originally published september 2019 in French, translated to English by Mr Tian UDDENBERG, January 2020.

A certain Jean Jacques GRÉAUX was born in Anse des Cayes, [St. Barthelemy]. This was in about 1807 if the count is made using information about his death; if, however the count is made using information recorded at the time of his marriage, he was born in about 1815.

I have not found the record of his baptism, but at the time of his marriage to Victorine DUZANT on 17 August 1847, he was described as natural son of Elisabeth, without further detail.

In certain records pertaining to his children he is listed as ‘Jean Jacques, dit GRÉAUX’.

The couple lived in Anse des Cayes where they were agriculturists. They had at least 10 children and 47 grandchildren. At the time of his death, Jean Jacques GREAUX was described as son of Jacques GRÉAUX and Elisabeth. The Who Was Who [Tingbrand] indicates he was the son of Jacques ‘l’Ami’ GRÉAUX and Elisabeth CHARLES and he was born in about 1813.

On 19 October 1817 in the parish of Lorient a mulatresse aged two months named Adele was baptized. She was the natural daughter of Jacques GRÉAUX and Elisabeth, a slave of l’Ami GRÉAUX. L’Ami was a name used to designate a certain Francois GRÉAUX, father of Jacques.

[Caption 1.] Start of baptismal record at bottom of the page

[Caption 2.] [Within the image:] of Jacques GRÉAUX and Elisabeth slave of l’ami GRÉAUX

[Caption 2. Below] End of baptismal record on following page

Adele married Joseph dit LÉDÉE from Flamands 3 November 1847 and the couple went on to have at least 8 children and 31 grandchildren.

Jean Jaques and Adele had a brother Dominique who was born in about 1821 who married Jeanne Rose dite LÉDÉE (sister of Adele’s husband) on 13 November 1848. They had at least three children.

On 29 May 1821, Jacques l’Ami GRÉAUX married Emilie GRÉAUX by whom he had 7 other children.

What became of Elisabeth ‘the little slave’? We cannot say any more about her for now. We know she died before 1847 because she was already dead at the time of the marriage of her daughter, Adele.

With at least 78 great grandchildren, the descendants of Elisabeth are still numerous in Saint Barthelemy today, among them, my own children.

On this day of commemoration of the Abolition of Slavery in Saint Barthelemy, let us consider Elisabeth and all the other victims of this infamous traffic, whether here or elsewhere.

Catégories :DUZANT, Greaux, LÉDÉE, Uncategorized