Photographs Relating to the Creely Family

This page is for photos and pictures that I have collected of locations and objects relating to the Creely family. You may click on any of them (except photo 7) to enlarge them.

Please note that I am the copyright owner of all of these photos unless otherwise noted. I grant permission for these photos to be used for personal genealogical, non-commercial use. Any other personal use or commercial use is not permitted without contacting me at russwarne (at) gmail (dot) com.

Photo 1

St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana.

This is the site of the marriage between Jean Baptiste Creely and Marie Françoise Ayete--the first Creely marriage in America, which took place on 27 October 1727. That marriage took place in the second building to occupy the site (drawing of the building), which was made of brick and timber. The current cathedral was built between 1789 and 1794.

Photo 2

St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana.

This photo was taken from the other side of Jackson Square, which during French colonial times was called Place d'Armes.

Photo 3

Point Coupée Museum, outside of New Roads, Point Coupée, Louisiana.

This museum is a restored home that shows colonial architecture typical of Louisiana and Illinois during the French colonial period. The left two-thirds of this home were built in the 1760's and the right third is from the 20th century. The museum is on the banks of the False River, which is an oxbow lake that used to be part of the Mississippi. Jean Baptiste Creely and Marie Françoise Ayete lived in Point Coupée along the False River (which was then part of the Mississippi River) sometime between their 1727 marriage and their relocation to Kaskaskia. Their house likely looked something like this.

A similar 1740's building still survives in Cahokia, Illinois.

Photo 4

Statue of St. Francis of Assisi in the Point Coupée parish church outside of New Roads, Point Coupée, Louisiana.

This statue of St. Francis was carved by converted Indians in the 1730's for the parish church and it is likely that Jean Baptiste Creely and Marie Françoise Ayete were familiar with it. The current church was built in the 1890's when the changing course of Mississippi River threatened the building. Some of the timbers in the roof, though, are from the original 18th century church. There is also a model of the original building inside the current church.

Photo 5

The Mississippi River, with the approximate location of Old Kaskaskia in the background, behind the trees.

This picture, taken from Fort Kaskaskia State Park in 2008, shows the Mississippi River. In 1881 the river permanently changed course, burying the old town. Norris estimates that 95% of the site of the old town is today underwater.

Photo 6

The Mississippi River and Old Kaskaskia in 1895.

This photo and photos 5 and 7 were taken from approximately the same location (what is now Fort Kaskaskia State Park). As is apparent in his photo, the destruction of Kaskaskia was not immediate. Photo taken from Decisive Dates in Illinois History, by Lottie E. Jones (1909), p. 125. It is in the public domain.

Photo 7

The Mississippi River and Old Kaskaskia in 1893.

Photo taken from Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois (1915), p. 315. It is in the public domain.

Photos 8 and 9

"A Plan of Cascaskies," c. 1766, originally published in The Present State of the European Settlements on the Mississippi, by Captain Philip Pittman, 1770. This image is in the public domain.

Same map, but enlarged with a few explanations in it.

The original map has a scale and these explanations, but it was not available in the copy that I used to get this graphic. The resolution in this picture isn't terrific, so there are some labels that aren't readable. The dotted line towards the south is labeled "Road to the Woods." the two dotted lines leading towards the west are both labeled, "Road to Fort de Chartres." Finally, the dotted line leading from the north of the city is labeled "Road to Mde. Paget's Mill." Each rectangular dot in the city area represents a building, of which I count just under 90. Not all of these were houses (there was the parish church, the Jesuits' mission chapel, and the Jesuit brewery, for example), but even if they were, there would not be enough building to house all the people living in Kaskaskia at the time (between 900 and 1,000). There were surely additional buildings not shown on this map. This image is not in the public domain and its use is bound to the same conditions that are listed at the top of this web site.

The best copy of this map is published in The Making of Urban America: A History of City Planning in the United States, by John William Reps, p. 74. Reps's book was published in 1992.

Photo 10

Modern Kaskaskia.

Modern Kaskaskia barely exists today and is little more than agricultural fields. These same fields were cultivated by three generations of Creelys before they moved to the St. Louis area.

Photo 11

Kaskaskia Bell State Historic Site (at left) and Immaculate Conception Catholic Church (at right).

The building on the left is from 1948 and the church was built in 1891. This photo was taken by Charles Houchin. Attribution required if the photo is used. See details at Wikipedia Commons.

Photo 12

Interior, Kaskaskia Bell State Historic Site.

The old parish church bell, today called "The Liberty Bell of the West," was the bell that called the Creelys and their neighbors to mass for decades. It rang to announce their births, their marriages, their deaths, and the overthrow of the British by the Americans. Today it is the strongest physical link to the early history of the Creely family.

Also see additional photos of Kaskaskia Bell State Historical Site. Also of note is the Immaculate Conception Church next door, which has some colonial era artifacts in it.

Photo 13

Cahokia Courthouse State Historic Site.

This building is a home constructed in the mid 18th century in the traditional French style. Most citizens of Kaskaskia during the French period would have lived in homes resembling this one. This structure later served as the county courthouse and was also part of the St. Louis 1904 World's Fair. Today it is a museum of early Illinois history. (This photo is available in a higher resolution if you email me asking for one.)

Photo 14

Interior of Fort de Chartres.

Fort de Chartres was built in 1756, replacing an earlier structure with the same name that was built nearby. Today portions of the fort have been beautifully restored and the site includes of museum with artifacts of French colonial military, domestic, political, and economic life. This photo is of the walls (on the right and in the background) and the powder magazine (the triangular building), which is the oldest building in Illinois. (This photo is available in a higher resolution if you email me asking for one.)

Photo 15

Old St. Ferdinand's Shrine, Florissant, St. Louis, Missouri.

Old St. Ferdinand's Shrine, built in 1821 and is the oldest standing church building between the Mississippi and Rockies. When the Creelys left Kaskaskia, one branch went to St. Louis, another to Wisconsin (after staying in St. Louis for a few years), and another went to Florissant. This church was the location of the following marriages:

• Joseph Ménard and Aurore Creely (15 November 1814). Note that this marriage must have taken place at an earlier building at this site.
• Pascal Dubreuil and Cecilia Creely (10 January 1816). Note that this marriage must have taken place at an earlier building at this site.
• James Withinton and Catherine Payan dit St. Onge (25 May 1824).
• Gabriel Aubuchon and Catharine Creely (11 October 1827).
• Francis Payan dit St. Onge and Mary Lachry (1 December 1835).
• Pascal Payant and Pelagie Obuchon (26 May 1835).
• Samuel D. Walton and Elizabeth Piant (26 December 1833).
• Bernard Fortin and Cecilia Creely (24 April 1838).

Photo 16

The baptismal font in Old St. Ferdinand's Shrine.

This font dates to 1789 and almost certainly served for the christenings of many Creelys, including:

• Michel Creely (30 January 1803).
• Gabriel Aubuchon (9 April 1807).
• At least twelve of the children of Francis Creely and Josette Lorraine (1809 to 1835).
• Pascal Payant (19 April 1813).
• All six children of John James and Julie Creely (1815 to 1835).
• Elizabeth Piant (20 September 1816).
• At least six of the children of Pascal Dubreuil and Cecilia Creely (1817 to 1833).
• Jean Baptiste Payan dit St. Onge (4 January 1820).
• All eleven children of Michel Creely and Angelique Wimet (1824 to 1842).
• All three children of Gabriel Aubuchon and Catharine Creely (1832 to 1839).
• Adeline Fortin (24 March 1839).

Photo 17

The old graveyard adjacent to Old St. Ferdinand's Shrine.

Next to Old St. Ferdinand's Shrine is a lovely park that was formerly the graveyard for the parishioners of the church. It was in use until 1876, and in 1900 the City Council of Florissant ordered the remains transferred to a nearby cemetery; the old cemetery was converted into a park. However, not all the remains were moved and it is almost certain that some Creelys remain here.

Burials:

• Three children of Jean Baptiste Creely and Elizabeth Bienvenue Delisle who died before adulthood (1791 to 1797).
• Jean Baptiste Payan dit St. Onge (6 July 1806).
• Augustin Trudel (30 August 1822).
• Jean Baptiste Creely (date unknown, likely 1833).
• Pierre Payan dit St. Onge (17 October 1855).
• Elizabeth Piant (buried 16 October 1855).

Photo 18

Old Cathedral, St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri.

Built in 1834 and today officially called Basilica St. Louis, King of France, this was the Cathedral of St. Louis, Missouri until it was replaced by the current cathedral in 1914. A branch of the Creely family settled in St. Louis after leaving Kaskaskia, and this was their parish church for decades. As is plain to see in this photo, the basilica is located within walking distance of the St. Louis Arch. Events at this site (though some were in an earlier building) include:

Christenings:

• Louis Tesson (24 June 1789).
• Julie Creely (16 August 1795).
• Julie Creely (3 December 1796).
• Marie Louise Creely (daughter of Joseph Creely and Francoise Antaya; 12 April 1798).
• Therese Creely (4 December 1798).
• At least four of the children of Pierre Payan dit St. Onge and Elizabeth Creely.
• All four children of Francois Creely and Eugénie Alvarez (1818 to 1827).
• Both children of Francois Creely and Adele Réaume (1832 and 1834).

Marriages:

• Augustin Trudel and Françoise Creely (10 September 1784).
• Louison Tesson Honoré and Marie-Therese Creely (29 July 1788).
• Pierre Payan dit St. Onge and Elizabeth Creely (25 July 1799).
• John James and Julie Creely (4 February 1812).
• Francois Creely and Eugénie Alvarez (12 August 1817).
• Louis Tesson and Amaranthe Dumoulin (18 August 1818).
• Francois Creely and Adele Réaume (21 May 1831).
• Pascal Payant and Lucille Tourville (27 July 1838).
• Pascal Payant and Caroline Tassenote (7 January 1849).
• Jean Baptiste Payan dit St. Onge and Louisa Watts (11 April 1850).

Burials:

• Louis Tesson (22 August 1827).
• Françoise Creely (26 March 1826).

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