Antoine Balza &
Marie Antoinette Flahaut

Antoine BALZA was born on August 13th, 1845,  in Sart-Walhain, Namur Province, Belgium, the eighth child of Jean Joseph BALZA and Virginie BERO.  Sart-Walhain is located in the south central portion of Belgium.

Marie Antoinette FLAHAUT was born one of six children, on the 19th of February 1845, in Sart-Walhain, Namur, Belgium, the daughter of Pierre Joseph FLAHAUT and Julienne ADAMS.

Antoine Balza & Marie Antoinette Flahaut

Antoine Balza and (Marie) Antoinette Flahaut were married on the 28th of August, 1867 in Sart-Walhain. They lived in Sart-Walhain, Namur Province, Belgium: and had a six children born there:

• Jean (John) Baptiste was born on January 24th, 1868 in Sart-Walhain.  His wife was Anna FISHER they had eleven children (Jean Baptiste Balza Family History).
• Julienne was born June 30th, 1869, in Sart-Walhain.  Since she is the only child who didn't emigrate with her parent in 1880, it is assumed that she died sometime before the family left Belgium.
• Anne Marie (Mary) Josephe was born July 16th, 1870 in Sart-Walhain.  he later married Hubert Joseph DUCA (Ducat).  Hubert and Mary had nine children (Hubert Duca Family History).
• Odile Julie Marie Ghislane was born January 22nd, 1873 in Sart-Walhain.  She married Emil BOULANGER and they had two children (Emil Boulanger Family History).
• Virginie Marie was born September 20th, 1875, in Sart-Walhain. She married Florian BERGER and they had one son (Florian Berger Family History).
• Theophile Antoine Joseph, born 22 January, 1878, first married Mathilda FINENDAEL and sired six boys, later married Mary Louise LEURQUIN Boncher and were blessed with three more children (Theophile Antoine Joseph Balza Family History).

In August of 1880, Antoine and Antoinette together with five of their children (all except Julienne) emigrated to the United States. They boarded a ship of the Red Star Line the "Belgenland" (Passenger List) in Antwerp, Belgium traveling as steerage passengers, and arrived in New York on August 26th, 1880. The passenger list of the Belgenland lists the family as follows: Antoine Balza, age 35, farmer from Belgium; Antoinette Flahaut, age 35, wife; J.Bte. (Jean Baptiste), age 11;  (Anne) Marie, age 9; Adele (Odile), age 5; Virginia (Virginie), age 3; Theophile, age 2; also listed with the family is Victor Boro (Bero), age 40, Laborer. This is probably an uncle (brother of Antoine's mother).

From New York, they traveled to Green Bay from where they proceeded to establish a residence in the town of Duval, Door County, Wisconsin. They raised their five European born children and had four more as follows:

• Eleanor (Marie Eleanor Louise) was born March 7th, 1881 in Duval, Door County, Wisconsin.  She married Alphonse ROPSON and they raised 6 children (Alphonse Ropson Family History).
• Joseph J. born in March 12th, 1883, in Duval, Wisconsin. He married Clara GERARD  they had no children (Joseph J. Balza Family History).
• Louis born in April of 1887, in Duval, Wisconsin.  he married (wife unknown) and had two children (Louis Balza Family History).
• Julia born on April 9th, 1889, in Duval Wisconsin.  She married Fabian BORLEE and the had two children. She was re-married after Fabian's death to Friedrich August Gustave TESKE (Julia Balza Family History).

Antoine and Antoinette pictured in the garden of their home in Duval (Photo Antione & Antoinette) were sponsors of the Duval Kermiss, a three day Belgian Harvest Festival (Clipping).

Antoinette preceded her husband in death at the age of 82, on October 6th, 1927 (Death Certificate).  Antoine Balza died of pneumonia on October 12, 1927 ,at the age of 82 in Duval, Door County, Wisconsin (Death Certificate) and was buried on 15 Oct. 1927 in: St., Francis Church Cemetery, Duval, WI.

Memories:  Alice Lindstrom (grand-daughter)

BALZA Ancestry 

The surname BALZA is a derivation (Belzer, Balzac, Balzer, etc.) of  the ancient name "BALTHAZAR" (one of the three wise men).  The country of origin for this Balza family is Belgium more specifically Sart-Walhain in Namur Province where we've traced our earliest known ancestors.  At this time the earliest known family group with the Balza surname is Jean Joseph BALZA who married Marie Therese BRABANT.  Very little is known about this family - it is still a subject for on-going research (Jean Joseph Balza Sr. Family History). They had at least one son Jean Joseph Balza (1804 - 1889) who married Virginie BERO (1807 - 1872) and they where blessed with eight children (Jean Joseph Balza Family History).  The youngest of these was Antoine BALZA (1845 - 1927) who married Marie Antoinette FLAHAUT (1845 - 1927) described above.

BERO Ancestry 

The BERO surname appears to originates in the townships of Chaumont-Gistoux, Brabant Province , Belgium.  The earliest known BERO ancestor is Simon BERO (~1600 - ?) who first married Marie TROGNEE and had four children.  Marie died in 1634 and Simon then married Marguerite MAROTTE (Simon Bero Family History) and had one child Simon BERO Jr (1638 - ?).  Simon married Antoinette STACQUET and they had two children (Simon Bero Jr. Family History). Their second child was Jacques (Charles) BERO  (1698 - 1741) who married Marie Therese MAUCLET  (1705 -1785) and they had eight children (Jacques Charles Bero Family History). Their first child Gregoire Bavon BERO (1700 - 1751) married Marie Jeanne DE ROUSART (1702 - 1771) and the couple had nine children (Gregoire Bavon Bero Family History).  Their second child Pierre Jacques BERO (1732 - 1796) married (his aunt) Marie Jeanne BERO (1733 - 1793) and they had 13 children (Pierre Jacques Bero Family History).  The second child of Pierre and Marie was Jean Jacques BERO (1774 - ?) who married Ann Marie Gilaine GHENNE (1777 - 1863) and had three children (Jean Jacques Bero Family History) the third of which was Virginie BERO who married Jean Joseph BALZA and had eight children (Jean Joseph Balza Family History) the youngest of these was Antoine BALZA described above.

FLAHAUT Ancestry 

The FLAHAUT surname originates in Sart-Walhain, Namur Province, Belgium.  Our earliest known Flahaut ancestor is Pierre Joseph FLAHAUT (1804 - unknown) who married Julienne ADAM (about 1803 - unknown).  This couple had  6 children  (Pierre Joseph Flahaut Family History) the youngest of which was Marie Antoinette FLAHAUT (1845 - 1927).  Marie married Antoine BALZA (1845 - 1927) their family history is described above.

ADAM Ancestry 

The only ADAM family ancestor know at this time is Julienne ADAM who married Pierre Joseph FLAHAUT they had at least one daughter (Pierre Joseph Flahaut Family History) Marie Antoinette FLAHAUT who married Antoine BALZA. Their family history is described above.

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Last updated: October 1st, 1999
Copyright 1999, Richard M. Balza
To make corrections or obtain more information contact: Richard M. Balza