France : George BLENNERHASSET of Brittainy

[Bottlebrush]

Hi, I am trying to find the death record of George Blennerhasset Williams who had served as a Lieutenant in 3rd Battalion of the Royal Veterans of Great Britain in the Department of Morbihan Basse Brittainy. He was about 65 when he died so maybe he was a retired soldier.

His Will was written in France on 14th November 1844 and registered in France on 22nd November 1844. It was translated into English and registered in London (PCC) on 23rd July 1847. His Will states that he resided in Faouet Pontion Morbihan.

I would be most grateful if someone could tell me if it is possible to access George's death record from Morbihan and if so, how do I go about this. I live in Australia so a personal visit to France is not possible (unfortunately).

Any help would be most appreciated  ,
Thank you
Bottlebrush

[jorose]

Hi there,

I've moved your post as it was on the "resources" board which is for posting existing resources, not requesting them.

Morbihan department archives do have records online:
http://recherche.archives.morbihan.fr/archive/recherche/etatcivil/n:6

I believe the place you are looking for is Le Faouët, in Pontivy Arrondissment, Morbihan.  However, I can't see his death there. It is possible he was residing there but died in another location (visiting relatives, medical treatment, etc), and there is no simple way to search across the department (or beyond).

Are there any other places in France mentioned in the probate documents or where you know other family members resided?
Who witnessed his will when it was written in France?
Where were the rest of his family (siblings, children, or whoever his money was left to)?

[jorose]

I took another look at some wider indexes for Brittany, and you're in luck! There was a reference to a Williams death in Carhaix, across in Finistre (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carhaix-Plouguer ).  Despite being in a different department this is not that far from Le Faouët, so he could well have simply been visiting.

http://mnesys-portail.archives-finistere.fr/?id=recherche_etat_civil
 His death can be accessed via this site. He is in 1847 deaths for Carhaix, acte number #50

His death was registered 15th June 1847 (but died 7pm the previous day). He is given as aged 68, a native of Ireland, his parents not known but his wife was Marguerite Vernon.  His residence is given as Saint-Servan. He died at the house of a Monsieur Phelps.

[Bottlebrush]

Hi Jorose,
That is absolutely wonderful - thank you so much! This explains the lag time in his Will of 1844 and Probate in London in 1847. More importantly, it absolutely confirms his birth place as Ireland. Interesting about his wife as Marguerite VERNON as he married a Margaret O"CONNOR in 1806. 

Thank you so much 

[jorose]

Perhaps he was ill or something else happened in 1844 that made him want to update his will - any hints in who and how he leaves his money? By 1847 he'd moved up to Saint-Servan (near Saint-Malo), at least, according to the informants at death (who were not relatives).

It seems there was a hospice/hospital in Carhaix, might have been part of the reason he was there?
http://images-00.delcampe-static.net/img_large/auction/000/295/340/423_001.jpg

Incidentally, do you know the Emily Olivia Vernon Williams, b. France ~1833 and married in Southwark  in 1855?  It appears she's his daughter, presumably the daughter of Marguerite Vernon?

The Gentleman's Magazine reported his death in 1847 - minus the Williams!
June 14 - At Carhaix, France, George Blennerhassett, Lieut. 3d R. Vet. Batt. late of Faonet and St. Servan

[Bottlebrush]

That is wonderful information, thank you once again. I knew about Emily (Amelia in the Will translation) as George left his Estate to her and also to his housekeeper Anna (I can't read her surname - it's in Ancestry Wills & probate but writing is difficult). I see now that one of the witnesses to her marriage was Julia Williams - she was another daughter. I have wondered if they were born in Guernsey as one of George's sons, Conway James George was born there in 1823. George and his wife were in Canada as George was with the 100th Regiment - William Henry Williams was born there in 1812 and a daughter Olivia Elizabeth in 1814 (I have those records). No more children until Julia 1820, Conway 1823, John Frederick 1825 and Emily 1828 (I found the names of the children and birth dates in some of George's military records) plus the date of his marriage to Margaret in Sligo Ireland in 1805. Conway's death record in 1875 gives his mother as Margaret O'Connor - I wonder if George married again to Margaret Vernon or is it the same person? His military record in 1828 only names one wife. More mysteries. Thank you for you help, Jorose, and your time.

[Bottlebrush]

Hi Jorose, Can you tell me how you found the entry for George in the Gentleman's magazine? I have searched for a site but I don't think I have the right website as I come up with nothing when I search. I see Ancestry has some but my search proved fruitless.

Also, can you tell me how you found the death record of George? Did you 'browse' lots of records or were you able to do a name search on a particular site? I want to try to find out if Margaret Vernon died in Brittany  - perhaps her record might help to solve the puzzle of her name.

This is the first time I have had to search for French records - I am learning so much! Thank you

[jorose]

Gentleman's magazine snippets from: https://books.google.com/

The reference to Carhaix I found at http://www.geneanet.org/ , although on the free search only that there was a death 1847 in Carhaix came up.  Indexes aren't complete but it can give you an idea of locations to look.

[Bottlebrush]

Thanks once again, Jorose. I tracked down the notice in the Gentleman's Magazine. I'm afraid I find the other site very difficult to navigate once I get to a certain point - my French lets me down. I learnt it at school but that was SO long ago. Emily Olivia Williams birth place is given as Avenche, Aranche in 1861 Census (depending on Website) and Avarandre in 1871. I have searched and searched for a name like these but I guess the Census taker didn't know quite how to spell the name of the locality/town/commune. Given that you seem to be very familiar with all things French, do you have any idea where it might be? I am guessing somewhere in Brittany but that is purely a guess.