When The French Were "Settlers"

Found here:

Hometown history: French settlement of French Island began in 1849


Reprinted from the Aug. 4, 1935, La Crosse Tribune: lacrossetribune.com

The name origin of La Crosse's French Island is due to early French settlers on the island, the first of whom was Xavier Goyette, who arrived on the island in 1849.

Though Goyette was the first French settler on the island, he was preceded by two other white settlers. Charles Sears, whose little log home still stands on the bank of French Slough south of Steve's dancing pavilion, is reputed to have been the first white man to settle on the island. As to his antecedents and descendants, nothing is known. The name of the second settler has become lost in the shuffle of history but is thought to have been Canna

That was in Wisconsin.

The Canadian French Islands, had a flotilla:

On 24 December 1941, a Free French flotilla led by the submarine cruiser Surcouf took control of the islands without resistance, and installed Alain Savary as Governor.

All mixed up.

Reminds you fo the Middle East?

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