LeRoys of Lower Normandy: Montpinchon
Montpinchon is located about 12km southeast of Coutances and 30km southwest of St. Lo. The first record is that of 1503 which names Perrin LeRoy of Montpinchon as having received unearned income. In 1578 receipts are recorded which were given to Gilles LeRoy and Thomas LeRoy from Michel LeRoy for a loan reimbursement. On July 25, 1579, Jacques LeRoy, son of William LeRoy was witness to a loan agreement. In the same year Nicolas LeRoy is recorded for repaying a loan, Jehan LeRoy, son of Jacques LeRoy was party to a loan; Gilles LeRoy borrowed three and two thirds crowns from Jacques LeRoy, son of Samson LeRoy. Finally, in 1582, a notary document names Nicolas LeRoy, son of Jacques LeRoy.
Jacquet and Lenoir Families of Creances
The mother of Simeon LeRoy was Gillette Jacquet, a member of one of the oldest families of Creances, a surname still present in this village. There is some disagreement as to whether her first name was Pillete or Gillette. Some historians claim the given name Pillette did not exist during the 15th and 16th centuries, but this is still open to discovery. In the documents of the Abbey of Lessay, the surname, Jacquet is also found as Pacquet. With the influence of Norse, Celtic, and French languages on the people of Lower Normandy a spelling change could have taken place at any time. The Jacquet name in Lower Normandy was prominent until about 1431. The record of Jehan Jacquet shows that in 1421, he and Michault Desheulles of St. Germain-sur-Ay did not pay rent to the Abbey of Lessay. In 1431Jehan disappears from the records of St. Germain-sur-Ay, but is found at Creances where his name became Jehan Pacquet. The surname changed back to Jacquet in the mid-17th century. The years between 1431 and 1638 the two spellings were interchangeable.
The earliest mention of Jacquets in the records of the Abbey of Lessay is an acknowledgment of 1418 by Jean Jacquet. In this acknowledgement Jean Jacquet of St. Germain-sur-AY gave one hundred and ten sous plus three bushels of wheat, two loaves of bread, and two jellies paid to the Abbey on account of the inheritance he received from the Hebert settlement. In 1431 several Pacquets are mentioned in the "Roll of Fouage" for Creances. This "Roll of Fouage" was a bookkeeping system of the tax collected from the heads of families who had attained a certain amount of wealth in the various parishes. In the beginning the tax amounted to 12 farthings usually paid every three years. The tax was created in the 13th century, but was imposed at various times. Listed on the Creances roll for 1431 are Colin Pacquet, Jehannot Pacquet, Perrotin Pacquet, Jehan Pacquet, Robin Pacquet, Raoul Lenoir, and Jehan Deshulles.
A statement was made at the Abbey of Lessay by Fleury Jacquet, 1484, and by Robin Jacquet, 1542, for two pieces of land located in Creances, across from La Heberdie and the sale of two fields of land located across from Pouchard, made by Guillaume de Montrosty to Mathieu Jacquet. An acknowledgment exists for one crown, two pounds, subscribed by Pierre Jacquet to the wine master of the Abbey, 1584. In 1549, Robert de Glatigny sold a garden and house, located in Creances, which would produce forty sous of income, at a price of ninety four pounds, thirty sous.......There were holdings of La Dennerie containing houses and gardens. One of the neighbors is Marin LeNoir, of the Bartley garden. Jean Pacquet is a neighbor at the Elysian field. The pasture and cornfield mills of neighbor Julien Lenoir.1617.
The mother of Simeon LeRoy was Gillette Jacquet, a member of one of the oldest families of Creances, a surname still present in this village. There is some disagreement as to whether her first name was Pillete or Gillette. Some historians claim the given name Pillette did not exist during the 15th and 16th centuries, but this is still open to discovery. In the documents of the Abbey of Lessay, the surname, Jacquet is also found as Pacquet. With the influence of Norse, Celtic, and French languages on the people of Lower Normandy a spelling change could have taken place at any time. The Jacquet name in Lower Normandy was prominent until about 1431. The record of Jehan Jacquet shows that in 1421, he and Michault Desheulles of St. Germain-sur-Ay did not pay rent to the Abbey of Lessay. In 1431Jehan disappears from the records of St. Germain-sur-Ay, but is found at Creances where his name became Jehan Pacquet. The surname changed back to Jacquet in the mid-17th century. The years between 1431 and 1638 the two spellings were interchangeable.
The earliest mention of Jacquets in the records of the Abbey of Lessay is an acknowledgment of 1418 by Jean Jacquet. In this acknowledgement Jean Jacquet of St. Germain-sur-AY gave one hundred and ten sous plus three bushels of wheat, two loaves of bread, and two jellies paid to the Abbey on account of the inheritance he received from the Hebert settlement. In 1431 several Pacquets are mentioned in the "Roll of Fouage" for Creances. This "Roll of Fouage" was a bookkeeping system of the tax collected from the heads of families who had attained a certain amount of wealth in the various parishes. In the beginning the tax amounted to 12 farthings usually paid every three years. The tax was created in the 13th century, but was imposed at various times. Listed on the Creances roll for 1431 are Colin Pacquet, Jehannot Pacquet, Perrotin Pacquet, Jehan Pacquet, Robin Pacquet, Raoul Lenoir, and Jehan Deshulles.
A statement was made at the Abbey of Lessay by Fleury Jacquet, 1484, and by Robin Jacquet, 1542, for two pieces of land located in Creances, across from La Heberdie and the sale of two fields of land located across from Pouchard, made by Guillaume de Montrosty to Mathieu Jacquet. An acknowledgment exists for one crown, two pounds, subscribed by Pierre Jacquet to the wine master of the Abbey, 1584. In 1549, Robert de Glatigny sold a garden and house, located in Creances, which would produce forty sous of income, at a price of ninety four pounds, thirty sous.......There were holdings of La Dennerie containing houses and gardens. One of the neighbors is Marin LeNoir, of the Bartley garden. Jean Pacquet is a neighbor at the Elysian field. The pasture and cornfield mills of neighbor Julien Lenoir.1617.
In the records of the Regnault Family of Creances is found an entry dated September 18, 1619. Downstream before us, David B___, Lord of Serurerye, Lieutenant to the court of Creances, in the presence of Jacques Dallet, taken before the clerk of court........Then was brought before us, Jacques Lenoir, of this parish, a guardian chosen to establish justice for the minor children of deceased Guillaume Vautrin.....who told and showed Michael Vautrin, the only heir of the said deceased, of whom he is guardian until he becomes of age and capable of handling his own affairs and income, is represented by him, the relatives of said minor who are: MeMarguern LeCesne, Jean Pirou, Jullien Moullin, Loys Harvel, Nicholas and Jean LeNoir, Jean Jacquet........
In the year, 1639, the 11th day of March, in Lessay, came Martin Fanuel, Royal Auditor...Among those present was Gilles Jacquet, his son, Thomas Jacquet, of the parish of Creances, and Michael Desheulles, his wife, daughter and heiress of Jacques Desheullees, from the parish of Creances, and his mother, Ysabeau of Orleans, and sole heiress of said father and mother, their good wishers in their agreement to each other, in order to sell the inherited salt mines, from Marye Manduyt, of the parish of Lithaire, widow of the late Guillaume D'Orleans, of the same parish, present and accepted half a piece of fenced in land called " Le Petit Belleval," located in the parish of Lithaire, and agreed by the auditor seller, for the account of said wife, in the directions of the setting sun, including ends and sides, the remainder of said piece to Jean LeFillastre, the elder, and from the other end the legacies of Pierre LePre..........
An act of 1641: On the twenty ninth day of September, 1641, in Lessay, came Martin Fanuel, Royal auditor and his assistant, Jean LeRoze, to make a plea. Also present was Robert Regnault and son, Allain Regnault, of the parish of Creances, who was recognized on day last week, with Gilles Jacquet and Michael Jacquet, of the said parish presenting the sum of eight pounds and ten sous, toward the payment of reduction of seventeen sous of monthly rent, a marriage gift registered by auditor Regnault, as set up by the authority of Martin LaRoze, the record of which rent, in so far as entered in the Regnault ledger, he was owed by the brothers, a gaping arrearage, to annex at this time and also that said brothers now pay auditor Regnault the arrearage recorded last week of the recorded rent, by whatever means remain.....
Another act is recorded in the same year: Recorded on the thirteenth day of December, 1641....In making a marriage contract which shall be done and accomplished in our Catholic Mother Holy Church, Apostolic and Roman, Between Gilles LeNoir, of the parish of Creances, son of Nicholas LeNoir and Gillette LeMoigne, father and mother of the first part, and Catherine LeCouvey, daughter of Marin LeCouvey and Guillemette LeRoy, of St, Germain-sur-Ay, of the second part, above daughter given and recorded by the above mentioned Marin LeNoir as auditor for Gilles LeNoir, with the following understanding, that namely, that said Marin LeCouvey, father of said daughter and in favor of said marriage, give to her clear of liens, yield and leave each and all possessions, personal and inherited and forthcoming, and in the event that said daughter departs from life to death, without heirs, the said LeCovey son, will then regain possession of his heritage, for himself and his heirs, without recourse to the law, and in favor of said marriage, said Gilles LeNoir, Permanent appointee of said Catherine LeCouvey, of a house in the parish of Creances, located in the Fleuret Hamlet, with a garden named Carmiere Garden, Gilles LeNoir, son Gervais LeNoir, M.Jean Fauvel, De Miliere and said LeNoir bailiff and custodian of half of all their personal items, presents to come, in case of prior death, and in case said LeNoir, said LeCouvey, she cannot remove to someone else the said furniture, as is the usual custom, and to go on, said above submit to future partners of said Marin LeCouvey to maintain well and support according to rank, and in a situation where they cannot handle both, they earn and pay annually said LeCouvey, the sum of ten pounds, as promised to the said LeCouvey on the day end of St. Michel and submit to future partners clear and discharged of rents and due taxes that apply, as well as any other liens and obligations if some are found, all agreed and concluded Between the said parties, in the presence of Nicolas LeCouvey and Louis LeCouvey, of the said parish of St. Germain, and Etieene LeNoir of Creances, and Father Nicolas Giffard, Priest, who oversaw this, concluded this next to the last day of January 1640.
A contract appears in the records of 1643, where Gilles LeNoir, of Creances, leases for one year a parcel of the salt works at St. Germain-sur-Ay. The same year, Nicollas Jacquet, son of Phillipe Jacquet, also leases a separate salt mine for a period of one year.
In the year, 1639, the 11th day of March, in Lessay, came Martin Fanuel, Royal Auditor...Among those present was Gilles Jacquet, his son, Thomas Jacquet, of the parish of Creances, and Michael Desheulles, his wife, daughter and heiress of Jacques Desheullees, from the parish of Creances, and his mother, Ysabeau of Orleans, and sole heiress of said father and mother, their good wishers in their agreement to each other, in order to sell the inherited salt mines, from Marye Manduyt, of the parish of Lithaire, widow of the late Guillaume D'Orleans, of the same parish, present and accepted half a piece of fenced in land called " Le Petit Belleval," located in the parish of Lithaire, and agreed by the auditor seller, for the account of said wife, in the directions of the setting sun, including ends and sides, the remainder of said piece to Jean LeFillastre, the elder, and from the other end the legacies of Pierre LePre..........
An act of 1641: On the twenty ninth day of September, 1641, in Lessay, came Martin Fanuel, Royal auditor and his assistant, Jean LeRoze, to make a plea. Also present was Robert Regnault and son, Allain Regnault, of the parish of Creances, who was recognized on day last week, with Gilles Jacquet and Michael Jacquet, of the said parish presenting the sum of eight pounds and ten sous, toward the payment of reduction of seventeen sous of monthly rent, a marriage gift registered by auditor Regnault, as set up by the authority of Martin LaRoze, the record of which rent, in so far as entered in the Regnault ledger, he was owed by the brothers, a gaping arrearage, to annex at this time and also that said brothers now pay auditor Regnault the arrearage recorded last week of the recorded rent, by whatever means remain.....
Another act is recorded in the same year: Recorded on the thirteenth day of December, 1641....In making a marriage contract which shall be done and accomplished in our Catholic Mother Holy Church, Apostolic and Roman, Between Gilles LeNoir, of the parish of Creances, son of Nicholas LeNoir and Gillette LeMoigne, father and mother of the first part, and Catherine LeCouvey, daughter of Marin LeCouvey and Guillemette LeRoy, of St, Germain-sur-Ay, of the second part, above daughter given and recorded by the above mentioned Marin LeNoir as auditor for Gilles LeNoir, with the following understanding, that namely, that said Marin LeCouvey, father of said daughter and in favor of said marriage, give to her clear of liens, yield and leave each and all possessions, personal and inherited and forthcoming, and in the event that said daughter departs from life to death, without heirs, the said LeCovey son, will then regain possession of his heritage, for himself and his heirs, without recourse to the law, and in favor of said marriage, said Gilles LeNoir, Permanent appointee of said Catherine LeCouvey, of a house in the parish of Creances, located in the Fleuret Hamlet, with a garden named Carmiere Garden, Gilles LeNoir, son Gervais LeNoir, M.Jean Fauvel, De Miliere and said LeNoir bailiff and custodian of half of all their personal items, presents to come, in case of prior death, and in case said LeNoir, said LeCouvey, she cannot remove to someone else the said furniture, as is the usual custom, and to go on, said above submit to future partners of said Marin LeCouvey to maintain well and support according to rank, and in a situation where they cannot handle both, they earn and pay annually said LeCouvey, the sum of ten pounds, as promised to the said LeCouvey on the day end of St. Michel and submit to future partners clear and discharged of rents and due taxes that apply, as well as any other liens and obligations if some are found, all agreed and concluded Between the said parties, in the presence of Nicolas LeCouvey and Louis LeCouvey, of the said parish of St. Germain, and Etieene LeNoir of Creances, and Father Nicolas Giffard, Priest, who oversaw this, concluded this next to the last day of January 1640.
A contract appears in the records of 1643, where Gilles LeNoir, of Creances, leases for one year a parcel of the salt works at St. Germain-sur-Ay. The same year, Nicollas Jacquet, son of Phillipe Jacquet, also leases a separate salt mine for a period of one year.
Conclusions
We have now found four distinct groupings of the LeRoy lines in Lower Normandy. The first grouping remained in close proximity, and is tied to the Abbey of Lessay. They can be associated with the towns of Angoville-sur-Ay, Creances, Lessay, St.Germain-sur-Ay, Lithaire, Mobec, St.Opportune, and Le Buisson. The second grouping is located at Fontenay-sur-Mer and is attached to the Chateau de Courcy, as well as those living at Beuzville and Ravenoville. The third grouping, and most distant from Lessay, is located near Vire at Clinchamp, Gouville, and Le Desert. The fourth grouping is located at Montpinchon and is attached to the diocese of Coutances.
We know that a branch of the LeRoy family originated in and around the Lessay area. In fact, the earliest LeRoys, those of the 15th century, were already established there. Angoville-sur-Ay has the earliest records naming father and son relationships. While there was several LeRoys mentioned in records prior to 1431, there were no relationships mentioned. By 1452 there is a LeRoy line established at Fontenay-sur-Mer. Another LeRoy line is established at Gouville and Montpinchon by 1503. The LeRoy line of Creances is not established until 1522, the town itself being very ancient.
It can be claimed with some certainty that the movements of the various LeRoy families is prejudiced by the fact many archival records are missing or destroyed. There are large gaps in years for every town researched. The LeRoy line at Fontenay-sur-Mer stops in 1617, while Clinchamp records do not begin until 1616. It is very difficult to research when dealing with ancient records.
The combined records of Clinchamp and Gouville cover the years 1503 to 1685, and are the most complete genealogy of the LeRoys researched. In the documents studied, the name Richard LeRoy appears eight times, Thomas LeRoy, four times, and Simon/Simeon LeRoy three times. While all their land is tied to the Lord of Clinchamp, some connection to nobility is found. In genealogies of the Dukes of Normandy and the Kings of France, one finds Francois LeRoy of Clinchamp marrying a descendent of Duke Francois II de Bretagne, in 1577. These LeRoys did not leave the Clinchamp area. There is no indication of any migration to or from the Lessay area. The coincidence in the given names here to the given names at Fontenay-sur-Mer does not make the two branches connected. While we have records for Montpinchon for the years 1503 to 1582, no connection can be made to the Lessay area.
This leaves us with Fontenay-sur-Mer. Not only do the names Richard LeRoy and Thomas LeRoy, appear at Fontenay-sur-Mer and at Creance, there is a Jacquet connection to Creance as well. This is not proof that the origins of the ancestors of Simeon LeRoy are found at Fontenay-sur-Mer, but it does seem to be more logical an assumption when one considers the other branch locations of LeRoys.
The last act naming a Jacquet, which has bearing on the locations of the LeRoy family, can be found in an agreement dated 1640. On March 10, an agreement was made between Jean Regnault of Creances and Pierre Jacquet of Ravenoville for the lease of a salt mine at St. Germain-sur-Ay. The importance of this document cannot be overstated. It is from Ravenoville that Pierre had come to Creance to manage a salt mine. Ravenoville is only four miles southeast of Fontenay-sur-Mer, where one finds the LeRoy family.
From the records of Creances an interesting fact is discovered. The LeRoys, LeNoirs, Jacquets and Regnaults are all related through marriage. The "plea of relief," recorded on June 17,1646 for Jacques LeRoy, has Jacques LeRoy married to the widow of Denys Regnault. The 1619 Jacques LeNoir becomes guardian of the Vautrin children, with relatives Jean LeNoir and Jean Jacquet being present at the confirmation. Then we have the 1641 record which records a marriage contract between Gilles LeNoir and Catherine LeCouvey (mother Guillemette LeRoy.) The Regnaulds existed at Creances since 1416 or earlier, the Jacquets since 1421 or earlier, the LeRoys since at least 1522, and the LeNoirs since 1617.
It would appear that at the baptism of Simeon LeRoy, the sponsors, Jacques LeRoy and Jean LeNoir were indeed relatives of Simeon and his father and mother, Richard and Gillette. Since historical records show that the Creancais seldom married outside their small community, it can be assumed that the ancestors of Simeon LeRoy were from either Creances or the area close by, and left that area at the beginning of the religious wars, to perhaps Fontenay-sur-Mer where we find the orphaned sons of Valentin LeRoy, Jean LeRoy and Richard LeRoy, along with their older brother Thomas LeRoy, as well as their cousin Pierre Jacquet.
We have now found four distinct groupings of the LeRoy lines in Lower Normandy. The first grouping remained in close proximity, and is tied to the Abbey of Lessay. They can be associated with the towns of Angoville-sur-Ay, Creances, Lessay, St.Germain-sur-Ay, Lithaire, Mobec, St.Opportune, and Le Buisson. The second grouping is located at Fontenay-sur-Mer and is attached to the Chateau de Courcy, as well as those living at Beuzville and Ravenoville. The third grouping, and most distant from Lessay, is located near Vire at Clinchamp, Gouville, and Le Desert. The fourth grouping is located at Montpinchon and is attached to the diocese of Coutances.
We know that a branch of the LeRoy family originated in and around the Lessay area. In fact, the earliest LeRoys, those of the 15th century, were already established there. Angoville-sur-Ay has the earliest records naming father and son relationships. While there was several LeRoys mentioned in records prior to 1431, there were no relationships mentioned. By 1452 there is a LeRoy line established at Fontenay-sur-Mer. Another LeRoy line is established at Gouville and Montpinchon by 1503. The LeRoy line of Creances is not established until 1522, the town itself being very ancient.
It can be claimed with some certainty that the movements of the various LeRoy families is prejudiced by the fact many archival records are missing or destroyed. There are large gaps in years for every town researched. The LeRoy line at Fontenay-sur-Mer stops in 1617, while Clinchamp records do not begin until 1616. It is very difficult to research when dealing with ancient records.
The combined records of Clinchamp and Gouville cover the years 1503 to 1685, and are the most complete genealogy of the LeRoys researched. In the documents studied, the name Richard LeRoy appears eight times, Thomas LeRoy, four times, and Simon/Simeon LeRoy three times. While all their land is tied to the Lord of Clinchamp, some connection to nobility is found. In genealogies of the Dukes of Normandy and the Kings of France, one finds Francois LeRoy of Clinchamp marrying a descendent of Duke Francois II de Bretagne, in 1577. These LeRoys did not leave the Clinchamp area. There is no indication of any migration to or from the Lessay area. The coincidence in the given names here to the given names at Fontenay-sur-Mer does not make the two branches connected. While we have records for Montpinchon for the years 1503 to 1582, no connection can be made to the Lessay area.
This leaves us with Fontenay-sur-Mer. Not only do the names Richard LeRoy and Thomas LeRoy, appear at Fontenay-sur-Mer and at Creance, there is a Jacquet connection to Creance as well. This is not proof that the origins of the ancestors of Simeon LeRoy are found at Fontenay-sur-Mer, but it does seem to be more logical an assumption when one considers the other branch locations of LeRoys.
The last act naming a Jacquet, which has bearing on the locations of the LeRoy family, can be found in an agreement dated 1640. On March 10, an agreement was made between Jean Regnault of Creances and Pierre Jacquet of Ravenoville for the lease of a salt mine at St. Germain-sur-Ay. The importance of this document cannot be overstated. It is from Ravenoville that Pierre had come to Creance to manage a salt mine. Ravenoville is only four miles southeast of Fontenay-sur-Mer, where one finds the LeRoy family.
From the records of Creances an interesting fact is discovered. The LeRoys, LeNoirs, Jacquets and Regnaults are all related through marriage. The "plea of relief," recorded on June 17,1646 for Jacques LeRoy, has Jacques LeRoy married to the widow of Denys Regnault. The 1619 Jacques LeNoir becomes guardian of the Vautrin children, with relatives Jean LeNoir and Jean Jacquet being present at the confirmation. Then we have the 1641 record which records a marriage contract between Gilles LeNoir and Catherine LeCouvey (mother Guillemette LeRoy.) The Regnaulds existed at Creances since 1416 or earlier, the Jacquets since 1421 or earlier, the LeRoys since at least 1522, and the LeNoirs since 1617.
It would appear that at the baptism of Simeon LeRoy, the sponsors, Jacques LeRoy and Jean LeNoir were indeed relatives of Simeon and his father and mother, Richard and Gillette. Since historical records show that the Creancais seldom married outside their small community, it can be assumed that the ancestors of Simeon LeRoy were from either Creances or the area close by, and left that area at the beginning of the religious wars, to perhaps Fontenay-sur-Mer where we find the orphaned sons of Valentin LeRoy, Jean LeRoy and Richard LeRoy, along with their older brother Thomas LeRoy, as well as their cousin Pierre Jacquet.