More than 60 years before Lewis and Clark began their famous expedition, Jean-Baptiste Amiot was already moving through the upper Great Lakes fur trade and into the Dakotas with the La Vérendrye expeditions. Why? To expand the fur trade westward, establish alliances with Indigenous nations, claim land for France, and find a water route to the Western Sea (Pacific Ocean).
How did a blacksmith at Fort Michilimackinac become part of such a far-reaching story? And why did he die in Green Bay?
Veteran genealogist Judy Nimer Muhn will unravel that mystery for the Oakland County Genealogical Society on September 1. Her presentation, “He Died in Green Bay? Why There?” uses Amiot’s life to demonstrate how extensive research can connect scattered clues across borders, jurisdictions, and collections, revealing fascinating stories that span continents.
Attendees will discover little-known sources in Michigan, Wisconsin, the Dakotas, and France, and see how unstoppable curiosity helped turn a surprising trail involving a lead tablet from 1743 into a defensible conclusion.
Muhn is president of both the Michigan Genealogical Council and Oakland County Genealogical Society. She has researched her family since age 12 and is known for expertise in French-Canadian, Acadian, Native American, Scottish, Michigan, Ontario, and Quebec research.
Register now at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/xtnXVzJCQHuhcAxBxj40uw for the 6:30 PM meeting on Tuesday, September 1st, to secure your spot and gain access to expert insights either at the West Bloomfield Township Public Library, 4600 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township 48323, or online via Zoom. We look forward to your participation!
