(cont...)
Jean Boutefoy joined Threadneedle Street, on 7 July 1678, with a testimony from the Huguenot Chapel at Charenton.
This was France's biggest and main Huguenot Temple, built on the outskirts of Paris, to minister to the cities large Protestant population. It's size and proximity to the centre of power meant it was one of the earliest targets for persecution, and was one of the first torn down after the revocation of the edit of Nantes in 1685. There is a good site on this below:
http://www.crommelin.org/history/Ancestors/Scheffer/Charenton/Charenton.htmJean himself seems to have been born in a village a bit further North as he was married in London 3 years later:
"Jean Bouttefoy, a native of Bouttavan in the Bauvoisain, son of Charles Bouttefoy and Catherine Deshay, and Anne Maison, native of London, daughter of Richard Maison and Anne Devine, Oct 2, Produced a certificate announcing their intention (to marry) 16 Ocotber 1681. "They were then after married on 29 October 1681 at St Dunstans ,Stepney, with Annes surname anglicised to 'Anne Home'.
By "Bouttavan in the Bauvoisain" he would likely be referring to the small village of Boutavent, in the outer region of the larger town of Bauvais, approx 120 km north of Paris.
They had the follwing children, most baptised at Threadneedle Street:
Jean Boutefoy circa 1683.
Ann Boutefois 1686
(Godparents Henry Respeaux and Filis Marie)Elizabeth Boutefoy 1689
(Godparents Jacques Curry and Elizabeth Riousset)Marie Boutefoy 1692
(Godparents Solomom Saual and Maire Joleuse)
Elizabeth Boutefoy 1696
( Godparents Jean Houle and Elizabeth Nialienne)Pierre Boutefoy 1699
(Godparents Pierre Riousset and Elizabeth Dieq)The baptism of the youngest, son Pierre, gives the aditional info Jean was living in Gray Eagle Street, Stepney (Spitalfields) and was a Silk Weaver.
Now the interesting thing is in the daughter Elizabeths godfather Jacques Curry.
Gabriel Boutefoy stood as godfather in 1678 to a Nicholas Currys daughter Judith, alongside the wife of a Jacques Curry. So there is one link between Gabriel and Jean there already.
However most significantly, Jean died young around 1704/5. His daughter Marie, b.1692, was married off unusually young soon after, aged just 14, to an Estienne Joyeaux and admitted to the Threadneedle Street Church as an adult at 15, on 25 sep 1706.
Now her husband Estienne Joyeux was baptised at Threadneedle Street in 1681, the son of Estienne Joyeux and his wife Marie Goujon. His godfather was Gabriel Boutefoy!
In addition his parents marriage shows his fathers mother was also a Boutefoy..
"Estienne Joyeux, of Paris, the son of Estienne Joyeaux and Marthe Boutefoi married Marie Goujon 1679 Dec"
Again Paris coming up as place of origin. Therefore I think the Joyeauxs and both Gabriel and Jean Buotefoy were all related and originally from Paris.
Incidently there is also a link with one of my own families, the Bacheliers. Jean stood as a godfather alongside a Madelaine Bachelier, to a Susanne Clarke at Threadneedle Street in 1702. The Bacheliers were also from outskirts of Paris and used the Charenton Temple, so another bit of circumstanstial evidence placing them there.
Why Gabriel came to London as early as 1662/3 I do not know. The vast majority came from 1678 onwards. However Louis XIV reached his majority not long before this and began his long personal rule of France in 1661 at age of 22. Though he initially promised to uphold the rites and liberties of the Protestants in his kingdom, small scale persecutions and backward legislation did start from this point on, and gradually gathered pace and momentum in the following years. Perhaps being in Paris, as stated earlier, they were hit earlier than most by these measures.
Regards
Richard