Rt. 1  
Almyra, Ark. 72003
27 May 1974

Mrs. Rowena S. Kulhern 
Rt. 5. Box 151 
Rayville, La. 71269

Dear Mrs. Mulhern,

I am excited now to hear from you learned from the succession of the Widow 
Francoeur!   A daughter Nanette is entirely new so maybe we will have a 
new slant or possibly a whole new 'can of worms'.

I noticed when I looked over my copy of the Francoeur chronology that I
sent you that I listed that first census in one place as in 1786...it is 
correctly 1768.   I do have a 1749 census that lists Paul Mallet as an 
inhabitant at the Post; Malette Aine as a voyageurs in the Arkansas; 
bourgeois Francoeur located on the White River with four engages; bourgeois 
Tourangeaux on the St. Francis River with 3 engages.   It is my opinion 
that the father died, in Arkansas while living in the White River area 
and that the widow moved into the Post because of trouble with the Indians 
when the rule was changing from French to Spanish and that she then removed 
from the area with some of her children...I think there was probably a son 
Joseph who is the one you may find down there in the records.

As I wrote you before, I have two Pierre Perthuis still living here in 
Arkansas when the American records.  I am still working at unraveling
them and have not established their relationship.   One is called Pierre 
Perthuis Aine and the other Pierre Chevalier Perthuis.   The dit Chevalier 
appears in the lands records as 'heir at law of Francis Francure deceased' 
claiming land 'situate on the waters of White River in Arkansas Co. on 
which said Francure in his lifetime resided for many years as proven by 
the testimony of John Fayac'.   Incidentally, FAYAC is a name that I am 
still trying to get a clue concerning.   If you ever run across anything 
remotely resembling, will appreciate.   The closest I have found is in 
Natchitoches records where in 1744 a baptism of MARIE ANNE FAYEUX, dau. 
of Jean Fayeux, soldier of the marines and Francoise la Garrene(?). Pardon 
the digression.   Anyway, I still hold that the Francoeur and the Perthuis 
in Arkansas are all Intertwined!

In answer to your query...no, I am not a widow...husband very much in evidence. 
I was born in 1920, a first generation Arkansan.   My family came here from Iowa 
and I have absolutely no connection with any of these Frenchmen I am chasing 
up and down the Mississippi Valley...all my ancestors migrated to the midwest 
from N.C. and Va.   I graduated from TWU at Denton, Texas, in 1940, major, 
pathology and chemistry.   I married in 1940 and we have three sons. After
WW II (in which my husband served as a Naval Officer) we settled here on 
the family farm to raise our sons.   Son No. 1 graduated from Miss. State 
and is a career Air Force officer presently stationed in England.   Has been 
there four years plus and expects to return stateside next Spring.   He did 
two tours in Viet Nam and was awarded the Silver Star.   He is Married and they 
have our one and only grandchild.. .Miriam who is seven.   Son no 2 graduated from 
LSU, did four years as Army Intelligence Officer with one year in Viet Name and 
a tour in Germany.   He is married and lives in New Orleans.   No children and 
working in McDonald management area.   The next time we go to see them perhaps 
we can route through Rayville.   Marc was a language major which I find interesting 
since you indicate your grandson in this field…Marc hopes to get into McDonald 
international and use his Russian and French.