Antoine Ouilmette by Frank R. Grover

So jumping a little ahead in the researching process, this week I was able to find a book that was written by Frank Grover about Antoine Ouilmette who was the first settler of Evanston and Wilmette, Illinois. He is also the great-great grandfather of Amelia Crumbo. I found an online site that provides the book online (see related links). You can view it online. I found this site on accident but I also just got it through Inter-Library Loan. It is such an interesting book. It has information about Antoine Ouilmette and his family. But it also gives information about the Ouilmette reservation. I just began reading it and found that it is believed that Antoine was born around 1760 in Montreal, Canada. It is believed that he was French and possible Metis (a Canadian Indian tribe) because of the known variation of Ouilmette. He worked for the American fur company in Canada and later moved to Chicago where he married a French/Pottawatomie woman, Archange.

Photo was provided courtesy of Wilmette Public Library

That is as far as I have read so far. As I learn more about the family I will keep you posted. I am excited to learn more as I read further into the book.