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Seeking Info: Connecting Louisiana (U.S.) Touchards to Euro Origins

Seeking Info: Connecting Louisiana (U.S.) Touchards to Euro Origins

Posted: 28 Oct 2008 1:37AM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: TOUCHARD
I am the oldest, surviving Touchard grandchild (age 49) in Louisiana from the Felix Touchard (grandfather) and Myron Touchard (father) families. With both parents and both sets of grandparents deceased, I would love to begin the process of tracing my family origins.

Any help/info is greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Matt Touchard
Louisiana
USA

Re: Seeking Info: Connecting Louisiana (U.S.) Touchards to Euro Origins

Posted: 31 May 2009 11:12AM GMT
Classification: Query
I'm part of a group researching the Touchard/ Tushaw families who are descended from Mathieu Touchard and his wife who escaped from the French Catholic persecution of the Protestants at the turn of the 18th/19th centuries. We have a pretty comprehensive schedule of descendants.
Unfortunately, Felix is not one of them, and Felix is not a 'family' name that we recognise.
Touchard is evidently a fairly common surname in France, and it may well be that he worked as a jeweller in Bethnal Green, London as this was a centre for the French Huguenots. Anyway, I expect that by now you've found that he ended his days in Portswood, Southampton, some 120 miles from London and on the coast, in 1901 with his wife Elizabeth who came from Scotland. There are no 'Felix Touchard's' recorded before 1861, and I suspect that he may well have come over during the mid 1800's.
It's intiguing that in the 'pre-1861' census there is a 'Mme. Tassard'...( their spelling of names was impossible!)....who was born in France in 1821, about the same time as Felix, and is noted as a 'Governess'. They may be related?
Anyway, good luck in your researches, and if you do find a connection to Mathieu ( b. 1705) please let me know,
regards....................Mike Dixon

Re: Seeking Info: Connecting Louisiana (U.S.) Touchards to Euro Origins

Posted: 28 Jul 2009 11:16AM GMT
Classification: Query
Hi: I've just 'restarted' my 'Touchard' tree. The one over here is quite wide spread. But only 'widespread' in London. Our group of Touchard/ Tushaws came over at the time of the Protestant massacres in France, and were hard working silk weavers. However, they kept very much in London. I'd be suprised if we are related to you, as 'Touchard' is evidently a not too uncommon name in France. Your forebears may have come straight to the New world directly from France - as did many other families. Did you get any replies to your e-mail asking for help?
I'd be interested to know. regards Mike Dixon

Re: Seeking Info: Connecting Louisiana (U.S.) Touchards to Euro Origins

Posted: 28 Jul 2009 2:19PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: TOUCHARD
hi mike seems as though i've hit a 'snag' in the tree... no comments or replies from anyone in the U.S. i think you are correct in that prhaps my ancestors came directly from france... most of my older relatives only spoke french when they came to Louisiana (near New Orleans) in the 1800s

but i have nothing except names and some birthdates... oldest being:

Felix François Touchard
b. 1882
Louisiana

that's really all I have and everything from that point, backwards in time... stops


thanks
Matt Touchard

Re: Seeking Info: Connecting Louisiana (U.S.) Touchards to Euro Origins

Posted: 20 Jan 2012 4:02AM GMT
Classification: Query
I am also descended from Felix Touchard (b1806 in France). He married Angele Anastasia Darmonte (1823 – 1858). I am descended from their daughter Elizabeth Touchard (1866-1939). I haven't gotten much farther than you but I did find a passenger manifest with a Felix Thouchard (age 39 in 1846) coming from Le Havre, France. That is a tiny step but the first H in the name is quite distinct, so perhaps we should be picking up the search in France for Thouchard.


Elizabeth Touchard 1866 – 1939


http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=View&r=an&dbid=...

Re: Seeking Info: Connecting Louisiana (U.S.) Touchards to Euro Origins

Posted: 20 Jan 2012 12:27PM GMT
Classification: Query
Hello, I think you have your dates mixed up on Anastasia DeMonte she died in 1925 and is buried here in Des Allemands,La.I believe your Felix Touchard is the grandfather of Elizabeth,her father was born 1834.The h in the name is very possible and should be checked as well as other spellings.

Re: Seeking Info: Connecting Louisiana (U.S.) Touchards to Euro Origins

Posted: 3 Feb 2012 1:03PM GMT
Classification: Query
I've recently being 'revisiting' the Touchards!
In the 'British' records, I've found a:-
Felix Francoise Touchard living in Southampton (a port!), between 1889 -1902. 'Felix Francoise' has no other mention after 1902. With such an 'unusual' name I would be pretty sure that this was him. Did he, in fact, emigrate like thousands of others to the U.S.A. in the early 1900's??

There are 20 other 'Touchards' spread around the U.K. who were born around the same time as Felix. The fact that one of your forebears 'spoke French' in Louisiana, makes me suspect that this might have been his father, or grandfather , who had 'come to England'......(escape from religious persecution as with earlier generations?)

Anyway this may help. regards......Mike Dixon

Re: Seeking Info: Connecting Louisiana (U.S.) Touchards to Euro Origins

Posted: 3 Feb 2012 1:29PM GMT
Classification: Query
Further thoughts.....I assume that you have looked at the 'Familysearch.org' site, under 'historical records'.
There are a couple of dozen Touchards there. I still think that 'Felix Francoise Touchsrd' came over in the early 1900's, and went to Louisiana because he knew there were already some 'Touchards' out there. ALL of you U.S.A.'Touchards' ought to find how you are all interrelated.
(See particularly the Felix Francois, and Felix Francois Jn. entries). regards Mike Dixon

Re: Seeking Info: Connecting Louisiana (U.S.) Touchards to Euro Origins

Posted: 6 Feb 2012 1:19PM GMT
Classification: Query
Hi Mike,

Good information; thanks!
My Great-Grandfather (Felix François Touchard) was actually born here, in south Louisiana USA in 1882. So it is very interesting to find another individual perhaps, with the same unusual name.

Thanks
Matt

Re: Seeking Info: Connecting Louisiana (U.S.) Touchards to Euro Origins

Posted: 7 Feb 2012 10:06PM GMT
Classification: Query
Hello Matt,I am a decendant of Elizabeth Touchard,sister of your great grandfather.Maybe we could help each other with research.
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