Page 7 - Genealogy French Families Détroit River Revision 1701-1936 - Vol. 1

In the sumr of 1987, it will have been eleven years since the
publication of the Genealo of the French Familiee of the Detroit River
, as a bicent~o~c~f~etrait G t ~ o ~ 1 ~ 1
o
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Research and the Burton Historical Collection. It was the 200th Anniversary
of the signing of the American Declaration of Independence and we received the
printed books in the svmaer of that vear and bv Christmas the books were all
sold. We discovered that there were-many peapie of French American and French
~~ ~
Canadian ancestry.
Now ue are celebrating another bicentennial, the signing of the
Constitution of the United Statea of America an the 17th September 1787.
There were two men who had great influence in bringing about this document.
Thev were Gouverneur Morris of Pennsvlvania and John Jav of New York. Thev
were both of French descent. ~ouverieur Morris is credlted with the actuai
writing of the Constitution in a simple style. John Jay was the author of
many of the Federalist papers, advocating the ratification of the Constitution
! by the states and became the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme
court.
Michigan celebrates its sesqvicenterrniel in 1987, having been admitted to
~tatehood on 26 January 1837. There were hundreds of French people whose
ancestors were here before 1837 and their n-s are in these vol-s.
Our French ancestors have contributed much to the cultures of the
Arnericen and Canadian societies and we should be proud of them. Therefare,
the publication of this revision of the Genealoqyof the French Families of
the Detroit River Region, will help us to know rho they were. we hare stood
on the shoulders of Father Tanguay, Father Denissen, Clarence Burton end
others and now may others stand on ours.
I cotmend those volunteers who through loye, devotion and dadication have
made it possible for many more people to share the benefits of their research
and =king these volutes available to a new generation of readers.
Hamld Frederic Pawell PM
First Edition