Possibly our Virtues either came from the city of Vertus or may have descended from the Vertus family-- Or the families may have taken on the name of Vertus derived from the meaning of the word.
|
Vertus, France
Vertus is a very old city. The name comes from the Latin word "Vertus" meaning virtue, a characteristic which is expressed by a heart in heraldry. The city’s motto is still "honor survives to death." It was then that motto by Jean le Bon (John the good).
It’s church, the church of St. Martin, whose mass dominates all of the old section of Vertus and which is reflected in the water surrounding St. Martin, dates back from the end of the 11th century, of imposing dimensions, it remains the monument of Champagne (the province) which is most characteristic of the transition between Roman and Gothic architecture.
The church has the unique characteristic of having its sanctuary and its crypts built on pilings (pilings were put in to support the foundation).
Genealogy of the members of the family of Vertus (Virtue)
Extracts from the general biography of the persons and personage who
have borne the name,
By Amand De Vertus
Historical account of Vertus (in Champaign)
Vertus today the chief town of the canton of the arroundisement of Chalons Marne was, until the 10th century a small village belonging to the Church of Rheims and after that to the Counts of Champaign, under the name "Castrum Virdinnio" The Counts of Champaign and their descendants took the title of Seigneur of Vertus. One lady of Vertus is cited by Joinville historian of St. Louis (she accompanied the queen to Palestine as a maid of honor who called her a very good and very saintly woman.) "Vertus was acquired by the French crown by the marriage of Jeane daughter of Henry the Big, Count of Champagne, with Philip the Handsome in 1284."
The land of Vertus, was about thirty leagues long by seven broad (one league equals
approximately two and one half miles), was raised to an earldom by John the Good in 1360,
to honor the marriage of Isabelle his daughter to
Jean Galois Viscounti, who took the title of Count de Vertus. Jean de Vertus secretary to
Charles V, was one of the authors of the famous "Dream of Vergier" written in
1374 by order of the King against the enterprises of the Court of Rome.
The city of Vertus, well fortified, contained a castle and two abbeys: Saint Savenus and one of the canons of Saint Augustine (A number of volumes from the library of Saint Sevenus de Vertus are today in the library of Chalons).
Jean Valeas Viscount Seigneur of Milan, first Count de Vertus by his marriage with Isabelle de Grance daughter of the King John les Bon, who raised Vertus to an Earldom for her in 1360.
Valentine de Milan daughter of Gelois and Isabelle married her cousin, Louis D’Orleans son of Charles V King of France, Count de Valois sire of Chateau-Thierry. She brought him as her dowry, the earldom of Cest in Lombardy and that of Vertus in Champagne. In the year 1399 the Count of Vertus married his daughter to the sons of Charles, King of France and gave her for her dowry two million ducats of gold, etc. (Mergia, History of Milans, page 136) (This history is in Italian and I am not able to give an accurate translation). Valentine and her husband stayed in Chateau-Thierry a great deal from 1400-1408. Louis D’Orleans had several natural children by Mariette d’Enghion, the first, Punois, was the only illustrious one.
Phillipe Antonine, bastard of Vertus, natural son of the preceding, was born in
Lombardy where he grew up, became governor of Blois in 1435. Through his uncle Charles
D’Orleans; later through letters of patent from the king, was named governor of
Councy-de-Chateau, in 1443. He died in Valois in 1445, his goods were confiscated by the
king, Charles VII and sold.
Authentic records of this period are very scare and it is impossible to know if he were the son of the bastard of Vertus. There are some indications that he was a direct descendant of Louis D’Orleans, Count of Vertus.
N. de Vertus of Chateau-Thierry married before 1500. Several of his children were
obliged to take up business and farming in order to support their children, as can be seen
from the records of the notaries of the 16th century and in the baptismal register of
Saint Orepin of Chateau-Thierry in 1546 and later.
Counts of Vertus and Brittany
Marguerite D’Orleans Countess of Vertus, sister of Phillips, Count de Vertus, inherited from him in 1420 the earldom of Vertus and the land of Gandelu xxx arroundisment of Chateau-Thierry. She brought them as a dowry to Richard of Brittany, Count d’Etemps, seigneur of Clesson, who added to his titles that of Count de Vertus.
Francois II of Brittany son of the preceding, became Duke of Brittany; he also had a daughter, Anne of Brittany, Countess of Vertus, Queen of France by her marriage with Charles the VIII and later with Louis XII. Francois II had a natural son to whom he gave the earldom of Vertus.
Francois of Brittany, Count of Vertus although a natural son, took the arms of Vertus without the Bar (in other words his birth was legitimized). He married Madeline des Brosses in 1480.
Francois of Brittany, Count of Vertus, married Madeline D’Astarac.
Francois of Brittany, Count of Vertus, seigneur Clisson married Charlotte Pissaleu, died in 1704. His son Odet inherited the earldom of Vertus.
Odet of Brittany, Count of Vertus married Renee-Coeme. He was captain of fifty men at arms and rendered great serve to the kings Henry II and Charles II.
Charles of Brittany, Count of Vertus married the Msel Phillyse de Saint Amadour and died in (?). He was buried at Clisson. His tomb was destroyed in 1793.
Claude of Brittany, Count of Vertus married Catherine Fouguet de la Varienne. Their daughter Marie married Hercule de Rohan, Prince of Montbrazon in 1628.
Claude of Brittany, Count of Vertus married Anne Judith le Lievre, died 1699.
Armend Francois and his son Henry of Brittany, Counts of Vertus died without posterity, the later in 1746.
The Earldom of Vertus passed to Rohan Soubise, then the Prince of Conde by his marriage to Charlotte-Godfride-Elizabeth of Rohan Soubise.
The title Count of Vertus belongs today to the Duke of Aumale, son of Louis Phillipe, by a gift of last Conde, found strangled in his chamber August 17, 1830 age 75 years. (this is all a little obscure to me).
Note: Why? (This genealogy prepared by and for R. Amand Vertus will be
followed by a second part containing all of the members of the family Vertus bearing the
name or descending by the maternal line).
Younger Branch
Nicholas de Vertus married Jeanne Ambryane around 1530 in Closetelets
(Chateau-Thierry).
Rock de Vertus born about 1535 married Barbe D’Ambraysne at Blanchard
(Chateau-Thierry) and died in 1573.
Rock deVertus born September 23, 1567 at Blanchard, was living in Verdilly in 1590.
Honore deVertus, born in 1600 married Madeline D. Vaugerme in Brasles in 1626. There is a
record that well indicates his origin and his family (this was in Latin).
Jehan deVertus born May 8, 1637 at Verdilly married Marie Goujan of Chem Suisent in 1658.
Jean deVertus born at Brashles, April 28, 1664 married Marie Boucher in the church of
pottery (Councy) 1691.
Jean deVertus born in 1696 at Verdilly married Marie Eoisean at Cugory les Dutches
February 8, 1740 and lived in Councy.
Jean Charles Augusta deVertus born in Councy in 1733 married Maria Charlotte Thiercelin of
Mezy Moulins in
1759 (6-20).
Jean Antoine Augusta deVertus born at Councy August 28, 1771 married Catherine Fournier at
Boursches in 1796, died t Councy Sept 23, 1857.
Remy Amand deVertus born at Couny 1824 married Laurence Lamoine at Trosty Loire July 6,
1846.
Jean deVertus born 1853 and Roch de Vertus born Jan 10, 1860 both sons of the preceding;
born at Brecy.
Senior Branch
Francois deVertus, esquire siegneur of Rognonine Bris, married Nicole Blondel around 1830
(Chateau-Thierry).
Nicole deVertus born about 1532, esquire bailiff of Neuilly-saint Front provest of
Chateau-Thierry, seigneur of Frasses in Valois, Married Rachel Virtart; grand-daughter of
Vitart stewart of Prince Antone of Burgundy at Chateau-Thierry.
Claude deVertus, esquire, seigneur of Macogny and Ru-Chailly (Foaly) married Anne
deFrance.
Claude deVertus, esquire seigneur of Macogny, Lietuenant crimanl (what that is I have not
found out) of Chateau-Thierry, married Judith deHastrel.
Elie Vincent deVertus, esquire, seigneur of Ro-Chailly election of Chateau-Thierry). He lived in Ro-Chailly; he proved that he was of a noble race in the investigation of 1698, his nobleness had already been confirmed by a decree of the king’s council, his arms are in the grand amorial of the imperial library St. Richelieu in Paris.
Re: How this history came to Virtues in the United States
To Miss Ethel B. Virtue from Mrs. Charles Crofutt 12/18/51
I got this genealogy from Chas. Franklin Virtue, who teaches philosophy at the University
of Maine. He got his printed copy from a Londoner, named Virtue with whom he corresponded
for a time. The Englishman had received it from a Frenchman who he had known during World
War I and this Frenchman was as he said it, "The last Count de Vertus". Whether
he meant that he had no offspring to carry on the title, I don’t know. However, if
one looks at a large detailed map of France one can still find a town named Vertus, some
25 or 30 miles south of Theims. Some of the Virtues of France, no doubt where Catholics,
but our forebears were Huguenots. Religious persecution prompted them to leave France for
Scotland, where they settled in Clackmanshire, a county just west of Edinburgh. Whether
they left before or after the massacre of St. Bartholomew’s Day, I do not know, but
it was sometime during that period of unrest. From Scotland, some of them migrated to
London and other places in England. From Scotland, some of them migrated to London and
other places in England. Our ancestors moved to Donegal, Ireland about the time of William
of Orange. Some of the Virtues in England still spell the name Vertue.
To E.D. Virtue from Mrs. Mary Virtue 9-15-56
I am Mrs. May Virtue, wife of the later Robert S. Virtue. We were both born in County
Donegal, Ireland. My grand-parents and my husband’s people were farmers and neighbors
there. So I know some of the Virtues personally.
I was back on a visit in 1937 and got some information about my husband’s
grandfather, whose name was James. His first wife’s name was Shaw, when she died he
married a lady by the name of Moore. The first wife had 11 children and his second wife
had 6 children. My husband’s father Joseph S. was the youngest of this family.
I know Alexander, Robert and Thomas all settled around Galena, Illinois. These were of the 2nd family (of James Virtue). The older family no doubt had children as old as the 2nd family. I have three sons and one daughter. All are married and have families. 18 grandchildren.
To Mrs. May Virtue from Mrs. Charles B. Crofutt (Reva Crofutt), Crono, Maine.
1/4/54
Miss Ethel Virtue, of Webster City, Iowa, has suggested that you might known something of
our Irish ancestors, hers and mine. My great-great-grandfather, was Samuel Virtue. In 1819
he and his wife Jane (Williamson) Virtue, and 4 or 5 children, moved from County Donegal,
Ireland to Guernsey County, Ohio. The lend in our family says they were of French origin
who emigrated to Scotland for religious reasons; and later went to Ireland, about the time
of William the Conqueror. Miss Virtue’s grandfather, James came from Ireland a
generation later, from Pettigo, County Donegal. Any connection between us must be in
Ireland, but I feel quite sure there is a connection, if one were to back far enough. It
is not at all important, however, I like to hear from other members of the family. Family
history is somewhat of a hobby with me and all bits of information are welcome. If I have
any information which you would like, just let me know. I am always delighted to share
such things.
The End…….. transcribed by Barb Virtue to the best of my ability to read the old document that our family received in the 1950's from the Platteville, Wisconsin Virtues (May Virtue).