FAMILY HISTORY

"Jiggs" mother was Bertha Irene Wiley.

Bertha's mother was Julia Ette Shadowens (b 1875 in IL)

Julia Ette's father was Claburn Shadowens (b 1836 in TN)

Claburn's father was David Chaudoin (b 1808 in VA)

David's grandfather was Frances Chaudoin (b 1716 in France)

Frances' great-grandfather was Christophe Chaudoin (b in 1605 in France)

Frances Chaudoin married Sarah Weaver about 1850 in Virgina.

Sarah's mother was Francoise L'Orange (b 1700); the daugher of Jean Velas L'Orange (b 1664 in France) ; the granddaugher of Francis L'Orange (born 1640 in France); the great-granddaughter of Jean L'Orange (b 1610 in France); and the great-great granddaughter of Sir Velas L'Orange ( b 1580) of Orange France. (Sir Velas L'Orange was "Jiggs'" 9th great-grandfather.)

WHY DID OUR ANCESTORS LEAVE FRANCE?

The L'Orange family were prominent members of the Orange community in Provence of Southern France. However, the "War of Religions" made many French Huguenot families flee France and find refuge in other European countries.

Our family went first to La Rochelle, France (a beautiful seaport in southwestern France on the Bay of Biscay). There, Jean Velas L'Orange was born in 1664. As the violence and persecution increased, his father, Sir Francis, felt the family was no longer safe and escaped with his family to England in 1682.

Jean Velas L'Orange "the immigrant", sailed with his wife, Francoise Rouvierre and their infant daughter on the "La Nasseau" as they sought a permanent home. They were on the fourth ship that carried French Huguenots searching for religious freedom and safety from persecution that arrived in Virgina between 1700 and 1701. They were numbered in the original settlers of the Huguenot colony of Manakin-Towne, Cumberland County, Virgina.

The "La Nasseau" passengers were from some of the more wealthy and educated families of the French emigrees. They had originally planned to settle in the New York area, but when they arrived on March 5, 1701, they joined the other French Huguenot emigrees in the wilderness colony of Manakin-Towne. This was to be a difficult time in their lives for conditions were harsh and even the bare necessities needed to simply survive were sparse. It took courage and hard work in dire conditions for these refugees to endure the wilderness colony that first few years.

From the many Huguenot immigrants that arrived in the American Colonies, there are a few descendants of other families that you might recognize from the history of our country: George Washington; John Adams; John Quincy Adams; and Paul Revere!

The Huguenot Cross consists of an open four-petal Lily of France; the four petals signify the FOUR GOSPELS. Each petal has two rounded points at the corners to signify the EIGHT BEATITUDES. The four petals are joined together by four fleur-de-lis to signify the MOTHER COUNTRY OF FRANCE. The twelve rounded points on the four petals and the four fleur-de-lis signify the TWELVE APOSTLES. Suspended from the center by a gold ring is a pendant dove signifying the CHURCH UNDER THE CROSS. However, in times of persecution, the dove is replaced by a TEAR DROP.