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BELGIANS IN PERRY COUNTY, INDIANA :    Biographies of Belgian families 

Perry County: Albert, Allard, Bel(l), Belva, Bigonville, Bodart, Boly, Claise/clesse, Collignon, Collin, Damin, Dauby, Delaisse, Deom, Devillez, Ducat, Duparque, Dupont, Etienne, Evrard, Fanard, Fays, Flamion, Foury, Francois, Genet, Genlain, Georges, Gillardin, Goffinet, Grave, Gringoire, Guillaume, Hanouille, Harbaville, Houlmont, Hubert, Jacob, Jacques, Kergen, Lagrange, Lambert, Lamquin(lampkin), Lanotte, Laurent, Leclere, Lemaire, Marchal, Masson, Marciliat, Massut, Meunier, Morse, Naviaux, Nicolay, Pierrard, Pierre, Ponsard, Remy, Richard, Rogier, Spirlet, Tassin, Thi(e)ry, Tibessart

DUPARQUE

 
Jean Duparque born May 11, 1807, Florenville; married Marie Victoire Grandjean on January 22, 1832 at Florenville; married Julie Gringoire on February 27, 1849 at Florenville; death at Leopold, Perry Co, tombstone has no date.
Marie Victoire Grandjean born September 9, 1813 Bercheux (Juseret); death February 15, 1848, Florenville
Julie Gringoire born June 26, 1815, Martué (Lacuisine) .
Children:

Jean Joseph born October 18, 1834, Florenville; married Rosalene Hanonville on January 29, 1867; death July 2 1885, Leopold, Perry Co
Marguerite Victoire born August 1, 1837 Florenville; married Henry Lambert (see that name); married Joseph Thomas Thiery on April 30, 1857;  death October 17, 1914, Perry Co
Clementine Josephine born January 22, 1842, Florenville; married Peter G Speth (?); death December 11, 1883, Louisville, Jefferson Co, Ky
Marie Marguerite born April 2, 1844 Florenville;
Marie Eugenie born December 5, 1845 Florenville; married Eugene Dupont on September 2, 1868, Leopold; death April 30, 1881, Perry Co
 
There is a letter from Jean Duparque still existing. It was sent to the brother and the sister of Julie Gringoire in Paris in 1854. Annette Biazot from Florenville received it from Sylviane Gardien and sent it to Jean Ducat who published it in "Dentelle Belge". 
 
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I have the honor to write this letter to you, my children and me to let you know our arrival sending you my love and thanking you for the kindness you had for us the time we were in Paris.

Crossing the sea took 42 days without any disease. My children and I arrived in New- Orleans. We used the steamboat which by the river took us in 9 days to Oil Creek. we had two miles left to go to Leopold ,  we were loaded on two cars to the farm of J. B. Etienne where we were well received. From there we went to Gaspard Damain where we still are, waiting to have prepared the wood for the construction of a house in the center of our "40" parcel containing 60 " Earth days ." After having bought and paid for it, we still have quite a bit of money, but the problem is that I do not have here the soft and gentle mother of my children . We would be happy if she was with us because America is so rich that everything is in abundance, you can not get an idea. We are pleased to have arrived in time to be in a good position near the village (Section 36 , Row North) and I praise God for that.

Dear brothers- and sisters-in law, if you could make known to Jacques Jacob and Jo ... nese(?) that in the cities of America New Orleans , Louisville , Portland, ... we gain good wages . A young man who is able to keep his money for 10 years, he can go back.

You may say without doubt that I write late, but I wanted to know more and for sure.

Brothers and sisters, when I left you in Paris, I can tell you that I had a heavy heart, I felt that way a few days and still think of it. You will say to my dear wife Julie to deal in Paris where I treated and to those that will come with her, for Havre, it is much more expensive. You tell her to takes some linen in Paris. The linen in America is cheap but of poor quality. If she wants to take a half dozen plates, cups for lunch, a pair of tureens and dishes. That she bring me a nice pipe.For the record, as of today, we have two beautiful sows, eighteen chickens, a "day" of potato in bloom, a garden with all kinds of vegetables.

Our house will be made when Julie will come but I am researched for work (carpenter). Before Easter, I had hanged back the village bell that fell last week. I made a new belfry and "mouton" (piece of wood supporting a bell) . I renewed the tower, which earned me the admiration of the village because there was no one to Leopold capable of performing this work.

When I work out, I earn 10 francs per day, my son (John Jh) 5 francs and 10 cents and Marguerite 25 cents and food. When my wife will arrive, we will be four employees. When we'll have to live comfortably, we'll sell and we will return to Europe. Marguerite will soon be married and I will allow it after the arrival of my wife.

(One sentence seems to say he can easily place a few newcomers).

Do not exchange his gold and silver in Europe, bring 5-franc pieces, we only lose 5 cents on them ... for the 10 cent coin, we lose nothing, so take them! I finish my letter embracing all of you and my children, with all our heart. Hoping to hear from you fast and good.

Signed J. D., your friendly brother.

 
N D.L.R. All corners remaining free of the letter are full of very important last minute appendices.
 
You let me know how goes the family business with the famous Lavalle. Our address is Leopold, Perry County, Indiana, North America .

When mom comes and she has not enough money, well please lend her a little, I will send it back when she arrive, please. By Paris , it costs only 200 ... (? )

Compliment to all cousins, to Mr Gaupin and his wife. You may tell Miss Dessin and his brother they can come to new (Orleans?) that there is money to win easily. You will speak with Jean-Baptiste Masson, cooper. That address, we sent you here, it is outside the city, it is well known in town.

You can come up with my dear Julie and my two poor little children that we miss bitterly to see them coming and enjoy the location that I had the courage to "unravel" so long away, for our happiness and that of our children . I beg you not to let anything missing to my wife for her trip.

If she forgets, you will make her buy tea, coffee, chicory, but no drinks, they are too expensive. She may take all that at Le Havre. You will not be surprised that I will remember all my life of the kind welcome you gave us, I always praise it. The letter from Florenville (came) the same day as yours.

You will say to Julie that I wrote to you my position and tell the cousin Jacques and Jean ..nesse (?) They can preparing to come with my wife and children and they have good care of her when en route .

My wife will go on September 15, everybody going, following the say of a faithful parent who gathered all information.

As I have promised you, tell Julie your leave, she will be happy to hear it. Tell my wife she can buy what y told her in New Orleans, this is the same price as Paris. Here, a one-liter jug land costs 2.5 cent, and the rest for any pot (?). The address of Madeleine Dessin: Mr. Dechamel, rue de Bondy, 19.

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Sylviane Gardien recalls that other letters were written by Julie Gringoire in Leopold in 1859 stating the bad situation of the Belgian families, but those letters were lost. It's contradictory to the other information found and it seems that  Julie Gringoire and the two children they had in 1850 and 1852 (Marie Catherine and Jean Joseph) never went to America as Marie Catherine was married in 1879 at La Cuisine and Jean Joseph was married in 1883 at Florenville.
 
In the marriage register of Marie Catherine dated November 3, 1879, it is said "Marie Catherine Duparque, 29 y. o., born Florenville, Luxemburg, June 22, 1850, housewife,  living at Martué,  of age, daughter of Jean Duparque,  joiner, showed us an act delivered by the Juge of Florenville County, on October 28, registered at Florenville the same day, stating the absence of her father, who had Florenville as his last home in Belgium, and Julie Gringoire, housewife, here present.....
 
The act consisted in the testimony of four people saying that Jean duparque "... left the country in and about 1851, for a living in North America, Perry County, Indiana and since that time, never sent news and they don't know if he is still alive". The same procedure was followed for the marriage of Jean Joseph Duparque in 1883.