RETURN
(to Frederic de Coninck Letters)

One can readily determine the whereabouts of the old Huguenot cemetery that served the Protestants of Rouen for over two hundred years, thanks to the remarkable skill and accuracy of the artists and cartographers of that distant era whose artistry and detailed etchings on miniature copper plates were for our benefit, and for the sake of posterity.

The only Protestant cemetery to have been researched in France by anthropologists took place in 2005 at Charenton, a suburb of Paris. Questions arose regarding the orientation of the bodies since nearly all, except for some children, faced east. It is unknown whether this was dictated by the topology of the terrain or whether it arose from a desire to have the people facing Jerusalem at the moment of resurrection. One or two graves unearthed at the Rouen Huguenot cemetery could help resolve this riddle.

1572 - Click to Enlarge.

1572

1655

1724

1800's
Green dot behind the Fountain of the Croix de Pierre shows the approximate location
of the Huguenot Cemetery along St. Hilaire Street in the 1800's.

1913

Two children of Jean Crommelin and Rachel Tacquelet would have been buried here. Marie Crommelin was their 2nd child, born in St. Quentin, 5 March 1627; buried in Rouen, 21 May, 1660. She married Daniel de la Chambre and had 5 children.

Jean Crommelin, their 8th child, born in St. Quentin, 16 January 1639; died unmarried in Rouen, 13 September 1662. According to Jacob (Scheffer p.171) this young man was destined by his father to replace him by taking over the family business. He died in his mother's (Rachel Tacquelet's) arms in his 24th year. The family business was given over to Jacob Crommelin instead at the time of his marriage to Elizabeth Testart.

Burial of Marie Crommelin, wife of Daniel de la Chambre, age 33, who died giving birth.

Burial of Jean Crommelin, age 23 on 1662 September 13

Francois de Coninck (1621-1662), first husband of Catherine Crommelin and father of Frederic,
would also have been buried here, age 41.
(He was born the year after the "Mayflower" sailed to America.)

Other Possible Family Members Buried Here Rouen appears to have been the home of other members of the Crommelin family long before Catherine Crommelin lived there in the mid-1600's with her first husband, Francois de Coninck. We have the following death records from the registers of Petit Quevilly temple which may pertain to family members buried here. Died in 1600. This could be Josse Crommelinck, son of Pierre Crommelinck, age 55. (Scheffer p.5). (In all the death records of Petit Quevilly, the name 'Josse' rarely appears.) Died in 1606. This Marie Crommelin is unknown. Died in 1611. Suzanne and Samuel Crommelin died a day apart in August 1611. Since many people died that year, 1611 could have seen an outbreak of plague. This may pertain to Susanne, daughter (#10) of Jean Crommelin and Marie de Semeries. Samuel is unknown. (See Scheffer p.11) Source: - Archives Departmentales de Seine-Maritime

Source: Wikipedia