Family of Charles Dominique Derbes & Suzanne Marie Fortunee Derbes
Charles Dominique Derbes was born 16 November 1768 in Toulon, Var, France, and died 1834 in Toulon, Var, France.
First wife Rose Angelique Belande was born Abt. 1770, and was guillotined 31 March 1794 in France. They were married 26 June 1792 in Toulon, Var, France.
Second wife Suzanne Marie Fortunee Pene was born 26 February 1782 in Toulon, Var, France, and died 27 February 1854 in Toulon, Var, France. They were married 29 October 1801 in Marseille, France.
Their children:
1- Jean Baptiste Derbes b: 19 July 1802 in Marseille, France; d: 1 September 1857 in New Orleans, LA
+Elmire Charlotte Fontenelle b: Abt. 1807 Louisiana; m: 8 March 1820 in St. Martinville, St. Martin, LA; d: 1 June 1861 in New Orleans, LA
Notes for Jean Baptiste Derbes:
- The first Derbes to have gone to Louisiana, to find his uncle Fortune Pene.
- 1830 St. Martinsville, St. Martin, LA (p. 109): J.B. Derbes
- 27 November 1850 St. Martinville, St. Martin, LA: Jean Bte. Derbes 48 (Fr) lawyer [$1200 real estate], Elmire 43, Clara 14, Estelle 24, St. Cere 9, Sosthene 6; Sosthene Theriot 24, Ida 22, Rose 4, Blanche 4, Etienne 2.
- 1855 N.O. City Directory: J.B. Derbes, firm J.B. Bellocq & Co., d. Gentilly road, n. St. Bernard Ave.
2- Louis Ciergi Derbes b: 1804 in Marseille, France; d: Aft. 1884
+Therese Vaccon d: Aft. 1884
3- Albert Derbes b: Abt. 1810 in Toulon, France
4- Alexandre Laurent Marius Derbes b: 10 August 1813 in Toulon, France (baptism: 12 August 1813 Toulon, France); d: 12 February 1867 in New Orleans, LA; burial: 13 February 1867 St. Louis Cem. #1, N.O.
+Marie Clemence Valie b: 1817; m: 3 May 1834 in New Orleans, LA; d: 13 November 1887 in New Orleans, LA; burial: 14 November 1887 St. Louis Cem. #1, N.O.
Notes for Alexandre Laurent Marius Derbes:
- From The "Foreign French", Nineteenth-Century French Immigration into Louisiana, Vol. 1, 1820-1839, by Carl A. Brasseaux: Derbas, age 15, sex M, occupation not given, native of Toulon, France, ship Susan, port/dept Marseilles, arrival Sept. 25, 1827, destination New Orleans. (note: Hypolite Gilly was on the same ship)
- 18 June 1870 New Orleans, Orleans, LA (7th ward, p. 60): Clemence Derbes 53 keeps house, $800 personal, Mary 18 at home, Edward 14 at school, Steven 12 at school
- Pioneer member of the St. Martin bar.
- A U.S. Consul to Marseilles, France.
- [Louisiana Historical Society Quarterly Vol. #14, #3 pg. 404] - Since I am in the midst of the subject of jokes it would probably be better to finish it. So I am going to tell you about a man who allows himself this thing rather often. It would been slight debauch of the mind in two acts, if I told you here some of the play on words in which Mr. Derbes indulges. I assure you that he does not do things by the halves when he starts anything. It is all the more strange since he is an alderman of the best sort. You don't still trust in the thousand rumors that have run through the world for centuries! People had up to this time stubbornly insisted on badigeoning the alderman with stateliness from head to foot, and clapping him on a horse as one of the police force. Really that was a scarecrow to place in the garden to frighten the pigeons. Thanks to the amusing witticisms of M. Derbes, it is now proved that there is no truth to the whole matter. The alderman can converse, he can laugh, and he can even make puns. He takes care not to compromise himself to the point of crying out: "except for the police there is no safety at all." I don't know whether M. Garbelle, who has had so many good ideas, has had one in respect to M. Derbes. The new statuette would not spoil the curious collection which the witty artist has made for himself. He would add to the society a lovable man and one of fine sense, which is even better. If he has not yet considered the subject which I indicated to him I shall ask him look out the corner of his eye; he will see what a spicy pie can result from his fingers. M. Derbes is one of the most useful alderman of the first municipality. The frequenters of the council chamber will tell you that he scrupulously leaves his jokes at the door. It is a laudable sacrifice that he makes to the public cause. He knows upon what occasion to defend his opinions firmly. He expresses himself correctly in French; he speaks English a trifle better than I speak Chinese. But he is equal to it, nothing stops him. When he does not find the English word he doesn't lose time in deploring the poverty of that language, and I assure you that his opponents know it well. In discussion he carries the same courtesy, the same integrity that distinguishes him in his ordinary relationships. He understands humor and indulges in it with a charm which has often captivated me. As a man of the public he is a good citizen, as a private man he is an agreeable companion.
- Marriage, State of Louisiana Parish of Orleans No. 1723 30 April 1834. Contract of marriage between Monsieur Alexandre Derbes and Mademoiselle Clemence Vallie'. The year one thousand eight hundred and thirty four, the 30th of April before (parvenent is a legal term and means in the presence of a notary) Louis Feraud, Notary Public in and for the Parish and the City of New Orleans and in the presence of the witnesses expressly named, and subscribed to, below. Were present Mr. Alexandre Derbes, dwelling in this city, age 20 years and ten months, born at Toulon, France, legitimate son of Mr. Charles Dominique Derbes and of Madame Suzanne Penne both living and dwelling together in Toulon---. The said Alexandre Derbes in the presence of Mr. Louis Exnicios, the curator ad hoc, named by the Court of Proofs in this city, this day, the 30th of April on the one hand and Dlle Clemence Valie' acting to those present in the presence and consent of her mother, above named and on the other hand. The which said, Monsieur Alexandre Derbes and Dlle Clemence Valie' have promised and by the present promise solemnly to unite themselves in legitimate marriage according to the laws of the said State and the rites of the Roman Catholic Church, conformably to the religion which they profess at the first request to both and in contemplation of the said future marriage have agreed to the following matrimonial conventions: The future spouse stipulate expressly that there will be separation of property between them, excluding from the community by express clauses. The possessions of the future bride consists of a trousseau and furniture specifically estimated to be 600 piastres (old word for dollar) which she has given as a dowry, and in virtue of these presents, the celebration of the future marriage must be considered valid and must be so considered on each part as definitive. The future spouse states by her procurer the funds to be irrevocable to the future spouse, but giving him the most ample powers of managing and administrating in his quality the future goods and businesses of the future wife in whatever these may consist in their marriage. The goods present, and to come in the future are and remain to each respectively professed and paraphernal, to be submitted to the dispositions of the laws of this state relative to contracts of marriage with clause of separation of goods. This act, made and passed in New Orleans, in the said city, month and year as above in the presence of MM Edward Briggs and Robert Preaus,--- Witnesses required and living in this city who have signed with the said Notary, after the instrument having been read. Translated from the French.
5- Charles Derbes b: Abt. 1815 in Toulon, France
+Baptiste Delarue
6- Jules Derbes b: Abt. 1817 in Toulon, France
+Virginie -----
Notes for Jules Derbes:
- A Knight of the Legion of Honeur
7- Joseph Jean Francois Derbes b: 27 December 1820 in Toulon, Var, France; d: 2 March 1874 in New Orleans, LA
+J. Emerite F. Lasalle b: 1 October 1830 in house on corner Conde & Dumaine, New Orleans, LA; m: Abt. 1849 in Louisiana; d: 30 August 1877 in New Orleans, LA; burial: 31 August 1877 New Orleans, St. Louis Cem. #1/2
Notes for Charles Dominique Derbes:
- From The New Orleans Genesis, vol. 25, #98, April 1986, pp. 175-7, Vincent J. Derbes:
“Charles Dominique Derbes married Rose Angelique Belande 26 June 1792, daughter of Pierre Bellande, dock hand of wheat, and of Honorade Bremond; there were no children.
The Derbes and Pene families were royalists, as was also their entourage. King Louis XVI was guillotined in Paris 21 January 1793; popular uprisings occurred in various regions and on the 19th of December the republicans seized Toulon which had been given to the English and the Spaniards. There followed a bloody repression; thousands of Toulonnais were massacred; about 10,000 others were able to escape to Italy, Spain, even England. The families Pene and Derbes took refuge in Marseille, only Angelique Bellande, wife of Charles Derbes was imprisoned; she was one of a dozen young women guillotined in public 31 March 1794, at dusk, at the end of a day of republican festivals.
Charles Dominique Derbes sent his eldest son Jean Baptiste from Toulon to Louisiana, whose letter to his parents, on his arrival at the Attakapas, has been recovered and cited in the Appendix.
Charles Dominique Derbes, a refugee in Marseille after the capture of Toulon by the republicans, lived near the Pene family, and there he married Suzanne Pene 29 October 1801. Two children were born at Marseille: Jean Baptiste 19 July 1802; and Louis Ciergi in 1804. Ciergi is the Provencal name of Cyr, a name which one finds again in the family in Louisiana.
In 1801 the emigrees could reenter Toulon under certain conditions; Charles Derbes made his declaration. On 17 July 1801 the Municipal Council took action on his request in the sense that it was sent to Superior Authority. He was only able to enter Toulon in 1805, with his wife and 2 boys. He no longer had his business and was forced to take humble jobs. In 1806 he was a sailor, in 1808 delivered foodstuffs to the Arsenal. When he died in 1834 he was sub-Adjutant of chiourme (this word has 2 meanings, gang of convicts or rowers of a galley; the first seems the more logical); he dwelt Chemin de la Valete. His wife Suzanne Pene had a milliners' shop, where her son Albert succeeded after her death.
Material life was difficult for this family after new births increased its size almost yearly; even after the Restoration, King Louis XVIII, who had for his first aim to restore the country ruined by the revolution was not able to indemnify the royalists who had sacrificed themselves for him. Thus therefore when Fortune PENNE wrote to his parents that he could place a son of his sister Suzanne in his prosperous business, Jean Baptiste DERBES, the eldest son took voyage without delay for Louisiana; later on 3 of his brothers followed and the DERBES family multiplied in America.”
Contributed by Jean-Remy Le Chapelain: In December 1793 Charles Derbes ordered a company of gunners to the defense of Toulon against the republican troops. He was unable to save his wife Rose Belande from the guillotine. He then joined the army of Condé in Germany, in the legion of Roger Damas, taking part in 7 years of campaigns in Bade, Wurtemberg, Bavaria, with the exile in Ukraine, etc. until the dismissal of the army in Yugoslavia in 1801. Not being allowed to return to Toulon, he contacted his Penne friends in Marseilles where he married Suzanne Penne. In 1804, he again took service as a sub-commissioner in the imperial Navy. Then, wishing to lead a more sedentary life for family reasons, Charles transferred to the framing of the penal colony which depended on the Commissairiat of the Navy. He died in service.
Parents of Charles Dominique Derbes
Parents of Suzanne Marie Fortunee Pene
Back to Wendy’s Ancestral Tree
Last updated: 9 December 2007