La Madeleine

La Madeleine

The old Duchemin estate La Madeleine (La Magdeleine) is located northwest of Tinchebray in the Lower Normandy region of France. The size of the estate during the 17th century is unknown, but based upon tax maps from the Napoleonic era, the estate included at least 5 acres.

The Act in Advance of Succession from 1661 describes a manor house at La Madeleine having a tower, and such a house still stands on the property.

“The third share will have a portion of the large house of La Magdelaine…It is understood that the half of the tower of the aforementioned house remains joint between this present and fourth share…”

This house is probably the same one dating from the mid-1600s.

Old Manor House with Tower at La Madeleine
Old Manor House with Tower at La Madeleine (rear view)
Old Manor House at La Madeleine (front view)
View of the landscape at La Madeleine
View of the landscape at La Madeleine
Napoleonic era map identifying dwellings at La Madeleine. The manor house with tower is highlighted.
Napoleonic era map identifying dwellings at La Madeleine. The manor house with tower is highlighted.

Photos and map courtesy of Jacky Delafontenelle and Amanda Christie

2 thoughts on “La Madeleine”

  1. Absolutely wonderful pages. I have been trying to trace my family history and have followed the line back through my grandfather ( Fred Allen Dallas 1878-1959) to his GG-grandfather (William Anderson Dallas Sr. 1818-1905) in Batavia/Stonelick, Cleremont county Ohio near Cincinnati. During the families migration to the west, the junior William Anderson Dallas (1850-1923) met and married Miss Clara Belle DuChemin (1853-1943) on Dec. 16, 1871 and they had a son Francis W. Dallas , uncle Frank. I grew up in Memphis, TN knowing only my aunt Dotty (Dorothy Belle Dallas), uncle Buster (William Benjamin Dallas), my Dad (Grace Leffel Armon Dallas) on my father’s side of the family. All are now deceased and I have only one brother, Robert Fredrick Dallas.

    So I am really interested in what other connections to the Dallas name might be found through the DuChemin name. For instance who was the uncle James Dallas credited by the author with providing much information?

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