Difference between revisions of "Suzanne Simone Baptiste Louverture"

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Suzanne Simone Baptiste Louverture (died 1816 France) was the wife of Toussaint Louverture. Some sources claim she might have been a relative (perhaps a niece) of Pierre Baptiste, Toussaint's father or godfather. A strong family woman, she was fiercely loyal to and deeply in love with Toussaint.
Her son Placide was adopted by Toussaint Louverture.

Capture by the French in 1802

Toussaint Louverture's family was captured along with him by Leclerc's troops after the deceptions carried out by Brunet and Leclerc (see: Memoir of Toussaint Louverture, Written by Himself).

Having been captured by the French in Saint-Domingue, Madame Toussaint and her children were transported to Bayonne upon arriving in France, There they were placed under the supervision of General Ducos and separated from Toussaint Louverture. (Beard p. 283) Upon landing in Fance in the port of Brest, Toussaint is seperated from his wife and children, he later recounts the French actions towards his family and writes in his memoir: Government should do me more justice: my wife and children have done nothing and have nothing to answer for; they should be sent home to watch over our interests. Gen. Leclerc has occasioned all this evil; but I am at the bottom of a dungeon, unable to justify myself. Government is too just to keep my hands tied, and allow Gen. Leclerc to abuse me thus, without listening to me. (Toussaint L'Ouverture Addition to the Memoirs)

Madame Louverture, survived her husband and her youngest child Saint-Jean [died 1804 in Agen, France] for several years, without being able to overcome the grief, which was so deep and constant as to undermine her faculties. She died in 1816, in the arms of her sons, Placide and Isaac. (Beard p. 290)

In his biographical notes - Memoir of Toussaint Louverture, Written by Himself ¹ - Toussaint writes from Fort de Joux in French captivity, about his wife of many years: "I am separated from all that I hold dearest in the world ...from a dearly-loved wife, who, I fear, separated from me, cannot endure the afflictions which overwhelm her, and from a cherished family, who made the happiness of my life."

Note 1: First published by Saint-Remy in Mémoires de la Vie de Toussaint L'Ouverture. (p. 83)

See also

• List of Toussaint Louverture related pages
• Memoirs of Toussaint Louverture, Written by Himself
• Placide Louverture - Includes a letter by Placide Louverture to his family, written from French captivity.
• Toussaint Louverture letter to Napoléon from onboard the Le Heros - Toussaint Louverture, captured by the troops of Leclerc calls on Napoléon Bonaparte to guarantee the safety of his wife and family.
• Children of Suzanne Simone Baptiste Louverture:
  • Placide Louverture - born 1781.
  • Isaac Louverture - born 1786.
  • Saint-Jean Louverture - born 1791.

References

• Beard, J. R. (John Relly) (1863). Toussaint L'Ouverture: A Biography and Autobiography. Chapel Hill, NC: Academic Affairs Library, UNC-CH. Online Publication
• Parkinson, Wenda (1978). This Gilded African. London: Quartet Books. ISBN 0-7043-2187-4
• Saint-Remy. (1850). Mémoires de la Vie de Toussaint L'Ouverture. Paris.

Nature Suzanne Louverture Suzanne Louverture était une agricultrice de talent. Lorsque son mari devint un personnage public, Suzanne fit le choix de ne point participer à ses engagements. Elle continua à s'occuper de son jardin où elle cultivait le café de ses propres mains,en compagnie d'autres femmes attachées à son service, prouvant ainsi qu'elle n'oubliait pas que l'agriculture à laquelle ils se livraient en commun, elle et son époux, au temps de leur esclavage,

leur avait permis de vivre non seulement dans l'abondance mais de faire des épargnes et surtout de partager avec les plus misérables les fruits de leurs travaux. Après la capture du général Toussaint Louverture pris dans un guet-apens posé par l'infâme Brunet, Suzanne fut prise en otage par une escorte puis déportée en France. Napoléon avait ordonné à ses bourreaux de ne point tenter de torturer Toussaint car il ne parlerait jamais, mais de tout faire subir à Suzanne jusqu'à ce qu'elle avouat. A son arrivée en prison elle pesait 250 livres; elle n'en pesait que 90 en quittant la France. Durant toutes les années de torture elle donna une unique réponse. "Je ne parlerai pas des affaires de mon mari avec ses bourreaux". C'est une Suzanne mutilée, une Suzanne purement végétative, dépourvue de tous ses ongles, avec plusieurs os cassés qui rentra à la Jamaïque où elle trouva la mort le 19 mai 1846. Elle était âgée de 67 ans.

Source www.haitiantv.com