A Story Hidden in the Records: The Baby Left on a Windowsill in 1796
I have been working on my family tree since the early 2000s. About 20 years ago, my brother Georges — who owns our family tree, “A Rapin de Corcelles Family” — was looking for a way to format and display it. During a “Rapins of the World” gathering in Corcelles in 2006, he discussed this with a member of the “Rapin of Switzerland” association, and that is how he began using MyHeritage.
Francis Rapin
Since my retirement in 2014, I have dedicated a great deal of time to researching our family and its broader history. I regularly visit cantonal and municipal archives, where I continue to make valuable discoveries. Alongside this, within the “Rapin of Switzerland” association, we created a genealogy workshop and hold an annual session for those interested. Through this initiative, I have introduced many others to MyHeritage and encouraged them to begin their own research.
It was during this work that I came across a story that deeply moved me.
A child found on a windowsill
While conducting research for my family, I was searching through the baptismal records of the parish of Saint-Maurice, whose church is located in Champagne. There, I found an entry that stood out immediately.
“An infant left on the window ledge of the ground-floor corner room of the Saint-Maurice rectory on March 18, 1796.”
An artistic depiction of of Saint-Maurice Church in Champagne, Switzerland, as it looks today
The record explained that the relevant authorities reported the matter to the Bailiff, and their Excellencies replied that the child should be placed in foster care until her biological parents could be found. She was placed with Jean Isaac Vautravers, a master carpenter, and his wife Anne Marie Marguerite, née Pochon, who served as her wet nurse. Baptized on April 24, 1796, the baby was given the name Marie. The Vautravers acted as her godfather and godmother.
In the margin of the baptismal register, I noticed an additional note. It stated that the surname “Saint-Maurice” was given to this girl by decision of the Petit Conseil on February 15, 1812.
Wanting to understand more, I turned to the Cantonal Archives, where I discovered that her story had continued to resonate years after her birth. In 1812, the Petit Conseil took steps to formally record her among the foundlings, but only after carrying out an investigation to confirm her identity. The records trace a series of exchanges between officials — requests for extracts from the baptismal register, details of her placement with the Vautravers family, and confirmation that she was still alive. One document even referred to “the child abandoned shortly after her birth in Saint-Maurice in March 1796,” indicating that her story was known, and must have moved many people at the time.
The Council decided to give her a surname: “Saint-Maurice,” the place where she had been found. I find it remarkable that such care was taken. Even then, there was a real effort to ensure that she would not remain without an identity.
Reconstructing her life
From there, I continued my research through parish and civil records to see what became of her.
Marie Saint-Maurice married Nicolas Turin on February 24, 1820, in the church of Saint-Maurice. Together, they began a family, but their life was marked by hardship.
Their first child, born in December 1824, unfortunately died at only 18 days of age.
A record of the death of Marie’s firstborn son on MyHeritage
Less than two years later, in July 1826, Marie’s husband, Nicolas Turin died at the age of 32. Marie had to welcome their second son, Louis Nicolas, to the world without his father just weeks later.
Despite these losses, Marie’s story did not end there. She continued her life in Valeyres-sous-Rances, where she died on June 1, 1851. Her story must have left a mark on the region, as the pastor mentions it in the death register of the Rances parish and refers back to the birth register of the Saint-Maurice parish. There must have been a moment of great emotion during the funeral service.
A life that continued
Through her son Louis Nicolas, Marie’s line continued. He married and had children, though, like many families of that time, they experienced repeated losses in infancy.
The marriage of Marie’s son, Louis Nicolas, to Louise Augustine Décoppet is announced in this 1855 marriage bann on MyHeritage
The family moved between several villages, and over the years, more children were born. One of her grandsons later married in 1893. Life went on.
Why this story stayed with me
What began as a chance discovery during my work on my own family tree became something much more. Marie Saint-Maurice was not part of my lineage, but her story reminded me why I do this work.
From a single note in a register, it was possible to follow her life: from an abandoned infant to a woman whose story was remembered decades later. I find that extraordinary.
The family tree of Marie Saint-Maurice that Francis built on MyHeritage
Every record, every name, every marginal note holds the potential to reveal a life with its struggles, its losses, and its moments of dignity. And sometimes, it reveals something even greater: the enduring human need to belong, to be remembered, and to be given a name.
I am grateful to the Cantonal Archives and to MyHeritage, which allowed me to find and reconstruct the story of this child.
Many thanks to Francis Rapin for sharing this fascinating story with us. If you’ve made an incredible discovery with MyHeritage, we’d love to hear about it! Please send it to us via this form or email us at stories@myheritage.com.
