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Research in Other Countries => Europe => Topic started by: goldie61 on Wednesday 25 June 25 05:25 BST (UK)

Title: Help with French occupations 1660s
Post by: goldie61 on Wednesday 25 June 25 05:25 BST (UK)
Jean Girault/Girot/Girauld etc is often given as ‘dit la garene’ on his chidrens’ baptisms and his marriage in 1654 in Montreuil sur Mer..

1. Louis, baptised March 1657 (Notre Dame image 226), has his father Jean given  as ’soldat’.
All good.

Some of the others I’m not sure about though. 
2. Charlotte (transcribed as Gebault? Notre Dame) 16 Jan 1659 says something different after Jean’s name. What?

3. Nicolas Girault (Notre Dame, transcribed as Jean!) baptised 21.3.1664 has something different again.
It’s not ‘soldat’, but looks more like ‘soldre d’aix’.

4. Jeanne baptised 23.6.1664. This time it look like ‘soider d’aix’.
(Google translate tells me this means Aix spider!)

5. Marguerite baptised 28.2.1666 has the same words, although by now that ‘d’ in the middle of the word looks more open and may not be a ‘d’ at all.

Any ideas gratefully received!


I can't imagine this is Aix en Provence which is 1000 kms away from Montreuil sur Mer.
But I have found out there was a place called Aix en Issart only 4 miles as the crow flies east of Montreuil Mer.
It was originally in Artois, and only became part of France during the 30 years war which ended in 1648, and confirmed in 1659 in the Treaty of the Pyrenees. It would have been right on the battle front.
It seems reasonable to assume the French army kept a large contingent at the citadel in Montreuil sur Mer during the 30 years war, (there are dozens of marriages, baptisms and burials of soldiers in the registers), and for some time afterwards, and there may well have been an outpost at Aix en Issart, which Jean Girault had something to do with.
Title: Re: Help with French occupations 1660s
Post by: goldie61 on Wednesday 25 June 25 05:27 BST (UK)
And Marguerite (only allowed 4 attachments on a post evidently).

Title: Re: Help with French occupations 1660s
Post by: joger on Wednesday 25 June 25 07:44 BST (UK)
Number 2 : charpentier
Title: Re: Help with French occupations 1660s
Post by: manukarik on Wednesday 25 June 25 13:32 BST (UK)
Could the word soider/soldre be soudier or soldier? Old French for Soldier or fighting man paid for his services.
Title: Re: Help with French occupations 1660s
Post by: Zefiro on Wednesday 25 June 25 18:58 BST (UK)
Charlotte, fille de Jean Gerault charpentier
What looks like a b, actually is an r (GeRault & charpentieR). See also the name of the mother (FourrieR)
---
occupation of Jean: I'm not convinced the middle letter is d. It seems an e to me.
I read his occupation as soieur d'aix.

I found it in this dictionary
https://ia800305.us.archive.org/24/items/dictionnairepica00dairuoft/dictionnairepica00dairuoft.pdf
page 155

In modern French: scieur de long. In English: pit sawyer

If I'm right he had nothing to do with the army.
Title: Re: Help with French occupations 1660s
Post by: joger on Thursday 26 June 25 06:49 BST (UK)
Zephiro, that's brilliant, and it fits with "charpentier".
Title: Re: Help with French occupations 1660s
Post by: manukarik on Thursday 26 June 25 09:44 BST (UK)
Brilliant, Zefiro! I'll bookmark that dictionary for future reference...
Title: Re: Help with French occupations 1660s
Post by: goldie61 on Thursday 26 June 25 23:03 BST (UK)
Many thanks everybody for your help in unravelling this.

I finally found this entry for daughter Peronne in 1672, (some pages of the register at this date have virtually disintegrated with huge bits missing, making it very tricky to find).
Father Jean is still giving his 'nom de guerre' of 'La Garenne', and I think it's a little easier to see that word of his occupation as 'soieur' (d'aix).

Interestingly when he died in 1687, it only mentions him as 'Jean Girault dit La Garenne', and no occupation given. Almost as if he is still a soldier, or at least still using his nom de guerre.

What is the actual translation of that word 'aix'?
I can't find anything that reasonably fits in on-line dictionaries.
Nothing to do with a place name then?!
Title: Re: Help with French occupations 1660s
Post by: joger on Friday 27 June 25 13:12 BST (UK)
In this case I understand the word aix  as the word " axe" , mostly the tree trunk.
Title: Re: Help with French occupations 1660s
Post by: David Nicoll on Friday 27 June 25 18:40 BST (UK)
Hi, I think it is not a “nom de guerre” as such, just of place. It seems there is an area of Montreuil sur Mer called Garennes so probably just saying he lived there?
Title: Re: Help with French occupations 1660s
Post by: Zefiro on Friday 27 June 25 19:22 BST (UK)


What is the actual translation of that word 'aix'?
I can't find anything that reasonably fits in on-line dictionaries.
Nothing to do with a place name then?!

It's an old word for 'une planche'. In English a board/ plank
https://www.google.be/books/edition/Annales/RG0BAAAAYAAJ?hl=nl&gbpv=1&dq=aix+scieur&pg=PA225&printsec=frontcover

It has nothing to do with a place name.
Title: Re: Help with French occupations 1660s
Post by: goldie61 on Friday 27 June 25 23:11 BST (UK)
Thanks for the link Zefiro.
In the same general area as the meaning of 'axe' then joger.