In the late 1700s, the American community Huldah left behind, by choice or by force, was quite divided in the growing debate surrounding independence from their English motherland. Ironically, the French community she would join had also landed in one of Europe's colonies to make their fortunes. Her neighbors were shipping moguls, aristocrats, and speculators rich and poor, in a segment of world history largely ignored by American textbooks.
What actually happened on that island back then? The long, deadly arm of the French Revolution would deliver to her colony's midst a terrorist dictator, the dreaded violence of revolting enslaved laborers, and devastating tropical storms. Le Moule had been a commercial port; the stronghold for colonial aristocracy. Sugar and rum produced in the Grande-Terre region was shipped from there. However, in his 2019 book, Les maîtres de la Guadeloupe, Propriétaires d’esclaves, (1635-1848), historian Frédéric Régent affirms the Rossignol research that the Le Moule region was more suited to the production of coffee and cotton than to sugar.
The 24 March 1802 edition of The Bury and Norwich Post reported that a planter from St Vincent wrote to his brother in London, dated 29 January, that white planters in Guadeloupe had all been murdered in a horrific slave revolt. Well, not all of them, apparently, since Huldah Russ Brisson and two of her children appeared shortly afterward in Waltham, Massachusetts. After 27 years of raising her French/English children, she was forced to flee, and we'd like to know the details. Her escape would make her a double immigrant, and would secure her place in history.
We dedicate this tab to Bernadette and Philippe Rossignol,
who digitized the archived civil activities on the
French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe
in September of 2018.
(Généalogie et Histoire de la Caraïbe)
Without their extensive research, the French origin of the Brissons of Bladen County
would still be a mystery.
Saint Jean-Baptiste
is a Catholic church on Rue Saint-Jean, in the parish of Le Moule, Guadeloupe.
The parish church pictured above was destroyed in one of Guadeloupe's multiple hurricanes. It was rebuilt on the original foundation using its surviving facade, allowing us a rare glimpse into our ancestors' lives.
The French Catholic church required the full names, hometowns,
and parents' names of both bride and groom.
With the reaffirmation of her North Carolina Anglican marriage,
Huldah Russ Brisson secured her legacy.
The discovery of this document changed our family history as we knew it.
Below is her marriage reaffirmation, the baptism records of all her children, the marriage reaffirmation and burial records of her husband's parents. Each was handwritten in French by Father Antoine of Saint Jean-Baptiste.
I've transcribed and translated them, and provided links to the original archives.
The marriage reaffirmation of
Huldah Russ and Hugues Pierre Etienne Brisson
Saint Jean-Baptiste Parish, Le Moule, Guadeloupe
11 January 1780
Click photo for the actual archive, located on page 2.
"Le onze du mois de janvier mil sept cent quatre vingt après la publication des trois bans sans opposition et empechement j'ai curé de cette paroisse en virtue des pouvoirs accordé reabilité un mariage fait par un ministre anglican entre le Sieur hugues pierre ethien brisson natif de la ville de londres fils en legitime mariage du Sieur ethien brisson habitant Au moule natif de Saulaÿ en bourgogne et de demoiselle marie dale native de Leek dans la comté de Stafford ses pere et mere d'une part, et de demoiselle holda russ native de willington de la nouvelle angleterre fille du Sieur Jean russ negotiant et de marie brown ses pere et mere d'autre part. ce mariage a été célébré en presence de leurs enfants Savoir aimé agée de quatre ans et de francois ethien agé de trois ans, lesquels ils reconnoissent pour leurs veritables enfants et les legitiment par le present mariage. Les temoins du dit mariage Sont des Sieurs Soubiés negociant a La pointe a pitres, fergusson negotiant Au moule, paschal mourin et guillaume chiquet negotiant Au moule. fait Au moule presence du Sousignés"
Translation:
“The eleventh day of January, seventeen hundred eighty, after the publication of three banns without opposition and prevention, I the curator of this parish in virtue of the power accorded, reaffirmed a marriage made by an Anglican minister between Master Hughes Peter Stephen* Brisson, native of the town of London, son of the legitimate marriage of Stephen Brisson, habitant of Le Moule, native of Saulay in Burgundy, and of Mary Dale, native of Leek in the county of Stafford, his father and mother of one part…
…and of Miss Holda Russ native of Wilmington of New England** daughter of Master John Russ, merchant, and Miss Mary Brown, her father and mother of the other part…
…This marriage was celebrated in the presence of their children Aimé age 4 and François Etienne age 3, who they recognize as their legitimate children of the marriage."
Witnesses:
Soubiés, Pointe-a-Pitre merchant
David Fergusson, Le Moule merchant
Paschal Mouren, Le Moule merchant
Guillaume Chiquet, Le Moule merchant
*The English translation of Etienne is Stephen. Father Joseph Antoine spells his name Ethien in most of the records.
**The translation of Nouvelle Angleterre is New England. However, as indicated by surrounding entries, this appears to mean the United States, which was not yet recognized as independent of England.
***Original spelling respected.
Huldah Russ and Stephen (Etienne) Brisson had six children.
Of them, Anthony was the youngest to survive infancy.
Click for the actual archive, located on page 7
Aimé Françoise Marie Élisabeth
16 May 1776
"Le six aout mil Sept cent Septente Six j'ai baptisé une fille nommé aimé francoise marie elisabeth née le sieze mai dernier issue du mariage du Sieur ethien brisson et de demoiselle marie russ ses pere et mere. Le parin Le Sieur philippe Jean caillac et francois nicolas brisson frere de l'enfant. Les marains mesdemoiselles marie henry epouse du Sieur cordonnier et elisabeth henry. Signé caillac henry cordonnier Ethien brisson. Nicolas brisson. Fr Antoine capucin curé
"The 6th August 1776 I baptized a girl named Aimé Françoise Marie Élisabeth born the 16 May last. Issue of the marriage of Master Stephen Brisson and Miss Mary (Huldah) Russ her father and mother. The Godfather was Master Philippe Jean Caillac and François Nicolas Brisson brother of the child*. The godmother Miss Marie Henry wife of Master Cordonnier and Élisabeth Henry. Father Antoine, capucin curé.
Witnesses:
Philippe Jean Caillac
Élisabeth Henry
Marie Henry
Joseph Cordonnier
*He was actually her uncle
**Aimé means “Beloved” in French
Click photo for the actual archive, located on page 20
“The twenty-nine December seventeen hundred seventy-seven I baptized a son named François Étienne Élie born the 19th November last of the legitimate marriage of Master Etienne Brisson and Miss Mary Russ his father and mother. The first godfather was Mr. François Beutier, military officer. The first godmother was Miss Félicité Arsonneau, wife of Master Macduff. The second godfather was Élie Martin Macduff, merchant. The second godmother was Miss Marie Thérèse Arsonneau, wife of Master Dugué.”
Witnesses:
François Beutier
Élie Martin Macduff
Marie Thérèse Arsonneau Dugué
Félicité Arsonneau Macduff
François Étienne Élie Brisson
19 November 1777
"Le vingt neuf decembre mil Sept cent Septente Sept j'ai baptisé un fils nommé francois ethien heli né le dix neuf novembre dernier du legitime mariage du Sieur ethien brisson et demoiselle marie russ ses pere et mere. Le premier parin mr francois beutier officier de malice. Premiere marain mademoiselle felicite arsonnaux epouse du Sieur macduff. Le second parin mr heli Martin macduff ngnt. La seconde marein mademoiselle marie therese arsonnaux epouse du Sieur dugué.
Signé arsonneau dugué, arsonneu macduff, fBeutier, Fr Antoine curé
Click photo for the actual archive, located on page 3
Marie Anne Brisson
13 November 1779
"Le onze du mois de janvier mil Sept cent quatre vingt j'ai baptisé une fille nommé marie anne née le treize novembre dernier du legitime mariage du Sieur huges pierre ethien brisson et demoiselle holda russ ses pere et mere. Les parins le Sieur David Fergusson ngnt et guillaume chiquet negociant. Les marains desmoiselle marie anne Savarin epouse du Sieur monerot dumaine et anne marie brisson soeur de l'enfant qui a declare ne savior signe
Signé savarin dumaine David Fergusson chiquet Fr Antoine curé
“The eleventh day of January seventeen hundred eighty I baptized a daughter named named Marie Anne born the thirteenth of last November of the legitimate marriage of Master Hughes Peter Stephen Brisson and Miss Holda Russ his father and mother. The godfathers were David Ferguson, merchant, and Guillaume Chiquet, merchant. Her Godmothers were Marie Anne Savarin, wife of Monerot Dumaine, and Aimée Marie Brisson sister of the child who declared not knowing how to write (she was 3).
Witnesses:
David Ferguson, merchant
Guillaume Chiquet, merchant
Marie Anne Savarin Dumaine
Click photo for the actual archive, located on page 12
Unnamed
26 June 1781
"Le vingt six juin mil Sept cent quatre vingt un a été interré dans le cimitiere de cette eglise un Enfant Endoyé au Sieur ethien brisson
“The twenty-sixth day of June seventeen hundred eighty-one was buried in the cemetery of this church an enfant "ondoyer" to Master Etienne Brisson."
An ondoye is an emergency baptism for a child who is not expected to live.
Antoine Brisson
7 October 1782
"Le douze du mois de novembre mil Sept cent quatre vingt deux j'ai baptisé un fils nommé antoine né le sept octobre dernier du legitime mariage du Sieur ethien brisson et de demoiselle holda russ ses pere et mere. Le parin le Sieur antoine guenet negociant La marain demoiselle marie dale epouse du Sieur brisson demeurant en ce bourg
AGuenet, Mary Dale Brisson, Brisson fils, Fr Antoine curé"
Click photo for the actual archive, located on page 18
"On 12 November 1782, I baptized a son named Antoine, born 7 October last, of the legitimate marriage of Master Etienne Brisson and Miss Huldah Russ his father and mother. The godfather is Mr. Antoine Guenet, merchant. The godmother is Marie Dale, wife of the elder Etienne Brisson, living in this Bourg."
*Antoine means Anthony in French
All Brissons of Bladen County descend from Antoine,
known by his American name: Anthony.
Jacques Brisson
1 February 1785
"Le vingt deux du mois de mars mil Sept cent quatre vingt cinq J'ai baptisé un fils nommé Jacques né le premier du mois dernier du legitime mariage du Sieur pierre ethien brisson et de demoiselle holda rosque ses pere et mere. Le parin le Sieur Jacques andresson negociant, La marain demoiselle marie burau epouse du Mr deplane chirurgien au rapports
Marie Bureau duPlan, Jacques Anderson, Fr Antoine curé"
Click photo for the actual archive, located on page 8
“The twenty-first day of March seventeen hundred eighty-five I baptized a son named Jacques born the first of last month of the legitimate marriage of Master Pierre Etienne Brisson and Miss Holda Rosque, his father and mother. His godfather was Master Jacques Anderson, a merchant. His godmother Miss Marie Bureau DuPlan, the wife of Mr Duplan, a surgeon."
The archives of Saint Jean-Baptiste contain a larger than usual number of burials in February, March, and April of 1785. Note that Huldah did not record her youngest son's birth for almost two months. We wonder if a quarantine was in effect in her household, because one month after the birth of their sixth child, her husband Hugues Etienne Pierre Brisson passed away.
Baby Jacques lived two months, and was buried on 5 April 1785.
The man who gave our North Carolina family its French name, ancestor to hundreds,
Etienne died 2 weeks shy of his 31st birthday.
He and Huldah Russ were married for roughly a decade.
Etienne Pierre Brisson
5 March 1785
Inhumation Brisson, Etienne Pierre
Le cinq du mois de mars mil sept cent quatre vingt cinq a été enterré dans le cimetière de cette paroisse le corps de Sieur Ethien Pierre Brisson natif de londres agé environ de trente et un ans. Brisson cadet, pere Antoine curé.
"The fifth of March seventeen hundred eighty-five was interred in the cemetery of this parish the body of Master (Hugues) Etienne Pierre Brisson native of London aged about thirty-one years. "
Signed by his son Francois, and curé of the church Father Antoine, who finally spelled his name right.
Click photo for the actual archive,
located on page 8
Etienne's Parents
The following two documents reveal that Anthony Brisson's grandmother, Mary Dale (spelled Marie DELLE by the French scribe; and Mary DALE by the Anglican minister who officiated their original marriage), was born in Staffordshire, England.
She, her husband Etienne Brisson the elder, and their two young children Etienne and Francois Nicolas moved to Guadeloupe around 1763. This was the year her husband's signature first appeared in the archives as a witness. Seven years later in 1770, she renounced her Protestant religion in order that her marriage be recognized in Catholic Guadeloupe. Their original English marriage record can be seen on the London tab.
"Abjuration Marie Delle
Le six novembre mil sept cent septente jay missionaire apostolique de l'ordre des capucins et curé de la paroisse de Saint Jean Baptiste du moule par les pouvoir des Saint Seize acordés dans l'église ..."
"The 6th November seventeen hundred seventy, I, apostolic missionary of the order of the capucines, and curator of the parish of Saint John the Baptist of Le Moule, by the power of the sixteen saints accorded in the church at the foot of the Master, host the abjuration of the religion alleged by Madame Marie D’elle who by divine abjuration confessed and declared her unwillingness to know any religion other than apostolic and Roman Catholic. "
Signed by Father Antoine, curator, in the presence of the following witnesses:
Etienne Brisson
Mary Dale
Joseph Cordonnier, merchant
Weinclair Huney, merchant
Pierre Gubin, habitant
Punit, Surgeon of the King
Click photo for the actual archive,
located on page 21
Once she was abjured, Mary (Marie)'s marriage to Stephen (Etienne the elder) was recognized by the island's Catholic Church, thereby legitimizing their two boys in the eyes of the church. Remember, their marriage and both their children were already perfectly legitimate in England's Anglican Church.
Below is the Guadeloupe reaffirmation of their English marriage, witnessed and signed by the same gentlemen who witnessed her abjuration. No abjuration was required for Stephen (Etienne the elder), because he was baptized in Catholic France.
Click photo for the actual archive,
located on page 22
"Le six novembre mil sept cent septente apres la publication d'un bane fait au prove de la messe provisoire et dispense des deux autres accordé par le reverend par Sigismont Superieur des capucins de la Guadeloupe jay missionaire appostolique de l'ordre des capucins et curé de la parroise de Saint Jean Baptiste du moule sans opposition et empechement et en virtue des pouvoirs accordé reabilite un mariage fait par un ministre anglican entre monsieur Etienne Brisson fils de defunct Louis Brisson chirugien de Saulieux en Bourgonne et de dame Jeanne Vallée de Bourges de Bourg en Berry ses pere et mere dune part et de dame Marie Delle fills de deffunt Thomas Delle de la conté de Staffordshire en angleterre et de deffunt Anne Delle ses pere et mere d'autre part le marriage a été celebré presence de leurs enfants savoir Etienne agé de seize ans et de Francois Nicolas age de huit ans les quels ils reconnaissent pour leurs veritables enfants et les legitimes par le present mariage.
Les temoins Monsieur Le Roy Punit chirugien du roy Monsieur Joseph Cordonnier negotiant Monsieur Pierre Gubin habitant Monsieur Weinclair Huney negociant
fait au moule l'an et jour ....dessus
Signe Etienne Brisson et Etienne Brisson Mary Delle J Cordonnier Gubin b huney Punit
provisoirement aux Capucins
"The 6th November seventeen hundred seventy, after the publication of one marriage bann done at the proof of the previsionary mass and dispensation of the other two accorded by the [...] [...] [...] of the capucins of Guadeloupe I apostolic missionary of the order of the capucins, and curé of the parish of Saint John the Baptist of Le Moule, without opposition or prevention and by virtue of the powers accorded, rehabilitate a marriage done by an anglican minister between Master Etienne Brisson son of the late Louis Brisson surgeon of Saulieux in Bourgundy and of Madame Jeanne Valle of Bourges in Bourg en Berry his father and mother of one part,
and of Madame Marie D’elle daughter of the late Thomas Delle of Staffordshire county in England and the late Anne Delle her father and mother of the other part. The marriage ws celebrated in the presence of their children Etienne 16 and Francois Nicolas 8, who they recognize as their true children and and legitimize them with the present marriage. "
Signed by Father Antoine, curator, in the presence of the following witnesses:
Le Roy
Punit, King's Surgeon
Joseph Cordonnier, merchant
Pierre Gubin, habitant
Weinclair Huney, merchant
Etienne Brisson the elder
Etienne Brisson the younger
Mary Dale
Marriage
Timothe O'Donavan
Huldah Russ
"Le huit du mois de janvier mil sept cent quatre vingt sept après la publication des trois bans, j'ai donné la benediction nuptial au Sieur Thimothe O' Donavan natif de la ville de Kingseal en Irelande fils en legitime mariage du Sieur O' Donavan et de Catherine MacMaghon ses pere et de demoiselle huldah russ native de Elizabeth town dans la Caroline du nord en Amérique fille en legitime marriage du Jean Russ et de marie brown et veuve du feu le Sieur Etienne Brisson ses pere et mere de l'autre part. Ce marriage authorize par Monsieur de
Pierre Forestier, Douson (Bouson?)
Click photo for the actual archive,
located on page 2
The eighth of the month of January seventeen hundred eighty seven after the publication of three nans, I gave the nuptial benediction to Master Timothe O'Donavan native of the town of Kingseal in Ireland son of the legitimate marriage of Master O'Donavan and Catherine MacMaghon his father and mother and of Miss Huldah Russ native of Elizabethtown, North Carolina, in America, son of the legitimate marriage of Jean Russ and of Marie brown and widow of Sieur Etienne Brisson
Timothy passed away the following year and they had no children, so their marriage is inconsequential to the family history.
Jean is the French equivalent of John
Marie is the French equivalent of Mary
Etienne is the French equivalent of Stephen.
Click photo for the actual archive,
located on page 2
"Inhumation O'Donaven Thimote, irlandais
Le seize du mois de janvier mil sept cent quatre vingt huit a ete enterre dans le cimitiere de cette eglise le corps de sieur Thimote O'Donavan natif d'Irelande age de quarante six ans.
Nestolat
"The 16th January seventeen hundred eighty-seven was buried in the cemetery of this church the body of Master Timothy O'Donavan native of Ireland age 46 years."
Witnessed by Nestolat
Click photo for the actual archive,
located on page 13
"Inhumation Marie Dale
Le onze du mois d'aout mil sept cent quatre vingt sept a ete enterre dans le cimitiere de cette paroisse le corps de demoiselle Mary Dale native de Staffordshire age d'environ de soixante ans veuve du feu de sieur Ethien Brisson.
Francois Brisson (is this her son or nephew's signature?)
Nestolat
"The 11th August seventeen hundred eighty-seven was buried in the cemetery of this parish the body of Ms Mary Dale native of Staffordshire age approximately 60 years widow of the late Master Etienne Brisson.
According to this record, Mary Dale and Timothy died within 8 months of each other.
It also gives us her approximate year of birth: around 1727.