Search for content in message boards

Bartholomew Fayant from Forbach, France

Bartholomew Fayant from Forbach, France

Posted: 12 May 2015 8:43PM GMT
Classification: Query
I am interested in finding out where to begin to find a birth record for Bartholomew Fayant. I have reason to believe he was born in Forbach, France 25 Oct 1805. He immigrated to the United States in 1834. I am not familiar with researching French records.

Re: Bartholomew Fayant from Forbach, France

Posted: 13 May 2015 5:51AM GMT
Classification: Query
Hello!

I found Barthelmy Fayant in the Tables décennales (10-year index) of Forbach (attached). The Napoleonic calendar was in effect at the time so his birth date is given as 3 brumaire an XIV which translates to 25 October 1805. Unfortunately the actual documents are not available online at this time.

I would write to the Mayor of Forbach and ask if they can provide a copy. You can write in English, just begin by apologizing that you don't speak any French - they're usually pretty good about that. I'd include a copy of the image of the Tables décennales that I've attached.

Snail mail:

Mairie de Forbach
Avenue St Rémi
57608 FORBACH Cedex
FRANCE

Or you can email using their enquiry page at

http://www.mairie-forbach.fr/contact.html


You can also try writing the Archives Department of Moselle:

Service départemental d'Archives de la Moselle
1, allée du Château
à Saint-Julien-lès-Metz
FRANCE

Email: archives@cg57.fr


Best of luck!

Cheers,

Soosi
Attachments:

Re: Bartholomew Fayant from Forbach, France

Posted: 13 May 2015 8:41PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thank you Soosi !

Lots of good information as to where to begin. I was not aware of the Tables décennales nor the Napoleonic calendar. Could you possibly point me int he direction as to where you found the Tables décennales online? I'd like to be able to learn how to do this research for additional family members that I discover.

Re: Bartholomew Fayant from Forbach, France

Posted: 14 May 2015 1:07AM GMT
Classification: Query
Hi!

The French kept excellent records, and lots of different types, and they usually contained a lot of useful data. Every town, commune, village, city, etc kept their own records of births, adoptions, marriage, divorces,deaths and other types of information. Depending on the size of the place these records would be put into one book (small village) or in separate books: one for births, one for marriages, etc. At the end of each year an alphabetical index was created and added to each book. Then every ten years they created a master alphabetical index, the Tables décennales.

Every Department (sort of like a state) in France does its own online records and methods of searching them. Some only have a few records while others put on everything they've got. Some have quite easy search engines, even for someone who doesn't speak French, while others can try your patience.

The Department of Moselle has mediocre records and a so-so search engine. Here is a link to their site:

http://www.archives57.com/archives/frontSite?controller=View...

On the page you will see "Archives numérisées en ligne" in red on the left side. Click on that to go to the search engine. Unfortunately the site is down at the moment so I can't walk you through the rest of it. I'll keep checking back and when it comes back online I'll post back here with how to navigate it.

At some point when you're searching, on any of the French sites, a box may pop up that gives you the conditions of use of the site. Just click the box next to "J'accepte ces conditions" to continue.

The Napoleonic (Republican) calendar was used from 22 September 1792 until 31 December 1805 and was difficult to use. You can translate dates back and forth using the Napoleon.org site calculator.

http://www.napoleon.org/en/essential_napoleon/calendar/index...

Just put a date in the "Georgian" calendar and then click the "Republican" button and it will display the Napoleonic date - and vice versa. There's a nice little description of the calendar on that page.

Cheers,

Soosi



Re: Bartholomew Fayant from Forbach, France

Posted: 15 May 2015 8:56PM GMT
Classification: Query
Great information!

I think I have navigated to the Tables décennales for Forbach 9NUM/8E230/2 1873-1922 at this URL http://www.archivesnumerisees57.com/mdr/index.php/docnumView...

Hopefully I am in the correct place. If so, in what image number did you find the line for Barthelmy Fayant brumaire an XIV (( 25 October 1805)?



Re: Bartholomew Fayant from Forbach, France

Posted: 15 May 2015 10:13PM GMT
Classification: Query
That book is the the wrong years. The one you want is:

Table décennales 1792 - 1872 9NUM/8E230/11792-1872

Hopefully this link will take you to it:

http://www.archivesnumerisees57.com/mdr/index.php/docnumView...

It's on page 313 on the right side, a little more than halfway down the page.

Let me know if you have any problems finding it or if I can help in any other way.

Cheers,

Soosi

Re: Bartholomew Fayant from Forbach, France

Posted: 16 May 2015 5:26PM GMT
Classification: Query
Much appreciated. I don't know why I didn't originally look there too. I see on the image that there are 4 other Fayants. I can make out most of the information for them, but not all. Could you possibly add your expertise as to what you make it out to be? I am particularly struggling with the names as I haven't become as accustomed to looking at French names. I have spent more time looking at German,/Latin in the past.
Thanks!

Re: Bartholomew Fayant from Forbach, France

Posted: 16 May 2015 7:40PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 16 May 2015 7:41PM GMT
Hello!

The others on the page are:

Marianne born 3 brumaire an 14 (same date as Barthelemy so maybe they were twins)
Magdelaine born 10 May 1810
Léonard born 19 April 1811
Joseph born 5 January 1812

I also found three deaths in that time frame:

on page 335:
Pierre F died 9 fructidor an 11 (27 August 1803)
Gerard died 9 vendémiaire an 13 (1 October 1804)
on page 336:
Madelaine died 21 March 1812

On page 328 I found the marriage of a Barthelemy F Fayant and Magdelaine Schwartz on 7 November 1809.

I sure wish the actual records were online too. Let me know if I can do anything else.

Re: Bartholomew Fayant from Forbach, France

Posted: 10 Jun 2015 10:07PM GMT
Classification: Query
Hi Soosi,

Thanks again for all of your help. I thought I should follow-up and let you know that I did locate the birth record for Barthelemy Fayant via FamilySearch. I had the microfilm sent to my local family history center. Barthelmy and Marianne Fayant share the same birth record and do appear to be twins. I also found the records for the other Fayants you had pointed out. But now my next challenge is to get the records translated. I have been able to decipher a few things but will likely need some additional translation expertise to figure out all the relationships.

Re: Bartholomew Fayant from Forbach, France

Posted: 10 Jun 2015 10:11PM GMT
Classification: Query
Soosi,
One more thing - in case you are interested I've attached a digital version of the record.
Attachments:
per page

Find a board about a specific topic