The first recorded evidence of a Brisson family in Le Moule is in April 1763, when the scribe indicates witness "Brisson fils." "Fils" is the French word for "son," and French men signed documents this way until their own fathers passed away.
Etienne's brothers, Louis and Philibert Brisson, indicate in their marriage records back in France that their father (Louis Brisson) died around 1762. Months later, Etienne no longer adds "fils" to his signature.
The Guadeloupe Witnesses
By the 1700s, folks were coming from all over Europe to make their fortunes in the sugar industry and its supporting markets. Witnesses who signed Le Moule's marriage, birth, and death acts provide evidence of their associations with the elder Etienne Brisson. By pieceing them together, we have a window into his life and family. These witnesses are highlighted below in red.
Etienne Brisson (the elder) was born in Bourges in 1728.
In 1749 he married Mary Dale in London. He lived there about 15 years.
By 1763, he was living Le Moule, where he died 20 years later.
In 1763 we first see Etienne Brisson witness various civil acts in the church.
He is 36 years old, his wife Mary about the same age, and their sons Etienne and Nicolas Francois were 9 and 1.
Guadeloupe was under British occupation, and had been for 4 years.
The 1762 archives refer to Le Moule as Port Land.
1763
10 January 1763
Marriage of Denis Tauzet and Mary Catherine Arsonnaux,
daughter of Louis Arsonnaux and Marie Agnes Renauld.
Witnessed by Bresson (sp) fils
15 April 1763
Burial of Monsieur Daburet, 30.
Witnessed by Arsonnaux fils, Brisson fils, F Neau, Pierre Tauzet
5 December 1763
Marriage of Vincent Normandie and Antoinette Fortin.
Signed by F Neau, Pierre Tauzet, Brisson fils.
1764
7 April 1764
Burial of Henriette Renaud, 14.
Witnessed by Brisson fils
25 June 1764
Marriage of Philippe Jean Caillac, son of Jean Caillac
(Conseiller, procurer du Roi bu Baillage
and Chancellerie d’Avallon in Burgundy of the diocese of Anton)
married Marie Marguerite Riviere.
Witnessed by Cl(?) Brisson, J Cordonnier among others
3 September 1764
Marriage of Leonard Bertrand Fougerolle, native of Bazas
and Marie Angelique Fortin
witnessed by Eth. Brisson et al.
1765
12 February 1765
Marriage of Rene Leroux, soldier, and Anne Beltau.
The couple declared not able to sign,
Witnessed by Brisson fils et al
9 July 1765
Burial of Noel Thomazeau, age 25, provided with the
sacraments of the church.
Witnessed by Brisson fils
1766
1767
1768 Guadeloupe was part of the French Antilles Colony until 1775
9 February
Jean Pierre Boisson and Marie Dieudonne Gatein le Solitaire married.
Sieur Etienne Brisson witnessed.
7 June
Jean Baptiste Charles Cordonnier Montaigu
native of the parish of St Hipolite, habitant of Le Moule
son of Joseph Cordonnier, bourgeois of Paris,
and Marguerite Francoise Bouteron both of Le Moule,
married Anne Suzanne Henry,
daughter of Denis Henry, commandant on the island of
La Desiderade who died in 1757.
Mary Henry signs as witness
(Anne died in March 1769 at the age of 19).
13 June
Father Antoine takes over at St Jean-Baptist Parish, witnessed by Brisson.
Unknown if this is Etienne Brisson or Pierre Andre Brisson of another family
27 August
Marriage of Sieur Francois Beutier,
native of the St Bertrand parish of GrandTerre
son of Francois Beutier lieutenant of malice
and of Marie Catherine desBanner
1769
24 July
Mulatto wedding witnessed by E Brisson, J. Hurel, and Gubin.
14 August
Mulatto wedding witnessed by E Brisson and Gubin.
26 September
Burial witnessed by EP Brisson, J Hurel, B Huney
27 September
Burial of Henry Collins, 50, interred in the cemetery,
witnessed by Etienne Pierre Brisson.
1770
5 February
Joseph Cordonnier married Aimée Marie Jeanne Henry,
who was baptized à Saint-François in 1753, born 23 June.
She was native of Notre Dame de Bouseur of La Desirade.
Her father was the late Denis Henry, commandant of La Desirade;
her mother Suzanne Marguerite Thomas.
Witnessed by E Brisson, Gubin, Prat
27 July
Louis Guillaume Caillac, from Avallon en Bourgogne, diocese of Auton
(though Rossignol says Yonne).
Son of Jean Caillac, conseilleur procureur du roi au baillage d'Avallon,
and of Catherine Baspin.
Married Emilie Marie Brunau?
Witnessed by J Cordonnier, E Brisson, G Dubois
26 September
E Brisson was godfather to an illegitimate baby girl,
baptised on this date.
6 November
The Abjuration of Mary Dale
Witnessed by Joseph Cordonnier, trader
Weinclair Huney, trader
Pierre Gubin, habitant
Punit, Surgeon of the King
6 November
The Marriage affirmation of Etienne Brisson and Mary Dale
Witnessed by Le Roy
Punit, King's Surgeon
Joseph Cordonnier, trader
Pierre Gubin, habitant
Weinclair Huney, trader
1771
20 March
Baptism
Jean Hurel, merchant of this town, and Ursula Ciceron
welcome daughter Marie Gabriel, named for godmother
Marie Catherine Arsonneau and godfather Guillaume Gabriel.
Witnessed by Chiquet
6 June
Burial of several citizens including Gatein le Solitaire
5 August
Baptism of Marie Marguerite, daughter of Dieudonne.
She was named by Etienne Brisson, merchant,
and by Marie Jeanne Ciceron, widow of Salmon and godmother.
7 November
Baptism of Marie Antoinette, daughter of Jean Jacques Ciceron,
parliament attorney, substitute for the Procureur du Roi
in the senechassee of Grand Terre, royal notary living in Le Moule
and of Marie Marguerite Michau.
Named by godfather Raimond Michau, her grandfather living in Marseille
and by godmother Marie Jeanne Ciceron, widow of Salmon, her aunt.
1772
18 January
Baptism of Antoine, born to Angelique, free mulatto.
Godfather Antoine Guenet and Jean Brisson ? living in this bourg
22 January
Marriage of Jean Baptiste, free black,
witnessed by Etienne Brisson
1773
1774
1775
31 August
Burial of Edward Sweeney, a 38-year-old year old Irishman,
witnessed by Etienne Brisson
1776
16 May
Birth of Aimé Françoise Marie Élisabeth Brisson:
Godparents Philippe Jean Caillac,
Marie Henry, wife of Joseph Cordonnier,
Élisabeth Henry
1777
19 November
Birth of François Étienne Élie Brisson:
Godparents François Beutier, military officer
Félicité Arsonneau, wife of Master Macduff
Élie Martin Macduff, trader, native of Le Moule
Marie Thérèse Arsonneau, wife of Master Dugué
1779
20 September Death of Joseph Cordonnier
13 November
Birth of Marie Anne Brisson:
Godparents David Ferguson, trader
Guillaume Chiquet, trader
Marie Anne Savarin, wife of Monerot Dumaine
1780
4 January
Burial of Jacob Ayers, native of Manchester, Massachusetts, 38-years old.
Witnessed by E Brisson and Amos Hilton
Marriage affirmation of Huldah and Etienne (Stephen):
Soubiés, merchant at Pointe-a-Pitre,
David Fergusson, trader of Le Moule
Paschal Mouren, trader of Le Moule
Guillaume Chiguet, trader of Le Moule
10 August
Burial of Isaac Round, native of Boston, Nouvelle Angleterre (New England)
25 September
Marriage of Antoine Paravisie, native of Corsica (?), and Elizabeth Desiree Decour.
Witnessed by both E Brisson and E Brisson fils, among others.
1781
11 June
Marriage of Antoine Rouset and Marguerite Golzman,
both of Germany, neither could sign.
Witnessed by Nicolas Brisson
26 June
Burial of Enfant Endoyé to Sieur Ethien Brisson
1782
26 January
Baptism of Mary Catherine Françoise Barry,
born two years before to Jean Barry and Christine French.
Godfathers Pierre Boyé and Francois Brisson.
Godmothers Mary Delle, wife of Ethien Brisson,
and Catherine Geddes.
Signed by Mary and her younger son Francois
in their own handwriting, among others.
9 - 12 April Battle of the Saintes
During the American Revolution, The British fleet under Admiral George Rodney defeats a French fleet under Admiral de Grasse. The battle is named after the Saintes islands of Guadeloupe, where it was fought.
15 May
Baptism of Etienne Antoine Beutier
godfather Ethien Brisson, negociant (trader) of this bourg.
17 July
Burial of Joseph Chopin of Martinique, age 27.
Witnessed by Brisson cadet (Nicolas Francois)
30 August
Marriage of Luc Hugand, carpenter and native of Lyon,
and Catherine Geddes, native of L'Isle Monserrat.
She is the daughter of John Geddes, entrepreneur de Moulins.
Authorized by the Intendant of Guadeloupe.
Witnessed among others by E Brisson
7 October
Birth of Antoine Brisson*
18 October
Burial of George Bryan, 36, native of Nouvelle Angleterre (New England).
Witnessed by J.L.Anderson and E Brisson
22 October
Burial of Samuel Newman, 16, native of Nouvelle Angleterre (New England),
died aboard an American in this port.
Witnessed by Jonathan Ingersoll, J.L.Anderson and E Brisson
27 October
Burial of Elizabeth Ferguson, 44, of Argylle.
Witnessed by J.L.Anderson and E Brisson
8 November
Burial of Alexander Fleming, 32, from Barbados.
Witnessed by Luc Hugand, J.L.Anderson and E Brisson
12 November
*Baptism of Antoine Brisson, born last October 7,
son of Etienne Brisson and Huldah Russ.
Witnessed by Antoine Guenet, merchant,
Marie Dale Brisson, wife of the elder Etienne Brisson,
living in this Bourg, and her son Etienne, Huldah's husband.
His signature, at left, ends in a swirl.
His father, on the other hand, underlines his name.
1783
27 February
Burial of William Pallen, from New York.
Witnessed by E Brisson
15 April
Burial of Paschal Mouren, 46, merchant of Le Moule, .
Witnessed by E Brisson.
Pascale, from Marseille, had witnessed Etienne son's marriage to Huldah.
He died three years later.
29 April
Burial of Abraham Allen, a matelot aboard a New England vessel.
Witnessed by E Brisson
1784
30 August
Burial of Antoine Levrick,
witnessed by J.L.Anderson and E Brisson.
It was his last, as three months later he was gone.
11 December
Burial of Etienne Brisson Sr, age 56.
1785
1 February
Birth of Jacques Brisson:
Jacques Anderson, merchant, was godfather
Marie Bureau DuPlan, the wife of Mr Duplan, surgeon.
5 March
Burial of Etienne Pierre Brisson, age 31
5 April
Burial of Jacques Brisson, age 2 months.
1787
8 January
Marriage of Huldah and Timothy
Pierre Forestier and Douson (Bouson?)
15 January
death of 4-year-old daughter of Guillaume Chiquet and Ursule Ciceron
27 July Burial
Francois Brisson witnessed the burial of Jean-Baptiste Tenet, 24,
native of the parish.
31 July Baptism
daughter of Antoine Guenet and Marie Angelique Philote Bioche.
11 August
Burial of Mary Dale
Born around 1727 (post presumed birth record), about 60 years old,
Nestolat witnessed.
27 August
Élie Martin Macduff was a merchant, native of Le Moule,
married Marguerite Dieudonne Michaux. She was the widow of
Jean-Jacques Ciceron, avocat en parliament.
Marie Angelique Bioche Guenet witnessed.
According to Rossignol, Jean-Jacques was previously a
notary from 1777- 1785.
31 August Burial
Philippe Jean Caillac, native of Avalon, Burgundy in the diocese of Auton,
and captain de malice, age about 53.
4 November Baptism
Mercier, godmother is Ursule Ciceron wife of Guillaume Gabriel Chiquet.
Child's father Jacques Mercier is the royal notary for the island o
Guadeloupe, serving according to Rossignol from 1783 to 1792.
Other godmother is of nobility.
1788
January 1 - 17th Burials
Nestolat witnesses 6 burials
including that of 46-year-old Timothy O'Donavan on the 16th.
1 August Burial
Nestolat witnessed 44-year-old Guillaume Gabriel Chiquet,
born 28 July 1744 in the parish of St Catherine of Honfleur.
St Catherine's is still there, and is France's largest timber-built church,
located in the diocese of Lisieux in Calvados, Normandy.
This diocese is now called Bayeux.
1790
3 September Burial
Francois Brisson and Nestolat witnessed Louis Gibson
1791
9 January Burial
Pierre Duplan, from illegible, surgeon died at approx 50 years old.
20 May Burial
Antoine Guenet merchant of this Bourg, native of Évreux (?) diocese of
Rouen, Normandy, 54 years old.
He was Anthony D. Brisson's godfather, for whom he was named.
5 September Baptism
Elie Martin MacDuff and Marguerite Dieudonne Michaux's 4-year-old daughter.
Jacques MacDuff, merchant, and Marie Antoinette Ciceron were godparents
6 September Burial
Francois Brisson and Nestolat (perhaps Joachim Nestolat of Marseilles)
witnessed the burial ofJean Joseph Hilard.
That same day, Jean Baptiste Nicolas Hurel, son of the late Jean Hurel and Ursula Ciceron (widow of second husband Guillaume Gabriel Chiquet), married Anne Catherine Ciceron, daughter of the late Jean Jacques Ciceron attorney for parliament and for sovereign councel of Guadeloupe and his wife Marguerite Dieudonne Michaux (now wife of Elie Martin MacDuff)
1794 British invade Guadeloupe on 21 Apr 1794
21 May
Victor Hugues arrives, declaring an end to slavery.
1796
16 February Death
Nicolas Francois Brisson died in Le Moule at his home.
1802
On Napoleon Bonaparte’s orders, General Richepance disembarked
n Guadeloupe to reestablish slavery. He died of yellow fever.
Mary was the fourth to pass away.
-2 years after her son Etienne Pierre
-3 years after her husband Etienne Sr.
Timothy was the fifth to pass away.
-5 months after Mary Dale.
-This is the last Huldah Russ reference in Le Moule's archives. We hear nothing from her for almost 14 years, when Anthony writes to her in 1802.
Etienne Pierre, the father of Anthony Brisson, was the second to pass away.
-4 months after his father Etienne Sr
Jacques was the third to pass away.
-1 month after his father Etienne Pierre,
Hurel was Le Moule trustee attorney. After the French Revolution, he was arrested in Guadeloupe for refusal to report revenues of the national properties he had administered. The maritime agent of Port-Malo gave him a leave for Toulon (as a sailor) even though he had been denounced.
(Les Patriotes Déportés de la Guadeloupe par les Anglais aux membres de la Convention Nationale composant la Commission des Colonies, page 19.
It addresses a list of citizens having sided with the English. Dated 25 brumaire (3rd year of the republic)
Joseph Cordonnier first appears associated with Brisson in 1764.
He was a Le Moule merchant, native of Saint-Pierre-du-Mont (Nievres, in central France 100 kilometers from Bourges?).
His father was Paris bourgeois Joseph Cordonnier.
His mother was Marguerite Françoise Boutiron.
In 1764, Joseph and 36-year-old Etienne Sr. witnessed the marriage of Philippe Jean Caillac.
In 1968, Joseph's brother Jean-Baptiste married Anne Henry,
whose deceased father had been a commander on the island of La Desirade.
Etienne Sr. of Bourges was the first in the family to pass away.
-lived in Le Moule for a little over 20 years.
Charles François de Clugny de Thénissey became governor of Guadeloupe on 20 July 1783. By September, the Treaty of Paris ended the American Revolution. American colonies were no longer under British rule, and many who fought for the British fled to the West Indies.
(After Abraham Allen's burial, it would be almost a year before Etienne Sr. witnessed another civil record).
Eleven months later, the Treaty of Paris ended the American Revolution.
On 2 October 1784, the governor expressed concern about burials in churches, stating they should only be authorized for monks (perhaps started by the burial of Colonel de Martelly, regiment of Guadeloupe). He began to establish cemeteries outside the city limits, starting in Point a Pitre, and soon no more burials were conducted at the churches.
4 July 1663 Ended the British occupation.
Louis Arsonnaux was born around 1702.
His daughter Mary Catherine married Denis Tauzet, but he died on 23 November 1769 in le Moule when he was 34 years old.
Their eldest daughter Anne Marguerite Arsonnaux married Claude Daburet on 7 January 1756, but he died in 1763. She then married Robert Sene, who moved onto their habitation.
Their son Louis Francois Arsonneau (born 14 March 1743 in le Moule, godfather François Arsonneau/godmother Thérèse Renaud),
became a freemason. La loge L'Humanité au Moule was founded by Jean-Louis Guillotin de la Vigerie in Guadeloupe in 1776,
and Louis Francois was a member by 1788.
By 1777, widow Marie Agnes Renauld and their children were living on their habitation cotonniere (cotton plantation). She liquidated in 1804 at age 80, three slaves declared.
1770 was busy.
Etienne's apparent friend Joseph married Aimé Marie Jeanne Henry.
In July, both men witnessed Caillac's son Louis' marriage.
In November, Joseph witnessed Mary Dale's abjuration, and her marriage reaffirmation to Etienne Sr.
(They had actually been married for 21 years, since July 1749.
Their Fleet Marriage record is shown on London tab.
Their sons Etienne and Francois were 16 and 8, respectively.
Both boys' ages triangulate with their London birth records)
It was the following year that Etienne is first described as a trader (négociant). Planters, traders, and military officers were the three groups of elites, or “notables” of the island colonies.
In 1776, Etienne Sr's associate Joseph Cordinnier's wife Aime Marie is godmother to Etienne first grandchild, Aimé Francoise Elisabeth. Etienne is 48 years old.
By 1779, Joseph had become a lieutenant in the dragoon company, (cavalry, lighter class of mounted troops) in Le Moule. He died there on 20 September 1779, his brother’s signature on the death record.He and Etienne had been friends for fifteen years.
There is notably a nearly 4-year absence of Etienne Sr's activity in the archives. Perhaps this is because there was upheaval in the French parlements when Chancellor Maupeou cancelled them in 1770. They were only reconstituted in 1774. This seems to have sent many court employees scrambling for new positions, like colonial conseils, seen as lucrative and safer alternatives.
Sometime during this time, Huldah was brought to Le Moule.
Antoine Guenet was born about 1737 à Elbeuf or Evreux, and died 1791 au Moule,Guadeloupe.
He married Philotée Bioche, (1754 - 1815), on 30 June 1776 (?) au Moule.
Their son Antoine Solange married his cousin Sophie Chauviteau, who had a vinaigrerie in Le Moule.
Her daughter, Philotée (1782-1818), married François VALLÉE.
Antoine Solange Guenet, (1779 - 1816)
https://famille-chauviteau.fr
Hugues purged the island of counter-revolutionaries, after terrorizing its habitants with a guillotine he brought from France. As Commissioner of the Convention, he proclaimed the abolition of slavery, and remained in Guadeloupe for 4 years, until 1798.
Manchester archives indicate Jacob was the son of Thomas and Lydia Ayers, born 26 February 1744. Guadeloupe had thriving inns due to the busy influx of sailors, traders, and other visitors.
Nicolas Francois was Huldah's brother-in-law,
born 19 April 1762 in London. He died in his home on Place du Palais, on February 16 1796.
This is the last Brisson record in Le Moule's archives.
Legal officials known as "procureurs" managed the creation of court documents like depositions and collected evidence. They were among the AUXILIARY OFFICERS: Conseillers, governors, and intendants who occupied the elite decision-making level of the colonial judicial hierarchy. These lower level officers illustrate how the conseils interfaced with other layers of colonial society's courtroom setting.
Procureurs were consulted much more often than avocats. Plaintiffs often relied upon procureurs and rarely hired avocats.