Franchimastabe

 In my research I have come across information from Jennifer Meirs that Franchimastabe is likely the Indian chief that the Favre's are descended from.
 Jennifer stated on her site:

(1)1839 testimony of John Jones Sr, Sumter county, Alabama testified Simon Favre married Maron (maryann) daughter of Franchimastubbee, not Pushmataha. I spoke with Mr. Heitzmann, the author of the book on the Favre's, records for Simon's family show that Maryann was his widow (aka Piskotanay)
Posted by: Jennifer Miers

I tracked down the excerpt she was speaking of, it is as thus:

(2)John Jones affidavit, received and recorded April 2nd 1839. The state of Alabama, Sumter County. Before me John A. Cowan as acting justice of the peace for said county ? affidavit John Jones who being duly sworn according to law deposes ? and sayethe that he was acquainted with Simon Favre in his lifetime that said Simon Favre ? forty and fifty years ago married an Indian woman named M? daughter of France Mastubbee as I understood from communications and by his had Simon's children said Favre married in the Choctaw tribe of Indians and resided on the Tombigby river. Deposee sayeht that he is satisfied and confident the above named ? unreadable were married although he was not there from the fact that he was invited to the marriage and from what ? who was there told him and also from the fact that he was not more than two miles and a ? from (unreadable) at the time of the wedding.

This led me to search more about Franchimastabe and in doing so I have seen just how often he and Simon Favre interacted. Leaving me to believe that he must indeed be the father of Simon's Indian wife and not Pushmataha as was previously believed.

(3) During a presentation by the Mississippi Humanities Council it was said that Franchimastabe was a head of a village of the West Yazoo who was engaged in intense and significant diplomatic negotiations over the question of ownership of the site of Nogales (present day Vicksburg) and other matters with Manuel Gayoso de Lemos the Spanish governor of the Natchez District from 1787 to 1797.

 From the letters of M. Delavillebeuvre to Carondelet,  Delavillebeuvre wrote that:

(4)After making my first speech there [Yasou, Franchimastabe’ village] I went to the Small Part where I am going to reside with Favre, who is employed by the king and who will serve me as interpreter. He is the best one of the province, with a great influence over the minds of the Indians, and he knows how to lead them firmly whenever necessary. When he found out that I was coming as commissioner to this nation, he had a comfortable hut built for me. I shall live there if you will allow me because I find that life there will be simpler. Since it is only four leagues away from Franchimastabe’ village, I shall therefore be able to know what is going on in both parts with equal facility.

He was certainly speaking of Simon Favre here. Showing there was a relationship between Favre and Franchimastabe.

(5,6)There are historical elements about Chief Frantimastabe 's actions with the French, British and Spanish that closely parallel Simon Favre's relationships with the same parties. He was not a friend of the Americans and led in combat against them. Chief Frantimastable encouraged family relationships and marriages between his family and the French and English for stronger ties and alliances.

 "Chief Pushmataha" is strongly considered a possible father for, " Pistikiokonay" by some sources. He was a strong friend and allay of the Americans.



Simon Favre was present at Fort Nogales, near the mouth of the Yazoo River in Choctaw territory, for the signing of the Treaty of Nogales on October 28, 1793.[iii] This treaty was signed between the King of Spain and Emperor of the Indies and the Chickasaw, Creek, Talapoosa, Alibamon, Cherokee and Choctaw nations.
The Spaniards were represented by Don Manuel Gayoso de Lemos, colonel of the royal armies, military and political governor of the post and district of Natchez, commissioned for this purpose by the Baron de Carondelet, governor of the province of Louisiana and West Florida.
Representing the Choctaws was Franchimastabe’, principal chief, and Pushamataha, who apparently was closely tied to Simon Favre, possibly through marriage.
 The text of the treaty detailed where the different tribes were to pick up their gifts to maintain the terms of all treaties since 1784. The Choctaw were to pick up their yearly gifts at old Tombecbe’, “which it has recently ceded to His Catholic Majesty”. The treaty was signed for the Choctaw by Franchi Mastabe’, Mingo Puscus, and Mistichico. Simon Favre was one of the witnesses.(7)

Of Note: relationships with Frantimastabe given by Simon Favre himself from his personal correspondence

"Favre wrote from the Choctaw to Bouligny[i] on November 8, 1785: I learned from Taskaopa in the presence of Nanoulimastabe’ that Monsieur Jorge, a trader in the village of Ousapalchito for Monsieur Maxent, had told him that he has heard from Naquisabe’, chief with a small English medal, that Mr. Fraisiere, trader at Yazoo, in the Large Part, had assured him and the English chief Frantimastabe’ that the stores established in Mobile belonged to Sieur Tourneboul. He also said that all the English, who had formerly been in the different villages of the nation, were going to come back and chase out the French and Spaniards who were there. Mr. Fraisiere stated that he was a good Englishman who did not want to do as the French and Spanish traders and steal their horses. He said that he would take their pelts for two, three or four times as much, that this boat was sent ahead, and that the chiefs and party were following. He also asserted that the Spaniards did not know how to do anything and they were not men, I affirm that I have written exactly what I heard from the Indians.”  In addition, in 1787 Simon reported to Vicente Folch, Governor of Spanish Florida, on a series of assemblies held by Choctaws, Chickasaws and Talapuches about approving the establishment in their territories of whites and the desire of Chief Franchimastabé to visit them.
 Simon Favre’s information went to the highest officers in the Government. On June 29th, 1792, Favre wrote from the Choctaws to Louisiana Governor Carondelet: My Lord: Allow me to take the liberty of having the honor of writing you this letter to send you the enclosed copies which were brought to the Choctaw nation by two Americans the 25th of June of this month. They went back the same day. These messages were translated by a trader for that nation named Jean Pitchlyn. This is one of several similar activities of this man, who does nothing but give bad advice to the savages. That is why I hope, my Lord, that you will be so kind as to give me your orders about this matter. They brought two large medals and two complete suits. They have given one to Franchimastabe’ and the other to a respected chief of this nation called Tloupouye Nantla’, but all this was of no use. They have been unable to take either of them along with them There is nothing else of enough importance to inform you. My Lord, begging you to excuse me for the liberty which I dare to take, I have the honor of being, with respect and submission, my Lord, Your most humble and most obedient servant Simon Favre.
Delavillebeuvre wrote to Don Manuel Gallozo de Lemos from Boukfouca, on September 10, 1792 “At the house of Monsieur Favre where I am staying”: …but as Franchimastabe’ had left for Mobile upon the demand of the commandant, as I had the honor of telling you in my previous letter, he [Jean Pchiline <sic> the interpreter living near the Chickasaw road] did not see him, of course, and stayed with Mr. Favre and myself until Franchimastabe’s return so that he may confer with him and afterwards with all the chiefs of the nation. (8)




List of Sources:
 (1) Jennifer Miers
(2)Sumter County, Alabama deed book 3, page 223
(3)Ms Humanities
(4) From the letters of M. Delavillebeuvre to Carondelet
(5,6,8)Choctaws in a Revolutionary Age
(7)Russell Guerin

Echoes of a Lost Cemetery

Sadly one of the significant factors to the loss of Coast history is hurricanes. My grandfather's family cemetery and many other cemeteries along the Coast have fallen victims to the ravages of the many hurricanes. Whether from the waves washing over and washing out tombs, markers and headstones, or covering them completely with debris from the howling winds, the Coast has unfortunately lost a good many of our Old Cemeteries. However, there is once such cemetery in Hancock County that was very old and was unfortunately destroyed first by winds and waves, then again by those who were unaware that a cemetery lay below the debris and in the clean up efforts completely plowed down any remaining vestiges of the cemetery.
This cemetery was known as the Victor Ladner Cemetery and according to testimony given by my grandfather who grew up next to it, contained the graves of his family, including his grandfather and his great grandfather, as well as various family members. There is some debate as to some of the family possibly being moved to another cemetery after the 1947 Hurricane. As of a few weeks ago I thought the cemetery was lost to us forever. Now, there seems to be hope that we may yet find the resting place of those lost graves.
An effort to have a headstone added there for Victor Ladner Jr. who fought in the Civil War is under way. As well as efforts of finding the lost graves of several other family members. Many thanks to the Shieldsboro Rifles division of the SCV for their help and Dorty Necaise for all his help.

The Creole Dedeaux's

The children of Henry Dedeaux and Rosalie Saucier:
Homer Dedeaux
Martial Dedeaux
Anatole Dedeaux
Adelaide Dedeaux
Louise Dedeaux
John Delmas Dedeaux
Armand Dedeaux
Helena Dedeaux

The town of Delmas located in Harrison County near the Wolf River is named after John Delmas Dedeaux. The family of John Delmas Dedeaux once attended the church, Our Lady of Good Hope in Delisle, MS. However a racial split sent the Dedeaux family to Our Lady Of Chartres, fondly called The Little Mission church by those who attend services there. After the split John Delmas Dedeaux  went in search of a new spiritual home for the fractured Catholic family and found a little Church in north Long Beach that he had relocated several miles from New Hope, this became in 1912, Our Lady of Chartres and is still attended by descendants of Delmas Dedeaux today. There was also once a small one room school house next to the church.

The Community of Dedeaux's Catholic church was founded by Delmas' brother, Homer Dedeaux. Their cousin John Jerius Dedeaux donated the land where a combined school and Sacred Heart Catholic Church were built in the  Dedeaux Community where it still remains today.

The two communities were then known as Sherie Dedeaux, and Delmas Dedeaux. Now just referred to as Dedeaux, and Delmas.

From what I have found on the family of Henry Dedeaux and Rosalie is that Rosalie was a mulatto and possible the daughter of a Saucier slave owner, either Henry Saucier or possibly Pierre. Many trees have her as the daughter of Pierre Saucier and Isabel Nicaise. This can not be so, as neither were mulatto. In the 1870 census Rosalie is listed as Rosalie Saucier with son Armand, daughters Louise and Helena, with the children listed as Dedeaux and all as mulatto's. In 1880 she can be found with son Armand's family and is listed as Rosalie Dedeaux, in later census she is listed as a widow. I believe Rosalie and Azelie Saucier, who was married to Clement, Henry's brother and was also listed as a mulatto may likely be sisters.  This family has been difficult to trace and if any reader's have anything of value to add please contact me.

Our Lady of Chartres 1922

Charles Norville Roth

Mathematical Marvel

A Gentleman of the Old School

Large Landholder of Iberville Parish

One of Plaquemine's Main Builders

These are the words used in the heading of Charles Norville Roth's obituary. I had not thought much of him before other than trying to add his children and theirs to my family tree. He was the first cousin of my great grandfather and I knew the family were large landholders, but finding his obituary gave me a little more insight as to who they were. This obituary was a wonderful testament to a man that was well thought of in the community. A man who had strong character and beliefs. A well educated man who used his skills to help further his community and whose ideals were held in esteem by his peers. 

He was born and raised in Plaquemine, Iberville Parish, where he was a successful merchant and  planter. The Roth family (pronounced Row) was an old and distinguished French one. As a business associate of Jacob McWilliams, he ran the mercantile of Roth & McWilliams. Charles held with McWilliams the interest in several large plantations such as, Medora, Upper Irma and Myrtle Grove. He was also the administrator of the Gay estate.

His parents were Charles Norville Roth Sr. and his mother Marie Angelique Marioneaux. Charles married twice, his first wife being Zulma Beck. He married again in 1901 to Elizabeth Walsh and the two of them resided in New Orleans at 479 Broadway until his death. He and Elizabeth had two sons.

During the Civil War his brother Eugene N. Roth joined the service and fought in the war. Charles decided he was needed at home to continue with family business and render aid the best he could from there. He worked during the war as factor for Iberville Parish.

 Charles built the Roth building and the People's Bank and had many investments in local real estate. His biggest claim to fame of the time though seems to stem from his amazing mathematical abilities. His obit states many times how he marveled people at his being able to take large sums and figure them correctly in his head.

He was called a gentleman of the old school, one who despised the modern ways and modern speech. A relic of the antebellum era, one can wonder what he would think of his city today?

What a fascinating man he was!

Surname Saturday- Dugas

Abraham Dugas was born around 1616 in France. He came to Acadia in 1640 and was married in 1647 to Marguerite  Doucet. Marguerite was the daughter of Germain Doucet dit LaVerdure and Marie Bourgeis. Abraham and Marguerite had a large family of eight children whom were raised at Port-Royal. Abraham was a gunsmith by trade and he carried special privileges as a representative of the King in the colony. Abraham died around 1700.

His son Claude Dugas married Francoise Bourgeois, daughter of Jacques Bourgeois and Jeanne Trahan. They had twelve children. Claude married a second time to Marguerite Bourg and they had ten children together. Claude died in 1732 at Port-Royal.

Claude and Francoise son Joseph Francois Dugas married Claire Marie Bourg, daughter of Bernard Bourg and Francoise Brun.  Joseph Francois Dugas left Port-Royal during the expulsion and later settled in St. Martinville, La where he died on 26 Jul 1765.

The daughter of Joseph Francois and Claire Dugas, Marguerite married Joseph Orillion dit Champagne. (More about their family can be found here Orillion)

Happy Independence Day

Happy 4th of July to everyone.

As a young girl I would have never thought that it was possible for me to have any ancestors who had fought in the Revolutionary War. This was because my family are all French, German and Spanish, who had come to the Louisiana territory in 1699 and after. They came from Canada, France, Spain, and Germany. I did not stop to think that my own paternal grandmother was an Anderson, and her mother a Graham. Nor that my paternal grandfather's mother was a Conerly. Being born and raised here on the Coast, which is basically the same as being born in Louisiana, we have the same heritage and culture. However, those that were from the central and northern parts of Mississippi, as my grandmother's family and my Conerly family were, had a different heritage altogether. They were the pioneer families. The ones who came after the Revolutionary War from the Carolina's, Virginia and Georgia. As I branched out in my search for these families, I uncovered many who fought in the War for Independence.

A few of my ancestors who helped make today possible.

Benjamin Bearden

born 1748 Granville, North Carolina

Took the oath of Allegiance in 1778

David McGraw

born 1728 Scotland

South Carolina Patriot 1781

 Peter Quin

born 11 Apr 1750, Ireland

North Carolina Patriot 1783

Cullen Conerly

born 1745, North Carolina

North Carolina Patriot

William Herrington

born 1755 North Carolina

North Carolina Patriot

John Edmondson
1762 North Carolina
1783 1st NC Regiment

Treasure Chest Thursday- Finding Family Heirlooms

The feeling you get after spending many years searching for a rare family book. When suddenly out of the blue a family member discovers the very thing you have been searching for. Packed away in their mother's old treasures and they actually scan it and send you a copy without your asking!!!

Priceless!!!

First Edition 18 pages, printed in New Orleans in 1875

Thank you so very much dearest cousin!!

Surname Saturday- Saucier

Three hundred and fourteen years ago my ancestor, Jean Baptiste Saucier made the biggest decision of his life. He signed up as a recruit for d'Iberville, in a quest to colonize the wild new Louisiana territory. He left his family behind in Canada, his father Louis Saucier, mother Marguerite Gaillard Duplessis and a brother Charles Saucier.

I have often wondered why he left. Was it the adventure? Was it that he wanted more for himself. He signed on as a passenger, a free man, not as a soldier.  Marrying one of the Pelican Girls, Gabrielle Savary. He died around 1715, leaving behind five children, four of them sons.

He owned a plot of land in the village outside of the fort in Mobile. His portion being adjacent to Graveline and St. Denis.

Gabrielle Savary arrived on  Le Pelican on August 1, 1704. She was one of many women sent by they king from France to marry the colonist in Mobile. The women chose their men and married without delay. Except for Gabrielle, she took her time choosing Jean Baptiste Saucier.
 
Bienville, the brother of d'Iberville was asked to stand as godfather to the daughter of Jean and Gabrielle Saucier. The priest LaVente refused to baptize the child if Bienville was to be godfather.

Gabrielle had married twice more after the death of Jean Saucier. First to the soldier Pierre Vifvareine who with she had a son Jean Baptiste Vifvareine. Pierre Vifvareine died shorty thereafter and she then married the soldier Jean Sansot Lagrange whom with she had daughter Jeanne Gabrielle Sansot. 

 Gabrielle later went to live in the village of New Orleans with her children. Gabrielle found life as a widow hard and asked to be able to leave to go to St. Dominigue with her children. She was refused.
 She employed herself as a midwife, and had a second hand goods business in New Orleans first flea market.

Her sons went on to make names for themselves in the colony. Henry, Jean Baptiste,  and Francois Saucier established a trade business from New Orleans to Illinois. With Francois settling in Illinois. Francois designed Fort Chartres in Kaskaskia, Illinois. He was a surveyor and mapmaker.

Henry later moved his family back to the coast and there raised a large family, whose descendants can be found up and down the coast of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama today. All you have to do is to open a local phone book to see the multiple pages that contain the name Saucier.

Celebrating 314 Years of Gulf Coast Living

Happy Birthday Gulf Coast!

314 years ago my family came to the Gulf Coast from Canada with D'Iberville. These people faced considerable hardship as they slowly turned a wilderness of swamps and bayous into a habitable place to live. Today we celebrate and remember those that came here looking for a new life, a fresh start in a wild new land called the Louisiana Colony.

List of Canadian engagés that were recruited by D'Iberville in 1697

Joseph de Robitaille

Pierre Marot

Sausie (Saucier)

Joseph Chenie

Carcy

Laplaine

Bellefon

Pierre Villaire

Francoise Faux

Berichon

Matte

Anthoine Roussin

Paul Ducheron

Maurice Crepeau

Pierre Allain

Jean Piere

Philipe de Briere

Alexis Franocis

Louise Lemoine

Jean Trepanie

Jean Francois Ayet

Forestier

Clement

Graveline

Ange Guion

Charles Carose

Nicholas Chauvin

Lamarche

Beau Soleil

Jacques Chauvin

Andre Roy

Laval

Ste Mare

Labarre

Laramee

Luca

LaFontaine

St Martin

le Garcon

Leveille

Jean Baptiste Turpin

Pierre LaFontaine

Claude Trepanie

Bonne Volonte

la Junesse

Charles Aigron

Lavigne

Antoine Duclos

Charles Francouer

Jean la Briere

Monsiuer Caumon

Lamarche

Laviolette

le Piemontois

Charles Savage

Brossard

Bellerive

la Tulipe

Poudrie

Gaulin

la Doceur

Bastien Charpantier

la Chambre

Pierre Martin

Monsieur St. Denis

Jean Gautier

Joyeuse

Gilbert d'Ardeene

Prevost

Boubonniere

Sans Chargrin

Denis Darbois

Jean Geofroy

Jeremie

Francois Hamel

Joseph la Pointe

Pierre l'Arrivee

Jacques  la Brie

Lavergne

Ignace Simon

dit Lapointe

la Boutillerie

Minet

Courville

LaLoire

Jean Aussou

Simon Lespine

Dore

Montreuil

sans Cartier

la Fortune

Matagon

Coeurbien

St Michel

Gros Jean

Bourgeois

Dupre Bombardeur

Jean Momtanboux

(Archives du Port  de Rochefort)

Tombstone Tuesday- J.D.A. Kirkland

Headstone of John Dudley Alexander Kirkland aka "Dud" born December 7, 1824 East Feliciana, La.
Died June 17, 1903. Veteran of the Mexican and Civil Wars.

Free Access to Confederate Records

For those of you researching an ancestor who fought in the Civil War there is good news. Fold3 has made their Confederate records available for free during the month of April. Check it out here at Fold3 Confederate Records.

Happy Hunting!

Wordless Wednesday- New Orleans Ladies

Retired Nurses of New Orleans getting together to reminisce.

1971

Surname Saturday- Withan

In Diamond, La lived my great grandaunt and uncle, Emma Wiese Withan and her husband David Withan. Dave as he was known to his friends and family, was born in Germany. His history was given in the local newspaper at one time:

Born in Baden, Germany in December 1860 and after receiving a high school education left the old country at the age of 13 to try for his fortune in the New World. He first settled in Tennessee. Here he remained for two years plus his majority, when he conceived that Louisiana was a better place and Plaquemines Parish best of all, He liked the place and stayed. He is now engaged in the mercantile business in the 8th Ward, which he has represented in the capacity of his present incumbency being re-elected as an independent Democrat. Mr. Witham, long ago married and is the father of a baby girl.

 He was also the postmaster in Diamond, La and his house was located across from the depot station there. His daughter Elsie was photographed sitting on the veranda with her dog, as was her habit each day to watch the loading and unloading of passengers. They ran her photo and a story in the paper entitled, "Elsie and her dog Pert"

Dave Withan died on September 15, 1934 and was buried in Diamond Cemetery in Plaquemines Parish.

Wordless Wednesday- Working for a Living

My Grandmother and coworkers at the National Hosiery Mills in 1929, New Orleans, La

Surname Saturday- Castanedo

Jose Manuel Castanedo was born in Santander, Spain around 1769. He came to the Louisiana territory; when under Spanish Colonial rule, with Galvez. The Castanedo family owned a large tract of land in New Orleans known as Faubourg Castanedo. The land being sold to him by his father in law Antonio Ramis who was one of the major speculators in the Faubourg Treme project.

The  Castanedo House on N. Galvez

Jose Castanedo married Marie Rosa Ramis in 1797. They had the following children:
Marie Ignacia Castanedo
Pedro Castanedo
Marie Rose Castanedo
Raymond Castanedo
Josepha Castanedo
Marie Josephine Castanedo
Hermine Castanedo
Calixto Castanedo
Francisca Antonia Castaendo

Raymond Castanedo married Louise Aimee Pivert. They had:
Louise Castanedo
Marie Castanedo
Elizabeth Castanedo
Jean Adolph Castanedo
Arthur Castanedo
Edouard Raymond Castanedo
Emile Castanedo
Jean Gustave Castanedo
Philomene Castanedo
Jean Arthur Castanedo

Jean Adolph Castanedo was born July 17, 1832 in New Orleans. He was a merchant. He served in the Civil War in the 6th Regt. French Brig. La Militia as a Lieutenant. He married Marie Felecie Fortier in 1855 and they had:
Raymond Castanedo
Paul Castanedo
Louis Adolph Castanedo
Alice Louise Castanedo
Marie Felicie Castanedo
Albert A. Castanedo

May 1887

Albert A. Castanedo married Clementine Ladner, my grandfather's aunt, in Hancock County, Ms on November 16, 1895. They had 6 children:
Anthony Milton Castanedo
Wesley Joseph Castanedo
Marie Alice Castanedo
Antoinette Lillie Castanedo
Sheldon Castanedo
Loretta Castanedo

My grandfather Victor Ladner and his first cousin Loretta Castanedo Dubuisson were very close being born one day apart, they were like a sister and brother to one another.

Wordless Wednesday- Dressed for Mardi Gras

Surname Saturday- Grimshaw

A few weeks back I wrote of the Berthoud family, the ancestors of my cousins,  Maud and Meta Grimshaw. Now I will write of their father's family, the Grimshaw's of Louisiana.

James Grimshaw was born in England and came to the U.S. around 1827. He was a wealthy merchant and an owner of  Tayleur, Grimshaw &  Sloan. James became involved in the business in 1827 as this notice given in the Louisiana Advertiser on February 23, 1827 will attribute:

The firm had a London branch as well as one in New Orleans at 79 Canal Street. The firm was apparently dissolved in 1834, as this notice in the London Gazette will attribute:

London Gazette 

After the dissolution of the firm of Tayleur, Grimshaw & Sloane, James founded a new firm entitled Grimshaw & Jones that operated out of Mobile, Alabama.  They later went bankrupt in 1843. 

James married  Mary Julia Berthoud, daughter of  Nicholas Berthoud and Eliza Bakewell, in New York in 1835. They later settled in the New Orleans area. James was a much respected citizen and a staunch supporter of the Christ Church, Episcopal Church in New Orleans where he served as vestryman.


James and Mary had twelve children:
Mary Julia Grimshaw, who married Brigadier General Johnson Kelly Duncan.
Henry Grimshaw, who married Lida Travis
Elizabeth Berthoud Grimshaw, who married William Seymour
Augustus Berthoud Grimshaw
James Russell Grimshaw, died at the battle of Shiloh
Alexander Gordon Grimshaw, who married Josephine Booth (parents to Maud, Meta and Russell)
Edith Grimshaw, who died as an infant
Newton Mercer Grimshaw, died young
Edward Kenyon Grimshaw, married Annie Reade
Francis Hammond Grimshaw, died young
William Grimshaw, married Hattie Knight
Meta Grimshaw

Their son, Alexander Gordon Grimshaw married Josephine Booth, daughter of Margaret Conrad and William Booth. They had four children, Edith who died as a child, James Russell, and the twins, Maud and Meta Grimshaw. James Russell, who was known as Russell never married and died without issue. The twins Maud and Meta devoted their lives to taking care of others, both of them becoming nurses after dedicating themselves to caring for their sick father for many years before his passing. They never married, nor had children, though they cared for many of their nieces and nephews as though they were their own children. They adored their Uncle Alan Wiese, my great grandfather and doted upon him.

There is a fantastic website about the Grimshaw family by Thomas Grimshaw at, Grimshaw Origins and History, which details Grimshaw's from England to America which may prove beneficial to any who are researching this family. I would suggest you contact Mr. Thomas Grimshaw if you have anything to add or any questions regarding the Grimshaw line, I myself have contributed numerous times to his site regarding my cousins portion of the family.

Wordless Wednesday- Nicholas Berthoud

Nicholas Berthoud, grandfather of Maud and Meta Grimshaw. Painting by Audubon

.

Advent Calendar- Christmas Tree Ornaments

When Hurricane Katrina was bearing down on the Gulf Coast, I packed many of my precious belongings into my car. One of the boxes that I packed was the Christmas tree ornaments. My husband thought I was crazy. "Why the ornaments?" he asked.  I told him that each and everyone of them meant something special to me and I could not bear to part with them given the choice. So they went and it was a good thing because a pine tree came crashing down just where they were stored.

Among my ornaments is a little pink glass pine cone with white paint on the edges like snow. It was always a favorite of mine growing up because it belonged to my great grandmother. When I got married my mother gave me all of my childhood ornaments and allowed me to choose one of hers, this is the one I chose. It is always the first to be hung upon the tree near the very top.

Then there is an ornament that I made in kindergarten in 1974. It is now a dull red and most of the glitter has flaked off, but it is still special to me. Mostly because for fifteen years my mother faithfully hung this ornament upon her own tree as though it were one of the most beautiful among all her ornaments.

The old ornaments from my own childhood that hang upon my tree all hold a special place in my heart. They are old friends of mine. I spent many hours gazing at them throughout my life. Some were bought, but many were made by the hands of my relatives. They are heirlooms that I eagerly unwrap each year to display. Hopefully one day they will be handed down and cherished with the same love and care that I have had for them.










This is the third blog in the series by GeneaBloggers Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2012.

Isaac Trimble Preston- Catherine Lawn Layton

Isaac T. Preston was born in 1793 in Rockbridge County, Virginia, the son of Francis Preston. His mother may have been a Campbell. He graduated from Yale in 1812, and then continued his studies in law at the Litchfield Law School in Connecticut.

In 1813 he left his law studies behind and entered the Army as a Captain of the 35th Infantry during the War of 1812. Isaac was honorably discharged in 1815 after which he continued his law studies. He then moved first to Virginia and then to Louisiana.

In New Orleans, Louisiana he married Catherine Lawn Layton the daughter of Robert Layton and Susan Gilchrist on November 20, 1828. They had six children.

In New Orleans Isaac became one of the leading attorneys of the time. He went on to be the Attorney General of Louisiana from 1824 to 1829 and then again in 1843 to 1846. In 1844-1845 he was a member of the Constitutional Convention of Louisiana. He served the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1845-1846 and became a Supreme Court Judge in 1850.

Isaac was one of the key promoters for the  construction of the railroad from New Orleans to Jackson, Ms. He was a well respected and prominent land owner. He contributed to many charities among which was the donation of the land for the Methodist Episcopal Church in Carrollton, La.

Isaac remarried in 1845 after the death of Catherine in 1842 to Margaret Hewes. Who was the step mother of his deceased wife, Catherine Lawn Layton.

Isaac died in 1852 aboard the steamboat the St. James, which was involved in a race. The steamboat exploded and burned on Lake Ponchartrain.

The children of Isaac Preston and Catherine Lawn Layton were:

Francis Preston

Isaac Trimble Preston who died as an infant

Robert Layton Preston

Thomas Layton Preston

Buxton John Preston

Isaac T. Preston

Sources:

The Prestons of Smithfield and Greenfield in Virginia by: John Frederick Dorman

 The Litchfield Historical Society

The Louisiana Advertiser- Historical Newspaper