Felix Ganteaume

Exactly how well the brothers did financially is not currently known. But Félix apparently met, and then on 28 Sep 1887, married Léonie Ana de Bot at the St Thomas the Apostle Cathedral in Bolivar City, Bolivar, Venezuela. Witnessing the ceremony were Juan Bautista Matheson and Marie Matheson (nee Grillet), Florentino Grillet and Eloisa Matheson. Two years later Félix and Léonie had a daughter: Marie Adéle Ebba Ganteaume was born in 1889 in El Callao, Bolivar, Venezuela. Very soon thereafter, in about 1890~1892, Félix died in El Callao, whether from a mining accident, gunfight or illness is not yet known, but Léonie must have been devastated. Thrown together as they were, George perhaps at first lead by a sense of duty or obligation, their shared pain would eventually be soothed by growing feelings for one another. Four years later, on 3 May 1894 it was now George Harris Ganteaume’s turn to marry Léonie Ana de Bot at the St Thomas the Apostle Cathedral in Bolivar City. To do so they were required to obtain a “matrimonial dispensation waiver for impairment of first degree of affinity in the collateral line.” Witnessing Léonie’s second Ganteaume marriage were Robert Henderson and Jesse Henderson, Alejandro Agostini, Mary Bond, Trinidad de Frustuck and Amelia de Bot, who presumably was St Thomas the Apostle Cathedral, where Leonie got married Léonie’s sister. Later that same year Félix Harris Ganteaume was born on 21 Dec 1894 in El Callao, who, so as not to be confused with his dead uncle, was nicknamed ‘Chris’ as he was born just before Christmas. Ebba, now about 5 years old, would have been both a help and a hindrance with the new baby. About two years later Philip Paul Ganteaume was born on 18 Mar 1896 also in El Callao. Ebba, now 7, would have been able to assist to a greater degree with Chris, while Leonie tended to Philip’s needs. Ebba’s childhood mothering of Chris seems to have developed a special relationship. By 1899 the first gold rush was over as the mines were thought to be exhausted. Within short order George Harris had returned the family to Trinidad, where Ebba lived with her mother and stepfather until she was married in 1914, at about age 25. At the time the family was living at 19 Victoria Square in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad