 | WRITTEN ON HIS GRAVE, BUT VERY HARDLY READABLE and with several errors concerning his birtdate and death :
CI GIT JACQUES LE RAY DE CHAUMONT CONSEILLER DU ROI LOUIS XV EN SES CONSEILS GRAND MAITRE DES EAUX ET FORETS DE FRANCE INTENDANT DES INVALIDES NE LE 1 SEPTEMBRE 1724 MORT LE 18 FEVRIER 1805 EN CETTE COMMUNE IL FUT L’AMI LE BIENFAITEUR LE PERE DE SES HABITANTS SON ACTIVE EXISTENCE FUT CONSACREE AU BIEN PUBLIC IL FUT VENERE DE SES ENFANS AINSI QUE DE SES HABITANS LEURS REGRETS NE FINIRONT QU’AVEC LEUR VIE PASSANTS PRIEZ POUR LUI
| The city of Chaumont, the USA and France Owe him much: - For
the outstanding help he brought with his own fortune to the birth of
the United States, and his historic struggle against England. Without it, the United States would not have existed, and would still be like Canada an English part of commonwealth.
- For the city of Chaumont and its inhabitants that he protected during
the revolution, thus avoiding the destruction of the castle, source of
activity and cultural wealth that still benefits the city today.
- For France, through his ties with the young American nation, for which
he devoted many years of his life, housing in his castle Passy Benjamen
Franklin and many other personalities of American history.
- By the ships of his fleet, which he armed for the struggle against the
English, which then ruined him, as well as the devaluation of the
currency of the young American nation.
- For
the many innovations he created, helped or inspired : Invention of the
lightning rod by Benjamin Francklin in his castle of Passy, aerial
balloons, Sugar factories, porcelain manufacturers, etc ...
- Friend of arts and culture, through his patronage of great artists such as Jean-Baptiste Nini and others.
- Two cities bear its name in the USA: LERAYSVILLE in Pennsylvania and TOWN of LERAY in the state of New York.
But in France, he is completely forgotten. See the state of his grave! |