Confraternity
of the Bonjour & Junod families...
The
Confraternity of the Bonjour and Junod families, still active today,
is composed of members of the Descendants of the two prominent farming
founding families, the Bonjour and the Junod, who meet yearly in
their commune of origin - Lignières.
1791
Constitution,
on January 2nd, of the Confraternity of the Families Bonjour and Junod,
with the goal to preserve and remember the origin of the Association
of the two families through capital savings placed and united by the
founders, and representing the increase of value of their land, following
the possibility and agreement received to keep it closed up ("us de
clos").
The
Confraternity of the Bonjour & Junod Families (1936)
In
1936, when this article was written, the Confraternity still played an
important role in the life of our village. This Confraternity, which
dates back to 1788, was definitively constituted in 1791. The roots
of its origins are to be found in the land property rights. In the
early days, taxes and rights were due to the Prince, as well as some
constraints, which do not exist any longer.
But
the main constraint was the one of vain pasture, which gave the right
to all members of the Community to leave their cattle pasture on any
piece of land.
The
exemption of this constraint had to be proven by the mandatory right
of purchase of a special title called "us à clos", or better "us
de clos" which meant use or profit of a fence, and which was first
set at 10% of the value of the land, then reduced to 5%, in favour
of the Community. Later, around 1785, the said Community of Lignières
suppressed this constraint and exempted all owners from this mandatory
right of purchase.
However,
as this exemption could have been suppressed and, to prevent and prepare
for this possibility, our ancestors, as prudent and circumspect as
they were, decided to put aside the amount of the increased profit
gained through this "us à clos", and constituted a fund.
This
profit was estimated at a value of 21 batz per "pose" (unit of surface)
where land was harvested, and 10 batz & 2 creutz where land was not
harvested.
This
is the Origin of the Confraternity of the Families Bonjour and Junod,
still active today. In 1926, Members under 60 and residing in the Commune
had to take part to the burial of a Member of the Confraternity. Else
they would have been fined Sfr. 2.-. Today, Members still go to the
house of the deceased. The Confraternity was also very active in helping
funding the emigration of many members, in particular those that settled
in Ohio, Kansas, Indiana.....in the 19th Century.
Membership
to descendants of the founders (1998)
By
decision of the General assembly held in Lignières on January
8th, 1998 at the majority of the members present, and under reserve
of the final text, the Bonjour or Junod sons, direct descendants of
the founders, have the possibility to apply for their membership to
the Confraternity (called "la reprise" in french), under certain conditions,
for exemple :
- No
direct ancestor pulled out of or excluded from the Confraternity
(by refund of the paid capital for exemple)
- The
membership is accepted together with the "reprise" (and settlement
of the missing generations)
- The
descendant will present all copies of certificates (for ex. birth)
proving the direct line consanguinity.
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