The Article
Pompaples
The Middle of the World
1525-1665
*****
Translation from the French by
Harry M. Webb
*****
The known origins of our family are found on the plateau which extends to the foot of and to the East of the Jura, between Lake Neuchátel and Lake Léman, The oldest mention shows a branch at Lower-Ormont from 1332. The most numerous mentions date from the 15th Century at La Sarraz, at Pompaples where we were middle class, as well as at Romainmôtier, Orny and Arnez.
This region, at the end of the glacial period, was occupied by a 100 meter long lake from Soleure to the line of hills of Mormont, near La Sarraz. Later the alluvial cones of the rivers of the Jura and the Pre-Alpine region formed distinct lakes: the Bienne, the Neuchátel and the Morat. The Orbe, the Nozon, the Talent and other rivers which make up the Thielle formed, bit by bit, the plain of the Orbe which stretches south to Yverdon. The Mormont, front line of the Jura dominates the plain by 160 meters and forms the southern closure at the separation point of the two rivers, the Rhóne and the Rhine. It forms, therefore, the continental ridge which separates the waters of the Mediterrannean and of the North Sea. Here is found, at the downward side of La Sarraz, the point that is known from time immemorial as the line of communication between north and south.
During the Roman period, a roadway crossed the Mormont toward Orbe. (Fragments of Mosaic and coins have been found at Orny) The area was inhabited by the Helvetes (Swiss) who “on all sides enclosed by nature, were separated from the Germans by the Rhine, a very wide and very deep river, from the Séquanes (tribe) by the Jura, very high mountains and from our province by Lake Leman at by the Rhóne” (Caesar--War with the Gauls - Book 5). Following their victory at Bibracte, the Romans took over the Helvetian sphere of influence, opening it up to great currents of mediterrannean commerce and to Roman administrative methods. Christianity established itself there in the 4th Century and its expansion was not to be hindered by the arrival of the Burgundians into Roman Switzerland. Living in close contact with the romanized Helvetians, the Burgundians were completely swallowed up, though certain facets of the Burgundian’s old system applied more and more to the general population. The story of the Burgundian migration merits recall as it not well known.: [III. Encyclo. of Vaudoise- Vol 4, Lausanne 1973)
“Like the Alamans (alamanii), the Burgundains belong to the ethnic family of the Germans, speaking an Indo-European language, who came from the East at the end of the Neolithic period, and of whom Caesar spoke, by name, in Rome. The name of the ‘Burgondes’ remains tied to a Danish Island, Bornholm, called Burgundarholm until the 13th century.
(Or Burgunda-hofm. At first the name signified properly a
warriors association’ with Germanic roots in Burg (citizenry)
& Gunda (warrior) ci. Wãchter, Gloss p 132)
By the same token, the name rises again as ‘Burgogne’, which designates, in the Middle Ages, romanized Switzerland and the lands west of the Jura.
“After a long stay in Posnanie (todays Poland), the Burgundians once again migrated and at the end of the 3rd Century of our era, arrived at the Danube and the Main, in southern Germany. The high point, and the most tragic point, in Burgundian history, which remains as heroic myth in the legendary past of the Germans, is found at the beginning of the 5th Century. They had passed over the Rhine, not without travail, and had been authorized by the Empire to establish themselves on the Gaulish (French) side of the river. There they founded a kingdom whose capital was at Worms. Now then, the fall of Worms and the death of Gunther ( or Gundahar, Godomar or Gunnar) have furnished the theme of the greatest Germanic epic,”The song of the Niebelungs”. According to tradition, ‘Niebelungen’ was the name given their Royal House by the Burgundians. Recital of the events is to be found in the lslandic Sagas of the 9th century. From the historical point of view, they are from the time of Attila. The Romans again tried to pit one against the other the various peoples moving about the european continent, and it seems that Actius, commanding Gaul in the name of Emperor Valentinian Ill, arranged for mercenary Huns to attack the Burgundian stronghold. This was the end of the Burgundian kingdom. The defeat dates in 436. Only seven years after the disaster which the Song of the Niebelungs greatly distorts, the defeated Burgundians are re-established, by order of Actius, in Sapaudia (Savoie) as well as in Roman Switzerland, in the Lyonnais and in the Saône river basin.”
[many place names thereabouts are of Germanic origin, such as VAUD - from WALD (forest). On the first kingdom of Burgundy, see the study by M.E. Secrétan, published in vol XXIV of the Memoires & Documents of the Historical Society of Roman Switzerland (Lausanne 1868): as for the installation in Savoie, it occured after 451 after the defeat of Attila at the battle of the nations on the Catalonian Fields, in which the Burgundians fought along side the Roman army, along with other Gaulic tribes under Actius, to halt the invasion.)
Tradition attaches the origin of our name to the French Burgogne (Burgundy) and, in fact, in the 6th century the greater part of the Vaud belonged to the province called Maxima Sequanorum with Besnçon as it’s chief location, The existence of the village of Bonzon near Macon (France) where paintings can be found dating from the 13th century,seem to confirm this place of origin. In any case, the evolution in spelling of the place names and the family name do not confirm the hypothesis. From the archives we were able to consult, we state assuredly that, in order of antiquity the following spellings of our name exist: BONZON, BONSON, BONSHON, this latter being a contraction of BONSHOM.
(Since the village of Bonzon in Burgundy is written sucessively as:
Benson, Benson, Banczon and indeferentially as Bonson & Bonzon (ci.
G. de Leusse, La Chapelle de Bonzon et ses Peintures of the 13th
century - Macon 1914))
The etymological origin from the Latin Bonus Homo (good man) appears evident and our family was formed without doubt in the land of the VAUD where are to be found the most ancient beginnings. The question arises to know in what sense was the use on the Patronymic in the beginning. It is known that in the Middle Ages one was designated by a given name often accompanied by the father’s first name (John, son of Peter, for example). Only progressively and beginning with nobility, patronymics begin to appear. In this era, when a seigneur went to war he was accompanied by ten or fifteen bons-hommes (good guys, hence, followers), their number determined by the amout of power wielded by the Lord; such & such “bonshommes” gladly carried the name and gloriously attached themselves to their Lord via the patronymic. The ulterior usage of the patronymic BONHOMME to designate the peasants belongs to the same linguistic thinking and besides, the categories of soldiers and peasants were very close, one to the other. The name of the Bishop Boson, tenth Titulary of the Episcopal See of Lausanne (892-928) represents also a community of origin as well as a family name. Whatever the case, the progressive deformation in spelling of our name offers a good illustration of the method of transformation of family names such as they appear today.
*
* *
The first document to mention our region dates from 814. Emperor Louis the Pious, son of Charlemagne, gave to the Canons of the Cathedral at Lausanne a chapel dedicated to Saint Didier (Saint Loup); the document speaks also of the paved (roads), the ECLEPENS and of the Mormont. In 1049 Pompaples was written Pons Populi (People’s Bridge). From away back Pompaples was part of the Barony of La Sarraz. The essential document of communal history is a donation in 1449 on the part of the Seigneur Guillaume (William of) de La Sarraz to his citizens of Pompaples and Orny; he gave them the marais (swamp), the slopes (coasts) of the Mormont as far as the Entreroches (Between the rocks = a place name) and the valley of the Vaux between St Loup and the Eagles Beak, (on the) right bank of the Nozon. The lands of Pompaples and of Orny were not separated but as is said, by non-division after the donation of 1449 which resulted in many legal processes and quarrels. In 1612 the lands were divided, one third to Pompamples and two thirds to Orny. The inhabitants of one or another villages declaring their desire to live “the future in good union with the past &, as long as convenient, as good Christians and good neighbors.” Until the division in 1612, families of Orny living in Pompaples & vice versa were considered the bougeoisie of the two towns and enjoyed all the rights attached to that title. After 1612, it was necessary to pay for the priviledges of the bourgeoisie when living in the other community.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, the feudal system was not so heavy a force as attested to by the above mentioned donation. Only after the re-attachment to the Berne Republic in 1536 was the spirit of independance and responsability, characterizing the Swiss of the time, able to develop. The Assembly of the Swiss Estates to establish a central government, grouped according to the Pledge of GRUTLI in 1291 brought together the first ‘free men’ in Europe.
The Berne Administration was excellent, as proved by letters of these bailies dealing with various subjects: battles against wolves, against highwaymen and other vagabonds, the beginnings of fallow land policy, state of grain crops, morals, collectives, establishment of new villages, measures taken against fires, justice, administrative order, etc. Less important decisions were made by the community at large; these assemblies were frequent: nomination of the governor and of the rural militia, works to be carried out (trans. note - road work, ditches, etc.) hearings not requiring legal trial, and the reading of the yearly letter from the Bailif concerning the state of affairs. The community at large elected a governor from among themselves who, in addition to representing and defending the communal interests, was responsable for bringing monies into the community and effecting payments on their behalf. As far back as the archives of Pompaples go, we are able to state that it was rare when a family member (of ours) over any given period was not elected as Governor, our family being the most numerous at the time. The Governor was aided by his predecessor named Lt. Governor (petit gouverneur-little or small G.) Both had to account for their actions. We are able then to see to what degree this administrative oganisation permitted the populace at large to see and understand the communal interests and/or problems and accept their share of responsability - an exceptional fact at this period since it will not occur in France until the 16th century.
Our family, living in the area of Pompaples and Orny for quite some time already, was not made up entirely of farmers. Some were councilors or notaries, which at that time indicated an important social evolution. We can see in records dated 1608 that within the community of La Sarraz, one ANTHOINE BONZON along with a group of other bourgeois from Pompaples paid to the bourgeoisie of La Sarraz ,from 1520 to 1530, the fees necessary for use of the forests and pasturages of La Vaux, an arrangement needing litigation, and of another such arrangement in 1525 registered and signed by one EGREGE BONZON, Notary. In the following century, JEAN-LOUIS BONZON, son of JACQUES BONZON of Pompaples, was minister (Pastor) at Giez and then deacon at Orbe. In 1677, PIERRE BONZON, grandson of PIERRE BONZON of Pompaples, was Notary and it is no doubt he that in 1686 became châtelain of Essert and of Dizy.
[Chàtelain is the name given to the person living in the
chatel where justice was meted out. Another way to
designate the Judge.]
Others would establish forges using waters from the Nozon, the river that runs through Pompaples. This activity must have been important and well developed since the city device shows a hammer and a pair of pliers (tongs)crossed.
This then is how and why, from 12 February 1540, water rights are given the Family Bonzon to ‘run the machinery’ along the course of the river Nozon. It is also at this time that the Family Gingins acquired the vicarage of Saint-Loup and the Bornu Hospice (a stop-off along the route from Great St Bernardo Pass all the way to England) from the government at Berne and became, after the Reformation, ‘Keepers of the Goods’ of the catholic Clergy. In order to transform the Hospice into a mill, a Lord of Gingins got the idea of changing the course of the river Nozon, which flowed northward toward Lake Neuchâtel, by turning it southward toward Venoge, across the line of La Sarraz in order to turn his mill. But the inhabitants of Orny and Pompaples would not hear of it: they dug a ditch (canal) from Orny to a point just below the wheel of the mill to regain their river. There followed a trial which ended by arbiter’s pronouncement given at La Sarraz on 19. February, 1551, accepted and approved by both sides that permitted the people
of Orny to keep possession of the river flow by splitting the flow to both north and south. We can be see today that before the mill St Bornu, between Pompaples and La Sarraz, an artificial pond now exists from which water flows in two opposing directions: south toward the Rhone and the Mediterranean and, likewise, northward to the Rhine and the North Sea. This area is known as “The Center of the World”.
The Nozon also permitted easy irrigation of gardens and fields thanks to its slow movement. Use of the stream, coveted by many, was periodically the object of legal process like that opposed by Pierre Jaquinet and WILLIAM BONZON the Elder (perhaps our ancestor) in 1593 whose statement of arbitration we reproduce as an annex which seems to us to offer a mixture of juridic style in old French but including German phrases and wording. (cf. Annexe 1 p. 129] Further concessions for use of the waters for forges and/or mills were made in the 17th and 18th centuries and, in particular, one concession would be accorded our family on the 19. April, 1614.
[Unfortunatley it was not possible for us to find the
various texts of the concessions made to our family.]
The reconstruction of the Bornu Mill in 1828 caused new problems and hearings (trials) between 1836 and 1853. It was finally the State Council of the Canton of Vaud which, during their meeting on 11. September, 1855, ruled definitively that the flow of the Nozon should remain as in the old way, confirming by referral to the arbiters pronouncement of 1551, and that the “factory concession along the course of the Nozon” given to our family in the 16th century remain in effect.
If this Middle of the World where, according to Ramuz, “an over full fountain hesitates between north and south” can evoque in us a sense of equilibrium and being in the right place, it can also symbolize” the hesitation of our spirits between northern Europe and the Mediterranean of Ulysses...” (B. Galland).
The Knight of Boufflers passed by here; Byron meditated here; but it is popular romanticism that puts it to verse:
At Pompales is a fountain
From which the water flees both north and south
When I go there to cry away my pain
Both north and south know my sorrow.
*
* *
Very early on the Swiss middle class began using coats of arms. At first, arms were the actual shield of the knight: from whence the rules of arms, no longer respected in our arms, that metal should not touch metal nor color touch color. (Colors: gules/red, azur/blue, sinopl/green, sable/black - metals: gold and silver)
[This usage dates from the era of the tournament where arms were the actual shield of the combattant. The colors were reproduced on leather and the metals were in fact metal. To be strong enough for use in combat, it need be solid. therefore metal on metal, or leather on leather, ie. color on color - were not used.]
To be a knight required nobility and only nobles had arms in the beginning. Then, as arms became ‘signatures’, the clergy were awarded the right to display arms using those of their family, women using the arms of their father or their husband. Very soon arms were seen as no more than a trademark signaling a family or business. Use flourished among the middle class and the peasantry as well as for collectives, corporations and communities. This is particularly true of various regions which would become Switzerland: free men were numerous there; in rural communities as in the cities, working at occupations for which there was a seal. Nothing more natural than to take the seal and surround it with arms; at the death of the first titulary head of house hold, the descendants carried on the tradition of these arms. They became the family’s arms. In this manner the use of arms under the Bern Regime became more and more generalised in the countryside as well as in the cities: they were used to mark sacks of grain, tools, and grazing animals. It served to display the freedom and independance from the feudal system enjoyed by our ancestors of the period. As for the arms of our family, we were not able to locate the exact original. They are found in the Armorial of Vaud, described by Galbreath in 1934 as ”red, a Fleur de Lys in gold above two trefoils stemmed in green issuant from a mound of similar shape.” These arms appear in the Carrard genealogy in 1731 where amongst others, are designated the arms of one ANNE, daughter of PIERRE BONZON, Grandson of Pierre Bonzon of Pompaples.}, judge and councilor, “chátelain” (ie-judge) of Essert and of Dizy, who married Samuel Carrard on 21. February, 1713.
It did not seem possible to pull from our arms an interpretation concerning their origin : moreover we would indicate that the Fleur de Lys was an heraldic emblem frequently used in Swizerland with no connection whatever to France or Royalty. Furthermore it is easy to see in the trefoils and the green mount below them an agricultural basis. Finally, it is also noticeable that the Bonzon arms are very close to those of the Chevalier de Vevey (stemmed trefoils and the trefoil shaped base) as well as those of the Chevaillier family at Romainmotier (garden lily or Fleur de Lys, and the tri-rounded mound) whose daughter, Susanne, married ISAAC BONZON in 1649. The arms of these others also being described in the Archive at Vaud. Lastly it must be noted that A. de Mandrot, in his Armorial History of the Land of Vaud in 1880, replaces the two trefoils of our arms with two silver roses stemmed in black; we have chosen to keep, however, the two trefoils corresponding to the most ancient record, that of 1731.
*
* *
To establish a precise genealogical table of the Bonzons living in the 16th century and before represents a considerable work and effort which we did not undertake but for which there are abundant sources. Even if the records of the civil state do not begin until around 1640, the large number of notarised documents, which are themselves precise records of contractants and sometimes the parantage of either or both sides, permit through patient and time consuming examination of these records, the reconstruction of satisfying genealogical tables. Changes in land holdings are so important that in many cases the signatories and several generations of their lineage are indicated in the document. Unfortunately, these “terriers” (exchanges of land holdings) are more and more difficult to read for the non-initiated, the further back you go. (very different handwriting, texts in old French or in Latin...). We were not able to devote the necessary time and the job remains open to discover more detail of our ancestry.
Using easily accessed documents, however, such as the very interesting “Extrait of the Rentier at 4 Limits of the Renovation and Rights of the Lands and Seigneurie of Pompaples
1784”, the “Overview of Rights and Titles Belonging to the ,~ Honorable Community of Pompaples- 1748”, along with the first civil state records (baptisms in particular) preserved for us, we were able to put together the table found at the end of this text. In this table we’ve tried to show the filiation of the BONZONS living in Pompaples between 1525 and 1700. The date behind each entry is either the baptism date or the date of the document in which the name is mentioned, which permits us to discern approximately the period of their lives. This attempt is merely the beginning of an ideal genealogy, a first document, as it were, from which to begin a true study. There is no certain information here. Some of the filiations given here are only hypothesis to be confirmed by more research. This table also deals only with the Bonzons at Pompaples, though there were many others in the region. From the given table we see that nearly 50 cousins of the same generation were baptised between 1640 & 1660, which explains the great number of family members living at the time, despite the high infant mortality rate of the time period. There is still today a great many Bonzons living in the Canton of Vaud.
The Bonzons of Vevey are descended from DANIEL, son of ISAAC BONZON of Pompaples. There were many ISAAC BONZONs at Pompaples; first names from the Bible being frequently used, showing the influence of the Reformation and which date automatically the period of its spread across the countryside. It does not appear that ISAAC, son of JEAN, called SHOUBET is an ancestor of ours, since in 1676, his son DANIEL baptises a son, JACQUES while our ancestor DANIEL was at Vevey. We are descended more probably from THIVEN or TYVEN) for ESTIVEN or ETIENNE [variations of Steven] who is the son of GUILLAUME (called-the Elder).
We decided to reproduce the marriage pact and a transfer of land concerning lsaac Bonzon, son of JEAN, even though we doubt him to be an ancestor, but being representative of the
social life of the time nonetheless.
[Both are to be found in the Notary Records of Abraham Bonnard, Croy (Cantonal Archives at Vaud, Dn 7)]
“Treaty of Marriage made between the Honorable Isaac, son of the Honorable Jean Bonzon of Pompaples, and the Honorable Susanne, daughter of “feu” ( = good ole) Abraham Chevallier.
“In the name of God, Amen, let all know it to be evident and manifest that in the year one thousand,six hundred and forty four, and on the last day of June, a treaty of marriage is concluded, by the devine will of God and according to the new Reformation contained in the (book of) rules between the Honorable ISAAC, son of the Honorable JEAN BONZON of Pompaples, attended by his father and the Honorable Abraham Clerc of Bofflens, his brother-in-law, on the one side, and the Honorable Susanne, daughter of good old Abraham Chevallier, middle classman living at Romainmotier, dealing always under the authority of the Honorable Claudi Chevallier his uncle, of Egr. Nicolas Perrin and Jerosme Chambrettaz his parents aside. By which agreement of marriage are effected the following promises and conventions. Firstly, said ISAAC BONZON, husband has promised and promises, by authority of the above mentioned, to take as loyal wife and spouse, the said Susanne, to wed her in the Church of the believers, knowing of naught that should prohibit.
”In like manner does the said Susanne by the above named authority make similar promise; in contemplation of this marriage and to promote good feelings, said Susanne gives over to her husband all her possessions, according to agreements made between them. Should the husband die without issue, the widow shall have of her husbands goods the sum of 1500 Florins, along with other particular goods according to the law, that her own goods should not diminish. If, on the other hand the wife should die first without issue, half her goods and belongings shall revert to the nearest living relatives, paternal or maternal, and the husband shall retain the other half for himself and his family, (he) shall be accountable for expense of dress for his wife according to her quality and for the jewels bestowed the day of her marriage, along with the (by him) decided amount of his belongings; promises made here are incontrovertable and irrevocable, renouncing any means to contradict, signed and sealed at the house of Claudi Chevallier at Croy in the presence of the named relatives.”
___________
“Receipt for Master ISAAC BONZON, from Michel Roullier of La Sarra.
“3 May 1 652 said Michel Roullier bourgeois of La Sarra knowing what he does and speaking for his (family) sold in perpetuity to said ISAAC BONZON for whom the Honorable JEAN BONZON, his father, is here present and, accepting in the name of his sons, assigns about one half a division of land (I have no idea, what is a “slythoree”-trans.) of the farmland of Orny, called the Sogions, juxtaposed by the fields of Jean Pavilliard along with others to the east, Jean Olivier the Younger to the west, those of Isaac, son of Abraham Mechod to the north and those of George Roulier to the south, with ground, fruits, and all other amenities belonging, for the price of 95 florins and 10ff of aged wine the whole paid in full. Promising now to take on the obligations of said territory, excepting Seingneurial rights, for said seller if at all possible. Done and made under all required signatures, present- D. Pierre Viret, citizen of Orbe, and D. Abraham Clerc of Boffens, summoned and required to witness.”
[the D = discret = uninterested party]
*
* *
Beginning in 1638, the Entreroches canal was cut across the region connecting Lake Neuchâtel with Lake Léman, but the venture was not concluded and in 1646 the canal begun at Yverdon ended at Cossonay. Nevertheless, it served for nearly two centuries as business transport between the wine region and Bern and Neuchãtel, salt from the Bex, wheat and other perishable merchandise, or those in danger from shock (jarring) in transit: porcelins, glass work, fruit, soap, butter.... It was the beginnings of this effort that prompted young Daniel to leave the area and seek his fortune elsewhere. Still young, he was in 1665 seemingly well established in his new found profession of shoemaking,) Daniel, son of Isaac left Pompaples to establish himself in Vevey.
