The Bernards from Rethel to Louisiana
A part of the report appears below. The full report may be read at: http://www.edbernard-ok.us/http://www.edbernard-ok.us/
The full report traces back to the early 1700's and forward to the mid-1970's....
A. Jean Baptiste Bernard, born September 15th, 1814. Married Marie Louise Godard, born Jan. 15th, 1818 in Rethel France February 15th, 1836.
For two years he was held in prison in Paris, France because he was so in earnest in his avocation of the creation of the 2nd Republic of France. He sailed boats and made his living fishing prior to this. He may have been Guillotined excepting for the influence of his relations, August LeBlond, professor of mathematics at the Royal court who was a Royalist and helped him secure passage to America. It is said that he was taken from prison three times and asked to swear his allegiance to the King and he refused, so there was no other alternative for him. He sailed in 1848. His wife and son, Jean Baptiste Arthur followed in 1850. They lived a short time in Indiana and then went back to New Orleans, La. Jean Baptiste Arthur is A.M. Bernard, founder of the A.M. Bernard Wagon Works. His retaken and corrected name was Arthur Martin Bernard.