This sword is very special to my family as it belonged to my Dad's great-grandfather, Theodore Gosselin Le Notre. Theodore Gosselin Le Notre was a descendant of Andre Le Notre, the gardener of the French King, Louis XIV, and created the famous gardens at Versailles. My Dad’s great-grandfather was a historian scholar in the French Revolution and was a member of the French Academy, an organization that preserved the French language. In order to become a member of the French Academy one has to be elected by a committee that selects only the top people in their respective field. It is very prestigious to be elected to the French Academy and once you are elected you are a lifetime member. My great-great-grandfather was chosen because he was known for the newspaper articles covering the French Revolution that he wrote for the French newspaper, “Le Temps”. Members are sworn in at ceremony and presented with a sword. This is the sword my great-grandfather received at his swearing in to the French Academy. The Academy would meet on a regular basis with their meetings held at the Louvre. The members would wear a very special, elaborate costume, and carry their sword. My Dad was given the sword by his mother when he moved from Paris to New York as a memento to remember his French family and heritage. The sword itself is made of heavy metal and is decorated with references to the French Revolution and various symbols related to my great-great-grandfather’s professional work and life. 

– BP

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more