The French were represented among the early inhabitants of Lunenburg by such families as the Fontaines, the Maurys, the LeGrands and the Michauxs. These French were the Huguenots who from the Massacre of St. Bartholomew to and after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes suffered most infamous outrages, which forced hundreds of thousands to flee from that country. Of these Huguenots thus driven from France, John Jay said they "carried industry, intelligence and prosperity, light, truth and happiness to other lands, including our own". Ref: Address before the Huguenot Society of America, at NY October 22, 1885. No inconsiderable part of these French Protestants finally came to Virginia, and a very considerable number of their descendants found their homes in ancient Lunenburg. The part which the Fontaines and the Maurys have had in the history of the Huguenot Emigration, a history which has been quite well written, cannot for lack of space be repeated here. Almost without exception, these refugees were persons of excellent qualities, peaceable citizens, and many rose to stations of very high importance. OLD FREE STATE.... Margaret

Dear Georgia and all, This should be helpful to all who seek information about their Huguenot ancestors. Posted: June 4, 2003 Huguenot Library Now at NSDAR Eric Grundset, DAR Library Director, recently announced that the DAR Library had signed an agreement with the National Huguenot Society to be the custodian of that society's important collection of volumes, which catalog the history of the French Huguenots in America. Regards, Margaret