The Ancestors of Eli Beede (Elie de Bédée des Aulnais) in France
Prepared by Paul Gervais, December 2007
The following genealogical chart is, I believe, as close as we can come in an effort to show the ancestral origins of Eli Beede (Elie de Bédée des Aulnais). While I don’t claim absolute accuracy here I believe that it is off by no more than a sibling or two, so that the family origins as presented are most likely correct.
This chart is the result of much research by several members of the Beede family in the United States, Robert Foxcurren, Lynn Stewart, and myself, and is based on a compilation of these efforts. The family archive, as it regards its French history, is now reasonably large, and I will not attempt to represent its broad contents here; further information, however, can be supplied to any interested individuals by contacting me.
The early de Bédée are listed in the book Les Bédée et l’ascendance maternelle de Chateaubriand by Maurice du Boishamon. Here du Boishamon discusses a family line called des Aulnays (of the elm woods), from whom Eli was descended. It’s important to keep in mind that there are many omissions and errors in the du Boishamon research and text, but it is the only source available, as the Saint Malo archive, which had preserved these vital records, was destroyed by allied bombings in the Second World War. Later family members (those of Loudun, etc.) have been charted by Robert Foxcurren, his son Jake, and their researchers; additional information about these individuals has been found in various historical documents, regarding Protestantism in France, of which there are many.
Jean de Bédée I, (1370- Saint-Brieuc)
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There appears to be a missing generation or two here, not noted by M du Boishamon
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Jean de Bédée, II, seigneur de Malaunay (Ruca c1440- )
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Catherine alias Mathurine de la Guerrande, dame de la Villenan
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Perhaps a missing generation.
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Bertrand, seignieur du Closrouault (Ruca c1495- )
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in 1520 Clémence de la Planche
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There appears to be a missing generation here.
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Bertrand, seigneur des Aulnais (Ruca 1554- )
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Francoise Lambert demoiselle de Sauvaget ( -Ruca 1625)
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Jacques Bédée des Aulnais (L’Anjou 1575- ) Brother of Jean Bédé sieur de la Gourmandiere. They were born in the Anjou region of France; their parents must have been living there, and went on living there, at least for a time. Both brothers studied in Heidelberg and Geneva. A great deal has been written about Jean and his sons, the line called de la Gourmandiere and Des Fougerais (these are our cousins and great uncles, and not our grandfathers), as they were prominent in their fields of law and medicine. It appears that Jacques maintained the old spelling of Bédée, and the noble name of des Aulnais, as this was clearly passed on to later generations in his line who lived in this region of Anjou.
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Catherine Leclerc
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Abel Bédée des Aulnais (Loudun 1600- ) Not to be confused with Abel Bedé de la Gourmandiere, descendent of Jean.
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unknown wife
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Abel Bédée sieur des Aulnais (Loudon 1635- ) He is so named and discussed in a comprehensive document regarding the family of his great uncle Jean, where it also states that he was probably the son of the above Abel who had also studied in Geneva and in Heidelberg.
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unknown wife
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Jacques Bédée des Aulnais, sieur de Reilly (Loudon 1652- )
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Gabrielle Pelens
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Jacques Bédée des Aulnais (Loudun 1672- ) Emigrated to England, perhaps by way of Jersey, after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685), and was listed as a resident of London, England in 1705, at the age of 36. It is important to note that he conserved the old Breton spelling of his name as did those in his line, with the final e, which was sometimes dropped by his relatives, and it is also important that he called himself des Aulnais (of the elm woods), a name which had been dropped by his uncles in favor of newer distinctions, i.e. de la Gourmandiere, de la Fougerais, or de Lestang or L’Etang (names indicating ownership of lands, all of which are to be found in the Mayenne region of France).
or
Henri Bédée des Aulnais (Loudun 1676- ) Brother of the above.
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Elie de Bédée des Aulnais (1699-1789) Founder of the American family.