(Tratto dal sito “http://members.aol.com/daltongene/dgsjun05.htm” )
Aimee Irene D’Alton’s Irish/French Family
compiled by Millicent V. Craig
In the Spring 2000 issue of the DGS Journal, Vol.32, there appeared the story of Aimee Irene d’Alton, “Mademoiselle X” as described in the book, “Lettres d’Amour a Aimee d’Alton a Alfred de Musset (1810-1857)”, by Leon Seche and published in 1910. In researching her ancestry and descendents of her extensive family, it became quite clear that military life was their main pursuit from the time her grandfather, William (Guilhaume) Dalton, left Ireland and entered the French Army.
In 1819, General d’Alton had commissioned Sir William Bentham of the Irish Herald’s Office to research his paternal line*. In the document there are several generations of the General’s Irish ancestors that seem to follow the lines of the King James’ Army List of 1689. Another section of the report lists Daltons from the time of William the Conqueror but the two parts do not appear to connect and therefore the latter section will be omitted from this extraction.
Aimee was from an upper class family and many d’Alton men were Officers in the French Army as well as titled. Some of the military died quite young in insurrections and in World War I. Several young Dalton women married titled members of French families and others, as the O’Shee’s, had brought their titles from Ireland. Information on family members who are mentioned in the Seche book is for the most part in agreement with the data presented here.
In the sketchy Irish pedigree that precedes the birth of William (Guilhaume)D’Alton, it is evident that William was descended from the main line of Daltons in Ireland as outlined in the King James Army list and later in “Illustrations” published by the noted historian and genealogist, John D’Alton, of Dublin. The ancestry of William (Guilhaume) D’Alton extends back to about 1500 in Ireland. It is suggested that use of this data be subject to further documentation but can serve as a guideline for additional study. Some of the pedigree material accompanied a History of Military Service for General Alexandre d’ Alton that was prepared in Ireland to prove his entitlement to title. Through the years, the spelling of Dalton changed many times and the spellings as they occurred chronologically have been maintained in this report.
Ancestry
William (Guilhaume) d’Alton was Aimee’s grandfather. He was born 9 Sep 1734 in Seskin, Ireland, parish of Noitroch, Kilkenny. Seskin is now identified in the Parish of Killamery. He died 7 Nov 1809 at Boulogne by the Sea and had been a Captain in the Brive Infantry. On 16 Sep 1766, William married Marie-Louise Coillot at Brive. She was born in Boulogne by the Sea and was a descendent of the Saint Beuve family. Her father was Jean-Francois Coillot and her mother was Louise-Charlotte Dempster.
The couple reportedly had 17 children but only five were listed on the pedigree.
- James-William d’Alton was born in 1772 and died in 1801. He was an Adjutant Colonel in the French Army and died on the way to Brescia in Italy. He was 29 years of age and no family was listed.
- James-Wolfran (Willfrand) d’Alton (Baron) was born in 1773 and died in 1815. He was Receiver General at Aix la Chapelle and married Francoise O’Shee on 17 Apr 1801. She was born 23 Dec 1779 at Landrecies, Cambai, Aisne, France. The O’Shee’s presence in France began with the emigration of Martin O’Shee, Francoise’s great grandfather, b. about 1665 in Camas, Limerick, Ireland and who died in Aire, Artois France in 1727. The pedigree of the O’Shee family extends back to the 7th Century in Ireland and includes knights and members of the local nobility.
Children of James-Wolfran d’Alton and Francoise O’Shee:
- Amelia Henrietta Dalton, b. 17 Jan 1802
- Caroline D’Alton, b. 8 Jun 1803. From the book of “love letters” it appears that her
married name was Jaubert.
- Edward [Errore, il nome giusto è Edmond, Nota di Sandro] d’Alton-Shee, (Count) b. 4 Jun 1810. He married Valentine Marquire and had one son, Renee_Andre d’Alton-Shee b. c.1855 (wife unknown); a grandson Paul d’Alton-Shee b.c. 1880 (wife unknown); and a great grandson, Charles d’Alton Shee b. 1905 (wife unknown). The Count wrote a history of his life entitled, “Mes Memoirs” a copy of which is yet to surface. A search continues for further pedigree information.
Caroline, Edward and his wife, Valentine, lived in Paris nearby their first cousin, Aimee, and figured prominently in her adult life. It was Caroline who maintained a salon for artists.
- Alexandre d’Alton, Aimee’s father, was born April 26, 1777 in Brive. On 30 Oct 1803, he married Reine Elisabeth Ferdinand Baton at Saint Claude de Diray, Chateau de Noziers. Reine was born at La Bosse (Oise). Alexandre was a Lieutenant-General and was titled a Baron in 1809. He participated in many military campaigns as an officer in Napoleon’s Army. His name is inscribed with Napoleon’s Generals in the Arche de Triomphe, Paris. He died at Versailles in 1859.
- Helene Dalton married Walter Hussey, a Major in the British Army.
- Edouard Dalton died in 1793 at Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He was a Captain in the French Infantry. Although no birth date is available, he was very likely in his early twenties.
Aimee’s Immediate Family
Alexandre D’Alton and Reine Elisabeth Baton had four children :
- Aimee D’Alton was born on 20 Sep 1804 in Paris according to the pedigree information. (The book of “love letters states that she was born in Hambourg on 20 Sep 1811, a seven year discrepancy). Through her lifetime she was the secret love of, and inspiration for the poet, Alfred de Musset. In later years she married Alfred’s brother, Paul de Musset in Paris in 1861 and died in Paris in 1880. They had no issue.
- Laetitia D’Alton was born in 1810. She married Pierre Henri Chatard. (no date given). and died 19 Nov 1874 at Versailles. They had three children: Louise Chatard; Alexandre Chatard, b.1835 and died in Algiers in 1859. He was an Officer in the Infantry; and son Alfred Chatard.
- Alfred d’Alton was born 20 Nov 1815 in Paris. He is listed as General Count. He married Anne Charlotte Josephine de La Tour (de Bonnafos) on 30 August 1849. Anne was born at Metz on 21 May 1825. Alfred died on 3 May 1866 at Stephansfeld (Lower Rhine).
- Constance Ernestine D’Alton was born in Paris in 1821. She married Jean Alphonse Limoges who was born in Le Bugue in 1800. He was a prefecture councillor. He died on 6 Oct 1878 in Perigueux and Constance died in Perigueux on 18 April 1893. They had one child, Bertha Germaine Limoges.
The Family of Alfred D’Alton (3 above)
The marriage of Alfred D’Alton and Anne Charlotte Josephine de La Tour produced three children and a large family of descendents. The children are:
- Francoise Laetitie Catherine d’Alton who was born on 16 Nov 1851 at Metz. On the 21 May 1878 she married Viscount Louis Marie de Rambures, the son of Leonce de Rambures and Alele Danzell de Trionville. Viscount de Rambures was born on 9 Sep 1846 in Abbeville. He died on 21 Jun1918 at Vaudricourt. Francoise died on 15 Nov 1926 also at Vaudricourt. They had two children:
a.) Marie-Therese Josephine Catherine de Rambures and Madeleine Louis Marie de Rambures;
b.) William Paul Charles d’Alton was born on 3 Nov 1853 at Caen. He served as a Lieutenant in the 13th Regiment of Dragoons. On the 19 July 1885 he married Marie Josephine Antoinette La Roque at Ordan-Larroque. She was born on 24 August 1865 at Bazouges, Chateau de la Barbee Sarthe. Her parents were Count Henri de La Roque and Roullet de la Bouillerie.
c.) Charles Prosper d’Alton was born on 20 Sep 1857 at Giraumont (Moselle), L’Hermitage de Vallieres Giraumont. He also was a Lieutenant in the 13th Regiment of Dragoons. On the 20 Apr 1884 he married Marie-Henriette Anne Louise de La Roque in Paris. She was a sister to his brother William’s wife. Marie-Henriette was born on the 16th August 1862 in Paris. The couple had two children; Colette and Helene.
The Family of William Paul Charles d’Alton and Marie Josephine Antoinette de La Roque (b. above).
a.) Edouard d’Alton was born on 20 Nov 1896 at Ordan-Larroque. His marriage took place in Rio de Janiero. He married Octavie Tagliavoro who was born in Nice, France on 21 August 1893. A son, Willy Henry, named after both grandparents was born in 20 June 1916 in Rio de Janiero. Willy Henry married Anne-Marie de Mauleon on 29 Dec 1951 at Menton, France. She was born 23 Jul 1924 at Lyon. Family still resides at Ordan-Larroque and for privacy reasons are not printed.
- b) James D’Alton was born on 10 Jul 1888 at Clefs, Mainett, Loire. His first marriage was to Carmen Coutreras whom he wed on 27 Aug 1914 at Toulouse. She was the daughter of Coutreras and was born on 14 Jun 1889 at Valladolid. They had two daughters; Beatrice who was born on 11 Aug 1916 at Ordan-Larroque and Christiane Edmee Yvonne who was also born at Ordan -Larroque on 30 June 1917. James D’Alton, their father, died fighting for France in World War I on the 28 Jan 1919. Christiane’s marriage to Jacques Pochez took place on 4 Feb 1942 at Bernadetz, France. Pochez was born on 23 Apr 1822 at St-Valery en Caux. The couple had five children; Herbert, Stephane, Haitier, Isabell and Pascale. (dates not printed for privacy).
c.) William d’Alton was born on the 15 Oct 1893 and died fighting for France in WWI on 25 Jan 1918.
d.) Marie Odette Colette Delphine d’Alton was born on 24 Jun 1897 at La Bertraix. She married Jean Louis Cesar Moreau on 28 Oct 1924 in Paris. Moreau was born on 24 Jun 1896 at Villennes sur Seine and was the son of Edward Moreau. They had one child, Jean Claude Louis William Moreau born in Paris on 25 July 1928. Moreau was married a second time to Clair Baron on 23 Feb 1931.
Editor’s Note. I have recently received a pedigree of General D’Alton from the Herald’s Office in Dublin along with several other pedigrees that I will bring to the AGM in Dublin on July 30, 31 2005