Peachtree City Library will be hosting a family program by County Historian Carolyn Cary as part of the Picnic in the Plaza event July 2nd.

Cary's talk will begin at 2 p.m. in the children's story time room at Peachtree City Library.

A resident of Fayette County for over 40 years, Cary was named official County Historian in 1981. She served as editor for “The History of Fayette County” in 1977, and is an expert on local history, most notably the Indian Nation and Clan Macintosh. Marquis de Lafayette is also one of her favorite subjects.

Marquis de Lafayette was born Marquis Marie Jean Paul Roch Yves Gilbert Motier de Lafayette in September of 1757 to the second wealthiest family in France. His father died when he was 2 and his mother and grandfather died 11 years later. He entered military academy at age 13 and became a captain in the French cavalry by age 16. Lafayette was only 20 years old when he set sail for the American colonies to join in the fight against the British. Lafayette, assigned to General Washington's staff, admired Washington as a father figure and Washington reciprocated that feeling.

According to Cary, although Fayette County is named after the Marquis de Lafayette, the closest he came to the area was when he came through Macon on his way to New Orleans. When Fayette County was enacted in 1821, it is surmised that the earliest settlers, many of who were Revolutionary War veterans, named the county.

Last week Peachtree City Library unveiled its new Marquis de Lafayette Collection, a collection of books about the American Revolution. The collection includes over 150 titles for both children and adults.

For more information, call the Peachtree City Library at 770-631-2520 or visit www.peachtree-city.org.

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