John (Jean) Antoine from privateer to dancing master.

[Stokkie]

I hit a brick wall.

Jean Antoine was born in France before 1780. He was my 2nd great grandfather. Oct 1798 Portsmouth Hampshire. There is a record of a Jean Antoine being held as a prisoner of war in Portsmouth. He was captured in 1797 on board a French privateer called 'Le Cerf Volant’ (Kite). This would have been part of the French Revolutionary War. It is suggested that he escaped and called himself John.

The Napoleonic Wars run 1803-1815.

John Antoine married Mary Dennick in All Saints Church, Evesham 24 Dec 1808. He’s 28 while she’s 16. Their marriage is recorded in Overbury Parish Register. In 1813 they have a child Sarah. (My great grandmother.)

On 3rd March 1814 Sarah is baptised at All Saints. John Antoine gives his occupation as dancing master. Jean probably died before July 1823 as Mary remarries. I can’t find a death record for John or Jean Antoine. Could he have died in France?

France does not permit DNA analysis and I don’t know the first name of his father. There are lots of French records of Jean Antoine, but which one might he be?

Any advice welcome.

 

[Pedrocut]

May be of interest…
February 1811, Saunders Newsletter and Official list of British vessels captured by French.

 

[Pedrocut]

Even more interesting from September 1803 and the Star (London).

 

[Stokkie]

May be of interest…
February 1811, Saunders Newsletter and Official list of British vessels captured by French.

View attachment 193789

Thank you! That appears to be the ship and there is a report of the action in which she was taken by the British in 1797.

 

[Stokkie]

London Gazette Tues Sept 11 - Sat Sept 23 1797

 

[Stokkie]

A John Antoine with spouse Mary baptised Sophia Antoine in Jamaica All Parishes 1847. According to Ancestry but there's no original document in the collection. Looks to be microfilm.

 

[pjmburns]

John Antoine seems to be quite a common name in Jamaica. Several marriages around 1838 of a JA to Mary (various surnames) so difficult to tell

A John Antoine with spouse Mary baptised Sophia Antoine in Jamaica All Parishes 1847. According to Ancestry but there's no original document in the collection. Looks to be microfilm.

Occupation labourer.

 

[Stokkie]

John Antoine seems to be quite a common name in Jamaica. Several marriages around 1838 of a JA to Mary (various surnames) so difficult to tell


Occupation labourer.
View attachment 193792

Thank you Janice. My JA married Mary Dennick in Evesham in 1808.
Derek

 

[pjmburns]

Thank you Janice. My JA married Mary Dennick in Evesham in 1808.
Derek

Yes I have seen the record.
It was just your reference to that baptism. Unlikely to be any connection I would think.
Annoyingly it doesn't give Mary Antoine's marriage status on the second marriage to John Corbet in 1823.

 

[Stokkie]

Yes I have seen the record.
It was just your reference to that baptism. Unlikely to be any connection I would think.
Annoyingly it doesn't give Mary Antoine's marriage status on the second marriage to John Corbet in 1823.

Thank you Janice. I appreciate your comment, I'd thought to discount it, but I have little experience of genealogy having taken it up in the last two years. It is so easy to jump to assumptions.
Derek

 

[MWS]

Where did you get the info in the op - age etc - from?

 

[Stokkie]

Where did you get the info in the op - age etc - from?

Good question. A family member, but there is a supporting document which is the page from the Portsmouth custody book. JA is the last entry on the page. I hope it can be read. There is a record of a Jean Antoine being held as a prisoner of war in Portsmouth. He was captured in 1797 whilst on board a French privateer called 'Le Cerf Volante'. This would have been part of the French Revolutionary War. He escaped on 21st Sept 1801.

 

[Stokkie]

 

[MWS]

There's a record for an American John Antione b1786, a prisoner of war at Chatham from the War of 1812. His death is given as 1814.

 

[Stokkie]

The custody record I posted is in the Prisoners of War collection from National Archives available in Find my Past. This Jean Antoine was 2nd Capitaine of the lugger, so an officer, but not the commander of the privateer.

The marriage between John and Mary is by licence. He signs the register, she makes her mark (as she does on her second marriage). I guess dancing master is a plausible occupation for a French ship's officer. Odd that as an escaped prisoner he is able to move about the country, if it is the right man he must have had decent English. I've discovered that Cerf Volant can mean flying stag besides kite so a good name for a fast ship.

Thanks to everyone who has looked at this.