This is a cool video of the cemetery of St. Joseph Church at Prairie du Rocher, IL. It’s one of the oldest parishes still in existence in what was the Pays des Illinois or Upper LA (before the French lost to the British in 1763). Margaret Kimbrall Brown who is

It was on this day 386 years ago – March 29, 1631 – that the French Marines were established. Of course, this birthday of the French Marines is a good occasion to recall the military service of the Father of all Vidrines in LA – Jean Baptiste Lapaise de Védrines

We often say that the world is small. I think we discover more and more through genealogy how small it really is. This was a discussion that took place yesterday at the Fort de Chartres page on Facebook. I asked a question on a random post, and this is the