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Help with Translation of documents from French National Archives

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terris
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Hi, I've been researching my third great grandfather Alexandre Simon Claude Gaillard who was in the mobile garde and was sent to California as payment for services in 1850. He was murdered in Idaho in 1864. His story raises a lot of questions - fortunately the National Archives in France sent me a package with two dossiers of information but some are very difficult to read. I've managed to translate a few on my own but some of the translations make no sense. I was wondering whether anyone would be willing to help me with the following documents - any help would be very very much appreciated.

Thank you very much for your help!

Kind regards
Terri Smith
Liitteet
Alexandre Simon Gaillard.jpg
Alexandre Gaillard Letter 117.jpg
Alexander Gaillard 117 p 2.jpg
Alex Gaillard p2.png
ericdubois
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Hi Terri,

Here's a summary:

Letter #1
From Mrs GAILLARD to the minister of Foreign affairs, 9(?) MAY 1857
Alexandre Simon Claude GAILLARD abandoned his spouse and young child to find fortune in California, and she has received no support from him. He boarded the Capricieuse on 25 MAY 1850 at (?) and arrived in San Francisco on 26 NOV 1850.
She asks for any information that would allow her to find him.
Marginal mentions: wrote to SF 8 JUN 1857 and again 27 AUG 1858

Letter #2
From Justice of the peace to prosecutor, 21 AUG 1865
Information gathered about Alexandre Simon Claude GAILLARD
Soon after being released from military service, Mr GAILLARD joined a troupe of saltimbanque (gipsies?).
In July 1843, he married Césarine ROBERT-CHOBERT, then 21-y-o, one-legged and missing an arm, daughter of the chief of the troupe.
She gave birth to his son who would now be 18 or 19.
For several years, Mr GAILLARD traveled the Vendôme area with his wife, whom he later abandoned along with his child to go to California.
Mrs Gaillard was seen 14 or 15 years ago by Mrs CROSNIER (sister of her husband) with her son then age 3 or 4.
She was also seen in Bordeaux in 1852 or 1853 according to letter from the mayor of Faye.
We have since not heard about her or her child.
Mr GAILLARD has no ascendant.
He had 3 sisters, one of them half sister (mother's side):
1. Marguerite JOUANNEAU, deceased, wife of Charles LATRON, 6 children...
2. Françoise GAILLARD, widow of Louis Joseph COURTOIS and wife of François CROSNIER
3. Madelaine GAILLARD, deceased, wife of Jacques LANDIER, 2 twin children

Letter #3
From Mrs GAILLARD to the minister (of Foreign affairs?), 10 FEB 1859
Thank you for your attention...
Without your help, I would not have learned that he currently resides in Folson, County of Sacramento (California).
When you receive new information regarding my husband, I count on your consideration...

Eric
terris
terris
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Eric, thank you so much for translation. This Alexandre does not sound like such a good guy . One question re the statement "legless with one arm" - should this be taken literally or does this mean without the use of her legs and arm? As an acrobat I suppose it could mean either though the former lends to a much stranger story. Thank you again for your assistance. Kind regards, Terri
ericdubois
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terris kirjoitti: 02 Elokuu 2021, 16:26 Eric, thank you so much for translation. This Alexandre does not sound like such a good guy .
I try not to judge ancestors' decisions. He might have joined the gold rush to provide fro his family. Although in that case, I think he would have informed his wife.
One question re the statement "legless with one arm" - should this be taken literally or does this mean without the use of her legs and arm? As an acrobat I suppose it could mean either though the former lends to a much stranger story.
I just checked the definition of cul-de-jatte. It means "amputated of both legs" (I was wrong in my translation) and "having only one arm" means to me that one arm is physically gone, not just unusable.

The info above should help you flesh out Alexandre's siblings and nieces/nephews.

Césarine Angéline GAILLARD, born in 1860, would legally be Alexandre's daughter since he was still married to her mother at the time. But it's obvious that he cannot be her biological father. It would be interesting to read her birth certificate. Unfortunately, it might be amongst the millions of records that burned in 1871.

Check the 1860-1872 tables at http://archives.paris.fr/s/7/tables-decennales/ (if you know the arrondissement, it's faster. Otherwise, you'll have to search each arrondissement).

Eric
terris
terris
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Thank you Eric!
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