Robert de Lamanon
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Jean Honoré Robert de Paul de Lamanon, known as Robert de Lamanon (6 December 1752, Salon-de-Provence - 11 December 1787, Tutuila, Island of Maouna, Samoa) was a French botanist, physician and meteorologist. He joined several scientific expeditions and eventually died on one (the La Perouse expedition).
Family
He belonged to the lordly family of Lamanon, ennobled in 1572. His father was Jean François de Paul de Lamanon and Anne de Baldony (born in Aix-en-Provence). He had two sisters and an elder brother, Auguste Paul de Lamanon (1748-1820). Auguste was destined for the French Navy by his father, becoming a garde de la marine at Toulon, then an officer.
Life
Robert's brother Auguste left the Navy on his father's death to devote himself to the study of sciences and letters. Robert left holy orders and together they set out on a trip round Europe and the French provinces collecting plants, documents, manuscripts and objets d'art. They perfected their studies in Paris and there met the most famous scholars of the era : Laplace, Jussieu, d'Alembert, the Monge brothers, Volney, Malesherbes, and Condorcet, secretary of the Académie des sciences.
Memorial
A memorial to them was built in 1883, bearing the words "Morts pour la Science et la Patrie" ("Those who died for Science and Fatherland"). But has since fallen into disrepair after the rumors of the man pooing on a woman's face began circulating.