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Joe Litherland
Добавлен 19 май 2012
The French Community of Old Mines, Missouri
A short history of the French community of Old Mines, Missouri. A culturally unique area in the American mid-west where the language, culture, and customs of an original French colony has been preserved.
Просмотров: 12 543
you go twenty miles north of old mines and they are all German-Americans.
We were in Missouri long before the Corsican came to power in France. I am most happy when I think of my forbears as being subjects of the French king , rather than citizens of the later Republic.
"Bonjour on est toujours icitte"
As a child in the late 40's and early 50's there was a radio program on a station in Flat River Missouri which aired a program in Missouri French. I know of no persons in Washington County who currently speak french however.
Mining in the "Old Mines" area in the 18th and 19th centuries consisted of mining for lead (there are no coal beds in Washington County). In the 20th century barite (tiff) became a major mineral commodity. Coal was mined by the French along the Missouri River downstream from St. Charles at "Charbonier" Charbonier Road in north St. Louis Co is named for this site also. This outcrop along the Missouri River was also noted by Lewis and Clark in their famed expedition.
As you can see by my name I have very deep roots in regards to the French in Missouri. My dad was born in 1912 ,he told me of his adventures as a young man. One thing that bothered him most of his life was the evening when the young people in St Genevieve learned his family name and started speaking to him in french. He did not speak a word of french. No one spoke it in our "branch" of the family, the last one died in 1880.
sabineaussenac.blog.lemonde.fr/2015/07/18/la-poesie-cest-la-chanson-sous-la-guitare-rencontre-avec-zachary-richard/
Lupinssupins, I don't know Richard Admussen. I am independent of any university or educational institute. I just happen to speak French and Franco-American studies are a hobby of mine. I apologize if the words move too fast in the video. I am not overly savy with computers/software, and I admit I had help in making it. Furthermore, I have found that since the resources are hard for me to access living two states away, especially obtaining "legal" recordings of the traditional music, I probably won't be updating this video. You may be able to download this video and then play it slower through a different software. My advice would be to ask a computer whiz. I will still happily entertain any reasonable questions about Old Mines anyone might have and highly encourage any interested party who might have more accurate or in-depth information to create another video. Please be sensitive to the historical accuracy and the legitimacy of the material, however, and only post what you know to be true and in the public domain. There is enough inaccurate information floating around the internet already, and copywritting issues can bring serious legal consequences.. I would suggest contacting the OMAHS (Old Mines Area Historical Society) first before posting anything. They have experts who can pass judgement on the accuracy of things, or at least point you in the right direction.
Did you, by chance work with the late Prof. Richard Admussen, Romance Langs Chair at Washington U. in St. Louis in the 1970s? Il adorait Old Mines! Also, since you said you hope to redo this w/ local music... Even in English, the text moves a bit fast for today's students, in my experience, to keep up. Et quelques fautes de frappe-- "Over ridding," should be "overriding" and "it's youngest members" should be "its [no apostrophe] youngest members." Merci!
Dear FrankoLwizyann, Yes there are some old original recordings of Missouri French still in existence. If you truly are interested, I would suggest contacting the Old Mines Area Historical Society. They have a website online. Bonne chance mon ami!
De rien mon ami! ;-)
C'est très intéressant, merci beaucoup pour la vidéo!
I would be very interested in this too!
Sandie, we're probably related somehow or we're distant cousins. My grandmother was from Mineral Point, MO, and her father was born in Richwoods, MO. Her maiden name was Partney/Masson (Partenais dit Masson). I've been doing genealogy on that side of the family and I'm related to several lines of Portells, Boyers, Polittes, LaChances, DeClues, and other French families from this region. But after WWII my grandmother got married and left the area. I'm trying to learn more of my family history
C'est un très bon video. Merci beaucoup.
I know, and am working on getting some real music soon. I'm hoping to post a revised version of both the music and the slides in the next few months. When I created this presentation I was only able to use what was available on the internet at the time. Since I couldn't find any traditional tunes, this was the next best thing. Do you have any music you would be willing to provide?
It would be nice to have included a sample or two of some local musicians. Cajun music is not part of Missouri French culture, but there are some fine recordings of old-time fiddling and singing from Cadet and Old Mines.
im from cadet! i'd love to see that myself
Well, actually in a way, you're right. The word "Creole" is actually a general term which is applied fairly liberally to any people who speak a variety of a language, and/or who are descended from certain ethnic groups. Worldwide there are Spanish Creoles, Dutch Creoles, Malaysian Creoles, and many others. Normally it is just assumed in the U.S. that the term "Creole" means French Creoles or Spanish Creoles because those are the two major creole groups historically represented in the U.S.
Arcadians are those people who live in acadia (present day canada) and are descendants of French colonists. As for Creoles and Cajun, there are varying definitions, sometimes depends on your geography. However teh term cajun generally is only applied to French in Louisiana. In the Missouri area and more northern areas in New France (present day US) the term "creole" is normally applied to describe these ethnic populations.I've also even heard them describe themselves as simply "French."
BlackIrish Dave, I have some info on Frenchville, PA, give me your email address and I'll send it to you.
Mr. Joe: by chance, did you know any of my family...last names of some are Villmer, Portell, Zedar Boyer & family. I would love tpo have any pics as mine were all lost in disaster. Am so glad to have found yhour site/info. starfire713@gmail.com
I know about Frenchville, PA. Give me your email, and I send you some stuff about it.
That's VERY cool that you guys preserved the culture before it was gone. The same cannot be said of Frenchville Pennsylvania where my Grandparents came from. The language is completely gone as far as I know.
didn't preserve the dialect I live out there and I've never heard it. My parents were born in St. Louis but, I've lived here my whole life and, the house I live in was built by my fathers family in the late 1800s and, I have distant relatives here i'm just not sure what the family names are.
This is where my father was born and raised! Merci beaucoup. I don't speak the dialect, but heard it as I was growing up.
I have given the people of Old Mines my word that I would respect their privacy. If you are wanting names of French speakers or other individuals, I am at not at liberty to provide contact info. However, there is an Old Mines Area Historical Society that maintains a website and they also have a face-book presence. If you are looking for speakers, you can start your searching there.
I know a few people who still speak the old French, there aren't too many alive anymore.
Très intéressant de connaître cela !
hi, you know people from Missouri, who speaks the old language French?
I've lived in the old mines area most of my life, and i have never heard anyone speaking French besides in a French class when i was in high school. but, i'm sure some of the much older generation might I've just never personally heard it or thought to ask