Whereas d'Assier de Valenches’ “Mémorial des Dombes” allots them a Venetian origin, it seems rather that the first Savarin who settled in Brénod arrived from Florence, Italy. The Savarini would have been forced to leave Tuscany shortly after the advent of the Medici’s into the Florentine city, to which their family would have found themselves opposed, a consequence of the clash between the Guelphs, favouring the popes, and the Ghibellines, favouring the emperors.
The first generations settled in Brénod were devoted only to the exploitation of the lands which they had acquired upon their arrival in the country. One of the first members of the Savarin family which one can find traces back to the registry files of Antoine Savarin, born in Brénod about 1495, and died on April 11, 1562. A document dated November 23, 1489, reports a Guillaume Savarin, syndic of Brénod. Several members of the family held this position for that matter. Indeed one finds: Jean, syndic in 1514, André in 1557, Guillaume in 1570, Antoine in 1581. On March 15, 1575, Jehan Savarin, a medical doctor, is named health captain in Bourg to take measures against the plague which was devastating this city. Another, Jacques Savarin, was rector for the hospital in Bourg from 1603 to 1607. One notices moreover that it is a Savarin who became parish priest of Brénod. In the public files, one also finds a letter of grace and to halt pursuit dated October 24, 1497, granted by the duke of Savoy to the inhabitants of Brénod who had insulted and struck the district attorney of Bugey, the commissioner at the of Châteauneuf, and two Sergeants-General who tore of the hands of Antoine Savarin, whom they held captive. The inhabitants of Brénod still had to pay the 100 guilders to the treasurer of Savoy. In 1576, Claude Savarin, a descendant of the latter, became a ducal notary.
Whereas the Savarin strengthened their ties to Brénod by holding certain posts and acquiring new lands, some of them moved away, settling in Belley, Nantua, and Bourg around the middle of the 16th century. To fill these legal and ecclesiastical posts, the Savarin gradually became a family of lay persons. An act dated January 10, 1605 stated that Claude Savarin, clerk-sworn, clerk of the court, and registrar of Châtillon-sur-Saône, resigned his post to Jean Fauvert’s benefit, who married his daughter, Bénigne. In 1649, a Savarin becomes the royal notary of Brénod. From 1681 to 1693, Pierre Savarin occupies this post: he had married Anne de Bovier. Pierre Savarin was one of the first to occupy a relatively important post at that time: he was a lawyer in Parliament, councillor and district attorney to King Louis XIII in the elections for Bugey, Valromey, and Gex from 1618 to 1626; he was also, in that period, syndic of Belley. At the bailiwick of Belley, in 1619, it is Paul Savarin who becomes district attorney to the King. Pierre Savarin’s influence was undoubtedly not foreign to the appointment of his relative to this station. Pierre Savarin was thus the first of the line of district attorneys to the King the family was to account for her ranks throughout the 17th century. He was apparently the first to carry arms, officially declared in the execution of the Royal Edict of 1696, which were going to become those of the family: azure field, with golden wavy fess and three silver roses, two in chief, one at the base. These arms would be modified slightly when several members of the family occupied a certain position simultaneously. This was certainly the case in 1696: whereas Martin Savarin would wear azure field, with golden wavy fess and three silver roses barbed in gold, François Savarin, councillor to the King and his district attorney in the Belley elections, had three silver roses barbed in gules, and Jean-François Savarin’s blazon had three gold roses. The minor modifications involved only the tinctures, not the ordinaries nor the charges.
Jean-François Savarin, son of Pierre Savarin, occupied the same office as his father from 1649 to 1684; he was also the syndic for Belley in 1654. He married the daughter of Antoine Fabri de Virieu-Le-Grand, Anthelmette. Of this union Jean-François had two daughters: Claudine and Marie-Gasparde. The first married Jean Brillat on October 27, 1675; the second died unmarried, made her sister’s son her ward, who was obligated, by law, to give her son the surname Brillat-Savarin. This testament was dated September 17, 1735. Marc Anthelme, who was to be the first to carry the surname Savarin joined to that of Brillat, was born in 1730. He married Claudine Récamier; great-aunt of Doctor Récamier, husband to the famous Juliette, on September 18, 1755 and it is of this union which was to be born in Belley, on April 3, 1755, Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, author of “The Physiology of Taste”.
It is noticed that the Brillat and Brillat-Savarin families occupied, like the Savarin, legal posts. Jean Brillat (1645-1703) was a lawyer in the Parliament of Bugey; Etienne Brillat (1693-1753) was a district attorney in the Bugey, Valromey and Gex elections; Marc Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1730-1790) had the same posts; Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826) was a lawyer and a deputy of the Estates General of Bresse from May 5, 1789. In 1791, after the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly, he was named President of the Court of Ain. Suspected of royalism, he was dismissed the following year. His fellow citizens, “appreciating his conciliatory spirit and his legal knowledge”, elected him mayor of Belley in 1793. Upon his return from exile, he was nominated government commissioner to the Court of Versailles. In 1801, he would become councillor to the final Court of Appeal, a post he would hold until his unexpected death in Paris in 1826.
It should be noted that Brillat registered with d’Hozier arms which had the same ordinaries/charges and azure background as the Savarin arms, but the roses were all laid out on the fess of the shield, instead of being in chief and base.
As Jean-François Savarin had no male heir, it was his nephew’s, François Savarin, turn to become councillor and district attorney to the King in the Belley elections from 1664 to 1693. Another Savarin, also named Jean-François, received on November 13, 1698, his retainer as councillor, notary, and secretary to the Parliament Court of the principality of Dombes. François Savarin’s brother, Joseph, was in that period, attorney-at-law; he was the syndic of Belley in 1682, and general syndic of the Bugey region and deputy of Belley September 14, 1696 to the intendant of Bourgogne and Bresse.
One can wonder what encouraged the members of this family to succeed each another to the same posts. But then, in that period, the main aspiration for the wealthy commoner or the civil servant of some importance was to be ennobled. The ennoblement corresponds then to the most enviable promotion; it is obtained in various ways. In some cases, it is immediate upon taking office; in other cases, the post would had to be occupied for 20 or 25 years; if one dies in office, the descendents benefit of the ennoblement; finally, in other cases, a family would have to occupy the ennobling post for two or three generations straight. Bertaut de Fréauville declared in his work, The Prerogative of the Legal Profession: “having become a judge of the nobles, if he is not lifted above them, at least he is their equal”. Nobility limited to his first medieval recruiting, had for a motto “who made you King?” By widening the ranks of nobility in this manner, by regularising the constant recruiting, the monarchy prevented the nobles from becoming a danger to the State. This is how Jean-François Savarin met the ennobling conditions; he died in office; he took office November 15, 1698, he died December 27, 1702. His post fell to Hughes Pomey de Rochefort in 1703. His death certificate stipulates that he was buried in the parish church of Saint-Laurent de Belley and describes him as “noble Jean-François Savarin”. His grandson Martin, of the cathedral church of Belley, was the principal beneficiary of this ennoblement and represented his family from August 20, 1714 to August 1, 1724 at the gathering of the nobility of Bugey. His cousin Joseph was attorney-at-law to parliament in Belley (of which he was syndic in 1652), appointed deputy September 14, 1696 by the town of Belley to the intendant of Bourgogne and Bresse.
From the end of the 16th century until the Revolution, the villages of Bresse counted many Savarins belonging to various branches of the family. Charles Savarin vicar with Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne in 1666; André, parish priest of Corveissiat in 1639; Claude, vicar of Genay in 1624, Corveissiat in 1648; another Claude, parish priest of Brénod in 1648; Jean, parish priest of Brénod in 1678; Francois, vicar of Saint-Bénigne in 1669; Jean-Joseph, archpriest , parish priest of Béon from 1749-1774; another Savarin, vicar of Brénod in 1742; Louis-Francois, vicar of the cathedral of Belley (arrested under the agreement by order of GOULY to have held inimical talks at Marat on 15 Brumaire, year II (5th November 1793, he was imprisoned in Tournus); Louis Savarin-Marestan of Brénod, parish priest of Belmont (1729-1781); Jean-Marie Savarin, Priest of Jasseron (1643-1648); Jean-Francois Savarin-Pion, born in Brénod, priest of Charencin 13th October 1789; his nephew Francois-Marie became his heir and successor as priest of Charencin.
Having cited the legal profession and clergymen, let’s take a look at those Savarins who had careers in arms and whose numbers are more limited
Thanks to the support of the influential members of his family, Joseph Savarin de Marestan joins the King’s Guards, in the 2nd company under Jacques-Henry de Durfort, duke of Duras, Peer and First Marshal of France. He served with Duras Company until February 1709. In 1683 he belonged to the Guards which surrounded Louis XIV at Besancon Camp. On March 16, 1690, he was the Compiegne camp where his company was reviewed by the King. He then served in Germany under the orders of the Dolphin. He and the other troops of the Royal Household took part in the siege of Mons. On September 19, 1691, while the battle was raging on the borders of Leuze, the King put his Guards and gendarmes on horseback; it is the most prodigious cavalry charge recorded in the archives of Royal Household and during which Joseph Savarin de Marestan is wounded. Following this battle, the archives of the Royal Household reported: “a sub-lieutenant, two exempts, a brigadier and twenty-four guards killed; two sub-lieutenants, two exempts, two brigadiers, a lance-corporal and sixty guards wounded (one of whom Joseph Savarin de Marestan) or almost a quarter of Duras’ Company strength out of commission. On the evening of this memorable victory, there are more than 50 banners taken from the enemy. King Louis XIV, amazed by this feat of arms, had a medal struck to commemorate the heroism of his soldiers with this motto: Virtus equitum prætorianorum.”
In 1692 Joseph Savarin de Marestan is in Flanders with his company which is camping Givrey (Hainaut) and he participated in the siege of Namur. He then took part in the Steenkerque battle where the Royal troops, commanded by Marshal de Luxembourg once again battled the troops of the Prince of Orange. From 26 to 28 July 1693 he joined with his company in the battle of Neerwinden in which Mr. de L'Epinay de Saint-Luc, commandeering the King’s Guards’ companies, was mortally wounded. Joseph Savarin de Marestan suffered a head injury. The four King’s Guards’ companies rejoined the army of Marshal de Luxembourg in 1694, and then returned to Flanders in 1697. It is only in 1698 that Joseph Savarin de Marestan returned to his quarters at the Compiègne camp (Coudun) where he stayed without interruption until 1701. From there, he set out again with its company to the army of the Rhine. In 1703 he participated on 15 November in the capture of Landau where he was again wounded and his horse killed under him. After having faithfully served the King for more than twenty years, thus honouring the motto of the King’s Guards "Our honour is Loyalty", he left his company 9 February 1706, replaced by Jean de Montplaisir.
Joseph Savarin Marestan, after having left the military House of the King resumed service as the Commander of a company of the Fort de l’Écluse. This fortification which defends the pass of l’Écluse between a ridge of the Jura Mountains and foothills of the Alps then depended on the Pays de Gex, placed under the authority of the Prince of Condé. Built in 1292, it underwent several transformations for centuries and had been enlarged in 1720; it was occupied by local militias which, according to an edict of Louis XIV written in Versailles on 31st December 1714 "had the advantage to be regarded as the best and the best armed forces of the Kingdom". This function could seem less brilliant than the preceding one, especially if it is known that a King’s Guard precedence over all other election officers, greniers à sel (garret; http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grenier_%C3%A0_sel), non-royal judges and any other beneath the King's advisers. Only the latter and the steward had rank in the provincial assemblies over the King’s Guards. The latter had the title of squire being, in the capacity as table companions of the Royal Household, the honorary rights in the churches where they receive a piece of blessed bread of distinction. They owed safety only to the king, the princes of royal blood, the Cavalry General and the Marshal of France. Among the privileges and prerogatives of a King’s Guard, one notices among other things that he was granted, at the end of 15 years of service, the rank of Cavalry Captain. A royal decree provided that a King’s Guard must measure at least 5 feet, 5 inches (1.78 m), have a beautiful face, be strongly built, be a good rider and skilful in handling of weapons. It was necessary to be Catholic, born a subject of the King and a gentleman. No guard could be received without being presented to the King. When his Majesty had approved of him, a sergeant of the guards led him to the major who reviewed his services, his age, his place of origin; then, the captain of the company made him take an oath in the room, in the presence of the other guards under arms. Team spirit is a phenomenon common to all elite arms. If there is a behavior, it is no less a state of mind. It hardly took time for the gentleman received with the guards to be accepted by his new companions. Their prolixity, their taste for ostentation and representation, the feeling of their superiority due to the particular conditions of admission had given birth within them a true spirit of caste.
After Joseph Savarin of Marestan, three more Savarin members are found in the Royal Household; two in the Guards and one in the Musketeers. Guillaume Savarin de Marestan served in the Guards for 35 years, from 1698 to 1733. He also took part in the capture of Landau in 1703. After having been with the Netherlands army from 1704 to 1706, he took part in the Battle of Oudenarde. In this engagement where the Marshal of Vendôme and the Duke of Burgundy are beaten by Prince Eugene, the Guards suffered heavy losses. In 1709 he surrendered with his company to the Bastie where Marshal de Villars’ army is formed. At the Battle of Malplaquet, Marshal Boufflers launched the cavalry of the Royal Household on the flanks of Allies to avoid the centre of the French Army being penetrated. Despite desperate charges against the unceasingly renewed German cavalry, Marshal Villars was beaten by Marlborough and Prince Eugène. There were close to two hundred deaths in the King’s Guards and as many wounded. One finds Guillaume Savarin de Marestan in the Alsace Campaign, the last of which were the members of the military household of King Louis XIV dead in Versailles on 1st September, 1715. He left the Royal Household after 35 years of service and having received the patent of cavalry captain and the cross of Saint-Louis. He then served as Adjutant at Hesdin until his death after 56 years of service.
In 1720, André Guillaume Savarin of Marestan, son of the previous one, in turn entered the King’s Guards. On May 28th 1725, Louis XV had his upcoming marriage to Marie Leczinska announced in all the churches in France. The marriage took place on September 5th in Fontainebleau. After the mass, celebrated by Armand, Gaston, Maximilian, cardinal of Rohan, two companies of the King’s Guards escorted the newlyweds from the chapel to the apartments of the Savarin de Marestan who was with the German army and took part in all the operations which proceeded there; he would be wounded on May 4, 1734 by forcing his company through the Ettlingen lines. André Guillaume was forced to leave the King’s Guards in 1758, following a fall from his horse. He had been serving for 17 years. He then served as Adjutant and captain of the gates of the town of Dieppe. In 1744 he had married Françoise le Bosseur de la Bauve. He died in 1769 after 48 years of service. On December 20th 1762 he had accompanied the Countess d’Allion who was presenting his son Antoine André Michel Savarin of Marestan to the King's Musketeers. He served until December 15th 1775, the dissolution date of the Musketeers Corps. Thus, he spent 13 years in the company of the Musketeers of the King and he received his patent of cavalry captain on May 28th 1775. This company was previously commanded by Charles de Batz, Comte d'Artagnan, who was killed in Maastricht in 1673 and whom Alexandre Dumas would make famous in his novel The Three Musketeers. His uncle Eustache Charles le Bosseur de la Bauve, former Lieutenant Colonel in the Dauphiné infantry regiment chevalier of the Order of Saint-Louis, had left him the castle and the Epluches fief as well as the seigniories of Lorin, Latreille, and Saint Wast. It was the latter Antoine André Michel Savarin of Marestan withdrew to in 1750.
The Savarins who embraced the military career added up to nearly 150 years of service among them including 85 in the military household of the King.
Skimming through the civil registries, one notices that in many cases another patronymic is coupled with that of Savarin, to differentiate the branches of the family, extremely many, as testifies some the enormous sum to the acts. One finds in particular the Savarin-Barbier, Savarin-Bonhomme, Savarin-Guibert, Savarin-la-France, Savarin-Maistrebert, Savarin-Marestan, Savarin-Mochon and Savarin-Pion. The patronymic joined with that of Savarin generally came from an alliance, but sometimes of a nickname which had become part of the name. Joseph and Antoine André Michel Savarin de Marestan who were discussed came from the Savarin-Marestan branch where one can find Claude and Francois, also Humbert Savarin-Marestan who was royal notary in 1650 and whose daughter Anne married in 1669 Claude Rolet, Lord of the Manor of Echallon. It is his nephew, Alexis Savarin-Marestan (born Brénod 15 August 1668 died 14 July 1745), who would succeed him as Lord of the Manor of Meyriat; he was court lawyer; from his marriage to Louise Billon was born on January 14, 1706 Claude Guy whose godfather was Guy de Montillet, Lord of Châtelet and Champdor, adviser to His Highness the Duke of Maine at the Parliament of Dombes. In this branch, there is also J.M. Savarin-Marestan, born at Brénod around 1778, surgeon to the armed forces of the Republic, doctor of medicine in Paris in 1803, died around 1811. Joseph Bruno Adolphe Savarin-Marestan, of Poncin, acquired from Mr. de Meillonnas, on January 10th 1863, the Neuville-sur-Ain castle that he would later yield to Mr. de Saint-Dizier.
The Revolution of 1789 would upset the existence of some of the Savarins, in particular that of the clergymen. Jean François Savarin, priest, was arrested and deported 15 Prairial year II (3 June 1794). Louis Francois, episcopal vicar, was declared suspect 15 Brumaire year II (5 November 1792). He abdicated priesthood 11 Frimaire (1 December 1793); was arrested by order of Gouly, he was transferred to Tournus 14 Nivôse year II (3 January 1794). He would become secretary to the municipality of Brénod in year VI (1797-1798). On 15 Prairial year II (3 June 1794), François Savarin, priest, was deported, his goods seized. François Joseph Savarin, priest of Béon, was arrested in 1792; his goods confiscated. After his release, he returned to Brénod to cultivate the grounds which were restored to him. François Marie Savarin, priest of Charencin, was arrested and deported in 1792; was registered on the emigrants list 12 Pluviôse year II (31 January 1794); he would become parish priest of Petit Abergement in l80l. Jean Claude Savarin, of Jujurieux, notary and prosecutor of this city since 1785 was appointed to the Parliament of 1789, council member of the district of Saint-Rambert in 1792; prosecutor of the commune 30 Frimaire year II (20 December 1793); he was denounced as a fanatic 9 Nivôse (29 December 1793) and was imprisoned.
After Napoleon’s departure to the island of Elba, a Savarin, Marie César Stanislas, was going to be the principal actor in a tragic case. Born May 7th 1773 at Jujurieux, he volunteered in the 3rd battalion of l’Ain in 1791 and participated in the Republic wars against the European Coalition as a lieutenant in the 10th Regiment Light Infantry. He retired in 1802 to Saint-Jean-le-Vieux to exploit a property he owned. An avid admirer of the Emperor, he put himself, when this one disembarked off the island of Elba, at the head of a band of Bugey peasants, and walked to meet him.
At the announcement of the arrival of the Duke d’Angoulême at the head of the royalists, César Savarin went ahead with his troop to join General Mouton-Duvernet who was to defend Lyon against the troops of the royal prince. Mouton-Duvernet arriving at Die under the orders of Louis XVIII to stop the Emperor, received a missive from General Bertrand, Grand Marshal of the Emperor, which ended thus: “His Majesty wishes that you go to Grenoble where he arrived … he counts on one of the generals of his old guard”. Divided between the voice of the heart and the reason, he finally joined Napoleon. After the return of the King Louis XVIII, Marie César Savarin was investigated for his activities during the Hundred Days. On June 28, 1816 at Combrai, the King expressed his will to grant forgiveness and oblivion for the acts from on March 23, 1815, date of his departure from Lille and on June 28, 1815, date of his return. Perhaps he took the advice given by his brother Louis XVI in the letter he wrote from the tour du Temple, on the eve of his death: “Do never forget my legacy is dyed in blood and that blood cries for mercy and forgiveness. Your brother begs of you. Your King commands you.” He must however take into account the state of mind which existed in France at that time. The country drew up the assessment of the Revolution (persecutions against Catholics and the royalists, law of the suspects, imprisonment, forced evictions, theft, Terror crimes) and the Empire (bankruptcy, civil wars and virtually uninterrupted wars abroad). The life was difficult to the point where Talleyrand was made to say that those who had not lived before the Revolution did not know the gentleness of living. On the night of 4 to 5 May 1816 lawyer Paul Didier, at the head of 600 farmers, attempted to seize Grenoble; the affair failed. Taken, he is sentenced to death and executed on June 10th, 1816. The mayor of Saint-Jean-le-Vieux, Mr. Gallien de la Chaux accused César Savarin of being a part of this plot. This councillor was a fanatical royalist and the hostility which he nourished against César Savarin was due to the Bonapartist ideas posted by this one. César Savarin left to hide among his friends’ peasants in Jujurieux; he took refuge, lastly, at Antoine Brun in Poncieux, commune of Saint-Jerome, where he was arrested, always following the denunciation of Gallien de la Chaux. At the time he was fleeing, by jumping out a window of the home where he was hiding, he broke his leg. After his arrest, he was accused of plotting against the legal government, pushing the people to arms against the royal authority, to have raised or made rise armed troops and enlisting or recruiting soldiers without order nor authorisation from the legal powers. At that time when the White Terror prevailed, all who had any part responsible for the Hundred Days were seen thrown to pasture in the public eye. Although covered, in theory, by the royal amnesty, César Savarin was made responsible for the plundering caused by his troop, while it was on its way to meet the Duke d’Angoulême. A complaint was even filed by the parish priest d’Ambrieu who was molested during the plundering of his home. César Savarin’s welcome by the Emperor evidently did not lean in his favour. It was confirmed that he was associated with the Bonapartists of Bugey, they themselves liaising with the exiled Emperor. One fact was certain: César Savarin had publically announced Napoleon’s return and his arrival in March. The pre-trial investigation would last three months, and it was on September 2nd, 1816 César Savarin would appear before his judges. Former officer, he had requested to be judged by a military tribunal or court martial; his request was rejected. After heated debates, his trial ended on September 4th, 1816. César Savarin, convicted of being the instigator of a Bonapartist plot, was sentenced to death. September 26th, 1816, the Court of Appeal confirmed the judgement and a month later, October 23rd, 1816, between 8am and 9am, Bourg’s prosecutor’s office was informed that the plea for mercy was rejected by Louis XVIII. October 25th, 1816, at 1:45pm, César Savarin was removed from his cell in the Bourg prison and lead by armed force to the fairgrounds where the scaffold was erected. According to the execution report drawn up by the clerk of the Crown Court, Louis-Marie Debost, “there was a really large crowd all around the route leading to the guillotine retained by a line of mounted gendarmes in full dress. The condemned, clothed in a black trouser held up by a tie and a white shirt whose collar was torn, did not show any change in facial expression and maintained the greatest calm at the sight of the execution instrument.” Moving to the edge, Clément called for silence. Savarin addressed the crowd and declared that “as a man he was subjected to an error, that his heart reproached him of no crime, that he served his country with honour, that he was a victim of a faction who judged his loss, that some witnesses in the trial made false declarations, that he protested his innocence... And the iron sliced away the life of this Savarin: dead with a rare firmness that characterised a highly organised man who looked at his life span as a debt of honour to pay.” The memory of this affair perpetuated in the region for many years. Certain children, while attending the Bourg school for a long time drew chalk guillotines on the shutters of Mr. Gallien de la Chaux home, César Savarin’s denouncer. This house was located on the corner of rue du Cône and rue Vérihère.]
From the Restoration to the interwar, there in The History of the Pays de l’Ain of Eugène Dubois: Joseph Clement Savarin, Deputy Mayor of Brénod then Mayor January 28th 1860. Jean François Alexander Savarin, born December 18th 1845 in Brénod, priest September 26th 1869, vicar of Corbonod then Collonges in April 1873, parish priest of Napt July 1st 1874, of Mornay December 7th 1889, died in Brénod March 29th 1916. Félix Savarin graduated in law, notary in Brénod replacing his father 19th November 1877, adviser December 11th 1881: Mayor of Brénod on February 9th, 1882. Jules Savarin, Director of the regional fund of the Crédit Agricole, military medal 1914-1918, Mayor of Maillat, parliamentary candidate in l945, Académie officer in 1947. Marcel Savarin of Bourg, captain, died in Langson September 18th 1944. Pierre François Savarin, born in Brénod September 4th 1815 on Gruan Granges' family property, served as municipal guard of Paris where he would set himself. His son, François Savarin, born in Paris April 15th 1847 is the ancestor of the Parisian Savarin branch. There are still in Lyon and in several towns and villages of Ain 20some Savarins who all relate to the great family of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.
Rivesaltes, January 12th, 1973, Georges Savarin.
Translated from http://savarin.sebastien.free.fr/