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The Montz Family of Louisiana 1721 - Present |
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by Monty Montz |
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Page 28 |
THE ANSWERS AS TO WHY JOHANN CAME TO AMERICA CANNOT BE
determined readily, but clues as to various motives can be mentioned.
AS MENTIONED IN THE FIRST FEW CHAPTERS, THE CONCLUSIONS of the Thirty Years' War brought only pestilence
and ruin, especially to Alsace-Lorraine. The conditions persisted for many decades. Society almost
stopped in many localities. Formal schooling came to a halt. A child born after 1648 would have
probably relied on his parents or other relatives for an education only in the basics. By the time he
was thirty years old, he would have more than likely been illiterate had he not received this education.
Generations after the Crusades were probably slow in beginning a settled life again.
This fact is extremely important, and will be mentioned later.
BECAUSE OF THE DEVASTATION, THE REMEMBRANCES OF WAR, THE broken social progress, the opportunities lacking,
the lack of hope, the drudgery of toiling long and making little, could have all been events which led
Johann to venture to America. Or, it may have been the exaggerations of John Law's advertisements which
painted pictures in his mind. Reasons why he came can only be speculated, and history has no record.
HOW HE CAME:
JOHANN, AND WITH OTHER FAMILY MEMBER WHO MAY HAVE DIED ENROUT: came to Louisiana, as mentioned earlier, on the ship,
La Garonne, in March of 1721. Most facts indicate that at least Johann did come alone or with others,
THE INFORMATION FOUND IN THE BOOK AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, indicate that Andre Mance (Manz) was put off the ship
La Garonne at Brest, France, having departed from L' Orient, France (Fig.2-3).
DEILER ALSO GIVES A VERY GOOD PASSAGE INDICATING THAT THERE were sixteen persons total put ashore at Brest because
of illness. These persons were left in the care of "chez Ie Sieur Morel." Deiler also indicates that all
sixteen died (including Andre), between the 10th and 27th of February, 1721. It is most possible, as Deiler
indicates, that the disease was contracted before the ship left port (L'Orient, France), and also the disease
persisted after the ship left Europe for America.
