Barry Co., MO
Photo taken about 1885

My Great-Great Grandfather,
Stephen Courdin & Family

Submitted by: Ralph Lamberson

Provided with the loving help of my wife Betty Higgs Lamberson

Stephen Courdin is also featured in the 1888 edition of Goodspeed.

The girl standing on the right is my mother's mother Catherine Courdin
Balmas.

Pictured are:

David W. Courdin (1839 - 1915),

Marie (Cairus) Courdin, (1844 - 1905),

Children:

Mary Courdin Snyder (1884 - on mother's lap),

Magdaline (Courdin) Planchon (1880),

Stephen Courdin (1882),

Catherine (Courdin) Balmas, (1878),

Standing:

Eliza Planchon (Adopted Niece),

Stephen Courdin (Nephew), First Mayor of Monett, MO

Stephen "Etienne" Courdin was born in 1804 in Villar Pelice, Italy in the Italian Alps. He married Catherine Carius also born in 1804 in Italy.

They had five children. Marie born 1829, Joseph born 1831, Stephen born 1833, David born 1839, and Catherine 1844.

Joseph died in the Crimean War (1853-56) after his death in 1855 his mother Catherine Carius Courdin vowed that she would lose no more sons to this war.

She smuggled her sons Stephen and David to Marseille, France. They were signed on a merchant ship bound for Uruguay, South America.

Sometime later the rest of the family went to Uruguay with a Waldensian Colony. The Colony wanted to come to America but the Civil War was in progress in American and immigration was not possible.

In 1875 the Colony completed their original plan and came to the United States, settling in the area just south of present day Monett.

Stephen Courdin born (1833) married in Uruguay to Anne Planchon-Stevenot. She died at the birth of their first child Stephen born (1862).

David W. Courdin born (1839) did not marry until he came to Monett at about 40. He sent his nephew Steven Courdin born (1862) to Villar Pellice, Italy to get David's sweetheart Marie Cairus who had waited for him for all of those years. Steven was only 16 years old when assigned this awesome responsibility.

Perhaps this odyssey prepared this young Italian born in Uruguay to become the first Mayor of Monett, Missouri -United States of America.

I am descended from David and Marie Cairus Courdin whose daughter Catherine Anne Courdin born 1878 in Monett, Missouri and Married John Peter Balmas my grandfather who came here from Torino, (Turin) Italy by way of France.

John Peter Balmas' daughter Naomi Grace Balmas Born 1914 Wife of Olga Ralph Lamberson was my mother.

All of the above are deceased and buried in the Waldensian Cemetery - south of Monett, MO.