According to family researchers Dr. Renald Rene La Force I was born at the Château de Castelnaud about 1660. This was a de Caumont de la Force property. For this reason we believe we’re likely related to the ducs de la Force.
We’re not sure where he was educated, who his parents were, when he left, where he stopped off along the way or which boat he got here on. We know, mostly because of Gov. Byrd’s no longer secret diary, that he & some other Huguenots bought land sight unseen & when they got here they didn’t like it. Rather then let them pick new land they did like Byrd forced them to buy more land. They blew their money on the first land so for the new land they had to make payments which Rene delivered to Gov. Byrd. Evidently Rene refused to dine with someone he considered a thief & it hurt Gov. Byrd’s feelings so bad he wrote about it.
The new land was around Manakin Town VA. Acc’d to some he lived “next door” to the Tuckahoe Plantation. Of course considering people owned hundreds of acres & were going via horseback or buggy, visiting “next door” could take a while. He married a gal named Sarah but there’s no record of it & we don’t know who her parents were or her maiden name.
His name was on a few records…when Goochland County was formed he was one of the first Justices of the Peace…then he died & left a will. His will mentions 3 children because the 4th wasn’t born yet. His wife’s will mentions the 4th but leaves out another daughter as she’d already died.
Their children were Rene Jr., Sarah (William Harding), Judith (Robert Burton & Samuel Paul), & Rachel (who died unmarried & childless we believe).
This site is dedicated to them & their many offspring. If you’d like to add stories (with pics or mini-galleries) to it let me know & I’ll add you. You’ll have to register for WordPress.com but it’s free. 
