This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: CarolynSuffern Surnames: Suffern-Suffren Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.garvin/136.269.270.271.288.300.302.303.1.1.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Hello, Noel Sufferin referred to me as Catherine, but I am the person who posted information about artist Jules Arnault actually being Jean Andre' de Suffren de Saint Tropez. (John Suffern, founder of the village now called Suffern, NY, is my 4th great-grandfather. He emigrated to America from Killealy/Killead, County Antrim in 1763.) My information about Jules/Jean Andre' (Jules was an alias) is based on family documents written in 1919, that came with two paintings given to my father in 1946. The woman who gave the paintings to my father was the widow of the son of Andrew Suffern, grandson of John Suffern, patriarch in New Antrim/Suffern, NY. Andrew commissioned these paintings done in 1854 and 1860 from Jules/Jean Andre' - we have the original bill/letter from Jules to Andrew for one of the paintings. I also have a genealogical chart created by Canning Suffern in 1920, for my great uncle Robert Adams Suffern. Canning also sent a letter I have shared with John Suffren of Norway who maintains a Suffren family website. I agree with Noel that the direct link between France and Ireland is not documented, although Canning Suffern felt that it was Trophime Suffern, the Huguenot brother of the ancestor of Admiral de Suffren, who is our ancestor. What gives credence to much of this in my mind, is the fact that according to the 1919 family document, "Jules Arnault" sought refuge in America with the grandson of John Suffern as the last vestiges of the Bourbon Dynasty were falling in France. Jules does show up under the 1850 US federal census as living in the home of James Suffern, as our documentation states. The document said it was only upon his death on May 1, 1877, that the hair-covered trunks he had brought with him were opened, and it was revealed he was in fact, Jean Andre' de Suffren, marquis.... Pierre Andre' is the third son in his family. His eldest brother was the marquis de Suffren de Saint Tropez. It also is known that families of nobility basically scattered and hid, during the times of the French Revolution. Also, the use of titles such as "marquis" were abolished during the FR also. I may not have answered all your questions, but what I write is based on records and reports written by men who were born in the !850's - 1870's, concerning Jules and our French connection. Also, the family crest of the Sufferns in Antrim is essentially the same as the French crest, with the addition of the words "Of Antrim." The French Navy uses it for its Suffren ships to this day. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.