Back in 2016 I received email from a gentleman in France. He was a genealogist, who had been researching the ancestry of coal miners in northern France, leading him to a birth certificate for my grandmother, Rose-Emma Mayeur.
I was grateful for these documents, although, being unable to read French, I was unable to translate the certificate. Ever since, I've wished to find someone who could translate the entire birth certificate for me. I was especially anxious to have someone translate it, because I thought I saw some details that seemed different from what my grandmother had always claimed.
Some time ago, a visitor came to our Genealogy Society meeting. We chatted, and when I mentioned the French birth certificate, and my wish to find someone who could translate, she said she knew someone who might be willing to do that. She took my card, with my contact information, and said she'd pass it on to her friend. A year or so went by, so I had completely forgotten about this encounter.
Yesterday, I got a phone call from the lady I had spoken with, so many months ago. She said she had just cleaned out her bag, found my card at the bottom, and realized she hadn't ever passed it on to her friend. She said she was going to give it to her right away.
Today, I answered the phone and was greeted by a lady named Annick, who had a delightful French accent. She was offering to look at my grandmother's French birth certificate and translate it for me. A couple hours later, she emailed me with the translation!!! I am so grateful to her! This is a real treasure for me to have.
So, here is the translation she provided me, along with a few explanatory comments that Annick inserted:
MAYEUR
Rose Emma
Legitimate child
In the year 1901, on 21st January, at 10 O’clock in the morning, in front of us Arthur FAUQUEUX, deputy mayor delegated to fulfill the functions of civil officer of the town of Lens, “head city of the county" (I have no idea of the American equivalent!) of Bethune, in the department of Pas-de-Calais, appeared the sieur (like Mr.) Ernest MAYEUR, aged 36 ½ (mine worker) miner, born in Auchel, domiciled in Lens, who presented a child of the female sex, which he declared to be born from him at his domicile in Lens, 18th avenue, number 10 (fosse 11) (This is the number of the entrance to the mine well near where he lives and probably works everyday – again I don’t know how you would call this in English) the day before yesterday, 19 Janurary 1901, at 7 O’clock in the morning, and from Dame (like Mrs.) Adéline SENECHAL, his spouse, aged 36 ½, housekeeper, domiciled in Lens, to which child the names Rose Emma were given. The said declaration and presentation were made in the presence of the sieurs: Charles LANTOINE, aged 63 ½ , appariteur (the main office of the appariteur was to go around the town in uniform with a drum, alert the population to come out of their houses to listen to him as he read what the city mayor or other officials needed everyone to know – I lived under this system in my little village of Lorraine!) and Esprit LAURENT, aged 39, police officer, both domiciled in Lens, and the “comparant” (the father who presented himself with the child), declared he doesn’t know how to sign after being asked, the witnesses signed with us the present birth act after it was read aloud.
Rose Emma
Legitimate child
In the year 1901, on 21st January, at 10 O’clock in the morning, in front of us Arthur FAUQUEUX, deputy mayor delegated to fulfill the functions of civil officer of the town of Lens, “head city of the county" (I have no idea of the American equivalent!) of Bethune, in the department of Pas-de-Calais, appeared the sieur (like Mr.) Ernest MAYEUR, aged 36 ½ (mine worker) miner, born in Auchel, domiciled in Lens, who presented a child of the female sex, which he declared to be born from him at his domicile in Lens, 18th avenue, number 10 (fosse 11) (This is the number of the entrance to the mine well near where he lives and probably works everyday – again I don’t know how you would call this in English) the day before yesterday, 19 Janurary 1901, at 7 O’clock in the morning, and from Dame (like Mrs.) Adéline SENECHAL, his spouse, aged 36 ½, housekeeper, domiciled in Lens, to which child the names Rose Emma were given. The said declaration and presentation were made in the presence of the sieurs: Charles LANTOINE, aged 63 ½ , appariteur (the main office of the appariteur was to go around the town in uniform with a drum, alert the population to come out of their houses to listen to him as he read what the city mayor or other officials needed everyone to know – I lived under this system in my little village of Lorraine!) and Esprit LAURENT, aged 39, police officer, both domiciled in Lens, and the “comparant” (the father who presented himself with the child), declared he doesn’t know how to sign after being asked, the witnesses signed with us the present birth act after it was read aloud.
This translation proves that my grandmother's birthday was January 19, not January 18, which she always claimed. She thought she had been born in Havre, but now I know she was born in Lens. Because she was only five years old when her mother died (only a year or so after they immigrated to America), it's understandable that her birth details may not have been accurately passed on to her.
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