Mike Talbot’s discussion of the Mius d’Entremont controvery origin: The first known mention of the Acadian Mius d’Entremont ancestry follows in a letter (in italics, later to become a controversy as to whether Philippe Mius d’Entremont and wife, Madeleine Helie, were the same people as Francois Virgine Bon, baron de Meuillon et de Montauban, ct. d’Entremont and wife, Madeleine du Tillet).Note: Others translated the letter from a copy of a letter in French, found at the residence of Eugene à Hilaire d'Entremont, posthumously. According to the translator, the letter was not signed, but Father Clarence d'Entremont (d.1998) believed that it was written by his uncle, Léander d'Entremont (full name Henry Leander d’Entremont, 1862-1944, notable Canadian historian). The main problems with the letter are that it contained no references, was not addressed, not signed and not dated. Not unusual for casual correspondence among siblings, but was it truly written by H. Leander d'Entremont, the talented historian?I don’t know if the original letter or a true photocopy of the letter still exists. I have seen it in typed form, only. I don’t know the identity of the translator(s) to give proper credit. Please contact me if you do (mtaht@aol.com). The translation is a bit awkward to read, made more awkward by my editorial comments.The letter_in Italics (with my editorial comments)_________________________ _ It is with great pleasure that I tell you I have been successful in finding the complete d'Entremont genealogy, a task that the greatest historians of France and Canada have never been able to complete. (ed. note: The paternal ancestry theory is not mentioned, where Claude Antoine Bon de Meuillon might have been the son of Nicolas Mius, Gaspard de Coligny’s German interpreter [killed defending the wounded Coligny] and possibly adopted by the Bon de Meuillon family of Marseilles.)In this letter, I will just recount the ancestors of Philippe Mius; later, I hope to write the complete history in a book. I will start with the great grandfather of Philippe, as history dictates.Sebastien de Montbel, Count d'Entremont of Montbel, Lord of Montellier and of Nottage, Knight in the Order of Savoie, was born around 1490 (ed. probably around 1500, parents married in 1499). He had become heir to Charles de Montbel, Count d'Entremont, his cousin (sic. ed: his father), and married Beatrix Pacheco on 17 September 1539 at the Castle of Chambour; Beatrix Pacheco was lady-in-waiting of Queen Eleanore, wife of King François I, and daughter of the Duke of Escalona (sic. ed: actually great-granddaughter of the past duque). From this marriage he had the following offspring:Leonor, died as an infant. Jacqueline, who followed. Sebastien was also the counsellor d'Entremont (of Emmanuel?) Philibert, Duke of Savoie, and he died in June 1572. Jacqueline de Montbel, Countess of d'Entremont and of Nottage, heiress of the branch, was born in 1541; she first married in 1561, Claude de Batarnay, Count of Boushage, Baron d'Anthon, who was killed in the battle of Saint-Denis in 1567 (ed. new death data to me), leaving no posterity.Jacqueline then married Gaspard, second, Count of Coligny, Lord of Chatillon, Admiral of France, on 25 March 1571. Four months after the death of her husband, Jacqueline gave birth to a girl, Beatrix de Coligny. Jacqueline died in 1599(ed. Others say 6 Jul 1600).Beatrix, Countess of Montbel and d'Entremont, Marchioness of Montellier and of Saint-André-de-Briord, Lady-in-waiting of Catherine, Infanta of Spain, Duchess de Savoie, married Claude Antoine Bon on 30 November 1600; Claude Antoine Bon was Baron of Meuillon (ed. and Montauban), Governor of Marseilles. This marriage resulted in several children, to our knowledge: François Virginie, said Philippe Mius, Count d'Entremont and de Montbel, Marquis of Montellier, Lord of Chatillon, heir to the legacies of his mother, born in 1603 (ed. interesting, others say 1601 and 1609); he married Madeleine Elie, daughter of Elie du Tillet, Lord of Nogeage (ed. note: Nogent) and Francoise de Faucon. Philippe left on a voyage for America in 1651. N............. de Meuillon, says Abbot d'Entremont. The Baron of Nottage. And n....... de Meuillon, Carmelite of Chaumont, founder of this convent. (the males of this house were obliged to carry the arms of Montbel d'Entremont [ed. both males and females according to the will of Jacqueline cts.d’Entremont de Montbel]). François Virginie, said Philippe Mius d'Entremont, and his wife, who came to Canada (Acadia) in 1651, had the following children:Marie, born in France in 1650 (ed. note: Marie Marguerite, b. around 1650), married Pierre Melançon. (ed. note: If ID is true, add Francoise Bon, cts. d’Entremont de Montbel, b. ca.1650/1, married 21 Apr 1670 to Louis de Romilley/Romille, mq.de La Chesnaye/ Chesnalaye). See Chesnaye-Desbois, ROM-579. She and posterity remained in France.)Jacques Mius d'Entremont, born around 1654, married Marguerite de La Tour. Philippe Mius d'Entremont, born around 1657, married Anne de La Tour.

Abraham Mius d'Entremont, born around 1660, married an unidentified woman.

Madeleine, born in 1670, was at Port-Royal in 1686; no further records. (ed. The author has the names of the above three Mius wives shuffled, but they are not relevant to his ancestry topic. Anne was wife of Jacques, then flip the other two wives.)

End of letter.

Unfortunately, the author gave no references and did not publish the book. Hopefully, his sources have not been destroyed. The known facts in his letter seem quite accurate for a casual correspondence with a sibling. The only unverified and most important part of the letter equates Philippe Mius with Francois Virginie Bon and equates their respective wives. The stature of H. Leander d’Entremont as a recognized historian would have probably been enough to satisfy genealogical standards had Father Clarence d’Entremont commented more positively about the authenticity of the letter origin (probable date, Leander’s handwriting verification, etc.).

Leander’s nephew, Father Clarence d’Entremont (d.1998), while a gifted, often published Canadian genealogist and historian, always seemed to loose interest “at the boat” (xenophobic? Huguenot bias?) with his own ancestry as well as with the European origins of other Canadian families. So, we are left with much circumstantial evidence and no documented facts linking the Acadian lieutenant governor Philippe Mius d’Entremont (lieutenant to governor Charles de Latour) to Beatrix cts. d’Entremont de Coligny.

It is believed that Philippe Mius d’Entremont deliberately hid his true identity in Acadia to avoid complications from his past Huguenot activities in France. His refusal to speak with census takers strongly suggests his identity concealment or anonymity. It should be noted that Cardinal Mazerin succeeded to power after Cardinal Richelieu’s death in 1642.

It is noted that there was a branch of the Bon family in Isere, Savoie (home of the Montbel d’Entremont), possibly related to the prominent Bon de Meuillon family of Marseilles, Cote d’Azur, Provence. The Norman origin of Philippe Mius, often mentioned, might stem from the du Tillet de Nogent family. Spelling of Meuillon, an old title and dominant spelling, varies: Meuilhon, Mouillon, Meouillon, etc. It does not have a common derivation with the name Mius, Meusse.

Francois Virgine Bon descended from Kings Louis VIII of France and Henry III of England (about 9100 ancestors are compiled at the 32 generations level, the approximate era of Charles Martel). His wife, Madeleine Helie du Tillet de Nogent descends from the same kings via different paths (6400 ancestors compiled at the 32 generations level). Together they have about 10100 unique ancestors in my database. Their closest blood relationship found was 7^th cousins once removed via Jean I sgr.d’Escouens de Montmorency (ca.1278-1325) and Jeanne de Calletot.

The full, unmodified translated letter is in italics. Editorial notes and comments by

Mike Talbot, 20 Feb 2006.