France and French Genealogy

Comment

Comment by A.M. on September 30, 2009 at 1:41am

I would like to have a group photo album, but cannot see that option anywhere. Have I missed something?

Comment by Deborah Leucretia Hund on August 7, 2009 at 1:00pm

Hello Everyone! I am new to the group. My French ancestors were the Huguenots that settled in Henrico, Va. (SALLEE, GIVAUDAN, CHASTAIN, PERRAULT/PERROW, MARTIN) I also have French ancestors among the group that went to the Netherlands for several generations before moving on to New Amsterdam.(RAPALJE, COZINE, DES MARETS/DEMAREST)

Comment by Donald Noel Hagstrom on August 3, 2009 at 8:25am

I have read other articles on that subject, as the date interested me. My ancestor very likely left France around 1848. I wondered if he was involved in that. My grandmother always said his flight had something to do with the French royal family. It was a newfound cousin who told me the duel story 2 years ago. I have been assured that all members of the royal family have been accounted for, so he probably wasn't in it. No one knows when or how he arrived. He was married in Shaftsbury, VT, in 1852, I found that record. My great grandmother's birth record (Gloucester, MA 1860) says her father was born in Plattsburgh, NY. There's no record of any Archer family there, perhaps that's where he entered the U.S. I know his birthday was Aug 19, probably 1832 based on census data. Children's names are Adelaide E., Eustacia Louisa (named after his wife), Emily Philena (my great grandmother), Ellen Amanda, Lillian Amelia, and James Victor John. James died 1881 of diphtheria, age 8. Adelaide's death record says father born France, my great grandmother's says father born Paris, France. He was a captain on Lake Michigan vessels, and was on water more than land, so it's hard to find many records. He was extremely paranoid about authorities knowing his origins. I have a newspaper picture and pdf file of his 1905 obit and it does say he came from France. I could attach both if I knew where to send them.

Comment by A.M. on August 3, 2009 at 1:39am

Donald,
Are you still with us?
For your ancestor Archer. I suggest you piece together every story and scrap of information on him that you have. Then, read the Wikipedia article on the French Revolution of 1848 and see if anything seems to fit.
If Archer was not his real name, I would not throw it out entirely. What did the W. stand for? Have you got the date of his arrival in the US? The name of his ship? The port of departure? The full names he gave his children?

Let me know what you turn up.
Anne

Comment by A.M. on August 1, 2009 at 5:38am

FRENCH DEPARTMENTS

Because everything relating to birth/baptism, death, marriage, embarkation, etc. records in France is based on the location of the event, I have set up discussion topics for each of the departments of France.

It is really almost impossible to search for an ancestor in France without a location for at least one life event. Once you have the location, you can make a start through the departmental archives, many of which are online.

To find out the department, search Wikipedia for your town or village name. In the description, the department where it is will be given.

Please put your comments and requests in the Discussion Topic for that department. You will then have a much, much better chance of connecting with others searching along the same lines.

Thank you.
Anne

Comment by A.M. on July 29, 2009 at 3:04am

Debra,

I would not say your information was wrong. It was just a guess. Spelling was very fluid in those days!

Anne

Comment by A.M. on July 29, 2009 at 3:01am

Pam,

You can search the registers of La Rochelle on the online archives of Charente-Maritime:

http://extranet.cg17.fr/archinoe/registre.php

In my blog, I explain in English about parish registers, if you are unfamiliar with them:

http://french-genealogy.typepad.com/genealogie/2009/06/les-registres-paroissiaux-parish-registers.html

Anne

Comment by Donald Noel Hagstrom on July 28, 2009 at 2:15pm

Well, there's not much point in staying with this group. A 3rd cousin just informed me that my GG gr. father changed his last name to Archer when he arrived in Vermont. As far as anyone knows, he never revealed his real name and the secret died with him. I guess he took it seriously that killing someone in a duel means trouble. Unless Paris records would have anything about such an event (around 1848), I'll not likely ever know anything about his life before he fled.

Comment by Kay Mulneix Oertel on July 27, 2009 at 11:00am

My Great Great Grandfather Carl Trautmann was from France. He and his family came over to PA in about 1845.

Comment by Debra Egbert-Foster on July 27, 2009 at 9:28am

Thanks for the help, my information could be wrong. I'll have to recheck it.

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