Société Suisse de Généalogie Familiale

DESCOMBES, Larry
eMail address: ldesc@iland.net
(Presbyterian)

My DESCOMBES family immigrated from Switzerland to the Red River colony in Manitoba, arriving there, I believe during the winter of 1821-1822. In a short time, my great-great-great-grandfather David Louis DESCOMBES, his wife Ann Rose MONNIER and their children Frederick L. DESCOMBES, Charles Louis DESCOMBES and Louise DESCOMBES took leave of their contractual obligation to the proprietors of the colony and endured a perilous two year trek, immigated south into the US, arriving eventually at Fort Snelling in present day Minnesota. They then proceeded south to Saint Louis, Missouri where they took land. One son of David Louis DESCOMBES, Charles Louis DESCOMBES, was my great-great-grandfather and he homesteaded land in Johnson county, Missouri in 1856. I am proud to say I am the fifth generation of the DESCOMBES family to live on and own this farm. I have located burials and have considerable history on each of the aforementioned individuals, with the exception of Louise DESCOMBES. The information I have indicates Louise DESCOMBES married a man named Leions MONNIER 12 January 1830. Oral history indicates they may have traveled to California. Also the possibility exists they may have lived or visited at Griggsville, Illinois for a period of time, or a son or other kin of theirs was there. In family pictures we find a photograph taken by Clark's Gallery at Griggsville, Illinois, of an individual named Henry Edward MONNIER. He appears to be 20 - 35 years of age and clothing style would indicate date of photograph to be 1860-1890 range. I do know there was a David MONNIER and 10 of his family members who immigrated to the Red River colony on the same ship as my ancestors. Both David MONNIER and David Louis DESCOMBES families came to this continent from the Canton of Neuchatel in Switzerland. Any assistance anyone can provide in my search for the destiny of Louise DESCOMBES MONNIER will be greatly appreciated.