11 October 1973

Mrs. Alice D. Forsyth, Archivist 
St. Louis Cathedral 
615 Pere Antoine Alley 
New Orleans, La. 70116

Dear Mrs. Forsyth:

Thank you so much for the information in your last letter...these are all 
definitely part of the story here and every small piece helps to bridge 
and build.

I have just received photostats of some more indices and several exciting 
possibilities are indicated.   Probably someone else has noted this but I 
am most excited to make my own conclusion concerning one who possible 
was in the original Law colony group here in Arkansas.   In your Pest Ships 
book (which you so generously gave me), listed on page 2, as a passenger 
on "Les Deux Freres" is PIERRE BONTEMP of Tierache under "miners of Cambray". 
In a 1749 census of "Voyageurs" in the Arkansas is found BONTEMPS a 
"Bourgeois" employing three "engages".   In Marriage Contracts of Natchitoches 
(see photostat attached) I found marriage of a daughter of a Pierre Bontem(p)s 
(her record shows CICILLE) but the following prove BONTEMPS) who was born in 
ARKANSAS.   I haven't run across his marriage record but I did note in the 
Book I (1720-1730) index.. "BOTSON, Claude to CHENE, Magdeleine   p 53". This 
just has to be the parents of his widow, remarrying in No. 22 on the attached. 
If I could have the names in this entry, possibly they contain other 'clues'.

In the four 1744 records I sent you, a Louise Marchand is listed as godmother 
in two instances.   In the Marriage Register of St. Louis Basilica Index, 
1731-1737 copied by Mrs. Thelma Coignard, I find "MARCHAND, Louise & REIBAUT, 
Lambert   p 55".   Again, perhaps this could be pertinent as I do have LAMBERTS 
at a later date and the names in this entry would afford another glimmer.

In marriages of a later date, I found several that almost have to 'fit' into 
families associated with the Arkansas.   I may be asking for too much but how 
can you know of my interest if I don't ask?? So....
In MARRIAGE REGISTER OF ST. LOUIS BASILICA ~ Register B - 1764 - 1774...
	JACQUELIN avec LEPINE     80 (several Lepine references in records you copied) 
	LAMBERT avec MAISON       15 (a Joseph Mason still on hand when Americans
 				      take over and is also listed in records copied)
	PERTHUIS avec DEROCHE     23 (I think this is marriage record of the Nicolas's
				      parents whose death record you gave me in your 
				      last letter and his grandparents interest me.)
	LANDRONY avec REGNISSE    46  (Remember the Landrony in the 1744 entries?)

In MARRIAGE REGISTER VOL 1 • 1777 - 1784 * only one surname is given so I am 
not sure whether this indicates marriage record for a person of this name or 
whether a person of this name appears on page indicated in some other capacity. 
In one instance there is no number extended by the name.   These are exciting 
possibles... BOUTON (no number) - I have a resident into American era whose 
marriage is recorded in the records you copied, Michel Pettersal, and a couple 
of children baptised in 1764, whose mother was Marie Francoise BOUTON; LAMBERT 
and FRANCUZER both on p 2 and LANDRONI on p 4 which could fit with the families 
per our previous letters: EMBO p .145 * This is just one of the many variant 
spellings of a large family continuing in the area well into American period 
and the records you copied as IMBEAU, HIMBEAU, IMBAULT, AMBO also; PRENGLE 
on 28 - This is most exciting as this is the first place I have found this name 
in hunting up and down the river, that is, one even close to the PRINGLE, BRINGLE