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The Baleine Brides were a group of 88 French women that were sent to French Louisiana (la Louisiane), arriving 8 Jan 1721 in Biloxi, the then capital of la Louisiane. These women purportedly volunteered to travel to la Louisiane to marry eligible bachelors who were settling the colony. They arrived on the French cargo ship Baleine, which is how they got their nickname. These women came from Maison de St. Louis of the Salpêtrière. It is believed that this was a home for girl who were orphans or illegitimates. They were cared for by Ursuline nuns, one of whom also accompanied them to America in June of 1720. While no official ship’s passenger list has been published, there was published a list of the women who were supposed to be on board the in National Genealogical Society Quarterly, December 1987. The genetic contribution of the Baleine brides to America is considerable.
- Notes
- 23 of them married and founded large families in today's Louisiana
- 3 of them married and founded large families in today's Mississippi
- 5 of them married and founded large families in today's Illinois
- 4 of them married and founded large families in today's Alabama
- 14 of them have no trace in America. They were probably buried at sea or died during the terrible epidemic at Biloxi in the Spring of 1721.
- 2 of them were killed by Indians in Natchez
- 1 of them was buried in Biloxi in March of 1721
- 8 of them have no record of being married or having children
- 28 of them married but have no known descendants surviving today
- References and Sources:
- List of Baleine Brides: (Names and surnames are listed as they appear on their marriage record unless none found)
- Alio (Alihome, Aliome), Denise, age 18 (Denise Alihome) - surname is listed as Aleaume dite Voillot on the list of Noms des Filles
- Bady, Catherine, age 20 (Catherine Bady)
- Boquet, Marie, age 22 (Marie Boquet) - surname is listed as Bocquet on the list of Noms des Filles
- Beguiné, Marguerite, age 15 (Marguerite Beguiné) - surname is listed as Beganies on the list of Noms des Filles
- Belanger (Bellanger), Marguerite, age 26 (Marie Marguerite Bellanger)
- Billard, Geneviève, age 17 (Geneviève Billard)
- Blanchard, Catherine, age 18 (Catherine Blanchard)
- Blequot, Marie Jeanne, age 17 (Marie Jeanne Blequot) - surname is listed as Blegnot on the list of Noms des Filles
- Bleé, Marie, age 20 (Marie-Françoise Bleé) - surname is listed as Bled on the list of Noms des Filles
- Blois, Louise, age 18 (Louise Blois) - listed as Agnés on the list of Noms des Filles
- Boulogne, Madeleine, age 19 (Madeleine Boulogne)
- Boyer, Geneviève, age 25 (Geneviève Boyer)
- Brière, Hélèine, age 14 (Heleine Briere)
- Burelle, Marthe, age 21 (Marthe Burelle) - surname is listed as Burel on the list of Noms des Filles
- Catoire, Marie Claire, age 20 (Marie-Claire Catoire) - surname is listed as Clairentoire on the list of Noms des Filles
- Charlote (Charlotte), Marie Anne, age 20 (Marie-Anne Charlot) - surname is listed as Charlotte on the list of Noms des Filles - her father's surname is listed as Charlot on her marriage record
- Chevalier, Catherine, age 14 (Catherine Chevalier)
- Chevet, Jeanne, age 15 (Jeanne Chevet)
- Clavier, Elizabeth, age 17 (Elisabeth Clavier)
- Cordier, Marie Madeleine, age 21 (Marie-Magdeleine Cordier)
- Couturier, Charlotte, age 12 (Charlotte Couturier)
- Daudeso, Marie Anne, age 28 (Marie-Anne Daudesso) - name is listed as Daudesso on the list of Noms des Filles
- Delaunay, Elisabeth, age 18 (Elizabeth Delaunay) - surname is listed as de Launay on the list of Noms des Filles
- Denise, Marguerite, age 28 (Marguerite Denise) - no records have been found - surname could be deciphered incorrectly
- Deros, Geneviève, age 25 (Geneviève Deros) - surname is listed as Desrose on the list of Noms des Filles
- Duby, Catherine Barbe, age 22 (Catherine Barbe Duby) - surname is listed as du Bis on the list of Noms des Filles
- Dubisson, Marie Gabriel, age 18 (Marie Gabrielle Dubisson)
- Duvet, Marguerite, age 17 (Marguerite Duvet)
- Fetre, Marieanne, age 13 (Marie-Anne Fetre) - surname is listed as Fetique on the list of Noms des Filles
- Florant, Marie Angelique, age 23 (Marie Angelique Florant)
- Follet, Madeleine, age 25 (Madeleine Follet)
- Foucault, Marie Anne, age 17 (Marie Anne Foucault)
- Foucault, Marie Catherine, age 18 (Marie Catherine Foucault)
- François, Marie, age 22 (Marie Francois)
- Garnier, Marie Geneviève, age 16 (Marie Genevieve Garnier)
- Gelain, Marie Jeanne, age 24 (Marie Jeanne Gelain) - surname is listed as Jelain on the list of Noms des Filles
- Gené, Etiennette, age 18 (Etiennette Gené) - name and surname is listed as Anthoinette Gento on the list of Noms des Filles
- Girard, Angelique, age 22 (Angelique Girard)
- Girard, Elizabeth, age 17 (Elisabeth Girard)
- Girondon, Marie Anne, age 21 (Marie Anne Girodon) - surname is listed as Giraudon on the list of Noms des Filles
- Godefroy, Marie Jeanne, age 22 (Marie Jeanne Godefroy)
- Gono, Marie Anne, age 26 (Marie Anne Gonneau dite Rose) surname is listed as Goneau dite Rose on the list of Noms des Filles
- Gauzalau, Catherine, age 19 (Catherine Gonzalou)
- Grandval, Gabriel, age 20 (Gabrielle Grandval)
- Heriot, Margueritte Claude, age 18 (Marguerite Claude Heriot)
- Hubert, Catherine, age 22 (Catherine Hubert)
- Hubert, Jeanne, age 18 (Jeanne Hubert)
- Letellier, Marguerite, age 17 While this name is on the list, it is also crossed off and replaced with the name above. It is believed she left on an earlier ship, the Mutine, which left in December of 1719. (Marguerite Letellier) - name and surname is listed as Le Tillier, Marie Louise on the list of Noms des Filles
- Eulie, Antoinette, age 26 (Antoinette Eulie) - name and surname is listed as Thoinette Huly on the list of Noms des Filles
- Jamart, Marie Anne, age 16 (Marie Anne Françoise Joumart)
- Lambagois, Marie, age 18 (Marie Lambagois) - surname is listed as Lembajoye on the list of Noms des Filles
- Lange, Anne, age 18 (Anne L'Ange)
- la Pleine, Marie, age 19 (Marie La Pleine)
- le Brun, Marie, age 17 (Marie Le Brun)
- le Comte, Barbe, age 13 (Barbe Le Comte)
- le Fauré, Elizabeth, age 21, (Elizabeth Le Fauré dite Dumont) - name and surname is listed as Thoinon Dumont on the list of Noms des Filles
- Lefel, Louise Benedic, age 18 (Louise Benedic Lefel) - surname is listed as Lefé on the list of Noms des Filles
- le Grand, Marie Jeanne, age 20 (Marie Jeanne Legrand)
- Legain, Louise, age 23 (Louise Leguin)
- le Jeune, Marie Marguerite, age 16 (Marguerite Lejeune)
- le Moine, Marie Claude, age 18 (Marie Claude Lemoine)
- le Noble, Jeanne, age 15 (Jeanne Le Noble)
- le Roy, Marie Louise, age 20 (Marie Louise le Roy)
- Leveillé, Marie Thérèse, age 18 (Louise Thérèse Leveillé)
- Loré, Melanye, age 18 (Melanye Loré)
- Madou, Jeanne, age 15 (Jeanne Madou)
- Maisonnette, Thérèse, age 20 (Thérèse Maisonnette)
- Mandré, Geneviève, age 15 (Genevieve Mandré) - surname is listed as Mavré on the list of Noms des Filles
- Maroye, Jeanne Françoise, age 17 (Jeanne-Françoise Maroye) - surname is listed as Maroy on the list of Noms des Filles
- Masson, Marguerite, age 21 (Marguerite Masson)
- Melier, Catherine, age 18 - (Catherine Melier)
- Menu, Catherine, age 28 (Catherine Menu)
- Mercier, Marie Madeleine, age 16 (Marie Madeleine Mercier)
- Miré, Louise, age 16 (Louise Miré) - surname is listed as Le Mire on the list of Noms des Filles
- Moni, Anne, age 19 (Anne Moni) - surname is listed as Manny on the list of Noms des Filles
- Morline, Geneviève, age 18 (Genevieve Morline)
- Muguet, Marie Francoise, age 19 (Marie-Françoise Muguet)
- Nayon, Marie Anne, age 25 (Marie Anne Nayon)
- Pinard, Jacqueline, age 25 (Jacqueline Pinard)
- Quesnel, Marie, age 18 (Marie Jeanne Quesnel) - surname is listed as Kenel on the list of Noms des Filles
- Rabu, Françoise, age 25 (Françoise Rabu)
- Richard, Marie Louise, age 16 (Marie Louise Richard)
- Savary, Louise Françoise, age 20 (Louise Françoise Savary) - name is listed as Françoise on the list of Noms des Filles
- St Laurent, Catherine, age 17 (Marie Catherine St. Laurent) - name and surname is listed as Laurent, Marie Catherine on the list of Noms des Filles
- St Paul, Catherine, age 23 (Catherine St Paul) - surname is listed as Paule on the list of Noms des Filles
- Vigneron, Anne, age 30 (Anne Vigernon)
- Volieu (Vailly), Perrette, age 18 (Perrette Volieu) - surname is listed as Vailler on the list of Noms des Filles
- Villeroy, Marie Magdelene, age 17 (Marie Magdelene Villeroy) - name is listed as Marie on the list of Noms des Filles
- Vollery, Louise, age 17 (Louise Vollery)