Tuesday, July 14, 2009

MY FAMILY IMMIGRATED FROM FRANCE,

to the United States when my 3rd Great Grandfather, Peter Huntzinger, settled in Pennsylvania in the mid 1800's.

This is a painting of my 5th Great Grandfather Pierre Huntzinger (abt 1760 - bef 1830). Family folklore says he was a bodyguard for Napoleon.

Today is
Bastille Day, a national holiday akin to our Independence Day. The day marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July, 1789.

At the time it was stormed, the Bastille was a prison at the center of Paris and represented the royal authority and tyranny of the absolute monarch Louis XVI. After a series of events leading to a revolution, a crowd came to the Bastille on 14 July and demanded the closure of the fortress. Fighting broke out, and the citizens took the fortress. The battle marked the beginning of the revolution.


Bastille Day now symbolizes freedom, the beginning of a new government, unity and the formation of the Republic.

4 comments:

Portia Cason said...

Aha! So that's how you're related to Tyler.

Ivon said...

Yeah for Pierre. Our ancestors make us what we are today. Woot! Woot!

The Mulligan Family said...

Happy Bastille Day! Cool story.

Ivon said...

I will just add that the picture I use on my blog and is attached to my comments are of my great grandfather, George Huntzinger. He is the son of Peter Huntzinger. I think his photo is cool.

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