Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library

...... Desnoes married Anne Robert widow of Mr. Barbot. This marriage probably took place in Saint Domingue, and after Mr. Desnoes death, Anne married again. Her third husband was Mr. Dellac.

Anne was proprietor of a Coffee plantation (cafeterie) at Acul-a-Samedi in the Parish of Fort Dauphin, Jurisdiction of Fort Dauphin, Saint Domingue.

Pierre Desnoes (whom we shall call Pierre Desnoes I), son of Anne Robert and her second husband ........ Desnoes, owned a property at Miragone in the Parish of Fond-des-Negres in the Jurisdiction of Petit Goave. This property is simply described as "TERRAIN" in the Indemnity records.

The Revolution in France begun in 1789 and in due course found a bloody sequel in the rich and prosperous West Indian colony of Saint Domingue. In August 1791 the slaves rose in rebellion. Years of warfare finally ended in the expulsion or extermination of the French colonists and the loss of all their properties.

It was then that the Desnoes emigrated to Jamaica, whether directly or by way of the United States, we do not know.

At any rate, in the second decade of the 19th century, the Haitien Republic agreed to indemnify the descendants of the Saint Domingue emigres for the property which they had lost during the revolution. This indemnity was to be only a percentage of the value of the original properties.

Thus it was that in 1832, Pierre Desnoes (II) and his sister Luce-Anne Desnoes, both children of Pierre Desnoes (I) 18th century proprietor of "terrain" at Miragone in the Parish of Fond-des-Negres, were awarded 3,000 francs to cover the loss of that property. And in 1833 they were also awarded 6,999 francs and 80c for the Coffee plantation at Acul-a-Samedi Parish of Fort Dauphin, which had belonged to their grandmother, Anne, before the revolution.

We believe that Pierre Desnoes*(II) married a Mademoiselle Clement, and that he was the father of Pierre Desnoes(III) ,who married Petra Merino. **So far as we know, Pierre Desnoes (III) had only one sister Antoinette Desnoes, who married Petra Merino's brother, Pedro.

*We understand,that both Pierre Desnoes (II) and his son Pierre Desnoes (III) were named Pierre Lucien Desnoes.

** Tradition asserts that Pierre Desnoes (III) was born in Norfolk, Virginia., U.S.A. W e do not know whether this was so or not.

The issue of Pierre Desnoes (III), and of his wife Petra Merino was:

Peter Blais Desnoes who was born in Jamaica on February 8, 1842, and who died at Kingston on January 6, 1901. We understand that it was Pierre Desnoes (III) who really placed the family fortunes on the "up and up", and we know that his son Peter Blais was considered to be one of Kingston's wealthy merchants. Peter Blais was the one time owner of the following properties in the Parish of St Andrew Jamaica, - Camperdown, Golden Spring, and Mount Cressy. In addition to this, Mr. Desnoes was either sole owner, or part owner, of another estate called Byebrook the location of which, however, we do not know.

In 1882 the Jamaica Handbook listed him as Consul for the Republic of Costa Rica and also as a local Magistrate. Peter Blais Desnoes bought Bull House on North Street, altered it considerably and made it his home. It was there that he died in 1901. Bull House had been erected in the 18th century by another wealthy Kingston Merchant named John Bull. It was destroyed by fire in September (or August) 1917.

It is interesting to note that Peter Blais Desnoes and Louis Peter Branday were the witnesses at the wedding of my parents, William Titley Malabre and Marie Antoinette Carvalho, at Holy Trinity Church, Kingston., on April 12, 1882.

So far as we know, Mr. Desnoes was an only child.

Peter Blais Desnoes married twice. On July 12th 1871, at Kingston, he married Emily Malabre daughter of Arnold Louis Malabre and his wife Marie Emilie Duverger.

After the death of his first wife, by special dispensation (we understand), he married his first wife's younger sister, Marie Isabel Malabre also at Kingston, on December 1st 1883.

The Issue of Peter Blais Desnoes and his first wife, Emily Malabre, were:

1. Leontine Desnoes: (Called 'Tenie')

Born Jamaica, April 29, 1872. Married William Charles Branday (called Masse). Died January 1928. (issue)

2. Vincent Desnoes: (Called Vin)

Born Jamaica, October 8, 1873. Married Louise Gadpialle¹* [Gadpaille].

*¹. Louise Desnoes (nee Gadpialle) died in Jamaica, 28 Jan. 1946.

3. George Desnoes:

Born Jamaica, April 25, 1875. George was killed in the great earthquake at Kingston, January 14, 1907.

4. Alfred Desnoes: (Dentist)

Born Jamaica, September 2, 1876. Emigrated to U.S.A. Married Ethleen Davis.

5. Eugene Desnoes:

Born Jamaica, July 29, 1878; Married Beatrice Wilson.

6. William Desnoes S.J.

Born Jamaica, April 12, 1880. Ordained a Jesuit. Died

7. Laurent Peter Desnoes:

Born Jamaica, August 1st 1881. Married Daisy Fernandez

By his second marriage, to Marie Isabel Malabre the issue of Peter Blais Desnoes were:

1. Muriel Desnoes.

Born Jamaica, December 27, 1885: Married, Kingston, April 23, 1912, John Walsh. Died New York, Feb. 13, 1939. [The 'Gleaner' of 4/25/1912 announced that the wedding would take place on Monday April 29th, 1912. JFS]

2. Hilda Desnoes:

Born Jamaica, June 23, 1889: Married, New York, June 15, 1915, Oscar Perez.

3. ...... Desnoes:

(died young) Born Jamaica.

4. Percy H. Desnoes, M.D.

Born Jamaica, April 2, 1893. Married Beatrice Whitney.

5. Edmund Oscar Desnoes: (called 'Eddie')

Born Jamaica, November 16, 1894. Married, New York, December 27, 1923., Muriel Bryant.

6. Arnold Bonaventure Desnoes (called Arnold).

Born Jamaica, September 22, 1898. Married, New York, November 25, 1893, Leonie le Mercier du Quesnay.

The Issue of Vincent Desnoes and his wife Louise Gadpialle were:-

George, who married

Augustus (called 'Gussie'), who married

Arthur, who died unmarried.

The Issue of Alfred Desnoes and his wife Ethleen Davis, were:

Muriel, who married

Helen

Alfred, who married

.................

The Issue of Eugene Desnoes and his wife Beatrice Wilson, were.

Millicent, who married Richard Morgan

Marjory, who married George Kelly

Leonard, who married. Died: Jamaica, Dec. 1939.

Gwyneth, who married Francis Chevolleau

Peter who married Mimis Dew

Edna who died unmarried at New York Feb. 22, 1939: Buried Rockville

Center, Long Island.

The Issue of Laurent Peter Desnoes and his wife Daisy Fernandez were:

Monica, who married Richard John Cantwell, Nov. 11, 1935

Jack, who married in England

Herbert, who married in Jamaica Clara Chevolleau

Marie

The Issue of Percy H. Desnoes and his wife Beatrice Wilson were:-

Marie Isabel

William

Elizabeth

The Issue of Edmund Oscar Desnoes and his wife Muriel Bryant were:

Marjory, who married

Therese

Jeanne

Name of former proprietor: Robert (Anne) widow of Barbot by first marriage; Desnoes by second marriage, and Mr. Dellac by third marriage

Rightful claimants:

1. Desnoes (Pierre) Cafeterie Teulon aine

2. Luce-Anne ensuite Dellac

Heirs of their grandmother the former proprietor

Nature of the property: Coffee plantaton

Name on rural property: Teulon senior and then Dellac

Designation of district or town for rural property: Acul-a-Samedi

Date of decision: 12 Feb. 1833

Date of payment: 1 April 1833

Total indemnity allowed: 6,999.80

Name of former proprietor: Desnoes (Pierre)

Rightful claimants:

1. Desnoes (Pierre)

2. Luce-Anne,

Heirs of their father the former proprietor

Nature of the property: Terrain

Designation of district or town for rural property: Miragoane

Date of decision: 20 Dec, 1832

Date of payment: 1 April, 1833

Total indemnity allowed: 3000.00

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