Born before 13 Nov 1625 in Wicres, Lilloise Flanders (now Nord, France)

Ancestors

The Correct Birth Order of Chrétien's Children

Though christening records of some of Chrétien's children were found in the 19th century, it is difficult to determine exactly which child is described by which record as they had been defaced, being records of a Protestant family. Part III of Horton, "The Memory of the Just is Blessed"^[1] begins with an extract from a document in the Archives du Nord, and commentary:

"Louis du Bois fils de feu Crestien de stil couturier dem(eurant) à Herlÿ ...at par ceste vendu cede et t(ran)sporte audict Franchois du Bois ... touttes tel part droict et action quil poeut ... avoir des suscessions et hoiries à luy venu ... par les trepas dudict Crestien son père et de Franchoise le Poivre sa mere ..." (2E3/3572-110 (August 12, 1643)).

On this day in 1643, our future Patentee sold his interest in his parents’ estate to his uncle "Franchois du Bois fils de feu Anthoine dem(eurant) à Wicre" (for 3,600 livres parisis). Ibid. Although he was already a 'dressmaker' by profession ("de still couturier"), he would have been on that date, according to our tradition, aged merely 16 years. The reader is justifiably struck by the singularity of this professional status and contractual capacity at such a tender age. There is no suggestion of record, for example, that he was operating under any tutelage or guardianship in this sale of his birth right. Nor does it indicate that Louis was merely a couturier’s “apprentice” or the like. When presented with the new evidence from Lille, readers will likely agree that American traditions regarding the birthdates of the three known Huguenot children of Chrétien du Bois — Louis, Françoise, and Jacques — should be revisited, and, perhaps, accordingly revised.

The article proposes the following revision of the birth order of Chrétien’s known children:
— 17 Jun 1622 at Wicres, Louis and Antoine (apparently twins),
— 13 Nov 1625 at Wicres, Philippe,
— 21 Oct 1626 at Wicres, Toussaint (previously thought to refer to Louis),
— c.1628 prob. at Herlies, Anne,
— c.1630–32 prob. at Herlies, Françoise,
— c.1633–35 prob. at Herlies, Jacques.

The WikiTree profiles for this family follow these revised dates for Louis, Antoine, Philippe, Toussaint and Françoise. But we accept that Jacques was christened 28 Oct 1628 at the Reformed Church at Lille (though we haven't seen the record — can you help?). And we believe that Anne was probably born in 1623 or 1624.

Contributing Profiles

Thanks to Kimball G. Everingham for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Kimball G. and others.

Sources

Monte Horton. ""The Memory of the Just Is Blessed": The Ancestry and Extended Family of Chrétien du Bois, bailli, lieutenant, greffier, et receveur de la Comté de Coupigny, notaire, homme de loi, laboureur et marchand; Resident of Wicres, then of Herlies." DuBois Family News (June 2011 – Feb 2013): 5–7, Part I: "Beginnings"; 3–6, Part II: "The Crispell Connection"; 4–7, Part III: "Birthdates of Three Huguenot Children — A New Proposal"; 3–6, Part IV: "Inlaws — The Family JOIRE".

Footnotes

1. ↑ Monte Horton, ""The Memory of the Just Is Blessed": The Ancestry and Extended Family of Chrétien du Bois, bailli, lieutenant, greffier, et receveur de la Comté de Coupigny, notaire, homme de loi, laboureur et marchand; Resident of Wicres, then of Herlies", DuBois Family News, (June 2011 – Feb 2013): 5–7, Part I: "Beginnings"; 3–6, Part II: "The Crispell Connection"; 4–7, Part III: "Birthdates of Three Huguenot Children — A New Proposal"; 3–6, Part IV: "Inlaws — The Family JOIRE".