François Savoie

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LHXQ-QBY

François Savoie is the Ancestral Patriarch of the Acadian Savoie Family

François Savoie was born 1621 in France based on census reports [1], but his birth record has not been found.

Regarding François' location of birth, genealogist <Stephen A. White> remains silent.[2] However, linguist <Geneviève Massignon> [3] speculated that he may have come from <Martaizé>, near Loudun, France, because the name Savoie is among the many Acadian names that are found in the nearby Seigneury d'Aulnay (comprising of the villages of Angliers, Aulnay, Martaizé and La Chausée).[4]. A 2021 search of the indexed parish registers in the immediate vicinity of these villages show 43 baptism, marriages, or burials of a "Savoie" between the years 1600 and 1650, demonstrating that the surname was not uncommon in that region.

It has been said that he was the illegitimate son of Tommaso Francesco di Savoia, but that claim is perhaps the wishful thinking of researchers who want to find a royal connection. [10].

François probably came to Acadia around 1643. The time and location of his death are not known; he was living in 1671 and not in 1678.

Y Haplogroup from SNP : R1b-M269→Z367 (R-M269→Z367)

Family

From Généalogie des Français d'Amérique du Nord (Genealogy of French in North America) <link>

The family of François SAVOIE and Catherine LEJEUNE [85608] SAVOIE, François (..), ploughman (laboureur), born about 1621 (rec. 1671), died between census 1671 and census 1678 Port-Royal (Acadie) Him : Origin : would be from Martaizé (860149) (nom existe), but records are missing and there is no trace of that person (Origine : serait de Martaizé (860149) (nom existe), mais registres lacunaires et aucune trace de lui)

Married about 1651, from .. (Acadie) LEJEUNE, Catherine, born about 1633 (rec. 1671)

• 1) Andrée, married about 1683 Jean PRÉGENT dit LEBRETON
• 2) Catherine, married about 1676 François LEVRON
• 3) Françoise, born about 1653 (rec. 1671, rec. 1686) or 1652 (rec. 1693) Port-Royal (Acadie), died 1711-12-27, buried Port-Royal (Acadie), married about 1670 Jean CORPORON
• 4) Germain, married about 1678 Marie BRAULT dit VINCELOTTE
• 5) Jeanne, born about 1658 (1671), 1657 (rec. 1686), 1658 (rec. 1693), 1665 (rec. 1698), 1657 (rec. 1699) or 1656 (rec. 1701) Port-Royal (Acadie), died 1735-11-03, buried 1735-11-04 Port-Royal (Acadie), married about 1675 Étienne PELLERIN
• 6) Marie1, born about 1656 (rec. 1699), married about 1675 Jacques TRIEL dit LAPERRIÈRE
• 7) Marie2, married about 1688 Gabriel ou Pierre CHIASSON

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According to the 1671 Port Royal Census, Francois 50 was a farmer, Catherine 38, one married daughter - Francoise 18, Germain 16, Marie 14, Jeanne 13, Catherine 9, Francois 8, Barnabe 6, Andree 4, Marie 1-1/2. They had 4 cattle and 6 arpents of land.

Biography

“Oral tradition and some Acadian/Cajun genealogists have attributed François Savoie (1621-1678), the patriarch of the Cajun Savoie family of Louisiana and Canada, as an illegitimate son of Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignan; however, this has been a rather disputed claim.”

“French Peasant or Italian Prince – François Joseph Savoie” (2018)

François Joseph Savoie has perhaps gained more notoriety centuries after his death than he had during his life. He was born in about 1621 and made his way to the colony of Acadia during the 1640s. He settled in Port-Royal, and in about 1651, he married Catherine Lejeune, who is believed to have been born in France in about 1633. They had nine children born between about 1653 and 1669.

The entire family was listed in the 1671 Acadia census as living in Port-Royal, with François being a farmer. Despite the large number of people in his household, he only owned 4 cattle and no sheep. Oldest daughter Françoise was listed a second time in the household next door as the 18-year-old wife of Jean Corporan and mother of a newborn daughter.

It's unknown when François and his wife Catherine died. Like most early settlers of Acadia, within a couple of generations, their descendants scattered to a number of places in America, many of them ending up in Louisiana. Amongst some descendants, stories were passed down that claimed François was not a Frenchman — that he was actually the illegitimate son of an Italian nobleman named <Tomaso Francesco>, making him a “prince.” While this story hasn’t been disproven, there’s no documentation to back it up. Other research has shown there was a family named Savoie in the village of Martaizé, France, and other Acadian families appear to be from the same area. This seems a more likely place of origin for François.

Timeline

• Occupation: labourer
• Census: 1671 Port Royal; François Sçavois, 50, laborer. 4 head of cattle, 10 arpents workable land. The only known documentation on him. (Census PR 1671 50a - «laboureur, 4 bêtes à cornes, 6 arpents en labour»).
• Immigration: ABT 1643 Port Royal
• Event: Historical Note probably came to Canada from La Chausee, Martaise, Grand-Poitou, Vienne, France but there are no record of him there or any other Savoies in that period.
• Event: Name Variations "Sçavois" as per 1671 census
• Event: NB surname appeared regularly in Brittany, Paris and Val d'Aosta in that period. Spelled SAVOYE in parts of Italy directly bordering on France.
• Event: Census Note 1671 the census was taken by Pere Laurent Molin, Cordelier

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Notes

Birth seen as 04/07/1621 without reference

arrivé en Acadie vers 1643. Souche des Savoie au Canada. Nous ne connaissons pas exactement le lieu de naissance de François en France. Nous ne savons pas si François était marié ou célibataire lorsqu'il quitta la France. Toutefois, selon Fidèle Thériault, François serait né de la paroisse de Martaizé dans le Poitou, en France.

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From a resource: Acadians Who Found Refuge in Louisiana, February 1764-early 1800s

SAVOIE/SAVOY [sah-VWAH, sah-VOY] ACADIA

Francois Savoie, a farmer from Martaize, near Loudun, south of the Loire valley in France, born in c1621, came to Acadia probably in the 1640s and married Catherine, sister of Edmée Lejeune, wife of early Acadian settler Francois Gautrot. Francois Savoie and Catherine Lejeune had nine children, only two of them sons: Germain, born at Port-Royal in c1654, and Francois, fils, in c1663. Their six daughters married into the Corporon, Triel dit Laperrière, Pellerin, Levron dit Nantois, Préjean dit Le Breton, and Chiasson families.

Germain was the only one of Francois's son to create a family of his own. In c1678, he married Marie, daughter of Vincent Breau dit Vincelotte, at Port-Royal. Germain and Marie remained in the Port-Royal area and had a dozen children, including five sons, all born at Port-Royal, who created families of their own. Three of their daughters married into the Blanchard, Babineau dit Deslauriers, and Poirier families.

Oldest son Germain, fils, born in c1682, married Geneviève, daughter of Nicolas Babineau, at Port-Royal in January 1709. They had 10 children, including fives sons who married into the Landry, Blanchard, Martin, and Bourg families. Three of their daughters married into the Dupuis, Pellerin, and Lanoue families. Germain, fils and his family also remained in the Port-Royal area.

Francois, born in c1684, married Marie-Josèphe, daughter of Alexandre Richard, at Port-Royal in November 1707. They had 13 children, including seven sons who married into the Thibodeau, Haché, Comeau, Arcand, Richard, Arseneau, Préjean, Lord, and Melanson families. Five of their daughters married into the Arseneau, Comeau, Hébert dit Manuel, and Thibodeau families.

Jean, born in c1692, married first to Marie, daughter of Jean Dupuis, at Port-Royal in November 1718, and then to Ursule, daughter of Pierre Thibodeau le jeune, probably at Port-Royal in c1745.

Paul, born in c1696, married Judith, daughter of Jacques Michel, at Port-Royal in November 1722. Unlike his father and his brothers, who remained at Port-Royal, Paul and his family moved to Chepoudy probably in the 1720s.

Youngest son Charles, born in May 1703, married Francoise, daughter of Étienne Martin, at Port-Royal in January 1730. ...

“The Savoie surname is common, not only in New Brunswick, but also throughout North America. It is found in several regions of Canada, in New England and in Louisiana. However, the origin of the name is still obscure. Some allege that the surname was borne by persons who came originally from the French Department of Savoie. The esurname was already well established in France during the 17th century. There are several ancient French spellings for the name such as Savoy, Savoye, Savoix, Savois, Scavoie, and Scavois. Savoie is the first spelling which has prevailed over the others. The Acadian Savoie family is descended from only one pioneer, François Savoie who was born in France in 1621. He came to Acadia around 1642 during the administration of governor Charles de Menou d'Aulnay. Unfortunately, the precise birth place is not known. Genevieve Massignon was one of the first historians to systematically study the French archives for the origins of the Acadian families. During the course of her research she discovered in ancient parish registers the name of several families known in Acadia. The Savoies are among them. René Perron, of the Amitiés Acadiennes Association recently found in one of the parish registers of LaFerté-Gaucher, west of, Paris, the baptismal certificate of a daughter of one "François Savoye" baptized in November 1617. Upon his arrival in Acadia, François Savoie settled at Port-Royal. By 1671 he was married and the father of nine children, including three sons. His wife, Catherine Lejeune, was the sister of Edmée Lejeune, wife of another Acadian pioneer, François Gautreau.

[Telegraph-Journal, Wednesday, August 10, 1994; p. A8; contributed by Fidele Theriault of Fredericton, New Brunswick]

Origins Discussions

• “Is Francois Savoie really the son of Tomaso?”
• “Francois Joseph Savoie SOLVED”
• “Francois Savoie Oral Tradition discusion”
• Augustines Alley blog on how Francios Joseph Savoie's descendants passed down knowledge of their origins THE DUCHY OF SAVOY AND THE INHERITANCE OF OUR FAITH
• https://beaugrand.wordpress.com/2010/07/04/history-of-the-reginment...
• http://www.acadian-home.org/carignan-regiment.html
• speculative parentage issues. Tommaso Francesco di Savoia, principe di Carignano & Marie de Bourbon-Soissons
• See “Discussion of Tomasso as parent of Francois” document attached

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From http://www.geni.com/discussions/68785?msg=770652&page=1

A discussion of the lineage of Mr. Savoie concluded with a spokesperson for the House of Savoy who stated in rebuttal to any suggestion that Francois Joseph Savoie was related to Prince Tomasso Francesco di Savoia:

"While I can appreciate the conviction of your genealogical pursuit, I must say that I am truly appalled by the letter written to the Real Casa di Savoia.

What outright arrogance! And to not have the decency or cultural sense to address the family properly! The spoken style for both HRH the Duke of Aosta and HRH the Duke of Apulia are just that! (HRH) - His Royal Highness.

I nearly fainted upon seeing a comment that suggested taking an illegal swab of the Family! Some jokes are simply not acceptable.

I think we must all remember - "La nobiltà non è cosa che si acquista nascendo, ma virtuosamente vivendo" ;) Might I say that keeping this in mind, the genealogy has already been decided. Hopes and dreams.

Enjoy the history that you have. It starts in 1621 and Not earlier until you've produced some archival evidence. And please, carissimi, do keep in mind that even if some link is made (and as you were informed - it is nothing but fanciful to even consider) you certainly have absolutely no claims of any sort any place whatsoever! The forumist suggesting otherwise ought to be examined for insanity.

Descendants 400 years removed, connected BY AN ILLEGITIMATE offspring, never recognized, would continue to hold precisely NO connection to the Real Casa ... and never will. Do you know how many royal houses have 150 year illegitimately connected offspring that nobody cares about and have no claim to a thing? Plenty running around Europe right now. So understand dismissal of the Real Casa di Savoia and know that the Burden of Proof lies in your hands.

Until then.

Distinti Saluti, VdCB"

So remember that the connection is spurious and considered fanciful but the discussion over how generations of Francois Savoy related families believed the connection to be true is a history in and of itself.

Footnotes

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Savoie-9
• 1. (He was 50 years old at the time of the 1671 census.) Tim Hebert; Transcription of the 1671 Acadian Census, at Port-Royal, Acadie. 1671 Census Transcribed. The original census can be found at Census microfilm C-2572 of the National Archives of Canada “Acadie Recensements 1671 – 1752” Images 3-14. Francois SAVOYE, 50, wife, Catherine LeJEUNE 38; children: Francoise 18, Germain 17, Marie 14, Jeanne 13, Catherine 9, Françoise 8, Barabe 6, Andree 4, Marie 2; cattle 4, 6 arpents. Note: there is an error in this English translation; baby Marie is 11/2 years in the French Census (See image to the right). <link>
• 2. White, Stephen A., Patrice Gallant, and Hector-J Hébert. Dictionnaire Généalogique Des Familles Acadiennes. Moncton, N.-B.: Centre D'études Acadiennes, Université De Moncton, 1999, Print. p. 1456-1457.
• 3. Massignon, Geneviève. "Les parlers français d'Acadie, enquête linguistique", Librairie Klincksieck, Paris, 1962, 2 tomes. p32 (first French families in Acadia; p36. Savoie is found in the Seigneury of d'Aulnay in France; p49 Savoie family. <GoogleBooks>
• 4. Leclerc, Jacques, L'aménagement linguistique dans le monde, accessed at Les origines françaises des Acadiens. <link> Google translate: According to linguist Geneviève Massignon, author of the book Les parles français en Acadie (1962), it was no coincidence that a few dozen settlers left the Loudunais region for Acadie. Although Isaac de Razilly, governor of Acadia from 1632 to 1635, as well as one of his successors, <Charles de Menou d'Aulnay> (from 1642 to 1650), were not from Loudunais, because they were born a little further north in Touraine, they owned land in the Loudunais. They would thus have trained young peasants from this region to found a French colony in New France: the Babins, Brault, Bourg, Gautreau, Landry, Savoie, Belliveau, Brun, Dupuis, Girouard, Leblanc, Thériault, Blanchard, Gaudet, Rodichaux , Chebrat, etc. In total, 89 families would be the first ancestors of some 300,000 Acadians. <map>
• 5. Karen Theriot Reader François Savoie citing Bona Arsenault, HISTOIRE ET GENEALOGIE DES ACADIENS; 1625-1810; Ottawa, Editions Lemeac, 1978, 6 vols.; p. 794 (Port Royal); "Doubtlessly" originally from Martaizé, department of Vienne, France (cites Massignon, vol. 1, p. 49), Francois arrived in Acadia around 1643, and married around 1652 to Catherine LEJEUNE (no parents listed); they had nine children.
• 6. Raymonde Blanchard. "Complexe Savoie: un court historique des Savoie de Néguac." Les Cahiers de la Société historique acadienne, décembre 2009 vol. 40 no.4, p. 147-148. accessed on 9 September 2019 at <PDF>
• 7. White, Stephen A. La généalogie des trente-sept familles hôtesses des ""Retrouvailles 94"", Les Cahiers de la Société historique acadienne, vol. 25, nos 2 et 3 (1994). SAVOIE, 37 Families <PDF>
• 8. Translated by J.R. Theriault: ‘Histoire et Genealogie des Acadiens, Histoire des Acadiens’, Tomes I and II, Bona Arsenault, Television de la Baie des Chaleurs Inc. <link>
• 9. From Raymond Lafleur: “The surname of Francois is not circumstantial evidence. Savoie is not a rare or uncommon surname in western France. Of the parish registers indexed and online thus far, there are over 75 individual baptismal, marriage and death records of a "Savoie" between 1600 and 1650 in France, most in the western regions, specifically Maine-et-Loire and adjacent departments; precisely where researchers speculate is the region where Francois Savoie originated and where the Seigneur D'Aulnay recruited from.” (Comment at <Wikitree>)
• 10. <ACADIAN MYTHS> MYTH # 2: Francois Savoie's parents are unknown. He was NOT of the House of Savoy. [This is a 'nobility myth' that has no basis and is merely wishful thinking! Such unfounded claims were often made, when the researchers payment was based on 'finding' nobility]! Posted on the 'Acadian and Cajun Genealogy, History, Culture and Music' Facebook Group by Paul Leblanc on 07-15-2011.

References

• Columbia Encyclopedia 1935 & Grolier Enc.1992. From: Family Sheet Source: Columbia Encyclopedia 1935 & Grolier Enc.1992.
• "Histoire et Genealogie des Acadiens” (1950s)
• Terrebonne Life Lines, vol. 17, p. 16 & 17. "From the House of Savoy to the Farmer" by Alton Henry Detiveaux
• Source = Genealogy of French in North America (http://www.francogene.com/genealogie-quebec-genealogy/085/085608.php)
• http://www.acadiansingray.com/Appendices-ATLAL-SAVOIE-SAVOY.htm
• http://savoiegenealogy.blogspot.com/
• https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/frenchheritage/surnames R1b is the haplogroup for Francois Savoie
• A patrilineal descendant of Carlo Alberto di Savoia (a member of the same House of Savoy) took a DNA test on FamilyTree DNA and got haplogroup EL-117 (E-M35). See: https://www.familytreedna.com/public/Italy?iframe=yresults R1b is the haplogroup for Francois Savoie. E-3b for the Savoia royal male descendants. And, R1b happens to be the predominant haplogroup in the western region of France and the many Savoie descendants in that area.
• 1671 Acadie Census - shown to be 50 years old which estimates birth c.1621.
• See the extract from “Savoy Heritage: 1621 to the Present.” (1983). Louis German Savoy, link (also on “Sources” tab)
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/123968183/francois-savoie
• La seigneurie de Charles de Menou d’Aulnay, gouverneur de l’Acadie, 1635-1650. By Geneviève Massignon <PDF>
• Oral tradition - John Albert Despres <link>
• Oral tradition - Joseph Bolton <link>