Decarteret, A Family History

Part 10

Other Trees

The exact lineage of de Carterets in this era is hotly disputed. We believe that there are inaccuracies in this tree and refer readers to Descendants of Guillaume de Carteret, 960, the tree which has been in Jerripedia since 2010 and has been adjusted and corrected as further information has become available and Sark Colonists.

There is a possibility of some confusion unless it is realised that there were two Heliers alive at the same time. One was the son of Sir Edward, and it was he who became Seigneur of St Ouen and first Seigneur of Sark. The other was this Helier's father-in-law, a younger brother of his father. He became Bailiff of Jersey and died aged 81, while visiting London on business on 19 February 1561, and was buried at St John's Church, Clerkenwell.

Bailiff Helier also had a son before marriage. This was Edward, whom his father adopted at birth, and who became first Bailiff of Sark. He had a varied career in Jersey. In 1549 he was elected constable of the Parish of St John and ten years later Procureur of the Tresor of the same parish. In 1551 he was appointed Solicitor-General and ten years later still, he attained the elevated position of Her Majesty's Attorney-General in Jersey. He married his first cousin, Marguerite de Carteret, widow of Michel Sarre and daughter of the Bailiff's brother, Edouard de Carteret, Seigneur of St Ouen. He left two sons, William, who became an Advocate of the Royal Court of Jersey; and Jean, who accompanied his father to Sark and settled there.

Edward's father, Helier de Carteret, the Bailiff, was a great friend of the Duke of Norfolk and Sir William Compton. He must have been an outstanding marksman for we are told that he attracted the attention of King Henry VIII by his skill with the cross-bow and the arquebus, the weapons of the day. The King was so pleased with an arquebus invented by Helier that he appointed him Sewer of the Chamber in the Royal Household. (A Sewer arranged the seating of the guests.)

We cannot suppose that Helier realised what he was starting when he invented his weapon, which was a forerunner of the Sten, since it could fire five bullets without reloading.

Hiou de Carteret, one of the three de Carterets who accompanied our Helier to Sark, was the son of Jean de Carteret, Lieut-Bailiffof Jersey, and Catherine du Port, daughter of Nicholas. His grandfather, Jean, was a son of Sir Philippe de Carteret and Margaret Harliston, who had 20 children.

Hiou married Thomasse Gaignepain, who died a widow on 5 February 1638, after presenting her husband with three sons and three daughters; Rachel, born in 1588, Jean in 1590, Elizabeth in 1594, Marie in 1596, Elie in 1598 and Philippe, who married Marie Le Cerf on 28 September 1614.

Hiou bought the Tenancy of La Moignerie in 1585 from Philippe de Carteret, the Seingeur. The farm remained in the possession of the family for about 200 years. Philippe de Carteret, the Seneschal from 1707 to 1744, who married Sarah Slowley, and his son Philippe, who married Marie Careye, both lived there.

Hiou became one of the first Jurats of the Sark Royal Court. His son, Philippe, also attained that honour.

Jean de Carteret, the second de Carteret in whom we are interested, was the son of Edward, the Bailiff of Sark. Jean, who I believe lived at La Valette, married Judith Quesle, the daughter of Jean Quesle, on 20 August 1575. They had six sons: Jean, born 25 April 1576, and died 30 October 1654; Josue, born 29 December 1588, married Susanne Vibert on 12 January 1610, and was drowned on 25 September 1631; Lucas, who was born on 4 June 1590, fell down the cliffs and was killed on 18 June 1612; Samuel, who was born on 30 January 1593, married Janne Perrier of St Ouen, daughter of Pierre; Thomas, who married Sara Le Couteur on 15 December 1608, died on 4 November 1647; and Philippe, for whom no dates are recorded.

Thomas was a man of property. He bought the Tenancy of Le Veau Rocque in 1617, and inherited La Tour from Pierre Le Couteur, who had bought it from Seigneur Philippe de Carteret on 26 December 1612.

The third de Carteret was Julian, who bought the tenancy of La Forge. He became the Senior Jurat of the first Sark Court. On 29 October 1570 he married Marie, the widow of Jean Guille, by whom he had three children, Sara, born on 24 November 1571, married Elie Dumaresq on 26 October 1608; Marie, born on 16 January 1575; and Philippe, whose wife's name was Elizabeth, and who died on 24 October 1642.