Volume 12:2—The French in Illinois, Pre-Statehood to the Twentieth Century

The first article in this volume deplores the neglect of the French colonial period by Illinois historians since the middle of the twentieth century. This lapse contrasts sharply with the attitude of both professional and amateur historians of the nineteenth century who accepted without question the early French presence as part of their own heritage and most of whom praised the way the French had organized their society. The author of the article brings to light the community spirit and peaceful cooperativeness of the French settlers as they engaged in their agricultural activities-a marked contrast to the violent tendencies of the early American settlers. The second article further explores the high quality of life enjoyed by the French, their customs, the status of women who experienced greater independence than their counterparts in the Anglo-Saxon world, and the more liberal treatment of slaves.

The third article examines the position and role of French women in the merging of French and American cultures during the territorial period of Illinois when new and affluent immigrants from France and French Canada contributed leadership in the business of the fur trade as well as in politics. The Frenchman Nicholas Jarrot was a prosperous merchant and judge in Cahokia, and Pierre Menard, from Quebec, built his wealth in trading, acted as Indian agent for the federal government, and was elected first lieutenant governor of the state. (An overview of the French period can be found in "Cultural Conflicts: The French and the Anglo-Americans in Pre-statehood Illinois," Illinois History Teacher, vol. 9:1, 2002. Past issues may viewed by clicking the link to the "NIU Library" on http://www.state.il.us/hpa/illinoishistoryteacher.htm). A large number of French, French Canadians and other people from French-speaking countries settled in various parts of Illinois between the middle of the nineteenth century and the early years of the twentieth century. Among these were the French in Nauvoo and Chicago, the French Canadians in Assumption, and the Swiss Waldensians in Ottawa and Odell. The largest group was composed of French Canadians, French, and Belgian families who settled in Kankakee and Iroquois counties, and is the subject of the last article in this volume. The smaller number of French and French-speaking immigrants had a lesser impact on the social, economic, and political life of Illinois in comparison with the Germans and the Irish. They generally blended more rapidly into the American mainstream. Still, their contribution to Illinois history is no less significant. They assisted the Americans in dealing with the environment and the Native Americans during the territorial period. Individuals became known in their respective professions such as Alfred J. Piquenard. Nauvoo, who became one of the midwest's leading architects (Illinois State Capitol Building, David Davis Mansion in Bloomington). The French Canadian clerics of St. Viator established St. Viator's College in Bourbonnais in 1868. The college not only offered a traditional liberal arts program but served as a seminary for a number of Chicago priests until the founding of St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in 1920. The vast majority of the French-speaking people who settled in Illinois were Roman Catholic. Perhaps their most enduring legacy can be found in the churches they built-ones that can still be seen today in Cahokia, Chicago, and Kankakee and Iroquois counties.

B. Pierre Lebeau

Guest Editor

Illinois History Teacher