Creole Colonial District  Mid-Mississippi River Valley

Provence de la Nouvelle France

1534 to 1763

With a North American land mass of approximately 800,000 square miles New France included Five Colonies
 
Canada, Acadia, Hudson, Newfoundland and Louisiana.
  Each Colony was governed by its own administration and pledged alegiance to

King Louis XIV or  Louis the Great of France - House of Bourbon
      1638 to 1715       

French Louisiana
1674  to  1762

  Decades before St.Louis and Ste.Genevieve were founded there was a large and thriving French Colonial settlement here in the Mid-Mississippi River valley known as Kaskaskia. It was born along the east bank of the Kaskaskia River in 1703 and inhabited by 18th century French settlers and an indigenous people known as the Kaskaskia. They lived in harmony in one of the New Worlds most remote locations for several generations. This vast area of North America was known to the French as the Illinois and included present day Missouri.
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  It is important to know that the presence of the Canadian French in the Mid-Mississippi River Valley during the American Colonial period was significant.
  Prior to 1762 the pioneer French included Farmers, Lead Miners, Fur Trappers and Indian Traders.
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  The wealthiest inhabitants of Upper Louisiana became the Chouteaus, the Papins, the De Lassus de Luzieres and the Valles. They would develop
 immense family dynasties and spawn the first generation of elite French Creoles.  Their homes were spacious, included libraries and hosted the most
important visiting dignitaries.
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Harriet's Great Great Grandfather Francois Valle arrived from Quebec at Kaskaskia in the late 1730's. Here he married Mademoiselle Marianne
 Billeron in 1748, daughter of Leonard Billeron - Royal Notary to the French Crown.  During their marriage they would amass more power
 and wealth than any other family of Upper Louisiana.

Spanish Ste. Genevieve 1762 to 1802

  Francois Valle's namesake and son Francois Valle II, hosted at his Ste.Genevieve home William Clark during his 1797 visit to Kaskaskia six
 years prior to the famous Lewis & Clark Expedition of 1803 orchestrated by President Thomas Jefferson
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It is understandable that Harriet's grandmother Catherine Valle, would have been influenced by many of the exceptional men and women who brought
 their business to the door of her parents Spanish Commandant and Madam Francois Valle II.  Catherine's exposure to the society of her father helped educate a very bright young lady and the greatness of the Valle wealth attracted promising advantages.
 
American Ste.Genevieve 1803   

 In 1803 at the age of 28 Robert Tarver Brown was among the earliest Americans to arrive in Ste. Genevieve after the Louisiana Purchase by the United
 States of America from Napoleon Bonaparte of France.  He was the eldest child of Colonel John and Mary Tarver Brown of  North Carolina and of English
 descent. He entered the French speaking Catholic society of Ste. Genevieve as an English speaking Protestant.  Family records indicate that Francois Valle II
 and Robert Traver Brown enjoyed a close friendship.
 
Robert Tarver Brown married Commandant & Madam Francois Valle's daughter Catherine Valle on June 1, 1807. Their marriage was performed at
 the home of her Uncle Jean Baptiste Valle, who had the authority of Justice of the Peace of Ste. Genevieve. The War of 1812 called Robert T. Brown and commissioned him an officer.  In later years he attained the rank of Colonel. In 1821 he was selected to be a delegate to the convention which framed the first
Constitution of the State of Missouri.

  Robert Tarver Brown served in the State Legislature and Senate.  Robert and Catherine were known for their great kindness of  character and noted
 for their thoughtful and generous charity.  They raised a large family of their own and opened their home to several orphans.
Robert and Catherine Valle Brown were laid to rest in the Mount Hope Cemetery at Perryville, Missouri in the 1840's.