USA > Virginia > Powhatan County > Powhatan County > Documents, chiefly unpublished, relating to the Huguenot emigration to Virginia and to the settlement at Manakin-Town, with an appendix of genealogies, presenting data of the Fontaine, Maury, Dupuy, Trabue, Marye, Chastain, Cocke, and other families > Part 6
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HUGUENOT EMIGRATION TO VIRGINIA.
ships and difficulties of ye beginning and liveing as Refugees upon His Maj'tie's allowance in England and Ireland, which we · cannot receive here, we desire to goe there to enjoy of his Maj'tie's bounty and to return to every one what they have entrusted unto us, to remove all ye prejudices of tales and false reports of ye ffrench and Popish Emissaries, who have alwayes endeavoured to cross and oppose this undertaking, and as we see have prevailed and sent over some men to cross and contra- dict us and to make us suspect to ye Nation, Governm't and Clergy and to all other people ; but we shall prove to ye whole world y't we have taken all these troubles and charges upon us only out of Charity, and done all this w'th honesty and sincerity; and for ye other Refugees settled by Mr de Joux between Many- can Creek and Powick Creek, we doe not know their condition, and though they have given unto us great many subjects of Complaints in troubling and vexing us, we will Charitably spare y'm; and to avoid all disputes and quarrels, desiring to live quietly and peaceably, say nothing of ye malice and tricks they employ every day to blame and accuse us without justice, cause or reason, and leave to ye said de Joux to give what acc't he pleases, since he hath done all without us and kept ye oth'er 'factures and goods sent to us; what we affirme this 2d day of December, 1700.
CH. DE SAILLY, OLIVER DE LA MUCE.
If the hon'ble assembly like this undertaking and settl't, and has a mind (as we hope) to assist and encourage it, it's necessary, that ye Minister De Joux be ordered to goe up to settle and stay in ye Town to preach, make prayers, and perform other dutys of his ministry ; that he be ordered to give and deliver ye accounts, 'factures and goods intrusted unto him and sent to us to sell, exchange, or mortgage y'm for Corn, &c., for the supplys of ye people; that ye people of ye 3d ship and their chiefs be alsoe ordered to doe ye same for ye same use, and particularly for 23£ sterling intrusted unto y'm in a Trunck of Chirurgy and medi- cine sent unto us for ye Colony, besides ye same money as others ; That a proclamation be sent to every parish to forbid to receive, keep and maintain any of them without ye leave and discharge of their directors, and to order to ye s'd refugees, who run up
52
HUGUENOT EMIGRATION TO VIRGINIA.
and down, and have no place or condition to go up and work, to settle themselves; and finally that a stock of Corn be provided in good time to supply y'm, or a summe of money to buy it as soon as possible, which may be returned unto such as shall be willing to advance and lend ye s'd Corne or money out of the gratifi- cations they expect from his Maj'tie and from this country, or by themselves, at least in 2 or 3 years, when they shall be settled according to ye account kept by such as shall be appointed to be their directors.
At the City of Williamsburgh, Dec 9th, 1700-
Present : his Excellency in Councill
It is the opinion of ye Councill that his Maj'tie's and the Lord's letter concerning the Marquess de La Muce and the setll't of the French refugees and all papers relating to that matter, the Lord's Letter concerning the building and erecting a house for the Governor, and ye settleing and regulating of all claimes and publick debts, and to see in what state ye Revenue at present stands, be recommended to the Consideration of the House of Burgesses.
Indenture made 2d day of May, 1698, between Daniel Cox, in the County of Middlesex, Proprietary of Carolana and fflorida, on the one part, and Sir William Waller, Knight, Oliver, Marques de la Muce and Monsieur Charles de Sailly, of the other part : " Whereas a discovery being made of a region or Territory in ye parts of America between ye degrees of 31 and 36 North latitude inclusively, King Charles V, by Letters Pat. under the great seal bearing date Westminster, 30 October, in the 5th year of his reign, granted and confirmed unto Sir Robert Heath, Kn'ght, all this land lying within certain boundaries ; and also all those Islands of Veanis, Bahamas, and all other Islands or Isletts there or neare thereto, and lying Southwards of and from ye s'd Continent, all w'ch lye within ye degrees of 31 and 36 northern latitude inclusively," &c .; &c. Of this land, Daniel Cox sells to the above nam'd parties 500,000 acres, English measure, on ye west side of ye River Spiritu Sancto, which empties itself into ye Bay of apalache at ye N. E'd of ye Gulph of Mexico, which shall be purchased by ye Proprietary of ye Indian natives; To have and to hold the s'd Tract of land to
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HUGUENOT EMIGRATION TO VIRGINIA.
them, the said Sir William Waller, Knight, Oliver, Marques de la Muce and Monsieur Charles de Sailly, their heires and assigns forever ; and if ye s'd parties and their associates shall take up 500,000 acres more, they shall have power from ye Proprietary so to doe, Provided it be taken up within ye space of Seaven yeares ensueing the date hereof, paying quit rents for the same," &c., &c. The late King did erect this Territory into a Province, and named it Carolana, and the said Islands the Carolana Islands. The last 500,000 acres to be purchased by the par- ties to the second part "of ye Indian natives at their own proper charge and expence;" and they shall be allowed "six months' time to view the country in order to their choice of such Lands whereon they intend to settle, and that from and after the time of their choice of such lands, that the said Sir Wm. Waller, Kn'ght, Oliver, Marques de la Mucc, and Monsieur Charles de Sailly, or their associates, shall enjoy the said lands Seven yeares, paying only a ripe Ear of Indian Corne in the season if demanded ; and from ye Expiring of the said Seaven yeares 5 shillings Sterling money of England, or the value thereof, in either Coine or Bullion of Gold or silver, as a Quitt-rent for every 500 acres of Land soe taken up and pur- chased by the Proprietary as aforesaid." Dr. Cox also reserved for himself the selection of 2 or more places for Ports or Har- bours, with a competent Tract of land adjoining ; also stipulates for certain royalties on all mines, quarrys, or pearl fisheries discovered. Also certain concessions are made for the introduc- tion into the country of " 100 families or 200 Persons," Protes- tants. " It is mutually agreed, that if the said parties and their associates doe not within the space of 2 yeares, next ensuing ye date hereof, transport, or cause to be transported, at least 200 families to plant and settle within ye s'd Colony, then this Grant and commission shall cease, Determine, and be utterly void and ineffectuall to all Intents and purposes whatsoever."
DAN'LL COXE.
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HUGUENOT EMIGRATION TO VIRGINIA.
AN ABSTRACT OF "THE COPPY OF DR. COXE'S TITLE HE CLAIMES IN NORFFOLK COUNTY.""
Indenture made "the 22d January, 1639, in ye 13th year of Charles," between Sir John Harvey, Kn'ght, Governour of Vir- ginia, and the R't Hon'ble Henry Lord Maltravers, "assignes and sells out " a competent tract of Land in ye Southern part of the Colony, to beare a name of a County, and be called ye County of Norfolk." Said tract situate, lying and being on the southern side of James River, in the branch of ye said river, hereafter to be called Maltravers' River, towards the head of ye said Nanzimum alias Maltravers' River, being bounded from that part of Maltravers' river, where it divides itself into Branches, one degree in Longitude on either side of ye River, and in Latitude to ye height of 35 degrees, Northerly Latitude, by ye name and appelation of ye county of Norfolk." And when Lord Maltravers have peopled and planted said tract, he is allowed to make choice and to enter into as much more land in Virginia, &c.
TO HIS EXCELLENCY, FFRANCIS NICHOLSON, ESQUIRE, HIS MAJ'TIE'S LIEUTENANT AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF VIRGINIA.
This humble supplication, by the under written petitioners, in the name and behalfe of all the ffrench Refugees arrived in Vir- ginia, along w'th Monsieur De Joux, as also in the behalfe of the greater part of ye ffrench Refugees, who Landed here both before and since to settle themselves in a Colony-
Sheweth, . .. . . That whereas, the King's most Excellent Maj'tie, out of his gracious good will and pleasure, hath granted the ffrench Refugees a Liberty to Settle a Colony in Virginia. His Maj'tie for the incouragem't of that designe hath given Three thousand pounds Sterling, to defray the charges of 500 persons in crossing the seas and to relieve their owne necessities.
45 Dr. Daniel Coxe was also a landed proprietor in West Jersey. Two companies were formed in London and in Yorkshire, chiefly among the Society of Friends, for the settlement of the province in 1677. Dr. Coxe was the largest shareholder in the former company.
55
HUGUENOT EMIGRATION TO VIRGINIA.
In compliance with his Maj'tie's Order, the Marquis de la Muce and Monsieur De Sailly and severall other ffrench Refu- gees, to the number of about 200 persons, embarqued themselves last Aprill for Virginia, publishing and giving out that they sailed thither to put themselves in a capacity to receive such of their brethren as should afterwards imitate their Example, And in consideration hereof the above mentioned Sieurs De la Muce and De Sailly requested the Sieurs Jaquean, Belet and others of their ffriends whom they left behind, that at such opportunities of shipping as offered they should use the same care and dili- gence as they did to promote that designe.
About two months after the first embarquement, there de- parted a second, bound to the same place, consisting of about 150 Refugees, among whom was Monsieur De Joux, sent along with them to exercise his pastorall function as Minister of all ye s'd Colony, and who for that end was admitted into holy orders by my Lord Bishop of London.
These last haveing landed at Jamestown, understood to their great joy and satisfaction how graciously your Excellency re- ceived the first party in letting them feele ye effects of yo'r bounty and generosity so many wayes, and particularly in allot- ing them for their settlement one of the best tracts of land in the whole country, but to which there is no passing by water, as being 25 miles at least above the falls of James River.
But so far was the second party of ffrench Refugees from receiving that aide and assistance they proposed to themselves from the first, that on ye contrary it was noe small suprisall there to understand that more than one halfe of the first party lay sick at ye ffalls languishing under misery and want, notwithstanding the considerable supplies that the Sieurs De la Muce and De Sailly received, both from y'r Excellency and from the Country, as also y't a great number of 'em was dead, and y't so many of 'em as repaired to their new settiem't were in a distressed con- dition and in great disorder, complaining of the hard-heartedness of De Sailly, and speaking of him as of one whose conduct was odious and insupportable.
It was a considerable surprisall that instead of seeing this second party kindly received by Mr. De Sailly, and admitted to have a share in those charitable supplies he had in his hands and in those he had received from the country, his answer, on the
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HUGUENOT EMIGRATION TO VIRGINIA.
contrary, to such as addrest him for reliefe was, That he had no bread nor sustenance for 'em. Nay, further, he opposed those who desired to take up such tracts of land as were adjacent to the Lands he had marked out for those of his first party, unless they would swear an oath of fidelity to such particular persons as he had made Justices of the Peace, which oaths those of the second party refused to take, being fully perswaded they lay under no obligation so to doe.
Being, therefore, destitute of all hopes of obtaining provision and reliefe from Mon'r De Sailly, they hindered Monsieur De Joux in his designe of delivering up into the hands of De Sailly those goods with which Messieurs Jaquean, Belet and their com- pany entrusted him. And having had sufficient tryall of the s'd Mons. De Joux's integrity and affection towards them, they requested him to use his utmost care and diligence in procuring some sustenance for 'em and some lands, w'ch they might labour, sow and improve in hopes that God's blessing upon their endeavours may give 'em some subsistence for ye future w'thout being burdensome to ye country And this what the s'd De Joux has done with so much successe by his mediation with those magistrates that ruled ye country in your Excellency's absence, that we have had such supplies as have almost hitherto relieved our necessities.
At the same time ye said De Joux has, by your Excellencie's permission, and to our common satisfaction, shared out among us the Lands we are now clearing, in order to our future subsist- ance.
For these, and severall other weighty considerations, we humbly supplicate and Petition y'r Excellency, not only in our own behalfe, but also in ye behalfe of the ffrench refugees y't arrived here first along with the Sieurs De la Muce and De Sailly, and in the behalfe of the third Party that arrived last of all, and are now disperst about Jamestown, to grant us these following articles :
Ist.
That it may please your Excell'y, in continuing your chari- table disposition towards your Petitioners, to be instrumentall in procuring food and sustenance for them, with other things necessary for their subsistance, till they are in a capacity to live by the fruits of their own labours.
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HUGUENOT EMIGRATION TO VIRGINIA.
2d.
And because that tract of Land your Excell'y allotted to ye ffrench Refugees is soe remote from the English plantation, and that there is no carrying of things by water, Your Petitioners being likewise destitute of all necessaries for transporting things by land, and being otherwise unable to attend such postages without neglecting their other labours more than one-halffe of ye yeare, they do therefore petition y'r Excell'y to order that such supplies as you will procure for their s'd subsistance may be carried and transported gratis to ye hithermost frontiers of their plantations.
3d Article.
And being that your petitioners can have noe prospect of any good livelyhood in planting of tobacco, and that they cannot expect to be able in a short time to drive a trade in wings, flax, Silk and hemp, and other effects of their industry, which they aime at, and which cannot turne to any good account till after some years are past, during which they will want many things necessary for their comfortable living, They therefore petition y'r Excell'y to use y'r interest with the King's Maj'tie in procuring some encouragements for their labours, and in endeavouring to obtaine of his Maj'tie, for some years at least, a comfortable subsis- tance for the Ministry among them.
4th.
That it may please your Excell'y to order Monsieur De Sailly to disburse to ye above mentioned Colony the sum of Thirty Pounds Sterling out of the 230{ Sterling designed for the build- ing of a church, without ornaments, a house for the Minister and a magazin to lay up fresh goods in, as shall be found to belong to ye said Colony in Common till it is in a condition to build a more decent and convenient church.
That the said 30 Pounds be paid down by Monsieur De Sailly to Monsieur De Joux for the said purpose.
That the said Church be built in such a place as Monsieur de Joux shall think proper and convenient for the exercise of his ministeriall function.
5th.
And because ye s'd Monsieur De Sailly (though he has in his custody all ye money that has been given to ye Colony for its
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HUGUENOT EMIGRATION TO VIRGINIA.
subsistance), has refused to afford it any further reliefe or suste- nance, under pretense that he hath no more money, not ex- cepting so much as ye above summe of 230{ Sterling, designed for the building of ye Church. Therefore your petitioners doe beseech your Excell'y to order that the said De Sailly may, as soon as possible, give an account before such auditors as your Excell'y shall nominate, how he has employed and laid out all ye money he has received, as well in London as in this Gov- ernment, for the use of ye said Colony.
6th.
That the remaining summe which Monsieur De Sailly shall be found indebted in after he has made up his account, whether it be in money or goods, may be deposited in the hands of y'r Excell'y, or of such Commissioners as y'r Excell'y shall make choice of, that so it may be preserved for the supplying of the urgent necessities of the Colony.
7th.
It being impossible to keep the said Colony in any good order without Magistrates, as being at too long a distance from the English to receive necessary justice from them, the s'd Colony doth therefore petition y'r Excell'y to give them liberty to choose such a number of Judges for a time, at least, as shall be thought necessary for determining all Civill causes, and that ye s'd Judges be chosen by ye people out of the number of those whose catalogue shall be presented by Monsieur De Joux.
That the Judgements w'ch shall be past by the s'd Judges in Civill causes may be liable to an appeale to the courts next adjacent to the Manakin Towne, excepting when the summe in controversy doth not exceed three pounds sterling.
8th.
To prevent the dissolution of ye said Colony, your petitioners do beseech your Excell'y to give strict order to ye English to entertaine none of the ffrench without permission, and that such ffrench as shall desert their new settlement be ordered to restore the 5{ Sterl'g paid for their passage, as also ye goods w'ch they received and belong to the said Colony.
·
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HUGUENOT EMIGRATION TO VIRGINIA.
9th.
That Monsieur La Soseé, physician to ye said Colony, be ordered to returne again thither and carry back with him all ye medecins and instruments that ye Colony had entrusted him with.
Your Petitioners doe most humbly supplicate your Excell'y to take into your serious consideration the most deplorable con- dition of the ffrench Refugees now under your protection, and to grant them the above mentioned favours, and such other reliefs as your Excellency out of your singular goodness shall think fitt to bestow upon them. And they will always pray to God for ye preservation of your person and for the prosperity and glory of your government.
D. Bleüet,
Jacque Corbelose,
P. Zossard,
N. Mare,
Ettienne Chabran, LaBarr Eabuyt, Abraham Foy, ffrancois Delhapiel,
David Menetres,
Daulegre,
P. Labady, Paul Caftes,
Souan,
P. Baudry, p.
Anthoine de Ramberge,
ffrancois Gannard, Jean Levillanà,
Jean Aboàsson,
J. Hagault, Josue Petit, Jean Rugon, Elie Gullature,
Théodore Duronsau, Pierre Rivers, Jean Riviol, Jean Mearyut, Pierre Leluells, L. Roball,
Poussite,
S. Augustin.
Moise Verrueil, Brault, Jacob Capon, Michael Michell, Jean Arnaut,
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HUGUENOT EMIGRATION TO VIRGINIA.
AT A GENERAL ASSEMBLY BEGUN AT HIS MAJ'TIE'S ROYALL COLLEDGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY, ADJOIN- ING TO THE CITY OF WILLIAMSBURG, THE FIFTH DAY OF DECEMBER, 1700, IN THE 12TH YEAR OF HIS MAJ'TIE'S REIGN :
Act 2d.
An act making the ffrench Refugees, Inhabiting at the Man- nikin Towne and the parts adjacent, a distinct parish by them- selves, and Exempting them from ye payment of publick and County Levies for 7 yeares.
Whereas a considerable number of ffrench Protestant refugees have been lately imported into this, his Maj'tie's Colony and Dominion, Severall of which Refugees have seated themselves above the ffalls of James River, at or near to a place commonly called and Knowne by the name of the Manikin Towne, ffor the Encouragement of the said Refugees to settle and remaine together, as near as may be, to the said Manakin Towne, Be it Enacted by the Governor, Councill and Burgesses of this present General Assembly ; and it is hereby Enacted that the said Refugees, inhabiting at the said Manakin Towne and the parts adjacent, shall be accounted and taken for Inhabitants of a distinct parish by themselves, and the land which they now doe, or shall hereafter possess at, or adjacent to, the said Mana- kin Towne, shall be, and is hereby, declared to be a Parish by itself, distinct from any other parish to be called and Knowne by the name of King William's parish, in the County of Henrico, and not lyable to the payment of parish Levies in any other Parish whatsoever ; and be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that such and so many of the said refugees as are already settled, or shall hereafter settle themselves as Inhabitants of the said Parish at the Manakin Towne and the parts adjacent, shall themselves and their ffamilies, and every of them, be free and exempted from the payment of Publick and County Levies for the space of 7 yeares next ensueing from the Publication of this act; any Law, custom or usage to the Contrary in any wise notwithstanding.
Copia, Teste :
DIONISIUS WRIGHT.
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HUGUENOT EMIGRATION TO VIRGINIA.
VIRGINIA-SS :
At his Maj'tie's Royall Colledge of William & Mary, 23d. Dec'r, 1700-
Present : His Excell'y in Councill.
A Brief being proposed for the relief and support of the ffrench refugees Inhabiting at the Mannikin Towne above the falls of James river, the same was read in Councill and signed, and the Colony seal ordered to be thereto affixed.
DIONISIUS WRIGHT.
VIRGINIA-SS.
To all Christian People to whom these presents shall come, I ffrancis Nicholson, Esq're, his Maj'tie's L't and Gover- nor Generall of Virginia, send Greeting: Whereas, severall ffrench Protestant refugees having lately arrived in this, his Maj'tie's Colony and Dominion of Virginia, Imported hither at the sole charge and Pious Charity of his most Sacred Maj'tie, and concerning whom his most Sacred Maj'tie, by his most gracious Letter to mee directed, bearing date at Kensington ye 18 March, 1699 [1700], hath signified his Royall will and plea- sure, That all possible Encouragement should be given them upon their arrivall in order to their settlement; And whereas, the Right Hon'ble the Lords Commissioners of Trade and Plantations, by their Letter of Aprill 12, 1700, have also recom- mended them to my favourable assistance, Pursuant whereunto they are now seated at a place called or known by the name of the Mannikin Town above the ffalls of James River, by virtue of an order in Councill dated at James City the 8 day of August, 1700; But forasmuch as the said refugees having nothing at their arrivall here wherewith to subsist, they have hitherto been sup- ported by the contributions of severall pious and charitable Gentlemen in these parts. And whereas, It is manifest and ap- parent that unless the same Charitable and Christianlike acts be Continued for their reliefe untill such time as they may reape and receive the fruits of their own Labour by the next ensueing cropp they must inevitably perish for want of ffood, Therefore,
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HUGUENOT EMIGRATION TO VIRGINIA.
I, the said ffrancis Nicholson, Esq'r, By and with the advice and consent of his Maj'tie's Hon'ble Councill, doe hereby recom- mend ye sad and deplorable Condition of the aforesaid ffrench refugees to the consideration of all pious, charitable and well disposed Persons within this, his Maj'tie's Colony and Dominion of Virginia, desiring that they will express, by subscriptions to this Briefe, what benevolences or gifts they in their Charity shall think fitt to bestow either in money, Corne, or any other thing for the support and reliefe of these our poor distress'd Christian brethren, And I doe hereby Impower and authorize the Hon'ble Wm. Byrd, Esq'r, and Benj'n Harrison, Esq'r, 2 of his Maj'tie's Councill of State, to receive and distribute amongst the said refugees such and soe many benevolences and gifts as the re- spective benefactors shall be willing to bestow for the promoting and forwarding of this charitable worke. Given under my hand and seale of the Colony of his Maj'tie's Royall Colledge of Wm. and Mary, this 12 yeare of his Maj'tie's reign, 1700.
Copia, Teste:
DIONISIUS WRIGHT.
SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THIS BRIEF.
6. S.
d.
To buy Pork, - -
-
5 O 0
To buy Wheat,
-
5 o C ffra Nicholson.
Tobacco, 1,000.
Indian Corne, 20 Barrells.
€.
S. d.
William Byrd, -
-
-
.
-
IO
O
0
Edmund Jennings, 46
-
-
-
-
5
O
O
J. Lightfoot,47 -
-
-
-
-
I O O
-
1
" Edmund Jenings, for some time Attorney-General of Virginia, mem- ber of the Council, and as its President acting Governor of the Colony from the death of Edward Nott, in August, 1706 until the arrival of Lieutenant-Governor Alexander Spotswood, June 23, 1710.
" A John Lightfoot patented lands in "James Cittie" in 1624. The name has since been prominent in Virginia.
63
HUGUENOT EMIGRATION TO VIRGINIA.
€.
s.
d.
Matthew Page,48 -
-
-
.
5
O
0
Benj'n Harrison,"
-
-
.
.
5
O
0
Rob't Carter, 50
-
-
-
-
5
O
0
Peter Beverley,51
-
-
-
.
4
O
0
Miles Cary,
-
-
-
-
3
O
0
William Leigh,5ª
-
-
-
-
2
0
G. Corbin,58
-
-
-
2
O
Edwin Thacker, -
-
.
-
-
2
O
Nath. Harrison,54 -
-
-
-
-
2
O
0
48 Matthew Page, son of Colonel John and Alice (Luckin) Page, (emi- grants from Middlesex, England,) was born at Williamsburg, Va., in 1659; died January 9, 1703, in Gloucester county ; a member of the Council of Virginia, and of the original Board of Trustees of William and Mary College.
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