George was born in Dieppe, Seine-Inférieure, France on 1 January 1829, at 8 o’clock in the morning. He was the son of Pierre Abraham de Paris—a language teacher and boarding school master—and his wife Sarah Anne Smith.
He was most likely born at home—1, Chaussée de la Retenue—in the district of Le Pollet. This area of Dieppe has changed substantially, and the land on which the property stood is now a waterway within the Port of Dieppe.
Nicolas Félix Rose, a 41 year old ship captain, was recorded as a witness. He lived at 33, Rue de Bœuf, and was married to George’s aunt, Hyacinthe Aimée de Paris.
The second witness was Michele Ardène Linchon, a 26 year old furniture merchant living at 7, Rue Saint-Jacques. Michele is recorded as George’s paternal cousin, although through which of George’s aunts (or uncles) he is related is not currently known.
Name Changes
George’s name at birth was recorded as “Jacob George”, however this is the only known record which uses this name. In all other records, he was known as—and signed his name as—”George Jacob”, or just “George”.
Additionally, George’s surname was incorrectly recorded on the birth certificate as “Deparis”, rather than “de Paris”, as was used by George and his family throughout their lives. Although only a subtle difference, the family petitioned the Civil Court of Dieppe in 1863 to correct the error, and the birth certificates of George and his siblings were duly updated.
Transcription
Du deuxième jour du mois de Janvier; l'an mil huit cent vingt neuf, quatre heures du soir.
Acte de Naissance de Jacob George Deparis, reconnu être sexe masculin en a nous présenté, né le premier de ce mois, a huit heures du matin; fils de Pierre Abraham Deparis, professeur de langues et Maître de pension, demeurant à Dieppe, au faubourg le pollet, chaussée de la retenue, numéro premier et de Sarah Anne Smith, Mariée à Paris, à l'hôtel de l'ambassade a'Anglaterra le huit Octobre, mil huit cent vingt deux.
Sur la réquisition à nous faite par le dis Deparis, Père de l'Infant ci-dessus nommé.
En présence de Nicolas Felix Rose, agé de quarante et un ans, quatre mois, Capitaine de navires, demeurant rue du bœuf, numéro trente trois, Oncle paternel par alliance de l'infant.
Et de Michele Ardène Linchon, agé de vingt six ans, Marchand de meubler, demeurant rue Saint-Jacques, numéro sept, cousin paternel de l'infant.
Et ont signé double le présent actes, après lecture faite.
} N Rose
} P. A. de Paris
} A M Linchon
------
Par jugement du tribunal civil de Dieppe du vingt Aout mil huit cent soixante trois, il été ordonné que l'acte de naissance inscriz en centre sera rectifié en eu sens que le nom patronymique "Déparis", ainsi écrit par erreur sera écrit en deux mots, le mot Paris avec un P majuscule & la particule "de" qui le précède un petit D, de manière à lire désormais "de Paris"
English Translation
On the second day of the month of January; the year one thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine, four o'clock in the evening. Birth Certificate of Jacob George Deparis, recognized to be male, was presented to us, born on the first of this month, at eight o'clock in the morning; son of Pierre Abraham Deparis, language teacher and boarding school master, residing in Dieppe, in the district of Pollet, Chaussée de la Retenue, number one and of Sarah Anne Smith, married in Paris, at the English embassy on the eighth of October, one thousand eight hundred and twenty two. Following the requisition to us known by the said Deparis, Father of the Infant above named. In the presence of Nicolas Felix Rose, aged forty-one years, four months, Captain of ships, residing in Rue du Bœuf, number thirty-three, paternal uncle by marriage of the infant. And of Michele Ardène Linchon, twenty-six years old, merchant of furniture, residing in Rue Saint-Jacques, number seven, paternal cousin of the infant. And have signed this deed twice, after reading it. } N Rose } P. A. de Paris } A M Linchon ------ By judgment of the Civil Court of Dieppe of August twenty, one thousand eight hundred and sixty three, it was ordered that the birth certificate entered in the registry will be rectified in the sense that the patronymic name "Déparis", thus written by mistake will be written in two words, the word Paris with a capital P & the particle "de" which precedes it a small D, so as to now read "de Paris"