Evening star., 1937-08-08
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.
70 many 1t is news that q band of
soyalist refugees from France in
1893 esta blished near what Is now
Wyalusing. Pa, colony where they
hoped their glamorous Queen, Marie
.Antoinette, might find refuge with the
royal children and certain members of
the Kings household during those
perilous times when the French
throne was tottering to its ultimate
fall
Here, upon a broad expanse of
mountain fastness looking out over the
Shenandoah's winding way, they built
ia Grand Maison,' or Queens
House" the largest log structure ever
erected on the American continent.
Eighty-four feet long by so feet wide,
its l6 large fireplaces, eight to each of
Its two floors, were planned to provide
such comfort for the expected royal
guest as pioneer conditions would per-
nit. From the name which they gave
this, the great central dwelling of
"Azilum," or French Town Asylum"
as the project became known to
nearby American neighbors, it is sur
missed that they either did not expect
Louis XVI or were aware that his
death had occurred
Today, monument along the Sulli-
van and Roosevelt Highway near the
top Of Rummerfield Mountain at Rock
Mount, between Wyalusing and To-
wanda on Route 6, recalls to the pass
ing motorist the time existence
Of this, one of the strangest and most
dramatic of all of the colonies which
existed for time in our New World.
Oddly enough, its real history until
long afterward, remained more or less
a mystery and tradition.
"The Count" Arrives.
In flight from the horrors of the
French Revolution there came to
Philadelphia in 1892 Viscount Marie
de Noailles, who was to become fami-
liarly known as The Count" in the
New World colony which he was to
help motivate. Accompanying him was
Marquis Antoine Omer Talon, head Of
Louis XVI's secret service and chief
plotter for the Kings escape from
Paris. Forthwith, upon their arrival
IN America, they began to formulate
plans for assembling at some refuge
in America many of their associates
among the nobility in France and GER
tain other monarchists already in
exile in the French colony in San
Domingo, where their slaves, stirred
by revolution in France, had revolted
against them.
Descendants of the more loyal slaves
who chose to remain with their
owners and accompany them to Penn
sylvania are still to be found in
Bradford and Sullivan Counties. In
termarriage with Indians and trappers
and much interbreeding among them
selves have produced strangely
blended race colloquially known as
"Pooles," probably diminutive from
Van der Poole, one of the most dis
tinguished of the early French slave
holding families These "Pooles," be-
cause of their dark skins and gutteral
patois. are easily recognizable among
their present neighbors to whom they
present = community problem.
Fought for Independence.
De Noailles, brother -in-law of the
Marquis de Lafayette, and son of
Marie Antoinette's first lady of honor,
as well as frequent partner of the
Queens at court balls, was already
favorably known in America as one
Of the most brilliant followers Of mill
tary science in the annals of his
time. Not only had he, ike Lafayette,
fought with the Continental Army
In the cause of American inde-
pendence, but he also had been COM
plimented several times by Gen. WASH
ington In his orders and further dis
tinguished by being designated with
an American officer to receive the
sword Of CORVALLIS at the surrender
OF yorktown. His father, the Marechal
de Mouchy, was q member of the
French Assembly and a great favorite
at the French court All of his family,
except his son and daughter, perished
by the guillotine.
The site which De Noailles and
Talon selected as refuge or asylum
In the State of Pennsylvania for their
Queen and their fellow -countrymen
contained over 1000 acres, whose
broad, pleasing panorama Is at this
season viewed by hundreds Of passing
motorists from an opposite shore of
tho Shenandoah, where a boulder
monument with a bronze tablet COM
memorates the memory and deeds
OF the many distinguished scions of
old France who were residents or
visitors here during the colony's
duration.
House Torn Down in 1912,
W. P. A. projects have recently CON-
pleted the erection OF stone parapets,
supposedly in the French manner,
from which one may still view in the
present-day road boundaries between
various fertile farms, what were the
outlines of the streets of that long
ago venture. Quite clearly, too, IS
visible house owned by the Hager-
man heirs. which Is close to the site