PHILLY-ROOTS-L Archives

From: Vince Summers <>
Subject: Please allow me one more - PARMENTIER
Date: Fri, 06 Aug 2004 11:53:51 -0700

I guess I just can't believe this... Allow me to send you a page of
notes on
Caroline Burn PARMENTIER, who came to Philadelphia c 1805-1810
and married James John Patient Mazurie de Keroualin:

It reads, P. 8

Accounts from the memory of Cousin Harry R. Mazurie about the Parmentier
branch of the family including things he remembered his parents telling him
about them.

It is said that Caroline Burn Parmentier was born April 1, 1793, pro-
bably. When she was eight weeks old her parents had to make their escape
from Paris to save their lives as the Reign of Terror was at its height and
Robespierre, Danton and Marat were sending the Aristocracy to the guillotine
by the dozens daily. Her parents are said to have gone first to St. Thomas
and later on to San Domingo, taking with them a son, Victor Parmentier (who
was born in Paris). Having been left behind in Paris at such an early age
Caroline was placed in charge of a foster mother or a nurse with whom she
remained until she was about eleven or twelve years old, say about 1805.
At this time Napoleon granted an amnesty to the Emigrees allowing them for
the first time to return to France after the Revolution. Then her father
returned to Paris for her and one of the things she clearly recalled was
her father taking her by the hand on Sunday morning to see the house where
Charlotte Corday assassinated the terrible Marat.

The photostat picture of the house which goes with this description
is taken from a "History of Old Paris," Vol. 6, P. 355 which book is in the
Carnegie Library. The house #20 was on the old Rue de Cordeliers in the old
aristocratic section of the Louxembourg on the Left Bank of the Seine. It
was torn down many years ago to make room for the Ecole de Chierurgens or
School of Surgery, a branch of the present Ecole de Medicine. This house
was not far from the old CHurch and COnvent of the Franciscian Monks,
usually called Cordeliers from the cord which they wore around their cas-
socks. This Convent was used during the Revolution by Danton, Marat and
others as a meeting place for the radical Revolutionary Party which was con-
sequently known as "The Cordeliers". (As an Aristocrat it is probable that
M. Parmentier looked on this as almost a sacred shrine where the Will of
God had been carried out against a very wicked man, and so it seems.)\

At one time my great grandmother told mother as I recall that her
mother's father was a Cavalry Captain in the English Army, named Burn.
If that were so then her mother's maiden name was Teresa Clara Burn, from
which it is pretty safe to infer that her grandfather was either an Irish-
man or a cottsman, but this is just from memory and heresay.

From the preceeding it does appear that Caroline was taken to San Dom-
ingo about 1805 and then on to Philadelphia, Pa., between 1805 and 1810, at
which time she married great grandfather Mazurie, from then her
movements are
known with more certainty. Her brother, Victor Parmentier, was killed in
San DOmingo leading his troops against the Negroes in an uprising of the
Blacks against the white people.

Caroline B. Parmentier and Jacques Jean Patient Mazurie's only child,
James Victor Mazurie, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1811.

Note that this in in pen, below the above typewritten material:

Caroline's mother, Theresa Clara Parmentier, B. Oct 20, 1756 D. Apr. 5,
1833 buried Old ST. Mary's with son in law, JJPM
Caroline was buried from St. Paul's R.C. Church on CHristian St. below
10th in the New Cathedral Cem. in Phila., Pa. at Front & Luzerne Sts (off
of Roosevelt Blv., Sec. h, Range 8, Lot 31 under name MacKane mistaken
for correct name Mackau - 3RD husband).

Cem. Information Buried 7/8/1871 at 88 years of age.

If anyone is able to photograph these (if stones exist) I would really
love it!

Vince

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• Please allow me one more - PARMENTIER by Vince Summers <>