Yes, he was Auguste’s brother. He was a cook, and a hotel keeper. These two men changed my ancestor’s life so deeply that generations later we still feel their influence.
I was lucky. I have family trees in various stages of depth on several different genealogy websites and once in a while someone contacts me. Once in a while I learn something that moves everything forward.
This was one of those times. He is a descendant of Auguste. I am not genetically related but I feel I am connected. I will likely never know who my ancestor’s birth parents were. So far DNA has not helped.
The story of Victor and Auguste is worthy of a novel. Perhaps with a few twists added. Auguste made it back to France. Victor didn’t. He died in London. I know he would have been proud with how his protégée turned out.
