The bulletin (Augusta, Ga.) 1920-1957, June 01, 1921, Image 13

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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA 13 father of the bride, occurs together with the signa tures of other witnesses to the marriage. The very next record is of the death on Jan. 9, 1800 (note the date) of Renee Michel Mirault, wife of John Berard Montalet, the burial occurring on Jan. 11, 1800. Several witnesses sign their names, but Pierre Mirault’s name does not appear. Visions of a deception, a murder, and a father’s anger would naturally come into the reader’s mind; and the following records would confirm this: On Monday, Feb. 10, 1800, there is the marriage record of Claudius de Segur, son of Anthony Lewis de Segur and Mary Nicole Rolin to Caroline de Chadivac, and at this marriage there occurs the sig nature of Pierre Mirault. It looks as if the father had repudiated his unfaithful daughter and took sides with the deceived bridegroom. However, there occur later on several baptismal records of the children of Claudius Lewis de Segur and Renee Michel Heloise Mirault and of Claudius de Segur and Caroline de Chadivac, duly signed and witnessed by the priest and others. The Explanation. The explanation is simply this: Renee Michel Mirault, wife of Jean Berard Montalet was sister to Renee Michel Heloise Mirault, wife of Claudius Nicholas Lewis de Segur; while Claudius de Segur, who married Caroline de Chadivac was brother to Claudius Nicholas Lewis de Segur, husband of Renee Michel Heloise Mirault. And thus the old parish of St. John the Baptist is spared the history of a tragedy. These marriages occurred doubtless in the home of F’ierre Mirault, which was situated “in the west ern part of the city.” His house was the Catholic Chapel of Savannah in the earliest days of the min istry of Father le Mercier, and he remained a promi nent member of the congregation until the day of his death. His signature occurs many times on the old records, and always in connection with the “select occasions” of baptisms, marriages and deaths where the old French aristocrats were concerned. Financial reverses do not seem to have made any difference in the social standing of those who had in former years mingled with the gentry and nobility of France. In spite of his former wealth, Pierre Mirault was in reduced circumstances when he died in 1806, as the following newspaper notice would indicate: DIED—Peter M. I. Mirault, formerly a sugar planter, lately a baker, native of San Domingo. His death record does not appear on the old Church register, as there was no priest in Savannah at the time. All of the representatives of the Mirault family have disappeared from Savannah, but the name is still borne here by the descendants of their slaves whose baptismal records appear on the old book. The Marquis de Montalet. Jean Berard Macquet, Marquis de Montalet, to whom Mirault gave his daughter Renee in marriage, was of noble birth and an officer of distinction in France. His parents died before he left France for San Domingo, as appears on the old record quoted above. He came to Savannah with his wife, Renee Michel Mirault at the same time that her father left the island; and it was here that his wife, Renee Mirault, died on the day following her sister’s mar riage. In accordance with the general practice of the French of those days, the Marquis did not re main widowed long, but married on the 5th of April, 1804, Servanne Angelique Charlotte Picot de Bois- fieullet. She was the daughter of Picot de Boisfieul- let, who had been a captain in the Royal Army of Louis XVI but came to America at the outbreak of the troubles in France. Together with his nephew, Julian Hyacinthe de Chappedelaine, Poulain du Big- non, and two others, he had purchased the islands of Sapelo, Little Sapelo, Blackbeard, Cabaretta and other lands on the Georgia coast. In a duel fought with his nephew, the latter was killed by Boisfieullet (the death-record appearing on the old Parish Record) and the two other purchasers sold their shares in the estates to Boisfieullet and Du Bignon. The Hermitage. After his marriage to Boisfieullet’s daughter, the Marquis de Montalet spent most of his time on Sapelo Island, which he finally owned himself with Du Bignon; but he made frequent visits to his broth er, Jean Baptiste William Polycarp_ Montalet, who had purchased the beautiful estate just west of Sa vannah on the river, and which he had named “The Hermitage”—a name which is attached to it to this day. Servanne Angelique Charlotte Boisfieullet, second wife of Jean Berard Montalet died at the Hermitage June 13, 1805; and in the handwriting of Charles Harris, mayor of Savannah, her death is recorded in the Parish Register, there being no priest in Savannah at the time. Jean Baptiste William Polycarp Montalet, owner of the Hermitage, finding himself unable to preserve his property, appealed to a friend who had also escaped from San Domingo and had settled in South Carolina. This friend, Jean Caradaux (whose sig nature appears on the old Parish Book) advanced sufficient funds to protect the property, this mort gage being recorded in the books of Chatham County. The career of Jean Caradaux was not free from many adventures and hair-breadth escapes, and although not a resident of Savannah he seems to have been a frequent visitor here. His descendants are still found in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, and in Sa vannah the name remains, only slightly changed in the spelling. Under the name of De Caradeuc the descendants of Jean Caradaux form some of the best and most respected members of the Cathedral con gregation at the present time. The Marquis de Montalet retired to Sapelo Island where he lived for many years and entertained lav ishly being visited by the most prominent people of Savannah and Charleston. Among these was his sister, Madame Cottineau, concerning whom a spe cial article will have to be written. The memory of those old days in and around Savannah is now al most forgotten, but enough has been preserved in the old Parish and Court records to enable us, even at this late day, to put the pieces together and make of them a continued story. Boston College has brought its campaign for $2,000,000 to a successful conclusion. The fund is already $100,000 over the amount sought, and when all returns are in, it is expected that it will total $2,400,000. Twenty-five American Jesuits left New York Mon day, June 13, for the Philippines. Most of them were members of the faculties of Georgetown, Holy Cross, Fordham and other Jesuit colleges in the East. The State Council, Knights of Columbus, has voted to affiliate with the National Catholic Welfare Council, thus emulating the good example set by the Catholic Laymen’s Association of Georgia. The Knights of Columbus wired $5,000 for the relief of the sufferers from the Pueblo flood the first week in June, and in addition shipped a great quantity of supplies to the stricken people. A subscription to The Bulletin is a very welcome gift to members of-the religious orders in Georgia and elsewhere, and Catholic Georgians now living in other parts of the United States. A movement has been started in Louisiana to place the statue of the late Chief Justice Edward Doug lass White in Statuary Hall at the National Capi tol. Louisiana has no representative in the Hall. The matter cannot be actea upon until the Louisiana Legislature convenes in May, 1922.