Pierre Chastain

According to Pierre Chastains and His Descendants “The Chastains fled across the Jura Mountains, to Yverson, Canton of Vaud, Switzerland” and later Pierre Chastain took “his family from Switzerland…northward to Holland.” Also I found information that shows that Pierre Chastain had children born in Vevey, Switzerland and a child born in Leiden, Holland before they went to England to board the ship to America.

The Chastains went just across the French border into Vaud, Switzerland. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vevey Vevey (French pronunciation: [vəvɛ] pronunciation) is a town in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, on the north shore of Lake Geneva, near Lausanne.

Time line and Route of the Chastain family took from France to England:

1685 October 18 Louis XIV of France deprived protestant subjects of religious freedom.

Chastain Huguenots migrated to Switzerland, Netherlands, England and then to America. Other Huguenots also went to Germany.

1690 May 8, Pierre Chastain “the Immigrant” had children baptized in Vevey, Switzerland.

1691 October 8 all proven with baptismal records

1693 April 24

1694 August 24 The religious wars existed over 3 centuries. Some Huguenots migrated before the families

1697 February 26 went to America. The Chastains went to Switzerland between 1680-90? then to the Netherlands between

1698 May 5 May 1698 - Sept 1699 and to England between Sept 1699 – April 1700 when ship left for America.

1699 September 10 Pierre Chastain had a child baptized in Leiden, Holland

1703 Pierre Chastain had a child born in Henrico County, Virginia

Leiden is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. ... Highlighted position of Leiden in a municipal map of South Holland. That is where the Chastains went after they left Switzerland.

Here are copies of the baptismal certificates of Pierre's children born in Switzerland - many thanks to Jimmy.

1690 May 8 - Jean Adam Chastain died December 1761 Virginia - was one of the 5 children on the ship to America

Note it says they were from Issoudun, Berry (that is in France).

1691 October 8 - Marie Suzanne Chastain died by 1701 in Virginia - was one of the 5 children on the ship to America

1693 April 24 - Pauline Elizabeth Chastain possibly died between 1696-1698 and likely was not one of the children on the ship to America

1694 August 24 - Pierre Chastain possibly died between 1696-1698 and likely was not one of the children on the ship to America

Note: bottom line says they are Refugies.

1696 March 4 Aurthurize Chastain possibly died between 1696-1698 and was not one of the children on the ship to America

Another one mentions they are from Isoudun in Berry.

1697 February 26 Jeanne Francoise Chastain died by 1701 in Virginia - was one of the 5 children on the ship to America

1698 May 5 Pierre Samuel Chastain died by 1701 in Virginia - was one of the 5 children on the ship to America

Again they are called refugies.

1699 September 10 Susanne Chastain - was baptized in Leiden, South Holland - died young, but was only 6 months old when the ship left for America on 10 April 1700 and was likely one of the 5 children on the ship to America.

I do not have a copy of her baptismal record.

Bon & Marriage of Pierre Chastain & Suzanne Renaut

https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=100&q.givenName=Pierre&q.marriageLikeDate.from=1686&q.marriageLikeDate.to=1688&q.marriageLikePlace=Issoudun%2C%20Indre%2C%20Centre-Val%20de%20Loire%2C%20France%20&q.spouseGivenName=susanne

Note the transcription misspelling of the name. Here is their Bon (thanks to Bruno for explaining that) – announcement of their engagement - and information of their marriage. Per Family Search:

Pierre Challin

Groom
France, Indre, Parish and Civil Registration, 1564-1905

Marriage 28 January 1687
Issoudun, Indre, Centre-Val de Loire, France

Parents Estienne Challin, Jeanne Laurent

Spouses Susanne Regnault

088/AC GG 031, Issoudun, 1687 Page 12 of film in French book

Pierre Chastain & Suzanne Regnaut

All the family & friends signatures.

https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=100&q.birthLikeDate.from=1685&q.birthLikeDate.to=1700&q.birthLikePlace=Register%20of%20St.%20Cyr%20Parish%20Church%2C%20Issoudun%2C%20France&q.fatherGivenName=Pierre&q.givenName=anne

The first child of Pierre Chastain & Susanne Regnault/Renaud was born in France before they left for Switzerland. Note incorrect transcription of name spelling in Family Search records.

In Family Search – never would have found this. Apparently the name spelling was transcribed wrong.

Anne Chartain

Principal
France, Indre, Parish and Civil Registration, 1564-1905

Baptism 23 February 1688
Issoudun, Indre, Centre-Val de Loire, France

ParentsPierre Chartain, Susanne Renault

Anne Chartain - obviously spelling mistranscribed

Christening • France, Indre, Parish and Civil Registration, 1564-1905

View Record

Name	Anne Chartain
Sex	Female
Baptism Date	23 Feb 1688
Baptism Place	Issoudun, Indre, Centre-Val de Loire, France
Birth Date	1688
Father's Name	Pierre Chartain
Father's Sex	Male
Mother's Name	Susanne Renault
Mother's Sex	Female
Event Type	Baptism

Anne Chartain's Parents and Siblings

088/AC GG 032, Issoudun, 1688 Page 19 on film

At that time in France, girls could legally marry when they were 12 years old. It is very likely that this is the Ann Chastain, wife of Rev. Claude Philippe de Richebourg. My autosomal DNA proves a connection to the descendants of Pierre Chastain.

If you are interested in looking at some of the French records - they can be found in the various record books for St. CYR (by year) in the old church registers located at:

The French is not user friendly, but the names are recognizable even in the old French handwriting.

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