This was a document issued to Jean George BOUTEILLIER to give him and his family permission to leave the village of Etobon, Montbeliard. He then made his way to Nova Scotia on the ship Betty/Sally in 1752.
A copy of this passport was preserved down through the ages and was eventually published in the SSGS News. This document was then computer enhanced to remove optical "noise", and with the assistance of Pierre Lafontaine and Marc Savard, the document was translated and from the context, the blanks were filled in. It was interesting to note that the letter "t" was written four different ways.
In this transcription, letters that were estimated are enclosed in [brackets]. These same letters are shown hatched in the enhanced version.
Nous les Gouverneur, Président et Conseillers de la Règence établie à Montbéliard pour son Altesse Sérenissime Monseigneur Le Duc de Wirtemberg régnant ... Declarons a rtous ceux qui les presentes verront que le nommé Jean George Bouteillier d'Etobon Village dependan[t] de la Principauté de Montbéliard, nous ayant fait conna[i]tre la Misère et l'Impossibilité ou il es[t] de gagner dans ce Pay, sa vie et celle de sa famille composée de sa fem[m]e et de quatre enfan[t]s, il aurait demandé la permission d'aller chercher fortune ailleurs en lui accordant à cer ef[f]et un Passeport pour Sureté de son Voyage. En consequence dequoit Nous les Governeurs en Conseil requerons tous ceux qui sont à requis [de]vouloir laisser p[ass]er librement led[it] [Boutei]llier avec sa [fam]ille et de lui pr[ocurer] [t]ous las Secour néc[essa]ires pour la facili[te] son voyage sous offre de réciprocité. En foi, de quoi nous avons fait munir les presentes du S[c]eau ordinaire de la Chancellerie et signer par un secrétire En conseil le quinze d'avril mil Sept Cent Cinquante deux.
Par ordonnance
Jeanmaire
We the governor, President and Councillor of the Regency established in Montbeliard for his serene Highness and Lord, the Duke of Wirtemberg, reigning, declare to all those who will see these documents, the person named herewith Jean George Bouteillier from Etobon, village in the Principality of Montbeliard, having told us of his misery and the impossibility to support, in this country, his family composed of his wife and four children, has requested permission to seek fortune elsewhere and therefore, to provide him with the necessary passports to ensure a safe trip. Therefore we the Governors in council request all those concerned to let pass freely the said Bouteillier with his family and to give him all the necessary aid required to facilitate his trip under the offer of reciprocity. With reference to this, we have supplied these documents with the ordinary seal of the Chancellery and had them signed by a secretary in Council on the fifteenth of April, Seventeen Fifty two.
By Order
Jeanmaire
As a footnote to this bit of history, it is sad to report that after leaving "his misery" behind in Montbeliard so he could seek out a better life in the New World, Jean George died enroute.
It should be noted that there were two Jean George BOUTEILLIERs who left Montbeliard the spring of 1752. One sailed on the Betty and the other on the Sally.
