Ancillon

ANCILLON, ɑ̄n-sî´yɵn: Name of an old Huguenot family of France, one of whose members resigned a high judicial position in the sixteenth century for the sake of his faith. His son, Georges Ancillon, was one of the founders of the Evangelical Church of Metz. Other members of the family were the following:

David Ancillon: Great-grandson of Georges Ancillon; b. at Metz Mar. 17, 1617; d. at Berlin Sept. 3, 1692. He attended the Jesuit college of his native city, studied theology at Geneva (1633-41), and was appointed preacher at Meaux (1641) and Metz (1653). In 1657 he held a conference on the traditions of the Church with Dr. Bédaciar, suffragan of the bishop of Metz; and, as a false report of this conference was spread by a monk, he published his celebrated Traité de la Tradition (Sedan, 1657). At the revocation of the edict of Nantes he went to Frankfort and became pastor at Hanau (1685), where he wrote an apology of Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, and Beza. Later he went to Berlin, where the Elector Frederick William appointed him preacher to the French congregation. The 168 Vie de Farel, which appeared at Amsterdam in 1691 under his name, is a mutilated copy of a manuscript which he had not intended for publication.

Charles Ancillon: Eldest son of David Ancillon; b. at Metz July 28, 1659; d. in Berlin July 5, 1715. He was judge and director of the French colony in Brandenburg and historiographer to Frederick I. Of his writings the following have interest for the Church historian: Réflexions politiques (Cologne, 1685); Irrévocabilité de l’édit de Nantes (Amsterdam, 1688); Histoire de l’établissement des Français réfugiés dans les états de Brandebourg (Berlin, 1690). He published also Mélange critique de littérature (3 vols., Basel, 1698), based upon conversations with his father, and containing an account of his life.

Jean Pierre Frédéric Ancillon: Great-grandson of Charles Ancillon; b. in Berlin Apr. 30, 1767; d. there Apr. 19, 1837. He was teacher in the military academy of Berlin and preacher to the French congregation, his sermons attracting much attention. In 1806 he was appointed tutor to the crown prince, and in 1825 minister of state, which position he retained till his death. He published two volumes of sermons (Berlin, 1818).

Bibliography: E. and É. Haag, La France Protestante, i. 80-96, Paris, 1846; R. L. Poole, A History of the Huguenots of the Dispersion, pp. 144 sqq., London, 1880; G. de Felice, Histoire des protestants de France, pp. 377-378, Toulouse, 1895.