is ▁region ▁of ▁northern ▁France , ▁Jean ne ▁Louise ▁Ad é la ï de ▁H éri ot ▁was ▁brought ▁up ▁by ▁her ▁elder ▁sister ▁following ▁her ▁mother ' s ▁early ▁death . ▁As ▁her ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁school te acher , ▁the ▁family ▁moved ▁frequently ▁as ▁he ▁took ▁up ▁posts ▁in ▁Fran che - Com té , ▁Bour bon na is ▁and ▁Au ver g ne . ▁They ▁later ▁settled ▁in ▁Paris ▁where ▁she ▁attended ▁a ▁school ▁at ▁Saint - M and é . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁her ▁father , ▁she ▁joined ▁her ▁sister ▁in ▁Saint - Ét ienne . ▁In ▁ 1 8 3 3 ▁when ▁just ▁ 1 5 ▁she ▁met ▁and ▁married ▁Ign ace ▁X avier ▁Mor and ▁Hom ma ire ▁de ▁Hell , ▁a ▁student ▁at ▁the ▁É cole ▁de ▁mines . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁despite ▁their ▁recent ▁marriage ▁and ▁the ▁expected ▁birth ▁of ▁their ▁first ▁child , ▁her ▁husband ▁accepted ▁a ▁French - g overn ment ▁assignment ▁in ▁Constantin ople . ▁After ▁he ▁had ▁escaped ▁a ▁ship w reck , ▁she ▁joined ▁him ▁there ▁with ▁her ▁baby ▁son ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 8 3 6 . ▁ ▁Following ▁her ▁husband ' s ▁discovery ▁of ▁iron ▁mines ▁near ▁Kh erson ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁he ▁was ▁commission ed ▁to ▁undert ake ▁an ▁expl or atory ▁journey ▁to ▁New ▁Russia . ▁After ▁extensive ▁prepar ations , ▁the ▁couple ▁set ▁out ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁on ▁what ▁was ▁to