Rt. 1
Almyra, Ar 72003 
20 Jan 1980

Mrs. Alice D Forsyth
1100 Chartres St.
New Orleans, La. 70116

Dear Alice,   

I thought I would get to New Orleans for a visit and come by and see you before 
this now but it has not worked out.    Jerry has managed to get home with Matthew, 
our grandson, to visit often enough so that our reason for visiting has not been 
so compelling.

One thing I was especially wanting to check with you about was the enclosed. 
Anton Pregaldin, Clayton, Mo., generously helps me with translations and by 
sharing information from his personal research in the Catholic registers 
'up-river'.   I had asked him to check something in the New Madrid records at 
the Missouri Historical Society and he ran across this in the papers of 
Father Gibault from there.    I, of course, cannot read it, but he wrote me... 
"I enclose a copy of a letter dated 8 Nov l800, in which the Bishop of La. 
acknowledged receipt of copies of the baptisms, marriages and burials of New 
Madrid from 19 Jan 1796 until the fall of 1800.    I wonder if could still be 
found in the Archives of the New Orleans Archdiocese"....

No registers kept by Father Gibault at New Madrid have surfaced 'up-river' so 
far as he or I can determine.   Is there any possibility these 'copies' might 
still be in the holdings there???   I get giddy just contemplating such a find. 
I felt it was worth asking about although only a slim possibility.

I don't have a book and no. for this record but think it should be in the 
funeral records there as in the translation of the Succession of Catalina 
Chenal in the LaHQ, Vol, 26, p. 1224, there is bill for her funeral expenses 
receipted by Fr. Antonia de Sedella, making it appear that she died 26-28 
Feb. 1785.  In the last BULLETIN, I printed translations of some 1743 documents 
concerning this lady which were pertinent to her affairs of her first marriage 
to "Jean Francois Lepine in Ark.   I am working on a resume of this early Ark. 
resident family.   I will appreciate her death record if available.   It may shed 
additional light on her background.     Her name is found Anne Catherine Cheval 
(Chenal), widow 1st of Jean Francois Lepine, and 2nd of Charles Lincto (Languetau, 
Lentau).

I still work at the identity of those listed in the 1768 census of Ark. residents. 
Among these is GOGUETTE, his wife, children 2 boys, 1 girl.  I feel that the "girl" 
is the MARGUERITE GOGUETTE of the marriage on p 35 in your Book that took place 
19 Mar 1785.   I wonder if these references are not pertinent:  ST LOUIS CATHEDRAL 
BAPTISMAL REGISTER III (1753-1759). .. BODSON et GAUDRET    96: BODSON et GAUDET 97.
Then in REGISTER IV (1759-1762) is GODINETTE, Marguerite 107.    I am trying to tie 
together records spanning fifty some years found in several repositories which 
seem to fit and show that the man in Ark. was a French Canadian and and that the 
wife was a BOTSON from New Orleans and the children were named Marguerite, Etienne 
(Stephen, Estevan) and EXEUPEERE (from Spanish record and I have no idea what the 
French version should be, or the American).   Any time, at your convenience, I will 
appreciate a check on these references.

I do hope 1980 has started off well for you and will get better day by day.