Wow am I having a hard time here. LOL I have two sources, one is my mother's research and the other is a listing of Capt. Whitfield C Lefors basic family info in the Benton Co, Arkansas information.

Ok the oldest information I have is this.

Rene LaForce was born in France approx 1757 supposedly to a wealthy and influential family. He left France around age 20 to join up with Lafayette to fight in the Revolutionary War. This of course created bad feelings with his family and he couldn't continue living in France after the war. He then sailed again and settled somewhere in Virginia at first, then married a Miss Gillespie of an Irish descent (nothing known about her or her family). They had Samuel in 1785, in North Carolina. They had three other children, names and sexes unknown.

Rene's first wife Gillespie died, and he married a 2nd time, she died and Rene finally married a third time. 2nd and 3rd wives names unknown. I don't know if any children were created from the other two marriages.

Before 1788 Rene took his family to Kentucky. Their son Samuel moved around a lot. From Kentucky, to Illinois, to Missouri and I think he died Hopkins County, Texas.

Samuel changed the family name from LaForce to Lefors, not sure when. Samuel married Margery Montgomery (Irish descent) and had several children two of whom were Whitfield C mentioned above and John S.

John S. had Thomas Henry (my maternal GG-Grandfather). Thomas Henry had my G Grandmother Louana Lefors.

After Louana Lefors comes my maternal grandmother, mother and me.

I am looking for family information about Rene LaForce family from France. I typed up the additonal family information in hopes someone could find a link and go from there if they have further information going back before 1757. It is rumored that Rene also went by Raney.

I would appreciate any information that can be found. Thanks!!

Kara,
I will try to clear up some of this "mis-information"
for you.
There was no Rene b. in 1757.
Dr. Renald Rene La Force "was" born in France ca 1660
He arrived in VA sometime prior to 1700 and attached
himself to the French colony at Manakintowne, Va
Will send you more on this later
He m. ca 1719/20 to Sarah ? of the colony.
He had 4 children:
1. R. Rene, Jr b. ca 1722
2. Sarah b. ca 1725
3. Rachael b. ca 1727
4. Judith b. ca 1728 (after Rene's death in Sept 1728)

R. Rene, Jr m. once to Agnes Moseby
ch:
10 or 11 names later

Rene,III m. 1st Agnes Robinson Botetourt Co, Va 1774
2nd Mary "Polly Jane Gillaspie ca 1784/85
In Fayette Co, KY......not NC
Samuel son of
Rene, III and
Polly
other siblings
1. George
2. Gillaspie
3. Judith
4. Trephenah
5. Isabella
6. Gaston
The info you were given was gathered back in the 1960s and
70s before a lot of documentation was done and a lot of
hearsay and family legends that were incorrect.

If you will e-mail me privately, I will give you some info
on your direct line from Samuel.
Louise laforce@datasync.com

You can find out all the info you need by going into the internet and typing Delaforce. this might help you.
Peter L. Force
force4@bellsouth.net

Kara,
Please get in touch with me. Louana Lefors was my
aunt. No greats to it.
Look forward to your e mail.
Grace

Hi,

Does anyone involved in this discussion have any relation to the LaForses that lived in Quebec, Canada and Renfrew, ON Canada during the mid to late 1800's?

Any help would be appreciated!!

Thanks,

Shannon

I've got the story of Dr. Rene LaForce. Now I'm trying to connect it with the first LeForce's in OK (John Bradley Lee LeForce). His dad's name was Ranney LeForce & it says he was a second-generation Frenchmen. But that's all I got...& I don't know who Ranney's wife was. Any help would be greatly appreciated. :-)