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DuBois Family
DuBois Family
There are some uncertainties regarding early lineage in this family as indicated in the follow "Report of European Research of Reverend W. Twyman Williams, Minister of College Church, Hampden-Sydney, Virginia, dated 13 December 1935:
"Mr. Williams pointed out errors in Mackenzie's Colonial Families of the United States of America, IV, duBois, because of lack of conciliation in generation dates, such as placing Louis DuBois, born 21 October 1626, as the son of Chretien Maxmillan des Finnes. In the Dictionarie de la Noblesse by La Chesnay, Desbois and Baider, a standard work on the French nobility, Chretien Maxmilien du Bois de Finnes was listed in Vol. VIII and recorded as 'Captain in the Regiment of his father, died 1747 ages 21 without issue'. His father was Charles Maxmilien (1701-1750); his grandfather, Maximilien Francois (1669-1714); his great-grandfather, Maximilien, who married 1662 Catherine Cecile de Guernonval; and his great-great-grandfather, Marc, who married 1624 Madeleine d-Ognies. Obviously, if Louis duBois' father, Chretien, were of this line, he could not belong to a later generation than of Marc du Bois de Fiennes, who was son of Guislain, son of Eustace, son of Charles du Bois and Claude de Lannoy. A record of the children of the last three named seems conclusive that Chretien du Bois was not of this line at all.
"This incorrect pedigree had been secured by Mrs. Anna Louise Thompson of Geneva, Illinois, since deceased, from a French genealogist, who perpetrated upon her an outrageous fraud, namely copying these generations from the Dictionarie and omitting all dates to conceal his ridiculous identification of Chretien du Bois, father of Louis, the emigrant, with Chretien Maximilien du Bois de Fiennes (1726-1747).
"Mr. S. Gordon Smythe called attention to a statement in E. de Valcourt-Vermont's America Heraldica that Chretien du Bois of Wicres, a village near Lille, belonged to the family of DuBois who were Seigneurs of La Bourse and Beaufermez, two old family estates in the vicinity of Lille.
"Mr. Williams found an Antoine du Bois, of the DuBois de Fiennes family, but in a cadet branch founded the latter part of the fourteenth century, who was Seigneur de la Bourse, as his ancestors had been for five or six generations, and who became Seigneur de Beaufermez by his marriage to Philipotte de Landas, Dame de Beaufermez.
"Wallerand du Bois, son of Antoine and Philipotte du Bois, first of his line to be by inheritance Seigneur both of La Bourse and of Beaufermez, married 1583, Madelein de Croix. Wallerand and Madeleine du Bois thus lived at the right place and the right time to have been the parents of Chretien du Bois, father of Louis, the emigrant to New York. For since the Parish Register of La Bassee (in which Wicres is situated) shows that Chretien du Bois had at least two sons older than Louis, who was born in 1626, Chretien could not have been born much later than 1600 at latest, not too late for the birth of a son to parents married in 1583.
"A later report of the Reverend Mr. W. Twyman Williams dated 24 July 1937 states:
"A communication from Monsieur J. S. Willems-Le Clercq of Brussels, an accredited genealogist of the Institute, gives only negative values of proving that the wanted records were NOT to be found in the church registers of Leyden. The genealogist wrote that he had examined the Cambrai Historical Society's publications, in which are genealogies of families resident at or near Wicres and known to have inter-married with the du Bois of that locality, and also the state archives at Gand, where in the 17th century were kept records of the court within the jurisdiction of which Wicres then belonged.
"In the data thus far received there were several items of positive value, corroborating, so far as they go, Mr. Williams' conclusion that our ancestor, Chretien du Bois of Wicres, was a son of Wallerand du Bois who married 1583 Madeleine de Croix.
"First: the estate of Beaufermez, of which Wallerand du Bois was Seigneur, is proved to have been situated at Wicres. The value of this item is apparent in connection with the hitherto unsupported statement of America Heraldica that Beaufermez was one of the estates possessed by the ancestors of Chretien du Bois.
"Second: the family to which Madeleine de Croix belonged also had estates in the commune of Wicres.
"Third: estates at Wicres owned by several du Bois and by 'the Seigneur of Beaufermez (Bauffremez)' adjoined estates of the family Billau (Bilyou), one of whom is known to have married a daughter of Chretien du Bois. We have a record of this marriage in Leyden, and in New York a record mentioning Louis DuBois as uncle of a daughter of this marriage."
The following was written by George Washington DuBois, D.D. (1822-1910) who was of Keeseville, Essex County, New York at the time of his death:
"Chretien du Bois of Wicres in Artois, Pas de Calais, France, was born in 1597 and died prior to 10 October 1655. Owing to the systematic mutilation of the records of Huguenot families of the nobility, neither his parentage nor issue can be definitely proved. It is believed that he belonged to one of the five quite well known families stemming from Geoffroi de Bois and his wife Sidonie Tesson of the Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy who were alive in the middle of the 11th century. From records in the Netherlands, where many Huguenots gained sanctuary, it is certain that Louis and Jacque s, both Walloons, were sons of Chretien du Bois.
"Helps to the identification of the American Branch of the 'famille du Bois': In a book in my library entitled Souvenirs d'une ancienne famille Maison de Mailly en Artois, published at Limoges, France 1889, pp. 111-115, it is recorded that the 9th child of Robert de Mailly-Couronel and Jeanne de Beaumont, his wife, was Madeline, who about 1550 was married to Jacques du Bois, Baron de Finnes (one of the 12 Baronnes of the Conte de Guise), Artois, his oldest son was Pierre, Seigneur de Rantigny, advocate at the Council of Artois, married at Cambray, Jacqueline de Mouen. The second child was Jean. The third child of Robert de Mailly-Couronel was Charles, Seigneur du Rien. Note the perpetuation of Christian and surnames - Jacques, Pierre, Pierrone, Jacqueline, Jean, du Rien. Our ancestor Jacques was from Artois province (Lille). Marie du Rien was sponsor at baptism of Marie 1664, the first child of our Jacques as of record in Leyden. As this record contained in the book above referred to connects our branch with Jacques du Bois, Baron de Fienne (presumably), so does it also connect us in ascending line with the Baron de Fienne, the lineal descendant of Geoffroi de Bois, according to the genealogy preserved in the Bibliotheque du Rois Paris"
Heidgerd continues, "In 1675, Jacques and his family joined his elder brother, Louis, who had emigrated 15 years earlier to the Esopus. Seven of their children had been baptised in Leyden. The eighth was born while the family were en route or shortly after their arrival. Jacques died soon after the birth of his last child, Christian, certainly before the marriage of his widow in 1677 to John L. Pietersy. Quick re-marriages were almost a necessity in early colonial times.
"The above account was furnished by Koert DuBois Burnham of Keeseville, New York to the DuBois Family Association in 1967."
The reference next reports the following "from the papers of John Coert Du Bois, M.D. (1831-1913), late of the city of Hudson, Columbia County, New York:
"The following is a compilation from research of Dr. DuBois during the time he was a medical student in Paris from 1858 to 1860, and during a later visit there in 1883. His references were the d'Hozier Manuscripts, 1696-1716, the records of the Reformation Church at Lille, the records of the Reformation Church at Leyden. These were all examined by him personally.
"The DuBois family is one of the oldest of the noble houses of Conentin in the duchy of Normandy. The heraldic records in the Bibliotheque Nationale, rue de Richelieu, Paris, commence the genealogy with Geoffroi du Bois, 'a knight banneret' who was companion of William of Normandy, called the Conqueror after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. To date the line from Geoffroi has not been confirmed to Chretien du Bois, the father of Louis and Jacques who emigrated to Ulster County, New York, during the seventeenth century.
"In the Maison Royale de France, the 'famille du Bois' is mentioned as 'Grand Masters of the Forests of France.'
"I have traced while living in Paris during the years 1858 through 1860, and since that time, with the following generations listed:
1. Jean, Seigneur de Fontaines, maitre d'hotel of Charles VIII, died 1507.
2. Jean, king's councillor and controller-general of finances, married 7 October 1493 to the niece of the Chancellor of France.
3. Astremoine, a Huguenot who afterwards renounced his faith, was restored to his nobility, and was declared to be descended from 'la maison du Bois en Artois.'
4. Antoine, Seigneur de Fontaines, king's councillor and ambassador to the Pays-Bas. He was married in 1571.
5. Pierre, Seigneur de Fontaines-Moran, married Francoise Olivier de Leuville. He served in the army during 1597.
Chretien, a younger son, became a Huguenot, and was deprived of his nobility in consequence. His elder brother, Louis, who remained a Catholic, was designated as Seigneur de Fontaines, lieutenant-general of the Armies of the King. Louis was in 1653 made Marquis de Giuvi."
After reading the foregoing pages, it is clearly understood that Heidgerd states "it is necessary that further European research be commissioned. It is hoped that a later installment of this DuBois Family History will provide a completely authenticated lineage for Chretien du Bois of Wicres"
Chre'tien DU BOIS was born about 1590 to 1600, probably at Wicres, France.
He became a Huguenot and was deprived of his nobility in consequence. He settled on lands at Wicres about 10 miles southwest of Lille where his farm is still pointed out. He is described as 'a gentleman of the family of du Bois, Seigneurs de Beaufermez and de Bourse.' (d'Hozier MSS)
His children, apparently all baptized at Lille, parish church of Wicres, were:
Francoise, born 17 June 1622, married Pierre Billiou;
Anne, baptized 30 November 1625 at Lille, parish church of Wicres;
Louis, baptized on 13 November 1626 at Lille, parish church of Wicres, married Catherine Blanchan at Mannheim, in the Pfalz, German Palatinate on 10 October 1655; and
Jacques, baptized on 27 October 1628 at Reformation Church of Lille, parish church of Wicres, married Pierrone Bentyn at the Walloon Church at Leyden on 25 April 1663, and had eight children.
"The Rev. W. Twyman Williams, Minister of the College Church, Hampden-Sydney, Virginia, suggested as a result of his research that Chretien possibly had at least two additional sons, possibly Antoine and Isaac, who were older than the children of whom we have definite record."
Chretien had died by 10 October 1655 when his son Louis was married at Mannheim.
Louis DU BOIS was baptized on 21 October 1626 at Lille, parish church of Wicres, France, the son of Chretien du Bois (and possibly a Cornelia [Unknown]).
Either with his parents or on his own he went to Mannheim, Germany in the Pfalz, German Palatinate. Abstracts of Mannheim Palatine Records translated by Louis DuBois of Yardley, Pennsylvania in 1928 state: "In the year 1606, the Elector Frederick IV of the Palatinate, being an Evangelical Prince and foreseeing a religious war, built the fortified city of Mannheim at the confluence of the Neckar and Rhine Rivers. Soon after, in 1618, there broke out the devastating 'Thirty Years War' and then the youthful fortress of Mannheim was taken and destroyed by the Bavarian General Tilly.
The persecuted French Protestants were brotherly received in the German Evangelical country, particularly in the Rhineland. The Walloons were likewise welcomed in Mannheim and allowed to establish their own French Evangelical community with their own clergymen. For a time they were united with the German Evangelical Reformed church, which union was made with the understanding that services and Holy Communion should be held in the French language in the Spring and Autumn.
"The civil and church records of Mannheim do not go back beyond the year 1621, the date of the city's destruction. It is only at a later date that the records of the French Protestants are to be found inscribed by French clergymen in the German church book of records.
"The name du Bois is found for the first time in 1653.... Louis du Bois, son of the late Chretien DuBois, resident of Wicres in the vicinity of La Bassee, of the first part, and Catharine Blanchan, daughter of Mathieu Blanchan, bourgeois of Mannheim, of the second part, were married at the French (Protestant) Church of Mannheim (in the Pfalz, German Palatinate), the 10th of October 1655. (Note: A photostatic copy of this record is included in the DuBois Family History)"
Their children were:
Abraham, born at Mannheim, Germany on 26 December 1657, married Margriet Deyo on 6 March 1681 at First Dutch Church, Kingston, had eight children, and died on 7 October 1731 at New Paltz;
Isaac, born at Mannheim in 1659, married Maria Hasbrouck on 1 June 1683 at First Dutch Church, Kingston, had three children, and died on 28 June 1690 at New Paltz;
Jacob, baptized on 9 October 1661 at Kingston, married Lysbeth Varnoye on 8 March 1689 at First Dutch Church, Kingston, had one child, married (2) Gerritje Gerritsen (nee van Nieuwkirk) in 1691/2 at First Dutch Church, had eleven children by her, and died in June 1745 at Hurley;
Sarah, baptized on 14 September 1664 at Kingston, married Joost Jansen Van Meteren on 12 December 1682 at Kingston, had nine children, and died in 1726 at Salem County, New Jersey;
David, baptized on 13 March 1667 at Kingston, married Cornelia Varnoye on 8 March 1689 at First Dutch Church, Kingston, and had six children;
Solomon, born in 1669 at Hurley, baptized at the Reformed Dutch Church, New Amsterdam on 3 February 1669, married Tryntje Foochen (nee Gerritsen) in 1692, had nine children, and died on 2 February 1759 at New Paltz;
Rebecca, baptized at Old Dutch Church, Kingston on 18 June 1671 and died young;
Rachel, baptized at Old Dutch Church, Kingston on 18 April 1675 and died young;
Louis, born at Hurley in 1677, married Rachel Hasbrouck at Old Dutch Church, Kingston, on 19 January 1701, had seven children, and died in 1749;
Mattheus, born on 3 January 1679 at Hurley, married Sara Matthysen on 17 January 1697 at Old Dutch Church, Kingston, had twelve children, and died in 1748 in Dutchess County, New York; and
Magdalena, baptized on 12 May 1680.
"It has been generally accepted that Louis, his wife and children accompanied Matthys Blanchan and Antoine Crispell (departing 27 April 1660 in the 'Gilded Otter'), but Riker suggests that he probably came with his brother-in-law Pierre Billiou the following year.
"Blanchan, Crispell and DuBois all received grants of land in Hurley, near Kingston, obtaining ground briefs on 25 April 1663.
"On the 10th of June 1663, Hurley and part of Kingston was burned by the Indians, and the wife of Louis DuBois and three children were among those who were carried away captive. Three months afterward an expedition under Captain Krieger, sent from New York, recovered the captives by surprising the Indians at their Fort near the Hogaberg in Shawangunk.
"From Ralph LeFebre's History of New Paltz, Fort Orange Press, Albany, New York, 1909: 'The story (of the rescue of the Indian captives) which is dear to the Huguenot heart of New Paltz, is that when Captain Krieger and his company, directed by an Indian, attacked the savages at their place of refuge near the Shawangunk Kill, they were about to burn one or more captives at the stake, and the women commenced singing the 137th Psalm, which so pleased the red men that they deferred the proposed death by torture. In the meantime Captain Krieger's band, with Louis DuBois and others, arrived and rescued the captives from a horrible death. Louis DuBois is reported to have killed with his sword an Indian who was in advance of the rest, before the alarm could be raised. Captain Krieger's report says nothing of this. However, as the tradition contains nothing irreconcilable with the Captain's report which deals mainly with the fighting done by his soldiers, it is interesting to keep the tradition alive as it deals more upon the condition of the captives.'
"E. M. Ruttenber, the Orange County historian, states his objections to the tradition as follows: 'The story was repudiated as a statement of fact, first, on the authority of Indian customs. We do not recall a single instance where a woman was burned at the stake by the Indians. They killed female prisoners on the march sometimes when they were too feeble to keep up but very rarely after reaching camp. Mrs. DuBois and her companions had been prisoners from June 10th to September 5th, or nearly three months before they were rescued from captivity. During all that time they had been guarded carefully at the castle of the Indians, and held ransom or exchange, to which end negotiations had been opened. The Indians asked especially for the return of some of their chiefs who had been sent to Curacao and sold as slaves by Governor Stuyvesant.
"'Second: Documentary evidence concerning events of that period is entirely against tradition. The written record is, that when the Dutch forces surprised the Indians, the latter were busy in constructing a third angle to their fort for the purpose of strengthening it, instead of being engaged in preparations for burning prisoners. The prisoners were found alive and well, and no complaint is recorded of any ill treatment, not even their heads had been shaved and painted as had been customary. Every night, says the record, they were removed from the castle to the woods, lest the Dutch should recover them before negotiations for their release were consumated.'
"Among the Huguenot settlers at Kingston, at this time, was Abraham Hasbrouck. He had served with Edmund Andros in the English army. He was a native of Calais, had emigrated to Mannheim, and in 1675 to America, settling finally in Esopus.
"The Huguenots, being desirous of forming a settlement of their own, were indebted to some extent to the acquaintanceship of Abraham Hasbrouck with Edmund Andros who was Colonial Governor at this time, having been appointed to that office when the colony of New York passed from the Dutch to the English in 1665.
"These French settlers longed for a settlement of their own where they could speak their own language, worship in their own church, and be in a community where they could govern themselves according to their own choice. The traffic with the Indians in furs was becoming less profitable. It was becoming more and more necessary to follow the occupation of cultivating the soil. The fertile lowlands of the Wallkill had undoubtedly been in the mind of Louis DuBois as an ideal place to establish the French community. The mountains and forests lining the valley most certainly must have reminded the Huguenots of their native county in French Flanders, and the Meuse Valley through which they escaped to the Pfalz.
"The papers relating to the Paltz Patent are among the most cherished possessions of the Huguenot Historical Society of New Paltz, New York, Inc They are written in Dutch and present a unique example of fair dealing between red men and white. LeFevre's History gives the translation as follows:
Contract of Sale
'By approbation of his Excellency Governor Edmond Andros, dated 28 April 1677, an agreement is made on this date, the 26th of May, of the year 1677, for the purchase of certain lands, between the parties herein named and the undersigned Esopus Indians.
'Matsaysay, Nekahakaway, Magakahas, Assinnerakan, Wawawanis, acknowledge to have sold to Lowies du Booys and his partners the land described as follows: Beginning from the high hills at a place named Moggonck, from thence south-east toward the river to a point named Juffrous Hoock (Juffrons Hook), lying in the Long Reach, named by the Indians Magaatramis (Great River), then north up along the river to the island called by the Indians Raphoes (Rappoos, on the Kroonme Elbow), then west toward the high hills to a place called Waratahaes and Tawaentaqui, along the high hills south-west to Moggonck, being described by the four corners with everything included within these boundaries, hills, dales, waters, etc., and a right of way to the Ronduyt kill (Rondout Kill - New Paltz) as directly as it can be found, and also that the Indians shall have the same right to hunt and to fish as the Christians, for which land the Indians have agreed to accept the articles here specified:
'40 kettles, 10 large, 30 small; 40 axes, 40 adzes; 40 shirts, 400 fathoms of white net-work; 300 fathoms of black net-work; 60 pairs of stockings, half small sizes; 100 bars of lead; 1 keg of powder; 100 knives; 4 kegs of wine; 40 oars; 40 pieces of duffel (heavy woolen cloth); 60 blankets; 100 needles; 100 awls; 1 measure of tobacco; 2 horses - 1 stallion, 1 mare.
'Parties on both sides acknowledge to be fully satisfied herewith and have affixed their own signatures ad ut supra.
Louwies Du Booys
Matsaya x his mark
Christian de Yoo x his mark
Waehtonck x his mark
Abraham Haesbroecq
Seneraken x his mark
Andrie Lefeber
Magakahoos x his mark
Jan Broecq
Wawateanis x his mark
Piere Doyo
Anthony Crespel
Abraham Du Booys
Hugo Freer
Isaack D. Boojs
Symon Lefeber Witnesses: Jan Eltinge; Jacomeyntje Sleght; Jan Mattyse. Agrees with the original. W. La: Montague, Secry.
'I do allow of the within Bargaine and shall Grant patents for y Same when payments made accordingly before mee or Magistrates of Esopus.
Andross,'
"This contract of sale, signed by the five chiefs of the Esopus and the twelve patentees of New Paltz, was followed on 15 September 1677 by a deed signed by 29 heads of families of the Esopus (including two women), and is translated as follows:
The Indian Deed
'We the undersigned persons, former owners of the land sold to Lowies du Booys and his partners acknowledge to have been fully satisfied by them according to agreement we therefore transfer the designated land with a free right of way for them and their heirs, and relinquishing forever our right and title, will protect them against further claims, in token whereof we have affixed our signatures in the presence of the Justice, Sheriff, Magistrates and Bystanders, on the 15 September 1677 at Hurley, Esopus Sackmakers
'Witnesses: Sewakuny x his mark; Hamerwack x his mark; Manvest x her mark; Mahente; Papoehkies x his mark; Pochquqet x his mark; Haroman x his mark; Pagotamin x his mark; Haromini x his mark; Wingatiek x his mark; Wissinahkan x his mark; Mattawessick x his mark; Matsayay x his mark; Asserwvaka x his mark; Umtronok x his mark; Wawanies x sister in his absence called Warawenhtow; Magakhoos x her mark; Wawejask x his mark; Nawas x his mark; Tomaehkapray x his mark; Sagarowanto x his mark; Sawanawams x his mark; Machkamoeke x his mark.
'Witnesses: Jan Eltinge; Roelof Hendrycke; John Ward; Gars x Harris; Albert Jansen.
'Testis: Thomas Chambers; Hall Sherrife; Wessel Ten Broeck; Dirck Schepmoes; Hendrik Jochemsen; Joost de Yadus; Garit x Cornelise; Lambert x Huybertse.
'Mattay has publicly proclaimed and acknowledged in the presence of all the Indian bystanders that the land had been fully paid for in which all concurred.
'Testis:
W. Montague, Secr.'
"The grant by Gov. Edmund Andros confirming this purchase of land from the Indians, is in English as follows:
The Patent
'Edmund Andros, Esqr. Seigneur of Sansmarez, Lieut't Governor generall under his Royall Highness: James Duke of Yorke & Albany &c. of all his Territoryes in America. WHEREAS there is a certain piece of Land att Esopus, the which by my approbation and Consent, hath been purchased of the Indian Proprietors, by Lewis DuBois and Partners; The said Land lyeing on the South side of the Redoute Creek or Kill, beginning from the High Hills called Moggonck, from thence stretching South East neare the Great River, to a certain Point or Hooke, called the Jeuffrous Hoocke, lyeing in the long Reach named by the Indyans Magaatramis, then North up alengst the River to an Island in a Crooked Elbow in the Beginning of the Long Reach called by the Indyans Raphoos, then West, on to the High Hills, to a place called Waratahaes and Tawaratague, and so alongst the said High Hills South West to Moggonck aforesaid; All which hath by the Magistrates of Esopus been certifyed unto mee, to have been publiquely bought and paid for in their presences; As by the returne from theme doth and may appeare:
'KNOW YEE that by vertue of his Ma'ties Letters Patents and the Commission and authority unto mee given by his Royall Highness, I have given, Ratifyed, confirmed and granted, and by these presents doe hereby give, ratify, confirme & grant unto the said Lewis DuBois and Partners, Thatt is to say, Christian Doyo, Abraham Haesbroecq, Andries Lefevre, Jean Broecq, Pierre Doyo, Laurens Biverie, Anthony Crespell, Abraham DuBois, Hugo Frere, Isaack DuBois, and Symeon LeFebre, their heyres and Assignes, the afore recited piece of Land and premises; Together with all the Lands, Soyles, Woods, Hills, Dales, meadowes, pastures, Marshes, Lakes, waters, Rivers, fishing, Hawking, Hunting and fowling, and all other Profitts, Commoditys, and Emoluments whatsoever to the said piece of land and premises belonging, with their & every of their appurtenances, & of every part and parcell thereof; TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said piece of Land and Premises, with all and Singular the appurtenances unto the said Lewis DuBois and partners their heyres and Assignes, to the proper use and behoofe of him the said Lewis DuBois and partners their heyres and Assignes for ever. AND that the plantacons which shall bee settled upon the said piece of land bee a Township and that the Inhabitants to have liberty to make a High Way between them and the Redout Creeke or Kill for their Convenience. Hee, the said Lewis DuBois and partners their heyres and Assigns, Returning due Surveys & makeing improvem't thereon according to Law; And Yielding and paying therefore yearely and every yeare unto his Royall Highnesse use as an acknowledgment or Quitt Rent att the Redout in Esopus five bushells of good Winter Wheat unto such Officer or Officers as shall be empowered to receive the same:
'Given under my hand and Sealed with y Seale of the Province in New Yorke this 29th day of September in the 29th yeare of his Ma'ties Reigne, Anno Domini 1677.
Andross.
'Examined by mee, Matthias: Nicolls, Secr.'
"The final action taken by Governor Andros in regard to granting the patent appears in the Documentary History of New York as follows:
'Upon request of Louis DuBois and partners at Esopus, that they may have Liberty to goe and settle upon the land by them purchased on the South side of the Redout Creek, at their first convenience, these are to certify that they have Liberty to do so, Provided they build a Redoute there first for a place of Retreat and Safeguard upon Occasion:
'Action in New York, November 1677. E. Andros'
"From Kingston the little party came to New Paltz in three carts, and the spot of their encampment, about a mile south of the present village, on the west side of the Wallkill is still known as Tri-Cor, 'Three Carts'.
"On 28 December 1678 an Indian deed for land at Esopus, embracing 'ye land on both sides of ye creeke, and ye land called in ye Indian tongue Pawachta to Pakasek, Wakaseeck, Wakankonach (Ibid., p. 152).
"In 1686, Louis DuBois, who had been the leader of the settlement, returned from New Paltz to Kingston, where he purchased a house and lived at this location ten years until his death in 1696."
"Early records of Kingston include:
"Book 1, p. 11: 16 November 1661, Lowys DuBo against Bart Lybrantse, demand for freight of cattle, 7 schepels of wheat - sentenced to pay.
"Book 2, p. 259: 11 August 1679, shows sale of negro named Mingoo for 1000 Guilders to Thomas Harmansen & Jan Hendrix.
"Book 2, p. 259: 11 August 1679, shows a sale of negro and negress for 800 guilders to Matthew Blanchan.
"Book 2, p. 450: 22 December 1679, Louis DuBois complaint that he has been beaten and also that he was disturbed by loud knocking at his door. The jury decided that the defendant has been unjustly accused and complainent must pay expenses.
"Book 2, p. 603: 4 April 1682, Louis DuBois against Thomas Chambers. Demand excise pay. Answer: that according to law no excise is to be levied at the Paltz. Ordered not to distill until the case shall have been settled and the hose and distilling apparatus are to be taken from there.
"And many others.
"Some land transfers in Kingston:
"6 February 1688: Lewis DuBois to Anthony Dilba, a house and lot in Kingston, south of William de la Montanye.
"16 March 1689: Joachim Van Name to Louis DuBois, a certain fly (meadow) being upon the Great Binnewater.
"8 August 1689: Trustees of the Corporation of Kingston to Louis DuBois, a tract upon the Great Binnewater, north of Town.
"20 May 1691: Matthys Matthysen to Louis DuBois, a house and lot adjoining the land of the said DuBois.
"5 November 1698: Trustees of the Corporation of Kingston to heirs of Louis DuBois, Twenty acres formerly owned by John Hendrickse."
Louis died at Kingston, reported by Heidgerd as 23 June 1693. However, Louis had three wills (all written in Dutch) recorded in Ulster County Surrogate's Office, the last of which was dated 22 February 1696, and his wills were proved on 26 March 1696, so his death occurred sometime during that interval of a month's time.
An early will, or more properly defined, a joint agreement of Louis DuBois and Catherine, his wife, was dated 13 October 1676 and written in Dutch, translated as follows: "After their deaths, the whole estate shall go to their children, the monors first to be educated until they can earn a living. If either should re-marry, he or she shall pay one half to the children, begotten by them, and in case of death, one fourt of the remaining half shall be divided among the children. If the survivor remains unmarried, he or she shall not be compelled to pay out anything more to the children than it may please the survivor, either as a marriage portion, or in some other way. At death of both parties, the children shall inherit the entire estate. In case of re-marriage of either party, without lawful issue, the children shall have one half of the estate."
A will dated 30 March 1686, and recorded 5 May 1686, provides that Louis' "estate, after payment of debts to be equally divided 'amongst my children but my two eldest sons desiring to have Each of them a part of the land of New Paltz and more than the other children by Reason their names 'uppon the Patent', but if they will be content 'to deale Equally with my other children whether in land, houses or any other sort of goods whatever belonging to my Estate As well the land of the Paltz....' that if they have the land at New Paltz they should pay a share of its worth to the other children as all of the estate should be divided equally. 'My wife, their mother, shall have the ordering of the Estate as long as she remains a widow.' 'If she marry the Estate to be divided among the children aforesaid except my two eldest sons.'
"The second will dated 27 March 1694, proved 26 March 1696, states that if the widow should marry, then to the eldest son Abraham, 6 Pounds, as his primogeniture right, also 1/8 of the estate; son Jacob 1/8; and 1/8 to each of the following children: David, Solomon, Louis, Matthew; and to the children of deceased son Isaac 1/8; and to children of Sara wife of Joost Janse (Van Meter) 1/8. Wife Catherine appointed executrix."
Louis' will dated 22 February 1695/6 and written in the Dutch language provides for the disposition of his property as follows: "to my son Jacob half of my farm at Hurley adjoining land of Hyman and Jan Rosa and land of Lammert Huyberse on condition that he pays 1500 shepels wheat; Jacob to use the other half until my youngest son Matthew Du Bois becomes of age, for which he is to pay 50 shepels wheat yearly. I have this day conveyed to my youngest son, Matthew Du Bois, house and land in Kingston, a parcel of me adow land, and one half of my land at Hurley, for which he is to pay 1500 schepels of wheat. Payments for the land which my son David bought from Jan Wood to come out of my estate, as I had promised my son David. My sons Salomon and Louis Du Bois are to have my land in the Paltz, conveyed to me by deed from Coll. Thomas Dongan, dated 2 June 1688, for which they are to pay 800 shepels of wheat. My daughter Sara wife of Joost Janse to have a piece of land in Hurley adjoining the land of Corneles Cool, for which she is to pay 700 shepels of wheat. This includes the woodland adjoining."
The Ulster County Genealogy Archive included a brief biography which stated: "There is a memorial to Louis in the Dutch Reformed Churchyard, right across from the Post Office. His actual burial place is unknown, but it is somewhere on the Churchyards grounds."
Sarah DU BOIS was born on 14 September 1662 and baptized on 14 September 1664 at First Dutch Church, Kingston, Ulster County, New York, the daughter of Louis DuBois and Catherine Blanchan.
She married Joost Jansen Van Metern on 12 December 1682 in Kingston (banns 18 November
1682).
She died in 1726 at Salem County, New Jersey.
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