26 October 2014

The Ozarks as New France

Earlier today a friend of mine passed this video along. I thought it would be worth a watch for my readers as well. As my regulars know, I love visiting this part of New France when I'm in the U.S. 
Enjoy!

5 comments:

  1. Thanks, Joseph. There may be a link between the mines in Missouri and Detroit. Cadillac arrived in Louisiane at what became Mobile, Alabama, in 1713 to serve as governor there after being removed from command in Detroit and leaving in 1711. He visited Illinois territory, traveling from Fort Louis to Kaskaskia in 1715, to investigate a possible silver mine that may have been originally located by Jacques Mainville, first husband of Catherine Lescuyer, wife of Michel Germaneau in her second marriage in 1717. Mainville / Miville also reportedly found a mine on the Ouabache / Wabash.

    See NAC, F-472. Cadillac’s letter written at Kaskaskia is dated 18 May 1715. As Jean Delanglez reports, “Cadillac left for the north without telling anybody or giving Bienville orders. The latter found out he was gone a week after his departure (186), and two months later Bienville learned that Cadillac ‘was going to the Illinois country’.” Jean Delanglez, “Cadillac’s Last Years,” Mid-America, an historical review, Vol 33, 1951, 3-42, p. 26, foootnote 61, citing Mississippi Provincial Archives, III, 181 ff. Cadillac was gone eight months. He left one of his sons there to work the mine.

    Further documentation for Cadillac there in 1715:
    Copie d'une lettre de Monnoir à son père Ramezay, 1715, août, 28, "... Cadillac est "aux Kaskaskias à la découverte d'une mine d'argent";" He was looking for a silver mine.

    Library and Archives Canada, Online MIKAN no. 3066473 (3 items)

    Copie d'une lettre de d'Adoucourt à son père le baron de Longueuil, 1715, août, 22, "découverte de mines par Cadillac aux Kaskaskias: le fils de celui-ci est resté avec 40 hommes pour y travailler;" Online MIKAN no. 3064725 (6 items)

    Extrait d'une lettre de Claude de Ramezay et Michel Bégon au ministre - "Dadencour et Monnoir rapportent que Lamothe Cadillac s'est rendu aux Kaskaskias, accompagné de deux fondeurs espagnols, pour examiner des mines d'or et d'argent et qu'il y a laissé son fils pour y travailler: ils ont appris cette nouvelle par une lettre du missionnaire jésuite Jean-Marie de Villes adressée à Vinsenne. 1715, novembre, 07, Online MIKAN no. 3074200 (1 item)

    Lettre de Ramezay au ministre, 1715, novembre, 03, "rapport du père de Villes à Vinsenne sur le séjour de Cadillac aux Kaskaskias pour la recherche de mines d'or et d'argent" Online MIKAN no. 3066478 (5 items)

    Also, MIKAN to be checked:
    Extrait d'une lettre de Dadencour à Longueuil - doit aller hiverner aux Kaskaskias où Lamothe Cadillac a trouvé des mines; le jésuite Jean-Marie de Villes, dans une lettre à Vinsenne, marque que Cadillac a trouvé une mine "fort abondante où il y a moitié or et moitié argent" et qu'il y a laissé son fils avec 40 hommes pour y travailler; on rapporte que les deux fondeurs espagnols ont trouvé une autre mine.

    Since Cadillac was removed from Louisiane in 1716, I do not know whether his son remained (or who this son was). One was put into the Bastille with his father for a time after their arrival in France.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wikipedia shows a historical marker at the site of the first lead mine in Missouri

    A historical marker in Mine La Motte, Missouri commemorating the first lead mine in the Missouri. The text reads: This tablet marks the site of the first lead mine opened in the Mississippi Valley about the year 1700. It is named for Antoine De LaMotte Cadillac, governor of Louisiana 1710-1717. Erected December 7, 1933, by the State Society Daughters of the American Colonists and the John Forster Chapter founded by Katharine Forster Cayce. Mrs. Edward Thurman Smith State Regent Mrs. James W. Highley - Chapter Regent

    Note that the dates are off the mark.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sebastien LefrancoisOctober 26, 2014 at 7:52 PM

    So Great!

    You pobably already knows this book where it has a complete text about Old Mine area. See author's blog: http://www.septentrion.qc.ca/blogue/journee-memorable-au-missouri-suite

    ReplyDelete
  4. There's a photo of the marker on the Old Mines French Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/oldminesfrench, from mid-October.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for the link! I could have sworn I had a link to Old Mines on Electronic New France... I'll have to remedy that!
    Can't wait to see Old Mines myself! My guide was supposed to drive me there when... uh, I guess he got distracted and we ended up in St-Louis. I, not knowing the fastest routes there, just trusted him until I finally caved to my worries and asked him. He had completely forgotten! We promised each other to return eventually.

    ReplyDelete

Les messages sont vérifiés avant d'être affichés. / Comments are moderated.