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The Montz Family of Louisiana 1721 - Present |
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by Monty Montz |
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Page 6 |
THE POOR WERE NOT THE ONLY PEOPLE LAW APPEALED TO FOR
his ventures. Land was not only stipulated to be given to those peasants venturing with him, but also
to be sold to those few who could afford the price. Even Law reserved two large concessions for himself--
a tract on the lower Arkansas River for which he was to settle .many people, and another tract on the lower
Mississippi River, below English Turn (Figure
2-1).
TO OPERATE THE TRACTS OF LAND, LAW KNEW THAT HE MUST HAVE laborers residing on the concession tract, and therefore,
appealed mostly to the Germans from the lands on both sides of the Rhine River and from
Switzerland. 11
THE TERRITORY OF ALSACE-LORRAINE:
THE TERRITORIES KNOWN AS ALSACE-LORRAINE WERE THE predominate areas of Europe in
which Law appealed for persons to immigrate to Louisiana. A description of this territory follows:
...a region on the German-French border rich in natural resources. It is a land of low hills connecting plains of France
and Germany. Conquerors have crossed it many times in both directions. For many centuries the people of Alsace-Lorraine
have been part French and part German. The two provinces have long served as first prize in wars between the two
countries. ...Alsace is now divided into the departments of Haut-Rhin (upper Rhine) and Bas-Rhin (lower Rhine).
Lorraine makes up the department known as Mozelle today.
ll lbid., p. 11.