John:

Thanks for responding to my message. I am not
actually looking for information on the Ditch
family themselves. My husband's great uncle
Bernell Bequette has said that his father,
Ferdinand (Fred) Bequette was raised by the
Goforth Ditch family (or perhaps Goforth's father).
Ferdinand was born in 1865, his mother died in
1873 and we believe Ferdinand, his brother David
(b.1864),and sister Mary Louise (b.1869) were raised
by separate families after her death.

I know this was a long time ago, but I thought someone
in the family might have information about this. Several
family members have always wondered about what happened to
these children's mother (Sarah Caron Bequette) and also why
their father did not raise them (we don't think he died until
1881). Either Ferdinand did not know or the information has
been lost to his descendants. Ferdinand later married Delia
Drury in Bloomsdale.

I have read some about Goforth Ditch in papers/books
when I was in the Ste. Genevieve area 3 years ago.
He sounded like a very well-respected and interesting
man. I think if Ferdinand was raised by this family, he
was very fortunate.

Any information you have would be greatly appreciated, I know
it is a long shot, though.

Kristi