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KEN JENKINS TO BETTY CHARBONNET REID SOSKIN September, 2000 To: Betty Reid Soskin Hello! Thank you for your response. Let me introduce myself and my interest in CHARBONNET. I married Linda Ann (CHARBONNET) in 1977 and have two children from that marriage, one in college and one in graduate school. I have been working genealogy since 1980 and -- of course -- have researched the CHARBONNET. Most of that work was done in 1982-1984 which was before the internet made it easier to do research work-- so most of my info is from good-old library research, not ‘hearsay’ over the internet. I gradually worked out of that line into other lines and put away all my CHARBONNET research, that is, until recently. I am now putting all I have in the files on paper, including this surname -- which is ironic as Linda and I divorced four years ago ...oh well ...for the children. I will keep working on CHARBONNET. It is one of the most interesting lines I’ve covered. Also ironic is the fact that I have a missing tie in for my ex-wife’s line. It stops at Pierre CHARBONNET m. Emile (CASERIL), which is confirmed by a marriage certificate. I suspect ‘Pierre” is a partial name and it is “James Pierre, Pierre Augustine” or something equally screwball -- anyway, all I have are family stories and speculation to go on -- at least at this point. All the New Orleans CHARBONNET are related, I just have not tied “Pierre” in yet. I have been in touch with Wilfred Charbonnet, a good researcher, and a few other ‘family historians’ for many years. This has led to a pretty good data base on the family -- of which includes your CHARBONNET line of interest. Lewis CHARBONNET m. Victoria (MORALEZ) is also unconnected at this time. But as I said, all New Orleans CHARBONNET are related, I am hopeful we can pin down your connection. By strange coincidence, it may be through the same person. I suspect Pierre Adolphe CHARBONNET to be the most likely ancestor of both Pierre and Lewis. This is speculation but please look at the following: 7 ....... (5) Pierre Adolphe CHARBONNET (CHA032) gf: Francois Chevalier D’ORICOURT Known children: 8 ........ Marie Adelaide CHARBONNET 8 ....... Joseph Numa CHARBONNET Sr. Private Company B -- New Orleans Guards Regiment -- Louisiana Militia - roll dates 14 Mar 1862 - ordered into State Service -- Confederate Army m: about 1860 The above is good data and firmly tied into the main New Orleans CHARBONNET line. More on that later. Now into the speculation parts.
Where are the other children? His son Joseph Numa CHARBONNET served in the Civil War in the Orleans Guards. J.N.CHARBONNET Company B=Joseph Numa CHARBONNET SR.* *age 25 in 1862 This suggests to me these were either brothers or cousins (or some other close kinship) who all enlisted in the same unit. This was an early organized unit -- not a later “drafter” group. that fact suggests they were all in the prime military age group (16-26_ and not the older men who were inducted in the latter years of the war as manpower was deleted. Part II - my ex-wife’s (no - let me say ‘children’s’ line, oldest known: 8 ....... Pierre CHARBONNET (CHA0160 ) suspected son of Why? 1. Because of the name Pierre. Pierre Adolph CHARBONNET’s line continued the use of many names that are found in my children’s CHARBONNET line. Pierre is not found as a called name in other lines until modern times. 2. Because of the birth dates and known facts of other lines - Pierre Adolph CHARBONNET’S line fits well. His time seems to be missing children. There is a suspected reason for that which I will discuss later. 3. Because of the military service shown above. This is such a tentative connection that I must call it speculation -- but I am continuously searching ... maybe some day I can prove it right or wrong. Part III -- your line: Also in the rolls: CHARBONNET, D.L. - 1st Native Guards, Louisiana Militia -- on roll, not dated, for active service in Louisiana. Suspected to be Louis CHARBONNET, Sr. 7 ........ Louis Charbonnet, Sr. -- Carpenter Until I received your note, I was uncertain as to the connection. I am still not sure, but it seems likely that the Dorson Lewis’ repetition in your line ties in. Could the D.L. CHARBONNET of the military be Dorson Lewis CHARBONNET? I have a bit of information which may or may not be of significance to you. Are you aware of the following? Louis CHARBONNET - Carpenter and that this Lewis CHARBONNET is ion the African American branch of the CHARBONNET family? (I use brown to show the African-American branches -- if your program reads color). The reason I ask is that corresponding with another California CHARBONNET researcher, I was told those living in the area may be -- I don’t have the term she used at hand -- but it translated ‘passing-for-white.” I don’t know if this is a sensitive issue to y you or not. In any case, genealogy presents the facts as they occur. Lewis CHARBONNET was called mulatto in the census. That said, let me explain what I know of the story. When I first began working the line, there was a ‘Black’ member of the Louisiana State Legislature named CHARBONNET. He was associated with the funeral home business in New Orleans. It has been so long I am not sure of the name,but Lewis CHARBONNET comes to mind, but I may be wrong. I asked a CHARBONNET researcher how the Black and White CHARBONNET were related and was given this story: There was a CHARBONNET who had an arranged marriage (I now know most of the early marriages of this class of people were arranged) and was not happy with her). I seem to remember I was told she was a daughter of an adjacent plantation owner. This CHARBONNET first name wasn’t given to me -- drat) was one of four or five brothers who had inherited a portion of the family land. He began relations with a Black woman and fathered eleven or more children with her, eventually taking up residence with her. There were some children with the White wife -- but it was not clear if there was ever a divorce. My impression was there was an ‘arrangement’ of some sort. In any case, he supposedly saw that all of his children received high education. I always thought this story was a ‘romanticism’ of a situation and I have never known the truth or the part of the truth of it. In any case, I was left with the impression that the Black woman was a ‘free woman of color’ as non-slave African-Americans were referred to in that era. Side note: There was a special situation in New Orleans in reference to African-Americans. Firstly, it was one of the first places African-Americans would go to when immigrating, as colonial and pre-civil was Anglo-American United States was caught up in the idea that all African-American people were slaves, and treated free people with extreme prejudice --which was not the case in French-Spanish New Orleans and surrounding territories. If you are up to date on that situation, you may want to do some reading on colonial and pre-American New Orleans. Even today there is a strong tradition for what is locally known as highborn African society in New Orleans. The Mayor Morial is a perfect example. But, I don’t know what the situation was with the CHARBONNET who fathered mixed blood CHARBONNET children -- but that started the “mulatto” branch. I use the word mulatto as it was the practice of these people to intermarry -- as they were not able to socialize with either race, and tended to live in the same neighborhood. Please remember in pre-Civil War times (and u 0p to the 60’s in American), racial prejudice was life-threatening. And-- another thought -- the “Islenos” people of your MORALES connection - you may want to research them if have not already. I may be incorrect, but my impression is these were Canary Islanders -- some were of multiracial heritage. Fascinating ... . Why do I think our line may tie into Pierre Adolphe CHARBONNET? Part IV First let me say I an additional comment to make on your line -- it doesn’t match my record: 7 ........ Louis CHARBONNET, Sr. - Carpenter Census - 1850 - Orleans Parish - New Orleans, Louisiana 8 ........ ch: *Two possibilities Charles CHARBONNET death notice 26 May 1884 (aged 34 years) French newspaper - New Orleans, Louisiana 8....... William CHARBONNET, Sr. 8 ........ Louis Charbonnet, Jr. I think the above Luis is Louis CHARBONNET m: Victoria Morales, the son of Louis Charbonnet, the son of Dorson Charbonnet. I have as the son of the above Louis: 9 ........ Dorson L. CHARBONNET - Contractor SS record - DORSON CHARBONNET - DEC. 1986 - last lived 94621 (Oakland, California) - last benefit - none specified) - 700-16-5561 - Longtime or retired railroad worker. Lived 2027 Lapeyrouse Street - New Orleans - 1920 through 1924 - Machinist But Victoria (MORALES) was his mother, not his wife. Can you help me on this? Reasons why your line may connect to Pierre Adolphe CHARBONNET: 1. The family story on the brothers who shared the plantation - this fits. 2. The lack of known children - fits the concept of the unhappy marriage. 3. One of the Louis CHARBONNET family researchers told me her father had mentioned that her grandfather had been called by a White CHARBONNET - Paul CHARBONNET - in reference to a big mess on a family inheritance. Paul CHARBONNET is an ancestor of Joseph Numa CHARBONNET, the only confirmed son of Pierre Adolphe CHARBONNET . This suggests Paul CHARBONNET knew this researcher’s grandfather Louis CHARBONNET and ‘...wanted nothing to do with the big mess” - which I think meant something that was a ‘skeleton in the closet.” This might mean the mixed blood of some of the descendants -- perhaps a common-law or actual marriage that was fouling up the probate - that the White CHARBONNET family in general wanted to ignore (image this situation in early 1900 white-deep southern Louisiana. 4. There is a similar story on an insolvable inheritance in my ex-wife’s family,but no reason was ever given. Finally, as a capstone to it all - I am not originally from Louisiana, but was born in San Antonio, Texas. I have a remote line (TOBIN) that has a Louisiana connection -- my grandmother’s grandmother Emily (TOBIN) MOORE had a brother John W. TOBIN who lived in New Orleans. His grandchild married into the GIBERT line. Pierre Adolphe CHARBONNET’s granddaughter also married into this GIBERT line. Therefore, I have an interest in this through my line. (I also have another TOBIN-CHARBONNET connection - but it is more distant) Speculation! Please do not think the above is 100 percent accurate. Pierre Adolphe CHARBONNET is only an educated guess at this time. Let me know what you think. I have more info on other African American CHARBONNET lines, and the complete CHARBONNET above Pierre Adolphe if you want it. I would like to have your line as well. I will gladly send anything you want on my line or the CHARBONNET. There is some fascinating history I have yet to mention. Ken Jenkins
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