Jonte Family History & Genealogy

History

History of the "JONTE family"

swiss branch > france > USA
(does not concern "jonte", butcher's jonte and jonte of Spanish or Swedish origin)

All the JONTE of the USA are the descendants of 2 brothers who were born in Switzerland in Reconvilier and settled in Bussurel, an independent French enclave (under the authority of the Netherlands, attached in 1678 to the Kingdom of France***), around 1650 :

JONTHE Claude X1650 LAUDE Catherine (who will write LODS)
JONTHE Jehan-Perin (Jean-Pierre) X1658 CABURET Catherine

At that time with an H

Their children will be named JONTE for the first time: 1659 Claude 1661Abraham 1663 Cath 1666 Jeanne 1670 Elizabeth Anne 1676 Guillaume

The JONTE of the USA come from Switzerland except for the JONTE of Mississippi which is an anglicization of the name JEANTY** around 1830
(Jeanty's translation into English, same pronunciation).
**Frederic Armand JEANTY born in France in 1797 will become JONté
the line of the "é" jont comes from this deformation over time

***In 1793, Bussurel lost his independence and became definitively French.


Why did they come to France?

After a 30-year war, from 1618-1648, Swiss immigration was encouraged by the lords to repopulate the region with:

-
find Francophones (the Swiss Jura is French-speaking)
- attract them with tax benefits: tax exemption for 6 years, free timber for construction
- the 1653 jacquery (war, rural debt, demonstration in Switzerland)

there are two main reasons:

1/ Religious intolerance

The Jonthe leave Switzerland, which is Catholic, for Montbéliard, which is Lutheran (since the beginning of the 17th century, Montbéliard has been a welcoming place for Protestants)
Jehan Perin and Claude JONTHE left Switzerland for the Lutheran Montbéliard region.

2/ Repopulate war-torn areas, famine, epidemic and plague
"Montbéliard, has lost three quarters of its inhabitants.
In Héricourt, there were only 40 families left.
In 1681 BUSSUREL there are 90 inhabitants!

Between 1822 and 1832, 2 brothers (+children) JONTE de BUSSUREL went to the USA,

Why did they come to the United States?

During the first half of the 19th century (1822...), economic, political (wars) and climatic conditions led to emigration to the USA. Several JONTE families have left France for the USA.

According to other sources to avoid conscriptions (Napoleon's military recruitment) this is why they presented themselves as Swiss in New York because the USA is France's ally.

1822 Stone 1796-1840 CLARDON
1824 Jean george4 1773 XGREMILLOT Cath suzanne
1832 Pierre Jacques I XCARLIN 1776-1846

*1822 Ohio
Pierre Jonte 1796-1840 XCLARDON Suz.II 1799-1859, created his beer brand with his brother and cousin jean-jacques 1803-1879 XGLARDON
Pierre 1796 Father of Frederic 1823-1858 and Henry 1835-1892 XMartha Jannie GREEN
Pierre Jonte, (Henri's father) and his brother George Frédéric 1798, left the Harve in France on the "Elbe" ship, arriving in New York 02/08/1822. Pierre 1796 went up to Ohio, but Henri 1835-1892 to Tennessee
They were mentioned as a cart (woodwork for wheels) and brewer of beer and Swiss nationality (The history of this period seems to indicate that they had fled France because of one of the revolutions/war of the time: religious or political ambition as an expedition from Spain).

*1824 Virginia
JONTE Jean Georges4 1773- XGREMILLOT Suzanne with her children :
from Le Havre 01/07/1824, arrived on the Boston boat at the port of Alexandria, Virginia, 05/10/1824
Rq There is a passenger list showing Jean George Jonte3 1760-1849?

Rq of Susan (JONTE) MARTIN 2016 : The immigrant couple in my family was JONTE Jean Jacques 13/11/1803-9/02/1870 XSusan Glardon 21/08/1803-23/01/1887
son of JONTE Jean George XSusan GREMILLIOT

My family says that this couple fled France on the same day that Jean Jacques JONTE found his father (Jean George4 and mayor of Bussurel) shot dead in front of his door (in 1824?). Jean Jacques dressed as a girl (Susan's sister) - he is small enough to wear his wife's clothes.
In the USA Jean Jacques was a cooper for a brewery in Cincinnati until he was killed by a tree. He became an American citizen in 1848.

* 1832 Illinois
Pierre Jacques I 1776-1846 Rushville XCARLIN suz. with his family, Le Havre on the ship "Rhône" 26/06/1832, arriving in New York Harbor 03/08/1832.
after visiting parents in CINCINNATI&Nashville goes to Woodstock, Schuyler Co., ILLINOIS where there is the JONTE cemetery in 1833, where he settled for the rest of his life. he bought farmland in Woodstock Township, Schuyler Co., IL (hence the JONTE cemetery).

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator

Name Origin

We don't have any information on the origins of the Jonte name. Have information to share?

Spellings & Pronunciations

JONTHE

Nationality & Ethnicity

Suisse francaise

Famous People named Jonte

For example, Geneviève Jonte (1906-1983, studied theology in Paris) was the first woman pastor in France

Early Jontes

These are the earliest records we have of the Jonte family.