The Morel Family of Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Details of the second marriage to Gustave's mother and of their children have been obtained from the relevant records in the Archives. For this work I am indebted to M. Germain Hausmann.
In the Archives the family tree is accompanied by a document developed by the person who drew the family tree. It describes the family. This document is about 14 pages long. The first three pages describe the origins of the family, and the branch to which Gustave belonged. The remaining pages describe the 'Branch Anoblie'.
The document is naturally in French. M. Nicholas Junod of the Neuchatel Genealogical Society kindly translated the first three pages for me, for which I am very grateful. His translation follows (I have changed a few words where it seemed desirable):
TRANSLATION
Did the Morel of Colombier come from Les Hauts Geneveys (note: small village on the road Neuchâtel - La Chaux-de-Fonds, approx 10 miles from Colombier)? This is not impossible. What is known is that they are mentioned in Colombier before the middle of the 15th century.
Indeed, Guillaume Leschet and Jehan Morel, « taillables of Messire » Jehan of Colombier acknowledge property on the 9th Jan 1443 of which here is an extract :
(Note : old french - really hard to translate, but basically talks of a field.)
The time gap between this and the following land acknowledgement performed in 1529 (86 years) makes it too imprecise to establish a link with the next mention of Morel.
We are then in the presence of 3 brothers Morel cited in Colombier at the begining of the 16th century :
1) Guillaume, allied Magdelaine Guillermet, father of Jacques and of Jehan Morelet. The first one does not seem to have any descendants, the second one only has one daughter, allied to Pierre Choffat before 1538, then to Jehannoz Rossel before 1544
2) Mr Jehan, priest and chaplain of the church of « Notre Dame de la pitié » receives on 6 Apr 1530
3) Jacques, allied to Jaquette, dead before 1529, ancestor of all the Morel
Of this Jacques, we know 4 children :
1) Jehan the oldest, chief of the branch of the Morel that became nobles 300 years later.
2) Jehanne, allied to Jehan Courtier of Cormondrèche
3) Pierre, priest
4) Claude, from whom descend all the non noble descendants of the Morel
During 2 centuries, these two branches of the Morel family will develop in parrallel and will ally themselves to about the same families in the region. It is only in the middle of the 17th century that the first one will more clearly move ahead of the second one, allying themselves to the most influential families of Colombier.
Before taking a look at the - let’s say - more representative branch that counted certainly very interesting personalities, let’s quickly go over the branch of Claude.
Master Guillaume, earlier a priest, his son and his two nephews Louys and Claude, obtain on 26 Apr 1542 a license from J.J. de Watteville « allowing them to take up residence in many places outside our Seigniory and domination ».
It is only in 1570 that Leonor of Orleans will free/emancipate them, along with a good number of families from the Seigniory.
Within the descendants of Claude, one finds Pierre, notary, allied to Catherine, probably surnamed Bachelin, who dies before 1587. He has 3 brothers : Lienhard, Guillaume and Jaques, apparently dead without descendants and 3 sisters : Jehanne, allied Joux; Magdelaine, allied Thiébaud and Estienna, allied Bussereux. Pierre, the notary, has 3 sons : Jean Jacques, Nicolas and Blaise. The descendance of Blaise stops at the following generation. It will be left to Jean Jacques to ensure the continuation of the family with 3 sons and 4 daughters, and this until today.
As this descendancy offers nothing in particular, I’ll spare you the arid catalog. Let’s simply note Charles Emmanuel, born in 1769, one of the numerous god children of Mr de Charrière, allied to Rose Salomon Prince and who was captain of the militia. His grandson Charles Eugène, a minor in 1851, owns a building near the temple, across from the fountain, bounded at the South by the orchard fields from the castle and at the East the Ybrahim gardens where one built a Horsemanship; and at the West the public road.
Let’s mention finally Henri Morel, born in Clayes S& M (note : my guess is this S&M stands for Seine & Marne - in France...) on the 12 May 1838, son of Henri and of Marguerite born Racine, head of a railway station. The Son Henri had a well filled career : chief at the railway station of La Chaux-de-Fonds, notary and, after an employee’s training at the State Chancellery, lawyer. President of the Tribunal, President of the National Council, he was appointed Director of the International Artitisic and literature property. He died in Bex (county Vaud) the 18 May 1912. From his mariage with Catherine Elisabeth born Seigneur, he had 3 children, of which Jules, notary, born in 1859. I do not know if and what descendants he had. From this Morel branch, there are probably other names to be cited - I only ask to complete my work
END OF TRANSLATION
The three brothers who established the family
Name: Jacques Morel
Born: at: Switzerland
Married: at:
Died: BET. 1491 - 1529 at:
Spouses: Jacquette Bergeon
Name: Jehan Morel Born: at:
Married: at:
Died: ABT. 1513 at:
Spouses: ?
Name: Guillame Morel Born: at: Switzerland
Married: at:
Died: BET. 1495 - 1520 at:
Spouses: Magdalene Guillermet
Husband: Jacques Morel
Born: at: Switzerland Married: at:
Died: BET. 1491 - 1529 at:
Father: Morel
Mother:
Wife: Jacquette Bergeon
Born: at: Died: at:
Father: Girard Vuillemey
Mother: Audette
Other Spouses: Hory du Sablon
CHILDREN
Name: Claude Morel
Born: at: Switzerland
Married: at:
Died: BET. 1528 - 1542 at:
Spouses: Catherine Purry
Name: Jehan Morel Born: at:
Married: at:
Died: BET. 1529 - 1532 at:
Spouses: ?
Name: Jehanne Morel Born: at:
Married: at:
Died: ABT. 1539 at:
Spouses: Jehan Courtier de Cormond
Name: Pierre Morel Born: at:
Married: at:
Died: ABT. 1544 at:
Spouses:
Husband: Claude Morel
Born: at: Switzerland Married: at:
Died: BET. 1528 - 1542 at:
Father:Jacques Morel
Mother:Jacquette Bergeon
Other Spouses:
Wife: Catherine Purry
Born: at: Died: ABT. 1514 at:
Father:
Mother:
CHILDREN
Name: Jaques Morel
Born: at: Switzerland
Married: at:
Died: BEF. 1542 at:
Spouses: Jehanne Beaujon
Name: Guillame Morel Born: at:
Married: at:
Died: BET. 1542 - 1556 at:
Spouses:
Name: Louys Morel Born: at:
Married: at:
Died: BET. 1552 - 1565 at:
Spouses: ?
Husband: Jaques Morel
Born: at: Switzerland Married: at:
Died: BEF. 1542 at:
Father:Claude Morel
Mother:Catherine Purry
Other Spouses:
Wife: Jehanne Beaujon
Born: at: Died: at:
Father:
Mother:
Other Spouses: Jehan Guillermet
CHILDREN
Name: Louys Morel
Born: at: Switzerland
Married: at:
Died: BET. 1542 - 1556 at:
Spouses: Ravenal
Name: Annel Morel Born: at:
Married: ABT. 1550 at:
Died: ABT. 1556 at:
Spouses: Pierre Guillermet
Name: Claude Morel Born: at:
Married: at:
Died: BET. 1556 - 1570 at:
Spouses: Antoina Rossel
Husband: Louys Morel
Born: at: Switzerland Married: at:
Died: BET. 1542 - 1556 at:
Father:Jaques Morel
Mother:Jehanne Beaujon
Other Spouses:
Wife: Ravenal
Born: at: Died: at:
Father:
Mother:
CHILDREN
Name: Pierre Morel
Born: at: Switzerland
Married: at:
Died: BET. 1577 - 1587 at:
Spouses: Catherine
Name: Lienhard Morel Born: at:
Married: at:
Died: ABT. 1593 at:
Spouses: ?
Name: Guillaume Morel Born: BEF. 1592 at:
Married: ABT. 1592 at:
Died: at:
Spouses: Perrenon Garrot
Name: Jaques Morel Born: at:
Married: at:
Died: BET. 1599 - 1634 at: Neuchatel, Switzerland
Spouses:
Name: Jehanne Morel Born: at:
Married: at:
Died: ABT. 1593 at:
Spouses: Abram Joux
Name: Magdelaine Morel Born: at:
Married: 26 MAY 1587 at:
Died: at:
Spouses: Jaques Thiebaud
Name: Estienna Morel Born: at:
Married: 1565 at:
Died: at:
Spouses: Pierre Bessereux
Husband: Pierre Morel
Born: at: Switzerland Married: at:
Died: BET. 1577 - 1587 at:
Father:Louys Morel
Mother: Ravenal
Other Spouses:
Wife: Catherine
Born: at: Died: at:
Father:
Mother:
Other Spouses: Guillame Naidenet
CHILDREN
Name: Jean-Jacques Morel
Born: at: Switzerland
Married: at: Colombier, Switzerland
Died: BET. 1629 - 1648 at:
Spouses: Rossel
Name: Nicolas Morel Born: at:
Married: at:
Died: ABT. 1587 at:
Spouses:
Name: Blaise Morel Born: at:
Married: ABT. 1609 at:
Died: BET. 1631 - 1634 at:
Spouses: Barbely Rossel
Husband: Jean-Jacques Morel
Born: at: Switzerland Married: at: Colombier, Switzerland
Died: BET. 1629 - 1648 at:
Father:Pierre Morel
Mother:Catherine
Other Spouses:
Wife: Rossel
Born: at: Died: at:
Father: Jehan Rossel
Mother:
CHILDREN
Name: Abram Morel
Born: at: Switzerland
Married: at:
Died: BET. 1664 - 1675 at:
Spouses: Elisabeth Favarger
Name: Jean Morel Born: at:
Married: at:
Died: ABT. 1681 at:
Spouses: ?
Name: Anne Morel Born: at:
Married: ABT. 1648 at:
Died: ABT. 1662 at:
Spouses: Abram Vautier
Name: Marie Morel Born: at:
Married: ABT. 1630 at:
Died: ABT. 1661 at:
Spouses: Abram Gribolet Pierre Veillard
Name: Morel Born: at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses: Jaques Gribolet
Name: Morel Born: at:
Married: ABT. 1661 at:
Died: at:
Spouses: Pierre Piechaud
Husband: Abram Morel
Born: at: Switzerland Married: at:
Died: BET. 1664 - 1675 at:
Father:Jean-Jacques Morel
Mother: Rossel
Other Spouses:
Wife: Elisabeth Favarger
Born: at: Died: at:
Father:
Mother:
Other Spouses:
CHILDREN
Name: Pierre Morel
Born: at:
Married: ABT. 1656 at:
Died: BET. 1697 - 1708 at:
Spouses: Ursule Joux
Name: Ursely Morel Born: at:
Married: ABT. 1660 at:
Died: ABT. 1681 at:
Spouses: Abram Cortaillod
Husband: Pierre Morel
Born: at: Married: ABT. 1656 at:
Died: BET. 1697 - 1708 at:
Father:Abram Morel
Mother:Elisabeth Favarger
Other Spouses:
Wife: Ursule Joux
Born: at: Died: at:
Father: Pierre Joux
Mother:
CHILDREN
Name: Pierre Morel
Born: at:
Married: at:
Died: BET. 1711 - 1717 at:
Spouses: Margaret Chiffelle
Name: Elisabeth Morel Born: 20 JAN 1655/56 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Married: at:
Died: ABT. 1695 at:
Spouses: Pierre Matthey
Name: Abram Morel Born: 22 FEB 1656/57 at:
Married: 1689 at:
Died: 10 JAN 1724/25 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Spouses: Elisabeth Vautravers
Name: David Morel Born: 17 DEC 1659 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses: ?
Name: Marie Morel Born: 20 JUN 1658 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses:
Name: Jeanne Morel Born: 25 AUG 1661 at:
Married: at:
Died: ABT. 1695 at:
Spouses: Jean Bovier
Name: Marguerite Morel Born: 1 NOV 1663 at:
Married: at:
Died: ABT. 1695 at:
Spouses:
Name: Magdelaine Morel Born: at:
Married: 28 MAR 1691 at:
Died: 2 MAY 1740 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Spouses: Antoine Petitpierre
Name: Samuel Morel Born: 3 JUL 1667 at:
Married: 25 JAN 1692/93 at: Colombier, Switzerland
Died: 26 MAR 1730 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Spouses: Ester Courvoisier Ester Gribolet
Name: Jean-Jaques Morel Born: 13 SEP 1668 at:
Married: at:
Died: ABT. 1695 at:
Spouses:
Name: Anne-Marie Morel Born: 20 NOV 1670 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses:
Husband: Pierre Morel
Born: at: Married: at:
Died: BET. 1711 - 1717 at:
Father:Pierre Morel
Mother:Ursule Joux
Other Spouses:
Wife: Margaret Chiffelle
Born: at: Died: 23 DEC 1748 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Father:
Mother:
CHILDREN
Name: Jaques Morel
Born: 27 FEB 1700/01 at:
Married: at:
Died: ABT. 1760 at:
Spouses: Judith Bourguignon
Name: Pierre Morel Born: 27 FEB 1700/01 at:
Married: at:
Died: 16 JAN 1772 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Spouses:
Name: Anne-Marie Morel Born: 28 APR 1706 at:
Married: 8 NOV 1726 at:
Died: 20 MAR 1768 at:
Spouses: Jean Petremand
Name: Elisabeth Morel Born: 24 JUL 1707 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses:
BR>
Husband: Jaques Morel
Born: 27 FEB 1700/01 at: Married: at:
Died: ABT. 1760 at:
Father:Pierre Morel
Mother:Margaret Chiffelle
Other Spouses:
Wife: Judith Bourguignon
Born: at: Died: at:
Father:
Mother:
CHILDREN
Name: Abram Morel
Born: 8 OCT 1747 at:
Married: 5 APR 1766 at: Bole
Died: 15 DEC 1780 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Spouses: Madeline Salome Borel
Name: Jacques-Paul Morel Born: 3 JUN 1742 at:
Married: at:
Died: 11 JUL 1802 at:
Spouses:
Name: Marie-Judith Morel Born: 6 FEB 1745/46 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses: Borel
Name: Jean-Pierre Morel Born: 23 FEB 1743/44 at:
Married: 12 NOV 1768 at: Colombier, Switzerland
Died: 1 JUL 1790 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Spouses: Jeanne-Marie Rezin
Name: Marie-Salome Morel Born: 8 MAR 1749/50 at:
Married: at:
Died: 17 MAR 1760 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Spouses:
Name: Suzanne-Henriette Morel Born: 20 JUN 1751 at:
Married: at:
Died: 17 MAY 1767 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Spouses:
Name: Rose-Henriette Morel Born: 30 MAR 1755 at:
Married: 9 APR 1774 at:
Died: 3 MAR 1784 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Spouses: David Malile
Name: Felix Morel Born: 25 MAR 1753 at:
Married: at:
Died: 6 MAR 1811 at:
Spouses: Suzanne Frene Marianne Gd. Guill. Perrenoud
Husband: Abram Morel
Born: 8 OCT 1747 at: Married: 5 APR 1766 at: Bole
Died: 15 DEC 1780 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Father:Jaques Morel
Mother:Judith Bourguignon
Other Spouses:
Wife: Madeline Salome Borel
Born: at: Died: at:
Father: Abram Borel
Mother:
CHILDREN
Name: Samuel Morel
Born: 10 APR 1772 at: Switzerland
Married: 6 DEC 1794 at: Bole
Died: ABT. 1805 at:
Spouses: Suzanne Elisabeth Borel
Name: Marie-Judith Morel Born: 12 JUL 1766 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Married: at:
Died: 7 AUG 1791 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Spouses:
Name: Abram Morel Born: 13 FEB 1768 at:
Married: 28 APR 1788 at: Neuchatel, Switzerland
Died: at:
Spouses: Judith Simon
Name: Marie-Louise Morel Born: 8 JUN 1766 at:
Married: at:
Died: 25 JAN 1778 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Spouses:
Name: Marie-Anne Morel Born: 2 DEC 1778 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses:
Name: David-Francois Morel Born: 24 JAN 1781 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses:
Name: Suzanne-Henriette Morel Born: 30 APR 1774 at:
Married: 31 OCT 1812 at:
Died: at:
Spouses: Jean W Jeannin
Husband: Samuel Morel
Born: 10 APR 1772 at: Switzerland Married: 6 DEC 1794 at: Bole
Died: ABT. 1805 at:
Father:Abram Morel
Mother:Madeline Salome Borel
Other Spouses:
Wife: Suzanne Elisabeth Borel
Born: at: Died: at:
Father:
Mother:
CHILDREN
Name: Louis Morel (The father of Gustave Alphonse)
Born: 2 MAY 1795 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Married: at:
Died: 19 MAR 1852 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Spouses: Suzanne-Henriette Racle Jeanne Marie Elisabeth Zehe
Name: Charles-Frederic Morel Born: 30 DEC 1796 at:
Married: 29 NOV 1819 at: St Blaise, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Died: at:
Spouses: Marie-Madelaine Sterki
Name: Sophie Morel Born: 2 DEC 1798 at:
Married: 7 NOV 1824 at: Cernay
Died: at:
Spouses: Jean Narthe
Name: Charles-Auguste Morel Born: 21 NOV 1800 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses:
Name: Francois Morel Born: 20 OCT 1802 at:
Married: at:
Died: 3 DEC 1833 at: Neuchatel, Switzerland
Spouses:
Name: Albertine Morel Born: 19 MAR 1804 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses:
Name: Henry Morel Born: 29 SEP 1806 at:
Married: 5 FEB 1832 at:
Died: 26 DEC 1879 at: Neuchatel, Switzerland
Spouses: Margaret Racine
Name: Cecile Morel Born: 8 AUG 1816 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses:
Name: Julie Morel Born: 9 FEB 1819 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses:
Name: Rose Morel Born: 5 JUL 1820 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses:
Husband: Louis Morel
Born: 2 MAY 1795 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland Married: at:
Died: 19 MAR 1852 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Father:Samuel Morel
Mother:Suzanne Elisabeth Borel
Other Spouses: Jeanne Marie Elisabeth Zehe (Gustave Alphonse's mother)
Wife: Suzanne-Henriette Racle
Born: at: Died: at:
Father:
Mother:
CHILDREN
Name: Louis-Alphonse Morel Born: 29 MAR 1818 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses:
Husband: Louis Morel
Born: 2 MAY 1795 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland Married: 23 SEP 1821 at: Berlin, Germany
Died: 19 MAR 1852 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Father:Samuel Morel
Mother:Suzanne Elisabeth Borel
Other Spouses: Suzanne-Henriette Racle
Wife: Jeanne Marie Elisabeth Zehe
Born: 10 MAR 1798 at: Dahme, Prussia Died: 21 FEB 1855 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Father: Pierre Zehe
Mother: Marie Louise Grundmann
Other Spouses:
CHILDREN
Name: Charles Louis Francois Morel Born: 25 MAY 1819 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses:
Name: Frederic Morel Born: 10 AUG 1824 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses:
Name: Marie Louise Morel Born: 21 SEP 1826 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses:
Name: Henri Francois Morel Born: 3 MAY 1829 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses:
Name: Auguste Hermann Morel Born: 29 NOV 1831 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses:
Name: Gustave Alphonse Morel
Born: 21 NOV 1833 at: Colombier, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Married: 20 DEC 1869 at: Charleston, New Zealand
Died: 31 MAR 1903 at: Nelson, New Zealand
Spouses: Christine Marguriet Hettler
Name: Pauline Albertine Morel Born: 30 JUL 1836 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses:
Name: Charles Guillame Morel Born: 2 MAY 1840 at:
Married: at:
Died: at:
Spouses:
