Why was Marie writing a will?
For French settlers living in Illinois, the
physical distance between France and Illinois was far greater
than was the spiritual, intellectual, or emotional distance. In
North America, French settlers maintained and enforced the
customs and traditions in which they had been raised. The
French marked the rituals of daily life--from the purchase of
flour to the birth of a child--with a variety of legal
documents and contracts. By writing a will, in the presence of
witnesses and a notary, Marie Rouensa revealed how much she
felt a part of the French community.
© Illinois State Museum
31-Dec-96