Ancestry of Philippe Mius d'Entremont ... - Lagenealogy.net
Ancestry of Philippe Mius d'Entremont ... - Lagenealogy.net
Ancestry of Philippe Mius d'Entremont ... - Lagenealogy.net
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<strong>Ancestry</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Philippe</strong> <strong>Mius</strong> d’Entremont<br />
For more on this topic see http://LAgenealogy.<strong>net</strong>/mius.aspx.<br />
Introduction<br />
The first known mention <strong>of</strong> the Acadian <strong>Mius</strong> d’Entremont ancestry follows in a letter<br />
(in italics, later to become a controversy as to whether <strong>Philippe</strong> <strong>Mius</strong> d’Entremont and<br />
wife, Madeleine Helie, were the same people as Francois Virgine Bon, baron de<br />
Meuillon et de Montauban, ct. d’Entremont and wife, Madeleine du Tillet).<br />
Note: Others translated the letter from a copy <strong>of</strong> a letter in French, found at the residence<br />
<strong>of</strong> Eugene à Hilaire <strong>d'Entremont</strong>, posthumously. According to the translator, the letter<br />
was not signed, but Father Clarence <strong>d'Entremont</strong> (d.1998) believed that it was written by<br />
his uncle, Léander <strong>d'Entremont</strong> (full name Henry Leander d’Entremont, 1862-1944,<br />
notable Canadian historian). The main problems with the letter are that it contained no<br />
references, was not addressed, not signed and not dated. Not unusual for casual<br />
correspondence among siblings, but was it truly written by H. Leander <strong>d'Entremont</strong>, the<br />
talented historian?<br />
I don’t know if the original letter or a true photocopy <strong>of</strong> the letter still exists. I have seen<br />
it in typed form, only. I don’t know the identity <strong>of</strong> the translator(s) to give proper credit.<br />
Please contact me if you do (mtaht@cox.<strong>net</strong>). The translation is a bit awkward to read,<br />
made more awkward by my editorial comments.<br />
The letter_in Italics (with my editorial comments)_________________________ _<br />
It is with great pleasure that I tell you I have been successful in finding the complete<br />
<strong>d'Entremont</strong> genealogy, a task that the greatest historians <strong>of</strong> France and Canada have<br />
never been able to complete. (ed. note: The paternal ancestry theory is not mentioned,<br />
where Claude Antoine Bon de Meuillon might have been the son <strong>of</strong> Nicolas <strong>Mius</strong>,<br />
Gaspard de Coligny’s German interpreter [killed defending the wounded Coligny] and<br />
possibly adopted by the Bon de Meuillon family <strong>of</strong> Marseilles.)<br />
In this letter, I will just recount the ancestors <strong>of</strong> <strong>Philippe</strong> <strong>Mius</strong>; later, I hope to write the<br />
complete history in a book. I will start with the great grandfather <strong>of</strong> <strong>Philippe</strong>, as history<br />
dictates.<br />
Sebastien de Montbel, Count <strong>d'Entremont</strong> <strong>of</strong> Montbel, Lord <strong>of</strong> Montellier and <strong>of</strong> Nottage,<br />
Knight in the Order <strong>of</strong> Savoie, was born around 1490 (ed. probably around 1500, parents<br />
married in 1499). He had become heir to Charles de Montbel, Count <strong>d'Entremont</strong>, his<br />
cousin (sic. ed: his father), and married Beatrix Pacheco on 17 September 1539 at the<br />
Castle <strong>of</strong> Chambour; Beatrix Pacheco was lady-in-waiting <strong>of</strong> Queen Eleanore, wife <strong>of</strong><br />
King François I, and daughter <strong>of</strong> the Duke <strong>of</strong> Escalona (sic. ed: actually greatgranddaughter<br />
<strong>of</strong> the past duque). From this marriage he had the following <strong>of</strong>fspring:<br />
Leonor, died as an infant.<br />
Jacqueline, who followed.<br />
Sebastien was also the counsellor <strong>d'Entremont</strong> (<strong>of</strong> Emmanuel?) Philibert, Duke <strong>of</strong><br />
Savoie, and he died in June 1572.<br />
Jacqueline de Montbel, Countess <strong>of</strong> <strong>d'Entremont</strong> and <strong>of</strong> Nottage, heiress <strong>of</strong> the branch,<br />
was born in 1541; she first married in 1561, Claude de Batarnay, Count <strong>of</strong> Boushage,<br />
Baron d'Anthon, who was killed in the battle <strong>of</strong> Saint-Denis in 1567 (ed. new death data<br />
to me), leaving no posterity.
Jacqueline then married Gaspard, second, Count <strong>of</strong> Coligny, Lord <strong>of</strong> Chatillon, Admiral<br />
<strong>of</strong> France, on 25 March 1571. Four months after the death <strong>of</strong> her husband, Jacqueline<br />
gave birth to a girl, Beatrix de Coligny. Jacqueline died in 1599(ed. Others say 6 Jul<br />
1600).<br />
Beatrix, Countess <strong>of</strong> Montbel and <strong>d'Entremont</strong>, Marchioness <strong>of</strong> Montellier and <strong>of</strong> Saint-<br />
André-de-Briord, Lady-in-waiting <strong>of</strong> Catherine, Infanta <strong>of</strong> Spain, Duchess de Savoie,<br />
married Claude Antoine Bon on 30 November 1600; Claude Antoine Bon was Baron <strong>of</strong><br />
Meuillon (ed. and Montauban), Governor <strong>of</strong> Marseilles. This marriage resulted in<br />
several children, to our knowledge:<br />
François Virginie, said <strong>Philippe</strong> <strong>Mius</strong>, Count <strong>d'Entremont</strong> and de Montbel, Marquis <strong>of</strong><br />
Montellier, Lord <strong>of</strong> Chatillon, heir to the legacies <strong>of</strong> his mother, born in 1603 (ed.<br />
interesting, others say 1601 and 1609); he married Madeleine Elie, daughter <strong>of</strong> Elie du<br />
Tillet, Lord <strong>of</strong> Nogeage (ed. note: Nogent) and Francoise de Faucon. <strong>Philippe</strong> left on a<br />
voyage for America in 1651.<br />
N............. de Meuillon, says Abbot <strong>d'Entremont</strong>. The Baron <strong>of</strong> Nottage.<br />
And n....... de Meuillon, Carmelite <strong>of</strong> Chaumont, founder <strong>of</strong> this convent. (the males <strong>of</strong><br />
this house were obliged to carry the arms <strong>of</strong> Montbel <strong>d'Entremont</strong> [ed. both males and<br />
females according to the will <strong>of</strong> Jacqueline cts.d’Entremont de Montbel]).<br />
François Virginie, said <strong>Philippe</strong> <strong>Mius</strong> <strong>d'Entremont</strong>, and his wife, who came to Canada<br />
(Acadia) in 1651, had the following children:<br />
Marie, born in France in 1650 (ed. note: Marie Marguerite, b. around 1650), married<br />
Pierre Melançon.<br />
(ed. note: If ID is true, add Francoise Bon, cts. d’Entremont de Montbel, b. ca.1650/1,<br />
married 21 Apr 1670 to Louis de Romilley/Romille, mq.de La Chesnaye/ Chesnalaye).<br />
See Chesnaye-Desbois, ROM-579. She and posterity remained in France.)<br />
Jacques <strong>Mius</strong> <strong>d'Entremont</strong>, born around 1654, married Marguerite de La Tour.<br />
<strong>Philippe</strong> <strong>Mius</strong> <strong>d'Entremont</strong>, born around 1657, married Anne de La Tour.<br />
Abraham <strong>Mius</strong> <strong>d'Entremont</strong>, born around 1660, married an unidentified woman.<br />
Madeleine, born in 1670, was at Port-Royal in 1686; no further records.<br />
(ed. The author has the names <strong>of</strong> the above three <strong>Mius</strong> wives shuffled, but they are not<br />
relevant to his ancestry topic. Anne was wife <strong>of</strong> Jacques, then flip the other two wives.)<br />
We know the remainder <strong>of</strong> their history since then. It is my understanding that,<br />
<strong>d'Entremont</strong>s who remained in France were descendants (ed. not all, one is a daughter <strong>of</strong><br />
Francois Virginie, see above ed. note) <strong>of</strong> the Baron de Nottage or the Lord <strong>of</strong> Saint-<br />
Maurice, or <strong>of</strong> three other branches <strong>of</strong> the same stock who, by marriage, separated from<br />
our branch. These facts will be written in my manuscripts soon (ed. note: Manuscript<br />
never found. The letter was probably written before Sep 1939, when non-<strong>of</strong>ficial travel<br />
to France was suspended. Leander lived until 1944, the state <strong>of</strong> his health, unknown).<br />
End <strong>of</strong> letter.<br />
Conclusion<br />
Unfortunately, the author gave no references and did not publish the book. Hopefully,<br />
his sources have not been destroyed. The known facts in his letter seem quite accurate<br />
for a casual correspondence with a sibling. The only unverified and most important part<br />
<strong>of</strong> the letter equates <strong>Philippe</strong> <strong>Mius</strong> with Francois Virginie Bon and equates their<br />
respective wives. The stature <strong>of</strong> H. Leander d’Entremont as a recognized historian would<br />
have probably been enough to satisfy genealogical standards had Father Clarence
d’Entremont commented more positively about the authenticity <strong>of</strong> the letter origin<br />
(probable date, Leander’s handwriting verification, etc.).<br />
Leander’s nephew, Father Clarence d’Entremont (d.1998), while a gifted, <strong>of</strong>ten published<br />
Canadian genealogist and historian, always seemed to loose interest “at the boat”<br />
(xenophobic? Huguenot bias?) with his own ancestry as well as with the European<br />
origins <strong>of</strong> other Canadian families. So, we are left with much circumstantial evidence<br />
and no documented facts linking the Acadian lieutenant governor <strong>Philippe</strong> <strong>Mius</strong><br />
d’Entremont (lieutenant to governor Charles de Latour) to Beatrix cts. d’Entremont de<br />
Coligny.<br />
It is believed that <strong>Philippe</strong> <strong>Mius</strong> d’Entremont deliberately hid his true identity in Acadia<br />
to avoid complications from his past Huguenot activities in France. His refusal to speak<br />
with census takers strongly suggests his identity concealment or anonymity. It should be<br />
noted that Cardinal Mazerin succeeded to power after Cardinal Richelieu’s death in 1642.<br />
It is noted that there was a branch <strong>of</strong> the Bon family in Isere, Savoie (home <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Montbel d’Entremont), possibly related to the prominent Bon de Meuillon family <strong>of</strong><br />
Marseilles, Cote d’Azur, Provence. The Norman origin <strong>of</strong> <strong>Philippe</strong> <strong>Mius</strong>, <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
mentioned, might stem from the du Tillet de Nogent family. Spelling <strong>of</strong> Meuillon, an old<br />
title and dominant spelling, varies: Meuilhon, Mouillon, Meouillon, etc. It does not have<br />
a common derivation with the name <strong>Mius</strong>, Meusse.<br />
Francois Virgine Bon descended from Kings Louis VIII <strong>of</strong> France and Henry III <strong>of</strong><br />
England (about 9100 ancestors are compiled at the 32 generations level, the approximate<br />
era <strong>of</strong> Charles Martel). His wife, Madeleine Helie du Tillet de Nogent descends from the<br />
same kings via different paths (6400 ancestors compiled at the 32 generations level).<br />
Together they have about 10100 unique ancestors in my database. Their closest blood<br />
relationship found was 7 th cousins once removed via Jean I sgr.d’Escouens de<br />
Montmorency (ca.1278-1325) and Jeanne de Calletot.<br />
The full, unmodified translated letter is in italics. Editorial notes and comments by<br />
Mike Talbot, 20 Feb 2006.