| Born in Paris,
France on 23 Jul 1776, Genevieve was the daughter
of John Michau and Jeanne Genevieve Rosalie
(Chevallier). She came with her family to America
in 1790 and established themselves at Gallipolis,
Ohio where they remained ten years. While there,
her father was appointed by Wintrhop Sargeant,
the secretary and acting governor of the
Northwest Territory, a justice of the peace. On 20 Mar 1793 at
Gallipolis, at the age of sixteen, Genevieve was
united in marriage with Doctor Antoine Saugrain.
Shortly after the newly wedded couple went to
Lexington where Antoine went to work for an iron
works company to improve the quality of their
iron. In 1801 he became the surgeon at Spanish
Garrison, and was appointed to the same position
by President Thomas Jefferson when the territory
was transferred to the United States.
He and Genevieve
were the parents of seven children: Rosalie, who
was born in Lexington in 1797 and became the wife
of Henry von Phul; Elsie Marie, who was born in
Lexington in 1799 and married James Kennerly;
Alphonse "Alfred" who was born in St.
Louis in 1803 and married Mary J.D. Linton, but
died during the cholera epidemic of 1849;
Frederick, who was born in St. Louis in 1806 and
married Eliza Provenchère; Henrietta Theresa who
was born in 1808 and was the wife of Thomas Noel;
Elvire Sophie who was born and died in 1812; and
Eugenie who was born in 1813 and was the wife of
John W. Reel.
Genevieve was
widowed on 19 May 1820 when she was forty-three
and her youngest child was not yet seven.
"Rosalie" and her daughter Eugenia
Reels (also widowed), resided in the same
household in 1850 - their household also
including Mary, the widow of "Alfred"
and her two small daughters. In 1860, Rosalie was again listed
with her daughter Eugenia, the value of her
property listed then at $160,000. She died on 13
July of the same year and invoices from her
probate records included "garden work"
done in the last year of her live..... manure
hauled in and put on the garden, cistern cleaned
and bricks hauled in ... " indicating that
she continued to care for her magnificent garden
which was so fondly admired by many.
|
