Tag: Fournelle

The Ancestors: Pierre Fournelle of Rodange, Luxembourg, and Jeanne Neu of Athus, Belgium

On 14 February 1743 my sixth great-grandfather Henri NEU died in Athus, today a part of the Province of Luxembourg in Belgium. He left a widow, my sixth great-grandmother, Madeleine (Magdelaine) BACLESSE and six known daughters. Three of the daughters were already married and the other three would marry by the next decade.

One marriage documented in four countries

Eleven days later, on 25 February 1743, in Herserange, today a part of the départment Meurthe-et-Moselle in France, lettres de mariage or permission of marriage was given to Pierre FOURNEL (later seen as FOURNELLE), son of Jean FOURNEL, a farmer domiciled in Rodange, and Jeanne BERQUIN, to be married in Aubange to Jeanne NEU, daughter of Henri NEU of Athus and Magdelaine BACLESSE.1:

In the church register of Aubange, the parish to which Athus was attached, we find the death/burial entry for Henri NEU.2, 3 Here is a rough translation of the French record:

The year 1743 on the fourteenth of February died in Athus Henry Neu aged around sixty he was married to Magdalaine Baclesse His body was buried in the cemetery of the place with the ordinary ceremonies. D. Lambinet, parish priest

The marriage entry for Henri’s daughter Jeanne to Pierre FURNEL (a variation of FOURNEL and FOURNELLE) is recorded below the death entry.

The year 1743 the twenty-fifth of February Pierre Furnel son of Jean Furnel and Jeanne Berquin his father and mother of Rodange parish of Herserange and Jeanne Neu daughter of defunct Henry Neu and Magdalaine Baclesse of Athus after the publication of a bann made in the church of Herserange and that of Aubange at the time that they were obtained in the court of Trier, the exemption from the three banns on the date of February 23 before me, not finding any impediment, given the letter of intent of the governor of the said Herserange was solemnized in public in front of the church in the presence of the witnesses who signed or marked with the spouses.

Pierre Fournelle, the groom, signed his name
Jeanne Neu, the bride, left her mark
Jean Fournelle, the father of the groom, left his mark
Nicolas Berquin, the maternal uncle of the groom, left his mark
Henri Reuter, the brother-in-law of the bride, signed his name
Jean Henrion, the brother-in-law of the bride, signed his name
Philippe Seylen signed his name
D. Lambinet, curé or parish priest, signed his name

Usually, banns were read on three Sundays in the parish churches of the bride and groom before the marriage. When Pierre and Jeanne married an exception was made and the banns were read only once, two days before the marriage. This dispense was granted by the diocese of Trier. The records for this marriage are located in places in four different countries: Trier, Germany; Rodange, Luxembourg; Herserange, France; and Aubange, Belgium.

Why the special treatment?

What might be the reason for the accelerated procedure for the marriage of Pierre FOURNELLE and Jeanne NEU? Could it be the death of Jeanne’s father? Pierre’s father Jean FOURNEL was an elder synodal or member of the church council (ancien sinodal). Did he use his position to hasten the marriage procedure? The bride and groom were likely already well known to each other as Rodange and Athus are today separated only by the border between Luxembourg and Belgium and are a few kilometers from each other. The marriage may have been rushed due to pregnancy but this doesn’t seem too likely as a child was born eleven months into the marriage.

The FOURNELLE family in Rodange

Pierre and Jeanne made their home in Rodange where they earned their livings by farming. They had seven sons and a daughter born between 1744 and 1763, all in Rodange, Luxembourg. The children were baptized in the parish of Herserange, today in France.

After reading the history of the church of Rodange, I believe it’s likely that the children were baptized in the chapel of Rodange by the chaplain of Saulnes who was responsible for both branch villages in the parish of Herserange. The chapel of Rodange was built in 1677, had a consecrated altar in 1714, and was in good condition in 1737. Rodange received their own chaplain by decree in 1766.4

Jacques FOURNELLE (1744-1817)

The first child of Pierre and Jeanne was a son they named Jacques. He was born and baptized on 26 January 1744. His godparents were his paternal uncle Jacques FOURNELLE of Rodange and his maternal aunt Barbe NEU of Athus.5 Jacques married Marguerite SCHMIT (bef. 1747-1797) on 20 February 1770 in Rodange.6 They were the parents of eleven children. Eight of these died as infants between the ages of 0-6 years. Two more may have also died at a young age as no marriage or death records have been found. Only one child, their son Jacques, married and continued the line. Jacques died on 29 January 1817 in an unknown place. He was buried in Rodange the following day.7 He had been a widower for 20 years.

Jean FOURNELLE (1746-1818)

The second child of Pierre and Jeanne was born on 6 January 1746. The child was baptized on 8 January 1746 and named Jean. His godparents were Jean TOQUES and his maternal aunt Catherine NEU, both of Athus.8 At the age of 40, Jean married Agnès ALZIN (abt. 1758-1836) on 5 October 1786 in Rodange.9 They were the parents of 10 children. Five died in infancy, three have not been traced, and two continued the line. Jean died at the age of 72 years in Rodange on 12 April 1818.10 His wife outlived him by 18 years.

Pierre FOURNELLE (1748-1816)

Pierre and Jeanne’s third child was my 4th great-grandfather Pierre. He was born on 12 December 1748 and baptized the following day. His godparents were Pierre FRANCQ and his maternal aunt Elisabeth NEU, both of Athus.11 Pierre was 34 years old when he married Marianne SCHMIT (1760-1824) on 1 April 1783 in Rodange.12 She was a dozen years younger than Pierre. They were the parents of 10 children. Their firstborn died at the age of 16 months. One son has not been traced after his birth. Eight children married and seven continued the line. Pierre died suddenly in Soleuvre about a dozen kilometers from his home in Rodange on 17 October 1816 at the age of 67.13 He was buried on the 19th.14 His wife was the informant on his civil death record. Marianne died nearly eight years later.

Pierre and Marianne’s story can be read here: 52 Ancestors: #40 The Fournelle-Schmit Family of Rodange

Henri FOURNELLE (1751-1837)

The fourth child of Pierre and Jeanne was born on 10 September 1751. He was baptized the following day and named Henri. His godparents were his maternal uncle by marriage, Henri DE CHEVE of Rodange and Jeanne BOULANGER, wife of Joseph KEMP, of Sonne.15 Henri married Catherine GLOUTIN (1757-1923) on 25 November 1779 in Rodange.16 They were the parents of eleven children. No information has been found on three of the children after their baptism. Three children died young. The remaining five children married and four of them continued the line. Henri had been a widower for fourteen years when he died on 8 November 1837 in Rodange.17

Philippe FOURNELLE (1754-1827)

Philippe, the 5th son of Pierre and Jeanne, was born in Rodange and baptized on 22 July 1754. His godparents were his maternal uncle by marriage, Philippe MICHEL, husband of Barbe NEU, and Catherine GRANRY, wife of Dominique FELTEN.18 Philippe married Marie Julienne MATHIEU on 27 December 1787 in Halanzy, Province de Luxembourg, Belgium.19 They were the parents of nine children. Four of these married and continued the line. A son died at the age of one month. Four daughters have not been traced after their baptisms and may have also died young. Philippe died at the age of 73 years on 24 December 1827 in Rodange.20 His widow was still living four years later when their youngest child married.21

Marie Jeanne FOURNELLE (1757-1813)

The sixth child and only daughter of Pierre and Jeanne was Marie Jeanne baptized on 7 March 1757. Her godfather was Pierre FONTAINE of Rodange; her godmother was Jeanne LADURELLE of Rodange.22 Marie Jeanne married Laurent THIRION (1752-1817) in Rodange on 10 February 1782.23 Their first child was born in Rodange and died two and a half months later.24 They lived in Laurent’s birthplace, Mont-Saint-Martin, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France, from before 1792 until their deaths in 1813 and 1817. Three children born between 1792 and 1799 were found. Gaps between the births of all known children suggest several still need to be found. Marie Jeanne died on 15 April 1813 in Mont-Saint-Martin.25

Michel FOURNELLE (1760-aft. 1788)

Michel the second to last child of Pierre and Jeanne was baptized on 13 October 1760. His godparents were Michel GERVAIS and Marie DOMANGE.26 Michel was the godfather of three of his siblings’ children. On 9 October 1788, a few days before his 28th birthday, Michel signed his name to the baptismal record of Marie, the daughter of his brother Jean.27 No marriage or death record has been found for him after this date.

Philippe Christophe FOURNELLE (1763-aft. 1792)

The youngest child of Pierre and Jeanne was their son Philippe Christophe born and baptized on 21 October 1763. His godfather was a priest named Philippe Christophe SCHMIT and his godmother was Susanne SCHMIT, wife of Nicolas ETTINGER.28 Philippe Christophe was the godfather of two of his siblings’ children. On 20 February 1792 became the godfather of a PHILIPPART child.29 He was 28 years old. No marriage or death record has been found for him after this date.

The death of Pierre Fournelle

Pierre FOURNELLE died less than two years after the birth of his youngest child. Pierre was 45 years old when he died on 23 July 1765. This is not consistent with the age calculated from his 1713 baptismal record. Pierre was nearly 52 years old, 7 years older than stated in his death/burial entry in the church register. A farmer, he died in Rodange and was buried the next day in the Rodange cemetery.30

Jeanne was left with eight children between the ages of 19 months and 21 years. For the next five years, her older sons likely helped her with the farm.

A farmer for Baron d’HUART

In the records of the census of hearths found in dwellings in the Duchy of Luxembourg for taxation purposes, Jeanne NEU, the widow of Pierre FOURNELLE, was enumerated as a farmer in Rodange in 1770.31 The family lived in a house on the farm and cultivated nearly five and a half acres of land.

Our ancestors did not use the same weights and measures as we do today. The measurement on the cadastre for land was 160 verges de 16 pieds de Saint-Lambert or 1 jour. Information on old surface measurements was found online.32 I used them to calculate the amount of land Jeanne farmed in acres.

1 Jour = 160 Verges de 16 pieds de Saint-Lambert (measurement of reference on the cadastre)
1 Verge carrée de 16 pieds de Saint-Lambert=21,80 m²
160 Verges = 3,488 m²
6.25 jour = 21,800 m² = 5.39 acres

The cadastre or land register sheet with the different categories of land and their use. The declarants on the land register were not necessarily the owners.

Jeanne cultivated 5 and a half jour = 19.184 m² = 4.74 acres of arable land planting in three cycles. The first season she planted rye, the second oats, and the third the field lay fallow to allow it to become more fertile. She tended a garden of half a jour = 1,744 m² = 0.43 acres. A meadow of a quarter jour = 872 m² = 0.22 acres produced 750 bales of hay. She also had the use of a communal pasture.

The death of Jeanne NEU

Jeanne died on 9 March 1783 less than a month before her son Pierre married. She was buried the following day in the cemetery of Rodange in the presence of witnesses including her son Henri FOURNELLE and her son-in-law Laurent THIRION who signed her burial record. Per this record, she was 60 years old. This cannot be confirmed as her baptismal record has not been found. The record included interesting information about her occupation. Jeanne was a fermière (farmer) for the Baron d’HUART.33

1783 Death and Burial Record for Jeanne Neu, widow of Pierre Fournelle. Image courtesy of FamilySearch

Baron Jean-François-Henri-Gérard d’HUART, known as Baron Henri d’HUART, died 1 January 1781 two years before Jeanne.34 His son Charles-Elisabeth-François, known as Charles, inherited the forges of Lasauvage and Herserange and was likely the owner of the land in Rodange that was farmed by Jeanne NEU at the time of her death.

My 5th great-grandmother Jeanne NEU worked the land for eighteen years following the death of her husband Pierre FOURNELLE, raising her family of eight to become fine members of the community.

In 1795 at the beginning of the French rule in Luxembourg, the church of Rodange was desecrated and closed. An upright man stood up to save what could be saved. Jeanne’s oldest son, Jacques FOURNELLE, bought the church furniture for 6 francs in a public auction on 23 January 1800. He later gave back the altar, communion bench, and pews to the church.35

This article completes the series on the FOURNELLE family from the 1600s to 2005 when my maternal grandmother Marie Marcelle FOURNELLE died. The complete list of FOURNELLE articles can be found in The FOURNELLE Book.

Genealogy Sketch

Name: Pierre FOURNELLE
Parents: Jean FOURNEL and Jeanne BERKIN
Spouse: Jeanne NEU
Parents of spouse: Henri NEU and Madeleine BACLESSE
Whereabouts: Rodange and Athus
Relationship to Cathy Meder-Dempsey: 5th great-grandparents

1. Pierre FOURNELLE and Jeanne NEU
2. Pierre FOURNELLE and Marianne SCHMIT
3. André FOURNELLE and Marie Catherine PHILIPPART
4. André FOURNELLE and Odile Lucie SCHLOESSER
5. Jean Joseph FOURNELLE and Catharina FRANTZ
6. Marie Marcelle FOURNELLE and Nicolas WILDINGER
7. Living WILDINGER and Fred Roosevelt DEMPSEY
8. Catherine Ann “Cathy” DEMPSEY and Living MEDER
9. Our children

A change of plans

With this post, I’ve completed half of my maternal fifth great-grandparents. Next week, I’d like to talk to you about why the second half are being put on hold.

© 2021, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

  1. Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), browsable images of microfilm collection of parish and civil records (online http://www.archives.cg54.fr/), Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 200 of 328. New terms of use: En application du règlement sur la réutilisation des données publiques adopté par le conseil départemental de Meurthe-et-Moselle (délibération de sa commission permanente n°17, en date du 16 janvier 2017), je m’engage à mentionner la source du document téléchargé (Arch. dép. de Meurthe-et-Moselle, [suivi de la cote complète]), en cas de réutilisation. 1743 Pierre Fournelle and Jeanne Neu marriage record (left page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f070323 : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  2. Belgique, Luxembourg, Registres paroissiaux, 1618-1868, (images), FamilySearch (original records at België Nationaal Archief, Brussels / Belgium National Archives, Brussels), Paroisse d’Aubange (Luxembourg) > Film #619924 DGS #007944121 > Baptêmes 1729-1783 Mariages 1729-1776 Sépultures 1729-1776 > Image 342 of 605. 1743 Death Record – age about 60 years (right, middle). (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSZV-FS5T-F?i=341&cat=74664 : accessed 26 November 2017). ↩
  3. Ibid., Paroisse d’Aubange (Luxembourg) > Film #619924 DGS #007944121 > Baptêmes 1729-1783 Mariages 1729-1776 Sépultures 1729-1776 > Image 342+343 of 605. 1743 Marriage Record, part 1 (right, bottom). (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSZV-FS5T-F?i=341&cat=74664 : accessed 26 November 2017) and Marriage Record, part 2 (left, top). (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSZV-FS55-K?i=342&cat=74664 : accessed 26 November 2017). ↩
  4. Geschichte. In: T’Hémecht. Die kirchlichen Kunstdenkmäler des Dekanats Esch, 1 April 1957, p. 124. [Digitised by the National Library of Luxembourg, https://persist.lu/ark:70795/cm0nrp2xp/pages/126/articles/DTL1191%5D ↩
  5. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 187 of 328. 1744 Baptismal Record (left page, 1st full entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f067fe6 : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  6. Luxembourg, registres paroissiaux, 1601-1948 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Rodange > Baptêmes 1767-1777, 1779-1796, confirmations 1791, mariages 1767-1777, 1779-1795, sépultures 1767-1777, 1779-1797 > image 6 of 102. 1770 Marriage Record (page 4, bottom entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WS-3NZG?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W32%3A1501084779%2C1501084780 : accessed 25 December 2019). ↩
  7. Diözesanarchiv Luxemburg / Archives diocésaines Luxembourg (images), Matricula Online, http://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/, Creative Commons License CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 (citing original records in the Luxembourg Diocesan Archives, Luxembourg City), GV.MF 122; GV.MF 166, Rodange, KB 10, image 61 of 63 . 1817 Death/Burial Entry. (https://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/rodingen/KB-02-10/?pg=61 : accessed 2 November 2021). ↩
  8. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 491 of 529. 1746 Baptismal Record (left page, 1st entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53808b424f : accessed 3 September 2020). ↩
  9. Luxembourg Church Records, Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 58 of 108. 1786 Marriage Record. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-3FYM?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W3G%3A1501084779%2C1500913302 : accessed 26 November 2017). ↩
  10. Luxembourg, Registres d’état civil, 1662-1941 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Pétange > Naissances 1878-1886 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1858 > image 1199 of 1497. 1818 Death Record No. 67. Note: His wife was the informant but her name and age were omitted. She did not sign and a remark was included about her not being able to write. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12304-174226-37?cc=1709358&wc=M9QN-BMX:n289380544 : accessed 22 August 2013). ↩
  11. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 179 of 328. 1748 Baptismal Record (top, right). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f063157 : accessed 24 November 2017). ↩
  12. Luxembourg Church Records, Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 35 of 108. 1783 Marriage Record. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32463-14058-91?cc=2037955 : accessed 13 November 2015). ↩
  13. Luxembourg Civil Records, Pétange > Naissances 1878-1886 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1858 > image 1190 of 1497. 1816 Death Record No. 13. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12305-1045-93?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-LZB:n289380544 : accessed 23 March 2010). ↩
  14. Diözesanarchiv Luxemburg, GV.MF 122; GV.MF 166, Rodange, KB 10, image 61 of 63. 1816 Death/Burial Entry. (https://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/rodingen/KB-02-10/?pg=61 : accessed 2 November 2021). ↩
  15. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 154 of 328. 1751 Baptismal Record (left page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f050c9d : accessed 3 September 2020). ↩
  16. Luxembourg Church Records, Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 6 of 108. 1779 Marriage Record (right). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-3F56?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W3G%3A1501084779%2C1500913302 : accessed 26 November 2017). ↩
  17. Luxembourg Civil Records, Pétange > Naissances 1878-1886 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1858 > image 1343 of 1497. 1837 Death Record No. 24. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12305-3304-1?cc=1709358&wc=M9QN-BMX:n289380544 : accessed 30 March 2010). ↩
  18. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 138 of 328. 1754 Baptismal Record (right page, 1st entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f048b6b : accessed 3 September 2020). ↩
  19. Belgique, Luxembourg, Church Records, Paroisse de Halanzy (Luxembourg) > Baptêmes 1658-1803 Mariages 1682-1803 Sépultures 1674-1803 > image 317 of 615. “.” 1787 Marriage Record (right page, top).(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLF-KH5B?i=316&cat=80875 : accessed 14 November 2021). ↩
  20. Luxembourg Civil Records, Pétange > Naissances 1878-1886 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1858 > image 1268 of 1497. 1827 Death Record No. 20. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12304-173693-14?cc=1709358&wc=M9QN-BMX:n289380544 : accessed 30 March 2010). ↩
  21. Ibid., Pétange > Naissances 1878-1886 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1858 > image 558 of 1497. 1831 Marriage Record No. 3; online https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12305-3-52?cc=1709358&wc=M9QN-BMX:n289380544 : accessed ‎29 Mar ‎2010. ↩
  22. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 115 of 328. 1757 Baptismal Record (right page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f03be8d : accessed 5 September 2020). ↩
  23. Luxembourg Church Records, Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 29 of 108. 1782 Marriage Record (left, bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-3NMF?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W3G%3A1501084779%2C1500913302 : 9 January 2015). ↩
  24. Ibid., Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 37 of 108. 1783 Death Record (4th entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-3F1J?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W3G%3A1501084779%2C1500913302 : accessed 26 November 2017). ↩
  25. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Mont-Saint-Martin > 1793-1832 > 5 Mi 382/R 3 > image 250 of 695. 1813 Death Record (right page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10eb9defa/54aebba08fc0f : accessed 4 November 2020). ↩
  26. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 92 of 328. 1760 Baptismal Record (right page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f03087c : accessed 5 September 2020). ↩
  27. Luxembourg Church Records, Rodange > Baptêmes 1767-1777, 1779-1796, confirmations 1791, mariages 1767-1777, 1779-1795, sépultures 1767-1777, 1779-1797 > image 54 of 102. 1788 Baptismal Record (left page, 2nd entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-3FGV?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W32%3A1501084779%2C1501084780 : accessed 5 Novembr 2020). ↩
  28. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 74 of 328. 1763 Baptismal Record (left page, bottom entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f0278ad : accessed 5 September 2020). ↩
  29. Luxembourg Church Records, Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 95 of 108. 1792 Baptismal Record (right, bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-3F68?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W3G%3A1501084779%2C1500913302 : acessed 26 November 2017). ↩
  30. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 416 of 529. 1765 Death Record (left page, 1st complete entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538087141a : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  31. Dénombrements des feux, aides et subsides 1473-1806, FamilySearch (Digitial copy of the microfilm of originals in Archives de l’Etat, Luxembourg. Censuses of hearths found in dwellings in the Duchy of Luxembourg for taxation purposes), Regime A, section 14: cadastre de Marie-Thérèse 1767, Film 2271568, DGS 8014687, liasse 60 (Rodange, La Madeleine), images 273 and 274 of 689. No. 17 Janne Neye veuve de Pierre Fournelle laboureuse demeurante à Rodange.(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSX4-K96W-9?i=273&cat=1152016 : accessed 25 February 2019). ↩
  32. Ernest Gravy, Comment comptaient nos ancêtres, published in 1989. (http://www.patrimoinepreslois.be/ernest-gravy-et-le-patrimoine-preslois-asbl/dossiers/comment-comptaient-nos-ancetres : accessed 15 November 2021) ↩
  33. Luxembourg Church Records, Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 37 of 108. 1783 Death Record (right page, first entry). Note: age at death 60 years. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-3F1J?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W3G%3A1501084779%2C1500913302 : accessed 14 November 2015). ↩
  34. Jules Mersch, Biographie nationale du pays de Luxembourg Les barons d’Huart, (Biographie nationale du pays de Luxembourg ; vol. 9, fasc. 17), p. 232, 247. ↩
  35. Gremling, Ferd. “Pfarrei Rodange Im Werden Und Wachsen.” Fête Du 150e Anniversaire De La Paroisse: 1808-1958 / Paroisse Rodange, published 1958, p. 31. ↩

The Ancestors: Jean Schmit of Hautcharage and Eva Ducker of Differdange

On 6 November 1756 Joannes SCHMIT of Oberkerschen (also known as Hautcharage) married Eva DUCKER of Differdingen (also known as Differdange).1 No other information was given in the three short lines written in the Obercorn parish register. Differdange at the time belonged to the Obercorn parish.

1756 Marriage Entry in the Obercorn parish register. Courtesy of FamilySearch.

Time for a little Latin lesson

The word Octobris (or October) was marked out and corrected with 9bris in the marriage entry above. Nine does not designate the number of the month, but rather the name of the month in Latin when September, October, November, and December were the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th months. Nine was novem in Latin, making 9bris the month November, and not September the 9th month as we know it today. The suffix -bris or -ber indicates the number is to be spoken and pronounced as the standard names.

While searching for records, if you are using dates abstracted by someone who unknowingly assumed the number referred to the month as we number them today, this is likely what may be tripping you up. If you cannot find a record abstracted as July, it may be dated 7ber or September.

The children of Jean and Eva

Jean and Eva, my 5th great-grandparents, made their home in Niedercorn, a village in the parish of Obercorn. Their seven known children were born in Niedercorn and baptized in Obercorn.

Nicolaus SCHMIT (1756-?)

Jean and Eva cut it close when they married. Their first child, a son, was born less than a month after their marriage. Nicolaus was born and baptized on 1 December 1756. His godparents were Rdus (Reverendus or reverend) Dominicus SCHMIT of Oberkerschen and Catherine DÜCKER of Rodange, formerly of Differdange.2 No further record was found for this child.

Franciscus SCHMIT (1758-1814)

The second child of Jean and Eva was baptized on 27 September 1758. His godparents were Franciscus SCHMIT and Maria SCHMIT, both of Niedercorn.3 Franciscus was married twice. He married(1) Elisabeth KETTENMEYERS on 8 January 1788.4 Elisabeth gave birth to two children5,6 before dying on New Year’s Eve in 1792.7 Franciscus married(2) Magdalena NOEL on 20 November 1793.8 They had at least two sons, one born in 17959 and a second in 1804.10 Franciscus died on 7 April 1814 at the age of 55.11 Magdalena died on 8 November 1820 at the age of 63.12

Marianne SCHMIT (1760-1824)

The first daughter and third child of Jean and Eva was my 4th great-grandmother Marianne SCHMIT. She was born and baptized on 21 December 1760. Her godparents were Frederico SCHAUS of Niederkorn and Maria DECKEN (a variation of DUCKER) of Differdange. Her baptismal name was Maria.13 Later, when she married, had children, and died her name was seen as Marianne. She married Pierre FOURNELLE (1748-1816) on 1 April 1783.14 Marianne was 22 and Pierre was 34. They were the parents of ten children. Their oldest lived only a little more than a year. Eight of the nine children married. One son has not been traced after his baptism in 1791. Marianne’s husband Pierre died on 17 October 1816 at the age of 67.15 Marianne died on 14 Jun 1824 at the age of 63.16 More about this family can be read here: 52 Ancestors: #40 The Fournelle-Schmit Family of Rodange.

Jean SCHMIT (1762-aft. 1821)

The fourth child of Jean and Eva, Jean was born and baptized on 19 Sep 1762. His godparents were Jean REDING from Reding and Margaritha THILTGES from Niedercorn.17 He married Françoise MARTIN on 6 February 1792 in Rodange.18 Jean was 29 and Françoise, a widow, was 50. Witnesses to the marriage were the bride Françoise’s father Jean TONNELIER (he was her step-father) and her son Pierre VAUDOIS, and the groom Jean’s brother François SCHMIT, and his brother-in-law Pierre FOURNELLE. Jean TONNELIER had married Françoise’s mother Angélique MUSQUIN following the death of his wife Catherine DUCKER. Catherine was the sister of Jean’s mother Eva. Therefore Jean TONNELIER was Jean’s uncle by marriage and became his step-father-in-law. Jean and Françoise likely didn’t have children due to her age at the time of the marriage. Françoise was 79 years old when she died in Thil, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France, on 29 October 1821 at the home of her husband Jean SCHMIT.19 A death record after 29 October 1821 was not found in Thil for Jean.

Marie SCHMIT (1765-aft. 29 Nov 1803)

Jean and Eva’s 2nd daughter and 5th child, Marie was born and baptized on 30 March 1765. Her godparents were Peter LIPPERT and Maria SAMPSON, both of Niedercorn.20 Marie married Antoine MAUER on 10 February 1789 in Obercorn.21 They were the parents of five children born between 1789-1803. No trace of this couple or their children was found after the birth of their last known child and only daughter Maria on 29 November 1803.22

Magdalena SCHMIT (1766-1785)

The third daughter and 6th child, Magdalena was born and baptized on 14 October 1766. Her godparents were Michael LORANG and Magdalena DECKES (a variation of DUCKER), both of Niedercorn.23 Magdalena never married. She died on 17 May 1785 at the age of 18 while visiting or living with her sister Marianne in Rodange. Her brother-in-law Pierre FOURNELLE was present at her funeral and signed the burial notice.24

Susanne SCHMIT (1769-1819)

Jean and Eva’s youngest child was a daughter Susanne born and baptized on 5 March 1769. Her godparents were Michael GRUND and Susanna BASSENDORF.25 Susanne was likely the mother of a natural child born and baptized on 22 October 1789 in Rodange. The child was named Angelique SCHMIT. Her godparents were her uncle Pierre FOURNELLE and Angélique MUSQUIN, wife of Jean TONNELIER (her mother Eva’s brother-in-law).26 By elimination, only Susanne could have been the mother. Angelique died at the age of two months on 2 January 1790. The entry in the parish records for her death and burial does not name her parents. The death was witnessed by her godfather/uncle.27 Five years later, Susanne married Joseph PHILIPPART on 23 January 1795 in Rodange.28 Joseph was the brother of my 5th great-grandfather Jacques PHILIPPART. Susanne and Joseph were 25 and 30 when they married. They were the parents of six children born between 1796-1809. Susanne died on 17 September 1819 at the age of 50.29 Her husband Joseph died at the age of 63 on 19 January 1828.30

Death on Wedding Anniversary

The marriage of Jean SCHMIT and Eva DUCKER lasted exactly 21 years. Jean died on their anniversary, 6 November 1777 in Niedercorn. He was buried the following day in the cemetery of Obercorn.31 He was a sexagenarian at the time of his death, i.e. born before 1717.

Eva, 50 years old, was left with two sons and four daughters aged between 9 and 19 years.

Eva died fourteen years later on 18 March 1792 in Niedercorn. She was buried the following day in the cemetery of Niedercorn. Her oldest son Franciscus was a witness who signed the death/burial record. Her funeral was said by J. B. NEUERS of the parish of Obercorn, the same priest who had celebrated her husband’s funeral.32 Eva had lived to see four of her children marry. Two children predeceased her.

Research Manager

Jean SCHMIT and Eva DUCKER’s names were found in the 1783 marriage record of my 4th great-grandparents Marianne SCHMIT and Pierre FOURNELLE. When I wrote about Marianne and Pierre in December 2017, I mentioned the family book for the village of Obercorn.33

Eva’s parents were Peter DUCKER, formerly of Mamer, and Maria SCHMIT of Niedercorn, They raised their family of eight children in Differdange. While Eva’s parents and siblings were found and documented with the help of information found in the family book of Obercorn, a few questions remain.

As Eva’s mother and husband shared the SCHMIT surname, were they related? Who were the parents of Jean SCHMIT from Oberkerschen or Hautcharage?

SCHMIT is the number one most common family name in Luxembourg. Without any finding aids, it’s nearly impossible to research a person named Jean SCHMIT or John SMITH.

Baptismal records for Hautcharage are available from 1713-1793 on FamilySearch and Matricula. Marriages and burials are not available until 1779. Marriages before 1779 can be inferred from the baptismal records of the children of married couples.

Jean SCHMIT died in 1777 and was a sexagenarian, i.e. born before 1717. There were two SCHMITT men in Hautcharage having children with their wives around the time Jean SCHMIT was born: Henricus and Jacobus. A third man Joannes who used the surnames MERCIENIUS, SCHMITT, and MORITZ at the time of three daughters’ baptisms is also a candidate.34 More records than the baptismal entries of the children of these three SCHMITT men will be needed to prove if any of them were the father of Jean SCHMIT of Oberkerschen.

This research will be saved for another day. The subjects of my next post will be Marianne SCHMIT’s parents-in-law Pierre FOURNELLE and Jeanne NEU.

Genealogy Sketch

Name: Jean SCHMIT of Hautcharage
Parents: Unknown at this time
Spouse: Eva DUCKER of Differdange
Parents of spouse: Peter DUCKER and Marie SCHMIT
Whereabouts: Niedercorn, Luxembourg
Relationship to Cathy Meder-Dempsey: 5th great-grandparents

1. Jean SCHMIT and Eva DUCKER
2. Marianne SCHMIT and Pierre FOURNELLE
3. André FOURNELLE and Marie Catherine PHILIPPART
4. André FOURNELLE and Odile Lucie SCHLOESSER
5. Jean Joseph FOURNELLE and Catharina FRANTZ
6. Marie Marcelle FOURNELLE and Nicolas WILDINGER
7. Living WILDINGER and Fred Roosevelt DEMPSEY
8. Catherine Ann “Cathy” DEMPSEY and Living MEDER
9. Our children

© 2021, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

  1. Luxembourg, registres paroissiaux, 1601-1948 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Obercorn > Mariages 1727-1770, sépultures 1727-1737, 1740-1778 > image 68 of 96. 1756 Marriage Record (left page, 7th entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WS-9T2?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-44M%3A1500974001%2C1501083590 : accessed 9 July 2021). ↩
  2. Ibid., Obercorn > Baptêmes 1728-1778 > image 45 of 103. 1756 Baptismal Record (left page, 4th entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WS-9ZCS?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-HZW%3A1500974001%2C1501099482 : accessed 18 June 2020). ↩
  3. Ibid., Obercorn > Baptêmes 1728-1778 > image 48 of 103. 1758 Baptismal Record (left page, 9th entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-9ZRD?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-HZW%3A1500974001%2C1501099482 : accessed 18 June 2020). ↩
  4. Ibid., Obercorn > Baptêmes 1779-1793, 1797, mariages 1790-1793, 1796-1797, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 240 of 407. 1788 Marriage Record (left page). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-9HYH?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-4W1%3A1500974001%2C1500974002 : accessed 4 November 2021). ↩
  5. Ibid., Obercorn > Baptêmes 1779-1793, 1797, mariages 1790-1793, 1796-1797, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 257 of 407. 1789 Baptismal Record (left page, first entry).(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-9HR1?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-4W1%3A1500974001%2C1500974002 : accessed 4 November 2021). ↩
  6. Ibid., Obercorn > Baptêmes 1779-1793, 1797, mariages 1790-1793, 1796-1797, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 324 of 407. 1791 Baptismal Record (left page, entry).(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WS-9H2Z?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-4W1%3A1500974001%2C1500974002 : accessed 4 November 2021). ↩
  7. Ibid., Obercorn > Baptêmes 1779-1793, 1797, mariages 1790-1793, 1796-1797, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 371 of 407. 1792 Death Record (left page, first entry).(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WS-9ZFG?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-4W1%3A1500974001%2C1500974002 : accessed 4 November 2021). ↩
  8. Ibid., Obercorn > Baptêmes 1779-1793, 1797, mariages 1790-1793, 1796-1797, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 385 of 407. 1793 Marriage Record (left page and top right). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-9894?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-4W1%3A1500974001%2C1500974002 : accessed 4 November 2021). ↩
  9. Ibid., Obercorn > Baptêmes 1704-1727, 1746, 1794-1797, 1800-1805, mariages 1795-1797, 1800-1807, sépultures 1794-1797, 1802-1807 > image 110 of 296. 1795 Baptismal Record (right page, 2nd entry).(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-9SCB?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-N3T%3A1500974001%2C1500974302 : accessed 4 November 2021). ↩
  10. Luxembourg, Registres d’état civil, 1662-1941 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Differdange > Naissances 1796-1806 > image 37 of 166. 1804 (12 Prairial An XII) Birth Record (right page).
    (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6LVQ-XRG?cc=1709358&wc=9RYQ-JWG%3A129627401%2C130102702 : accessed 5 November 2021). ↩
  11. Ibid., Differdange > Décès 1813-1858 > image 29 of 591. 1814 Death Record No. 46. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6X1T-D6?cc=1709358&wc=9RYC-GP6%3A129627401%2C129627402 : accessed 5 November 2021). ↩
  12. Ibid., Differdange > Décès 1813-1858 > image 103 of 591. 1820 Death Record No. 31. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6X19-9PY?cc=1709358&wc=9RYC-GP6%3A129627401%2C129627402 : accessed 5 November 2021). ↩
  13. Luxembourg Parish Records, Obercorn > Baptêmes 1728-1778 > image 51 of 103. 1760 Baptismal Record (right page, 2nd to last entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WS-9Z4Y?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-HZW%3A1500974001%2C1501099482 : accessed 18 June 2020). ↩
  14. Ibid., Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 35 of 108. 1783 Marriage Record. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32463-14058-91?cc=2037955 : accessed 13 November 2015). ↩
  15. Luxembourg Civil Records, Pétange > Naissances 1878-1886 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1858 > image 1190 of 1497. 1816 Death Record No. 13. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12305-1045-93?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-LZB:n289380544 : accessed 23 March 2010). ↩
  16. Ibid., Pétange > Naissances 1878-1886 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1858 > image 1246 of 1497. 1824 Death Record No. 14. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12305-1419-81?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-LZB:n289380544 : accessed 23 Mar 2010). ↩
  17. Luxembourg Parish Records, Obercorn > Baptêmes 1728-1778 > image 57 of 103. 1762 Baptismal Record (left page, first entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-9ZPG?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-HZW%3A1500974001%2C1501099482 : accessed 18 June 2020). ↩
  18. Ibid., Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 98 of 108. 1792 Marriage Record (top, left page). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-3FF3?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W3G%3A1501084779%2C1500913302 : accessed 5 November 2021). ↩
  19. Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), browsable images of microfilm collection of parish and civil records (online http://www.archives.cg54.fr/), Villerupt 1799-18475 > Mi 579/R 2 > image 310 of 935. New terms of use: En application du règlement sur la réutilisation des données publiques adopté par le conseil départemental de Meurthe-et-Moselle (délibération de sa commission permanente n°17, en date du 16 janvier 2017), je m’engage à mentionner la source du document téléchargé (Arch. dép. de Meurthe-et-Moselle, [suivi de la cote complète]), en cas de réutilisation. 1821 Death Record (bottom left, and middle right page).
    http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ede2e95/54aeac3faff03 : accessed 12 November 2021). ↩
  20. Luxembourg Parish Records, Obercorn > Baptêmes 1728-1778 > image 61 of 103. 1765 Baptismal Record (right page, 6th entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WS-9ZZJ?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-HZW%3A1500974001%2C1501099482 : accessed 18 June 2020). ↩
  21. Ibid., Obercorn > Baptêmes 1779-1793, 1797, mariages 1790-1793, 1796-1797, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 267 of 407. 1789 Marriage Record (right page). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WS-9HFM?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-4W1%3A1500974001%2C1500974002 : accessed 4 November 2021). ↩
  22. Ibid., Obercorn > Baptêmes 1704-1727, 1746, 1794-1797, 1800-1805, mariages 1795-1797, 1800-1807, sépultures 1794-1797, 1802-1807 > image 179 of 296. 1803 Baptismal Record (right page, last entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WS-9S7Y?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-N3T%3A1500974001%2C1500974302 : accessed 4 November 2021). ↩
  23. Ibid., Obercorn > Baptêmes 1728-1778 > image 64 of 103. 1766 Baptismal Record (right page, 4th entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WS-9CKY?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-HZW%3A1500974001%2C1501099482 : accessed 18 June 2020). ↩
  24. Ibid., Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 55 of 108. 1785 Death Record (left page, 1st entry). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32463-14223-8?cc=2037955 : accessed 18 June 2020). ↩
  25. Ibid., Obercorn > Baptêmes 1728-1778 > image 69 of 103. 1769 Baptismal Record (left page, 4th entry).(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WS-9CK4?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-HZW%3A1500974001%2C1501099482 : accessed 18 June 2020). ↩
  26. Ibid., Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 78 of 108. 1789 Baptismal Record (left page, first entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-3FB3?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W3G%3A1501084779%2C1500913302 : accessed 7 November 2021). ↩
  27. Ibid., Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 75 of 108. 1790 Death Record (right page, 3rd entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WS-3N6S?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W3G%3A1501084779%2C1500913302 : accessed 7 November 2021). ↩
  28. Ibid., Rodange > Baptêmes 1767-1777, 1779-1796, confirmations 1791, mariages 1767-1777, 1779-1795, sépultures 1767-1777, 1779-1797 > image 83 of 102. 1795 Marriage Record (left, bottom and right, top). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WS-3NFN?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W32%3A1501084779%2C1501084780 : 9 January 2015). ↩
  29. Luxembourg Civil Records, Pétange > Naissances 1878-1886 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1858 > image 1210 of 1497. 1819 Death Record No. 13. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-62QW-J5N?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-168%3A130201201%2C130563401 : accessed 30 June 2011). ↩
  30. Ibid., Pétange > Naissances 1878-1886 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1858 > image 1270 of 1497. 1828 Death Record No. 1. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12305-6384-83?cc=1709358&wc=M9QN-BMX:n289380544 : accessed 30 Jun 2011). ↩
  31. Luxembourg Parish Records, Obercorn > Mariages 1727-1770, sépultures 1727-1737, 1740-1778 > image 55 of 96. 1777 Death Record (right page, first entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-99S9?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-44M%3A1500974001%2C1501083590 : accessed 3 November 2021). ↩
  32. Ibid., Obercorn > Baptêmes 1779-1793, 1797, mariages 1790-1793, 1796-1797, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 367 of 407
    . 1792 Death Record, part 2 (left page, first entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WS-9Z8P?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-4W1%3A1500974001%2C1500974002 : accessed 3 November 2021). ↩
  33. Armand Logelin-Simon, Livre de famille de Obercorn, Tables familiales manuscrites de la localité de Obercorn d’après les registres paroissiaux. Période: 1637-1804 – Pages: 278 – Langue: Français/Latin (Digitized by Luxracines asbl), page 201, family 81. ↩
  34. Robert Wagner, Dépouillement de Hautcharage, Dépouillement des naissances, mariages et décès à partir des registres de la paroisse de Hautcharage. Inclut la filiale de Linger. Période: 1713-1797 – Pages: 48 – Langue: Français (Digitized by Luxracines asbl). ↩

The Ancestors: Jacques Philippart (1749-1824) of Rodange and Catherine Singer (1743-1835) of Bettange-sur-Messe

My fifth great-grandparents Jacques PHILIPPART (1749-1824) and Catherine SINGER aka KETTER (1743-1835) made their home in Rodange (Luxembourg) following their marriage in 1777. Their records were found in three European countries.

A quick geography lesson

Rodange is in a tri-border area – the geographical point at which the boundaries of three countries meet – Belgium, France, and Luxembourg. The tripoint is located between the localities of Athus (municipality of Aubange, province of Luxembourg, Belgium), Mont-Saint-Martin (department of Meurthe-et-Moselle, France) and Rodange (municipality of Pétange, canton of Esch-sur-Alzette, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg).

Where are the records located?

Although the geographical location is important, to find the records we also need to be aware of the repository of the different records.

The three partitions of Luxembourg reduced Luxembourg’s area substantially, to the advantage of the three surrounding countries. Media file courtesy of Spanish_Inquisition, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Consequently, records for this family were found in three countries in Europe even though they lived in the same village the entire time.

The 1777 marriage record was found in Belgium

The marriage entry for my fifth great-grandparents’ marriage was recorded in the Roman Catholic parish registers of Aubange, Belgium. The entry includes the reason the marriage was performed in the village of Lamadelaine, Luxembourg.1

1777 Marriage Record of Jacques Philippart and Catherine Singer (bottom of page 28)

After the banns were read three times, no impediment was found, and consent was given by their relatives for Jacques PHILIPPART to marry Catherine SINGER. Jacques, son of Jacques PHILIPPART and Elisabeth BURQUELLE of Rodange and Catherine, daughter of Jean SINGER and Barbara KETTER of Bettange-sur-Messe, were joined in marriage on 8 January 1777. The nuptial benediction was given by the priest of the parish of Lamadelaine as the parents of the bride had been living there for several years. The marriage took place in the presence of the undersigned.

1777 Marriage Record of Jacques Philippart and Catherine Singer (top of page 29)

Unfortunately, only Father Kerschen, the priest in Lamadelaine signed the marriage record on the top of page 29 in the register. No signatures or marks of the bride, groom, or their parents were included.

The children of Jacques and Catherine

Jacques and Catherine were the parents of four known children. In 1777, 1780, 1784, and 1789 when the children were baptized their mother Catherine was identified with the surname KETTER(S), her mother’s maiden name.

Michel PHILIPPART (1777-1849)

Their firstborn was my fourth great-grandfather. Michel was born and baptized on 16 October 1777 in Rodange. His godfather was his father’s brother Michel PHILIPPART of Rodange. His godmother was a maternal relative Nannette KETTER of Bettange.2 The identity of Nannette may one day help to take the SINGER-KETTER line back further than Catherine SINGER’s parents.

Michel married Catherine MEUNIER (1775-1851),  daughter of Henri MUNIER and Margaretha KILBORN, on 30 July 1817 in Pétange in a civil ceremony.3 They were likely married by the church about 1800 but no record survives. They were the parents of 8 children; 4 lived to adulthood, married, and continued the line.

Jean PHILIPPART (1780-?)

Their second child, a son named Jean was born and baptized on 10 November 1780. His godparents were Jean FOURNELLE and Elisabeth FELTEN, both of Rodange.4 The godfather’s signature was compared to signatures on other records signed by Jean FOURNELLE (1746-1818) to confirm he was my 4th great-granduncle, the son Pierre FOURNELLE and Jeanne NEU.

No marriage or death record has been found for Jean.

Philippe PHILIPPART (1784-1874)

Their third son, Philippe was born and baptized on 25 January 1784. His godparents were Philippe FOURNELLE of Rodange and Marie Catherine DIXQUES of Pétange.5 The godfather was another son of my FOURNELLE-NEU ancestors.

Philippe at the age of 31 married Anne COLLINET (1775-1848) on 9 January 1816 in Saulnes, France. She was a 40-year-old widow with six children.6 They had only one son who died at the age of two and a half years.

Catherine PHILIPPART (1789-1856)

Their fourth child and only daughter Catherine was born and baptized on 23 April 1789. Pierre ALZIN and Catherine MUNIER, both of Rodange, were the godparents.7 The godmother was described as a young girl. She was likely the father’s second cousin and daughter of Simon MUNIER and Marie Jeanne BURKEL.

Catherine married Jacques FOURNELLE (1797-1870), son of Pierre FOURNELLE and Marianne SCHMIT (my 4th great-grandparents), on 9 December 1822 in Pétange.8 They were the parents of two sons.

Jacques PHILIPPART’s occupation

The baptismal records of Jean, Philippe, and Catherine listed Jacques PHLIPPART’s occupation as charpentier or carpenter.

The deaths of Jacques and Catherine

Jacques died on 23 March 1824 in Rodange at the age of 75. His death was reported by Jacques FOURNELLE. The informant, his son-in-law, was mistakenly listed as his son.9 Jacques’s wife Catherine SINGER died at the age of 91 on 9 February 1835 in Rodange. Her death was reported by her oldest son Michel.10

Research Manager

Was there a connection between the PHILIPPART and FOURNELLE families? In later years the families would be joined in marriage. In 1823, Jacques’ granddaughter Marie Catherine PHILIPPART would marry André FOURNELLE, grandson of Pierre FOURNELLE and Jeanne NEU. But the families had a bond as early as 1744 and 1749.

Jacques PHILIPPART’s father Jacques (1714-1783) was widowed in 1744 when he was living in Doncourt-lès-Longuyon, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France. His wife likely died in childbirth or soon after. He married Elisabeth BURKEL two months after the birth. One of the witnesses to the marriage was Jean FOURNEL (1686-1749), father of Pierre FOURNELLE (1713-1765). Jacques PHILIPPART (1714-1783), Elisabeth BURKEL (1720-bef 1782), and Jean FOURNEL (1686-1749) were my 6th great-grandparents.

When Jacques PHILIPPART was baptized on 18 March 1749, his godmother was Jeanne NEU (1723-1783), wife of Pierre FOURNELLE whose father had been a witness to Jacques’s parents’ marriage.

DNA

Most of the DNA matches on my maternal side are very small segments indicating distant connections. Mom and I have one match with the PHILIPPART surname. The match has no tree and has not replied to a message I sent two years ago. The match is on two segments totaling 34 cMs with the largest segment being 24.4 cMs. As I was checking these details I realized that I might NOW be able to work out the match’s tree with only his name, country of residence, and approximate age.

Why now? The National Library of Luxembourg has recently added the daily newspaper Luxemburger Wort for the years 1951-1980 to their subsite eLuxembourgensia.

With the details I knew about the match, I searched the obituaries (avis mortuaires) and found the 1973 and 1978 death notices of the match’s paternal grandparents in the Luxemburger Wort. From there I was able to connect the match to my family tree by researching only one generation. Over the years I’ve done a lot of descendant research and it is now paying off. The match and I are related in at least six different ways through ancestors from the Rodange area:

5C Michel PHILIPPART and Catherine MEUNIER
6C1R Jacques PHILIPPART and Elisabeth BURKEL
6C Jean SCHMIT and Eve DUCKER
6C Pierre FOURNELLE and Jeanne NEU
6C1R Pierre FOURNELLE and Jeanne NEU
8C1R Pierre LADURELLE and Jeanne SALIN

With so many common ancestors, figuring out which of the above couples might have passed their DNA down to both the match and myself (or my Mom) will be difficult.

In the next two posts, I will be writing about the last of my mother’s maternal 4th great-grandparents. The first couple will be Jean SCHMIT and Eve DUCKER and the second, Pierre FOURNELLE and Jeanne NEU.

Genealogy Sketch

Name: Jacques PHILIPPART (1749-1824)
Parents: Jacques PHILIPPART and Elisabeth BURKEL
Spouse: Catherine SINGER aka KETTER (1743-1835)
Parents of spouse: Jean SINGER and Barbara KETTER
Whereabouts: Rodange, Luxembourg
Relationship to Cathy Meder-Dempsey: 5th great-grandparents

1. Jacques PHILIPPART and Catherine SINGER aka KETTER
2. Michel PHILIPPART and Catherine MEUNIER
3. Marie Catherine PHILIPPART and André FOURNELLE
4. André FOURNELLE and Odile Lucie SCHLOESSER
5. Jean Joseph FOURNELLE and Catharina FRANTZ
6. Marie Marcelle FOURNELLE and Nicolas WILDINGER
7. Living WILDINGER and Fred Roosevelt DEMPSEY
8. Catherine Ann “Cathy” DEMPSEY and Living MEDER
9. Our children

© 2021, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

  1. Belgique, Luxembourg, Registres paroissiaux, 1618-1868, (images), FamilySearch (original records at België Nationaal Archief, Brussels / Belgium National Archives, Brussels), Paroisse d’Aubange (Luxembourg) > Film 619924 DGS 7944121 > Baptêmes 1729-1783 Mariages 1729-1776 Sépultures 1729-1776 > image 15 of 605. 1777 Marriage Record on page 18 of register, 3rd entry with the signature of the priest on top of page 19. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSZV-FSPR-C?i=14&cat=74664 : accessed 5 December 2017). ↩
  2. Ibid., Rodange > Baptêmes 1767-1777, 1779-1796, confirmations 1791, mariages 1767-1777, 1779-1795, sépultures 1767-1777, 1779-1797 > image 21 of 102. 1777 Baptismal Record. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-32463-14845-34?cc=2037955 : accessed 15 November 2015). ↩
  3. Luxembourg, Registres d’état civil, 1662-1941 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Pétange > Naissances 1878-1886 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1858 > image 475 of 1497. 1817 Marriage Record. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12305-1956-61?cc=1709358 : accessed 17 November 2015). ↩
  4. Luxembourg Church Records, Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 14 of 108. 1780 Baptismal Record. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-32463-14938-83?cc=2037955 : accessed 5 December 2017). ↩
  5. Ibid., Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 46 of 108. 1784 Baptismal Record. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-3N72?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W3G%3A1501084779%2C1500913302 : accessed 5 December 2017). ↩
  6. Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), browsable images of microfilm collection of parish and civil records (online http://www.archives.cg54.fr/), Saulnes B., M., S. (1782-1792), N., M., D. (1793-1822) image 303 of 376. 1816 Marriage Record. (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ed0f349/54ae6cf6dfbe1 : accessed 5 December 2017). New terms of use: En application du règlement sur la réutilisation des données publiques adopté par le conseil départemental de Meurthe-et-Moselle (délibération de sa commission permanente n°17, en date du 16 janvier 2017), je m’engage à mentionner la source du document téléchargé (Arch. dép. de Meurthe-et-Moselle, [suivi de la cote complète]), en cas de réutilisation. ↩
  7. Luxembourg Church Records, Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 77 of 108. 1789 Baptismal Record (right, middle).(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WS-3N6H?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W3G%3A1501084779%2C1500913302 : 5 December 2017). ↩
  8. Luxembourg Civil Records, Pétange > Naissances 1878-1886 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1858 > image 508 of 1497. 1822 Marriage Record. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12304-172549-93?cc=1709358&wc=M9QN-BMX:n289380544 : accessed 29 March 2010). ↩
  9. Ibid., Pétange > Naissances 1878-1886 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1858 > image 1244 of 1497. 1824 Death Record No. 8. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12304-172478-93?cc=1709358&wc=M9QN-BMX:n289380544 : accessed 1 Jul 2011). ↩
  10. Ibid., Pétange > Naissances 1878-1886 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1858 > image 1325 of 1497. 1835 Death Record No. 3. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-62QW-F2K?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-168%3A130201201%2C130563401 : accessed 1 July 2011). ↩

Jacques Fournelle (~1699-1774) and Marie Jacob (1695-1758)

This is the 10th in a series of posts on my earliest FOURNELLE ancestors. After setting up the stage, introducing the main characters and supporting cast, I am now discussing each of the children of my 7th great-grandparents Jean FOURNEL (1655-1721) and Catherine SETON (1657-1702). All posts written to date are listed at the end of this post.

Jacques FOURNELLE was the youngest son of Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON. He was born about 1699 in Saulnes (Meurthe-et-Moselle, France). At the time of his birth, there were seven siblings living at home: Françoise b. 1678, Nicolas b. 1683, Jean b. 1686, Henri b. 1688, Jeanne b. bet. 1689-1693, Sébastienne b. abt. 1692, and Marie b. 1696.

Jacques may have had a younger sister, Marie Catherine, born after 1699 and before the death of their mother Catherine SETON on 21 September 1702.1

Following the death of their mother, the youngest children were likely cared for by their oldest sister Françoise who was 24 years old. She did not marry until 1708 when Jacques was about 9 years old.2

Over the years, Jacques’ older siblings married and started their own families. On 4 Feb 1717, Jacques and his sister Jeanne were chosen to be the godparents of their nephew Jacques COURTOIS, the 5th and youngest child of their oldest sister Françoise. They were both unmarried. The baptismal record of this child is the first record to mention Jacques FOURNELLE in relation to his siblings.3

On 24 November 1720 Jacques and his brother Jean witnessed the marriage of his sister Sébastienne to Jean FRANÇOIS (1681-1741) in Saulnes. She was to be the last of his siblings to marry.4 The residences of her brothers are not mentioned in the record. Jean was married and known to be living in Rodange.

Jacques was probably living at home with his father Jean FOURNEL and his sister Marie Catherine. She would serve as the godmother of Jeanne’s and of Sébastienne’s children in 1721. The two baptismal records would be the first and last records to document this sister if she was not Marie.5,6

Jacques’ father Jean FOURNEL died on 3 September 1721 in Saulnes and was buried in the church cemetery the same day. Jacques’ brothers Jean and Nicolas witnessed the death record.7

Jacques Fournelle and Marie Jacob marry

Jacques married Marie JACOB, daughter of François JACOB and Madeleine CLESSE of Hussigny, following the death of his father in 1721 and probably before 1724. Although no marriage record is available, abstracts of judicial and notary records show Jacques FOURNELLE and Marie JACOB were married.

Jacques and his wife Marie were a married couple living in Hussigny when they sold part of a meadow to Simon JACOB and his wife Marguerite NOEL on 30 June 1725. They were therefore married before this date.8

The fact that Jacques and his family lived in Hussigny from about 1724 until their deaths made researching this family a challenge. There are no birth or baptismal records for the years that Marie was of the childbearing age.

Jacques and Marie had two daughters: Marguerite, born about 1724, and Elisabeth, born about 1726. No baptismal records are available, and, although both married and had children, marriage records were not found for them.

Judicial and notary records

To work around the paucity of vital records for Hussigny-Godbrange, the compiler of the family book for the town recorded abstracts of judicial records found for family groups during the period.

Aimé Tarnus, compiled Histoires des Familles, Hussigny-Godbrange de 1550 à 1900, a family book for the town of Hussigny that is lacking church records for the years between 1716-1765 with only 1753-1756 and 1758 being available. To get around the lack of records for the town, Mr. Tarnus consulted records of the Archives Départementales de Moselle, the Archives Départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle, the National Library in Paris, and the Luxembourg National Archives. A good part of the work in the departmental archives, other than the church and civil records, was done using the judicial archives and the notary deeds.

Over the years, Jacques FOURNELLE, and his wife Marie JACOB disposed of a variety of assets including meadows, fields of hemp, fruit orchards, and a house. The abstracts of the notarial records give little information on the property and only the names of the parties. It isn’t known if they were selling property that once belonged to Jacques’ family or to Marie’s. [The Series E records are not available online.] 

In 1734 the FOURNEL siblings sold land they likely inherited from their parents Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON.

M. et M. 23 E 147 : le 06/09/1734, Jean FOURNIER, lab. à G. et Nicolas FOURNIER, lab. à H., Jean COURTOIS, marchand à Sosnes, en qualité de père et tuteur des enfants de lui et de + Françoise FOURNEL, sa fe. en 1ères noces, Jacques FOURNIER; curateur, vendent à Gérosme PERTRISOT, man. à La Sauvage et Jeanne FOURNIER, sa fe., une masure et un jardin etc…

Le 06/09/1734, Jacques FOURNEL, man. à H., vend à Jean FRANÇOIS, man. à Sosnes la Basse, et Sébastienne FOURNEL, sa fe., une masure à Sosne etc…

Jean, Nicolas, Françoise’s widower, and Jacques sold a dwelling and a garden to their sister Jeanne and her husband. Jacques sold a dwelling to his sister Sébastienne and her husband.9

On 18 January 1743, Jacques FOURNELLE of Hussigny, uncle of the bride, was present at the marriage of his niece Jeanne FOURNELLE, daughter of Jean FOURNEL and Jeanne BERKIN, and Henri DE CHAIVE.10 Jacques’ presence at the marriage of his brother Jean’s daughter confirms Jacques FOURNELLE, a laborer of Hussigny, is the son of Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON.

A new recordset: inventaires après décès

On 8 April 1748, an inventory after death (inventaire après décès) for Julien FOURNELLE was witnessed by his uncle Jacques.11 This was the first of several inventaires après décès that Jacques witnessed over the years.

I only recently learned about this set of records when I followed-up on a link Elise Lenoble mentioned in a recent post on her blog Auprès de nos Racines. Her post Inventories after death or How to enter an ancestor’s house, with the French title
Les inventaires après décès ou Comment entrer dans la maison d’un ancêtre, gives an amazing insight into the lives of French ancestors using these inventories.

Drawn up shortly after a person’s death, the inventory after death contained a list of goods owned by the family and an appraisal. The furniture, clothing, kitchen utensils, tapestries, etc., a description of the dwelling, land owned, and contracts or debts of the deceased were included. The inventaires après décès are not only helpful in learning more about how an ancestor lived but also determining when they died. Jacques’ nephew Julien died during the years when death records are missing and his inventory after death, drawn up shortly after his death, gives us a more precise window for his date of death.

Jacques and Marie’s daughters marry

About 1749 or earlier, Jacques and Marie’s daughter Marguerite married Mathias LIBERT (1727-1760) of Audun-le-Tiche (Moselle, France). They were the parents of four known children. The oldest, a son Charles, was born about 1749. His year of birth has been estimated from the age given at the time of his second marriage in 1810. The three other children left records with precise dates of birth in 1753, 1754, and 1757.

Jacques and Marie’s daughter Elisabeth married Charles WACHONRUE (1725-1793) before 18 January 1751 when they were cited in a land deed as husband and wife.12 The land they purchased in 1751 was sold on 28 May 1753 to Jean François Henry Gérard Baron d’HUART.13

Elisabeth and Charles were the parents of four known children. The date of birth of their first child Marie Barbe is not known and has been estimated at about 1751. A marriage record for their second child gives a date of birth in 1753 and baptismal records were found in 1755 and 1758 for the third and the fourth child.

On 6 August 1753 Jacques FOURNELLE witnessed the death record of his brother Henri.14 The brothers lived in the same town and Jacques appears to have been close to his brother’s family. Two and a half years later, he was a witness at the marriage of his nephew Henri, son of Henri FOURNEL and Anne LAUNOIS.15

Jacques and Marie sell their house

On 5 April 1756 Jacques and his wife Marie sold their house to their son-in-law Charles WACHONRUE.16 His wife Elisabeth was not mentioned in the abstract. On the same day, Jacques and Marie also sold a field of hemp to Jean WILLOTTE. This was the last mention of Jacques selling property.

The last of Jacques and Marie’s eight grandchildren, Marguerite WACHONRUE was born on 10 September 1758 and baptized the following day.17 Her godfather was Mathias LIBERT, husband of her maternal aunt, Marguerite FOURNELLE. The godfather is not explicitly noted as the child’s uncle but this record gives some support to Marguerite and Elisabeth being sisters.

Jacques is widowed

1758 Death Record. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 268/R 1 vue 38 de 677.

Marie JACOB, wife of the surviving “Jacques Fournier” died three months later on 7 December 1758 in Hussigny at the age of 63 years.18 In the presence of her family and neighbors, she was buried in the parish cemetery.

Jacques’ son-in-law Mathias LIBERT died in January 1760 at the age of 33. This is known as his inventory after death was filed on 30 January 1760 and was witnesses by Jacques FOURNELLE, Henri FOURNEL (Jacques’ nephew), Jean JACOB, and Antoine LAINE (husband of Marie LIBERT, Mathias’s brother).19 The fact that Jacques was a witness lends support to the assumption that Mathias was Jacques’ son-in-law.

Jacques, age 60, was mentioned in a judicial record on 23 February 1760.20 His occupation was charbonnier, a person who makes, sells, or delivers charcoal. In the years since his marriage, he had disposed of all of his property and still had to make a living. He was a widower with two daughters, one widowed and one married, and eight grandchildren. And he was still giving moral support to his brother Henri’s sons.

Jacques, the caretaker of his sibling’s family

On 8 February 1763, Jacques once again was a witness to the marriage of one of his nephews, Dominique, son of Henri FOURNEL and Anne LAUNOIS.21 Dominique was widowed less than a year later when his wife died giving birth to their son Mathias. By the end of the following year, Dominique was at the notary and, with the assistance of his brother Henri and Pierre and their uncle Jacques, was having a marriage contract drawn up for his second marriage.22 On 28 December 1765, Jacques was one of the witnesses to the marriage of Dominique FOURNEL and Barbe SCHMIT.23

More inventories after death

1766 Death Record. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 268/R 1 vue 48 de 677.

On 9 May 1766, Jacques and Marie’s daughter Elisabeth died in Hussigny at the age of about 40. She was buried the following day.24 A little over two weeks later, on 27 May 1766 her inventory after death was filed and Jacques FOURNELLE was one of the four witnesses.25 Ten months later, Elisabeth’s widower, Charles WACHONRUE married again. He would have another son with his second wife.

1774 Death Record. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 268/R 1 vue 83 de 677.

Eight years after Elisabeth’s death her father Jacques died. Marguerite’s oldest son Charles LIBERT and her cousin Henri FOURNEL (son of Henri) were the witnesses on the death record of her Jacques FOURNELLE. He died on 9 December 1774 and was buried the following day.26 On the day Jacques FOURNELLE’s was buried his inventory after death was filed. He was described as a poor beggar for the last 10 years.27

1788 Death Record. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 268/R 1 vue 237 de 677.

Fourteen years later Marguerite FOURNELLE died on 12 November 1788 in Hussigny and was buried the following day. Her sons, Charles and Antoine, both married and living in Villers-la-Montagne were the witnesses on her death record.28

Jacques’ son-in-law Charles WACHONRUE was still living. He died five years later on 30 January 1793 in Hussigny.29 All of the parents of the grandchildren of Jacques and Marie were now deceased.

Jacques and Marie’s grandchildren

Five of the eight grandchildren of Jacques and Marie are known to have survived their grandfather Jacques FOURNELLE. They lived to see the turn of the century and three more marriages in 1800, 1801, and 1810.

Jean WACHONRUE (1755-1805) married Jeanne Hélène VRILLARD before 1786, lived in Paris for a while, and then moved to Itteville, south of Paris in the department of Essonne, where he died in 1805. His wife predeceased him. They had at least three children.

Marie Barbe WACHONRUE (1751-1818) married Joseph PHOND (1751-1833) before 1782. They were the parents of two known children. She died 2 February 1818 in Hussigny. Her widower married again four months later to Marie Barbe’s first cousin once removed, Anne Marie LIBERT (1782-1860), daughter of Antoine LIBERT.

Antoine LIBERT (1753-1833) was widowed in 1799. He’d married Elisabeth CLAUSSE (1750-1799) in 1775 and they had eleven children between 1775-1794. He married again a year later to Catherine MORANT (1757-?) on 17 December 1800. Antoine died 8 December 1833 in Haucourt-Moulaine.

Marie Catherine LIBERT (1757-1836) married Jean ANTOINE (1731-1820) on 20 Dec 1801 in Hussigny. She was 44 years old and this was her first marriage. Her brother Antoine and her cousin Marie Barbe WACHONRUE’s husband Joseph PHOND were two of the witnesses. Marie Catherine died on 13 February 1836 in Hussigny. She had no known children.

Charles LIBERT (1749-1812) was widowed in 1809 when his wife Barbe NICOLAS died. He’d married Barbe who was ten years older and a widow in 1772. They had 9 children between 1773-1782 including two sets of twins. He married again a year later to Madeleine SALIN (1765-1827) in Thil on 20 December 1810. Madeleine was the 2nd great-granddaughter of my 9th great-grandparents François SALIN and Catherine MASSON. Charles died in 1842 in Mercy-le-Bas at the age of about 93 years. His death record indicates he was 105 years old at the time of his death. This is an exaggeration as his mother would have been only 13 years old at the time of his birth. His 1810 marriage record gives a more accurate age of 60 years, i.e. born about 1749.

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 1)

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 2)

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 3)

Françoise FOURNEL (1678-1729) and Jean COURTOIS (1684-1745)

Nicolas FOURNEL (1683-abt.1748) and Barbe AGARANT (abt.1678-1758)

Jean FOURNEL (1686-1749) and Jeanne BERKIN (1683-1759)

Henri FOURNEL (1688-1753) and Anne LAUNOIS (1692-1758)

Jeanne FOURNEL (~1691-aft. 1756) and Jérôme PÉTRISOT (~1680-1761)

Sébastienne FOURNEL (~1692-1752) and Jean FRANÇOIS (~1681-1741)

Jacques FOURNELLE (~1699-1774) and Marie JACOB (1695-1758)

© 2020, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

  1. Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), browsable images of microfilm collection of parish and civil records (online http://www.archives.cg54.fr/), Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 333 of 529. New terms of use: En application du règlement sur la réutilisation des données publiques adopté par le conseil départemental de Meurthe-et-Moselle (délibération de sa commission permanente n°17, en date du 16 janvier 2017), je m’engage à mentionner la source du document téléchargé (Arch. dép. de Meurthe-et-Moselle, [suivi de la cote complète]), en cas de réutilisation. 1702 Death Record (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538082e2f7 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  2. Ibid., Herserange > 1668 1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 300 of 529.  1708 Marriage Record of Jean Courtois and Françoise Fournel (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380814b5d : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  3. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 234 of 529. 1717 Baptismal Record (left page, 1st entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807d29ad : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  4. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 178 of 529. 1720 Marriage Record (left page, 2nd entry).(http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807b09bb : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  5. Luxembourg, registres paroissiaux, 1601-1948 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Obercorn > Baptêmes 1704-1727, 1746, 1794-1797, 1800-1805, mariages 1795-1797, 1800-1807, sépultures 1794-1797, 1802-1807 > image 78 of 296. 1721 Baptismal Record of Marie Catherine Pétrisot (right page, 2nd entry).(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-9SCK?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-N3T%3A1500974001%2C1500974302 : accessed 12 July 2020). ↩
  6. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 184 of 529. 1721 Baptismal Record of Marie Catherine François (left page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807b4610 : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  7. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 183 of 529. 1721 Death Record (left page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807b3cf3 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  8. Aimé Tarnus, Histoires des Familles, Hussigny-Godbrange de 1550 à 1900, page 533, family 2028, abstract of a notary record. “Notaires de V.-la-M. : le 30/06/1725, Jacques FOURNIER, man. à H., et Marie JACOB, sa fe., vendent à Simon JACOB, lab. à H., et Marguerite NOEL, sa fe., une demi-fauchée de pré située sur le ban de Belvaux etc…” ↩
  9. Ibid., page 535, family 2029, abstract of a notary record for the sale of land. “M. et M. 23 E 147 : le 06/09/1734, Jean FOURNIER, lab. à G. et Nicolas FOURNIER, lab. à H., Jean COURTOIS, marchand à Sosnes, en qualité de père et tuteur des enfants de lui et de + Françoise FOURNEL, sa fe. en 1ères noces, Jacques FOURNIER; curateur, vendent à Gérosme PERTRISOT, man. à La Sauvage et Jeanne FOURNIER, sa fe., une masure et un jardin etc…
    Le 06/09/1734, Jacques FOURNEL, man. à H., vend à Jean FRANÇOIS, man. à Sosnes la Basse, et Sébastienne FOURNEL, sa fe., une masure à Sosne etc…” ↩
  10. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > images 197 and 198 of 328. 1743 Marriage Record, right page, last entry (part 1). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f06e6ad : accessed 9 July 2020). 1743 Marriage Record, right page, last entry (part 2). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f06f031 : accessed 9 July 2020). ↩
  11. Ibid., page 536, family 2031, abtract of an inventory after death. “Mos. B 8647 : le 8/4/1748, inv. ap. + Julien FOURNELLE ; Ts. Jacques FOURNELLE, Henry FOURNELLE, Nicolas PETIT et François BALTUS, tous de Hussigny.” ↩
  12. Ibid., page 1428, family 5741, abstract of a purchase. “M. et M. 23 E 102 : le 18/01/1751, Jean JACOB, lab. à H., au nom de Charles LOUIS, son beau-frère, vend a Charles WOICHONRUPT, cordonnier à H., et Elis. FOURNIER, sa fe., un jour 1/2 de terre à la pièce Grégoire pour 64 livres 10 sols etc…” ↩
  13. Ibid., page 1428, family 5741, abstract of a sale. “M. et M. 23 E 104 : le 28/05/1753, Charles WACHONRUE, cordonnier à H., et Elis FOURNIER, sa fe., vendent à Jean François Henry Gérard Baron d’HUART un jour 1/2 de terre sur le finage de H. à la pièce Grégoire pour 66 livres de France etc…” ↩
  14. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 455 of 529 . 1753 Death Record (right page, 1st entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53808948e4 : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  15. Ibid., Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3> image 123 of 328. 1756 Marriage Record (right page, top entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f040929 : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  16. FB of Hussigny-Godbrange, page 1428, family 5741, abstract of a notary record of sale. “M. et M. 23 E 20 : le 05/04/1756, Jacques FOURNEL, man. à H., et Marie JACOB, sa fe., vendent à Charles WACHONRUE, man. à H., une maison à H. etc…” ↩
  17. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Hussigny-Godbrange > 1714-1809 > 5 Mi 268/R 1 > image 37 of 677. 1758 Baptismal Record (left page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea53d8a/54b010531a887 : accessed 6 October 2020). ↩
  18. Ibid., Hussigny-Godbrange > 1714-1809 > 5 Mi 268/R 1 > image 38 of 677. 1758 Death Record (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea53d8a/54b010531aec1 : accessed 2 August 2020). ↩
  19. FB of Hussigny-Godbrange, page 893, family 3439, abstract of the inventory after death. “Mos. B 8657 : le 30/01/1760, inv. ap. + de Mathias LIBERT. Ts. : Antoine LAINE, Jacques FOURNEL, Henry FOURNEL et Jean JACOB.” ↩
  20. Ibid., page 535, family 2028, abstract of a legal record. “Mos. B 8719 : le 23/02/1760, Jacques FOURNEL, charbonnier à H., a 60 ans.” ↩
  21. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 69 of 328. 1763 Marriage Record (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f0253fe : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  22. Ibid., Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 60 of 328. 1765 Marriage Record (left page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f021335 : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  23. FB of Hussigny-Godbrange, page 529, family 2015, abstract of the marriage contract between Dominique Fournel and Barbe Schmit. “M. et M. 23 E 114 : le 18/12/1765, CM. entre Dominique FOURNEL, man. à Sosne la basse, assisté de Henry et Pierre FOURNEL ses frères, Jacques FOURNELLE de H., leur oncle, et Barbe FELMIN(?) fa. de Mathieu, marchal ferrant à Tiffer., et de Cath. GODFRIN etc….” ↩
  24. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Hussigny-Godbrange > 1714-1809 > 5 Mi 268/R 1 > image 48 of 677. 1766 Death Record (right page, last entry).
    (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea53d8a/54b0105321182 : accessed 2 August 2020). ↩
  25. FB of Hussigny-Godbrange, page 1427, family 5741, abstract of inventory after death. “Mos. B 8662 : le 27/05/1766, inv. ap. + de Elis. FORNELLE. Ts. : Jacques FOURNEL, Joseph BARY, Jean MIRGAINE et Jean VUARCOLIER.” ↩
  26. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Hussigny-Godbrange > 1714-1809 > 5 Mi 268/R 1 > image 83 of 677. 1774 Death Record (right page). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea53d8a/54b010532f877 : accessed 2 August 2020). ↩
  27. FB of Hussigny-Godbrange, page 535, family 2028, abstract of inventory after death. “Mos. B 8669 : le 10/12/1774, inv. ap. + de Jacques FOURNEL de H., pauvre mendiant depuis environ 10 ans.” ↩
  28. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Hussigny-Godbrange > 1714-1809 > 5 Mi 268/R 1 > image 237 of 677. 1788 Death Record (right page, first full entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea53d8a/54b0105383e99 : accessed 2 August 2020). ↩
  29. Ibid., Hussigny-Godbrange > 1714-1809 > 5 Mi 268/R 1 > image 560 of 677. 1793 Death Record (right page). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea53d8a/54b01054a92b3 : accessed 6 Octobe 2020). ↩

Henri Fournel (1688-1753) and Anne Launois (1692-1758)

This is the 7th in a series of posts on my earliest FOURNELLE ancestors. After setting up the stage, introducing the main characters and supporting cast, I am now discussing each of the children of my 7th great-grandparents Jean FOURNEL (1655-1721) and Catherine SETON (1657-1702). All posts written to date are listed at the end of this post.

1766 Baptismal Record of “Henry Fournier.” Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 55 de 529.

Henri FOURNEL (1688-1753), the fourth child and third son of Jean and Catherine, was born 2 June 1688 in Saulnes (Meurthe-et-Moselle, France). His godparents were Henry LOUIS and Barbe DROUET. His father’s name was written as Jean FOURNIER and his mother’s name was blank followed by sa mère, or his mother.1 At home were his oldest sister Françoise (10 yo) and his brothers, Nicolas (5 yo) and Jean (2 yo).

Following Henri’s birth, four more children were born to Jean and Catherine: Jeanne (bef. 1691), Sébastienne (abt. 1692), Marie (1696), and Jacques (abt. 1699). As mentioned in previous posts, Marie may have gone by Marie Catherine or there was another sister (born before 21 September 1702) whose birth/baptismal record has not been found. No marriage or record of death has been found for Marie or Marie Catherine.

Henri was fourteen years old when his mother Catherine SETON died on 21 September 1702.2

Henri’s older siblings married in 1708, 1710, and 1713. A marriage record for Henri has not been found. He was not married when he served as the godfather of Barbe COURTOIS, daughter of his sister Françoise FOURNEL and Jean COURTOIS, on 20 June 1715. He was described as un jeune garçon or young boy indicating he was not married.3 Interesting is that the godmother of the child was a young girl named Barbe DROUET, the same name but not the same person as Henri’s godmother in 1688.

Henri Fournel marries Anne Launois

It is known that Henri FOURNEL and Anne LAUNOIS were a married couple. They had three known sons who married after Henri’s death. These marriage records confirm the parents to be Henri FOURNEL and Anne LAUNOIS. Birth records for the sons have not been found and their years of birth have had to be estimated from their age at death.

  • Henri was born about 1716 and died 27 Aug 1782 at the age of 66 years.
  • Mathias was born about 1733 and died 22 Feb 1793 at the age of 66 years.
  • Dominique was born about 1735 and died 25 Jun 1785 at the age of 50.

The estimated years of birth for the sons would suggest Henri and Anne were married about 1716. They may have had more children between 1716-1733. One more son has been found as will be discussed at the end of this post.

Henri’s father Jean FOURNEL died 3 September 1721 in Saulnes.4

The next three decades are unaccounted for – no birth, marriage, or death records.

Marriages of the sons of Henri and Anne

1753 Death Record of “Henry Fournelle.” Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 455 de 529.

Henri died at the age of 65 (the record notes 60 years) on 6 August 1753. He is identified as the husband of Anne LAUNOIS. His son Henri and his brother Jacques were the informants on the record.5

1756 Marriage Record. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 3 vue 123 de 328.

Three years after the death of Henri, the first of his sons was seen marrying in Herserange. Henri FOURNEL married Marie Claire BOULANGER (1737-1810) on 26 February 1756.6 The groom signed his name in block letters. They were the parents of 12 children born between 1757 and 1781. Five did not survive to adulthood. Five of the daughters are known to have married. No further records were found for a son and a daughter.

Henri and Marie Claire’s first-born Marie Joseph was the only grandchild Anne LAUNOIS would know. The elder Henri’s widow Anne died at the age of 66 on 14 February 1758. Philippe BAILLIEU, a priest, and Dominique FOURNEL, her son, were the informants on her death record.7

Five years after the death of his mother, Dominique FOURNEL married Marie COMES (1734-1764) on 8 February 1763 in Herserange.8 Marie died on 13 January 1764 following the birth of their son Mathias.9

1765 Marriage Record. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 3 vue 60 de 328.

Dominique married again on 28 December 1765 in Herserange to Barbe SCHMIT (1744-1812).10 She gave him six children, two of whom are known to have married and continued the line.

1766 Marriage Record. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 3 vue 49 de 328.

About 4 months after Dominique’s second marriage, his wife’s sister Magdelaine SCHMIT (1736-1786) married his brother Mathias FOURNEL on 1 May 1766 in Herserange.11 Magdelaine was Barbe’s older sister. Mathias and Magdelaine had five children, only two reached adulthood and married.

The deaths of the sons of Henri and Anne

Henri, the son of Henri and Anne, died on 27 August 1782 at the age of 66 in Saulnes.12 His widow, Marie Claire BOULANGER outlived him dying on 9 December 1810 in Messancy (Belgium) at the age of 73 years.13

Dominique died on 25 June 1785 at the age of 50.14 His widow Barbe SCHMIT died 7 April 1812 at the age of 68.15 Both died in Saulnes.

Mathias’ wife Magdelaine SCHMIT predeceased him on 24 August 1786 at the age of 50.16 Mathias died on 22 February 1793 at the age of 66 years.17 Both died in Saulnes.

The discovery of a fourth son

An examination of the relationships of persons mentioned in the baptismal records of all of Henri FOURNEL and Anne LAUNOIS’ grandchildren brought to light another son of the FOURNEL-LAUNOIS couple.

Pierre FOURNEL was the godfather of Marie Catherine, the daughter of Mathias FOURNEL and Magdalaine SCHMIT, baptized on 16 April 1767.18 His relationship to the child and/or parents was not given.

On 18 August 1771, Pierre was the godfather of Pierre, a son of Henri FOURNEL and Marie Claire BOULANGER. The godfather’s relationship was noted as the uncle of the child.19

Pierre was also the godfather of Marie Joseph, daughter of Dominique FOURNEL and Barbe SCHMIT. She was baptized on 18 June 1774 and her godfather was her uncle.20

As Pierre FOURNEL was identified as an uncle of two of the three children, does this mean he was a brother of the children’s fathers?

Aimé Tarnus, compiled Histoires des Familles, Hussigny-Godbrange de 1550 à 1900, a family book for the town of Hussigny that is lacking church records for the years between 1716-1765 with only 1753-1756 and 1758 being available. To get around the lack of records for the town, Mr. Tarnus consulted records of the Archives Départementales de Moselle, the Archives Départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle, the National Library in Paris, and the Luxembourg National Archives. A good part of the work in the departmental archives, other than the church and civil records, was done using the judicial archives and the notary deeds.

In Mr. Tarnus’ family book of Hussigny, I found the following abstract of a  notarial record he attributed to Henry FOURNELLE, a laborer from Hussigny, born about 1713, married to Anne ADAM. Henry died 6 January 179321 and his wife Anne died 17 August 1783.22 This individual has not been researched other than locating the death records. It is, at this time, unknown if he is related and how.

M. et M. 23 E 114 : le 18/12/1765, CM. entre Dominique FOURNEL, man. à Sosne la basse, assisté de Henry et Pierre FOURNEL ses frères, Jacques FOURNELLE de H., leur oncle, et Barbe FELMIN(?) fa. de Mathieu, marchal ferrant à Tiffer., et de Cath. GODFRIN etc…23

The abstract mentions Dominique FOURNEL, a laborer from Saulnes, assisted by Henry and Pierre FOURNEL, his brothers, and Jacques FOURNELLE of Hussigny, their uncle. STOP. I suspect a transcription error in the second half. The transcriber was not sure about the surname of the lady Barbe FELMIN(?) and included the question mark.

This abstract is referring to a marriage contract (see the abbreviation: CM.) drawn up by a notary between Dominique FOURNEL and Barbe SCHMIT before their marriage. The record is dated 18 December 1765 while the marriage took place on 28 December 1765.  Barbe SCHMIT was the daughter of Mathias SCHMIT and Catherine GODFRIN of Differdange (seen as Tifferdange in early records).

The places of residence of Henry, Pierre, and Jacques are not noted. However, Dominique was the only person of this name in Saulnes around 1765. He has been proven to be the son of Henri FOURNEL and Anne LAUNOIS as were his brothers Henri and Mathias through their marriage records. In turn, the elder Henri FOURNEL and Jacques FOURNELLE were both sons of Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON. Jacques witnessed his brother Henri’s death record in 1753 and is referred to as his brother.

The Henry FOURNEL mentioned in the abstract is not the Henry FOURNELLE (b. abt. 1713 and died 1793) that Mr. Tarnus attached this abstract to in his book. Although the compiler attributed the record to the incorrect person, his inclusion of this information in his book helped to prove Pierre FOURNEL was the son of Henri FOURNEL and his wife Anne LAUNOIS. Pierre’s life has been documented for the years 1765 when he assisted his brother when a marriage contract was drawn up and in 1767, 1771, and 1774 when he was the godfather of his nieces and nephew. It is, however, not known when he was born, if he married, or when he died.

In the next two posts, I will be writing about Jeanne and Sébastienne, daughters of Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON, before I get to their youngest son Jacques who was mentioned several times in connection to his brother Henri of this post.

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 1)

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 2)

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 3)

Françoise FOURNEL (1678-1729) and Jean COURTOIS (1684-1745)

Nicolas FOURNEL (1683-abt.1748) and Barbe AGARANT (abt.1678-1758)

Jean FOURNEL (1686-1749) and Jeanne BERKIN (1683-1759)

Henri FOURNEL (1688-1753) and Anne LAUNOIS (1692-1758)

Jeanne FOURNEL (~1691-aft. 1756) and Jérôme PÉTRISOT (~1680-1761)

Sébastienne FOURNEL (~1692-1752) and Jean FRANÇOIS (~1681-1741)

Jacques FOURNELLE (~1699-1774) and Marie JACOB (1695-1758)

© 2020, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

  1. Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), browsable images of microfilm collection of parish and civil records (online http://www.archives.cg54.fr/), Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 55 of 529. New terms of use: En application du règlement sur la réutilisation des données publiques adopté par le conseil départemental de Meurthe-et-Moselle (délibération de sa commission permanente n°17, en date du 16 janvier 2017), je m’engage à mentionner la source du document téléchargé (Arch. dép. de Meurthe-et-Moselle, [suivi de la cote complète]), en cas de réutilisation. 1688 Baptismal Record (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538076c2be : accessed 2 July 2020). ↩
  2. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 333 of 529. 1702 Death Record (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538082e2f7 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  3. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 253 of 529. 1715 Baptismal Record (right page, 1st entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807dfa71 : accessed 16 August 2020). ↩
  4. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 183 of 529. 1721 Death Record (left page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807b3cf3 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  5. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 455 of 529 . 1753 Death Record (right page, 1st entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53808948e4 : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  6. Ibid., Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3> image 123 of 328. 1756 Marriage Record (right page, top entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f040929 : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  7. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 438 of 529. 1758 Death Record (age at death 66 years) (left page bottom and right page top). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538088633f : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  8. Ibid., Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 69 of 328. 1763 Marriage Record (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f0253fe : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  9. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 417 and 418 of 529. 1764 Death Record, part 1 (right page, bottom entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538087212c : accessed 14 September 2020) and 1764 Death Record, part 2 (left page, top entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380872e64 : accessed 14 September 2020). ↩
  10. Ibid., Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 60 of 328. 1765 Marriage Record (left page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f021335 : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  11. Ibid., Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 49 of 328. 1766 Marriage Record (left, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f01bd40 : accessed 10 September 2020). ↩
  12. Ibid., Saulnes > 1782-1822 > 5 Mi 492/R 1 > image 9 of 376. 782 Death Record (age at death 66 years) (left page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ed0f349/54ae6cf63e59f : accessed 10 September 2020). ↩
  13. Belgique, Luxembourg, registres d’état civil, 1580-1920, (images), FamilySearch (België Nationaal Archief, Brussels / Belgium National Archives, Brussels), Messancy > Actes 1810-1817 > image 63 of 368. 1810 Death Record No. 34 (age at death 77). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRXG-NM7?cc=2138510&wc=S51W-N3F%3A367348201%2C367562201 : accessed 10 September 2020). ↩
  14. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Saulnes > 1782-1822 > 5 Mi 492/R 1 > image 22 of 376. 1785 Death Record (age at death 50) (right page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ed0f349/54ae6cf642ad3 : accessed 14 September 2020). ↩
  15. Ibid., Saulnes > 1782-1822 > 5 Mi 492/R 1 > image 262 of 376. 1812 Death Record (age at death 68) (right page, 1st entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ed0f349/54ae6cf6c4d95 : accessed 14 September 2020). ↩
  16. Ibid., Saulnes > 1782-1822 > 5 Mi 492/R 1 > image 29 of 376. 1786 Death Record (left page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ed0f349/54ae6cf645095 : accessed 10 September 2020). ↩
  17. Ibid., Saulnes > 1782-1822 > 5 Mi 492/R 1 > image 152 of 376. 1793 Death Record (age at death about 60) (left page, first full entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ed0f349/54ae6cf67ece0 : accessed 10 September 2020). ↩
  18. Ibid., Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 42 of 328. 1767 Baptismal Record (left page, bottom and right page, top). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f018da6 : accessed 16 September 2020). ↩
  19. Ibid., Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 18 of 328. 1771 Baptismal Record (left page, bottom entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f00ab31 : accessed 16 September 2020). ↩
  20. Ibid., Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 221 of 328. 1774 Baptismal Record (left page, 1st entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f07d615 : accessed 14 September 2020). ↩
  21. Ibid., Hussigny-Godbrange > 1714-1809 > 5 Mi 268/R 1 > image 559 of 677. 1793 Death Record of Henry Fournel
    (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea53d8a/54b01054a7deb : accessed 23 September 2020) ↩
  22. Ibid., Hussigny-Godbrange > 1714-1809 > 5 Mi 268/R 1 > image 167 of 677. 1783 Death Record of Anne Adam. (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea53d8a/54b010535bdd6 : accessed 23 September 2020) ↩
  23. Aimé Tarnus, Histoires des Familles, Hussigny-Godbrange de 1550 à 1900, Tome 2 (2002-Fortier à 4096-Mohy), page 529, family 2015 Fournelle Henry husband of Anne Adam. “M. et M. 23 E 114 : le 18/12/1765, CM. entre Dominique FOURNEL, man. à Sosne la basse, assisté de Henry et Pierre FOURNEL ses frères, Jacques FOURNELLE de H., leur oncle, et Barbe FELMIN(?) fa. de Mathieu, marchal ferrant à Tiffer., et de Cath. GODFRIN etc…”] ↩

Jean Fournel (1686-1749) and Jeanne Berkin (1683-1759)

This is the 6th in a series of posts on my earliest FOURNELLE ancestors. After setting up the stage, introducing the main characters and supporting cast, I am now discussing each of the children of my 7th great-grandparents Jean FOURNEL (1655-1721) and Catherine SETON (1657-1702). All posts written to date are listed at the end of this post.

The third child of Jean and Catherine was my 6th great-grandfather Jean FOURNEL (1686-1749).

1686 Baptismal Record of Jean Fournel. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 42 de 529

Jean was born and baptized on 9 May 1686 in Saulnes (Meurthe-et-Moselle, France). His godparents were Jean QUERIN and Marie Madeleine CHERLOT (a variation of CHOLOT).1 He was welcomed into the family by his eight-year-old sister Françoise and his nearly three-year-old brother Nicolas.

Jean had five more documented siblings. A brother Henri was born when Jean was 2, a sister Jeanne at 4, a sister Sébastienne at 5, a sister Marie at 10, and a brother Jacques at 12. Marie may have also been known as Marie Catherine. Proof has not been found that Marie and Marie Catherine were the same person. It’s possible that Marie Catherine was another sister, possibly born between 1800-1802.

Jean was sixteen when he and his siblings lost their mother Catherine SETON on 21 September 1702. She died in Saulnes where the family lived and was buried in the church cemetery.2

The FOURNEL family, father Jean and the children, remained together until Jean’s oldest sister Françoise married in January of 1708.

Later in the year, on 22 August 1708, young Jean became the godfather of Elizabeth, a daughter of Nicolas RAISER and Catherine TONNELIER. A family relationship with this couple is not known. Jean’s surname was written FOURNY on the baptismal record.3

Jean’s next oldest sibling, Nicolas married in June 1710. Jean was now the oldest child living at home with his widowed father Jean and his younger siblings.

Jean marries and starts a family

Jean married Jeanne BERKIN, daughter of Domange BERKIN and Anne WARCOLLIER, on 22 January 1713 in Rodange (Luxembourg).4 Jeanne was three years older than Jean having been baptized on 18 May 1683 in Rodange.5 She was likely born the same or previous day as it was the custom to baptize children as soon as they were born.

Present at the marriage of Jean and Jeanne were Jean FOURNEL (father of the groom), Nicolas FOURNEL (brother of the groom), Nicolas BERKIN (brother of the bride), and Jean WARCOLLIER (cousin of the bride). All of these persons signed the marriage record along with Jean and Jeanne – with their marks.

1713 Marriage Record of Jean FOURNEL and Jeanne BERKIN. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 266 de 529

The parents of the bride were named but there is no mention of their being alive and present at the marriage. In-depth research has not been done on the BERKIN (also seen as BERQUIN) and WARCOLLIER lines. The father of the bride, Domange BERKIN may have been deceased at the time of the marriage of his daughter Jeanne. The mother of the bride, Anne WARCOLLIER died 13 years later, on 12 April 1726. The phrasing of the marriage record suggests the bridal couple were assisted by their parents and friends and then continues by naming the ones who signed or witnessed the marriage.

A little less than seven months after the marriage, the first child of Jean and Jeanne was born. Pierre FOURNELLE, my 5th great-grandfather, was born and baptized on 12 August 1713 in Rodange. Pierre WARCOLLIER, a young man from Lamadelaine, and Marguerite MARC, a young woman, were the godparents of Pierre.6

The second child of Jean and Jeanne took a bit more time to join the family. Nearly four years later Christianne was born and baptized on 11 April 1717. Her godparents were Samson HOTTON of Russange and Christianne LELIÉVRE.7 [Note: Samson HOTTON was the son of Jean HOTTON and Elisabeth BERKIN (parentage unknown, an aunt or sister of Jeanne BERKIN?]

Jean FOURNEL, now the father of a son and daughter, may have been present at the marriage of his sister Jeanne on 28 July 1720 in Obercorn to Jérôme PETRISOT. The marriage entry in the church records gives only the names of the bride and groom.8 We do know that Jean witnessed the marriage of his sister Sébastienne to Jean FRANÇOIS on 24 November 1720 in Saulnes as he and his brother Jacques were present and assisted the bride.9

Two months later, the third child of Jean and Jeanne was born. Their daughter Anne Marie was born and baptized on 21 January 1721, a day before their seventh wedding anniversary. The godparents of the child were Jean’s brother Jacques FOURNEL and a young lady named Anne Marie LELIÉVRE.10 The relationship to Christianne’s godmother is unknown. [Note: Jeanne BERKIN’s sister Barbe BERKIN married Nicolas LELIÉVRE before 1703. Are Christianne and Anne Marie children of this marriage?]

While marriages and births were being celebrated, the elder Jean FOURNEL, widower of Catherine SETON, must have been in declining health. He was last seen as a witness at his son Jean’s marriage in 1713. On 3 September 1721, Jean FOURNEL died at the age of 66 years in Saulnes. His two oldest sons, Nicolas and Jean were witnesses to his death and burial record.11

The following spring the fourth child of Jean and Jeanne was born in Rodange on 30 March 1722. Jacques was baptized the same day in the presence of his godparents, Jacques FELTEN and Elizabeth LEINS. The surname of the father and son was spelled FOURNIER on this record.12

Jeanne, the youngest child of Jean and Jeanne, was born and baptized on 27 August 1725 in Rodange. Her godparents were Jacques MARC (signed MARQUE), a young man, and Jeanne KERGEN of Russange.13 [Note: 1. This is the second child with a godparent with the surname MARC. What is the significance of this choice? 2. Is there more than one connection to the village of Russange for the FOURNEL and BERKIN families – other than the HOTTON-BERKIN connection?]

Jean FOURNEL was a witness at the marriage of his sister-in-law Barbe BERKIN to Michel THOMA on 8 February 1728 in Rodange.14 Barbe had been a widow since 1712 when her first husband Nicolas LELIÉVRE died. Also present at the marriage was Nicolas BERKIN, sister of the bride. This record is proof that Nicolas, Barbe, and Jeanne were siblings.

Jean FOURNEL was a witness at the marriage of his friend Laurent BOULANGER to Anne BURKEL on 16 February 1738.15

The children are old enough to marry

In 1743, Jean and Jeanne’s children were grown up and old enough to marry.

Their youngest child, daughter Jeanne married Henri DE CHAIVE (1704-1789) on 18 January 1743 in Herserange. Jeanne was 17 and Henri was 38 years old. Jeanne’s father Jean and her uncle Jacques were witnesses at the marriage as well as Jacques BURQUELLE and Pierre JACQUINET.16 The couple lived in Rodange and had five sons. Of these, three died at a young age and one has not been found after his baptism. Only one of the sons married and continued the line. His marriage to his second cousin Marie Catherine BERKIN, granddaughter of Jeanne BERKIN’s brother Nicolas, would be fruitful. She bore him 13 children although not all would reach maturity.

A month later, Jean and Jeanne’s oldest child married. Their twenty-nine years old son Pierre FOURNELLE (1713-1765) married the twenty years old Jeanne NEU (1723-1783) in Aubange (Belgium) on 25 February 1743. Permission for the marriage to take place in Aubange, (demissoriale pour union) was acquired from the parish of Herserange and recorded in that register.17 The bride was from Athus (Belgium). The marriage was recorded in the Aubange church register.18 This couple, my 5th great-grandparents, will be discussed in more detail in a later post. [Note: Today Rodange is a tri-border area – the geographical point at which the boundaries of three countries meet – Luxembourg, Belgium, and France.]

Jean FOURNEL was 58 years old when he witnessed the marriage of his nephew by marriage Jacques LOUIS, son of Jacques LOUIS and Elisabeth BERKIN (Jean’s wife Jeanne’s sister) on 16 November 1744 in Rodange. Jean was described as a member of the church council (synodal) or sinodal de cette paroisse.19

Five years later, Jean FOURNEL died at the age of 62 years on 21 January 1749, the day before his 36th wedding anniversary. He was an ancien sinodal (an elder synodal or member of the church council) and was buried in the choir of the chapel of Rodange.20 Jean’s brother-in-law Nicolas BERKIN (seen here as BERQUIN) was a witness to the record.

1749 Death/Burial Record of Jean FOURNEL. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 469 de 529
1749 Death/Burial Record of Jean FOURNEL. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 469 de 529

This is the first time one of my ancestors had a special burial. As the sinodal, my 6th great-grandfather was a  representative for the village of Rodange which was dependant on the parish of Herserange. From his death/burial record, it would appear that Rodange had a chapel in 1749. I asked one of my genealogy contacts in Luxembourg about the “choir of the chapel” and did a bit of research on the architecture of Catholic churches. In the past, behind the front altar, there were a few steps up to a raised dais with a railing behind which the main altar was found. The area around the main altar —the choir or chancel— was reserved for the clergy who performed services. The chancel was considered one of the most desirable burial locations in early times. I haven’t been able to learn if the chapel still exists in Rodange or if the present church might be built on the same spot. I’ve visited churches in Europe with inscribed stone slabs laid into the floor to mark the burial place of important deceased persons never realizing I might have an ancestor buried in this way.

Life in the family after the death of Jean FOURNEL

It’s not known if daughters Christianne and Anne Marie were still at home with their mother Jeanne and brother Jacques after the death of their father. No records have been found for marriages or deaths of either of them.

Jacques married Barbe CLEMENT in Herserange on 31 August 1756.21 He was 34 and she was 21. The marriage lasted only nine years as Jacques died at the age of 43 on 29 March 1766 in Saulnes.22 They were the parents of four children, one of whom died at the age of one month. Their only daughter died at the age of eleven. No trace of their youngest son was found after his baptism. Their oldest son married, had a large family, and lived in Obercorn and later in Mamer. It is not known how long Barbe lived nor where she died.

A decade after the death of Jean FOURNEL, his widow Jeanne BERKIN died on 16 February 1759 in Rodange at the age of 75. Her oldest son Pierre was one of the two informants. Jeanne was buried in the cemetery of Rodange.23

Of the three living children of Jean FOURNEL and Jeanne BERKIN, Pierre FOURNELLE was the first to pass away on 23 July 1765 in Rodange. He was 51 years old.24 As mentioned earlier, Jacques died the following year in Saulnes at the age of 43.

Following the deaths of Pierre and Jacques, Jeanne FOURNELLE, the youngest child of Jean and Jeanne, was the only living child. On 20 March 1779, she stood up as the godmother of her grandson Jacques, the 7th child of her only living son Jean Henri André DE CHAIVE and his wife Marie Catherine BERKIN.25 Jeanne lost her husband Henri DE CHAIVE on 23 October 1789 in Rodange.26 He was 85 years old. She died on 15 December 1802 in Hussigny (Meurthe-et-Moselle) where her son lived at the age of 77.27

I spent extra time on this post as Jean FOURNEL, son of Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON, and Jeanne BERKIN were my 6th great-grandparents, i.e. my direct line. Working through the records for this family group brought to light relationships with the BERKIN and WARCOLLIER families which will help in later research Jeanne’s parents Domange BERKIN and Anne WARCOLLIER.

Next up will be Jean’s brother Henri who unlike Jean remained in his native Saulnes.

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 1)

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 2)

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 3)

Françoise FOURNEL (1678-1729) and Jean COURTOIS (1684-1745)

Nicolas FOURNEL (1683-abt.1748) and Barbe AGARANT (abt.1678-1758)

Jean FOURNEL (1686-1749) and Jeanne BERKIN (1683-1759)

Henri FOURNEL (1688-1753) and Anne LAUNOIS (1692-1758)

Jeanne FOURNEL (~1691-aft. 1756) and Jérôme PÉTRISOT (~1680-1761)

Sébastienne FOURNEL (~1692-1752) and Jean FRANÇOIS (~1681-1741)

Jacques FOURNELLE (~1699-1774) and Marie JACOB (1695-1758)

© 2020, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

  1. Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), browsable images of microfilm collection of parish and civil records (online http://www.archives.cg54.fr/), Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 >  image 42 of 529. New terms of use: En application du règlement sur la réutilisation des données publiques adopté par le conseil départemental de Meurthe-et-Moselle (délibération de sa commission permanente n°17, en date du 16 janvier 2017), je m’engage à mentionner la source du document téléchargé (Arch. dép. de Meurthe-et-Moselle, [suivi de la cote complète]), en cas de réutilisation. 1686 Baptismal Record (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380766086 : accessed 10 July 2020). ↩
  2. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 333 of 529. 1702 Death Record (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538082e2f7 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  3. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 302 of 529. 1708 Baptismal Record (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538081603f : accessed 31 August 2020). ↩
  4. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 266 of 529. 1713 Marriage Record of Jean Fournel and Jeanne Berkin (right page, top). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807ed8f7 : accessed 2 July 2020). ↩
  5. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 28 of 529. 1683 Baptismal Record (3rd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538075f780 : accessed 2 July 2020). ↩
  6. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 272 of 529. 1713 Baptismal Record (left page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807f1dbe : accessed 11 September 2013). ↩
  7. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 236 of 529. 1717 Baptismal Record (left page, first entry).(http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807d3ca6 : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  8. Luxembourg, registres paroissiaux, 1601-1948 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Obercorn > Baptêmes 1704-1727, 1746, 1794-1797, 1800-1805, mariages 1795-1797, 1800-1807, sépultures 1794-1797, 1802-1807 > image 6 of 296. 1720 Marriage Record (left page, 4th entry from bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WS-9SK3?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-N3T%3A1500974001%2C1500974302 : accessed 12 July 2020). ↩
  9. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 178 of 529. 1720 Marriage Record (left page, 2nd entry).(http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807b09bb : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  10. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 179 of 529 . 1721 Baptismal Record (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807b1406 : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  11. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 183 of 529. 1721 Death Record (left page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807b3cf3 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  12. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 >image 187 of 529. 1722 Baptismal Record (left page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807b6129 : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  13. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 211 of 529. 1725 Baptismal Record (right page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807c3c3a : accessed 9 July 2020). ↩
  14. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 171 of 529. 1728 Marriage Record (right page, top). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807a8049 : accessed 14 July 2020). ↩
  15. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 485 of 529. 1738 Marriage Record right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53808aece0 : accessed 9 September 2020). ↩
  16. Ibid., Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > images 197+198 of 328. 1743 Marriage Record, right page, last entry (part 1). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f06e6ad : accessed 9 July 2020) and 1743 Marriage Record, right page, last entry (part 2).(http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f06f031 : accessed 9 July 2020). ↩
  17. Ibid., Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 200 of 328. 1743 Pierre Fournelle and Jeanne Neu marriage record (left page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f070323 : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  18. Belgique, Luxembourg, Registres paroissiaux, 1618-1868, (images), FamilySearch (original records at België Nationaal Archief, Brussels / Belgium National Archives, Brussels), Paroisse d’Aubange (Luxembourg) > Film #619924 DGS #007944121 > Baptêmes 1729-1783 Mariages 1729-1776 Sépultures 1729-1776 > Image 342+343 of 605. 1743 Marriage Record, part 1 (right, bottom). (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSZV-FS5T-F?i=341&cat=74664 : accessed 26 November 2017) and 1743 Marriage Record, part 2 (left, top). (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSZV-FS55-K?i=342&cat=74664 : accessed 26 November 2017). ↩
  19. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 193+194 of 328. 1744 Marriage Record, part 1 (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f06bdc9 : accessed 6 Spetmeber 2020) and 1744 Marriage Record, part 2 (left page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f06c729 : accessed 6 September 2020). ↩
  20. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 469 of 529.  1749 Death Record (bottom left and top right). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53808a0bb3 : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  21. Ibid., Herserange >1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 126 of 328. 1756 Marriage Record (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f0423eb : accessed 10 July 2020). ↩
  22. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 412 of 529. 1766 Death Record (right page, 3rd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538086dcc5 : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  23. Idib., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 434 of 529. 1759 Death Record (right page, 3rd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380882189 : accessed 1 July 2020). ↩
  24. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 416 of 529. 1765 Death Record (left page, 1st complete entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538087141a : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  25. Luxembourg, registres paroissiaux, 1601-1948 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 4 of 108. 1779 Baptismal Record (left page, first entry). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-32463-15032-95?cc=2037955 : accessed 1 September 2020). ↩
  26. Ibid., Rodange > Baptêmes 1767-1777, 1779-1796, confirmations 1791, mariages 1767-1777, 1779-1795, sépultures 1767-1777, 1779-1797 > image 95 of 102. 1789 Death Record (left page, 2nd entry). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-32463-15224-80?cc=2037955 : accessed 9 July 2020). ↩
  27. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Hussigny-Godbrange 1714_1809 > 5 Mi 268/R 1 > image 621 of 677. 1802 Death Record (right page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea53d8a/54b01054ebc5f : accessed 9 July 2020). ↩

Nicolas FOURNEL (1683-abt.1748) and Barbe AGARANT (abt.1678-1758)

This is the 5th in a series of posts on my earliest FOURNELLE ancestors. After setting up the stage, introducing the main characters and supporting cast, I am now discussing each of the children of my 7th great-grandparents Jean FOURNEL (1655-1721) and Catherine SETON (1657-1702). All posts written to date are listed at the end of this post.

To add more depth to the lives of our ancestors and their families it’s helpful to collect all documents created during their lifetimes. For the French/Luxembourgish families I’m presently working on, the research was made easier by consulting the family books of the towns they lived in. These books are compiled by researchers using church and civil records for birth/baptism, marriage, and death/burial for all families who lived in the town of interest. Some compilers go beyond the simple dates and place information found in BMD records.

Aimé Tarnus, who compiled Histoires des Familles, Hussigny-Godbrange de 1550 à 1900, the family book on the town Nicolas FOURNEL lived in during his adult life, wrote a very interesting introduction explaining the records he used for the book during more than 13 years of research.

As mentioned in one of my previous posts, Hussigny is lacking church records for the years between 1716-1765 with only 1753-1756 and 1758 being available. To get around the lack of records for the town, Aimé Tarnus consulted records of the Archives Départementales de Moselle, the Archives Départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle, the National Library in Paris, and the Luxembourg National Archives. A good part of the work in the departmental archives, other than the church and civil records, was done using the judicial archives and the notary deeds.

Nicolas FOURNEL (1783-~1748), my 6th great-granduncle, was the oldest known son of my 7th great-grandparents Jean FOURNEL (1655-1721) and Catherine SETON (1657-1702).

1683 Baptismal Record. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 28 de 529

His sister Françoise was five years old when Nicolas was born and baptized in Saulnes on 30 September 1683. His godparents were Nicolas BOUILLON and Margueritte EVRARD, wife Bernard COURTOIS.1 The baptismal record was missing information and this had to be deducted from the known factors. Jean and Catherine’s naming their first son Nicolas could be a clue to his paternal grandfather’s identity, assumed to be the Nicolas FOURNELLE who died abt. 1675/6 in Saulnes.2

Nicolas and his older sister Françoise had seven or eight more siblings: Jean, Henri, Jeanne, Sébastienne, Marie, Jacques, and possibly Marie Catherine. At this time, I have not been able to prove or disprove Marie and Marie Catherine were one and the same person.

Nicolas lost his mother at the age of 18 when Catherine SETON died on 21 September 1702 in Saulnes.3

At the age of 24, he was chosen to be the godfather of Marie, daughter of Jean DROUET and Jeanne REMY, when she was baptized on 3 October 1707 in Saulnes.4

Nicolas’ older sister Françoise (1678-1729) married Jean COURTOIS (1684-1745) on 23 January 1708.5

Two years later Nicolas married Barbe AGARANT (1678-1758) in Réhon on 29 June 1710. Nicolas was 26 years old and Barbe was about 32 years old. He was described as un jeune garçon de Sosne, paroissien de Herserange or young boy of Saulnes, a parishioner of Herserange. His surname was spelled FOURNIER. Barbe was the widow of Jean BERNARDIN. The entry in the Réhon parish record does not name Nicolas’ parents however we can assume they were Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON as they were the only couple in Saulnes of this surname and with children of marrying age.6

Barbe was not only a widow but also the mother of three children ages 2, 5, and nearly 7. She was about two months pregnant when Nicolas witnessed, along with his father Jean, the marriage of his brother Jean on 22 January 1713 in Rodange (Luxembourg).7 Jean married Jeanne BERKIN (1683-1759) – the couple were my 6th great-grandparents.

1713 Baptismal Record of Julien “FURNIER.” Image courtesy of FamilySearch

On 31 August 1713, at the age of 35, Barbe gave birth to a son in Hussigny. Julien FOURNEL’s baptism took place on the same day and was recorded in the parish records of Obercorn. His godparents were Julien MERGEN and Maria GERARD, both of Hussigny.8 The baptismal record was found in Obercorn as Hussigny belonged to the parish of Obercorn (Luxembourg) up until 15 February 1714.9 If any other children were born and/or died after 1714 they are lost as there are no records in Hussigny.

In 1720 Nicolas’ sisters Jeanne and Sébastienne married and started families.

The following year, Nicolas of Hussigny and his brother Jean of Rodange witnessed the death record of their father Jean FOURNEL on 3 September 1721 in Saulnes.10

Nicolas’ youngest brother Jacques FOURNELLE married after the death of their father and before 1724.

Nicolas’ occupation was a laborer in several of the records Aimé Tarnus found in the archives. On 18 May 1728, he was listed as the mayor of Hussigny.11

Nicolas and Barbe’s only known child, Julien FOURNEL married Catherine BERNARDIN (1705-1775) after 4 February 1733. Her relationship to her mother-in-law Barbe’s first husband Jean BERNARDIN and the children from that marriage has not been determined.

No marriage record was found for Julien who had at least three children with his wife Catherine between about 1737-1747. Estimated years of birth have been calculated using their death records.

An interesting document was discovered by Aimé Tarnus concerning Catherine’s first pregnancy used to calculate when the marriage took place. On 4 February 1733 Catherine BERNARDIN made a declaration de grossesse or declaration of pregnancy naming Julien FOURNEL as the father.

Declaration of pregnancy

What is a declaration of pregnancy? Why were these documents created? What was included in them? Where are they found?

To fight against abortions, clandestine childbirths, abandonment, and prevent infanticides, an edict was proclaimed under Henry II in February 1556. The edict of 25 February 1708 under Louis XIV reaffirmed the edict of 1556 against the concealment of pregnancy and childbirth. Unmarried girls and widows were forced to declare their pregnancy free of charge before a notary or a lieutenant of justice.12

The declaration included the circumstances in which the woman had become pregnant and the identity of the father of the child. The statement that was given by the young lady usually had the names of her parents, where she was from, and her age. If the name of the father wasn’t given, sometimes during childbirth at the instigation of the priest or the magistrate, they tried to obtain a confession. Information on the circumstances may have been recorded in the baptismal register during the baptism of the child.

Every three months during the sermon in the parish church the congregation was reminded of their duty to report pregnancies.

During the Revolution in 1789, declarations of pregnancies had fallen more or less into disuse depending on the region.

Declarations of pregnancy are filed in the judicial archives in series B in the departmental archives.

The declaration of pregnancy made by Catherine BERNARDIN may have included information that Julien FOURNEL abused her as a very short extract by Mr. Tarnus indicates.13 However, the judicial archives’ Series B would need to be consulted to confirm the circumstances of the pregnancy.

As the baptismal records for 1733 are not available, there is no record of birth for a child born to Catherine and Julien.

Volume 1 of 3 of the family book “Histoires des Familles Hussigny-Godbrange de 1550 à 1900” by Aimé Tarnus accessed in the Luxracines archives.

Other events were taking place in the Nicolas FOURNEL family during these times.

On 17 February 1734 two transactions were found in which Nicolas and his wife Barbe were selling real estate. They sold land to Pierre DIDION14 and part of a house in Hussigny to Nicolas GILLARDIN and Elisabeth BERNARDIN. Elisabeth was Barbe’s oldest child from her first marriage.15

On 19 March 1737 Nicolas and his wife sold land to Nicolas SPELTZ.16

Catherine FOURNEL, a daughter of Julien and Catherine, was born about 1738. Anne FOURNEL was born about 1746 and Michel FOURNEL was born about 1747.

By 29 October 1748, Nicolas FOURNEL was deceased. His widow owned money to an unknown person (record damaged).17

On 7 April 1749 Barbe declared that she was no longer able to provide for her food and maintenance, selling land to her daughter Elisabeth BERNARDIN and her husband Nicolas GILLARDIN.18

This was exactly one year after the affairs of her son Julien FOURNEL, deceased, were being taken care of by his uncles Jacques and Henry FOURNEL.19 Julien FOURNEL died shortly before 8 April 1748. Was his father deceased by this time and is this the reason his uncles were taking care of the inventory?

Barbe lived another decade, dying on 7 March 1758 in Hussigny at the age of 80.20 She did not live to see her three FOURNEL grandchildren marry.

Catherine FOURNELLE married Jacques LAFONTAINE (1721-1796) on 30 April 1765 in Crusnes (Meurthe-et-Moselle). The groom was an invalid soldier and 16 years older than the bride. Henry FOURNEL (son of the above mentioned Henry FOURNEL d. 1753), the bride’s first cousin once removed,  witnessed the marriage as her curator.21

Anne FOURNEL married François FRANÇOIS on 4 August 1767 in Hussigny. Henry FOURNEL also witnessed this marriage.22 This couple had a daughter in 1767 and a son in 1769.

Michel FOURNEL married Suzanne HUMBERT on 7 January 1772 in Baslieux (Meurthe-et-Moselle).23 Of the nine children born to them between 1772 and  1792 only two grew to adulthood and married.

1775 Death Record of Catherine BERNARDIN. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 48/R 2 vue 369 de 607

Catherine BERNARDIN, the widow of Julien and mother of the three children, died 3 January 1775 at the age of 75. Her son Michel FOURNEL and her son-in-law François FRANÇOIS were witnesses to the death record.24 There is, however, an error in the death record. Catherine is named as the widow of Michel FOURNEL instead of Julien. The witnesses’ relationship with her was mentioned therefore we can assume the husband’s name was a clerical error.

Two of the three grandchildren of Nicolas FOURNEL and Barbe AGARANT remained in the area. Michel died 31 October 1799 at the age of 5225 and Anne FOURNEL died 16 June 1808 at the age of 6226, both in Baslieux.

The oldest granddaughter, Catherine had three children in Crusnes in 1765, 1767, and 1769 before moving to Chalon-sur-Saône (Bourgogne) where she gave birth to a daughter in 1775. The family moved to Salins-les-Bains (Jura) in eastern France by 1779 where Catherine had two more children with her invalid soldier husband. She died in Salins-les-Bains on 9 February 1818 at the age of 80.27

Next week, the third child of Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON, will be discussed – my 6th great-grandfather Jean FOURNEL (1686-1749).

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 1)

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 2)

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 3)

Françoise FOURNEL (1678-1729) and Jean COURTOIS (1684-1745)

Nicolas FOURNEL (1683-abt.1748) and Barbe AGARANT (abt.1678-1758)

Jean FOURNEL (1686-1749) and Jeanne BERKIN (1683-1759)

Henri FOURNEL (1688-1753) and Anne LAUNOIS (1692-1758)

Jeanne FOURNEL (~1691-aft. 1756) and Jérôme PÉTRISOT (~1680-1761)

Sébastienne FOURNEL (~1692-1752) and Jean FRANÇOIS (~1681-1741)

Jacques FOURNELLE (~1699-1774) and Marie JACOB (1695-1758)

© 2020, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

  1. Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), browsable images of microfilm collection of parish and civil records (online http://www.archives.cg54.fr/), Herserange > 1668-1773 > Herserange B. (1668-1688, 1694-1742, 1745-1746), M. (1684-1686, 1688-1692, 1694-1742, 1745-1746), S. (1676-1679, 1681-1689, 1694-1742, 1745-1773) > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 28 of 529. New terms of use: En application du règlement sur la réutilisation des données publiques adopté par le conseil départemental de Meurthe-et-Moselle (délibération de sa commission permanente n°17, en date du 16 janvier 2017), je m’engage à mentionner la source du document téléchargé (Arch. dép. de Meurthe-et-Moselle, [suivi de la cote complète]), en cas de réutilisation. 1683 [illegible] Baptismal Record (right page, 5th entry). This document is in poor condition. (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538075f780 : accessed 2 July 2020). ↩
  2. Ibid., Herserange > 1668- 1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 21 of 529. Abt. 1675/6 Death Record (left page, 6th entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538075bfd4 : accessed 2 July 2020). ↩
  3. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 333 of 529. 1702 Death Record (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538082e2f7 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  4. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1> image 311 of 529. 1707 Baptismal Record of Marie Drouet, godfather Nicolas Fourny. (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538081d08c : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  5. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 300 of 529. 1708 Marriage Record of Jean Courtois and Françoise Fournel (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380814b5d : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  6. Ibid., Réhon 1710-1792 > 5 Mi 450/R 2 > image 373 of 767. 1710 Marriage Record (right page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10eca1233/54b0f2e7a367b : accessed 7 August 2020). ↩
  7. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 266 of 529. 1713 Marriage Record of Jean Fournel and Jeanne Berkin (right page, top). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807ed8f7 : accessed 2 July 2020). ↩
  8. Luxembourg, registres paroissiaux, 1601-1948 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Obercorn > Baptêmes 1704-1727, 1746, 1794-1797, 1800-1805, mariages 1795-1797, 1800-1807, sépultures 1794-1797, 1802-1807 > image 51 of 296. 1713 Baptismal Record (left page, last entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-9S4G?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-N3T%3A1500974001%2C1500974302 : accessed 11 August 2020). ↩
  9. Aimé Tarnus, Histoires des Familles, Hussigny-Godbrange de 1550 à 1900, Introduction in the front matter of the book. ↩
  10. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 183 of 529. 1721 Death Record (left page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807b3cf3 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  11. Aimé Tarnus, Histoires des Familles, Hussigny-Godbrange de 1550 à 1900, page 537, family  2033. “Mos. B 8696 : le 18/5/1728, Nicolas est maire de H.” ↩
  12. GénéaFrance, a practical guide to French research. http://www.geneafrance.org/rubrique.php?page=grossesse and http://www.geneafrance.org/rubrique.php?page=naturel ↩
  13. Aimé Tarnus, Histoires des Familles, Hussigny-Godbrange de 1550 à 1900, page 536, family  2031. “Mos. B 8715 : le 4/2/1733, declaration de grossesse de Catherine BERNARDIN, fa. De + Julien c\ le dénommé Julien FOURNELLE qui a abuse ets… (copies)” ↩
  14. Aimé Tarnus, Histoires des Familles, Hussigny-Godbrange de 1550 à 1900, page 537, family  2033. “M. et M. 23 E 91 : Le même jour [17/02/1734], ils vendent à Pierre DIDION, meunier à H., 3 verges de terre etc…” ↩
  15. Aimé Tarnus, Histoires des Familles, Hussigny-Godbrange de 1550 à 1900, page 537, family  2033. “M. et M. 23 E 91 : le 17/02/1734, Nicolas FOURNIER, Lab. à H. et Barbe AGARAND, sa fe., vendent à Nicolas GILLARDIN, man. à H., et Elis. BERNARDIN, sa fe., une partie d’une maison à H. etc…” ↩
  16. Aimé Tarnus, Histoires des Familles, Hussigny-Godbrange de 1550 à 1900, page 537, family  2033. “M. et M. 23 E 148 : le 19/03/1737, Nicolas FOURNIER (FOURNEL dans l’acte), lab. à H., et Barbe AGARANT sa fe., vendent à Nicolas SPELTZ, marchand àG. un jour de terre à la Mère Colle etc… pour 54 livres” ↩
  17. Aimé Tarnus, Histoires des Familles, Hussigny-Godbrange de 1550 à 1900, page 537, family  2033. “M. et M. 23 E 158 : le 29/10/1748, Barbe AGARANT, Vve. de Nicolas FOURNEL, dmt. à H. doit une somme d’argent à ? (abimé)” ↩
  18. Aimé Tarnus, Histoires des Familles, Hussigny-Godbrange de 1550 à 1900, page 537, family  2033. “M. et M. 23 E 100 : le 7/4/1749, Barbe AGARANT, Vve. de Nicolas FOURNEL, dmt. à H., déclare ne plus être en état de subvenir à sa nouriture et à son entretien, elle vend à Nicolas GILLARDIN et Elis. BERNARDIN, sa fe., 5 verges 1/2 à H. etc…” ↩
  19. Aimé Tarnus, Histoires des Familles, Hussigny-Godbrange de 1550 à 1900, page 536, family  2031. “Mos. B 8647 : le 8/4/1748, inv. ap. + de Julien FOURNELLE ; Ts. Jacques FOURNELLE, Henry FOURNELLE, Nicolas PETIT et François BALTUS, tous de Hussigny.” ↩
  20. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Hussigny-Godbrange 1714-1809 > 5 Mi 268/R 1 > image 35 of 677. 1758 Death Record (right page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea53d8a/54b0105319c69 : accessed 24 August 2020). ↩
  21. Ibid., Crusnes 1648-1794 > 5 Mi 148/R 1 > image 551 of 767. 1765 Marriage Record (left page). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10e965042/54aecd1d0c6e6 : accessed 28 August 2020). ↩
  22. Ibid., Hussigny-Godbrange 1714-1809 > 5 Mi 268/R 1 > image 57 of 677. 1767 Marriage Record (right page, top). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea53d8a/54b0105324541 : accessed 28 August 2020). ↩
  23. Ibid., Baslieux 1728 17925 Mi 48/R 2 image 338 of 607. 1772 Marriage Record (right page). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10e858cf3/54ad67298249f : accessed 28 August 2020). ↩
  24. Ibid., Baslieux 1728-1792 > 5 Mi 48/R 2 > image 369 of 607. 1775 Death Record (right page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10e858cf3/54ad672995ac0 : accessed 24 August 2020). ↩
  25. Ibid., Baslieux > 1793-1872 > 5 Mi 48/R 4 > image 318+319 of 633. 1799 Death Record (part 1)(http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10e85a63d/54aeac6e57e1e : accessed 7 August 2020) and 1799 Death Record (part 2)(http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10e85a63d/54aeac6e589fd : accessed 7 August 2020). ↩
  26. Ibid., Baslieux 1793-1872 > 5 Mi 48/R 4 > image 411 of 633. 1808 Death Record (right page, 1st entry).
    (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10e85a63d/54aeac6eb3669 : accessed 28 August 2020). ↩
  27. Archives départementales du Jura (39), browsable images of microfilm collection of parish and civil records (online http://archives39.fr/), Salins-les-Bains, commune > 3E/6899 > image 130 of 244. La réutilisation des données publiques: Par délibération du 11 décembre 2018 complétée par celle du 23 avril 2018, le Département du Jura a adopté le principe de la réutilisation libre et gracieuse sous licence Etalab version 2.0 pour tous les documents et données conservés aux Archives du Jura pouvant relever du cadre de la réutilisation, à l’exception donc des documents et données où s’exerce le droit d’auteur. Le réutilisateur est tenu d’indiquer la source des documents et données sous la forme suivante : Archives départementales du Jura (forme abrégée Arch. dép. Jura ou AD 39), la cote du document ou donnée, la date (ou date de la dernière mise à jour), son analyse ou sa description synthétique. 1818 Death Record No. 25. (http://archives39.fr/ark:/36595/a011423563654bsRFPP/27d46d830b : accessed 24 August 2020). ↩

Françoise FOURNEL (1678-1729) and Jean COURTOIS (1684-1745)

This is the 4th in a series of posts on my earliest FOURNELLE ancestors. After setting up the stage, introducing the main characters and supporting cast, I am now discussing each of the children of my 7th great-grandparents Jean FOURNEL (1655-1721) and Catherine SETON (1657-1702). All posts written to date are listed at the end of this post.

During the next few weeks, I will analyze and write about the seven children of Jean FOURNEL (1655-1721) and Catherine SETON (1657-1702) who married and had children.

In this post, I will go into the life of their oldest known child, Françoise FOURNEL (1678-1729).

1678 Baptismal Record of Françoise FOURNELLE. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 19 de 529.

Françoise, my 6th great-grandaunt, was born on 18 March 1678 in Saulnes and baptized the same day. Her godparents were Guillaume DASSIS and a lady by the first name of Françoise.1 Her parents, Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON had likely married the previous year. As mentioned in previous posts on her parents, the spelling of the surname FOURNEL varied and was seen as FOURNELLE in this record.

Françoise was five years old when her brother Nicolas was born on 30 September 1683 in Saulnes.2 Other siblings were born when she was 8, 10, 12, 13, 18, and 20 years old. Her mother Catherine died on 21 September 1702 in Saulnes when Françoise was 24 years old.3

As a young single woman, Françoise became the godmother of two children born in her village. Etienne DELVA and Françoise LOUIS chose her to be their son Jean’s godmother on 26 September 1697 when she was 19 years old.4 Jean DROUET and Jeanne REMY requested her to be the godmother of their son François on 27 September 1705 when she was 26 years old.5

1708 Marriage Record of Jean COURTOIS and Françoise FOURNEL. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 300 de 529.

At the age of 29, Françoise became the wife of Jean COURTOIS. They were married on 23 January 1708 in Saulnes. Jean was 23 years old and the son of Jean COURTOIS and Barbe FRANÇOIS. Witnesses to the marriage were Jean’s step-father Henry STRAUT and his older brother Bernard COURTOIS as well as Françoise’s father Jean FOURNEL and her good friend Laurent BOULANGER.6

The groom, Jean COURTOIS lost his father at the young age of four months. His father died in Verdun while traveling in February of 1685.7 This was mentioned in the Herserange church records. I searched through the church records of Verdun but was unable to find a mention of the death. Verdun was a large city at the time with more than a half dozen parishes. Jean’s mother must have remarried as a step-father is named in her son’s marriage record. Further research is necessary to confirm the spelling of the step-father’s name.

Françoise and Jean’s first child was born ten months after their marriage on 14 October 1708. Their son Jean was baptized two days later on 16 October. His godparents were Jean BOULANGER and his maternal aunt Jeanne FOURNEL (seen as FOURNY on the record).8

When Françoise was eight months pregnant with her second child, her brother Nicolas married in Réhon to Barbe AGARANT on 29 June 1710.9

A daughter, Sébastienne COURTOIS was born on 26 July 1710 and was baptized the following day. The second child of Françoise and Jean had as godparents Jean DROUET and her maternal aunt Sébastienne FOURNEL (seen as FOURNY on the record).10

The third child of the couple was named Jean, born on 20 February 1712 and baptized the following day. His godparents were a young boy named Jean SMELER and a young girl named Catherine DASSIS.11 It is not unusual for more than one living child of a couple to be named the same. No death record nor other record has been found for the first son named Jean born in 1708. It’s possible the first son did not survive.

Françoise was pregnant with her fourth child when the next of her siblings married. Her brother Jean FOURNEL married on 22 January 1713 a young lady named Jeanne BERKIN in Rodange (present-day Luxembourg).12 Jean and Jeanne are my direct ancestors, my 6th great-grandparents.

A little over three months later, a daughter named Françoise was born on 2 May 1713 and baptized on 3 May 1713. Jean CHOLOT and Françoise HUGREL were named as her godparents.13 Per records found, all children of Françoise and Jean COURTOIS were born in Saulnes except for Françoise. Her birth/baptismal record was recorded in Larimont, a farm located northeast of Mexy, a village that was burnt down by the Swedes during the Thirty Years War. Herserange, the parish these villages belonged to, lies between Saulnes and Mexy.

The fifth child of this couple was born on 19 June 1715 and baptized the following day. The baby girl was named Barbe after her godmother Barbe DROUET. Her godfather was her maternal uncle Henri FOURNEL (seen as Henry FOURNY on the record).14

On 3 February 1717 Françoise gave birth to her last child, a son named Jacques. He was baptized the following day in the presence of his maternal aunt and uncle, Jeanne FOURNEL and Jacques FOURNEL.15

When Françoise was 42 years old, two of her sisters married. Jeanne FOURNEL married Jérôme PETRISOT in Obercorn, Luxembourg on 28 July 1720.16 Sébastienne FOURNEL married Jean FRANÇOIS on 24 November 1720 in Saulnes.17

A year after her sisters’ marriages, Françoise and her siblings lost their father, Jean FOURNEL who died 3 September 1721 in Saulnes.18

Françoise’s baby brother Jacques FOURNEL married Anne LAUNOIS before 1724. This was likely the last of her siblings she would see married as she died on 13 October 1729 at the age of 51 years. Her husband, who reported the death, gave her age as 45.19

Jean COURTOIS remarried less than two months later on 2 December 1729.20 He chose as his bride Catherine DASSIS, likely the young girl who served as the godmother of his son Jean in 1712. They would have four children during their first decade of marriage. Jean COURTOIS died 30 May 1745 at the age of 60.21

Of the six children of Françoise FOURNEL and Jean COURTOIS, only one has been found to have married and continued the line.

Sébastienne COURTOIS (1710-1766) married Dominique LUX (1706-1766) about 1735. This is a rough guestimate. They had five known children. Baptismal records for three of the five (born in 1745, 1750, and 1752) and marriages and death records for all five were found. The years of birth for the two children with missing baptismal records have been estimated from their age at death. They were born about 1736 and about 1741, i.e. the estimated marriage in 1735.

The two youngest children, Nicolas LUX and Michel LUX married their second cousins Catherine PETRISOT and Marie Jeanne FOURNELLE, both great-grandchildren of Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON, taking the family full circle.

1766 Death Record of Anne Sébastienne COURTOIS. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 412 de 529.

Sébastienne, in later years, was known as Anne Sébastienne, the name on her death record. She died on 20 February 1766 at the age of 55.22 The record names her as the daughter of the deceased Jean COURTOIS “dit la fleur” and wife of Dominique LUX. The only other record I found that refers to Jean COURTOIS as “La Fleur” was the death record of his second wife, Catherine DASSIS the following year.23

Anne Sébastienne’s husband Dominique died a week later on 27 February 1766 at the age of 60.24

Françoise FOURNEL and her husband Jean COURTOIS raised their family in Saulnes where her parents had raised her and her siblings. In my next post, we will see her brother Nicolas FOURNEL marry in a nearby village and raise his family in yet another village.

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 1)

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 2)

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 3)

Françoise FOURNEL (1678-1729) and Jean COURTOIS (1684-1745)

Nicolas FOURNEL (1683-abt.1748) and Barbe AGARANT (abt.1678-1758)

Jean FOURNEL (1686-1749) and Jeanne BERKIN (1683-1759)

Henri FOURNEL (1688-1753) and Anne LAUNOIS (1692-1758)

Jeanne FOURNEL (~1691-aft. 1756) and Jérôme PÉTRISOT (~1680-1761)

Sébastienne FOURNEL (~1692-1752) and Jean FRANÇOIS (~1681-1741)

Jacques FOURNELLE (~1699-1774) and Marie JACOB (1695-1758)

© 2020, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

  1. Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), browsable images of microfilm collection of parish and civil records (online http://www.archives.cg54.fr/), Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 19 of 529. New terms of use: En application du règlement sur la réutilisation des données publiques adopté par le conseil départemental de Meurthe-et-Moselle (délibération de sa commission permanente n°17, en date du 16 janvier 2017), je m’engage à mentionner la source du document téléchargé (Arch. dép. de Meurthe-et-Moselle, [suivi de la cote complète]), en cas de réutilisation. 1678 Fournel, Françoise baptismal record (middle of right page under Sosne).(http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538075b0db : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  2. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 28 of 529. 1683 Baptismal Record (right page, 5th entry). This document is in poor condition. (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538075f780 : accessed 2 July 2020). ↩
  3. Ibid., Herserange  1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 333 of 529. 1702 Death Record (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538082e2f7 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  4. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 370 of 529. 1697 Baptismal Record of Jean Delva, son of Etienne Delva and Françoise Louis (right page, 3rd entry).(http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538084ad28 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  5. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > images 347+348 of 529. 1705 Baptismal Record of François Drouet, son of Jean Drouet and Jeanne Remy (right page, bottom and left page, top). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380838767 : accessed 7 August 2020 and http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380839331 : accessed 7 August 2020). ↩
  6. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 300 of 529. 1708 Marriage Record of Jean Courtois and Françoise Fournel (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380814b5d : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  7. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 39 of 529.  1685 Death Record (left page, 6th entry). “Sonne…. février 1685 est mort Jean Courtois … de Verdun étant en voyage, est inhumé dans le cimetière de La Haye du dit Verdun.” (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380764a6b : accessed 21 August 2020). ↩
  8. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 303 of 529. 1708 Baptismal Record (right page, 2nd to last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380816b4f : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  9. Ibid., Réhon 1710-1792 > 5 Mi 450/R 2 > image 373 of 767. 710 Marriage Record (right page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10eca1233/54b0f2e7a367b : accessed 7 August 2020). ↩
  10. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 284 of 529. 1710 Baptismal Record (left page, bottom entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380807750 : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  11. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 276 of 529. 1712 Baptismal Record (left page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380801422 : accessed 15 August 2020). ↩
  12. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 >  image 266 of 529. 1713 Marriage Record of Jean Fournel and Jeanne Berkin (right page, top). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807ed8f7 : accessed 2 July 2020). ↩
  13. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 270 of 529. 1713 Baptismal Record (left page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807f0933 : accessed 16 August 2020). ↩
  14. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 253 of 529. 1715 Baptismal Record (right page, 1st entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807dfa71 : accessed 16 August 2020). ↩
  15. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 234 of 529. 1717 Baptismal Record (left page, 1st entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807d29ad : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  16. Luxembourg, registres paroissiaux, 1601-1948 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Obercorn > Baptêmes 1704-1727, 1746, 1794-1797, 1800-1805, mariages 1795-1797, 1800-1807, sépultures 1794-1797, 1802-1807 > image 6 of 296. 1720 Marriage Record (left page, 4th entry from bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WS-9SK3?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-N3T%3A1500974001%2C1500974302 : accessed 12 July 2020). ↩
  17. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 178 of 529. 1720 Marriage Record of Jean François and Sébastienne Fournel (left page, 2nd entry).(http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807b09bb : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  18. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 183 of 529. 1721 Death Record (left page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807b3cf3 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  19. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 114 of 529. 1729 Death Record (left page, 3rd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380788d8e : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  20. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1> image 129 of 529. 1729 Marriage Record of Jean Courtois and Catherine Dassis. (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538079078d : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  21. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 503 of 529. 1745 Death Record (left page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53808bfaf1 : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  22. Ibid., Herserange 1668- 1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 412 of 529. 1766 Death Record (left page, 3rd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538086dcc5 : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  23. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 410 of 529. 1767 Death Record (left page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538086c273 : accessed 21 August 2020). ↩
  24. Ibid., Herserange 1668-1773) > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 412 of 529. 1766 Death Record (bottom left and top right). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538086dcc5 : accessed 18 August 2020). ↩

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 3)

This is the third post in a series on my earliest FOURNELLE ancestors. In Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 1), I set up the stage for the series with a discussion of surname variations for FOURNELLE, a short history of the village of Saulnes (France), and an explanation of the availability of the records. In Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 2), I added the main characters as I proved the children of my 7th great-grandparents Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON of Saulnes in the parish of Herserange, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France.

Now it’s time to introduce some of the supporting cast.

In my last post, I brought the reader’s attention to the mark Jean FOURNEL used to sign his wife’s 1702 death/burial record1, the 1708 marriage record of his daughter Françoise to Jean COURTOIS2, and the 1713 marriage record of his son Jean to Jeanne BERKIN.3

In all of these records, he used what looks like a capital A for his mark. In 1696, Jean HAIS used the same mark to sign the baptismal record of Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON’s daughter Marie.4:

Who was Jean HAIS? Was the mark used by him and Jean FOURNEL a family symbol or a symbol of an occupation? If it was a mark used by the family, how was Jean HAIS related to Jean FOURNEL?

During the years 1678-1700 when Jean and Catherine were having children, there were no other records in Saulnes for persons with the surnames FOURNELLE (or other variations) and SETON.

The surname SETON was only found for one person in Saulnes – for my 7th great-grandmother, Catherine SETON (1657-1702). In records of some of her children, the name was spelled SATON. Other possible spellings, i.e. CYTON, SATIN, SETIN, and SAITEONE, were found in the index of the FamilySearch collection, France, Births and Baptisms, 1546-1896 in the department of the Meurthe-et-Moselle in the towns of Ansauville, Lunéville, Pont-à-Mousson, and Toule for the period 1600-1700. Although Catherine didn’t appear to have relatives in Saulnes with the surname, she could have had maternal relatives in the area. Another possibility is that Jean FOURNEL brought his bride to Saulnes from who knows where.

The records of Herserange, the parish Saulnes was part of, began ten years before Jean and Catherine’s first child was born in 1678. In these ten years, I found several records for persons using the FOURNELLE, FOURNEL, FOURNY spelling of the surname of interest.

Nicolas FOURNELLE…

…named as a godfather in a baptismal record
1672 Baptismal Record of Nicolas HENRION with godfather Nicolas FOURNELLE. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 13 de 529

As can be seen in the image above, the earliest records of Herserange are not in the best condition. In the entry above, on 16 April 1672, a Nicolas FOURNELLE is named as the godfather (parrain, spelled parin in these early records) of a child named Nicolas, son of Arnould HENRION. The godmother’s name was likely in the missing section on the left. She was either the wife or daughter of Grégoire DIEUDONNÉ.5

…named in a death/burial record
A page from the church register. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 21 de 529

A large part in the middle area of the left side of the page of the church register is missing including where the entry of interest was made. Here is a transcription of the record with the missing parts in brackets.

Sosne
[date] est mort Nicolas FOURNELLE muni
[de foi des sacrements et] inhumé au cimetière de Herserange.

1675/6 Death/Burial Record of Nicolas FOURNELLE. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 21 de 529 (cropped)

About 1675/6 Nicolas FOURNELLE died in Saulnes provided with the sacraments and buried in the cemetery of Herserange.6 The estimated year of death has been assumed from the entries that include dates. No age at the time of death is seen in the incomplete death/burial entry.

There were no further entries for a Nicolas FOURNELLE. It’s a good possibility that the records are for one person.

Anne FOURNELLE, wife of Jean HAIS

Four baptismal records were found for children whose father was named Jean HAIS (with alternate spellings being HEIS, HAYS, and HAISSE).

1668 Baptismal Record of Margueritte HAIS. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 9 de 529 (cropped)

On 30 December 1668, Margueritte, daughter of Jean HAIS, was baptized in Saulnes. The godfather was François BOURMON and the godmother was Margueritte DOLHAY, both of Hussigny.7 The mother’s name was not given.

The first letter of the godfather’s name is missing on the record. In the Familles de Saulnes de 1668 à 1920, the compiler read the name as BOURMON.8 I originally thought the name was FOURNIER and was a bit disappointed when I checked the family book for Saulnes.

1672 Baptismal Record of Margueritte HAIS. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 13 de 529 (cropped)

On 8 February 1672 in Saulnes, Margueritte, daughter of Jean HAIS, was baptized. The godfather was Nicolas BILLON and the godmother was Margueritte LOUIS.9 As in the previous record, the mother was not named.

1672 Baptismal Record of Anne MARTIN with godmother Anne FOURNELLE. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 15 de 529 (cropped)

Eight months later, on 18 October 1672, Anne, daughter of Anthoine MARTIN, was baptized in Saulnes. The godfather was a man with the first name Jean; the godmother was Anne FOURNELLE. The record indicates she was the wife of Jean FOURNELLE.10

The priest made an error when he entered the name of the husband or, as has been seen in other records, the husband was also known by his wife’s surname. The compiler of Familles de Saulnes de 1668 à 1920 made the connection and listed the godmother Anne FOURNELLE as the wife of Jean HAIS.11

Anne FOURNELLE was the wife of Jean HAIS as we will see in the next entry.

1680 Baptismal Record of Catherine HAIS. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 25 de 529 (cropped)

On 28 December 1680 Catherine, daughter of Jean HAIS and Anne FOURNELLE, was baptized in Saulnes. Her godfather was Pierre DASSIS and her godmother was a lady by the first name of Catherine.12

Could the missing the surname of the godmother be SETON? Baby Catherine was the first child of Jean HAIS and Anne FOURNELLE to be baptized after Jean FOURNELLE married Catherine SETON. Jean and Anne had no sons who would have had Jean FOURNELLE as a godfather.

A fourth child born in 1673 will be discussed in the next section.

No further children were born to the HAIS-FOURNELLE couple in the parish of Herserange.

There is a good possibility that they moved to the neighboring Hussigny as in 1696 one Jean HAIS was the godfather of Marie, daughter of Jean FOURNELLE and Catherine SETON.

1696 Baptismal Record of Marie FOURNEL with godfather Jean HAIS. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 365 de 529 (cropped)

On 9 June 1696 in Saulnes, a child Marie was baptized in the presence of her godfather Jean HAIS (HEINS) of Hussigny and her godmother Marie LEJEUNE of Aix. Her parents’ names were listed as Jean FOURNY and Catherine SETON.13

Pierre FOURNY

1673 Baptismal Record of Maria HAIS with godfather Pierre FOURNY. Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 16 de 529 (cropped)

On 5 June 1673, a baby girl was baptized with the name Maria. Her godfather was Pierre FOURNY and her godmother was Maria HENRION. The child’s surname was HAIS but neither the name of her father nor her mother survived as part of the page is missing. 14

Analysis of the records

Was Nicolas FOURNELLE the father of these three persons living in the same town with the same, if differently spelled, surname?

  • Anne FOURNELLE, wife of Jean HAIS
  • Pierre FOURNY
  • Jean FOURNEL, husband of Catherine SETON

From the records found, I estimated their years of birth. Anne was born before 1646 if she married about 1667 at the age of 21 and was the mother of all daughters of Jean HAIS (Heis, Hays, Haisse). Pierre was born before 1652 assuming he was a young man in 1673 when he became a godfather. Pierre was likely older than Jean who was first seen in records in 1678. Jean was born about 1655 per his death record.15

The estimates for the birth years of Anne (bef. 1646), Pierre (bef. 1652), and Jean (abt. 1655) place them in the same generation. As Saulnes was a very small village in the years from 1646 to 1655, it is likely that they were siblings and possibly the children of the Nicolas FOURNELLE who died there in 1675/6.

Another event may point to Nicolas being the father. Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON became parents only after the death of Nicolas. Their firstborn son was named Nicolas. Did they choose a godfather with the first name Nicolas to follow a tradition of naming the firstborn children after the paternal and maternal grandparents, the first male child being named after the paternal grandfather?

At this point, I believe Nicolas FOURNELLE who died in Saulnes in 1675/6 was most likely the earliest FOURNELLE ancestor.

It would appear that I am now at an impasse with the supporting cast I’ve found. The descent of Anne FOURNELLE and Jean HAIS through their daughters born 1668 to 1680 is made more difficult due to the variants seen for the HAIS surname. No leads have been found for Pierre FOURNY.

This leaves Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON’s children and their descendants. Of their children, seven married and will each be discussed in separate posts in the coming weeks.

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 1)

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 2)

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 3)

Françoise FOURNEL (1678-1729) and Jean COURTOIS (1684-1745)

Nicolas FOURNEL (1683-abt.1748) and Barbe AGARANT (abt.1678-1758)

Jean FOURNEL (1686-1749) and Jeanne BERKIN (1683-1759)

Henri FOURNEL (1688-1753) and Anne LAUNOIS (1692-1758)

Jeanne FOURNEL (~1691-aft. 1756) and Jérôme PÉTRISOT (~1680-1761)

Sébastienne FOURNEL (~1692-1752) and Jean FRANÇOIS (~1681-1741)

Jacques FOURNELLE (~1699-1774) and Marie JACOB (1695-1758)

© 2020, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

  1. Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), browsable images of microfilm collection of parish and civil records (online http://www.archives.cg54.fr/), Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > Herserange B. (1668-1688, 1694-1742, 1745-1746), M. (1684-1686, 1688-1692, 1694-1742, 1745-1746), S. (1676-1679, 1681-1689, 1694-1742, 1745-1773) image 333 of 529. New terms of use: En application du règlement sur la réutilisation des données publiques adopté par le conseil départemental de Meurthe-et-Moselle (délibération de sa commission permanente n°17, en date du 16 janvier 2017), je m’engage à mentionner la source du document téléchargé (Arch. dép. de Meurthe-et-Moselle, [suivi de la cote complète]), en cas de réutilisation. 1702 Catherine Seton death record, age at death about 45 yrs (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538082e2f7 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  2. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 300 of 529 . 1708 Marriage Record of Jean Courtois and Françoise Fournel (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380814b5d : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  3. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 266 of 529 . 1713 Marriage Record of Jean Fournel and Jeanne Berkin (right page, top). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807ed8f7 : accessed 2 July 2020). ↩
  4. Ibid., Herserange > 1668- 1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 365 of 529. 1696 Marie Fournel baptismal record (right page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380847004 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  5. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 13 of 529. 1672 Baptismal Record (right page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380759111 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  6. Ibid., Herserange > 1668- 1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 21 of 529. 1675/6 Death Record (left page, 6th entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538075bfd4 : accessed 2 July 2020). ↩
  7. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 9 of 529. 1668 Baptismal Record (right page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380757038 : accessed 15 July 2020). ↩
  8. Catherine Goncalves, Bernard Batrthélémy, René Bréden, Aimé Tarnus, Familles de Saulnes de 1668 à 1920, three volumes published by the Cercle Généalogique du Pays de Longwy, p. 1305-1306 family 3362. ↩
  9. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 13 of 529. 1672 Baptismal Record (left page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380758a4c : accessed 14 July 2020). ↩
  10. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 15 of 529. 1672 Baptismal Record (left page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807597ad : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  11. Familles de Saulnes de 1668 à 1920, p. 1937-1938, family 4969, Anthoine Martin and his wife Françoise. ↩
  12. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Herserange > 1668- 1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 25 of 529. 1680 Baptismal Record (left page, 5th entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538075dfa2 : accessed 29 July 2020). ↩
  13. Ibid., Herserange > 1668- 1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 365 of 529. 1696 Marie Fournel baptismal record (right page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380847004 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  14. Ibid., Herserange > 1668- 1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 16 of 529. 1673 Baptismal Record (right page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380759dd3 : accessed 4 July 2020). ↩
  15. Ibid., Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 183 of 529 . 1721 Death Record (left page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807b3cf3 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 2)

Last week, in part 1 of this series, I discussed the surname variations for FOURNELLE, gave a short history of the village of Saulnes (France), and explained where the records for the family of interest were found.

Jean FOURNEL (1655-1721) and Catherine SETON (1657-1702) of Saulnes in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department of France were my 7th great-grandparents. They are presently the most distant ancestral couple for the FOURNEL/FOURNELLE branch of my family tree.

As noted in the short history of Saulnes, the village was uninhabited in 1646. In 1698, fifty years after the end of The Thirty Years’ War, 8 farmers, 13 skilled workers, and 4 widows lived in Saulnes’ 25 houses and 11 hovels.1 The information came from a report of the general condition of the provost of Longwy made in the year 1698 for Saulnes (état générale de la prévôté de Longwy fait en 1698). This list includes the names of the farmers: Drouet, Arnoult, Thomas, Magnier, Istase, André, and La Fontaine (2). Jean Henrion was the only skilled worker named.2 It would appear that the FOURNEL family was not farming in the late 1600s and Jean FOURNEL may have been a skilled worker.

The population of Saulnes during the period Jean and Catherine lived there plays an important part in the research concerning their children. They were the only couple having children with the FOURNEL surname in Saulnes during the years from 1678 to 1702.

Proving the children of Jean FOURNEL (1655-1721) and Catherine SETON (1657-1702)

To be recognized as a legally married couple on their children’s baptismal records, Jean and Catherine had to have been married before the birth of their first known child. This would place their marriage at about 1677 when Jean was 22 and Catherine 20. Their ages have been estimated from the age given at the time of their deaths. Marriage records for this period are lacking in Herserange. The records of the children, mentioning their parents as a couple will have to suffice as evidence that they were married.

The Herserange collection of records used to document this family group covered the years from 1668 to 1773. The circa 10 years before the marriage of Jean and Catherine were reviewed several times in hopes of finding other records mentioning them separately and/or as a couple. Miscellaneous records for other persons with the FOURNELLE surname or associated with the surname were found and will be discussed in Part 3. No records were found for any other person with the surname SETON.

When the pages of church register for Hesperange were digitized they were fragile and not in very good condition. Many of the old pages were missing parts along the edges. This resulted in incomplete records.

These are the children I found for Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON:

          1. Françoise baptized 18 March 1678
          2. Nicolas baptized 30 September  1683
          3. Jean baptized 9 May 1686
          4. Henri baptized 2 June 1688
          5. Jeanne born before 1691
          6. Sébastienne born about 1692
          7. Marie baptized 9 June 1696
          8. Jacques born about 1699

Five of the eight children’s baptismal records were found in the church records of Herserange from 1678 to 1688. Baptismal records are missing for the years from 1689 to 1693, a period when two of the children were born. Although records are available from 1694 to the time the youngest child is believed to have been born, no baptismal record was found.

The Eight FOURNEL Children

Françoise baptized 18 March 1678
Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 19 de 529

Jean FOURNELLE and Catherine SETON’s first known child was Françoise baptized on 18 March 1678 in Saulnes, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France. They are clearly named as her parents in this record. Her godfather was Guillaume DASSIS. Her godmother was a lady named Françoise – her surname was cut off on the right side as the edges of the page have deteriorated.3

Françoise married Jean COURTOIS (1684-1745) on 23 January 1708 in Saulnes. The marriage record includes the names of her parents.4

Françoise died on 13 October 1729 in Saulnes. Her husband gave her age as 45 years although she was actually six years older.5

Nicolas baptized 30 September 1683
Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 28 de 529

The baptismal record of the second child of Jean and Catherine is missing information.

On the last day of September 1683 in Saulnes, a child [name is missing] was born to [first name missing] FOURNELLE and Catherine SETON and baptized. The verb baptizé is masculine and confirms the child was male. The godfather was [first name missing] BOUILLON and the godmother was Margueritte [illegible maiden name] [one or more missing words] COURTOIS.6

As the husband of Catherine SETON is known to have been Jean FOURNEL it can be assumed that the father’s missing name was Jean. The godmother Margueritte was most likely the wife of Bernard COURTOIS, the only Courtois with a wife named Margueritte at this time. Her maiden name was EVRARD per their 1740 death records.7,8

As the baptismal record is for a male child, he would have the same name as his godfather. Other records have been found that indicate Nicolas FOURNEL was the oldest known son of Jean and Catherine. A Nicolas BOUILLON was in Saulnes at this time. He witnessed the death entry of his wife Jeanne PIERON on 11 January 1694 in Saulnes.9 As no other baptismal record was found for a son named Nicolas, I find it very likely that Nicolas was the name of the child baptized on 30 September 1683.

Nicolas was the godfather Marie, daughter of Jean DROUET and Jeanne REMY, baptized on 3 October 1707 in Saulnes.10 He was described as un jeune garçon or a young boy or man meaning he was not yet married. His surname was spelled FOURNY.

Nicolas married Barbe AGARANT (1680-1758) on 29 June 1710 in Réhon, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France. As in the baptismal record mentioned above, he was described as un jeune garçon de Sosne, paroissien de Herserange or young boy of Saulnes, a parishioner of Herserange. His surname was spelled FOURNIER. Barbe was the widow of Jean BERNARDIN.11 The entry in the Réhon parish record does not name Nicolas’ parents however we can assume they were Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON as they were the only couple in Saulnes of this surname and with children of marrying age.

Nicolas and his family lived in Hussigny, a town whose records are lacking for the period he would have been having children up until the death of his wife in 1758.

Several more records were found that connect Nicolas to the Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON family. They will be discussed later in this post.

Jean baptized 9 May 1686
Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 42 de 529

Jean was baptized on 9 May 1686 in Saulnes. His godparents were Jean QUERIN and Marie Madeleine [illegible]. His parents’ names were Jean FOURNIER and Catherine. Space was left on the record for the maiden name of his mother but never filled in.12

Jean married Jeanne BERKIN (1683-1759) on 22 January 1713 in Rodange, Luxembourg. His father Jean FOURNEL was present at the marriage. His older brother Nicolas was a witness at the marriage.13

Jean FOURNEL and Jeanne BERKIN were my 6th great-grandparents.

Henri baptized 2 June 1688
Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 55 de 529

Henri was baptized on 2 June 1688 in Saulnes. His godparents were Henry LOUIS and Barbe DROUET. His parents were listed as Jean FOURNIER and his wife. As with Jean’s baptismal record, space was left for the mother’s name but not filled in.14

Henri FOURNEL married Anne LAUNOIS. A marriage record has not been located. She was named as his wife in his death record when he died on 6 August 1753 in Saulnes. The record was witnessed by his son Henri and his brother Jacques.15

Several marriage records of sons of Henri and Anne were found. They name them as a couple and parents of the children. They will be cited in the section on Henri’s brother Jacques.

Jeanne born before 1691

A baptismal record was not found for Jeanne who was born before 1691.

Jeanne FOURNEL was the godmother of Jean COURTOIS, son of Françoise FOURNEL and Jean COURTOIS, who was baptized on 14 October 1708.16

Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 234 de 529

She was also the godmother of his brother Jacques baptized on 4 February 1717.17 In this record, Jeanne was clearly named as the aunt of the child proving she was the sister of Françoise, i.e. the oldest daughter of Jean and Catherine.

Jeanne FOURNEL married Jérôme PETRISOT ( -1734) on 28 July 1720 in Obercorn, Luxembourg. She was a young lady from Saulnes and the names of her parents are not mentioned.18 Their first child was born on 20 August 1721. She was named Maria Catharina for her godmother Marie Catherine FOURNEL.19

Jeanne was still living on 6 September 1734 when she and her husband acquired property (a hovel, a garden, etc.) from Jean FOURNIER, Nicolas FOURNIER, Jean COURTOIS (representing the children of the deceased Françoise FOURNIER), and Jacques FOURNIER. The notarial records for this transaction have not been viewed.20

Sébastienne born about 1692

Sébastienne was born about 1692. No baptismal record was found due to missing records.

Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 178 de 529

On 24 November 1720, she married the widower Jean FRANÇOIS (1692-1741) in Saulnes. Witnesses to the marriage were Jean FOURNEL and Jacques FOURNEL, both referred to as her brothers. She is described as a young lady from Saulnes and her parents are not named.21 As she was the sister of Jean and Jacques (younger brother seen below) we can assume she was the daughter of Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON.

Sébastienne FOURNELLE died on 29 December 1752 in Saulnes at the age of about 60 years. This record was used to calculate her year of birth.22

Marie baptized 9 June 1696
Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 365 de 529

On 9 June 1696 in Saulnes, a child Marie was baptized in the presence of her godfather Jean HEINS of Hussigny and her godmother Marie LEJEUNE of Aix. Her parents’ names were Jean FOURNY and Catherine SETON.23

Marie FOURNEL was the godmother of her sister Sébastienne’s illegitimate son Jean CHOLOT who was baptized on 9 December 1713 in Saulnes.24

Jacques born about 1699

Jacques, the youngest known child of Jean FOURNEL and Catherine SETON, was born about 1699. His estimated year of birth has been calculated from his age at death. This places his birth before the death of Catherine SETON who died in 1702.

Jacques most likely married in Hussigny where he lived his adult life. As mentioned earlier in this post, Hussigny is lacking records for the years between 1716-1765 with only 1753-1756 and 1758 being available. Even without the Hussigny records, the youngest son of Jean and Catherine produced more records than any of his siblings that show his connection to them and therefore to their parents.

Jacques FOURNEL was the godfather of his nephew Jacques COURTOIS, son of Jean COURTOIS and Françoise FOURNEL, baptized on 4 February 1717 in Saulnes. He and his sister Jeanne were the godparents and referred to as the uncle and aunt.[See footnote #17 and image 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 234 de 529]

When Sébastienne married Jean FRANCOIS in 1720, Jacques and Jean FOURNEL were witnesses and referred to as brothers of the bride.[See footnote #21 and image 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 178 de 529]

Jacques married Marie JACOB most likely in Hussigny before 1724. The 1758 death record of Marie JACOB names Jacques as her husband.25

On 18 January 1743 Jacques FOURNEL of Hussigny was a witness to the marriage of his niece Jeanne FOURNEL to Henry DE CHAIVE. Jeanne was the daughter of Jean FOURNEL and Jeanne BERKIN. Jacques was referred to as the uncle of the bride.26

Jacques was a witness at the marriages of two of his nephews, sons of Henri FOURNEL and his wife Anne LAUNOIS. On 26 February 1756 their son Henri married Marie Claire BOULANGER in the presence of Jacques FOURNEL uncle of the groom and others.27

On 8 February 1763 their son Dominique married Marie COMES in the presence of witnesses that included Jacques FOURNEL of Hussigny.28

Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 3 vue 60 de 328

Dominique was widowed and married again on 28 December 1765 to Barbe SCHMIT. Jacques, his uncle from Hussigny, was a witness.29

Jacques died at the age of 75 years on 9 December 1774 in Hussigny and was buried the following day in the presence of parishioners including his nephew Henri FOURNEL (son of Henri and Anne) and his grandson Charles LIBERT (son of his daughter Marguerite).30

A ninth child for Jean and Catherine?

Two baptismal records were found that name Marie Catherine FOURNEL as a godmother in 1721. On 20 August 1721 Maria Catharina PETRISOT, daughter of Jérôme PETRISOT and Jeanne FOURNEL, was baptized in Obercorn. Her godmother was Maria Catharina FURNIER of Saulnes. The child’s mother’s maiden name was also spelled FURNIER.31

Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 184 de 529

Two months later, Marie Catherine FRANÇOIS, daughter of Jean FRANÇOIS and Sébastienne FOURNEL was baptized in Saulnes. Her godmother was Marie Catherine FOURNEL described as her aunt.32

Was Marie Catherine the same person as Marie born in 1696?

No records have been found for the marriage or death of Marie FOURNEL or Marie Catherine FOURNEL. No baptismal record was found for a child named Marie Catherine FOURNEL. As I reviewed the records while writing about the children, I wondered if those found are for two separate persons. Should I enter Marie Catherine as a ninth child of my 7th great-grandparents? Could she have been born after Jacques and before the death of the children’s mother?

The Deaths of Jean FOURNEL and his wife Catherine SETON

Catherine SETON the wife of Jean FOURNEL died on 21 September 1702 in Saulnes of an unknown illness at the age of about 45 years. Was this following childbirth? Her husband Jean arranged the funeral and solemn services for three consecutive days for her soul to rest. He signed her death and burial entry in the parish record with his mark.33

Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 333 de 529

When my 6th great-grandparents Jean FOURNEL and Jeanne BERKIN married in 1713, the elder Jean FOURNEL was present at the marriage and signed the parish register with the same mark as in 1702 when his wife died.[See footnote #13]

Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 266 de 529

Jean also signed with his mark on the 1708 marriage record of his oldest child Françoise.[See footnote #4]

Image courtesy of Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), 5 Mi 259/R 1 vue 300 de 529

Jean FOURNEL outlived his wife Catherine by a few days less than 19 years. He died on 3 September 1721 in Saulnes. His two oldest sons Nicolas and Jean arranged for the funeral and solemn services for three consecutive days so that his soul would rest in peace.34

Did Jean FOURNEL’s mark have a special significance to him, his family, his occupation? Did anyone else in Saulnes or in the area use the same sign? These questions will be brought up again in part 3 of this series.

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 1)

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 2)

Going Back to the Earliest Fournelle Ancestor (Part 3)

Françoise FOURNEL (1678-1729) and Jean COURTOIS (1684-1745)

Nicolas FOURNEL (1683-abt.1748) and Barbe AGARANT (abt.1678-1758)

Jean FOURNEL (1686-1749) and Jeanne BERKIN (1683-1759)

Henri FOURNEL (1688-1753) and Anne LAUNOIS (1692-1758)

Jeanne FOURNEL (~1691-aft. 1756) and Jérôme PÉTRISOT (~1680-1761)

Sébastienne FOURNEL (~1692-1752) and Jean FRANÇOIS (~1681-1741)

Jacques FOURNELLE (~1699-1774) and Marie JACOB (1695-1758)

© 2020, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

  1. Histoire de Saulnes, online https://www.saulnes.fr/saulnes-historique/histoire-de-saulnes/ : accessed 10 July 2020. ↩
  2. Catherine Goncalves, Bernard Batrthélémy, René Bréden, Aimé Tarnus, Familles de Saulnes de 1668 à 1920 (three volumes) published by the Cercle Généalogique du Pays de Longwy, p. 9. ↩
  3. Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), browsable images of microfilm collection of parish and civil records (online http://www.archives.cg54.fr/), Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > Herserange B. (1668-1688, 1694-1742, 1745-1746), M. (1684-1686, 1688-1692, 1694-1742, 1745-1746), S. (1676-1679, 1681-1689, 1694-1742, 1745-1773) image 19 of 529 . New terms of use: En application du règlement sur la réutilisation des données publiques adopté par le conseil départemental de Meurthe-et-Moselle (délibération de sa commission permanente n°17, en date du 16 janvier 2017), je m’engage à mentionner la source du document téléchargé (Arch. dép. de Meurthe-et-Moselle, [suivi de la cote complète]), en cas de réutilisation. 1678 Fournel, Françoise baptismal record (middle of right page under Sosne).(http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538075b0db : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  4. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 300 of 529 . 1708 Courtois, Jean and Fournel, Françoise marriage record (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380814b5d : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  5. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 114 of 529 . 1729 Françoise Fournel death record (age about 45 years) (left page, 3rd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380788d8e : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  6. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 28 of 529. 1683 Baptismal Record (right page, 5th entry). This document is in very bad condition. (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538075f780 : accessed 2 July 2020). ↩
  7. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 79 of 529. 1740 Death Record (left page, first entry).(http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538077740c : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  8. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 79 of 529. 1740 Death Record (right page, first entry).(http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538077740c : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  9. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 28 of 529. 1683 Baptismal Record (right page, 5th entry). This document is in very bad condition. (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538075f780 : accessed 2 July 2020). ↩
  10. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 311 of 529. 1707 Baptismal Record of Marie Drouet, godfather Nicolas Fourny. (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538081d08c : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  11. Ibid., Réhon B., M. (1710, 1714-1715, 1733-1792), S. (1714-1715, 1733-1791) 1710-1792 > 5 Mi 450/R 2 image 373 of 767. 1710 Marriage Record (right page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10eca1233/54b0f2e7a367b : accessed 7 Augut 2020). ↩
  12. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 42 of 529. 1686 Baptismal Record (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380766086 : accessed 10 July 2020). ↩
  13. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 266 of 529 . 1713 Jean Fournel and Jeanne Berkin marriage record (right page, top). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807ed8f7 : accessed 2 July 2020). ↩
  14. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 55 of 529. 1688 Henri Fournel baptismal record (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538076c2be : accessed 2 July 2020). ↩
  15. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 455 of 529. 1753 Death Record (right page, 1st entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53808948e4 : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  16. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 303 of 529. 1708 Baptismal Record (right page, 2nd to last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380816b4f : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  17. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 234 of 529. 1717 Baptismal Record (left page, 1st entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807d29ad : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  18. Luxembourg, registres paroissiaux, 1601-1948 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Obercorn > Baptêmes 1704-1727, 1746, 1794-1797, 1800-1805, mariages 1795-1797, 1800-1807, sépultures 1794-1797, 1802-1807 > image 6 of 296. 1720 Marriage Record (left page, 4th entry from bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WS-9SK3?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-N3T%3A1500974001%2C1500974302 : accessed 12 July 2020). ↩
  19. Ibid., Obercorn > Baptêmes 1704-1727, 1746, 1794-1797, 1800-1805, mariages 1795-1797, 1800-1807, sépultures 1794-1797, 1802-1807 > image 78 of 296. 1721 Baptismal Record (right page, 2nd entry).(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-9SCK?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-N3T%3A1500974001%2C1500974302 : accessed 12 July 2020). ↩
  20. Aimé Tarnus, Histoires des Familles, Hussigny-Godbrange de 1550 à 1900; Tome 2 (2002-Fortier à 4096-Mohy); page 535, family 2029, notary records Meurthe-et-Moselle 23 E 147 Étude Guyot, transférée à Villerupt (1719-1882). ↩
  21. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 178 of 529. 1720 François, Jean and Fournel, Sébastienne marriage record. (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807b09bb : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  22. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 459 of 529. 1752 Death Record (left page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380898021 : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  23. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 365 of 529. 1696 Marie Fournel baptismal record (right page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b5380847004 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  24.   Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 274 of 529. 1713 Baptismal Record (left page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807f3dc5 : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  25. Ibid., Hussigny-Godbrange > 5 Mi 268/R 1 image 38 of 677. 1758 Death Record (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea53d8a/54b010531aec1 : accessed 2 August 2020). ↩
  26. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 3 images 197 and 198 of 328. 1743 Marriage Record (part 1)(http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f06e6ad : accessed 9 July 2020) and 1743 Marriage Record (part 2) (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f06f031 : accessed 9 July 2020) ↩
  27. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 3 image 123 of 328. 1756 Marriage Record (right page, top entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f040929 : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  28. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 3 image 69 of 328. 1763 Marriage Record (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f0253fe : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  29. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 3 image 60 of 328. 1765 Marriage Record (left page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f021335 : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  30. Ibid., Hussigny > 5 Mi 268/R 1 image 83 of 677. 1774 Death Record (right page). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea53d8a/54b010532f877 : accessed 2 August 2020). ↩
  31. Luxembourg Parish Records, Obercorn > Baptêmes 1704-1727, 1746, 1794-1797, 1800-1805, mariages 1795-1797, 1800-1807, sépultures 1794-1797, 1802-1807 > image 78 of 296. 1721 Baptismal Record (right page, 2nd entry).(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-9SCK?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-N3T%3A1500974001%2C1500974302 : accessed 12 July 2020). ↩
  32. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 184 of 529. 1721 Baptismal Record (left page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807b4610 : accessed 8 August 2020). ↩
  33. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 333 of 529. 1702 Catherine Seton death record, age at death about 45 yrs (right page, last entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538082e2f7 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩
  34. Ibid., Herserange > 5 Mi 259/R 1 image 183 of 529. 1721 Death Record (left page, first entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53807b3cf3 : accessed 7 July 2020). ↩