Geffray Ancestry

Jean Baptiste Geffray’s mother, Marie Louise Segaud Geffray, witnessed his wedding to Virginie Gauthier. She and his father, Jean-Baptiste Claire Geffray, were members of the parish of Nominingue, Québec in 1901.

The Geffrays

Jean Baptiste Geffray’s fourth great-grandparents were Claude Geffray and Jeanne Hinnot. Claude was born 1635, and died 18 December 1672, Langon, Ille-et-Vilaine, Bretagne, France. The year he was born, Cardinal Richelieu established the Académie Française and declared war on Spain, resulting in the Franco-Spanish war that lasted until 1659. Jeanne was born in 1640; she married Claude in 1672; she died 9 February ????, also at Langon.

One child of Claude Geffray and Jeanne Hinnot is known. Louis Geffray was born 9 November 1668, Langon, Ille-et-Vilaine, Bretagne, France, and died 20 April 1711, Langon.

Louis Geffray married Guillemette Racapé, born 19 February 1672, Langon, on 1 September 1696, Langon. She died 18 April 1744, Langon. They had six children:

• Laurent, born in 1697 and died the same year.
• Pierre Gilles, born in 1698, La Chenac - Langon; married Jeanne Denis (1704-) on 23 November 1734, Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire, France.
• Thomasse, born in 1700, Langon.
• Gilette, born in 1703; died in 1775; married Julien Porcher (1705-1783) on 17 November 1733, Langon.
• Renée, born 14 November 1704, Le Langon, Vendée, Pays de la Loire, France; married Jean Garçonnet (1695-1763) and they had three children; died 7 May 1781, Payre-sur-Vendee, Vendée, Pays de la Loire, France.
• Jean, Jean Baptiste Geffray’s second great-grandparent, was born in 1706 and died in 1776; married Gabrielle Berthier (about 1708-1768), and they had six children including François Geffray, Jean Baptiste Geffray’s great-grandparent.

In 1706, Emperor Jozef I became the monarch of Cologne and Bavaria. Benjamin Franklin was born that year, on 17 January 1706. In 1776, the colonies of the United States of America declared independence from Britain.

The children of Jean Geffray and Gabrielle Berthier:

• Joseph, born about 1728 and died 1796.
• Marie, born about 1734 and died 1779.
• André, born about 1738 and died 1768.
• Gilette, born about 1741 and died 1774.
• Louis, born about 1745; married Marie Moinaud on 31 January 1769, Grand-Fougeray, Ille-et-Vilaine, France; died 1823. Marie was born 16 July 1749, Grand-Fougeray, and died 19 April 1779, Grand-Fougeray.
• François, Jean Baptiste Geffray’s great grandparent, married Marie Julienne Lizé on 30 May 1755, Grand-Fougeray, Ille-et-Vilaine, Bretagne, France, and they had three children. François died 7 April 1808, Pierric, Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire, France. Marie Julienne was born 30 May 1755, Grand-Fougeray, Ille-et-Vilaine, Bretagne, France, and died 29 February 1832, Pierric, Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire, France.

The children of François Geffray and Marie Julienne Lizé:

• Françoise was born and died in Pierric. She was born 11 February 1791, and died 5 November 1801, ten years old.
• Joseph, born 21 August 1793, Pierric; died 26 October 1801, Pierric, eight years old.
• René, Jean Baptiste Geffray’s grandparent, was their third child.

On Jean-Baptiste Claire Geffray’s death certificate, his father is given by his son Frank as “Earnest Geffray.” No record has been found for Earnest or Ernest Geffray, but it’s possible that Ernest was a first or middle name. Nevertheless, the record of his marriage identifies his father as René Geffray, and his mother as Marie Maurice.

René Geffray was born about 1794 and died on 4 November 1861, Pierric, Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire, France. Marie Maurice was born about 1801, and died on 6 April 1866, also in Pierric. At the time, Loire-Atlantique was known as Lower Loire (Loire Inférieure).

René Geffray was born during the French Revolution, which began in 1789 and ended in 1799.

Jean-Baptiste Claire Geffray

Jean-Baptiste Claire Geffray was born 1 September 1835, Rieux, Morbihan, France. On his son John’s birth certificate, he was identified as a day laborer, and his wife, Marie Louise Segaud, as a housewife.

Jean-Baptiste Claire and his wife emigrated from Boulogne-Sur-Mer, France, on the ship Obdam, arriving in New York on 14 September 1896. They settled between Montigny and Kiamika, Labelle, Québec, Canada. After they moved to California, Jean-Baptiste became a rancher near Korbel, Humboldt County.

Jean-Baptiste died 18 August 1921, Arcata, California, of cirrhosis or carcinoma of the mouth and throat.

Marie Louise Segaud

Marie Louise Segaud was born on 16 March 1844, Fégréac, Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire, France. Her father was Joseph Segaud (1810-1855), her mother Jeanne Marie Bocquel (1811-1883). Their surname is also spelled Segaut, Segault, and Selgault. Marie Louise had two older brothers, François Marie (1838-) and Joseph (1842-), and a younger sister, Jeanne Julienne (1850-1887). A sister, Rose Victorine, born on 16 June 1847, died before she was two, and another child, unnamed, died stillborn on 30 March 1846.

Marie Louie was in Nominingue, Québec, on 28 January 1901 for the wedding of her son, Jean Baptiste, to Virginie Agnis Gauthier.

Marie Louise Segaud died at Warren Creek near Arcata, California, on 13 June 1919. Her death certificate named her as “Mary Louise Jeffrey.” She died of chronic myocarditis.

She and her husband are buried in the old Catholic Cemetery behind the old church in Arcata, California.

Marriage of Jean-Baptiste Claire Geffray and Marie Louise Segaud

Marie Louise Segaud married Jean-Baptiste Claire Geffray in Pierric, Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire, France, on 5 June 1865. He was 29; she was 21.

Their six children:

• Joseph, born 21 December 1867, Fégréac, Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire, France; died 18 August 1921, Arcata, California.
• Jean Pierre (Peter), born 12 November 1869, Fégréac, Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire, France; married Emilie Toublanc (1884-1949); died 26 December 1926, Lincoln, California.
• François (Frank), born 1 January 1871, France; died 1 November 1949, Humboldt County, California.
• Alfred, born 5 September 1878, France; died 23 November 1957, Butte County, California.
• Philomène Jeanne, born 3 August 1882, France; she emigrated from Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, on the ship Obdam, and arrived in New York on 14 September 1896. In 1901, she was in Québec and identified as a Roman Catholic. She married François Émile (Frank) Moine (about 1882-1924) on 24 February 1904, Eureka, California. She married Louis Anatole Bertain (born about 1867, France, and died 9 September 1939, Napa, California). We are not certain about Philomène being being Louis Bertain’s wife. Philomène and Eugenie have the same age, but Eugenie Catherine Moine (1871-1957) is Philomène’s husband Frank Moine’s sister and clearly married Louis Bertain on 15 January 1895, Eureka. Philomène died 15 December 1934, Klamath County, Oregon, and is buried in the Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Klamath Falls, Oregon.
• Mériel Marie Jean Baptiste (John), born 12 April 1874, Rieux, Morbihan, France; married Virginie Agnis Gauthier (1884-1937); died in France during the First World War. We think he died on 23 October 1917 during the Battle of Malmaison in the Ailette valley.

Joseph Geffray

Joseph Geffray was the oldest child of Jean-Baptiste Geffray and Marie Louise Segaud, born in France. He joined his brothers in California about the age of 33. He settled in Humboldt County at a ranch near Green Point along Redwood Creek. At the age of 58, he fell on some timber in his yard in the dark, injuring himself internally, and put himself into the hospital, where after a few weeks he died. The papers described him as “a pioneer resident of the Redwood section.” He was buried at Myrtle Grove cemetery in Eureka, but there was no stone to mark his grave.

Jean Pierre (Peter) Geffray

Jean Pierre Geffray was born on 12 November 1869, Fégréac, Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire, France. In California, he was called Peter. He married Emilie (Emily) Toublanc (1884-1949). He died on 26 December 1926, Lincoln, Placer County, California.

The children of Jean Pierre (Peter) Geffray and Emilie (Emily) Toublanc:

• Marcelle Emilie, born 1 June 1903, Nanes, France; married Pietro J. Chiostri (1887-1965); two children, Angelina Emilie and Ramond Peter; died 15 February 1988, Carmichael, California.
• Irene G., born 14 June 1905, Korbel, California; married Peter Prina (1890-1956); one son, Alexander Louis; died 28 April 1995, Lincoln, Placer County, California.
• Peter, born 7 February 1908, California; died 21 September 1913, Arcata, California,
• Bertha Marie Antoinette, born 27 September 1909, Blue Lake, California; married Aurelio Joseph Prina (1904-1993); died 30 March 1994, Lincoln, Placer County, California.
• Anne Marie Louise, born 20 January 1914 Ryan’s Slough, California; married Maurice Jean Marquis (1908-1988); died 24 November 2011, San Francisco County, California.
• Louise and Paul, twins, were born 11 November 1915; Louise died of pneumonia on 4 January 1916, Warren Creek, near Arcata, California; Paul died 13 January 1916, Warren Creek.

François (Frank) Geffray

François, known as Frank, was born 1 January 1871, France, and died 1 November 1949, Humboldt County, California. He was a rancher in the Redwood Creek area near Arcata, California.

Alfred Geffray

Alfred was born 5 September 1878, France. He never married. He died 23 November 1957, Butte County, California.

When Alfred died, he left no surviving parents, children, brothers, or sisters. His estate of $4500 was divided into three shares, one share each for the heirs of his brothers Peter and John, and of his sister Jeanne; however, these were difficult for the lawyers to find, except for Irene Prina, Marcelle Chiostri, Bertha Prina, Anne Marquis, Virginia Albiani, and Merle A. Geffray (Jeffrey).

Philomène Jeanne Geffray

Philomène Jeanne was born 3 August 1882, France. She married François Émile (Frank) Moine (1881-1924). She died 15 December 1934, Klamath County, California.

The children of Philomène Jeanne Geffray and François Émile (Frank) Moine:

• Louise Marie, born 26 October 1905, California; married Thomas Milburn McCarter (1910-2003) on 4 November 1933, Jackson, Oregon; children: H. Eloise, Thomas E. (1935-), and Vivian Ann (1936-); died 31 March 1990, Josephine County, Oregon.
• Victor Frank, born 4 June 1907, California; married Hellen Elizabeth McCarter (1915-2007); children: Dennis Rowen, and Laura Jeanne; died 4 May 1986, Oregon.
• Pearl E., born 1908; married Webber.
• Edward J., born 1911; married Ruth E. (1906-); died 15 March 1952, Josephine, Oregon.
• Bertha Anjalina, born 3 January 1913, California; married Erman Eldridge Sharp (1908-1961) in 1934; children: Leonard Leroy (1940-2013), Jim Elden; died 28 June 1979, Curry County, Oregon.