200 fires in 1789 ( 1.000 inhabitants) representatives: Jean Baptiste Poupion, bailiff, Christophe Jean Baptiste Patard.

Situation 1865
Surface: 1285 ha 44 has 96 ca
Population: 1060 inhabitants
Taxes: 6.945,09 Frcs
Mayor: Houel
Priest: Surbled
Schoolteacher: Leconte
Schoolteacher: Manvieu
Tax inspector: Sicot

1285 Ha - 635 Inhabitants - 49 in Km2 ( 1990 ) - 614 in 1999

SITUATION 2001 :
Voters 484
Mayor: Leverrier
Councillors: Cailly, Cholet, Favrel, Hurault, Lepetit, Pelchat, Martin, Poupion, Lepetit, Aumont, Cousin, Poret, Louvet, Vengeon.
Secretary: Mrs Julienne
City hall: Phone 02 31 68 53 73

---

Veteres in 1356, Viessouix in 1675, Vieusoy in the 17éme. Century.
In 1450 Viessoix who spelt Viexoiz was a part of the sergenterie of Le Tourneur and was "imposed" of 19 days of watch on the castle of Vire.

In 1256, the parish belonged to Lucette de Coulonces who brought it in marriage to Roger de Hottot. In 1359 she it belonged to Jean Paynel Lord of Marcey who would have should sell it to pay a fine of the Parliament of Paris.

The buyer was Pierre de Villaines, a boss of the Requests to the Royal Palace, who resold to François de Laval.

On November 24, 1523, Bertrand du Parc, Lord of Bernières, bought the seigneury. There 1543 Adrien du Parc sold the fief in one of La Bigne reserving the right to buy back it within 40 years, what was made by the guardian of René du Parc, small son of Adrien. This one, died without children, the seigneuries of Bernières and Viessoix returned to Jean de la Roque.

Church
The church under the patronage of Saint André and Saint Sebastien is ancient with its walls in fish bones of fishes and its small windows of the north wall of the nef. A window wears the date of 1776. There is a wooden statue polychromé of the 18éme century.

The priest was named by the Lord of Vaudry and collected tithes. In 1700, Jean Baptiste Loysel was the priest, his income was 1200 livres, it had 1200 parishioners and 4 monks. New bells were installed in 1912, among 3, they weigh 807, 548 and 407 kg. They were melted by the company Louviers's Crouzet-Hildebraud, Eure.

Viessoix was one of the municipalities of Vassy's canton having supplied the biggest number of men to the royal army during the revolution. The state of September 7, 1799, the division of Saint Jean des Bois indicates 80 men of Viessoix.

August 11, 1830, leaving for the exile, king Charles X accompanied by 700 bodyguards coming from Condé sur Noireau, stopped and received white lilies of Lioult of Chenedollé and its family. This last one saying to him : " Majesty, in Vendee we shall follow you ".

In 1869, Napoleon III gave a ciborium to the church, and next year the empress Eugénie, a chalice copper now.

The priests
In 1613 took place the funeral of Yves de Clouet Mr. of Havre, priest of Viessoix, probably very rich by whom the convoy was followed by 40 priests and 3000 persons in 5 processions of the nearby parishes, among which 2500 poor men who received a "sol" and 12 a new dress.

In 1648 was buried Henri de la Roque Mr. of La Rochelle to Bernières, dean of Vire. In 1671 Isaac Colin, aumonier of king.

Samson Passart who had been cleaned out to Montchamp and established the brotherhood of the Rosary, died in 1683.

Jean Baptiste Loysel, native of Coutances, made build at his expenses the bell tower of the church and died in 1730.

Jean de la Lande des Miniéres, been born in 1698 to Ouilly the Basset near Ouilly's bridge succeeded these priests. Presented in 1730 by Jérémie Vassel des Parts in his guardian's quality of the children of Guillaume du Rosel, in his lifetime Lord of Viessoix. The taking possession took place on October 19, 1730 in the presence of Jean Baptiste de Millières, priest of Vassy, dean of Vire.

Viessoix is one of the municipalities of the canton which possessed the biggest number of Calvaries :
- The most recent, the Calvary, on the road of Vire to Vassy, was in 1820 a beautiful tree on which attaché wooden Christ works of Banvillet sculptor reappointed in the part of the country. It was Germain Lenormand's property which had bought the ground and the tree. In 1868, the tree having fallen, it was replaced with the aid of the heirs Lenormand and the Christ by the other one in cast iron.
- The cemetery was shot down in 1793 by the local revolutionaries, it was replaced on November 16, 1806. Near an old yew, it contains 5 stairs, a cylindrical yard and a sculpture on the crosspiece.
- Patard in some hundreds of metres of the village, built in 1761, it contains a small niche for statuette and was built by Guillaume Patard, trader.
- The cross of the Oak in the village of the same name, on the crosspiece a relief crown, on the yard a heart surmounted by three flames. Built at the request of Charles Jean-Baptiste Lambert, prosecutor bailiff in 1736.
- The cross in the hare, the most former of Calvaries, it would have been built that in 1618 little away from the road who drives to the place of the station between the villages of Mouricière and Boelle. According to the tradition it would have been built after an accident of hunting, a hunter (Lelièvre ?) would have killed his "fiancée".

Michel LETELLIER, born in Viessoix on December 16, 1643, Jesuit and confessor of Louis XIV, after the father of The Chair in 1709. Sink, persevering and fanatical, he abused the empire which he exercised on penitent sound and on the cases to persecute mercilessly whoever did not adhere completely to the doctrines of the Constitution Unigenitus, at which one can consider as its work. It was a crime against the state not to share its opinions on these subjects. Never one made a more scandalous abuse of letters "de cachet". Prisons abounded in dissidents who asked, in vain judges. One carried the cowardice until put back to the confessor of the copies of their interrogations. Everything bent over the dominion. Mrs de Maintenon herself, did not dare to support against him the cardinal of Noailles, whom he claimed to be able to make give evidence in a national council. His obsessions and his violent advices filled with bitterness the last days of king. This same Louis XIV, who had formerly defied the pope in his capital, humbled himself at a low - Norman priest acting in the name of Rome. The death of this prince put an end to the pursuits. One knows how it was welcomed by the people, who merged in his resentments the monarch and the confessor. One of the first acts of the regent was to exile Letellier in Amiens, and then in La Flêche, where he died on September 2, 1719.

School
By the Viessoix's parochial assembly: decision to build a house which will serve for holding schools. It will be situated on the square and the cemetery face to face the cross. This house will have: 18 feet in width (5,83 m), 21 feet long (6,80 m), 11 feet high (3,56 m) of "cotière", 2 doors and 1 window towards as the place and 1 carries side cemetery. It will be constituted by a room and cellar. The schoolteacher will enjoy 10 perches (422 m2) in the cemetery for his garden.
Jean Antoine Pillastre, priest, owner remaining Viessoix gives 50 livres to accelerate the works. He also gives 300 livres to be established in pension, for the wages of the schoolteacher who will educate the poor men free of charge and will make the catechism to his pupils once a week.
Made on January 19, 1738 in front of the notary of Vassy.
Extract of Mr Lebel's monograph schoolteacher to Viessoix in 1886. Text resumed in the municipal bulletin of September, 2001

Associations:
Club of the Merry Veterans - President R. Chénel
War veterans - President A. Marquet
Hunting club - President Jumilus
Parents - President E. Cholet
Sports and Leisure activities - Mr Chénel
Help at home - President Y. Legris



14410a9.htm Paris Sourdeval Vassy 04/2002

Source for current time: municipal Bulletin on 2001