The Frenchman
In a remote corner of Southwest Virginia, Pierre Francois Tubeuf staked his claim to build St. Marie on the Clinch River — a new French colony far from the threats of the French Revolution.
With letters of introduction from Lafayette and dreams of creating his coal empire in Virginia, Tubeuf was forced to leave his wife behind in France. He survived a deadly sea voyage only to have his servants abandon him upon arrival in Virginia.
Then he faced greater nightmares when he reached Russell County, where nothing was as he had been promised.
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The plan for the production is to create a film that will be shown in the future welcome center at the Clinch River State Park to educate visitors about the life of Pierre Tubeuf, who bought 55,000 acres of the land that now constitutes the park. A second, longer version of the film will be shown to general audiences.
