Un petit amuse-bouche*
This April Cheves Leland, Researcher for the Society, is going to France with Susan Bates for two weeks of research and travel.They will begin in Paris where they plan to visit the Bibliothèque de la Société de l'Histoire du Protestantisme Français (the Library of the Society of the History of French Protestantism), as well as checking out the National Archives, built on the site of the hotel particulaire of the Guise family who planned the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre in August, 1572.From there, after a stop to see the Grotte de Lascaux (maybe our very early ancestors, even though not Protestant?), they will drive to Angouleme – not because it is a center for chocolate, though that is enticing, but to visit the departmental archives there in search of family files of ancestors who were from that area.From there, their trip will take them to Ile-de-Ré, off the coast of La Rochelle where they hope to see the Tour d’Hastrel, formerly owned by Arnaud Bruneau who left the island c. 1685 with his son and 7 year old grandson. He himself was 75 years of age when he set out for Carolina where he died some 10 years later at his home Ouanthee on the Santee River, still hoping that “the true religion” would be accepted in France and that his grandson could return and claim his family home.After a week-end on Ile-de-Ré, they will spend several days looking at files in the archives in La Rochelle, as well as visiting Poitiers and Niort , where they will also meet with a group of researchers and genealogists.They also plan to drive through Pons, Saint Jean d’Angely and possibly to identify Cramahé and a few other places while they are traveling. After attending Easter Services in La Tremblade, home of several Carolina refugees, they will then fly back to Charleston.Once they return, they will add any new information about the immigrant ancestors to their book on French Santee which really is almost finished – a few footnotes and lineages to check and re-check and then it goes to the publisher.If they are able to figure out how to send messages from France to this site, they will. If not, look for more blogs after their return.*Amuse-bouche is French for snack or appetizer (literally: something which beguiles or entertains the mouth)