughter of Duke of Argle, her mother was a Hamilton of England. They had 4 sons, John born around 1680, exact date can be found in local libraries.., William, Robert, and Hugh. >From all accounts, the brothers all stayed in Scotland. John's father William died, at age 50. the bulk of the estate, which was massive was left under the control of his wife Jean Campbell, who turned it over to her eldest son John. Both William and Jean's will are in the Scottish Registry. John was educated in Holland to become a banker and the goldsmith end he turned over to his younger brothers to run. In April of 1684, John law had a duel with "Edward Wilson" and killed him (copies of this are in the archives of the London Newspapers). John was tried in the Court of the King and Queen for 3 days and was found guilty of murder and sencented to death. Due to family connections with the crown, he received a pardon. Sometime in the next year, the brothers of Edward Wilson brought more charges against him and he was sent to prison. More friends in high places helped him escape to France. His mother died in 1707 and is buried in Grayfrairs Church beside her husband in Scotland. The Earl of Stair, who was the Embassor to France from England got him connected more with the court. By 1705. several pamplets he wrote were the "rage" of the courts. After the death of Louis the 14th of France, a good friend, The Duke of D'Orleans place the Banking of France in John's Hands. The Duke was the Regent acting in place to Louis the 15th, around age 5 at the time. May 20, 1716, John established the "Law and Company" with the backing of several good friends, the Earl of Stair, Lord Halifax, and the King of Sicily to name a few. in 1718 the Law and Company" was changed by Royal decree to the "Royal Bank of France". Between the years 1718 and 1721, John Law was said to be the most important person in France. On Aug. 17, 1717, John established the "Company of the West", to explore land and trade in Louisanna,which with its collapse becomes the Missippi Bubble. In 1718, John was appointed the "Controller General of Finances of France" that title being equal to a Prime Minister. At some point in time between 1718 and 1721 John started selling off his shares in the "Company of the West" and converting it to Gold (think he knew something he wasn't sharing with the rest?) Before he could get out of the country with the gold, he was found out and had to flee for his life. He fled to Brussels under the protection of some Duke there, can't remember his name off the top of my head and again Lord Stair, which comes first Earl or Lord? By 1721, John was living in Vience, a few bastard children under the protection of Lord Glenorachy....who was entering in a marraige bond with John's daughter. John returned to England sometime, accounts of him in the London papers, between 1721 and Dec of 1723. By 1725 he had returned to Vience where he died in 1729. Hope some of you were interested...Lynn >>