4.1
AUGUST DONTANVILLE (1871 - 1951)
MELANIE DUFFNER (1873 - 1913)
Auguste Dontenville, second of four known children of Antoine Dontenville, a fabric maker, and Virginie Duffner, was born in St. Maurice, Alsace, 13, February 1871, in St. Maurice, Alsace. Auguste was a descendant of Jean Nicolas Dontenvill of St. Maurice and Marie Barbara Mour. Jean Nicolas' relationship to Jean Martin Tantonville, earliest known ancestor of most of the Dontenvilles who immigrated to the United States has not yet been established. August had an older brother Desire, born in 1869, a sister Anne-Marie, born in 1874 who died at age two, and a second Anne-Marie, born in 1879.
In 1890, Auguste immigrated to the United States. He headed for Pasadena, California, where other Dontenvilles from St. Maurice had settled. In Pasadena August lived initially with Wallace Dontanville, and his young family, in their newly constructed home at 742 Lester. The Dontenville relationship between Auguste and Wallace has not been established but it is likely that they were distant cousins.
August and Melanie's first son August was born in Pasadena, December 27, 1894. A second son, Albert Fridolin was born March 22, 1896. Albert would later become a Catholic Priest in San Diego. Antoine Oscar, was born January 4, 1898.After 1900 August and his family were living in a modest home at 130 South Vernon in Pasadena. A daughter, Mary M. was born in February 1901. Twin girls, Katherine and Rose Marie, were born January 11, 1904.
Auguste found work as a gardener, maintaining the grounds of Pasadena's large estates. On July 25, 1893, he married Melanie Duffner at St. Andrews Catholic Church in Pasadena. Born in St. Maurice on 27, August 1873, Melanie was the daughter of Alphons Duffner and Angelica Klein. She was related to August's mother Virginie and to Wallace Dontanville's mother, Marie-Anne. By now August had dropped the "e" from his first name and changed his family name to Dontanville as had Wallace.
August and Melanie had six children: August was born in 1894; Albert Fridolin in 1896 and Antoine Oscar, in 1898. After 1900 August and his family were living in a modest home at 130 South Vernon in Pasadena. A daughter, Anna M. was born in 1901. Twins, Katheryn and Rose Marie, were born in 1904.
Melanie died on April 22, 1913 when her oldest daughter, Mary, was only twelve. Through out his life August continued to work as a landscape gardener for private homes in Pasadena. Two of his sons followed him in this career. August as a landscape contractor in Altadena and Antoine was a gardener. August Sr. died in his home at 342 Villa Street in Pasadena, on October 2, 1951. Melanie and August were buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Pasadena.
41.1 AUGUST A. DONTANVILLE - CATHERINE DUNKER, MARGARET M. ENGLISH
41.2 ALBERT F. DONTANVILLE ( Catholic Priest )
41.3 ANTOINE O. DONTANVILLE - LAURETTE MC MAHON
41.4 MARY M. DONTANVILLE - ROBERT C. BYRD
41.5 KATHERINE DONTANVILLE - EDWARD KREMER
41.6 ROSE DONTANVILLE - WILLIAM MORTON BRAGG
