[PW] Re: Jean Baptiste Denoville

[Edward Franchuk]

 John  wrote: "Although Denny suggests Jean Baptiste's origen in Erehwon, the surname 
Noville (Nova Villa) seems to have had roots in Luxembourg and Belgium. 
Perhaps our mystery navigationist was, like Hercule Poirot, a Belgian."

As long as we're sleuthing here, my little grey cells suggest another coupla three possibilities: it was fairly common at the time for composers, artists, and presumably writers to adapt their names to the country in which they found themselves employed (and sometimes to suggest non-existent noble lineage). So Jean Baptiste Denoville's first name may in fact have been Gianbatista, and/or his surname may have been Villanova or Villeneuve

Edward Franchuk            \\\\=^..^=////

Collège militaire royal du Canada/Royal Military College of Canada 
Campus St-Jean Campus

<http://vif.com/users/edfranchuk>

"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson after" (Vernon Law).

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