Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library

From Volumes 1 and 2

[Translations and comments in brackets are by jamaicanfamilysearch. Other adjustments have been made to translations done by Louis Malabre.]

Our story of the DESGOUTTES family begins with JOSEPH CORRE DESGOUTTES, PROPRIETOR of a SUGAR PLANTATION in the PARISH OF LE LIMBE in the one time prosperous FRENCH COLONY of SAINT DOMINGUE, West Indies.

Joseph Corre DesGouttes married Elisabeth Renoult. We do not know when or where this marriage occurred, but we are inclined to place the date between 1755 and 1765, and we think that it occurred in Saint Domingue.

According to our records, the issue of this marriage were:

CHARLES DESIRE CORRE DESFOUTTES

LOUIS CORRE DESGOUTTES

GENEVIEVE CORRE DESGOUTTES.

But which was the eldest and which the youngest., we do not yet know.

Tradition asserts that these children had two Aunts who were Countesses, and that the youngest Aunt was the wife of Armand Augustin Louis, Marquis de Coulaincourt, (1773-1827), created Duke of Vicenza by Napoleon Bonaparte.

Be that as it may however, we do know from the records of the St. Domingue Indemnity Commission, that in 1828 Charles Desire, Louis, and Genevieve Corre Desgouttes were awarded 22,000 francs as Indemnity for the Sugar Plantation in Le Limbe which had once belonged to their parents and which had been lost in the bloody Revolution that occurred in St. Domingue during the closing decade of the 18th century.

CHARLES DESIRE DESGOUTTES

We know very little about Charles Desire Desgouttes. We do know that he married our great-great-grand-aunt, Marguerite Antoinette de Gournay, widow of JeanMarie-Alexandre d'Ustou de Casaril, Chevalier, and Seigneur de Theber, Casaril, etc., and daughter of Michel Isaac de Gournay, Chevalier de Saint Louis, and rich proprietor of St,Domingue.

Charles Desire Desgouttes was also a Chevalier of the Royal and Military Order of St Louis, and tradition asserts that himself and his brother, Louis, were made Chevaliers in 1816 by Louis XVIII in recognition of their Services in St. Domingue.

In 1815, the Jamaica Almanac lists Charles as proprietor of PETER HILL in the Parish of St. George with 30 slaves and 2 stock.

In the 'Givingsin' for 1810 and 1811 however, the proprietors of Peter Hill are given as DESGOUTTES AND MARULLIAC and we conclude from this that Marulliac either died or dissolved his partnership between 1811 and 1814,,thus leaving Charles Desire Desgouttes as sole proprietor of Peter Hill. In 1816, Peter Hill was owned by Henry West & Co.

In 1817, Madame Desgouttes (nee de Gournay), went to France accompanied by her sister. Madame Chevolleau, and they resided for a time at Angouleme. We are inclined to think that Charles Desire Desgouttes did not accompany his wife to France in 1817.

The first Codicil of Michel Isaac de Gournay's Will (1806), states that the Testator's two daughters, Perrine Therese, (Madame Charest de Lauzon), and Marguerite Antoinette, (widow of Jean Marie Alexandre d'Ustou de Casaril and wife of Charles Desire Corre Desgouttes, "having received on their respective marriages more than they are entitled to in my Estate, I declare by this Codicil that I dispense them with returning what they would be liable to account for according to the Custom of Paris."

We do not know when Charles died, but as he does not sign the marriage act of his niece (Paulin) in 1828, or of his nephew (Louis) in 1835, we are inclined to believe that he died some time prior to 1828.

LOUIS CORRE DESGOUTTES

Tradition asserts that Louis Corre Desgouttes held a Commission in the French Army under the ancien regime; that he resigned this Commission in 1790, and went to St. Domingue "where his family owned two large estates."

In our opinion., Louis Corre Desgouttes was born in St. Domingue and educated in France, but this is merely speculation for we do not know.

LOUIS CORRE DESGOUTTES married VICTOIRE-MICHELLE-AIMEE-MARIE DE GOURNAY,(17751826), daughter of our great-great-great-grandfather Michel Isaac de Gournay, Chevalier de St. Louis and rich Proprietor of St. Domingue, and of his wife Perrine Therese Elisabeth Chevolleau.

In the marriage act of his daughter, Paulin, (1828), Louis is described as:

"Mesieur Louis Desgouttes Chevalier l'ordre royal et militaire de St Louis ancien habitant de St Domingue et aussi domicilee en la paroisse de St. George de cette ile Jamaique" [Louis Desgouttes, Knight of the royal military order of St. Louis, former resident of St. Domingue and also domiciled in the parish of St. George in this island of Jamaica]

In the Baptismal act of his daughter, Louise Henriette, (1803), and Jeanne Paulin, (1805), Louis Corre Desgouttes is described as "planteur de la Jamaique".

The 'Givingsin' of properties in Jamaica for the years 1810, 1811, 1815 and 1816, list him as proprietor of MOCHO in the Parish of St. George. (There were no Givingsin for the years 1812, 1813 or 1814).

And in 1823, Louis is shown as the proprietor of FLORENCE HILL, a property in the Western district of St. Andrew.

On November 6 1826, at a Coffee plantation called Silver Hill "situe dans les montagnes de la paroisse de St. George" [situated in the mountains of the parish of St. George] and belonging to Mr. Paul Lamothe de Carrier, died Madame Corre Desgouttes.,(nee de Gournay, our great-great- -aunt). As the rainy season had 'set in', it was found to be too difficult to transport her body to Kingston, and so Madame Desgouttes was buried at Silver Hill.

In May 1839, at the verbal request of "Mr Louis de Corre Desgouttes, aussi domicilie en cette dite cite" (i.e. Kingston), the burial was recorded in the Archives of Holy Trinity Cathedral by Messieurs Ramond Roux and Charles Malabre, (our great-grandfather and nephewinlaw of Madame Desgouttes), both residents of Kingston.

It is interesting to note that in the first Codicil to Michel Isaac de Gournay's Will (February 28 1806), the Chevalier gives to his daughter "the wife of Mr Louis Desgouttes" "my negro female servant Helene a Creole without prejudice to her rights in my Estate"

And in the second Codicil of the same Will, the Testator again states: "I have bequeathed by the said Will to my daughter Aimee Desgouttes a negro woman named Helene a Creole, as she does not make part of the slaves on Friendship. I do declare to have given to my said daughter the actual possession of said slave."

The sixth item of the same Codicil reads as follows: "Mr. De L'Enfernat having the management of the Lease until the expiration of the Term, in order to spare him the trouble of accounting to each of my heirs I nominate in his stead Mr. Louis Desgouttes my son in law Executor of my Testament in default of Mr. De La Villeon my son in Law" (The original Will is written in French).

We do not know where Louis Corre Desgouttes died, but it was undoubtedly in Jamaica, and probably in Kingston.

The late Mrs. Tillil Squire had a miniature of Louis Corre Desgouttes, probably painted in the closing decade of the 18th century.

GENEVIEVE CORRE DESGOUTTES

We know nothing of Genevieve except.that the St. Domingo indemnity records list her as "veuve ODELUCQ en premieres noces, et en deuxiemes noces, du sieur DESMAZEAU". [widow of Odelucq by her first marriage, and by her second marriage, of Desmazeau.]

Issue of CHARLES DESIRE CORRE DESGOUTTES

We do not know how many children Charles had, but we possess a copy of the Baptismal act of his daughter, Luisa Elisanet Desgouttes, from the Archives of Holy Trinity Cathedral. The original is in Spanish. See below.

Luisa Elisanet was born in the Parish of St. George, Jamaica, in April 1801, and Baptized in Kingston in October 1804, by the Rev. Fr. Jn. Basilio Suarez de Lema. This record is signed both by Charles Desire and his wife.

The Issue of LOUIS CORRE DESGOUTTES Chevalier de St. Louis, and of his wife, Victoire Michelle Aimee Marie de Gournay, were:

Louise Henriette Corre Desgouttes, (1803- )

Jeanne Paulin Corre Desgouttes, (1805- )

Louis Honore Corre Desgouttes (1807- )

LOUISE HENRIETTE was born in the Parish of St. George, Jamaica, January 10, 1803, and baptized in Kingston on September 11, 1806.

That is all we know at present about Louise Henriette Corre Desgouttes.

JEANNE PAULIN was born in the Parish of St. George, Jamaica, on May 25, 1805, and baptized in Kingston at the same time as her sister, Louise, i.e. September 11, 1806.

On May 13, 1828, also at Kingston, Jeanne Paulin married Jean Christophe Branday, "natif du Mole St. Nicholas" St. Domingue, and son of Pierre Branday, and of his wife Rosalie Magot. The officiating Priest was the very Rev. Benito Fernandez "Pretre Cure desservant l'Eglise des Catholiques Romains de la Cite et Paroisse de Kingston Comte de Surry. . . ."

In July 1880, at her residence No. 112 East St., Kingston, died Mrs. John Christophe Branday (nee Corre Desgouttes). Her husband, Jean Christophe, followed her to the grave about 4 months later, i.e. November 27, 1880.

In our Collection of old photographs and family portraits we have a picture (a copy), of Jean Paulin Desgouttes, Madame Branday.

LOUIS HONORE was born in Kingston¹, Jamaica, on December 18, 1807, and baptized at Kingston on October 31, 1825. We do not know, why Louis Honore was NOT baptized until he was almost 18 years old. We can only suggest that this may have been a ceremonial Baptism; or again, it may be that some doubt existed as to the efficacy of a previous Baptism which may have been performed by some one in the absence of a Priest. We simply do not know.

Louis Honore married at Kingston, Anne Angelina de Montagnac.. This marriage is doubtless recorded in the Archives of Holy Trinity Cathedral, but we do not possess a copy of the act. Consequently, we do not know when it occurred. And neither do we know when Anne Angelina died.

But we do know that at Kingston on the 17 day of September, 1835, Louis Honore married secondly Caroline Louise Espeut, also of the Parish of St George, and a daughter of William Francis Espeut, Captain of Militia, Justice of the Peace, and assistant Judge of the Court of the Parish of St. George, and of his wife, Josephine Perrine Du Bourg de la Loubert², Dame Espeut.

We do not know anything more about Louis Honore Corre Desgouttes.

{Notes: ¹Baptismal Acts says "ne [typing error by author. Should this be "en"?] cette ville" (i.e. Kingston), but marriage act (1835) describes him as "natif de la Paroisse de St. George." [native of the Parish of St. George].

²(Josephine Perrine Du Bourg de la Loubere. We think that Loubere is correct, rather than Loubert. LM.}

The Issue of Louis Honore Corre Desgouttes, and of his first wife, Anne Angelina de Montagnac, were:

(1) Charles Desgouttes: Born in Jamaica in 1830. He married a McWilliams.

(2) Eugene Louis Peter Desgouttes: Born in Jamaica, April 26 1833, and baptized at Kingston. May 2nd, 1834. He died, presumably at Kingston, in 1866. We do not know the name of his wife.

The Issue of Louis Honore Corre Desgouttes, and of his second wife, Caroline Louise Espeut, were:

Amelia Louise Corre.Desgouttes: Born at Kingston, Jamaica, in 1838. She married Peter Savio, and died at New Orleans La. August 14 1895, aged 57.

William Desgouttes: About whom we know nothing.

The Issue of Charles Desgouttes and of his wife McWilliams, were:

Caroline Jane Desgouttes: Born in St. Andrew, Jamaica, in 1855, and died at Kingston on May 28 1923, aged 68.

........ DesGouttes: Born in Jamaica. (daughter).

......... Desgouttes: Born in Jamaica. (daughter).

The Issue of Eugene Louis Peter Desgouttes, wife's name unknown to us at present, was:-

David Louis Desgouttes: Born in Jamaica, and employed at the Government Printing Office at Kingston.

CORRE DESGOUTTES NOTES:

(1) Mr Wood's letter, Aug. 24, 1922:

"The Louisiana descendants have it that the name was de Corre Desgouttes --so in old lists of family names."

In the St. Domingo records (Indemnity), name is given as Corre Desgouttes: (note by L.C.M.)

(2) Mr. Wood's letter, Aug. 24, 1922:

"When Mme de Corre Desgouttes, previously wife of d'Uston and Mme Chevolleau went to France, 1817, they took up their abode in Angouleme. The Countess Onffroy writing from the Chateau La Gaudinlaye, 29 Mars 1818, says "Il parait que mes soeurs feront toujours leur residence a l'Angouleme." [It seems that my sisters will always make Abgouleme their residence].

Born April 22, 1801 in the Parish of St. George

Baptized: October 2, 1804, Kingston

From the Archives of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Kingston, Jamaica

Baptisms, Kingston, 1800-1814-1817, p. 32.

[record is in Spanish]

Legitimate daughter of Charles Desgouttes and Antoinette de Gournay.

Godfather: Charles Laulanie, for Louis Desgouttes

Godmother: Perine Lenfernat for Elizabeth Lavilleon

Signatures of those present: (with comments by Malabre)

Charles Desgouttes (the child's father)

Antoinette DeGournay Desgouttes (the child's mother)

Perrine de Lenfernat (the child's maternal aunt, representing her sister, the godmother)

Charles Laulanie for Louis Desgouttes (the child's maternal uncle).

Born: May 25, 1805 in the Parish of St. George

Baptised: September 11, 1806, Kingston, Jamaica

From the Archives of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Kingston. (Funerals, Kingston, 1795-1823, p. 588).

Legitimate daughter of Louis Desgouttes, planter of Jamaica, and Victoire de Gournay, his wife.

Godfather: Julien Hippolite de la Villeon, planter of Jamaica

Godmother, Jeanne Pauline de Gournay, the child's maternal aunt

Signatures of those present: (with comments by Malabre)

Pauline de Gournay (Jeanne Pauline de Gournay, the child's godmother and maternal aunt. In January 1807 Pauline married Anne Marthe Roland Onffroy at Kingston).

Louis Corre Desgouttes, the child's father

He. de la Villeon (Julien Hippolite Masse de la Villeon, the child's godfather and uncle-in-law (he was husband of the child's maternal aunt, Elisabeth Francoise DeGournay de la Villeon).

Born: December 18, 1807

Baptised: October 31, 1825, Kingston

From the Archives of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Kingsotn

Legitimate son of Louis Corres Desgouttes and Victoire DeGournay Desgouttes, born in this city (but his marriage act states that he was a native of the parish of St. George)

Godfather: Jean Paul Daron

Godmother: Mrs. Daron

Signatures of those present: (with comments by Malabre)

Victoire DeGournay Desgouttes (the child's mother)

Louis Corre Desgouttes (the child's father)

Jean Paul Daron (Dr. Jean Paul Daron, the godfather. He was a native of the Ile d'Oleron, France, and a resident of St. Domingue. He and his wife came to Jamaica on account of the revolution and lived in Kingston for many years. We assume that both died in Jamaica, but we do not know at present).

Mrs. Daron (She was Elizabeth Desmortiers, a daughter of Pierre Desmortiers and his wife, Helene Marafret-Lessard. Elizabeth's first husband was apparently a relative, Raymond Alexis Desmortiers. After his death, she married Dr. Jean Paul Daron.)

Born: January 10, 1803, Parish of St. George

Baptised: September 11, 1806, Kingston

From the Archives of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Kingston.

Legitimate daughter of Louis Desgouttes, planter of Jamaica, and Victoire de Gournay, his wife.

Godfather: Thomas Nicolas de Mondion, planter of Jamaica

Godmother, Louise Henriette Bourdet, wife of Marcillac

Signatures of those present: (with comments by Malabre)

Bourdet de Marcillac (Marie Louise Jeanne Henriette, widow of the late Marcillac, child's godmother)

Th. de Mondion (Thomas Nicholas de Mondion, the godfather. Before the Revolution, Thomas had a coffee plantation in Limbe, in the Jurisdiction of Le Cap. In 1832 his heirs were awarded compensation for the loss of that property by the St. Domingue Indemnity Commission. Thomas de Mondion came to Jamaica on account of the Revolution and we know that in 1811 he was proprietor of an estate in the Parish of Clarendon called "Bagatelle". At that time there were 23 slaves and 1 stock on the property. He was still proprietor in 1816, with 25 slaves and 2 stock.)

KINGSTON, May 3, 1828

From the Archives of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Kingston. "Marriages, Kingston July 30, 1804 to May 19, 1839."

After three publications of banns on 3 consecutive Sundays at high mass

Jean Christophe Branday, former resident of St. Domingue and living in Kingston, with the approval of his father and mother here present, of the first part, and Jeanne Pauline Desgouttes, native of Kingston, legitimate daughter of full age of Louis Desgouttes, knight of the Royal Military Order of St. Louis, former resident of St. Domingue, living in the parish of St. George, Jamaica, and of Marie¹Victoire DeGournay, with the consent and approval of her father being present, her mother being deceased, of the other part. Married in the presence also of Messrs. Jean Paul Daron, Ramon Roux, Francois Salmon, and Pierre Gauthier, all four living in Kingston.

Signatures of those present: (with comments by Malabre)

L. Desgouttes (the bride's father)

John C. Branday (the groom, John Christopher Branday, 1796-1880)

P. Branday (The groom's father, Pierre Branday. In the St. DOmingue indemnity records the name appears as Brandy. Pierre Branday's house at the Mole St. Nicholas was located at the corner of Marchande and Conde Streets., and it was No. 29. Pierre was still living when the Commission awarded him indemnity for the loss of this property. The award was made in 1831)

P. Branday (For some unexplained reason, his wife's name does not appear in the record but she signed it as "P. Branday". Her name was Rosalie Pagot, and she was the daughter of Jean Pagot. Jean Pagot's house at the Mole St. Nicholas was located at the corner of Anjou and Marchande Streets, and it was No. 108. Jean Pagot also had a coffee plantation in Bombarde. Both the house at the Mole and the property in Bombarde being in the jurisdiction of Port-de-Paix. When the indemnity for the house and the plantation was awarded in November 1830, it went to Jean Pagot's daughter, Rosalie, the wife of Pierre Branday. She was the sole heir.)

Jeanne P. Desgouttes (The Bride. She was born in the Parish of St. George, Jamaica, May 25, 1805. Her baptismal act gives her name as Pauline; we do not know how she got the name of 'Jeanne'. She died in Kingston, in July 1880.)

R. Roux. (Ramond Roux)

Louis H. Desgouttes (The bride's brother, Louis Honore Desgouttes. He was born in Jamaica, December 18, 1807, and was twice married. His first wife was Anne Angelina de Montagnac, and his second was Caroline Louise Espeut.)

J. P. Daron (Dr. Jean Paul Daron)

Anthony Branday (The groom's brother)

P. Gauthier

V. Vermuil

Charles Daron (Charles Joseph Daron, but we do not know his relationship to Dr. Daron. We believe this to be the Charles Daron who married Eveline D'Aquin.)

P. Daron

Eugene Branday (The groom's brother)

Anastasie ELize Branday (The groom's sister. She became a nun in the Franciscan Order. She died in 1873.)

------

¹ Her name was Victoire Michelle Aimee. Marie is evidently an error. L.M.

Kingston, September 17, 1835

From the Archives of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Kingston

After 3 publications of banns made during the sermon at our mass

Louis Honore Desgouttes, native of the parish of St. George, , legitimate son of Louis Desgouttes, knight of the Royal Military Order of St. Louis, former resident of St. Domingue, and of the late Victoire DeGournay his wife, with his consent and that of his father, of the first part; and Caroline Louise, native of the parish of St. George, legitimate daughter of William Francis Espeut, resident of the parish of St. George, Captain of the Militia, Justice of the Peace, Assistant Judge of the Court of the said parish of St. George, and of Josephine Perrine DuBourg de la Loubere, wife of Espeut, with the bride's consent and that of her father. Married in the presence of their parents, and of Messrs. Louis C. Desgouttes, W. F. Espeut, A. Oegill, Louise C. Espeut, J. P. Branday, W. James L. Espeut, C. Brown, Peter A. Espeut, A. A. Chevolleau.

Signatures of those present: (with comments by Louis Malabre)

Louis H. Desgouttes (The groom, Louis Honore Desgouttes. This was his second marriage. His first wife was Anne Angelina De Montagnac.)

Caroline Louise Espeut (the bride)

Louis Ch. Desgouttes (The groom's father, Louis Corre Desgouttes, knight of St. Louis, son of Joseph Corre Desgouttes and his wife, Elizabeth Renoult. Joseph and his wife were proprietors of a sugar plantation in Limbe, St. Domingue. Louis is said to have held a commission in the French Army under the ancien regime, and to have resigned that commission in 1790 to return to St. Domingue. He, and his brother, Charles Desire, served under the British flag in the St. Domingo war. We believe that Louis held the rank of Major. In 1816, Louis, and Charles Corre Desgouttes, were made knights of the Royal and Military Order of St. Louis.)

Wm. F. Espeut (The bride's father, William Francis Espeut).

J. P. Branday (The groom's sister, Jeanne Pauline Desgouttes, who married Jean Christophe Branday in Kingston on May 3, 1828. She died in Kingston in July 1880).

Louise Charlotte Espeut (The bride's sister, Louise Dorcas Charlotte Espeut, was born in Kingston, July 24, 1807. She married firstly; Edward Augustus Harrison; and secondly: Gurth de Bretton).

Wm. James Louis Espeut (The bride's brother).

Peter Alex. Espeut (The bride's brother)

Arthur A. Chevolleau (Arthur Arnold Chevolleau, the groom's first cousin. He was born in Jamaica on August 27, 1810 and married Louise Henriette Corine Letelier in Kingston on February 2, 1837. He died at New Orleans, La., June 2, 1849).

John Branday (The groom's brother-in-law, John Christopher Branday, who married Jeanne Pauline Desgouttes (the groom's sister), in Kingston, May 3, 1828. He died in Kingston on November 27, 1880. He was a native of Mole St. Nicholas, St. Domingue. He was born there in about 1796).

C. L. Lapointe (Charles LeBon Lapointe).

E. Antoinette Chevolleau (Antoinette Elizabeth Chevolleau, the groom's first cousin. She was a daughter of Raymond Chevolleau and his wife, Louise Marguerite DeGournay, wife od Chevolleau. She was born at Angouleme, France, December 1, 1817, and died in Kingston, August 31, 1898).

Anastasie Elise Branday (The groom's sister-in-law. Her brother, John Christopher Branday having married the groom's sister, Jeanne Pauline Desgouttes. Anastasie Elise entered the Franciscan Convent and was thereafter known as Sister Mary Francis. She died at the Convent (in Jamaica) on March 18, 1873).

A. L. D'Aquin (Louise Adele de Sainte Marie, wife of D'Aquin. She married Henri Philippe Adolphe D'Aquin in Kingston on March 19, 1834. She was born in Jamaica in 1814, and died in Kingston, July 28, 1893).

Eugn. Brandeau (An obvious error for Eugene Branday whose brother, John Christopher, married the groom's sister, Jeanne Pauline). [Comment by jamaicanfamilysearch.com: the register contains actual signatures, so it could not have been "an error". L.M. may have misread the signature]

Eugene Grisolle

C. Grisolle

Died: at Silver Hill, St. George, Jamaica, November 6, 1826

Buried: at SIlver hill, St. George, November 7, 1826

From the Archives of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Kingston (From Funerals 1823-1843, p. 113)

On May 28, 1839, personally appeared before us, Benito Fernandez, curate of the Roman Catholic Church in Kingston, Mr. Ramon Roux, resident in Kingston, who, on the verbal request of Louis Corre Desgouttes, also resident in Kingston, to declare in the registers of the said church the death of Mrs. Victoire Aimee de Gournay, wife of the said Mr. Desgouttes, which occurred on November 6, 1826, and for which he had not drawn up a record, and presented us with a notarized document which had been made before a magistrate in this city on the ___¹ day of the said month of May to be transcribed into the said Registers and to take the place of a death record for the said Mrs. Corre Desgouttes. In compliance with this we have transcribed to the said Registers on today's date the said notarial act as follows:

Personally appeared before me Ramond Roux and Charles Malabre, both resident in Kingston, who on the verbal request of Mr. Louis de Corre Desgouttes, also resident in Kingston, verified the decease of Mrs. Victoire Aimee DeGournay, wife of the said De Corre Desgouttes. They swore on the Bible that to their certain knowledge and generally recognized fact the said Mrs. Corre Desgouttes, nee De Gournay, died on November 6, 1826, on the coffee plantation named Silver Hill, belonging to Mr. Paul Lamothe de Carrier, situated in the mountains of the parish of St. George, and that her body was buried on the property on the following day in the presence of the family and some neighbors, including the said Charles Malabre, Bernard Lasselve and Thomas Higson, the latter two having also died.

Louis Corre Desgouttes and family

VICTOIRE MICHELLE AIMEE DE GOURNAY was born in the Parish of Limbe, St. Domingue, on January 25, 1775, and was baptised in Marmelade parish on August 3, 1777. When her little brother, Francois Victor, was baptised on November 5, 1778, she became his godmother, but as she was only three years and nine - ten months old at the time, she was represented by Madamde Dubison Charest. As a girl of between fifteen and sixteen years of age, Victoire was present at the baptism of Louis Joseph Marie Arnould Du Bourg, on May 25, 1790, and signed the register as "Aime DeGournay".

Then came that violent upheaval, the revolution that brought disaster and bloodshed to St. Domingue. Like many another French colonial family, the DeGournays were finally forced to abandon their plantation in Marmelade parish and seek refuge in the neighboring island of Jamaica. We do not know exactly when this migration occurred, but it was probably about 1793, at which time Mdlle. DeGournay would have been about 18 or 19 years of age. Nor do we know when she married Louis Corre Desgouttes, but we can be reasonably sure that it must have been in Kingston, and some time between 1795 and 1802. We do not even know for vertain how many children the Desgouttes had. We have the baptismal records of three of them, Louise Henrieyye (born 1803), Pauline¹ (born 1805), and Louis Honore (born 1807). We believe that all were born in the old parish of St. George. but the birthplace of Louis and Pauline¹ is open to question¹. Louis' baptismal record states that it was in Kingston, whereas his marriage act describes him as a native of St. George.

In a Codicil to the Will of Michel Isaac DeGournay, chevalier de St. Louis, dated and signed at "Tranquility" on February 28, 1806, we find the following:-

"I give to my eldest daughter², the wife of Mr. Louis Desgouttes, my Negro female servant, Helene, a creole, without prejudice to her rights in my estate."

When Louis Jules Marchand married her niece, Pauline Clementine Chevolleau at Kingston, on January 12, 1822, Victoire Michelle Aimee was present, and she signed the register simply as "Victoire Desgouttes."

The Desgouttes had been living in the old Parish of St. George for a long time. As we have already seen, one of their children was born there as far back as 1803. In 1810, the 'givings-in' of proprietors and properties for the various parishes of Jamaica list Louis Desgouttes as owner of "Mocho" in St. George, and from the 'givings-in' for 1816 we know that the Desgouttes were still at "Mocho" in that year. What happened to "Mocho" thereafter, however, we do not know. All we fo know at present is that the 'givings-in' for 1823³ show Louis Desgouttes as proprietor of "Florence Hill" in the western district of St. Andrew's parish, the estate then having 28 slaves and 7 stock. So, apparently, Louis D. had sold "Mocho" sometime between 1816 and 1823.

In the St. Domingue Indemnity records, Victoire is listed among the heirs receiving compensation for property in Marmelade which had belonged to her parents before the revolution. Her name, for some unknown reason, is given as "Victoire-Marie, wife of Corre-Desgouttes." This award was made in 1827, the year after she died.

In November 1826, we find Louis Corre Desgouttes and his wife at a coffee plantation in St. George called "Silver Hill." The property belonged to Paul Lamothe de Carrier. And it was at "Silver Hill" that Victoire Michelle Aimee de Gourney, Madame Louis Corre Desgouttes, died on November 5, 1826. It was the rainy deason and the mountain roads were in poor condition, so it was decided to bury her at "Silver Hill"; and that was done on the following day, November 7, in the presence of her family and of various friends and neighbors.

Let us now turn the 'spotlight' on Louis Corre Desgouttes, Victoire de Gournay's husband. A miniature of him still exists and we have a copy of it here. Louis was the son of Joseph Corre Desgouttes and his wife Elizabeth Renoult who were proprietors of a sugar plantation in Limbe, St. Domingue. It is interesting to note that Victoire de Gournay, Louis' future wife, was also born in Limbe.

We assume that Joseph Corre Desgouttes had three children. Only three are mentioned in the St. Domingue Indemnity records, but - of course, there may have been others who died before the indemnity claims were filed. The St. Domingue records list these three children as (1) Charles-Desire, (2) Louis, (3) Genevieve, widow of Odelucq and wife of Desmazeau.

We do not know the time or place of Louis Corre Desgouttes' birth, but it is reasonable to assume that he was born in St. Domingue, and very likely in Limbe. We have heard that he held a commission in the French army under the ancien regime, and that he resigned his commission in 1790 to return to St. Domingue but we have nothing to prove it.

In 1816, Louis Corre Desgouttes, and his brother, Charles Desire, were made knights of the Royal Military Order of St. Louis by Louis XVIII for their services in St. DOmingue. We believe that Louis was a major in the service of His Britannic Majesty during the St. DOmingue campaign.

As we have already seen, Louis Corre Desgouttes had a plantation in the old parish of St. George, Jamaica, called "Mocho." It would seem that he sold "Mocho" sometime between 1816 and 1823, for in 1823 we find him listed as proprietor of "Florence Hill" in St. Andrew. And as we have already seen, Louis and his wife were at "Silver Hill" in November 1826 when Madame Desgouttes died and was buried on the plantation. The property, belonging to Mr. Paul Lamothe de Carrier, was situated in the parish of St. George.

After his wife's death, but how long after it, we don't know, Louis moved to Kingston, and it was there, in 1839, that he had his wife's death and burial at "Silver Hill" recorded in the registers of Holy Trinity church. The two witnesses on that occasion were Charles Guillaume Malabre and Raimond Roux, both of whom had been present at the burial of Madame Desgouttes on November 7, 1826.

Louis probably died in Kingston, but when, we do not, at present, know.

According to information received by us, a Desgouttes was a lieutenant of Hussars in the "Legion Britannique" in may 1797. This must have been either Louis Corre Desgouttes or his brother, Charles Desire Corre Desgouttes.

From the same correspondent we also learned that "Joseph Corre, chevalier Des Gouttes" was major of militia in the district of Limbe, 1766 - 1776. Obviously this Louis' father, proprietor of the sugar plantation in Limbe, St. Domingue.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

¹ In her Marriage Act (1828), Pauline is described as "native of this city of Kingston." Her baptism record says born in St. George.

² An obvious error! Victoire was not the eldest. The original will at Spanish Town, is in French and the error might have been made in translating it into English.

3 I believe the 'givings-in' for a given year referred to the "March quarter" of that year.

Former owners:

1. Corre Desgouttes (Joseph)

2. Renoult (Elisabeth) his wife

Those claiming rights:

Corre Desgouttes,

I. Charles-Desire,

II. Louis,

III. Genevieve, widow of Odelucq by first marriage, and wife of Desmazeau by second marriage.

Sole heirs, each for one third, of their father and mother, former proprietors.

Nature of property: sugar estate

Name of rural property: Desgouttes

District or town: Limbe

Date of decision: May 24, 1828

Date of disbursement: August 1, 1828

Amount of Indemnity:

22,000.00

22,000.00

22,000.00

Date Proprietor, Property, Slaves/Stock

1810 Deegouttes, L., Mocho, 28/1

1811 Desgouttes, L., Mocho, 26/1

1812-1814 No Givings-In

1815 Desgouttes, Lewis, Mocho, 24/1

1815 Desgouttes, Lewis, Mocho, 22/1

1816 Desgouttes, Lewis, Mocho 22/1

1810 Desgouttes & Marulliac, Peter Hill, 42/13

1810 Desgouttes & Marulliac, Peter Hill, 44/17

1812-1814 No Givings-In

1815 Desgouttes, Charles, Peter Hill, 30/2

(In 1816 Peter-hill was owned by Henry West & Co.)

1823 Lamothe, Paul, Silver Hill, 50/7

1823 Desgouttes, Lewis, Florence Hill, 28/7

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