The Gauthier dit Barrand family

(Flangebouche region of Franche)

[The GAUTHIER-dit-BARRAND line, having originated in Switzerland in the 1600s, can be found mostly in eastern France close to the Swiss border. The towns/villages of Avoudrey, Besançon and Flangebouche, in the "département 25", have the main concentrations. The data on these Gauthier (French version) were sent to Jean-Pierre Gauthier by a researcher specializing in historical research of the common people and small villages. She wanted to do her part  for the Association.]

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The long and murderous wars of the French Conquest left the Franche Comté almost uninhabited. To settle the region, Louis XIV offers these lands to families of the countries nearby. Toward 1670, two brothers, Jean and Gaspard Gauthier, accept this offer and leave the Jura region of  Switzerland.

Jean Gauthier

Jean Gauthier is the ancestor of all the Gauthier from Flangebouche. He settles in Avoudrey, marries Jeanne Pauthier from Flangebouche, and they have two sons, Pierre and Guillaume.

On September 29, 1709, a " Statement from the private inhabitants of Avoudrey of the quantities of wheat harvested during the present year 1709 " shows the extent of his estates:

"Jean Gauthier dudit lieu déclare qu'il a deux cent gerbes de froment, et doit semer encore trois journaux, de froment, et qu'il at perçu neuf chariots d'orges, un chariot d'orge et quattre chariot d'avoine le chariot peut rendre huit esmines. Et sont douze de famille et a déclarez ettre illitteré de ce enquis". (Jean Gauthier of the said place declares he has 200 sheaves of wheat, and must also sow three day-labour [journaux: obsolete as a measure] of wheat, and has collected nine wagons of barley, one of barley corn and four of oats. The wagon may give eight [esmines]. They are a family of twelve and he declared being illiterate when asked).

Guillaume Gauthier

Guillaume Gauthier dit "Barrand" (or sometimes "Barrand-Gauthier "), son of Jean, marries Jeanne Simone Sanseigne, and at his death on 1753, makes a will showing the rapid rising of this family in the rural community.

This testament shows that Guillaume is an artisan and that, in Flangebouche, he lives in community with four of his sons: Jean Xavier, Claude Ambroise, Jean Joseph and Pierre Florentin, and also one of his three daughters, Léocade, still unmarried.

Each daughter receives as dowry a sum of two hundred French livres (in currency), a complete trousseau, a bed, a dresser, a chest, one cow, two ewes with lambs, a wedding dress. Those are important dowries for the period. As to the sons, they share all of the assets,   and real estates, which include many leaseholds in Chevigney.

Among his sons, Jean Xavier Gauthier is the ancestor of the Gauthier from Orchamps-Vennes family (Jean Xavier's sons settle in Ravières, and one of them is a school-teacher at Orchamps).

Pierre Florentin Gauthier

Another son of Guillaume, Pierre Florentin, is a farmer in Flangebouche. He marries in 1772 Marie Agnès Barçon from Avoudrey with whom he has ten children: three daughters and seven sons including two who are twins (five sons die in childhood). Pierre Florentin dies in 1791. Thus, he will not see his sons, nephews and cousins engaged in the turmoil of the Revolution.

The Gauthiers during the Revolution

Considering the number of the family members who participate in the counter-revolution or «Petite Vendée», there is no doubt that at this time, they were all eager Royalists. Knowing they owe their lands, their fortune, to the King of France, it is not surprising. Numerous documents relate their heroism:

On September 18, 1793, François Joseph Gauthier, convicted of having participated in the counter-revolutionary riot of Flangebouche, is put in jail in Ornans and his assets seized.

On the same day, Guillaume Joseph Gauthier, a twenty-seven year old farmer living at the [Censes] of Flangebouche, is convicted «of having been one of the ringleaders of the counter-revolutionary insurrection of Flangebouche, also of having violated the home of many citizens to take under threat their arms, of having forced others to follow and accompany him in the unlawful assembly, of having furnished arms, gunpowder and lead shot, to the seditious troops, of having been arrested with arms in his hands and with munitions of war». Consequently, his assets are seized and «the Tribunal condemns him to death». The judgement is executed on September 18, 1893 [must be 1793] on the Place d'Armes of Ornans. His domestic servant, Pierre François Eloy Devillers, convicted of having participated in the riot of Flangebouche with his boss, is condemned to «a deportation penalty for life at the French Guiana».

Popular history tells us that Guillaume Joseph seeing a guard who came to search neighboring houses, said in the local dialect:  « T'y repasseré devant chi no, bougre de véye, gargaisse de pé ! » (Il peut toujours repasser devant chez nous, ce bougre de vieux, cette carcasse de porc !)(He can walk straight through, the damn fool, the pig!) less than civil words but not a real menace! His young servant repeated these words, although without malice, but they reached the ear of the public accusator. Along with other Christians, suspected of having participated in the short-lived uprising called « Petite Vendée », Guillaume-Joseph was arrested on 8 September 1793 and led to Ornans. Condemned to death on the 18th of the same month, he was executed the same day. He had forgiven his executioner, sent a message to his wife asking her to also show forgiveness and to take good care of his baby of whom he ignored the birth, which occurred the day after his arrest.

By chance, this baby, named Ferréol-Ferjeux, the name of the first apostles of Franch-Comté, would become a priest. He will be ordained at the same time as two sons of Nicolas BUSSON, a competent teacher and exemplary Christian, guillotined because of his influence on the population. More curious still, the young servant of Guillaume Joseph will preceed Ferréol-Ferjeux to the seminary. he will wait until old age to come back, in tears, asking for the forgiveness of his old employer`s family.

On September 21, 1793, Jean-Baptiste Gauthier, a forty-five year old farmer of Avoudrey, is convicted "of being one of the ringleaders of the insurrection, that the rebels met in his domicile, before disarming the citizens, that shouts of "Long live the King, long live The Vendée" were heard, that being himself the leader of the rebels he participated in the disarmament of the citizens, threatening them with violence, and he forced many to follow". Consequently, his assets are seized and he is condemned to death. The judgement is executed on September 21, 1793 at 4 p.m. on the Place d'Armes in Ornans.

The great crime of  Jean-Baptiste Gauthier, aged 45, father of six,was to have hidden and fed rebellious priests.   Jean-Baptiste`s servant was condemned on the same day to perpetual deportation to Guyane. On the day of his execution, Jean-Baptiste Gauthier wrote a letter to his wife in which he affirms:  « Je suis content de mourir pour l'amour de Dieu »(I am happy to die for the love of God).

The same day, Férréol Gauthier  of Avoudrey against whom "no proof were established, is returned to his local administrative area with obligation to present himself anew when requested". Later, Férréol becomes a priest at Orchamps-Vennes.

The same day, Pierre Antoine Gauthier, miller at the Censes of Flangebouche, during a preliminary investigation is pointed out as "one of the ringleaders and prime movers of counter-revolutionary insurrection having taken place in Flangebouche". Consequently, "the Tribunal issues a writ for his arrest and orders the police force to search the said accused [search warrant], to apprehend him, to immediately send him to goal and inform the Tribunal". The story does not mention if the officers ever had him arrested...

As for Jean-François GAUTHIER, aged 50, a simple day-worker, he was captured while fleeing, while armed one agrees, in the forest. After having been held in the fort at Joux, he was guillotined in Maîche on 14 October. From the same Gauthier family, two priests, both vicar at Montbenoît, were condemned to deportation, three men were forced to emigrate and many were placed under forced residence.

Judging the tree by its fruit, one notes that the Gauthier family has given, since the Revolution, some 15 priests, and a great many nuns. It is noteworthy that the seminary of Consolation, sitting in a region where many Christians had their head chopped, is certainly the seminary which has given France the greatest number if missionaries.

Jean Théophile Gauthier, Mayor of Longemaison

The last son of Pierre Florentin, Jean Théophile, marries, in 1820, Marie Josephe Jobard from Orchamps-Vennes. He renounces the "dit" name "Barrand" used by his father and grand father. In 1823, he is elected mayor of Longemaison, becoming the first member of the family to perform in a public function.

As mayor, he first establishes the plan of the commune (cadastre). He is also involved in:

- the development of the lignite mine at the place named Le Grand-Denis,

- the adoption of a station project, at one kilometre from the mine; being unable to get a regular service, the tip-wagons bring the lignite at a distance of 500 meters to the station by a "elevated railroad".

- a projected church in the place of the chapel.

When his mandate ends, he leaves for Fuans where he acquires an inn.

Constant Férréol Gauthier

Amongst the four sons of Jean Théophile, two are farmers (in Grandfontaine and in Fuans), the third carries on with the inn in Fuans. The last one, Constant Férréol, marries, in 1869, Marie Antennae Girardin, from Switzerland. She died in child-birth.

Guillaume marries again in 1870 with Dolphin Caller from Lorry, and is back in Flangebouche where he settles up as innkeeper and wine merchant.

Paul Auguste Gauthier, Mayor of Flangebouche and General Counsel

Only son of Constant-Férréol, Paul Auguste finds a place in the village life. Wine merchant and mayor of Flangebouche during many years, the principal square still bears his name. In 1902, he marries Etalans Eugénie Jeanneret, daughter of rich farmers from Verrières du Grosbois.

Amongst his realizations as Mayor, we may cite:

- electrification;

- help in creating an industry (location of a common building site to the Viannet brothers in the named "Vorpa et Pommier Rondot, Les Argilles " for them to build and operate a saw-mill);

- construction of the war memorial;

- water supply;

- installation of an hydro-therapeutic service in St. Joseph Hospital.

Jules Gauthier

Jules, Paul's son and wine merchant, marries, in 1936, Martine Vaufrey from Flangebouche, whose mother, a widow, operates the above mentioned saw-mill that her husband had bought from the Viannet. Jules dies in 1990 and his father then entrusts the wine business to his son-in-law, Etienne Gaille, Mayor of Flangebouche. Martine Gauthier, with her one year old child Paul, returns to her maternal home. During the Second World War (1939-1945), the saw-mill is requisitioned by the Germans. Martine marries again in 1945 with Robert Verdenne with whom she has a daughter (Françoise born on August 5, 1946). They divorced in 1950 and once again Martine returns to her maternal home. Five years later, being the only survivor, she inherits the saw-mill. She will operate it during her son Paul's infancy et till he is back from Algeria.

Paul Gauthier, Deputy Mayor of Flangebouche

After two years spent in Algeria where, at the end of the war, he answered de Gaulle's call against the Generals' Putsch, Paul, the only son of Jules Gauthier, carries on and develops the maternal enterprise which becomes "la Scierie Gauthier" (Gauthier's Saw-mill).

In 1963, he marries Huguette Myotte from Orchamps-Vennes; they had four children. He is elected four times to the local council, three times as Deputy Mayor.

In 1984, the mill is burnt down. Instead of rebuilding it, he buys another one in Mandeure. Smaller, it is furnished with modern and performing equipment. In 1989, he seizes an opportunity and resells his enterprise when in full growth, avoiding the economic crisis which hits the country a year later.

Affected by cancer some years later, he dies in Besançon on January 27, 1996.

Copyright © 1999 Association de généalogie des familles Gauthier

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