Journeaux family history

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A history of several branches of the Journeaux family



This history of a family who owned several important fiefs, was written by the Rev J A Messervy, and first published in French in the 1901 Annual Bulletin of La Société Jersiaise. It has been translated by Mike Bisson

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This family, whose name is written elsewhere Journeaulx, Journiaux, Jeurniaux, Jeuniaulx, Jorniax, etc, has occupied a distinguished position in Jersey for centuries and certainly merits more than the few lines given to it in the Armorial.

We do not know when the Journeaux established themselves in Jersey: perhaps only in the 15th century. It is possible that the name was used for the first time in the island itself, like many others to which one attributes, probably erroneously, a foreign origin.

Four parishes

Whatever the case we find this family established in St Mary and St John in the 16th century, where it was of high standing, and soon afterwards branches were also established in St Saviour and St Clement which attempted to outdo the ancient houses of these parishes. The family produced several Jurats, one of them a Lieut-Bailiff, and a number of Constables, Advocates, doctors etc.

The importance of a family in Jersey can be measured by the number and extend of the fiefs it possessed: we note the following among those which belonged to the Journeaux:

Fief du Câtelet

A manuscript of 1764, of which the authenticity is duly certified, gives the results of an inquiry which took place on the subject of this fief in 1536: we offer the following information:

One of the witnesses cited, aged about 73, said that he had seen Philippe Journeaux and his heirs possessing the fief of Câtelet. Another reported that Sire John Journeaux, brother of Nicolas, was "a man of great substance and goods". According to this witness, the Seigneur of Câtelet only paid 5 sols rente to the Seigneurie of Méléches (Menaches in the manuscript), but Governor Thomas Ovray forced Jolin Journeaux to pay 21 cabots of wheat rente for this fief on pain of imprisonment.

Another witness, formerly a neighbour and friend of Governor Ovray, testified that he had sent him to look for John Journeaux and his son Thomas, and imprison them; shortly afterwards "the said John Journeaux died" - this must have happened about 1500. He added that the fief Le Câtelet "is the rightful inheritance of the Journeaux".

Finally a witness, aged 95 in 1536, declared that for more than 80 years "Mahieu Vivian paid rent to Philippe Journeaux".

We add to these testimonies of 1536 that the Fief du Câtelet was sold by John Journeaux, son of Thomas, before 1527, to Sire Michel Mauger, priest, who sold it shortly afterwards to Thomas Lempriere. The latter had to relinquish it to Jurat Nicolas Journeaux. On 6 December 1604 Abraham Journeaux, son of Clement, sold the Fief du Câtelet to Jean Le Febvre, son of Germain, for the rentes due on this fief; but Jean Le Febvre must have relinquished it to Abraham Journeaux, or his son Aaron, who was Seigneur of Câtelet in 1650.

About 1754 the fief in question was inherited from the Journeaux by the Baleynes, from whose hands it passed by purchase to Arthur, in December 1810. A contract of 24 April 1570 certifies that Thomas Lempriere and Clement Journeaulx were presented to Chefs-Plaids d'Heritage to pay their respects to the Lieut-Governor, representing the Queen. Was this for the Fief du Câtelet?

Fief of St Jean la Hougue-Boëte

This fief seems to have been sold to Jurat Clement Journeaux by Henry Mallet, the eldest heir of Thomas Lempriere jnr. On 20 September 1593, Helier Hamptonne, and his wife, the daugthter of Clement Journeaux, were received to answer for that fief. But on 14 January 1596 the minor infants of the late Clement Journeaux were admitted to answer for the fief in question, with the consent of Helier Hamptonne, who received land and rente in compensation.

The Fief of St Jean la Hougue-Boëte was sold by Abraham Journeaux, son of Clement, to Jean Le Febvre, son of Germain, on 14 June 1603, as well as the house, outbuildings etc, including 100 vergées of land..

Fief de Hérupe

Formerly known as the Fief de John Martin en Herupe, there was a lawsuit concerning this fief in 1598 betweeen Abraham Journeaux, son of Clement, and Hugh Le Gallais. It was sold by Abraham Journeaux in 1604 to Jean Le Febvre, son of Germain, and passed shortly after to Thomas Lempriere of St Jean, the youngest heir of Diélament.

Fief de Saval

Saval, or Sauvalle at St Peter. Acquired by Philippe Journeaux, son of Salomon, on 27 October 1683 from Jean Messervy, of St Saviour (Advocate) this fief was sold shortly after to Raulin Robin, of St Peter, and recovered by descendant Philippe Balleine, although he did not hesistate to return it to Robin.

We now give some details of the different branches of the family, their properties and their representatives.

The Elms, formerly a Journeaux property and now the headquarters of the National Trust for Jersey

St Mary branch

The principal branch of Journeaux of St Mary possessed in addition to the Fief of Câtelet and Gigoulande Mill a considerable inheritance. In 1704 Philippe Journeaux, son of Aaron, took possession of 15 vergées of land. THis inheritance was sold on 1 December 1810 by Jacques Baleyne to Jean Arthur, whose son Charles Jean Arthur, sold it on 4 November 1816 to Jean Perrée. The property in question is now called The Elms.

There were other branches at St Mary which we have not been able to link with any certainty to that mentioned above: for example, a Journeaux family possessed land close to Le Hougue Mauger and La Ville aux Scretz, or aux Screux. A member of this branch was perhaps Jean Journeaux, who married, around 1670, Judith Pipon, daughter of Jean, Seigneur of Ganouaire, Constable of St Mary, and left two daughters; the elder, wife of Simeon du Pré, died without children in 1737, along with her husband; the other married Jean Le Cras. There was an action between this du Pré and his wife and Mathieu Renouf in 1730 relating to places in a pew in St Mary's Church. Questions of precedence were then of paramount importance and gave rise to a number of actions.

St Saviour

At St Saviour there were two branches of the Journeaux family: the more important, whose genealogy goes back furthest, living in the 17th Century in the Dicq area, and proprietors of Vaux de Morel, in the parish on the Fief du Roi, and land at La Vallée Collet, between Bagatelle and Bagot.

The founder of this branch, Jurat Philippe Journeaux, was one of those who towards the end of the 16th century did not cease calling for reforms in the procedure of the Royal Court, and opposed the Paulet family. He was imprisoned at Mont Orgueil Castle along with Jurat Jean de Carteret, Seigneur of Vinchelez de Haut; both were freed in 1587 under caution of £200 sterling. We show later some Court Acts relating to this affair.

The Bulletin of 1886 contains a very curious guarantee of quality given by the Royal Court to this Philippe Journeaux in 1602, and gives details of his gravestone, which is now in the Museum of La Société Jersiaise.

The same Philippe Journeaux had a serious dispute with Thomas Olivier, Rector of St Helier, in 1607, for which was have been unable to discover the cause, and refused communion from him.

Militia incident

Nicolas Journeaux (descendant of Philippe), who was probably an officer of the East Regiment of the Militia, lodged a complaint in 1692 against his Colonel, Jurat Jean La Cloche, who had struck him and "abused him with excessive blows" with a thick cane in the cemetery of St Saviour, after service, at and the head of three companies of the parish on Sunday 21 August.

Another Journeaux family was established for a long period at St Saviour, not far from La Hougue Bie. It had land on the Fief au Guenetier, in this parish, and in Grouville on Fief de la Hougue.

In the 16th century there were Journeaux at Mont Mado, St John, which we have not been able to link to the principal branch. In 1544 Nicolas Journeaulx succeeded John Journeaulx of Mont Mado and his son Maryn Journeaulx. He also succeeded, on 2 July 1534, Sire John Journeaulx, priest, who should not be confused with the Rector of St John of this name.

St Clement

At St Clement we find in the 17th and 18th centuries an important branch of the Journeaux family, Its principal representative, Philippe Journeaux, inherited through his wife des Herault, de Samarès, and possessed the following land in 1721: Clos de la Motte, in St Helier on the Fief du Buisson; Mare au Haguaisw; Clos de Millés; Pré de Causier; Val de Grault, etc, in St Clement on the Fief du Prieur. There was a dispute in 1684 for a place in St Clement Church between this Philippe Journeaux and Thomas Anquetil.

Finally in the 17th Century at Faldouet, St Martin, there was a Journeaux family which we have reason to believe originated in the Vingtaine du Nord, St Mary. THis branch is probably that which is still lrepresented at St Martin.

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