One of the things I’ve learned about recently is that many laws, both here in the US and abroad, name specific people in them – possibly your ancestor! In the US, there were many acts passed for the benefit of civil war veterans and their widows. in France, there were often memorials and other acts passed including your ancestor’s name. Actes en Ligne is one of the sites you can search for your French ancestors in. This includes marriage. Searching for one of my human’s ancestors with the last name Andre comes up with the following:

 

Type of act:
  Marriage
Date:
   11 -10-1845
First Name:
  Joseph ANDRE
Surname Forenames wife
  Agathe GRANDJEAN
City:
  On Cirey Vezouze – C. Zip: 54480 – INSEE: 54129
Department:
  Meurthe et Moselle (54)
Transcript:

Marriage of Joseph and ANDRE GRANDJEAN Agathe on 11/10/1845 at Cirey Vezouse 
Joseph ANDRE 22 years earthenware turner son of Nicolas ANDRE SIMON 50years maneuver and Anne Catherine 52ans profession without both domiciled in Cirey 
GRANDJEAN Agathe 19yo girl 55 years of operation François Grandjean and Marie Barbe MARCHAL deceased 
Witnesses: ANDRE Louis, FEATHERS Dominica MAGOT Jean Joseph François Sergent and 
photocopied Archives Act
Date of validation:   2006-04-09 06:23:25

My suggestion would be to use Google Chrome when using this site. Over the years I’ve gotten pretty good at scanning  French, but it automatically translates in Google Chrome. At some point you need to use your judgment, because it appears from this Joseph Andre was a 22 year old potter – i.e. “earthenware turner.” Domenica’s last name was not Feathers, but “Plumes.” Mousing over the translation in Chrome gives you the original text and you can compare.

Mucho Fishies,

Bratty Kitty