My French Connection

Family legend has it that my Great-Grandmother, Jeanne Gaillard, came to the United States as a young woman with her widowed mother, Veronique, after her father had died. She had been born in Algeria when her father, Jean, was in the French Army. (Note - I just found out from a genealogist named Brigitte Washington that Jeanne was born in Oran, Algeria, in 1880). She witnessed a beheading by guillotine while living there. She was sent to France for her education, and she did NOT like her religious upbringing. She became a Western Union typist, or a morse code operator. After arriving in the United States, in California, she met a miner named Frank Marcelin Sabathe, got married, and her first child was the first child born in the Dale mining district of Southern California.

My mother told me that Jeanne had several cousins living in the San Francisco area. That explains why several pictures I have of this family were taken there. My mother said that Jeanne did not like the hot summers in the desert.

This is a picture of a man my family believes to be the man Veronique married, Jean Gaillard, my 2nd great grandfather. Since my first great-grandmother was born in 1880 in Algiers, and Veronique, was born in 1842, I am going to assume that Jean was born approximately in 1842 also. (This makes them quite old parents - 39 years old each.)

Through the efforts of Brigitte, I was able to get Jeanne's birth certificate from Oran, Algeria. It gave us some important information.

Year One thousand eight hundred and eighty one, the third of January at four forty five PM stood in front of me Mardoché Benichou Jr, counselor of the Mayor of the City of Oran, Sir Léon Bertrand, forty two years of age, employee at the civil hospital of Oran and living in the city.

He presented to us a female child and declared that she was born on the thirty first of December at one and a half PM and that she was born of the legal marriage of Jean Marie GAILLARD, forty eight years of age, office clerk, born in Saint Marcet ( Haute Garonne), not present and dame Véronique CASTAIN, thirty eight years of age, housewife, living in Oran Schneider Street. The child was born in the mentioned hospital and was given the names of Jeanne Marie.

Act was written in presence of witnesses: François CHAVANTRE, thirty eight years of age, clerk; Mohamed Ould Zahar, twenty five years of age, chaouch. Both living in Oran. And after the reading, they all signed with us.

We now know Jean's village of birth is St. Marcet, which now only has approximately 400 citizens. Also, Jeanne's mother's maiden name was Veronique CASTAIN. Jean was 48 years old when his daughter Jeanne was born, making it approximately 1832 when he was born. Veronique was 38 years old, making her born approx. 1842. According to the 1910 census of Dale Township, San Bernardino county in California where the Sabathe-Gaillard family was living, Veronique is listed as having had two children, both who were alive in 1910.

Here is a picture of Veronique with her grandson, Dale Sabathe, taken in Riverside, California. Dale was born in 1905, so I am going to assume this photo was taken in 1907.

My mother and my aunt believe that at some point, Veronique was married twice. They vaguely remember a death by accident involving a ladder. It could mean that Jean was her first or second husband.

Veronique died January 31, 1927, in Los Angeles, California. Her date of birth was listed as October 26, 1842. She was burried in Hollywood Cemetery Feb 3, 1927. Her parents names are not on the death certificate. Her daughter Jeanne Sabathe was the informant, and it appears Jeanne did not know the names of her own grandparents at the time she gave the information. The death certificate states she had been a residence of the place of death for 6 years, and a resident of California for 20 years, making 1907 the year of immigration. (This is possibly not accurate information.)

Sadly, the young boy in the picture with her above, died at only 21 years of age on May 22, 1926, before his grandmother. He died of complications of an appendectomy. His family was living in what is now called West Hollywood, California. When Dale died, Veronique was quite elderly and may have had Alzheimers. The family did not tell Veronique about Dale.

Here is a picture of Jeanne Marie Gaillard. According to her death certificate, she was born Dec. 31st, 1881, in Algiers. She died Oct. 25, 1941, In Los Angeles County, California. Her death certificate states she had been in the USA for 40 years, making it 1901 when she immigrated. The year could be an estimate. She married Frank Marceline Sabathe approximately 1904 in California. His obituary (further down) has a tidbit about how they met.

You can see that she is wearing a bracelet on her right wrist. I now own that bracelet.

Here is what I believed to be a primary school graduation certificate for Jeanne Gaillard, but found it was a more advanced certificate from Brigitte Jacob - Washington. She also told me that Jeanne's birth information was on here, which astounded me.

L'Inspecteur d'Academie du departement des Basses-Pyrenees, Vu l'article 6 de la loi due 28 mars 1882; Vu le decret du 27 juillet 1882; Vu l'arrete du 18 janvier 1887; Vu le proces-verbal de l'examen subi par Melle Gaillard, Jeanne dans les conditions determinees par l'arrete susvise; Vu le certificat en date du 21 Juin 1895, par lequel la Commission cantonale d 'oloron (est), siegeant pour la session de 1895, atteste que Melle Gaillard, Jeanne nee le 1 Jan(u?)vier 18?2? a oran, departement d (algerie), a ete jugee digne d'obtenir le Certificat d'Etudes primaires, Delivre a Melle Gaillard, Jeanne, le present Certificat d'Etudes primaires pour servir et valoir ce que de droit. PAU, le 1er Aout 1895. L'Inspecteur d'Academia.

(I believe the above document states thate Jeanne was born Jan 1, 1882, not December 31, 1881, as her death certificate states.)

On August 15, 1912, in New York, Veronique boarded a ship called "La Lorraine" as a 2nd class passanger. It was headed for Havre, France. There were 39 1st class, 64 2nd class, and 281 3rd Class passengers for a total of 384 passengers.

Veronique wrote a postcard from Ogue France to her family in America on September 5, 1913. So, it appears she stayed in France for over a year before returning to the United States.

Here are some postcards from "the trunk." Brigitte translated them for me, and you can read the translation here. These are such touching postcards!

The top photograph has on the reverse: Photographie Moderne J. St-Sernin. Ete a Capvern (H - Pyrenees). Hiver a Cazeres (Hte Garonne) and it appears to be a note to Veronique. The bottom photograph has printed: Souvenir des Basses-Pyrenees - 4. Ogeu-Les-Gains - Etablissement Thermal. It is dated September 1913 and is signed Veronique.

Here are two more post cards. These are from the Sabathe side of the family, since I see the Sabathe surname mentioned. This is the same family as in the photograph in the next section on left. These postcards show that Veronique visited her son-in-law's family, the Sabathe's, in Bordeaux.

Could this be Frank Sabathe's brother's family? I have a photograph further down of a man identified as Frank's brother.

The family on the left is the same family as in the section above. The photographer's imprint: Bill's Photo Co., Maurice Hargous Directeur. On the reverse written in pencil, Martine Sabathe and written in ball point, "Mother's Aunt". I don't know who wrote that. There are two locations: Bordeaux, 12 Rue Ste Catherine and Nantes, 3, Rue du Calvaire.

He led a very interesting life as a miner in southern California. (See a letter written in 1896 here and an outline of his life here) On the 1900 census for California, I found him in the county of San Bernardino, Dale Township. He is listed as a "partner", white male born Apr 1868, year of immigration 1886, 14 years in the United States, native of France, a teamster. Several lines below his name is Jacques Sabathe, servant, white male born January 1837, 63 years old, married 35 years, born in France, parents born in France, immigrated 1886 (same year as Frank), cook. I believe him to be father to Frank.

Here is his obituary from "The Desert Trail", Twenty-Nine Palms, California, Friday, December 10, 1948 issue:

Funeral services for Frank Sabathe, 80, were held yesterday with interment in Hollywood cemetery. Suffering a strokewhile sitting in his favorite chair at his home in Morongo Valley Nov. 26, he was taken to Palm Springs hospital. After showing improvement he was stricken with another stroke Monday and death resulted from cerebral hemorrhage.

Sabathe was one of the early settlers in this area, coming in 1896 to operate a big freight train between San Bernardino and Old Dale. He owned 18 head of stock. To escape the three year compulsory military service in France his father brought Frank to the United States when he was 15 years of age.

At the time he was here he met the daughter of Johnny Castine (Lisa's note: My grandmother was upset when she read this. Jeanne was not the daughter of Johnny Castine - we now know she was the NIECE of John Castain who subsequently lived next door to this family in 1910) who drove the stage between Dale and Amboy, and since she could not speak a word of English and he was the only district resident who could converse in French, they became closely associated and were married.

On the arrival of Jack Killian to Dale, Sabathe and he formed a partnership and purchased a number of claims when this section had its mining heyday.

When work in Dale ceased he and his wife left, operating Blythe hotel for some time. About 16 years later they returned when Frank got back many of his claims and built his cabin home about 10 miles south of Dale, where he resided until his wife's death. During recent years he has resided on the old Warren ranch, Morongo Valley, the first cattle ranch to be established in this area.

Survivors are a daughter in Hollywood, and a son, who works at Sawtelle hospital.

His birthplace is listed as Bordeaux on his death certificate. The certificate also states April 7, 1867 as his birthdate. My grandmother, Amy Sabathe-Boone was the informant for the information, and she did not know the names of Frank's parents, her grandparents, when he died.

Here is a picture of whom I believe to be my 2nd great grandfather, Jacque Sabathe. There is also my crude replication of what is penciled in on the reverse. (It was pencil on dark paper, too dark to scan.)

Here is a picture taken in San Francisco identified as "John Gaylord, mother's aunt." (My uncle Albert always changed the Gaillard name to Gaylord when he talked of them.) Is this Jeanne's brother? Can this photo be dated to the 1890's?

This photo is embossed with "Panajou Fres . Bordeaux" and on the back is written "Brother of Frank Sabathe" in ball point pen, most likely by my aunt. Who is this person?

The picture above only has "Carte Postale" printed on the back (divided), and my Aunt wrote "Frank Sabathe's brother on the rt." It appears to be the same person as above.

Here is a picture of Cyrille and Josephine Pailhas, who were reportedly cousins of Jeanne Gaillard. They lived in San Francisco and owned a laundry business. They did not have children - I believe the girl in the photo to be "Annie Sabastia"( source: 1920 California Census), who was 14 years old in 1920, making her born in 1906. According to the 1920 Soundex for California, Cyrille was 38 years old, born in France, immigrated in 1902. (vol 102, ed 183, sh 13, line 66). Josephine (Josie) was 32 years old, born in France, NA. Annie was a cousin to Cyrille per the Census. My mother believes Cyrille and Josephine were married here in the United States, so hopefully I will be able to find a marriage record. According to California Death Records, Cyrille died Aug 20, 1967 in San Francisco, was born Jan 31, 1882 in France. HIS MOTHER'S MAIDEN NAME WAS LASSERE. Josephine was born Mar 19, 1886 and died Aug 6, 1980 in Marin County.