In the old days, despite (or because ?) Saint-Barth was a Swedish colony from 1784 on, people from Statia, Saba, Sint-Maarten and Saint-Martin were free to settle and live here. They also were coming from all over the world, and, very often, by way of Statia – probably relocations after the Rodney’s sacking of this Statia, and the declaration of Gustavia as a Free Port. Some would stay a few years, some would settle for good, starting lineages until into the beggining of the 20th century.

The wedding below follows the same pattern. Furthermore, i do believe that there are chances that Joseph DELABEGA might be the ancestor of the LABEGA family one can find on St-Maarten and the Dutch islands. I will keep it as is for now.

On the 29th of May 1792, in Gustavia, in front of the notary public Jean NORDERLING,

Joseph DELABEGA, born in Statia on the 22d of december 1770, son of (the deceased) Joseph DELABEGA (from Madrid) and ? PRÉVOT (Mdme PRÉVOT is remaried with Mr Mathew REILLY),

and Marie Louise SECOND, widow of Mr François DOUAT?, daughter of Lazare SECOND and Marie TENAU?

have voluntary decided to do between them the wedding contract and convention that follows.

There are no furhter traces of them later, so they probably left the island – anybody from Sint-Maarten, Aruba or elsewhere with better knowledges about this family, please let me know !

It can be noted that Mathew REILLY is from Statia and he and his wife will have at least 2 children, including a Louise Perrine REILLY (half sister to Joseph DELABEGA) that will mary in 1809 with Thomas Cléophas AYE ( a Frenchman from Martigues) and they will have a long lineage in Saint-Barth.

Catégories :AYE, DE LA BEGA, LABEGA, REILLY, Uncategorized