Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
Francois Joseph Pouyat, former habitant of the one time rich and prosperous French Colony of Saint Domingue, was proprietor of a Coffee plantation at Les Matheux in the Parish of L'Archaye, Jurisdiction of Port-au-Prince. We do not know who Francois Joseph married, but we do know that the Pouyat family 'pulled out' of Saint Domingue on account of the revolution that swept over that ill-fated colony in the closing decade of the 18th century.
They settled in Jamaica, and there Jean Francois Pouyat son of Francois Joseph Pouyat in due time became the proprietor of Bell-Air in the Western District of the Parish of St. Andrew. In the Returns for the March Quarter of 1823 Bell-Air had 172 slaves and 14 stock, and Mr. Pouyat is listed as John F. Pouyat.
In 1829 John F. Pouyat, "seul et unique heritiere de son pere", [sole heir of his father] Francois Joseph Pouyat, was awarded 36,400.00 francs by the Saint Domingue Indemnity Commission to cover the loss of his father's Coffee plantation at L'Archaye.
We do not know who John Francis Pouyat married, but we do know that on February 2, 1837 he was present at the wedding of our great grand uncle Arthur Arnold Chevolleau to Louise Henriette Corine Le Tellier in Kingston and that he signed the marriage register as John F. Pouyat.
John F. Pouyat had a son Henri Pouyat who married a Miss Colle, doubtless a relative of the Maria Colle who married my grand uncle Eugene Sorapure. This Henri Pouyat is said to have been something of a musician.
And Henry Francis Pouyat, son of Henri Pouyat and his wife ...... Colle, married my grand aunt Mary Malabre at Kingston, on June 5th 1866.
Henry Francis Pouyat was a Solicitor but afterwards became "Clerk of the Courts" and then "Registrar of Titles". He died April 25, 1913.
And it was his son Louis Pouyat who married Miss Pietersz at Kingston. I can remember him at the "Water Commissioners" Office on Church St (Kingston) in about 1910 or 1911. Louis died January 18, 1931 leaving no issue. His sister, Bertha Pouyat, married firstly Lynval Sorapure son of Eugene Sorapure and his wife Maria Colle; and secondly Vincent le Mercier du Quesnay.
So far as I know the Pouyat Family is extinct in the male line.
Name of former proprietor: Pouyat (FrancoisJoseph)
Rightful claimant: Pouyat (JeanFrancois), sole heir of his father the former proprietor.
Nature of the property: Coffee plantation
Name on rural property: Pouyat
Designation of district or town for rural property: Les Matheux
Date of decision: 15 June 1829
Date of payment: 1 July 1829
Total indemnity allowed: 36,400.00
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From the Jamaica Almanac for 1824: Return of Properties for the March Quarter of 1823.
St. Andrew (western District)
Proprietor: Pouyat, John F.
Property: Bell-Air
Slaves 172
Stock 14
Name of former proprietor:
Espinose,
1. Marie-Francoise widow of DE VANCELLES by first marriage, and by second marriage of Mr. POUYAT
2. Marie-Jeanne wife of LAMAIGNERE;
3. Lamaignere (Jean-Louis).
Rightful claimant:
1. The same, former proprietor for 15/64 of the total
2. Pouyat (Jean-Francois) heir, for 2/64 of total, of Mrs. Lamaignere former proprietor of the said portion
3. The same, contractual receiver from his spouse MARIE LAMAIGNERE, heir of her father the former proprietor.
Nature of the property: /Name on rural property: /Designation of district or town for rural property:
1. 18/64 of sugar factory and 2 'hattes' / D/Espinose / Acul Espagnol
2. 1/8 of a coffee plantation / Lamaignere / Montagne noire
Date of decision: 26 July 1829
Date of payment: 1 August 1830
Total indemnity allowed:
26,366.66
3,295.83
1,137.50
As we delve into the records of the French families from Saint Domingue who settled in Jamaica towards the close of the eighteenth century, we find the name of DARON on many a Baptismal and Marriage act.
The Darons, Dr. Jean Paul Daron, one time "cherugien d'infanterie", [surgeon for the infantry] and his good wife Elizabeth Desmortiers (or des Mortiers) Daron were intimate friends of the de Gournays, the Onffroys, the Charests de Lauzon, the Chevolleaus, etc., and they seem to have been much liked and highly esteemed by all who knew them. We understand that much of the correspondence which passed between Madame Daron and members of some of these Saint Domingue families after their removal from Jamaica has been preserved in the appendix of a work styled "Souveniers d'Amerique et de France" by one Helene D'Aquin, Madame Allain.
Dr. Daron and his wife were present at ever so many Baptisms and marriages, and we sometimes find them in the role of godparents, as in the case of Louis Honore Corre Desgouttes and Elizabeth de l'Enfernat. It is interesting to note also, that Doctor Daron was the godfather of my great grand mother, Eleanore Chevolleau at her Baptism in 1808, and that he was present in June 1825 when she married my great grand father, Charles (Guillaume) Malabre.
About the last record we possess signed by the good Doctor is the Branday-Desgouttes Marriage Act (1828).
In the Baptismal Act of Eleanore Chevolleau, Madame Malabre, just mentioned, the Doctor is described as "me [maitre] en chirurgie natif de la Paroisse de St. Jorge ile D'orleron en France".
We do not know where or when he married Elizabeth Desmortiers, but it was probably in Saint Domingue.
Elizabeth was a widow when she married Doctor Daron; her first husband having been her cousin, Francois Raymond Alexis Des Mortiers, a cavalry lieutenant. Her parents were Pierre Desmortiers and his wife Helene Marafret-Lessard, widow of Georges Martin des Pallieres. We understand that Madame Daron had a half brother called Martin des Pallieres who lived in Louisiana, U.S.A. And we know that her first husband (Francois Raymond Alexis) had a sister who was also named Elizabeth (Rose-Elizabeth) Desmortiers. This lady married Ambrose Perault de St Armand (Perraud in St. Domingue Indemnity records). Her parents were Raymond Alexis Desmortiers and his wife Marie Jeanne Leclerc widow of Jean Baptiste Levassor de la Chausee.
Dr. Jean Paul Daron and Madame Daron had several children.
There was Marie Anne Elizabeth who married Louis Charles D'Aquin. She was called Elizabeth. There was Charles Edward who married Eveline D'Aquin, a sister of Louis Charles D'Aquin. There was Pierre Elie Theodore who married another sister of Louis Charles D'Aquin, Louise Marie Therese Elmire D'Aquin. 'Elmire' seems to have been a nickname. Pierre Elie Theodore was called Theodore.
We are quite sure that Dr. Daron had other children besides these mentioned above for we find a Charles Joseph Daron standing god-father for little Marianne Celine de l'Enfernat in 1815. An F. Daron and a George Daron sign the Chevolleau-Marchand marriage act in 1822, and a D.A. Daron signs the D'Aquin-de Saint Marie act of 1834. It is of course possible that one or more of these unknown Darons were grand children of Dr. and Madame Daron.
If the Darons shared in the joy and happiness of their many friends, they also shared with them their moments of grief and sorrow. The Burial Records of Holy Trinity Cathedral tell us that at three o'clock on the morning of December 22nd 1809, "dans la maison de Mr. le Docteur Daron", evidently in Kingston, died Mr. Julien Hypolite Mace de la Villeon.
As we have already said, Dr. Daron was present when his god-daughter, my great grand Mother, married Charles Malabre in June 1825. So was Monsieur Paul La Mothe de Carrier. Some years ago Mr. Trist Wood of New Orleans, Lousiana, sent me a quotation from a letter written by this same Paul Lamothe de Carrier to Doctor Daron. It is dated "Paris, ler novembre 1827" and reads as follows:
"Vos affaires son toujour de meme, c'est a dire attendant leur tour comc 8 ou 10 mille autres, pour donner une idee de la maniere dont travaille notre amiable Comsn je vous dirai que Chr de Gournay que vou connaisie vien d'etre liquidee pour la somme de 60,775 f. Si un des plus belle caffatire nest esaluse que cela, que dont ou atendre des autres, nous avons fait appel et nous esperon obtenir plus ..etc."
(*1) Quotations from d'Aquin notes sent to me by Mr. Trist Wood of New Orleans.
[Note from Jamaican Family Search: some of the French above may not have been transcribed correctly by Mr. Malabre. A translation would be as follows: Your affairs are still the same, that is to say awaiting their turn like 8 or 10 thousand others. To give you an idea of the way in which our amiable Commission works, I can tell you that the Chevalier de Gournay, whom you know, has just received a settlement in the amount of 60,775 francs. If one of the most beautiful coffee plantations is only valued at that much, what can others expect. We have appealed and hope to obtain more.]
NOTE: FOR DESMORTIERS SAINT DOMINGUE INDEMNITY AWARD, SEE BELOW.
________________________________
Name of former proprietor:
Desmortiers
1. Pierre
2. Raymond-Alexis;
3. Leclerc (Marie-Jeanne) his wife
4. Levassor de la Chaussee (Jean-Baptiste-Toussaint);
5. Desmortiers (Rose Elizabeth) widow of Perraud by first marriage, by second marriage of Mr. Duhamel, by third of Mr. Lejeune, and wife by fourth marriage of Mr. Rivaud.
Rightful claimant:
Desmortiers
1. Elisabeth, widow of Raymond-Alexis Desmortiers by first marriage, and wife by second marriage of Mr. Daron,
2. Rose-Elizabeth, widow of Perraud by first marriage, by second marraige of Mr. Duhamel, by third marriage of Mr. Lejeune, and wife by 4th marriage of Mr. Rivaud.
Heirs in different proportions, of the former proprietors, their father, mother and husband.
3. The wives of Daron and Rivaud claiming, by diverse titles, the last building.
Nature of the property: /Name on rural property:
1. Coffee plantation / Desmortiers (Pierre)
.. Coffee plantation / Desmortiers (Raymond-Alexis)
2. Coffee Plantation / said Levassor de la Chaussee
Designation of district or town for rural property: Grande Riviere
Date of decision: 6 Nov. 1830
Date of payment: 1 April 1831
Total indemnity allowed:
13,975.00
7,800.00
4,875.00
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