Journal
of the Milice de Ste. Famille
Volume
13, No. 3, May 2001
Boy, I don’t know how we do it, but each year Frog Talk just keep< getting better. Beth and Steve were very impressed with our hospitality and with the Illinoi< country. Steve thought Fort de Chartre< wa< a wonderful place.
Many thank< to all who attended and took
part. Special thank< to Lyle and Tom
for all their hard work to put thi< together. Thank< to Ru<<, Jim, Dave for their work on the auction.
Thank< to Lynn Corneliu< for arranging the dinner.
I think we can all be proud to be member< of
Le Milice de Sainte Famille.
Several of the Milice took part in the Colonial
Trade Faire and Musket Frolic April 27-29.
We had a fine time. I talked
with Rick Hepperman and several other members of the Chasseur< du
Datchurat. They had hoped for a larger
Milice participation. After all, the
Fort i< our home base. I was assured
they do not want to be the “authenticity Nazi<”. However, if you have a plastic ground cloth sticking out the
front, you will be asked to cover it.
If you bring in an ice chest, hide it at the back of your tent. Don’t leave it out front with a blanked over
it. They do want people in proper
shoe< and eyewear. These thing<
jump out at you. Thi< i< a good
quality event. It keep< you sharp
a< to what i< correct and what i< not. And if it i< not correct, don’t let anyone see it. I hope to see more Milice participation
here. If nothing else we can show them
clothing come< in more color< than brown.
Lot< of great event< coming up
St. Charles< - May 19-20
Old Mine< -
May 19-20
F&I - Fort Massac - May 26-27
June Rendeavous< - June 2-3
Colonial Tool Time - Cahokia Courthouse - June 16
Fort Ticonderoga - June 23-24 - I am looking
forward to this<. This< will be
my first visit.
I am looking forward to seeing you at the Fort in
June, if not before. Until then
I remain,
Your Most Humble Servant
Jean Baptiste Tavernier, Captain
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Bonjour,
I was very honoured to have been invited to the School of the Soldier; the hospitality and warmth of everyone ensured that I will have fond memories of the Illinois. It is an important part of New France that I had little knowledge of. My wife has had her ear chewed off from everything I had to tell her of this weekend. The Cubberly’s were very good hosts and made me feel quite welcomed. Lyle was a very good guide of the region’s interesting sites. I bought a few books, and will read more on the region and its history.
Please forward my salutations to all
Your most humble and obliged servant,
Steve Delisle
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Hey folks:
Here are the final numbers for FT 2001. As you can see, we ended up making money. Talking with other folks they thought the event was one of the best. Tome and I want to thank everyone who helped make FT 2001 the great success it was. We couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks
Your humble servants
Tom & Lyle
Frog Talk
2001 Expenses & Income
Expenses
Food - Tom & Lyle (Breakfast, lunch & Dinner) $180.53
Beer - Huntley’s 106.00
Friday dinner (Simms - prime rib for speakers) 17.00
Wine & Ice - Huntley’s 21.45
Port-a-John’s 245.00
Gas - Cleon & Dan 90.00
Plane tickets 551.00
Saturday dinner (difference on what guaranteed & collected) 42.00
Steve Mon. & Tues. sightseeing 50.00
Marshall - parking at airport 5.00
Printing & Postage (fliers & begging letters) 100.00
Expenses Total $1407.98
Income
Society of Colonial Wars - donation $1300.00
Auction 2456.00
Earl (pewter medallions) 100.00
Income Total $3856.00
Grand Total + $2448.02
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The following was submitted anonymously –
Phase I – You want to buy anything and everything that even LOOKS like it might possibly be associated with the 18th century
Phase II – You try to find documentation to prove that all that stuff you bought really did exist
Phase III – You feel you HAVE to attend every reenactment event in your region or all your new friends will forget who you are, or perhaps because you just enjoy dressing in that pair of stays so much!!
Phase IV – You start to think about moving to a different group of friends, just to see if you can be more challenged.
Phase V – You start being more selective, not only about the group you camp with, but the events you choose to attend. Less “Circus” events, more juried events. You being to see that, just because someone has a lot of advice to offer, doesn’t mean the advice is worth receiving.
Phase VI – You decide to have a large blanket sale to get rid of all that stuff you bought during Phase I and you start to feel you are truly and “18th Century” or “F&I” Woman.
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From a friend in New Brunswick
First, I will introduce myself. My name is Val Walsh and I live in Saint John, NB (The Canadian Province of New Brunswick is between Maine and Nova Scotia for those who do not know). DeLancey’s Brigade, 2nd Batt., Capt. Allison’s Company is a small group –two dozen in all. We do Revwar, and portray soldiers and their families in the spring of 1783. This was the time England gave American Loyalist soldiers land grants in various part of Canada, including our area, the proving of New Brunswick. When we do F&I, for Louisbourg, we magically become Whiting’s Co., 2nd Connecticut.
Here is a list of the ways Living History changes one’s life!
1. You admire curtains when you go to someone’s house for the first time, but what you’re really thinking is “what a great saque-back gown those would make”.
2. Your Significant Other, who previously knew nothing about sewing or textiles, feels a fabric and says “that’s linen, isn’t it?” And a few years later says “that’s got polyester in it”. And he is well used to being one of the few males in a fabric store who actually looks at the fabrics.
3. You are so used to going into grocery stores, banking machines, etc. in 18c garb while away for an encampment that you really have to stop and think before you realize why people are staring.
4. You buy your vehicle, plan your summer, make your Christmas wish list around 18c needs.
5. You go to yard sales, second-hand stores, church sales and zoom in on anything metal or wood.
6. Your family and friends are now so used to you that they know many 18c terms (and they let you ramble on).
7. You don’t see anything unusual about spending your winters on the computer and your summers sleeping under canvas and cooking with wood.
8. You realize that even though 2001 will be your ninth summer as a re-enactor, you have so much more to learn, so many more books to read, so many events you’d like to attend, so many people you’d like to meet face-to-face, that you’ll probably be doing this for years to come, and this is a VERY happy thought!
Cheers,
Val Walsh
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Please add the following people or make the following changes to your roster -----
Joe Armbruster
3840 Wilmington Ave., Apt. 1E
St. Louis MO 63116
314-351-4750 Joebear764@aol.com
Randy Simmermacher
125 Forrest Park Rd.
Bartlesville OK 74003
918-337-0296
Art Vasterling
5444 Goethe
St. Louis MO 63109
314-351-9314
new email addresses –
Ken & Susie Brigman brigman1@mindspring.com
Carol Luer annabelle3@earthlink.net
John Mefford kukuwa@mindspring.com
New phone number
Bill Sorgman 233-3041
Correction of zip code
Carol Scherer 63043
If you’d like a new copy of the roster, email me or send a note and I will get one to you - Lynn
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For those who like dancing here is a source of English country dancing music – Barb Smart
This CD-ROM was published by The Dolmetsch Historical Dance Society on the occasion of the 350th anniversary of the publication of John Playford’s The English Dancing Master (1651). Price: $35.00 US, plus $3.50 postage and handling.
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At the basic training weekend at Fort Massac, I came across the most extraordinary hair piece. It is “string wig”. It is very simple and easy and looks great. – John Mefford
Small 3.5-4 inches wide - $15.00
Large 6 inches wide - $30.00
Plus $3.50 shiping.
These are human hair and will be matched to your own hair color and texture.
Contact:
Joan A. Spratt
1408 Mayview Road
Pittsburg PA 15241-3609
412-221-1252 www.madeamejoan.homestead.com
Web sites to try –
Lewis & Clark Heritage Days http://lewisandclark.net/heritagdays/index.htm
Alliance de la Nouvelle France http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AllNouvFrance
The Trunk Shoppe http://www.thetrunkshoppe.com
John Mefford’s daughter Nona http://www.littlenicola.com
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