Marie is a village in Jasper County, Illinois, United States, along the Embarras River.

In 1835, 19-year-old Joseph Picquet was sent to the United States to "spy out the land" and report back to the family.

Instructed to stay away from large cities, he turned eastward and finally decided on the land in Eastern Illinois that is now Ste.

Marie, partly because of its proximity to Vincennes, a strong French city with an availability of priests to say Mass.

On June 20, Joseph returned to the United States with the nucleus of a colony, all related by either blood or marriage, 25 in all, on the ship Mogul.

On October 12, Ferdinand Hartrich, Etienne Lauer and Joseph Picquet went to Palestine and recorded approximately 12,000 acres (49 km2) in the Land Office there.

Father Stephen Theodore Badin, a Frenchman, came during this time to bless this work of their own hands and celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in their presence.

A stone monument fashioned to look like a log cabin stands on the grounds of the University of Notre Dame as a tribute to him.

On October 28, 1837, the settlers gathered on a knoll south of the Embarras River and took formal possession of the land, dedicating the village to the Virgin Mary.

Joseph Picquet made many more trips back to France to bring other family members to the new colony.

Marie quickly grew and erected its first church, free school, post office and store.