LENOIR Etienne

Jean Joseph Étienne LENOIR was born on 12 January 1822 in Mussy-la-Ville, in the canton de Virton, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg.
Born as a Luxembourg citizen, he became a Belgian citizen in 1839, and in the 1870s he obtained French citizenship. There are thus three nations that feel entitled to reflect with pride on his creative work.

Luxembourg

Paul CONRARDY (resident of Hespérange) published in 1980 a very comprehensive study of Etienne LENOIR, including a review of some of his patents.
Other Luxembourgish authors have pointed out over the years, at regular intervals, that LENOIR was born in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and that his work was therefore part of the Grand Duchy’s heritage.

Belgium

Jean-Pierre MONHONVAL, a Belgian journalist, published a booklet in memory of LENOIR in 1985. Unfortunately he relied on a publication by Jean PELSENEER of 1964 presenting an erroneous listing of LENOIR’s patent portfolio since it attributes a rather large number of French patents to Etienne LENOIR, but they belong to persons with the same surname.
The online site « curieuseshistoires-belgique.be » also published a biography based primarily on MONHONVAL’s publication, including listing inventions not belonging to Etienne LENOIR.
LENOIR’s family tree is well documented by Alain SPOIDEN.

France

Apart from Wikipedia, the most extensive biography of LENOIR appears to be that of T. H. RICHARD published in 1990.
A biography published as early as 1863, – shortly after LENOIR received for the first time public attention – gives further information on LENOIR’s early creative work in Paris.
LENOIR died on 3 August 1900 in the commune de Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, 114 rue du Bac, la Varenne-Saint-Hilaire.

FamilySearch database (KC86-FJP)

Etienne LENOIR, the inventor