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Independent Islands => Alderney, Guernsey, Jersey, Sark => Topic started by: Derekmillstep on Saturday 17 June 06 17:37 BST (UK)
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Hi Chatters,
I am looking for any parish register information on my descendant Pierre D'Assigny and his family. He was a French Huguenot refugee who was appointed Rector of St Helier 1638-1643 and Rector of St Martin 1645-1660. He and his wife Elizabeth (Marins) were married in London in 1636 and had at least two children in Jersey, Marius born 1642/3 and Elizabeth (birth N/K). It is highly likely that Elizabeth predeceased Pierre for he remarried (for the third time), possibly in Jersey. Marius married Elizabeth Effard in 1668 and I believe she was also born in Jersey.
Many thanks.
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Hi -
I have found two marriages and several baptisms which seem relevant:
St Helier parish church -
Marriage: 15 Oct 1629
Pre [Pierre] Darteny [that's how it is written] de St Lo en Normandie et
Jeanne Theodore
.... do you think this is him?
Baptisms: D'ASSIGNY
2.1.1638/9 Philippe fils de Pierre, Recteur de la Parroise de St Helier
(GP - pere, Messire Philippe de Carteret, chevalier, lieutenant-Gouveneur de ceste Ille)
15.3.1642/3 Marius fils de mr Pasteur de ceste Eglise
St Martin parish church -
Marriage: D'ASSIGNY 20.9.1654 Mr Pierre, Pasteur de St Mt. m (3n) Marguerite Nicole fe Richard et Susanne Mallet sa femme.
Baptisms:
D'ASSIGNY
9.5.1652 Jean fs Pre [Pierre - I think]
5.9.1655 Margte fe Pre
10.9.1656 Pre fs Pre et dlle Margte Nicolle
18.11.1657 Margte fe Pre et mse Margte Nicolle.
So presumably Pierre D'Assigny was married to Jeanne Theodore, in Jersey 1629, re-married to Elizabeth in London, 1636, and had Philippe, Marius and probably Jean before Elizabeth died. He then re-married Marguerite Nicolle in 1654, and they appear to have had three more children - Marguerite 1 (who must have died young), Pierre and Marguerite 2.
Do you think this might be right?
If the first marriage is correct, you have a good lead to the French parish records in St Lo, Normandie, for his birth and family there.
If you are not familiar with the French vocabulary let me know - and I will explain.
Mike
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Hi just found this post on Pierre d' Assigny I am a direct descendant. I would really like to know how I can trace Pierre's pedigree to France but not sure were to start. Can you help?
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Hi Lisa, I also believe that I am a descendant of Pierre D'Assigny through his son Marius, born 1643 in St Helier, Jersey. Pierre was Rector there. Is it him that is your ancestor?
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Hi Derek. M. I descend from Pierre d' Assigny and his third wife Marguerite Nicholle they are my 9th Grt Grandparents. I then go down through Marguerite their daughter baptised 18 Nov 1657 St Martin (The second Marguerite) who married Jean Messervy. Their daughter Sara baptised 13 Aug 1685 St Martin married Elie Nicolle. I have a baptism date for Marius of 15 March 1642 at St Helier. Hope this helps regards Lisa.
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Hi Lisa, Thanks for the prompt response. I assume then you are descended from the maternal line. My mother's maiden name was Disney (anglicised over generations from D'Assigny). I believe we were descended from Pierre's son Marius during his time as a vicar in Cutcombe, Somerset. The family moved to north Devon and eventually south in the county to Brixham, where I was born. I would be very interested to view your family tree as far back as Pierre, if that is possible.
Are you aware of Pierre's Huguenot background as a priest - his involvement in the English Civil War and his position as Rector in two Jersey parishes? Not a lot is known about him after he left Jersey, for the second time, in 1661 following the Restoration (he was a Parliamentarian/Puritan), but it is possible he went from the Channel Islands to Holland and there to the new colonies in America and settled in New Jersey, in a place called Woodbridge. It is also possible he became a surgeon (?!) and died in 1694. I have this information from a researcher in New Jersey who I am presently sharing information with.
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Hi Derek
If you could give me a few days I will sort and sent you through my pedigree from Pierre on a personal email. Regards Lisa
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Hi Lisa,
I look forward to receiving the family history information you have in due course.
Back to your original enquiry - the French origins of Pierre D'Assigny, as far as I am aware the records available show he was born in Autonne de Perche, in circa 1610, his father being named as Daniel.
I have read and had copied an original letter from Marius D'Assigny, his son, who in 1709 refers to his father's family, please see an extract of my transcription of the letter below.
I understood by your Graces Saying to me when I presented you with the Mystery of Anabaptism Unmask’d That I had been a long time in England, That your Grace took me for a foreigner whereas I am a Native of the Isle of Jersey born in St Hillarys Town 1642, my father being then minister of that Parish having left his Contry and Relations for his Conscience being descended from a Noble Family of Britany.
Regards,
Derek
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Hi Derek
Thanks for the information. I have wanted to trace Pierres family for a long time but because I can't read French I haven't been able to move forward. I know there is a large noble family with the name of d' Assigny, but I have never been able to link Pierre. Maybe he was never added to the pedigree because he was out of the country - out of sight out of mind so to speck. Have you managed to find your descent from Marius with certificates etc... Which one of his sons do you descend from? Who are his Graces that Marius is referring to? Some one in the church that he had had dealings with in France? I will send the tree A.S.A.P.
Kind Regards Lisa
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Hi Derek
Can you send me your email address as a personal message. Seems I can't sent an attachment as a personal message so I will need your email address. Regards Lisa
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Pierre D'Assigny married Marguerite Courtois on 22 December 1635 at the French Church Threadneedle Street London. She must have died within the year as he then married Elizabeth Marie, daughter of Nathaniel Marie, Pasteur of the church, on 3 December 1636. On 1 February 1637 he was appointed school master in Hackney and on 29 August 1638 he was appointed Rector of St Helier Jersey. He remained on Jersey until 1643 when he was forced to flee in the wake of taking part in an unsuccessful stand against the the Royalists. He went Norwich where his wife's uncle Pierre deLaune was Pasteur of the Waloon church. His time in Norwich was contentious. He returned to Jersey in 1651 when the island was taken by the Parliament and became Pasteur at St Martin. Elizabeth died in 1653 and in 1654 he married Marguerite Nicolle. He appears to have returned to Norwich as Marius' academic record of graduation in 1668 refers to him being the son of the rector at Norwich.
Pierre and Elizabeth Marie had four children - Elizabeth, Philippe, Marius and Jean. There were three more children with Marguerite - Marguerites 1 and 2 and Pierre.
Elizabeth Marie was the grand daughter of Guillaume DeLauneM Huguenot refugee, cleric and physician - and that opens up a remarkable family line for anyone who hasn't gone there yet.
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Hi Leyleinoz thank you for the information. Do you have any information of Pierre father Daniel?
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The only reference I have found to Pierre's life before he turned up in London is that he was a former monk. Has anybody found proof of his father being Daniel? There seems to be no proof of his parentage or birthplace.
I think I am pretty much finished with Pierre and have moved on to his wife, Elizabeth Marie's family - a very rich seam to follow. Marius' wife, Elizabeth Effard, has also been a wonderful line to follow, and his brother, Philippe, has been fun - a real live pirate in the family.
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Hi thanks. I descend from Marguerite Nicolle then through Marguerite the one surviving daughter and only surviving child from this marriage who married Jean Messervy. They then had only one child Sara baptised 1685 at St Martin.
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Information about Pierre D’Assigny’s early life appears in William Prynne’s 1645 pamphlet ‘The Lyar Confounded’ wherein Pierre is called a “zealous popish monk” who left his orders “some say for incontinency”. But this reference was intended as defamation, and might not be trustworthy.
Another source, Jean Chevalier (who kept a diary in Jersey during the years 1643-1651 and is witness to much of Pierre's activity), called Pierre D’Assigny “an alien, who had been a monk, and changed sides, God knows why”.
A more romantic view comes from a letter written by Pierre’s son, Marius D’Assigny, in April 1709, stating that “my father…left his Contry and Relations for his Conscience, being descended from a Noble family of Britany.”
When Pierre D’Assigny was married on 20th November 1636, at the French Church, Threadneedle Street, London, to Elizabeth Marie, the marriage entry describes him as the son of Daniel D’assigny, deceased, and as being a native of Authon du Perche, France.
That's all I have found out about Pierre D'Assigny's pre-British life. His stated place of origin, Authon du Perche, is not in Britanny. The name D'Assigny is a prominent family in the Auxerre area of France, but I have not yet found any D'Assignys in Authon, and of the 16th/17th Century Breton D'Assignys that I have found, none are called Daniel or Pierre.
There were two members of the D'Assigny family who came to England from France in the time of Henry VIII and of Charles II. Interestingly the later one was the wife of a Pierre D'Assigny of the Auxerre branch, but any connection to the Pierre D'Assigny of Jersey is not known.
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Just found out that Pierre D'Assigny is my eighth great grandfather. I am fascinated to read about his life
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Hi there. How are you related to Pierre? Lisa
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Hi there. How are you related to Pierre? Lisa
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Pierre d'Assigny = Marguerite Nicolle
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Marguerite d'Assigny = Jean Messervy
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Sara Messervy = Elie Nicolle
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Anne Nicolle = Edouard Gaudin
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Francoise Gaudin = Sergeant John Connelly
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Francois Connelly = Mary Susanne de Ste Croix
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Mary Jane Connelly = Francois Helleur
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Mary Jane Helleur = Alfred Slater Moys
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Marie Hazel de Ste Croix Moys = Walter Gilbert Short
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Continues to my grandmother and mother
Pierre is my 9th Grt Grandfather
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Thank you
I am excited to learn more about my family history
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If you are logged in you should be able to modify
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If you are logged in you should be able to modify
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Welcome to the family!
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Hi my Great Grandfather George Alfred Edward Helleur was born in 1863 I believe in St Lawrence Jersey. He was raised by a relative my Grandmother called Auntie Jean.
I think he must be a son of Francois Helleur and Mary Connelly.
George emigrated to Tasmania.
Thankyou in advance
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Hi your Grt grandfathers parents were Jean Helleur (1818-1884) and Jane Elizabeth de la Haye. Jane died 1865. Jeans parents were Jean Helleur and Susanne le Gros. We both descend from Jean and Susanne. You from Jean and I from Francois and Esther Amy his wife. Jean and Francois were brothers. Hope this helps. Lisa
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Thankyou Lisa. Family history was always that George was an orphan raised by an aunt but it appears that Jean was his father not an uncle as I supposed.
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Dear Lisa any idea who the Auntie Jean who looked after my great grandfather as a little boy might be?
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Hi no I don't have any idea. Jean in the Channel Islands is usually a male. Jeanne for a female Jane in the 1800's. You would probably need to look through your family tree, she may have been a family friend or a relative on the de la Haye side. There would have been 5 other children that would have been in the same situation having lost their mother young.
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Have you looked at the website Jerripedia.Loads of family history info from Jersey with many trees and stories.
Ringrose