Hall

John Hall c. 1732 – 1794

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The Grandfathers

Vol.I, The Hall and Overstreet Families
Carrol Carman Hall, Springfield, IL, 1981

Section I

Chapter 3, Page 19
From his will of 1794

John Hall c. 1732 – 1794

Miller on Rockcastle Creek

It is common among Hall family searchers to say with a great deal of respect, ‘Our John Hall.’ This is the way they distinguish him from the numerous John Halls they meet with in their researches, within or outside the immediate family. Well, he was ‘quite a man.’ But — we are not descended from him. We are descended from his brother, Hezekiah, who is discussed later in this section. +We are including a section on John Hall because after the death of his father, William, in 1757 at the hands of the Cherokees, John became the head of the family. He is also included because he became the progenitor of many of ‘Our Southern Cousins’, also to be discussed in a subsequent chapter. John spent his life in Bedford county, Virginia and most of his descendants remained there – some to be found there two and half centuries later.

A serious error was made in establishing the family line by earlier researchers, an error the present writer hopes to correct. These family line seekers confused two Hezekiahs: John’s brother and John’s son. We are descended from Hezekiah, the brother not Hezekiah the son. These searchers used John’s Will of 1794 in which the name Hezekiah (his son) appeared; thus, the error.

Hearing

We first meet John testifying at the hearing held in Bedford county in connection with the death of his father, William. The hearing had been called by the authorities at Williamsburg to gather the facts of the incidents associated with the death of William Hall. It was held near the scene of the slaying. From the report of the hearing we can establish some important dates.

The hearing placed the first Indian engagement which led to the death of William as May 1, 1757 – thus, establishing a death date for the slaying of John’s father. It was recorded that John was about twenty-five years of age. He was likely a year or so younger, but we can establish an approximate birth year for him, c. 1732. His Will was made in 1794 and he died in the same year.

John’s sixty-odd years of life covered the colonial period, the French and Indian Wars, the years of American Revolution, and he lived just long enough to see the movement of settlers surge to the westward. Prior to his death he had made a Kentucky trip to see for himself what was going on. Although most of his own family never left Virginia: his grandsons and daughters moved out of Virginia going south and west.

Change

John Hall lived long enough to experience vast changes in Virginia’s governmental, religious and social systems. The church was to be completely separated from the state; the frontier religions were to become powerful forces in his own family and in the area where he lived. Methodism took a strong hold. The Baptist sect found many adherents.

Many formerly appointed government offices now became to be held by elected not chosen representatives. A new nation had been born and Virginia which had played such an important role in its forming was to furnish a great list of national leaders. Already, the great war time general, Washington, had been selected as the first President of the struggling United States.

John Hall survived the Indian Wars, the ‘alarms and excursions’ of the Revolution and lived through the various political and economic changes. During his relatively long life, he married, raised a family, dealt in land, operated a mill, and became involved in the institution of slavery.

Family

In his Will he calls his wife, Magdalene, and her maiden name has been reasonably well established as Smith – her mother was an Evans. Her line of descent appears to be through the Smith family of Quakers who pioneered in Bedford county and for whom Smith Mountain and Smith Lake were named. ++ John and Magdalene +++ had seven children to live to adulthood: five boys and two girls. There names were: John, William, Matthew, Jesse, Hezekiah, Elisha, Tabitha, and Keziah. A son David was killed as a youth at the mill.

(John’s son, Matthew, in making a deposition in 1845 for a Revolutionary War veteran, refers to his father dying in 1794 and also gives his own age as 78. This becomes one of the best date fixing bits of information about this family. In the same deposition, Matthew also refers to his father taking a trip to the west.)

Soon after his father’s death in 1757, John became the head of the family by the legal system of ‘primogeniture’; then operating in Virginia, as result of the colony’s English inheritance. By this system he inherited all his father’s property, the younger brothers and sisters getting nothing. As was the custom, he placed his younger brothers and sisters (Hezekiah was an exception) under the courts and they were called ‘orphans.’ In turn, they were placed in other homes – more on this later. The inventory of his father’s estate was made in 1759 but the final settlement was not completed until ten years later, 1769.

Business

How good was John’s management?

The final settlement indicated that the value of the estate had risen to 189 pounds, five shillings, 5 1/2 pence: John had paid out twenty-four pounds, five shillings and ten pence to settle the debts of his father. The faded records indicate that ‘by Sail of the Estate’ and the collection of some monies owed it, the original inventory of William Hall’s property was met within the amount of one pound.

Those listed as creditors paid up, although it took them four years to do it. In paying nearly 25 pounds all the estate’s accounts were cleared. No doubt, the cash represented in the estate paid the taxes: while the land itself would be productive in livestock and crops to provide the family subsistence.

John’s start in life would be real estate owned by his father, which would include a homestead. On this basis he participated in a series of land transactions in the upper Rock Castle Creek area and in neighboring parts of Bedford county. Not only did he buy and sell on his own account, but he arranged property transactions for his sons.

Real Estate

There may have been early estate problems as his father’s titles may not have been valid. While early Hall researchers spoke of ‘crown’ grants to William Hall, no record has been found. It appears that he bought lands that had been granted to the famous Randolph family and these transactions were handled through their land agent — Richard Stith. Years later, after John’s death, there appears a law suit by two of his older sons, Willaim and John, over the title of the original land obtained through Stith.

While it is difficult to sort out the numerous John Halls in early Bedford county history, it does appear that the John Hall under discussion, did enter several land transactions both to increase his holdings on Rockcastle Creek and some for speculation as land values increased following the Revolution. He did end up with several hundred acres of land. This land remained in the family for several generations and can be traced through the estates of his descendants.

In an instance or two he made a tidy profit on his land deals. In other words, he appears to be a shrewd business man. In other instances, he literally traded land, not making a profit, but rather gaining land where he wanted it. Apparently, he did assist his brother Hezekiah in obtaining land, as he guaranteed the payment for the Back Creek land on which Hezekiah spent his life. There appears no assistance for his younger brothers. It is likely he helped his sons in getting started as he gave them nominal property in his Will. Only his sons, Matthew and Elisha are given land at his death and this land was the Rockcastle Creek property.

As a miller, he did have access to additional income and/or the obtaining of the miller’s ‘tare’ for grain as foodstuffs for his family and animals. The Mill was an important item in his own estate in 1794. ++++

Neighbor

One measure of a man is his participation in the business affairs of his neighbors. From the abstracts of Wills, Inventories and Accounts for Bedford county, Virginia, 1754 – 1787 we get a fragmentary view of his activities.

At the settlement of the Mathew Talbot estate in 1763, John is listed as a creditor. (Talbot ranked high in the county.) On November 28, 1774, John Hall was one of the appraisers of the estate of Richard Cundiff. On the same date, he with other appointed officials, sold livestock to provide Mrs. Cundiff with cash for settling her affairs.

June 26, 1775 he was one of the appraisers of the estate of Ann Creel. Ann was related to the Cundiffs’. The Cundiff family were long-time neighbors of the Halls’ in the Rockcastle Creek vicinity. John Hall’s name is found on the tax rolls of Bedford county and from them we learn of the land he owned, something about his family and his general status as a pioneer in the area. He was, indeed, a substantial yeoman – a man of standing in his end of the country.

War

During the French and Indian Wars of the colonial period, John Hall is honored as a member of the militia. For his services he was paid for being both an active combatant and for furnishing supplies.

At the time of the Revolution he was a middle-aged man. Men of his age usually did not participate in active military units. If called for the militia, he could substitute one of his older sons. See: Bedford County, Virginia in the Revolution.

There is in existence several John Hall records of furnishing supplies for the Revolution. Since there was more than one John Hall in the county, it is difficult to determine to whom the records apply. There is one that is generally accepted in the family as applying to ‘our John Hall.’

Record

From the Bedford county order book, 1774-82, page 355, the following is obtained:

‘At a Court held for Bedford county, May 27th, 1782, at the House of David Wright.

“John Hall pvd. That he furnished ye sd Comr. 50 lb Bacon for which he is all’d 7 ½ d pr. lb.’

Since he was a prosperous man, he likely made other such contributions to the War. His sons, as a group, were too young to be active particpants. *

Will

For a good number of years, copies of John Hall’s Will have circulated among those who thought they were his descendants. Although, as previously explained, the Hall – Overstreet group are not his direct line, the Will is reproduced here as it contains some interesting side-lights on the basic family of his brother Hezekiah.

Test of Will

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN May 10th, 1794, I John Hall of Bedford County and State of Virginia being weak in body but of Perfect mind and memory thanks be to God for the same but calling to mind the mortality of men & knowing that it appointed to all men once to die, do make and Ordain this my Last Will & Testament. (Viz) in the manner & form as followeth Princepally & first of all I give & recommend my soul to God that First give it a being, & and my body to the earth from whence it was taken to be buried in decent form and that at the Discretion of my executors nothing doubting but but that I shall receive it again by the mighty Power of God at the General Resurrection and as Touching such Worldley Estate as the Lord hath blest me with in this life I give Demise & Dispose of the same in the following manner & form; first I give & bequeath unto my beloved wife Magdalane Hall all my negroes that I possess. (to wit) Jamis Patt Jude frank Joe Bitte Patt Pegge as long as she lives & at her death I give & bequeath unto my son Marthew Hall a Negroe Man James and a Negroe Woman named Patt, Item I give unto my son William Hall a Negro man named Joe. Item I give unto my son Elisha Hall a Negroe Wooman named Judge and a Negro man named Frank. Item I give unto my son Jesse Hall one feather bed & Cow & Calf. Item Give unto my son Hezekiah Hall one horse & saddle & 1 cow and calf. Item I give unto my son John Hall one shilling starling and no more Item I give to my Daughter Tabitha Hall one Negroe Girl named Pegge at my wifes death Likewise one Feather bed & cow & calf. Item I give unto my Daughter Keziah Hall, one Negroe Girl named Patt at my wifes death Likewise one Feather Bed & Cow & Calf. Item I give to my Beloved wife Magdalen Hall a third part of my land as long as she lives and to fall to Mathew Hall & Elisha Hall my two sons to be divided as followeth to with Marthew Hall is to have the upper end, beginning at the old mill seat and then down the said creek to the fence & then along sd. Fence to the branch that comes down from John Owens then up the said branch to owen’s line, and then follow his Line round to the beginning. Iten I give unto my son Elisha Hall the balance of all the Land I now Possess together with the mill, and also an equal part of all my moveable property. And it is my Will & Pleasure that the rest of my moveable properties be left in the hands of my wife, that she may divide it as she sees cause – Between Hezekiah Tabitha & Keziah Hall. & Lastly I nominate & appoint my wife magdalen Hall as Executer of this my Last Will & Testament. I do hereby utterly Disanull Revoke all & every other former Testament, Will Legases bequeaths and Executors by me in any wise before named willed & bequeathed. Rattifying & confirming this & no other to be my last will & testament.

John Hall

Signed sealed & Delivered
In the Presents of us -
William Hancock
John Hancock
John Hall, Junr.

At a Court held for Bedford County the 22nd day of September 1794 This Last Will & Testament of John Hall, Deceased was proved by oath of William Hancock & John Hancock Witnesses whose names are there unto subscribed & Ordered to be recorded.

Teste:
Ja Steptoe CBC
Will Book 2, Page 140

Discussion

Since the Will of John Hall, d. 1794, has played such a large part in the thinking of Hall – Overstreet family members, it is to be discussed at some length. Just as a measure of a man may be had from the inventory of his personal possessions, likewise some measure of a man can be had from his Will. In it we find the names of his children, the kind of property he possesses and how he wishes it to be distributed. In it he may reflect a personal attitude toward his children and his wife. Also, we may learn something of the times, as in this case the system of land measurement used by the colonials, priors to the modern system instituted under President Thomas Jefferson.

From John’s Will we definitely learn that he had a Mill on his Rockcastle Creek property. We may infer that it was a small one – possibly a grist Mill – but important for him and his family, as well as his relationship with his neighbors. The giving of the Mill to his youngest son, Elisha, insures to some extent the extension of its use for years to come. In the treatment of his sons, we note that the older ones did not receive land, but somewhat token inheritances. This may be interpreted that as they married, they may have been given land.

As for his two daughters, (they were married) at the time of his death and their husbands were expected to provide homes for them – thus, no mention of land. The personal type of things mentioned in the Will – a saddle, featherbeds, cows and calves, indicate that they still lived closed to the land and that humble possessions were still held highly in their thinking. His son, Hezekiah, is treated somewhat differently than the other boys; some family searchers believe that this son was never married. (The reader notes that the spelling of proper names and other terms reflects the lack of a disciplined language among these pioneers – their schooling was scant and erratic at best.)

Slavery

When the Will was first circulated among Hall-Overstreet descendants, the fact that slavery had existed in the Hall family came as a shock to many. Although in referring to John Hall’s group, we are referring to a ‘cousin’ family, it does bring slavery very close to home. The basic descendants who read the Will and preserved their copies of it, were mid-westerners and westerners by the time they stumbled on to this information. Their ancestors had no slaves, fought for the Union and lived in areas where slaves were virtually unknown. It should be recalled that John Hall’s immediate family and their descendants stayed in the South, moved West below the Ohio River and supported both slavery and the CSA until that issue was decided by the Civil War. See: Our Southern Cousins. Also, Slavery in the Hall Family in the appendix.

Slavery evidently came into the area where the Hall-Overstreet families in Virginia lived, between the time of William Hall, d. 1757 and John Hall, d. 1794. A change had come in the basic agriculture (tobacco at this time) and the attitudes of a people who had originally sought more personal freedom for themselves. This change was to have a profound effect during the holocaust of 1861 – 1865.

These smaller plantation operators in Bedford county (John consistently paid taxes on 650 A. of land) did not own large groups of slaves; usually from six to fifteen. We note from the Will that they are treated as personal property and in total value represented a considerable portion of the ownership. Each has a given name only and they are of both sexes. From the record we determine their ages — but some of the same names show up in the estates of John’s children many years later.

Wife

Magdalene, John’s wife, lived on after him for over thirty years. This indicates that she was a much younger woman, giving rise to some speculation that she may have been his second wife and mother of the younger children. If she had a Quaker background as indicated by her Smith line, then like many others of that persuasion, they accepted slavery when it became a social symbol and of monetary value.

Because Magdalene lived so long, it is apparent that most of the provisions of John’s Will became meaningless. If fact, her long life caused nearly all the Principal’s of his document, witnesses, etc. to also be dead. Consequently, the legality of the estate was handled through the Sherif’s office (?) and an Administrator appointed by the Court. It remained for her son-in-law, Benjamin B. Musgrove, husband of her daughter, Keziah, to handle it. Among those purchasing slaves from the estate were other family members, chiefly John’s sons who had an inherited interest in his real estate. Magdalene, because of her long life, may have been incompetent prior to her death, thus the legal entanglements.

By the time of her death, members of John’s family were scattered, having migrated to Tennessee, Mississippi and other southern areas. It is through Musgrove’s contacts with them in the estate matters that we learn more of what became of them. Surprisingly, there was considerable property yet in the estate to be dealt with. Magdalene after John’s death likely made her home with her son, Elisha, who acted as head of the family in some matters. Elisha stayed on Rockcastle Creek during all those years and was to die in 1840. The brother, Matthew, who also inherited home place property, spent some years away from Virginia, in Kentucky, but returned to spend his final years on the home place. **

Marriages

We have a partial record of the marriages of John’s children and considering the events of the years, we are, indeed, lucky in this respect. It should be remembered that the customs changed during the Revolution and John’s group came of age in the years when the colonial period was over. They lived in a back area some distance from the county seat and legal matters were handled in a casual manner. Certainly the Civil War was not inducive to record keeping, lawyers scarce and not well-informed and families not inclined to take such matters too seriously. In general, Bedford county did a relatively good job in this respect.

Summary

John Hall, d. 1794, by standards of his time was a successful man. He raised a family, he acquired land and he was a man of property. How he did this is another question. First, he inherited all his father’s property (William, d. 1757), by the systems of ‘primogeniture’ he did not have to share it with his younger brothers and sisters. Under the law of the time, they were called ‘orphans’ and by court orders placed in the homes of others. See section on: Our Southern Cousins – Part I, The family of William Hall.

He became a slave owner. In spite of his large family, he needed help both on his land and at the Mill. His energy problem was solved by the use of slave labor. In so doing, he was merely following the pattern that had developed a century earlier in Virginia. This step was to have a marked effect on his descendants.

Of his family we have only knowledge of his relationship with our ancestor and his brother, Hezekiah. It appears that Hezekiah was so near the legal age of 21, that by the time the estate of William Hall was finally settled (1769), he was not a minor and therefore not an ‘orphan.’ Since it appears that both John and Hezekiah married late, that following the death of their father, they worked together building up John’s holdings on Rockcastle Creek. Later, John was to help Hezekiah acquire his land on Back Creek.

Marriage Bond Date

***29, 1794
John Hall, d. 1794, Family
Hall, Mathew and Mary Banks ****
dau., Samuel
Levi Best, Surety
Mar. by Rev. John Ayers *****
January 1, 1795

Dec. 15, 1796
Musgrove, Benjamin B. and Kezia Hall
Dau. Magdalean
Elisha Hall, Surety
Mar. by Rev. Wm. Johnson *****
Dec. 25, 1796

27, 1797
Hall Jesse and Elizabeth Williams
John Thrasher, Surety
Mar. by Rev. Wm. Johnson
March 1, 1797

Oct. 14, 1799
Brown, Shadrack and Tabitha Hall
Dau. Magdalean
Elisha Hall, Surety
Mar. by Rev. John Ayers
Oct. 17, 1799

24, 1800
Hall, Elisha and Sarah Best
dau. Drusala
Levi Best, Surety

+ In the text he will be indicated as John Hall, d. 1794, to avoid confusing the party or parties under discussion.
++ Read more on this in the Discussion on Hezekiah Hall, 1741-1811.
+++ Her name may have been (Mary) Magdalene Smith – but appears in the records only as Magdalene, which spelled in a number of different ways.
++++ For those interested the files on this history contain more specific information on the various land transactions.
* Other John Hall items from the Bedford Order Book, 1774 – 1782.
p. 247 John Hall, 35 pounds of bacon
p. 351 John Hall, 585 pounds beef; 5 diets, 2 pecks corn.
** Estate settlement. The amounts are now recorded (1833) in dollars not English pounds. Purchases of the slaves, principally family members gave notes as cash was a scare commodity. The clerks and appraisers were paid for their work, no longer a voluntary job. The furniture and beds brought $11.50. The court-appointed administrator recived, $5.00
*** Hinshaw, Quaker Geneal. Vol. VI, Virginia
**** Only recorded Banks marriage in Hall family
***** Pioneer Methodist ministers.

Use of [the above] Text Material

COPYRIGHT. —the material in Vols. I and II of THE GRANDFATHERS is not copyrighted, except as the term is understood in common law.

Therefore, the reader(s) of these volumes is free to copy, steal and lift for his or her own personal use any of the contents. In fact, the author will feel greatly complimented if by chance anyone would read it and honored if its contents were worth borrowing without pay.

Works such as THE GRANDFATHERS are for personal satisfaction not money — although they are among the most valuable writings that can be left for future generations. They are the true histories of a people.

The material in these volumes was obtained by relentless searching, voluminous correspondence, library haunting, travel, expenditure of money and lifting from others’ works. Most of all, by the graciousness and forebearance of those who were contacted in person or by letter. The greatest factor of all was TIME of which un-godly amounts were used in its composition.

Carrol Carman Hall, Springfield, IL, USA 1981

1. Carrol Carman Hall, “The Grandfathers Hall-Overstreet Families,” The Grandfathers, n.d., http://www.illinoisancestors.org/menard/fam/ho_toc2.html#ACK.

William Hall 1707? – 1757

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This page is under development; research is on-going

Note: additional source materials are currently being sought.

The Immigrant Grandfather

Source: The Grandfathers

The death of William Hall on the first of May, 1757 at the hands of the Cherokee Indians, not only thrust upon John Hall, his oldest son, the responsibility of heading the family but also the settling and managing of his estate.

Many of the old-timers made their Wills on their deathbeds, but in the case of William Hall, death came suddenly and as a consequence he had no Will.

Fortunately, Bedford county which had been organized just three years prior to the fateful Spring of 1757 had established a government capable of handling probate matters. The colonial system of ‘Primogeniture’ automatically made the oldest son, John, recipient of the estate. The county Justices then appointed three citizens to make an inventory and appraisel of the personal property. In this case, the appraisers were men who had been in the fatal skirmish on the banks of the Staunton River.

Inventory

From the estate of William Hall of Bedford county, Virginia, December 29, 1758 we learn – that he had personal property estimated to be worth 147 pounds, one shilling and nine pence. Fort the times, the place and in a pioneer society this was an appreciable amount of property.

Let’s take a look at it: Here is what he owned exclusive of real estate: these are the things the family used; the livestock they owned; their crops; their tools and household furnishings. It is an intimate glimpse of pioneer life in Virginia in the mid-1700s.

author’s (Carrol Carman Hall) note: We have only incidental information about Wm.’s Real Estate. We know its location and that it was originally Randolph land, purchased through Richard Stith, a Randolph kin and land agent. This information comes from a study of his son John’s land transactions from 1758 – 1794.

AN INVENTORY of the Estate of William Hall, Dec’d, appraised December 29th, 1758. Be we the Subscribers. +

(Pds. Shil. Pen.)
To 26 Head of Cattle Cur’t Money 20 16 0
To 3 Horses 16 0 0
To 1 Mare & fold 5 10 0
To 1 Horse 4 10 0
To 1 Waggon l0 0 0
To 1 ditto and Harness 12 0 0
To 2 Mattocks 6 0
To 2 Sets of Plow Irons & Clovises 1 7 0
To 130 lbs. of Iron 2 1 0
To 2 Pair of Dung forks 1 set of fire tongs 5 0
To a Parcel of Old Iron 6 0
To 3 Narrow Axes 11 3
To 4 Old Sickles 2 Siths 5 0
To a Parcel of Carpenters Tools 1 0 0
To 5 Horse Bells 1 5 0
To 2 Rifel Guns 6 10 0
To lot of Silver 2 12
To Treasury Notes 19 0 0
To a Gilt Trunk 7 0
To 11 Books 16 6
To 5 Dishes 5 Plates 3 Basons 9 Spoons 1 17 0
To 3 Knives & forks 7 0
To 1 pair of Wool Cards 1 6
To 1 Box Iron & 2 Heaters 9 0
To l Large Chest 1 pair Shears 6 6
To 1 Linen Wheal and Hackell 10 6
To 11 Small Hogs 1 pr Small Stillars 1 12 0
To 1 Juggs Womans Saddle & C Bridle 17 0
To 1 Feather Bed & Bolster Bedsted Cord 2 15 0
To 2 Bolsters 2 Blanketts 1 Old Bedstick one Bedstead & Cord 3 10 0
To 1 Bed Bolster & Rugg 4 Sheet Bedsted Cord 1 10 0
To a Parcel of Tand Leather 15 0
To 1 Looking Glass 2 6
To 3 Pots & four Pair of Hooks 1 1 6
To 1 Sifter 2 0
To 2 Piggins a Pail a Churn & an Old Tubb 10 0
To 1 Claw Hammer & an Old Jugg 3 0
To 1 Pair of Wedges & Mauldings 6 0
To 1 Powdering Set 5 0
To a Pair of Wheals 1 3
To 1 Set of Shomakers Tools 7 0
To 1 Mare 2 Years old Colt & 1 year old Colt 6 0 0
To 5 Cow Hides 1 3 0
To 3 Hogsheads & a Large Tubb 6 0
To a Parcel of oats in the Straw 10 0
To a Parcel of Hemp 12 0
To 25 Barrels of Corn 10 0 0
To 1 Fodder Stack 7 6
To Hacks & Blades 15 0
To a Grindstone 7 0
To 1 pair of Cotton Cards 3 0
To 1 Pewter Bason 1 6
To 1 Iron Bell 6 6
To 1 Old ? & tea Cups 7 6
To Broken Hemp at ? 2 0
To 1 Shote at ? 2 0
To 1 1000 lbs of Pork 6 6 6
To 150 Weight of Tobacco 1 3 0
To 30 pd Treasury Note 147 1 9
Due to the Estate of Wm. Bennet 7 0 0
Due by Wm Swanson 3 5 0
  • Augustine Leftwhich ++)
  • William Verdeman ) Apprs
  • John Wheler )

At a Court held for Bedford County, Nov. 26th, 1759 the Inventory & appraisments Annexced were Returned & Ordered to be Record Teste Ben Howard CBC

  • Truly Recorded
  • Teste
  • Ben Howard CBC
  • Estate

There you have it! A Virginia pioneer’s personal property in the mid-1700s. Note: no slaves. This is what John Hall, d. 1794 inherited. He was not obligated to the younger family members and we do not know if his mother was living — likely not, as she would have the widow’s dower rights, of which we have no record.

In addition, John would inherit the land which became the Hall family base for the next 100 years. He was not clear in this inventory and Appraisement; he had to collect what was owed the estate and what it owed. This took a long time. The estate was not finally settled until 1769 at which time the last of the ‘orphans’ would be of legal age and/or married. There would be a possibility that John might die in the interim. His marriage – the date of which we do not know – may have been delayed because of property matters.

The writer (Carrol Carman Hall) assumes that John and his brother, Hezekiah, managed the property; possibly adding the Mill on Rockcastle Creek.

William Hall – from this estate – cannot be considered a poor man, although he would not be in the class with the Virginia gentry of that period. He would be in the yeoman class, a notch lower in the pecking order. We can only surmise that in migrating from Pennsylvania to Virginia he had to liquidate considerable property to make the move. His son, John, was getting a good start in life and as will be shown later, he proved to be a good manager and was himself a successful man in the standards of the period and in the area of Virginia in which he lived.

Family

As soon as the estate matters were under way, John following the custom of the times had to take careof his younger brothers and sisters. This he did by having them placed in foster homes. So, in 1759 they were classified as ‘orphans’ by court order. The actual obtaining of the homes was done by the church wardens. This indicates that at that point in time, the Hall family were members of the established church that dominated all affairs in the colony of Virginia — the Anglican.

From this 1759 placement of the ‘orphans’ we learn the names of the younger family members. They were:

  • Elisha
  • Charles
  • William
  • Thomas
  • Sarah
  • Rebecca
  • Susanna

As in all legal matters, the boys are listed first, presumably in order of their ages; then the girls are listed in order of their ages.

It is likely that John, Hezekiah and several of the younger children were born in Pennsylvania with only the very youngest being born in Virginia. If the mother was not living, she may have died during the last childbirth. +++

This group – what little is known of them – is discussed in Part I of the section titles: Our Southern Cousins, to be found later in this volume.

Brothers

John would now have to manage alone until he married; but marriage would have to be delayed. So, the author makes a bold assumption at this point. John kept his next oldest brother with him on the home place. That brother was Hezekiah, the ancestor of the Hall-Overstreet family of this history. In turn, John was to aid Hezekiah in his start in life which would be the purchase of the Back Creek property in 1762. They honored each other in the naming of their children.

+ oldest known Hall family document. The author (Carrol Carman Hall) assumes no resposiblity in identifying the articles inventoried or their spelling – nor their present-day value as antiques!

++ Augustine Lefwhich, 1712-1795, of the Va. Militia in the French and Indian Wars was father of Col. Wm Lefwhich, 1737-1820 of the Amer. Revol. – SAR genealogies of Va. Prominent Bedford family.

+++ One family researcher has suggested that Wm’s wife was a member of the Stover (Stovel) family known to have lived in the area of Pennsylvania from which Wm. supposedly migrated.

Use of [the above] Text Material

COPYRIGHT. —the material in Vols. I and II of THE GRANDFATHERS is not copyrighted, except as the term is understood in common law.

Therefore, the reader(s) of these volumes is free to copy, steal and lift for his or her own personal use any of the contents. In fact, the author will feel greatly complimented if by chance anyone would read it and honored if its contents were worth borrowing without pay.

Works such as THE GRANDFATHERS are for personal satisfaction not money — although they are among the most valuable writings that can be left for future generations. They are the true histories of a people.

The material in these volumes was obtained by relentless searching, voluminous correspondence, library haunting, travel, expenditure of money and lifting from others’ works. Most of all, by the graciousness and forebearance of those who were contacted in person or by letter. The greatest factor of all was TIME of which un-godly amounts were used in its composition.

Carrol Carman Hall, Springfield, IL, USA 1981

1. Carrol Carman Hall, “The Grandfathers Hall-Overstreet Families,” The Grandfathers, n.d., http://www.illinoisancestors.org/menard/fam/ho_toc2.html#ACK.

John Hall- Revolutionary Mysteries

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I am currently working on a portion of the Henss family and am ‘visiting’ Virginia/ Maryland at the time of the Revolutionary War.  The person I am closely examining is a Mister John Hall;  his wife is Mary Magdelene Smith.  I just love it when the names are so incredibly unique!

So here goes, I have three mysteries!

Please use our Contact page to let me know if you have any firm data or information to help solve these!

Mystery 1

I found a document (located in the National Archives) addressed to ‘some guy’ named George Washington.  [SinglePic not found]

The document is transcribed as the following in Letters to Washington and Accompanying Papers. Published by the Society of the Colonial Dames of America. Edited by Stanislaus Murray Hamilton:

Sworn to this 27th. day of August 1757 –

BALTIMORE COUNTY SS The Deposition of Thos. Hudson, taken before me the subscriber one of his Lordship’s Justices of the peace for the County aforesd. in the Province of Maryland; who being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists declares. That he this Dept. was present with Mr. Nathaniel Gist & John Hall when the said John Hall was going to sign his assent to being Enlisted in his Majesties Service; That the said John hall on taking the Pen in his Hand, said I will not sign for any more than Six months, Upon which said Mr. Gist made answer, Thats what I want; (or thats what I desire) but which of those words this Dept. can’t exactly remember. That Mr. Saml. Owings a Magistrate for this County was then also present; and on the said John Hall going to sign as aforesd.–Said unto the aforesd. Nathl. Gist, this Boy is too Young; to which the said Gist made answer he was the highth of their Standard; and farther Saith not –

… before
… BUXTON GAY

A Brief Look at John’s Genealogy

The genealogy I have for John Hall and Mary Magdelene Smith is:

John Hall

  • b:1732 Chester, Pa.
  • d:1794 Bedford, Va.
  • m:1759 Bedford, Va.

Mary Magdelene Smith (wife)

  • b:1734 Bedford, Va.
  • d:1833 Bedford, Va.

My thoughts are that since Baltimore, Maryland is in a straight line between Chester, Pa. and Bedford, Va (and is approximately in the middle), well you get the point; this could be my John Hall.

The real question is: Does anyone have any hard information on this subject?

And..as if that were not enough, I also have the following for a John Hall (again any firm data or ideas are most appreciated).

Mystery Two

Letters of Delegates to Congress: Volume 18 March 1, 1781 – August 31, 1781 John Hanson to John Hall

My Dear sir Philadelphia June 4th 1782 I inclose you the two last papers-the Accounts given of the battle in west Indias are upon the whole rather unfavourable yet there are some Circumstances that render their Authenticity some what Doubtful. No official Account is yet come to hand at New York and it is reasonable to suppose if their Account be true that a Communication of a matter of Such Importance, to their Commander in Chief here would not have been so long delayed. There are other favourable Circumstances and I hope for the best, but am afraid the french have received so much damage in the Action, as will prevent the intended Attack on Jamaica at least for a time. An embarkation of Troops at New York is talked of, and a number of Transports it is said are going from thence to take of the Garrison at Charles Town. We hear nothing from Sir Guy. I very Sincerely wish you may Adopt the five per Ct Duty in the manner recommended by Congress, because I think an impost on all imported goods is a mode of Taxation the easiest that can be proposed. The Merchants in the first Instance pay, the people insensibly refund, every man pays in proportion to what he Chuses to Consume. The Extravagant man pays for his folly and the foreigners And strangers Among us are made to Contribute.
I sincerely wish you health and happiness, being my Dear sir, your friend & most humble Servt. John Hanson

RC (MdHi: Gilmor Collection).

…AND…

Mystery Three

Letters of Delegates to Congress: Volume 5 August 16, 1776 – December 31, 1776- Benjamin Rumsey to John Hall?

Sir (1) Joppa 19th Decr. 1776 Engaged in the Commission and the Business thereof in which we met with great Difficulties & Interruption I never attended Congress till this Day Week and should not then as the Business remained unfinished had I not heard Mr. Tilghman and Mr. Carroll had gone Home and left the Province unrepresented.(2)

When I got into Congress where I came determind to stay ’till the last Extremity, altho exceeding inconvenient to me, I found that Congress had two or three Days before that determined by the Advice of their Generals to remove from thence to Baltimore, Upon a presumption that the Enemy being possessed of the Jersey above by marching Parties opposite the City might make a push in the Night in Conjunction with the Tories and seise the Persons of the Congress, and this might have been done with great Facility as the City Militia had all marched to join General Washington.

The Enemy are posted on the Banks of the Delaware at Trentown and from thence have pushed their parties as low as Burlington and as high as Penny Town. They are commanded by General Howe who has with him it is supposed the whole Brittish Force that can be spared from their Conquests and are thought to amount to about thirteen Thousand Men.
General Washington had not when we came away above 5000 Men with the Junction of the Militia posted on the opposite Banks with forty Peices of Cannon. Genl. Lee was posted about 25 Miles in the Rear of the British Army at a place called Chattam about 3 miles from Morris Town with a large Body of Forces composed of a Detachment from the Northern Army Troops returning from Ticonderoga and encreasing daily with the Jersey Militia Numbers unknown to me but between 5000 and 12,000 from whence he has positive Orders to march and join Genl Washington very injudiciously in my Opinion but the Slowness of the coming in of the Militia in the State of Pennsylvania possibly may justify the Measure.
If the Militia would join Genl. Washington in such Numbers as to make him strong enough in Front to prevent the Enemy’s crossing Delaware and taking Philada. Lee by strong Detachments may cut off all their Supplies and destroy the British Army without striking a Blow or if they decamp expose them to two fires in Front and Rear.

My Colleagues Colo. Contee and Mr. Hanson have just parted from me after finishing our Business as far as we could to lay before your Honours and this in some Measure will account to you for my not writing.

I understood that as the Pennsylvania Militia rather moved slow the Congress had come into a Resolution to request the Militia of our State to march to the Assistance of Genl. Washington. I understood too Col. Ewing undertook voluntarily to bring them up and rode away without any written Orders; my Intelligence was from One of the Officers of our Army. You know Colo. Ewing (I presume the Congress do) and eer this or at their first setting at Baltimore You will receive a written Requisition.

I heard Mr. Chase tell Mr. Robt. Morris that all our sick, the Baggage of the Congress and even Mr. Morris’s Effects which are pretty considerable would be removed with Ease as he had wrote for Vessells to transport them but none were at the Head of Elk as I came by, at least they pressed Colo. Aquila Halls Vessell for that purpose. How Mr. Chase has transacted this whether in a public or private Capacity I cant tell, he can best answer it.

I had just received Orders from the Brigr. Genl. to give my Battallion Notice to hold itself in Readiness (If I am yet a Colo. which I doubt of from Report) and in Letters to the Officers was communicating that Intelligence when the Express brought to me your Letter directed here by the honorable John Hancock Esqr. on his Way to Baltimore. I much approve of your giving the Militia Notice to hold themselves in Readiness but I now tell you that will be totally useless without more, that they are without Arms, Blanketts many of them & Baggage Waggons with a numerous &ca. that ought to be supplied them before or on their March, and that they ought really to be better supplied than other Troops especially at this severe Season. I have advertised the 8th Battallion that if I am still their Colo. I will with the greatest alacrity do myself the Honour to march at their Head if the Province is represented without me.

A Doubt may arise with You respecting the Reason of the Tardiness of Pennsylvania. You know great Part of Philada., Bucks and Chester are Tories and the Councill of Safety of Pennsylvania have cried Wolf, Wolf two or three Times falsly to the back Counties and now the Wolf is really come they think it still a false Alarm. They are distracted too abt. the State of their Governmt., People being of various Opinions about it.
I have opened Mr. Presidents Letter (3) but shall seal and send it by Express to Baltimore to Mr. Chase who I expect by this Time is there. Seamen were much wanted and your Orders in sending the Seamen will be very agreeable to Congress. For if Philadelphia should ever be taken by some Coup de Main of the Enemy, wch. by the by a well manned Frigate will render much more difficult, there being no Ships of the Enemy in Delaware Bay, the Frigates and a great Quantity of Stores may be saved thereby.
You are also requested by me to inform Mr. President that it has not been either with my privity, Consent or Knowledge that Individuals have been applied to, that I am exceedingly sensible it rather tends to delay Business and that he and the whole Board I hope will acquit me of any Design in being Wanting in Respect to the cheif executive Power in the State, the Dignity of which I was always strenuous in supporting while I had the Honour of Seat there and still am ‘tho I have not thot I am (besides my Love for my Country), added to other Motives, actuated- by a Friendship and Esteem for the Individuals of that Board that will always induce me to treat them with the Utmost Respect, Esteem and Regard.
I am Sir, Your most humble Servt. Benjamin Rumsey

RC (MdHi).
1 Perhaps John Hall, vice president of the Maryland Council of Safety. Rumsey obviously directed this letter to a member of the council of safety and in the course of it twice mentions “Mr. President,” Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer.
2 Matthew Tilghman and Charles Carroll, Barrister, are known to have been in Philadelphia as late as December 9, the day they and Samuel Chase requested money for the removal of sick troops to Maryland. Tilghman and Carroll apparently left soon afterward, leaving only Chase and William Paca to represent Maryland, which until February 15, 1777, required the presence of three delegates to cast the state’s vote in Congress. See William Paca to the Maryland Council of Safety, December 7, 1776, note 3; and JCC, 7:111.
3 Probably the council’s December 15 letter to the Maryland delegates. See Md. Archives, 12:530-31.

Keziah Hall (Musgrove)

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This page is under development; research is on-going

Note: additional source materials are currently being sought.

Keziah Hall (Musgrove) 1782

In her father’s Will of 1794, Keziah, his youngest child, was given ‘one Negroe Girl named Patt at my wifes death Likewise one Feather Bed & Cow & Calf.’ Since her mother lived to 1833, it is problematical that she ever received her slave. She may have received the bedding and livestock as wedding presents.

Keziah, named for her aunt Keziah (Banks) Hall wife of Hezekiah, d. 1811, was married to Benjamin Barton Musgrove 15 December, 1796 at the age of 14. In spite of her youthful marriage, Keziah, according to a family descendant, ‘was quite a woman!’ She was to have a family of twelve children, to live and maintain the family ‘plantation’ for nearly a quarter-century following her husband’s death, to look after other family members and live through most of the Civil War. ^

According to one of his descendants, Benjamin B. Musgrove came to Virginia from Maryland and settled down on the Staunton River. ^^ He had a number of full brothers and sisters in Bedford county and a number of half-brothers, some of whom settled in the Shenandoah Valley. The Musgrove family for many years was prominent in the affairs at the southern edge of Bedford county and Benjamin Musgrove acquired much land, many slaves and numerous relatives through his large family.

Family

It was commonly said among the old-timers of Bedford county that, ‘the Musgroves were so doubled and twisted that you couldn’t unravel them!’ This homey reference to the family and yarn is literally true, as was revealed by this study into family as regards the Hall – Musgrove – Wilkerson – and other family combinations. As late as 1980, correspondents to the author have discovered relationships that they did not know existed. As in case of many southern families that resided for long periods of time in an isolated, rural area there were many ‘cousin’ marriages extending through the first to third generations and later. This was the result of limited contacts among the younger family members and in some cases they were made to keep ownership of properties intact in the families.

The family can be ‘unraveled’ but it takes a bit of doing. This job has been left to family descendants, which are numerous and widely scattered, although considerable numbers of them still are to be found in Virginia. Of especial interest to this volume is the fact that as time went on, descendants of the Musgrove family were marrying into the families of Keziah’s brothers, especially those of Mathew, d. 1855, and Elisha, d. 1840, because they had remained in the Rockcastle Creek area of Bedford county – the home base of the John Hall, d. 1794, family.

Musgroves

By inheritance and purchase, the Musgroves until the Civil War and for a generation or so afterwards owned large amounts of land in the Staunton River area. Farming on this bottom land was hard and frequently crops were lost in the Spring floods. The Musgrove men as a group were especially noted for their of horses and were exceptionally kind in their treatment and care of the animals. So much so, that many of their horses became blind from a diabetic condition brought about by overfeeding them with corn. One of the Musgroves’, known as “Big Ben” (Benjamin B. Musgrove Jr., 1822 – 1902), was found dead in his barn from dropsy, where he had spent many hours with his horses.

Women

In his delightful book, Cause and Effect, in which he reminisces about Bedford county, D. Claytor Brooks has this to say about the Hall – Musgrove – Wilkerson relationships:

“Up the River (the Staunton) from Anthony’s Ford — was the Musgrove land – quite a large estate.”Somewhere among the Musgroves’ land lived some Wilkersons. In those days all the Wilkerson men married Musgrove women. Someone said that the Wilkersons were lazy and the Musgroves were hard workers, so they married Musgrove women so that they would wait upon them. Be that as it may, they have become so well blended by now that there isn’t much discernible difference. There were not enough Wilkerson men to marry all the Musgrove women, so there is Musgrove blood in folks of many names around here (including mine).

“Somewhere alongside the Musgroves lived a family of Halls … the Halls owned several hundred acres across the head waters of Mill Creek …” (Mill Creek is a later name for Rockcastle Creek, possibly a tributary to the main stream.)

Patriarch

The patriarch of the group was of course, Benjamin B. Musgrove, 1774 – 1840, who had married Keziah Hall in 1796. We learn of him again in 1833. In that year Magdalene, Keziah’s mother, died and Musgrove was appointed by the Bedford county court as Executor. Being a man of property he could qualify with a proper bond. Other Hall family members were involved in the settlement and a complete record of the proceedings is in the records. Since Magdalene had lived nearly thirty years after the death of her husband, John Hall, d. 1794, the settlement was complicated.

The settlement of Musgrove’s estate which extended through the year 1842 lists fourteen slaves and we know their names and valuations placed on each of them. The total for them was about $5,000 of which slaves to the value of over $1600 were allotted to the widows dowry. There are some interesting side-lights to this procedure and they will be discussed in the section: The Hall Family and Slavery, in the appendix.

The widow, Keziah, received 137 acres of land for her share and a remaining two hundred fifty-six acres was allotted to the twelve children. All told by the sale of some land and a few of the negroes and when the expenses of probate were deducted, each of the children, as heirs, along with their mother received $397.07 each.

Family

It will be impossible to give all the known details on this family. They were deeply involved in slavery and in the Civil War – some incidents to be given in the special sections devoted to those subjects.

In order to ‘unravel’ a large chart on the family has been prepared and will be place in the files of the Illinois State Historical Library at Springfield. In addition, important correspondence by other researchers of the family will be filed.

To conclude this section the children of Benjamin B. and Keziah (Hall) Musgrove will be listed giving synoptic form some information about each of them:

The Musgrove Family of Bedford County Virginia
(compiled from marriage, estate and other legal records, family
correspondence, etc.

1. Musgrove, Christopher, 1798-1870, m.1, 1826, Elizabeth Best Jones: m.2 Harriet Ashworth. Slave story in family. Cousin marriages into the Elisha Hall family. Elisha, brother of Christopher’s mother, Keziah.
2. Musgrove, Rev. Henry, 1800-1869, m. Elizabeth Craig in 1816. Ran away from home; lived in Ohio, Ill. and Ia. Died in Ia. Cousin marriages in this family.
3. Musgrove, Magdalean, 1804 – , m. 1827 William Wilkerson. ^*^
4. Musgrove, Rebekah Hall, 1805 – , m. Hal L. Pearson, 1824
5. Musgrove, John Hall, 1806 – 1888; m. 1 Lucy Lazenby, m.2 Lucy Cunningham.
6. Musgrove, Rachel, 1808 – 1889, m. 1830, Owen Wilkerson
7. Musgrove, Keziah Stover, 1811 – 1892; m. 1828 Wm Lockett Wilkerson.
Slave story in this family. Civil War. Cousin marriages.
8. Musgrove, Minerva, 1822 – ; m. 1. 1837, Harrison W. Baker; m. 2. ________ Swain.
9. Musgrove, Benjamin B. Jr., 1822 – 1902; m. 1842, Sarah (Sally) Ann English.
10. Musgrove, Demetrious P., 1826 – 1865; m. 1846 Martha H. Watson.
11. Musgrove, Millicent, 1827 – ; m. 1, 1843, Henry B. Anthony; m. 2. Thomas Mitchell
12. Musgrove, Tabitha, 1832, ; m. 1 1836, John Sun Gill; m. 2, Parmaris English. Cousin marriage in family.

Some tracing in this family through the seventh generation from William Hall, d. 1757.

The English and Anthony families were considered by some residents of southern Bedford county as leading families – above average.

Benjamin B. Musgrove, Sr., had ancestors who fought in the American Revolution.

Elizabeth Craig, wife of Rev. Henry Musgrove was born in Germany

Typical cousin marriages – (not all accounted for)

When Dr. Hugh Brown Wilkerson, 1856-1929, son of Keziah (#7 on list married Ellen Rebecca Mount, 1859-1940, he was marrying a grand-daughter of Rev. Henry Musgrove(#2 on list.).

The marriage of Christopher Musgrove (#1 on list) to Elizabeth Best Jones was a marriage of two persons who were first cousins to the children of Elisha Hall, d. 1840. Christopher through his mother and Elizabeth or Eliza through Elisha’s wife who was a Best.

John Henry Gill, son of Tabitha Musgrove (#12 on list) married Mary Rebecca Wilkerson, daughter of Keziah Musgrove (#7 on list) he was marrying a first cousin.

Many of the Musgrove family marriages were performed by Rev. Abner Anthony. Here is what D.C. Brooks said about him in Cause and Effect, p. 19.

“Rev. Abner Anthony licensed to preach in 1826, was active 50 years until 1876 he performed his first marriage on May 28, 1827. He performed 999 ceremonies. Anthony had a large estate and owned many slaves.”

+The author thinks, but does not know, that the John Hall, Jr., was a son of a John Hall, brother to William Hall, d. 1757. In 1794, John Hall, Jr., became a licensed Baptist preacher in Bedford county and died in 1799. He was a carpenter. Our Hezekiah, d. 1811, then the oldest of the Bedford Hall clan was the Executor of John Jr.’s modest estate.
++using the order of names as given by a grandson of John, d. 1794.
+++William Hall may have lived in Franklin Co. Va. prior to 1818.
++++Other Civil War stories will be told later in this section.
+++++also Matthew
*see section on William Hall d. 1757
**From the History of the Morgan Church, Bedford Co., Va.
***James P. Marshall, a descendant, was Sheriff of Bedford Co., Va. for twenty-seven years.
****The name Elisha was the most common given name for males in all branches of the Hall family. Unless carefully noted, the name can cause much confusion in patterning out the history of the group.
*****Comments: Elisha had 10 children, one not shown, Magdalena, who may be dead in 1840. The writer believes that this is a good listing of the family in birth order, as the Commissioners likely took them in order of age. No wife is listed for Elisha, Jr., nor for Banks B. in 1840, although he is known to have married later. The names in parentheses indicate family name of respective spouses.
Only information on daughter not given land:
22 Jan 1827 Greer (Green), Jas. & Magdalena Hall
dau. Elisha
Jas. K. Shaver, Surety
Mar. by Rev. Wm. Leftwich
^and marrying off her daughters
^^he may not have lived in Maryland but his ancestors did.
^^^D.(Dabney) Claytor Brooks, Cause and Effect, Carleton Press, NYC, 1972. A Bedford county, Va., historian, visited by the author and voluminous correspondence between them. As result, he is somewhat of a clearing house for other family searchers.
^^^^At the time Brooks wrote his book, he didn’t know of the exact family relationships. Recently, he has discovered a closer relationship with the Halls in his own line – I warned him!
^^^^^The writer does not accept the 1774 birthdate for Musgrove. He thinks it was 1780. Keziah and Benjamin married – he believes – almost as children; 14 and 16 years of age respectively. Their first child was not born until two years after the marriage – unusual for those times. Using the 1774 date causes some confusion among those studying the Musgrove family line.
^*^Wilkersons related; Wm. L. and Owen – half-brothers sons of a Joseph Wilkerson. Wm. grandson of Joseph.

  1. “Hall-Overstreet: Section VI,Chapter 21,Page 225,” http://www.illinoisancestors.org/menard/fam/ho_21.html.
Use of [the above] Text Material

COPYRIGHT. —the material in Vols. I and II of THE GRANDFATHERS is not copyrighted, except as the term is understood in common law.

Therefore, the reader(s) of these volumes is free to copy, steal and lift for his or her own personal use any of the contents. In fact, the author will feel greatly complimented if by chance anyone would read it and honored if its contents were worth borrowing without pay.

Works such as THE GRANDFATHERS are for personal satisfaction not money — although they are among the most valuable writings that can be left for future generations. They are the true histories of a people.

The material in these volumes was obtained by relentless searching, voluminous correspondence, library haunting, travel, expenditure of money and lifting from others’ works. Most of all, by the graciousness and forebearance of those who were contacted in person or by letter. The greatest factor of all was TIME of which un-godly amounts were used in its composition.

Carrol Carman Hall, Springfield, IL, USA 1981

1. Carrol Carman Hall, “The Grandfathers Hall-Overstreet Families,” The Grandfathers, n.d., http://www.illinoisancestors.org/menard/fam/ho_toc2.html#ACK.

The Rabideaus early Easthampton, Mass history

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In the 1910s, the Rabideau family moved to Easthampton- Hampton Company Easthampton, Massachusetts from Clinton County, New York. They came in search of work and a future. As lumberjacks and forest workers, their future and earnings were becoming increasingly limited in upper New York and the promise of work in the mills of Massachusetts was alluring.  Neither Frederick Louis Rabideau nor his brothers had an education.  By 1920 the boys Alexander (18), Frederick (15) and Victor (16) were working in a plastic mill as laborers supporting the family.  Alexander Rabideau (the boy’s father) and Florinda nee Simard were unemployed.

The following history was written in the 1890s and may be found on the internet at the Historic Easthampton site.

Easthampton is a delightful and prosperous manufacturing, educational and farming town in the southern part of Hampshire County, on the New Haven and Northampton Railroad, about 90 miles west from Boston, five miles from Northampton.   It has Northampton on the north, a dissevered section of the same town (including Mount Tom) on the east, Holyoke and Southampton on the south, and the latter and Westhampton on the west.  The territory is triangular in general form, with its base to the north. It has an assessed area of 7,325 acres, of which 1,304 acres are forest, principally of pine and chestnut.  Along the well kept streets of the older villages, also, are great numbers of maple and elm, many having a growth of 75 years, and few less than 20 years. The Manhan River flows northeasterly through the middle of the town, emptying into the Connecticut at a westward curve called “The Oxbow.” Broad Branch, coming into the town from the south, and North Branch at the northwest angle, are tributaries of the Manhan River, and, with it, furnishing valuable motive-power. The formative rock is lower sandstone.   The face of the town is undulating, with mountains rising about on almost every side. The most prominent of these is Mount Tom, at the southeastern border, which attains the altitude of 1,214 feet, forming a magnificent sky outline to the landscape on that side.  The railway, which follows the valley of the Manhan River, affords excellent points of view for this mountain ridge. The soil in this town is sandy loam, with much clay subsoil, and generally fertile; uniformly yielding good crops of hay, rye, oats, potatoes and tobacco. The greenhouse product in 1885 had a value of upwards of $3,000. The aggregate farm product was $154,038.  The manufactures are numerous.  The leading establishments are the “Williston Mills” (having two mills), the Nashawannick Manufacturing Company (three mills), the Glendale Company (three mills), the Easthampton Rubber Thread Company, Williston and Knight Company, George S. Colton, and the Valley Machine Company. The principal products are cotton prints, suspenders, buttons, elastic webs, rubber and silk goods, machinery, castings, whips, bricks, and food preparations. The value of the aggregate product of these and other manufactures in the census year of 1885 was $1,945,488. There is one national and one savings bank. The valuation of the town in 1888 was $2,397,279, with a tax-rate of $14 on $1,000. The population was 4,291; of whom 785 were voters. The dwelling-houses numbered 815. The postal villages are Easthampton and Mount Tom; and others are Factory Village and New City. Easthampton has an excellent town-hall, which cost originally $65,000; also an elegant public library building, containing about 10,000 volumes. The grading of the public schools is complete; and fifteen buildings, valued at upwards of $25,000, are devoted to their use. The Williston Seminary has a library of about 2,000 volumes. This institution was founded by the Hen. Samuel Williston, and has cost upwards of $250,000. I t was opened for students December 2, 1841, and has commodious buildings and a complete outfit for a school of its kind.

Pro Basketball in Easthampton

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Professional Basketball in 1920s Easthampton, Massachusetts. I found this interesting tidbit of Easthampton history on the web.  These events occurred about the time of my father’s birth and seemed informative of the the time and place that was Easthampton, Massachusetts.

by: Edward Dwyer (source article)

During the 1920s, pro basketball players played for semi-pro teams. Such a team was located in Easthampton and used the present upper Town Hall as their home. The NBA and the current popularity of basketball did not yet exist. The most talented teams were barnstorming squads that used New York for their base of operations such as the New York Celtics, the Original Celtics, and the New York Whirlwinds. Players moved rather freely between teams. An opponent one night could be a teammate the next. No arenas existed in those days, so large areas, such as a town hall floor, would be partitioned off with chicken wire, (the source of the name ‘cagers’ for players), and a game would be played. A band and dancing would usually follow the game. The Easthampton team was an offshoot of the Turn [Verein] (a local athletic club), basketball team. According to the 1935 Anniversary Book, the team started with local players, but gradually recruited outside talent. The first mention of the professional team in the Daily Hampshire Gazette was in 1920.

Barney Sedran The Easthampton Team played in the Interstate League. Also in this circuit, were teams from Holyoke, Springfield, Adams, Turner’s Falls, Westfield, Albany, NY and Thompsonville, CT. The 1921 and 1922 teams had some good players. The stars of the team were Barney Sedran, the self described ‘midget guard’, and forward Marty Friedman. Marty Friedman Together, they played as a combo for many teams. Nat Holman, long time coach for the City College of New York, regarded both as super-stars of the era and Sedran as one of the greatest guards ever. Both had injuries that curtailed their playing time in Easthampton.

Honey Russell The third star was Honey Russell, a guard. Although only 18 when he came to Easthampton, he had been a pro since his midteens. He was a defensive specialist. Russell played for many years and later coached Seton Hall in the 1940s and 50s. He was also the first coach of the Boston Celtics.

Freedman, Sedran and Russell have been inducted in the Hall of Fame in Springfield. Sedran’s plaque has him in his Easthampton uniform. Freedman’s biography at the Hall mentions playing here. All three began playing in town in 1921.

Em Grayson Another player was Em Grayson, a forward. He was captain at Mass Aggie (now University of Massachusetts, Amherst) in 1916-17 and 1919-20, he later coached there and at Amherst College. Harry 'Man-o-War' Riconda Harry ‘Man-o-War’ Riconda was a forward in 1921 and 22. Once with the Original Celtics, he had the reputation as a tough player. ‘Hot’ Haggerty of Springfield had several stays in Easthampton. In 1922, he left Springfield’s team to play for Easthampton then quit to play for the Original Celtics. He again played for Easthampton in 1923. From newspaper accounts, he was a very popular player. 'Hot' Haggerty

Others came and went. A player named Bernot was at center for a few games in 1922, left and came back in 1923. Billy Sullivan played in 1921 and moved to the Adams team. ‘Stretch’ Meehan, a 6’9″ center was used as a drawing card in 1921. Bob Jackson, a center also played in 1921.

The league suffered financial difficulties. To recoup some losses, the Original Celtics came in 1922 to play each team in the circuit. An ad billed them as the World Champs of the previous year. Easthampton emerged victorious by the score of 18 to 12. Sedran led all players with 7 points and held Celtic star Nat Holman to gust one point.

After the season, Sedran, Friedman, Russell and Riconda all left to play other circuits. On February 5, 1923 the team moved to Northampton. The season and the entire league ended the next month.

A History of French Canada 1536 to 1609

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Note: Several ManyRoads readers have questioned the accuracy of some of the Metis claims presented in this document by Mr. Garneau. Should you have evidence that you would like to present refuting the veracity and accuracy of any claims made by Mr. Garneau, which you would like us to present here, please contact us directly.

We are happy to present all relevant information here, in the interest of fairness, full disclosure and accuracy.

The following material is written by: R.D. (Dick) Garneau, who is solely responsible for its accuracy.

1536

(I)-Philipie Rougemont (1518-1536) died at Kebec, Canada being part of Jacques Cartier (1491-1557) crew.

Jacques Cartier (1491-1557) is believed to have named New France Canada this year. It is believed that Cartier traveled with Verrazzano to Canada in 1524 and 1528. It is also believed he was in Newfoundland prior to 1534.

Jacques Cartier (1491-1557) is impressed with the town of Monte Real (Hochelaga); a fortified Iroquois Fort, as it closely resembled European culture. The fields round about are very fertile, being tilled, and grapes are abundant. The Iroquois had amassed muskrat pelts between Quebec and Montreal from trade with the Europeans.

The first tourists to Canada are 30 gentlemen who chartered a ship under the direction of Richard Hore of London to see the strange things of the world. They ran out of provisions in Newfoundland and reverted to cannibalism. Richard Hakluyt interviewed a survivor who said the English gentlemen killed their fellow mates while they stopped to take up a root for their relief and cutting out pieces of his body who he had murdered broiled the same on the coals and greedily devoured them. A well-provisioned French fishing ship saves Richard Hore and the surviving tourists. Hore captured the French ship and, left its crew to an unrecorded fate, and sailed home.

May 6: Jacques Cartier (1491-1557) had to abandon his ship, Petite Hermine, as he lack sufficient crew to navigate all three ships.

1537

June 2″ Pope Paul III banned the enslavement of Indians in the New World. No one listened!

Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca (1490-1557), the Great Spanish explorer who spent 1527-1537 exploring the interior of America, having lived among the Indians, reports the French pirates are attacking Spanish ships out of Havana. The Spanish have recently lost three ships. As they neared Spain, the French pirates again tried to take the Spanish ships but are scared off by the Spanish navy. He noted that the French ship employed slave Negroes as oarsmen, so the Spanish ships could not overtake them in the pursuit.

1538

September: The King of France commissioned the following list of men for the New Lands (Lands of Cod): 120 mariners, 40 musketeers, 30 carpenters, 10 master masons, 4 blacksmiths, 2 goldsmiths and 6 priests.

1540

The French, in 1687, claim that Jean Francois de la Rocque, Sieur de Roberval (1500-1560) took possession of the Bay of the North (Hudson Bay) for France this year. Jean Alfonse of Saintonge explored the coastline of Labrador. Roberval became Lieutenant General of Canada, despite being a Protestant convert. He commanded Jacques Cartier.

Map maker, Sebastian Munster, named Canada as Francisca and assumed the Bay of the North (Hudson Bay) extended down to the Carolinas based upon false information supplied by Verrazzano (1524). Basque fishermen worked the Strait of Belle Isle until 1610, hunting the boehead and right whales that migrated past Labrador and Newfoundland. A village at Red Bay, Labrador, containing nearly a thousand men, rendered the whales blubber into oil during the five month summer season. Most men, however, would winter back in Europe. The French and English would later consider this age-old universal concept of a different winter, and summer homes site a heathen practice.

A Portuguese agent claimed that many thousands of animal skins are being brought to France from the New World.

1541

The Huguenots made an abortive colonization attempt this year but abandoned the venture in 1542. Jean Francois de LeRocque de Roberval (1500-1560) was commissioned to establish a colony in New France and to construct churches and fortified towns. Jacques Cartier is employed as a guide but returned to France from Newfoundland dispite Roberval’s orders. Roberval established his colony at Charlesbourg-Royal on Cape-Rouge, where Jacques Cartier had previously built a fort. The first New France colony was named France Roy and the river (St. Lawrence) was named France Prime. They ventured to Montreal and built a strong house on river Sinagua (Saguenay River). Basque fishermen from Pyreness had built drying racks for their cod catch at the mouth of the Saguenay River. Roberval was excessively cruel, withholding food and water if his men didn’t work to his satisfaction. If someone fainted he was immediately punished. Lashes were dispensed frequently. One day six workers were hung. One was isolated on an island with his feet chained. Most of his colony was ex-convicts. The colony was abandoned in 1542.

It is noteworthy that Basque or Euskara predates the Celts and is unrelated to any other language in the world. Port aux Basques, Newfoundland speak of their presence as does Isles-aux-Basques that are islets where the Basques whalers put ashore to render blubber into oil for shipment back to Spain. The Basque word for god is Jinkoa, is a very ancient word with no known resembling word in the world.

Martin de Artalequ’s San Salvador of 100 tons set sail for Terranova.

Angel de Villagane, governor of Spanish Florida ordered Antoinio Velazquez to sail north with provisions for the Spanish colony of Santa Elena on the South Carolina coast, he was blown off course and ended up in Chesapeake Bay off the coast of Maryland/Virginia. Quejo had visited the area earlier in 1521.

January 15: Jean Francois de la Rocque de Roberval (1500-1560) is appointed the first Viceroy of Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador with little regard to the Spanish claim of the 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas.

April: Martin de Artalequ records he talked to Cartier’s men near Spear Island, not far from St. John’s where he had a barrel of cider and a cask of ship’s biscuit taken from him by Roberval’s men.

May 23: Jacques Cartier (1491-1557) left St. Malo with five ships and 1,500 men, arriving Stadacona, Quebec August 3. The Iroquois were not happy with the French as they did not return the kidnapped Iroquois from the last expedition.

October 17: Francis I appointed Roberval (1500-1560) as the superior over Cartier (1491-1557). This would later infuriate Cartier.

1542

Marguerite de La Rocque co-seigneuress of Pointpoint, a close relative of Sieur de Roberval (1500-1560), accompanied him on this years voyage to Canada. Shocked by Marguerite taking a lover, Roberval set her ashore of Ile des Demons in the Saint Lawrence River with her lover and a servant girl. The young man, the servant girl and Marguerite’s child which was born on the island, died. Marguerite managed to survive and was rescued two years five month later by French fisherman. This would represent the first recorded Country Marriage and the birth of the first European child in New France (Canada).

Hurtleberry pie is introduced into Newfoundland that is made from blueberries, blackberries, bilberries and huckleberries. The term originated about 1450.

Michel Gaillon, a companion of Jean Francois de la Rocque de Roberval (1500-1560), was hanged at Cap Rouge (Charlesburg Royal) making him the first Canadian to be executed.

April 16: Jean Francois de la Rocque de Roberval (1500-1560) sailed from La Rochelle, France with three ships and 200 convicts for America to create a French settlement.

June 8: Jean Francois de la Rocque de Roberval (1500-1560) encountered Jacques Cartier (1491-1557) at St. John’s Newfoundland and ordered Cartier to return to Canada. Cartier refused this direct order from his superior. Jacques Cartier snuck off in the night, fully aware that Roberval could have him executed (hanged) as a traitor.

July: Jean Francois de la Rocque de Roberval (1500-1560) reached Cartier’s settlement at Cap Rouge and renamed it France Royal. Michel Gaillon was hanged for theft at France Royal, alias Cap Rouge, Quebec. Roberval lost 50 men to scurvy, indicating that Cartier had not told him of the Indian method to avoid this ailment. This first attempt to start a colony failed. It is noteworthy that competent sailors from Europe were well aware of scurvy and usually gathered the herb alexanders to cure the ailment. This herb was in use since 1 A.D. by the Romans to prevent scurvy.

September: Newfoundland sailors (Robert Lefand) reported that Jacques Cartier and Sieur de Roberval (1500-1560), after one year with three ships, had accumulated eleven barrels of gold ore and a quantity of precious stones, rubies and diamonds. This is likely the source for the current saying: false as a diamond of Canada. The gold turned out to be pyrite and the diamonds quartz. It is noteworthy that diamonds would later be discovered in Canada in the twentieth century.

September 19: Jean Francois de la Rocque de Roberval (1500-1560) pardoned Aussillon de Sauverterre.

1543

Jean Francois de la Rocque de Roberval (1500-1560) wintered at France Royal (Cap Rouge, Quebec) where 60 men died. Several insubordinate prisoner colonists were hung, while others were imprisoned.

June 6: After an unsuccessful trip to explore the Saguenay, the Roberval settlement is abandoned and the colonist prisoners return to France.

1544

Tadoussac, Quebec, at the mouth of the Saguenay River on the St. Lawrence River, is established this year by the Basque. Tadoussac is an ancient Native trading center and was likely visited by many traders before the Basque made this a wintering trading and fish processing site.

1545

A Frenchman wrote the people of Norumbega (Penobscot River in Maine), are docile, friendly and peaceful, the land overflows with every kind of fruit, wholesome orange, almonds and many sweet smelling trees. Another writer said the people were tall and fair, spoke words that sounded like Latin, and worshiped the sun.

1546

The word boucaner by the French means to dry and smoke meat or fish. They learned this new way of cooking from the Tupi People of the Amazon River in South America.

1554

Joanes de Segura records his venture to the Labrador coast between the Pinware River and Red Bay. Canada was known as Terranova or Terre Neuve by the French.

April: Three Spanish ships, San Esteban, Espiritu Santo and Santa Maria de Yciar, stuffed to the gunwales with passengers and New World treasures departed Mexico. The were sailing from Veracruz, Santa Maria de Yeiar Espiritu Santo, and San Esteban bound for Havana then Spain. A storm blew they off course northward where they ran aground and were pounded to pieces near Padre Island, Texas. The captain in a small boat with some survivors returned to Mexico to alert officials of the disaster. The balance of survivors were eventually killed by the Indians. Within a few weeks a salvage ship arrived from Veracruiz to save about 50% of the cargo.

1555

Gaspard de Coligny, a French Huguenot, established a colony at the mouth of the Rio de Janeiro. It was captured by the Portuguese in 1560.

The Portuguese named the entire Maritime region of America as Baccalaos. The name survived in Baccaro, Acadia ( Nova Scotia) and Baccalieu Island, Newfoundland.

Richard Eden this year wrote the Decades of the Newe Worlde: “Cadot him selfe named those landes Baccalloas (Newfoundland), bycause that in the seas ther about he found so great mulitiude of certayne bigge fysshes…which th’ inhabitantes caule Baccallaos.” This entry is interesting in two ways, first it would suggest Baccallaos was first discovered by the Portuguese as this is their word for cod. Second said the inhabitants of Newfoundland called the Island Baccallaos, this suggests European ‘settlements’ preceded Cadot 1497, as the Indians are not likely to use a Portuguese word to describe their land. The word Baccallaos is traced back to earlier than 950 A.D. in Europe. That word or any possible derivation does not appear in Native American languages.

1556

The Spanish ship Ines de Soto was wrecked and sank west of Havania.

1557

Ten young Brazilian Indians were purchased by Villegaignon, and sent to France as a gift to King Henry II. The king distributed them among the nobles of his court. Lescarbot

1560

Basques Agore’s Chalupa is discovered in Red Bay, Labrador.

1562

A map by Italian Cartographer Faolo Forlani is believed to be the first known map to label Canada as Canada. It also records the Arctic Ocean, Laborador and Stadacone (later known as Quebec City) of the Iroquois confederation.

Discouraging reports of settlement prospects along the St. Lawrence River in Canada discouraged a settlement by Jean Ribault. Jean Ribault, from Dieppe, with 150 Huguenot colonists, set up a pillar (stone column) at the mouth of the St. John River (below Jacksonville, Florida). He then established a colony at Port Royal, South Carolina. Some of the colonists returned to France in 1564. In 1565 the Spanish captured the French settlement and put the people to the sword.

Ribault landed at Parris Island, South Carolina and built a small fort (Charlesfort) to defend it, leaving 27 men. He promised to return but is unable due to the infighting between the Catholics and Huguenots. At Fort Charles, a fire destroyed most of the provisions. The officer in charge hanged one of the men; the crew mutinied, built their own ship, and sailed home after some 11 months. The queen of France commanded Ribaut to bring back some of the natives. In obedience to her command, Ribaut attempted to detain two of the natives on board ship to carry them to France, but the savages managed to escape and swam to shore

Charles IX of France gave his permission to allow Huguenots to settle Florida. His motives are highly suspect.

1563

Jacques le Moyne is in the Rene de Laudonniere party when they established a trading post at Parris Island, South Carolina named Fort Caroline. John Hawkins of Plymouth called at Fort Caroline and brought home a packet of tobacco.

1564

Rene de Laudonniere led more Huguenots to Florida, building Fort Caroline at the mouth of the St. John’s River. Pedro Menendez de Aviles, of Spain, sent a fleet to destroy the French colony. He attacked the Fort and massacred the French defenders including Jean Ribault who arrived to help the colonists. Some suggest the destruction of the French colony by the Spanish was in 1565.

1565

In the Strait of Belle Isle, Labrador, a 300 ton Basque galleon, the San Juan, sank with 55,000 gallons of oil worth some six million dollars in present value. A Major Basque settlement existed at Tor Bay, Acadia (Nova Scotia) about this time. Another major Basque settlement was at Lesquemin (Les Escumins, Quebec).

St. Augustine, Florida is established this year by Pedro Menendez de Aviles.

1566

The Spanish discovered the French Charlesfort on Parris Island, South Carolina and built their own fort, San Felipe, right on top of Charlesfort. They didn’t want to acknowledge claim to their capital.

Bolongnini Zaltieri named Nova Scotia and New Brunswick as Larcaida (Acadia).

A French ship in search of strange adventures sailed to Terra Nova (Labrador). They met with a man, his wife and child. The French attempted to capture the family. The man was shot in the body with an arrow and wounded on the side with a sword, but he fought with increased fury. Finally he was killed, but not before he had slain 12 French and Portuguese.

1568

November 8: An English pirate named John Hawkins marooned 114 sailors just north of Tampico, Mexico. The men, starving and unarmed, split into two groups, half headed south toward Tampico. They were captured and imprisoned in Mexico after suffering devastating Indian attacks. Some lost their lives in the Inquisition of 1575. The remainder headed north, David Ingram, Richard Twide and Richard Browne survived to reach safety and freedom in Acadia ( Nova Scotia). They estimate they traveled 2,000 miles, followed the coast to the Rio Grande then north through ZAlabama, and Georgia, passing near Florida’s St. John River. The basically followed the Atlantic coast to New Brunswick, Canada. They traded pearls gathered along the way for passage on a French ship.

1569

The Mercator Map suggests that the Hudson Strait and Ungava Bay (Hudson Bay or Bay of the North) was explored some time prior to this date, likely by the Portuguese.

1570

The Basque brothers Joanes, d-1588 and Martin de Elcano made a number of fishing trips to Terranove and selling their codfish in the Azores. Many Basque fishermen reported they had spent some 20 years in Terranove waters.

Vicente Gonzalez sailed from Havana by way of Santa Elena (off South Carolina’s Port Royal Sound) to deliver Spanish Jesuit missionaries to Chesapeake Bay. Florida governor Menendez de Aviles had asked the Jesuits to investigate the possibility of a route to the mountains and to China. Gonzalez sailed three times to resupply the Jesuits but they had fallen to Indian attacks.

Louis de Quiros and Juan Baptista de Segura, two Spanish Jesuits reported reaching the south western shore of Chesapeake Bay. Pedro Menendez de Aviles and his nephew Pedro Menendez Marquez surveyed Chesapeake Bay this year.

A French ship arrived Norumberga (Maine) and sailed up the Kennebec River to establish a fort and colony. In 1575 Father Andrew Thevet, a Franciscan returned to France to report the status of the colony. George Peckham and Thomas Gerard headed up the colony. In 1583 a supply ship with more colonists sunk with all hands trying to reach the colony. The ultimate fait of the colony is not known.

1571

The Jesuits Juan de Segura and others of the Spanish Mission of Chesapeake Bay are killed by Paquiquineo renamed Don Luis de Velasco or Don Luis and his followers. Why these friendly Natives killed the Jesuits is not recorded.

1576

Martin Frobisher (1539-1594), a fortune hunter, a sea dog and, as some claimed, an infamous, outrageous pirate, journeyed this year and in 1577 and 1578 to Canada, making land fall at Hall Island.

His second expedition ended in Hudson Strait, being blocked by ice. His encounter with the Eskimo led him to believe they have had previous encounters with Europeans, as the were very familiar with the ship and possessed European trade goods.

July 20: Martin Frobisher (1539-1594) named this area Resolution Island, off the southeastern end of Baffin Island as Queen Elisabeth’s Forlande. Sailing north, he discovered a passage dividing Asia from America and named it Frobisher Strait (Frobisher Bay). Frobisher Bay would later be renamed Iqaluit; meaning the place where the fish are.

August 19: Martin Frobisher (1539-1594) traded with the Eskimo (Inuit) Natives for meat and furs and convinced the Eskimo to pilot them through Frobisher Strait. Frobisher sent five of his men among the natives to scope a rout to the west, and they disappeared.

October 9: Martin Frobisher (1539-1594) the pirate departed for England with samples of iron pyrite, believing them to be gold. He returned with a captive Eskimo, complete with kayak, but the Eskimo, he believed, had made off with five of Frobisher’s men and a boat.

1577

Martin Frobisher (1539-1594) returned to Canada in search of gold with fifteen ships and 400 men, and entered into war with the Eskimo, but this time Frobisher is shot in the buttocks, likely fleeing from the Eskimo. Frobisher ambushed a number of Eskimo, taking one or two captive, but others jumped into the sea rather than being taken. A mother and wounded child were taken as slaves to England. The captured slaves died about a month after landing in England on September 17, 1577.

A Basque fleet was frozen into a harbor in the Strait of Belle Isle, forcing the men to winter. This winter 540 men died despite lots of fish and oil.

1578

It is recorded that 150 French vessels per year are fishing and trading the New World. Spain has 300 vessels and the English 30-50 vessels fishing off Newfoundland. These numbers would significantly increase each year. Another tally records off the coast of Newfoundland 100 Spanish ships, 20 or 30 Biskaie ships, 50 from Portugal, 150 of French and Britons all catching cod.

Some claim that Martin Frobisher (1539-1594) erected the first permanent European building in America this year on Kodlumarn Island. This, however, excludes the Viking and Fishermen who have been here before him.

Marquis de la Roche Mesgoues (1540-1606) is appointed Viceroy of New France with authority to colonize the region.

There is a printed reference to Penguin Island, Newfoundland but this island was occupied by the auks not penguin.

May 31: Martin Frobisher (1539-1594) led a fleet of 15 ships to establish a settlement at Frobisher’s Bay (Iqaluit) to mine gold.

June 30: Martin Frobisher (1539-1594) claimed Greenland for England, renaming it West England.

July 2: Martin Frobisher (1539-1594) sailed up the Mistaken Strait (Hudson Strait) and tried to reassemble his fleet. One ship was lost by crushing ice but the crew were rescued, and one ship deserted back to England.

July 24: Martin Frobisher’s fleet gathered in Frobisher Bay (Igaluit) which he renamed Countess of Warwick Sound.

July 30: Martin Frobisher (1539-1594) found the Judith and Michael behind Anne Warwick Island (Kodlunarn Island), having been lost. The Reverend Robert Wolfal conducted the first Thanksgiving service in North America, with 100 men. George Best was the chronicler of this expedition and also conducted a Thanksgiving meal.

August 31: Martin Frobisher (1539-1594) set sail for England, and the other remaining 13 ships departed on September 2. All returned safely by October 1 with their fools gold.

1579

Simo Fernandes, a Portuguese in English service and John Walker scouted the Penobscot, River in Maine in separate voyages and made no reference of cities filled with gold, silver and pearls as previously noted.

Richard Whitbouene born before 1564, died after 1628 and between 1579-1628 constantly visited New-Found-Land for whaling and trading with the Indians.

1580

Basque activities in the Saint Lawrence estuary and River reached its peak between 1550-1580.

Michel Montaigne (1533-1592) was a propagator on the cultural theme “noble Savage’. Most of his material was however borrowed from others.

1581

Merchants from St. Malo, France began to trade for furs up the St. Lawrence River, in competition with the Basque traders.

1582

Vicente Gonzalez with fifty soldiers in two ships sailed to South Carolina to capture the French as reported being in Charleston Harbour. He visited every possible harbors along the coast but found no Frenchmen.

1583

Humphrey Gilbert (1537-1583), brother of Walter Raleigh, with 4 ships and 260 men, departed to establish a colony on Newfoundland. Within two days his largest ship had to return because a contagious disease broke out.

It is estimated that 25,000 ships have sunk off the coast of Nova Scotia since this date to the year 2000.

August 5: Humphrey Gilbert encountered 36 ships in the St. John’s harbor of Newfoundland from Spain, Portugal, France and England. He demanded they pay tribute, like a common pirate, on the pretext that he claimed the southeast coast of New Found Land for England. He refused to recognize the previous claims of the Spanish, French, and Portuguese to Newfoundland. The arrogant Gilbert claims that the English establish St. John’s Newfoundland this year, but what were 36 ships doing in the harbor? This site has likely been in use for decades. A storm resulted in the loss of more of his ships including his papers, his false claims and his very own life. The remainder of his fleet returned to England. He was considered a poor seaman. Others suggest he was incompetent. Some suggest some of his writings survived including his comments on St. John’s; “very good and full of all sort of victuall, as fish both of the fresh water, and sea fish, deere, pheasants, partridges, swannes, and divers fowles’.

August 29: HMS Delight with master Richard Clarke, under command of Humphrey Gilbert in his frigate ordered Clarke to sail close to Sable Island. Clarke protested but gave into Gilbert’s orders and ran aground, broke up and sank. Gilbert couldn’t or didn’t assist the sinking ship and most died. Sixteen men including Clarke escaped in a small boat and spent 7 days finally reaching Newfoundland and rescue by a Basque whaling ship. It is not known why Gilbert didn’t pick up the surviving crew.

1584

Walter Raleigh sent an expedition under Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe to Roanhoke Island, Croatain Sound, North Carolina. The expedition reported that the natives are the most gentle, loving and faithful; void of all guile and treason. They lived after the manner of the Golden Age. Some believe Thomas Harriot (1560-1621) was included on this voyage of discovery.

1585

Ralph Lane (1530-1603) and 100 men established a colony on Roanoke Island, North Carolina. The colony however is short lived. Some suggest Ralph Lane (1530-1603) was a clumsy diplomat and aroused Indian hostility thereby dooming the colony. Ralph Lane explored northeast from Roanoke to the southern shore of Chesapeake Bay where he wintered. Humphrey Gilbert, an Englishman, lost 3 of 5 ships on Sable Island about this time.

Vicente Gonzalez sailed to to the mouth of the Sasquehanna River at the northern end of Chesapeake Bay looking for English who might be invading this Spanish territory.

Richard Grenville (1542-1591) with a Portuguese navigator named Simao Fernandes, sailed with 492 men and 108 colonists. Ralph Lane is governor of the colony. Thomas Hariot was assigned scientist/surveyor and John White named as artist/naturalist. England and Spain were at war and this counts for the high number of fighting men. They would build the short lived Roanoke Island colony.

April 9: Thomas Harriot (1560-1621) sailing for Walter Raleigh to the colony in the New Found Land of Virginia being unsuccessful in establishing a colony returned to Plymouth July 1586.

July 20: John Davis (Davys) (1550-1605) of Dartmouth, England contacted the Eskimos of Greenland, attempting to discover the descendants of the old Norse settlers. He called the Eastern Viking settlement the Land of Desolation. He then rounded Cape Farewell to visit the western Viking settlement. He then sailed to Baffin Island, then on to Cumberland Sound, but being blocked by ice returned to England.

July 22: Simao Fernandes ordered a change in plans and told the settlers to build on the remains of the old Ralph Lane’s settlement where several cottages still stood. There were 89 men, 17 women and 11 children. Among the colonists were Ananias Dare and his pregnant wife and Eleanor White Dare, the governors daughter.

July 28: The Indians killed one of the colonists as he fished for crab. White attacked the mainland Indian village only to discover it contained Indians who were friendly to the English.

August 18: Eleanor Dare delivered a daughter, Virginia, believed, the first born European on record in America. A second child was born at Roanoke a few days later. This colony became known as the ‘Lost Colony’ as supplies could not be shipped because of war between Spain, France and England.

1586

John Davis (1550-1605) conducted a second voyage in search of the Northwest passage with four ships, returning to England October 6.

1587

John Davis (1550-1605) conducted a third voyage in search of the Northwest passage with three ships, returning to England September 15.

Another colony is established on Roanoke Island, North Carolina with 117 men, women and children and by 1588, the colony is deserted. Their whereabouts is unknown.

English colonists in Virginia reported that, because Indians died in each town they passed and they themselves had not become sick, the Indians believed the English must be spirits of the dead returning to the world.

1588

Marquis de la Roche was confirmed as Viceroy of Canada, Acadia, and adjoining lands. He was empowered to levy troops, declare war, build towns, promulgate laws, and execute them, to concede lands with Feudal privileges, and regulate Colonial trade.

Marquis de la Roche set sail with 48 convicts, men and women, from French prisons to Acadia. Fearing the convicts might desert he landed them on Sable Island, a barren sand-bank, 120 miles S.E. Acadia ( Nova Scotia). He then went to explore for an ideal colony location. Bad weather drove Marquis back to France, or so he claimed, abandoning his settlers to sure death. When the Marquis returned to France he was thrown into prison for this barbarous act. see 1593 & 1598

Vicente Gonzalez surveyed the coast off present New Jersey and he considered the James and Susquehanna River as possible passages to the Pacific.

June 24: Vicente Gonzalez sailed along the Outer Banks and found debris from English colonists but failed to find evidence of the English Roanoke Colony on Roanoke Island, he reported that the English had disappeared.

1590

Captain Georges sailed to the West but is turned back by ice.

Acadia, since 1524, referred to the east coast of America but, about this time, it was narrowed to refer to New Brunswick, Acadia ( Nova Scotia), Prince Edward Island, southeastern Quebec and eastern Maine. The term Acadian would evolve to refer to Francophone Maritimers, regardless of their cultural background which contained a high percentage of Metis.

August 17: An English ship finally reached Roanoke Island but found the colony deserted. There were no human remains to be found. The fate of the colonists is a mystery to this day. Some speculate they were all killed but a legend persists that they fled the coast and were eventually assimilated with an inland tribe, possibly the Lumbees.

1592

The name Bay Bulls, Newfoundland was in common usage from this date. It is considered the oldest settlement in North America.

1593

The King finally sent the Marquis de la Roche’s pilot back to Acadia to determine the fait of the Sable Island colony. Of the 48 convicts only 12 survived. The limited food supply and lack of trees caused fights to break out resulting in a number of early deaths. A ship wreck provided lumber for crude shelters. No mention is made of any survivors of this ship wreck. Some domestic animals still ran wild believed to be from Baron de Lery landing of 1513. Others suggest the survivors were not recovered until 1603. See 1598.

1594

Martin Frobisher (1539-1594), a fortune hunter, a sea dog and, as some claimed, an infamous, outrageous pirate, is shot by a Spaniard.

1596

The Jesuit claim the English established a colony in the Great Gulf of America Sea, formally called Mocosa, they named the colony Virginia but were forced by the natives to abandon it in 1696.

January 1: The Chancellor an English ship commissioned to attack Spanish and French ships in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence sank off the coast of Cape Breton.

1597

John Davis (1550-1605), a navigator, observed a furious overfall (riptide) ebbing out of Hudson Strait. He returned to England with cod and sealskins to turn a tidy profit.

Apostolos Valerianos, a Greek, claimed to have discovered the North Sea; the name used to define the Arctic waters at this time.

The Spanish governor of Florida Gonzalo Mendez de Canzo sent Gaspar de Salas and two Franciscans, Pedro Fernandez de Choza and Francisco de Verascola to explore Georgia for a potential agricultural settlement. The reached Tama (Milledgeville, Georgia). They went up the Oconee River for one day before returning to Tama.

June 23: The English war ship Chancewell wrecked most likely near Ingonish or St. Annes Bay of Cape Breton Island.

1598

The French, in 1687, claimed that King Henri (IV) the Great commissioned Troilus de Mesgouez, Marquis de la Roche to confirm the French claim on the Bay of the North (Hudson Bay). He was appointed on January 12, 1598 as Lieutenant General of Canada, Newfoundland, Labrador and Norumbega (Maine).

Francisco Fernandez de Ecija made a series of voyages to Georgia and the Carolines to negotiate the release of a Franciscan held captive by the Natives after a revolt in 1597 against Guale (Georgia coastal) mission.

March: Marqu’s de la Roche Mesgouez attempted to establish a colony on Sable Island (Iie de Sable), Acadia and introduced the first hogs (pigs, swine) to Canada. Marqu collected 60 men and women from the prisons of Brittany and Normandy for his colony on Sable Island. They were vagabonds and beggars. Forty eight died the first winter and one was hanged for theft. Roche departed for St. John’s, Newfoundland and returned to France, abandoning his settlement. They were forced to subsist on fish and wild cattle. see 1588 and 1593 for a different account. The 17 survivors are finally rescued in 1603.

(I)-Samuel de Champlain was born Brouage in Saintonge on the Bay of Biscay about 1567 and died December 25, 1635, Quebec. This year he voyaged to the West Indies and Central America as a Geographer. He also fought under Henry of Navarre (King Henry IV) in the latter stages of the French Wars of Religion (1593-1598). His lack of civic, political and military experience would cause vary serious problems, but most agree he was energetic and personable and devoted his life to New France to the best of his ability.

1599

(I)-Captain Francois Dupont Grave (1554-1619) called the Algonquin summer stopping place as Trois Rivieres.

(I)-Nicolas Marsolet de Saint-Aignan (1587-1677) is appointed by King Henry IV as drogman (interpreter) to La Nouvelle France.

Some historians consider this the end of the Renaissance (rebirth) period (1300-1600). A belief emerged during this period that humans can dominate over nature. They also learned the philosophy of war. The objectives of war according to E. Pocquet are:

, Steel others possessions,
. carry off others cattle,
. burn their houses,
. kill men,
.rape women.

November 22: (I)-Francois Grave du Pont ( Pontgrave) (1554-1629) and (I)-Pierre Chauvin de Tonnetuit d-1603 are appointed the position of Lieutenant General of Canada, Newfoundland and Norumbega (Nova Scotia/Maine), being forfeited by Troilus de Mesgouez, Marquis de la Roche.

1600

A merchant of St. Malo, named (I)-Francois Grave Du Pont ( Pontgrave) (1554-1629), with (I)-Pierre Chauvin de Tonnetuit (d-1602), and Pierre Du Gua, Sieur De Monts (1558-1628) and with four ships and sixteen colonists, established a settlement at Tadoussac (meaning nipples or breasts). Pontgrave led the colony only because he had been there a number of times before and knew the people. The French called the natives Montagnais, the residents called themselves Innu meaning the people. They built a trading house. Tadoussac is a well-established fur trading and wintering site at the mouth of the Saguenay River. The Montagnais had 2nd and 3rd generation Metis at this time. About 1,000 Algonkin, Etchiman and Montagnais descend on Tadoussac each year to trade. Pontgrave and Chauven returned to France in the autumn with a cargo of furs, leaving sixteen men at Tadoussac. Eleven died that winter, and the rest went to live with the savages (native people) who were called the Montagnais Naskapi. Others suggest the Montagnais saved the remaining 5 men. The Montagnais had been trading with the Europeans for over fifty years. It is interesting that people who provide refuge during a time of need are classified as savage. This over used, European term ‘savage’ carried a powerful hidden meaning. On the surface it means an uncultivated, untamed, barbarous, crude, cruel person who is without civilization. Its hidden meaning is that a savage is less than human and therefore has few, if any, inherent rights. The Iroquois harassed the Montagnais over the years.

Early and often, casual unions between European fishermen, traders, lumberjacks and Native women from Acadia to Labrador produced uncounted progeny who matured as Natives among their maternal relatives. Many would become known as Malouidit because so many of the fathers originated from St. Milo on the Brittany coast of France. Many others would become known as capitaines des sauvages.

The Native People had names for these European peoples:

  • The Europeans in general were called Wayabishkiwad by the Ojibwa; meaning white skin.
  • The Delaware used Woapsit for white skin.
  • The Europeans were Kiowa Bedalpago; meaning hairy mouth, others called them Takai; meaning his ears stick out.
  • Later the Americans were designated as big knife or long knife.
  • The French were Wameqtikosiu or builders of wooden ships.
  • The English were Wautacone or coat men.
  • The German and Dutch were Yah Yah Algeh for those who talk ya ya.
  • The Scotts were called Kentahere by the Mohawk which referred to the type of hat they wore, reminding them of a buffalo cow and her droppings.
  • The Negroes were Madawiyas of black flesh or black face.
  • The Chinese were Gooktlam for their pig tails.

(I)-Pierre Du Gua de Monts (1558-1628) and (I)-Pierre Chauvin de Tonnetuit (d-1603) visited Acadia to determine a location for the first permanent French Huguenot settlement in America. They founded a Huguenot base at Tadoussac, Quebec.

The Roman Catholic Church, at this time, would not allow Huguenots to immigrate to New France. As a result, no official French colony was established in Canada, meaning village, until after 1600- or so they claimed. The reality is that no Protestants or Jews were allowed into New France according to official proclamations.

French fishermen and their families settled the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon off the coast of Newfoundland. The 9-island was later made a French territory.

1601

(I)-Pierre Chauvin de Tonnetuit (d-1603) sent the Esperance, a supply ship, to Tadoussac, (Quebec) and found five of the 12 colonists alive. As a result, Chauvin and (I)-Francois Grave du Pont ( Pontgrave) (1554-1629) would lose their position in New France. Others suggest (I)-Pierre Chauvin de Tonnetuit (d-1602) and company built 20 buildings this season

The Malecite (Maliseet) People alias Souriquois, lived in New Brunswick west of the St. John River and some believe they are Metis being decedents of Indian and European fishermen, especially the Basque. They are linked to the Algonquian linguistic family but some suggest 1/2 the original Malecite spoke 1/2 basque. It is noteworthy that the Malecite and Etchemin People are not indigenous to Acadia and only arrived this century. Malecite and Etchemin are believed to be the same Peoples. These People live in small houses and dress like Europeans. They are fair skinned as compared to the other Indians.

John Smith in search of the northwest passage, sailing from Jamestown explored the Chesapeake Bay area.

March: George Waymouth sailed from England for Virginia to reconnoiter a site for settlement. He then sailed north and made landfall off Nantucket Island, then off the Maine coast. He anchored off Monhegan Island and sent expeditions up the St. George and Kennebec Rivers. He kidnapped five Abenaki slaves and returned to England.

1602

France sent 16 ships to New France this season.

(I)-Louis Hebert (1575-1627) married 1602?, France, Marie Rollet dir Rolet (1588-1649) arrived Kebec 1617

FOUR CHILDREN ARE RECORDED:

(II)-Guillaume Hebert, Metis, b-1604-1610, Acadia, d-1639, Kebec, married October 1, 1634, Kebec, Helene Desportes (Tanguay no date given)
(II)-Guillemette Hebert, Metis, b-1606 or 1608, Acadia, d-1684, Quebec, married August 26, 1621, Kebec, Guillaume Couillard (Tanguay says b-1606 & 1608)
(II)-Anne Hebert, Metis, b-1603 – 1605 – 1607, Acadia d-1619, Kebec, married 1618, Kebec, Etienne Jonquest. (Tanguay no date given) if b-1607 then age 11 married? Highlighted dates are most probable if we believe Tanguay?

#1 (I)-Louis was in Acadia 1603 to 1607, without Rollet? He arrived early 1603 & returned to France in the fall of 1607.
#2 (I)-Louis was in Acadia 1610-1613, without Rollet?
#3 (II)-Guillemette, b-1606 couldn’t be daughter, if Tanguay is to be believed?
#4 It would appear researchers invent fact to meet the possibility of France born?
#5 It’s possible the children are Mi’Kmaq Metis, born Acadia and taken back to France?
#6 In 1610 (II)-Guillaume was age 35 and Rollet age 22, yet no more children? Most likely last birth 1607?
#7 Mi’Kmaq Metis of Basque and French traders were in Port Royal when (I)-Louis arrived this area early 1603.
#8 The claims for this family are very strange? It would appear the girls were born Acadia?

A supply ship was sent out to Sable Island, the first in two years and only found eleven remaining colonists.

Peter Easton, a privateer in Queen Elizabeth the 1st’s navy, lost his commission and turned to piracy from 1602 to 1615. By 1610 he commanded 1,400 men and 10 well-equipped warships. His headquarters was in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland. It is estimated his personal fortunate was close to $600 million Canadian.

(I)-Francois Grave du Pont (1554-1629) traveled to Tadoussac, Quebec and brought two Natives to France. When they were returned they said: “King Henri”, “he wished the Canadian people well”.

George Weymouth ventured to the Hudson Strait looking for the North West Passage to India for the East India Company, returning to England on September 5.

Sheila Nagaira of Ireland is captured by the Dutch who in turn are captured by the English Captain Peter Easton who was on his way to Newfoundland. During the voyage Sheila fell in love with Gilbert Pike and were married aboard ship. The settled into Mosquito in Conception Bay.

Gonzalo Mendez de Canzo, governor Florida sent Juan de Lara to investigate if the Spanish soldiers from New Mexico had reached Tama (Milledgeville, Georgia). It is not recorded if the overland expedition from New Mexico reached Tama.

Bartholomew Gosnold (1572-1607) of England with a crew of 31 sailed to southern Maine to Narragansett Bay. He sailed to Cape Cod into Nantucket Sound. He then built a fort on Elizabeth’s Isle, now called Cuttyhunk and explored the north shore of Buzzard’s Bay.

February: (I)-Aymer de Chaste d-1603 is named Lieutenant General of New France by King Henri IV of France. He is commissioned to establish a colony and is given a trading monopoly. He formed the De Chaste Trading Company.

April: Tadoussac, (Quebec) (I)-Pierre Chauvin de Tonnetuit (d-1603) took two ships with (I)-Francois Grave du Pont ( Pontgrave) (1554-1629) and made his last trip to the ‘New World’, trading for furs at Tadoussac

1603

France sent 80 vessels or boats to Newfoundland and New France this season.

A Spanish Basque ship is captured in Placentia menor (Argentia, Newfoundland) by Flamencos rebeldes.

(I)-Aymar de Chaste (d-1603) had obtained the trading monopoly for New France, Newfoundland and Larcadie (Acadie) in 1602 and had (I)-Francois Grave du Pont (1554-1629) appointed as his representative in New France this year and Pierre Du Gua de Monts (1558-1628) to govern Acadia..

(I)-Pierre Du Gua de Monts (1558-1628) received royal patents for the colonization, commercial exploitation and government of Acadia for the next ten years. He would learn the Royal patents were worthless as the Basques ignored them and made off with most of the fur trade. He also found Jean Rossignol a French free trader working the Acadia area so he seized the pelts and the ship for illegal trading.

(I)-Louis Herbert (1575-1727) is with (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) this year.

Acadie (Acadia) appears to be a Micmac or Mi’Kmaq name meaning place of plenty. Others suggest (I)-Pont-Grave of St. Milo (1554-1629) had obtained the same authority of Marquis de la Roche and sent 3 barks that arrived safely in Acadian waters.

(I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) published his 80 page “Des Sauvages” and freely admits that many people have written about Canada before he set down his account in 1603. What he doesn’t admit is his habit of recording the observations of others as his own without giving credit. This is fairly obvious in his brief narrative of 1599. It is noteworthy that the French and Basques had been fishing the St. Lawrence for the past 100 years and provided him with valuable navigation information. He met another Basque fisherman at Tor Bay, Nova Scotia who said he had been coming there since 1563. This fisherman in the ship Savalette that his father also fished this area as did his grandfather. Jacques Cartier (1491-1557) confirmed in 1535 that fishermen had indeed preceded him to America. It is noteworthy that Champlain chose the word Savage rather than Indian to describe the peoples of the New World.

(I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) records the story of the Mi’-Kmaq (Micmac) concerning Gougou a 200 foot colossal woman who wades through the waters off Canada’s east coast catching unwary mariners.

Some suggest George Pophan of England established the Popham Colony at the mouth of the Kennebec River which was to be later called Maine. He built Fort St. George on Sabino Head with a stone walls, turrets and 20 buildings. Funding dried up and it was abandoned by 1608. Some suggest he built the fort in 1607 but I find it hard to believe you can build a stone walled fort with 20 buildings plant crops in one season. It is also suggest the (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) was aware of the structure in 1605.

February: (Canada meaning village) King Henri IV of France, named (I)-Aymer de Clermont de Chaste (d-1603) as “Lieutenant General of New France”.

March 15: (I)-Francois Grave du Pont (1554-1629) of the De Chaste Trading Company sailed for New France from Honfleur, France and allowed (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) to join his expedition.

May 13: (I)-Aymar de Chaste (died May 13, 1603) and France granted (I)-Pierre du Gua, sieur de Monts (1558-1628), the New France trade monopoly.

May 8: (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) landed on the east coast of Nova Scotia (Acadia) and called the spot La Heve. Down the coast they encountered Jean Rossignol, a Spanard who was trading with the Indians. Champlain considered this illegal activity and seized the furs and his ship. In recognition of this event he named the area Port Rossignol.

May 24: The two ships of the De Chaste Trading Company are anchored at the mouth of the Saguenay River near Tadoussac, Quebec. The Montagnis Tabagies festivals were being conducted at this time in this ancient trading location. They had ten kettles, likely received in trade, filled with moose, bear, seal and beaver, positioned twenty feet apart. Anadabijou and 80-100 savages attended the Tabagies. They had no French manners and ate with their fingers, which they wiped on themselves or on their hunting dogs.

May 27: (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) is told that the Etchemins, the Algonkins and the Montagnais- numbering 1,000 men- had warred against the Iroquois at the mouth of the Iroquois River and had killed and scalped a hundred of them. Anadaabijou said that they had to rely wholly on surprise, for they are outnumbered by the Iroquois and wouldn’t dare to attack them openly. This sounds more like exaggeration in an attempt to impress the French in order to demonstrate what they had to offer the French for an alliance. Champlain also believed them to be great liars (exaggeration of the facts).

June 9: Tadoussac, at this time, numbered 1,000 men, women and children. Dancing (the girls at times naked) , races, feasting and gift giving is evident. Champlain discovered that they believed in the Great Spirit who created all things including the world and the people. They believe in the immortality of the soul.

June 11: (I)-Francois Grave du Pont, accompanied by (I)-Samuel de Champlain, explored up the Saguenay River for 35 miles. They then journeyed up the St Lawrence River looking for Stadacona, but there was no sign of the village. The Savages told them of the saltwater Bay of the North, and Champlain believed it to be part of the Atlantic Ocean.

June 24: On the Sainte Croix River, on an Island (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) established a colony of 79 people but 35 died of scurvy the first winter. This is hard to believe as European sailor have know how to treat scurvy for over a thousand years, especially using the herb alexanders. It was some times called Scotch lovage or sea lovage.

June 29: (I)-Francois Grave du Pont, accompanied by (I)-Samuel de Champlain, explored Lac Saint Pierre and entered the mouth of the Richelieu River. They journeyed up the river to the Saint Pours Rapids and learned from the Savages of other lakes upstream which were later named Lake Champlain and Lake George. They were also told of the Great River that leads down to the coast of Florida, but more likely the Hudson River that empties at New York.

July: (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) acquired a captured Iroquois woman from the Montagnais at Tadoussac and sent her to France, likely for education. He wrote at this time; “I must say however, that though Florida may have a more favorable climate than anything I’ve seen and it’s soil may be more fruitful, you could hardly hope to find a more beautiful country than Canada”.

July 11: By canoe, the party went to Sault Saint Louis or Lachine Rapids and the site of Hochelaga (Montreal), which no longer existed, and met with several bands of Algonquian. Everyone tells them of the great rivers and gigantic lakes. The savages described Niagara Falls, Lakes Huron, Erie and Ontario, as well as the Detroit River to the St. Lawrence. He did not report encounters with the Iroquois as the Algonquian had displaced them to the south. Champlain believed the Three Rivers area would make an ideal place for settlement. He also believed in the monster Gougou, as he did of the dragons of Mexico. He also believed you could hardly hope to find a more beautiful country than Canada.

September 20: The De Caste Trading Company expedition returned to France and learned of the death of Chastes on May 13, 1603.

November 8: (I)-Pierre Du Gua de Monts (1558-1628), Governor of Acadia and owner of the fur trade monopoly of New France, for the next 10 years engaged (I)-Francois Graves and (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635), from 1604 to 1607, to search for the best location to establish a fur trading post before settling on Stadacona (Quebec city) which is a historic Native trading location. The venture is funded by Calvinists, as there are none among the Roman Orthodox with whom they could bargain. It is noteworthy that Cartier did not share the knowledge of avoiding scurvy, and it plagued the de Monts Acadian venture.

November 15: (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) published his account of Des Sauvages. These friendly, hospitable people told (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) of the Great Lakes, Hudson Bay and the Mississippi River system leading to the Gulf of Mexico. It is noteworthy that (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) used an unnamed interpreter to converse with the inhabitants.

1604

The war with Spain made it difficult, if not impossible, to establish colonies in America until this time.

It is suggested that (I)-Louis Hebert (1575-1627) is in Acadia (1603-1607), A conflict with birth of Guillemette of 1606? (see 1602)

The Norman, Basque and Breton fisherman are regularly fishing for cod on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and along the coast of Nova Scotia.

Jean Rossignol a French trader was working the Port Royal area when the De Monts Trading Company seized his pelts and ship.

Some claim (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) visited the mouth of the Penobscot River (Maine). Samuel de Champlain sailed into the river estuary at what later became the seaport of St. John in New Brunswick, Canada.

The Saint Lawrence River (Quebec) was rejected as a possible French colony site because of the great number of free traders using that area and because they refused to yield to a French monopoly. (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) named Prince Edward Island, Ile de Saint Jean.

(I)-Pierre Du Gua de Mont (1558-1628) sailed to La Heve (Halifax) Acadia and discovered a vessel whose Captain is named Rossignol and he captured the ship as a violation of his territory. The secular Priest Nicolas Aubrey went ashore at St Mary’s Bay and became lost but turned up 17 days later. Sieur De Poutrincourt of Picardies obtained a grant for Port Royal from (I)-Pierre Du Gua de Mont (1558-1628) that was later confirmed by the French King.

February: The De Monts Trading Company is formed to fur trade and colonize New France. Members include de Monts, du Pont and de Champlain.

March: (I)-Pierre Du Gua de Mont (1558-1628) commanded 4 ships with both Catholic and Huguenots but only Catholics are allowed to evangelize the savages. Two ships were to go to Tadousac and two ships to Acadia.

March 7: Two ships departed Havre-de-Grace for an expedition to Acadia New France. The De Monts Trading Company had sent du Pont from Havre de Grace, France to New France. Swiss guards were members of the first French expedition to launch a colony in Acadia. (I)- Jean de Biencourt, Sieur de Poutrincourt et de Saint-just, (1557-1615) asked (I)-Pierre Du Gua de Monts (1558-1628) if he could join the expedition to Acadia. They arrived Acadia at Saint Croix, which was a poor location and many settlers died of starvation, scurvy, or the cold winter. Monts sent Biencourt back to France with a load of furs.

April 7: (I)-Pierre Du Gua de Monts (1558-1628) and company departs for Acadia, his party includes (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635), (I)- Jean de Biencourt, Sieur de Poutrincourt et de Saint-just, (1557-1615), Pontgrave, L’Escarbot, Champdore, Rossignol, Guillaume des Champs, Etienne Maitre, (I)-Louis Hebert (1575-1627), 120 men in total.

May 13: (I)-Pierre Du Gua de Monts (1558-1628), of the de Monts Trading Company, named Port au Mouton (Port Mouton, Nova Scotia) because a sheep had jumped overboard. Meanwhile (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) and Jean Ralluau explored the coast as far as the Bay of Fundy. De Monts and (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) explored in a longboat, looking for the site for a settlement and for mineral deposits discovered in 1603 by de Prevert.

June: The French wintered on an island in the St. Croix River, Nova Scotia, marking the beginning of Acadia. St. Croix Island actually is in the the St. Croix River that separates New Brunswick and Maine but is eventually claimed by Maine. The Colony was attacked by a certain malady called the mal de la terre (scurvy). The majority of them could not rise nor move and could not even be raised up on their feet without falling down in a swoon, so that out of 79 who composed our party, 35 died and more than 20 were on the point of death. They opened several of them to determine the cause of their illness (performed autopsies). De Monts, a military man, said the decisive factor of location was that it could be made secure from attacks by the Indians.

June 24: (I)-Pierre Du Gua de Mont (1558-1628) and (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) skirted the New Brunswick shore and entered the Saint John River then continued westward along the coast until they reached a desolate, sandy Island which de Monts named Ile Sainte Croix. They built a palisade, houses for 80 colonists, and planted wheat (rye). The Island had no fresh water or firewood, which indicates their level of incompetence. They would pay a terrible price for this mistake. (I)-Guillaume des Champs and (I)-Maitre Etienne also practiced medicine. (I)-Pierre Du Gua Monsieur de Monts (1558-1628) was a Huguenot and expected the promised religious freedom but received orders to convert the Natives to the Catholic faith. The first resident, Christian missionary is Father (I)-Nicholas Aubry, a secular priest who, with thirty-six other immigrants, died of scurvy during the first winter.

Early Fall: (I)- Jean de Biencourt, Sieur de Poutrincourt et de Saint-just, (1557-1615) and 40 men returned to France.

October 2: (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) returned to St. Croix Island, the dwellings were completed and 4 days later the snow began to fall. The storehouse had no cellar and air that entered through the cracks was more severe than that out side. Ice flow cut them off from a wood supply. Champlain wrote the colony was hit by landsickness (scurvy)- – of 79 of us, 35 died, and more than 20 were very near it – - we could find no remedy with which to cure this malady. A group of eleven remained well – - a jolly company of hunters who preferred rabbit hunting to the air of the fireside; skating on ponds, to turning over lazy in bed; making snow balls to bring down the game, to sitting around the fire talking about Paris and its good cooks.

1605

The Danes hire the Englishman James Hall to make a trip to Terra Nova. He seized three Eskimos, along with their kayaks, as slaves.

Grand-Pre, Acadia was first settled in 1605 through 150 years to the deportation in 1755 when it was burned to the ground by the British.

Francisco Fernandez de Ecija is dispatched by the governor of Florida to investigate an Anglo-French exploring and trading expedition. In Saint Helna Sound on the Carolina coast, he captured the expeditions two ships.

(I)- Jean de Biencourt, Sieur de Poutrincourt et de Saint-Just, (1557-1615) returned to Acadia with (I)-Louis Hebert, (1527-1627), others suggest he was in charge in Poutrincourt absence. (I)-Marc Leslarsot and others hoping to create an agriculture center. Those who went to Acadia colony numbered 19 including their minister (I)-Nicolas Aubry a Huguenot. It is suggested that (I)-Louis Hebert (1575-1627) is in Acadia (1603-1607), A conflict with birth of Guillemette of 1606? (see 1602)

June 18: (I)-Pierre Du Gua de Monts (1558-1628) and (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) of the de Monts Trading Company, sailed south as far as Massachusetts Bay and Nauset Harbour, Massachusetts, searching for a better site for their colony. He visited Cape Cod, hoping to establish a French colony here, but abandoned the idea because too many people already lived there. When they returned, the St. Croix river settlement was already dismantled and moved to Port Royal, Acadia. A new supply ship had arrived from France with 40 new colonists.

(I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) discovered that the savages were growing ‘sunchokes’ in their vegetable gardens and thought they tasted like Artichokes. The People however called them ‘sun roots’.

Fort Port Royal (1605-1613)

Port Royal The French trading post of St. Croix River moved across the Bay of Fundy to Port Royal, Acadia.

March: by this month, thirty six settlers perished leaving only 44 men and they would have perished if the natives hadn’t provided them with food.

June 15: (I)- Jean de Biencourt, Sieur de Poutrincourt et de Saint-just, (1557-1615) returned to Acadia just as the colony was relocation to Port Royal. As they were relocating they were greeted by Basque Metis and St. Malo trader offsprings.

September: (I)-Pierre Du Gua de Monts (1558-1628) returns to France to attend to finances, leaving (I)-Francois Grave du Pont (1554-1629) in charge of the Monts Trading Company. A storm blew de Monts landward where five men disembarked at Cape Cod and 4 are killed by the savages. (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) was commissioned to conduct exploration. The forty some men who remained behind planted gardens and built a pond with trout. A Roman Catholic and a Protestant Huguenot minister are among those who remained. These clerics even came to blows at times, but scurvy claimed them both at the same time. They are buried in a common grave to see if they could rest in peace when dead. The outlay exceeded the receipts and, thereby, doomed the venture. The French had failed to either establish sufficient trading relationships with the Natives or discover harbors suitable for settlement. They blamed the Natives for being uncivilized. They contend the people of the interior are more civilized. The Company grant is revoked, they say because of the jealousy and importunity of certain Basque and Briton merchants.

1606

(I)-Louis Hebert (1575-1627) is claimed by Kebec but his first venture to New France was at Port Royal, Acadia (Annapolis, Nova Scotia) from early 1603 to September 1607. It is believed he experimented with agriculture, the first known crops by Europeans, in Canada. It is suggested that (I)-Louis Hebert (1575-1627) is in Acadia (1603-1607), A conflict with birth of Guillemette of 1606? and his other children (see 1602)

John Knight, an Englishman hired by the Danes, in search of the Northwest Passage, got stuck in ice off the coast of Labrador, north of Nain.

The coast of New England is officially called Northern Virginia, and King James I, in 1606, granted the entire region to the Northern Virginia Company. The first charter of the Virginia Company declared that all colonists and their descendents would enjoy all liberties. This contrasts with French rule that demands absolute obedience to King and God.

The English believe the French viewed the New World as a potential source of raw material.

The English, in contrast, is overpopulated, saying the land grows weary of its People. Emigration is therefore encouraged in order to form self-supporting agricultural communities. Agriculture is not a high French objective, but they are eventually forced into farming.

Word reaches Port Royal, Acadia that the Company of Merchants had broken up and therefore no new supplies would be sent to Port Royal. They were on their own.

Francisco Fernandez de Ecija led an expedition to find and remove the English settlers at Croatoan along the North Carolina coast. He search the Carolina coast from Santa Elena (Port Royal Sound) and Cape Fear. He found nothing and was unaware of the English at Jamestown.

March 16: (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) set out on an abortive expedition, reaching only as far as Port aux Coquilles on the St. Croix River.

May 13: (I)-Jean de Biencourt, Sieur de Pountrincourt (1557-1615), joins the de Monts Company. He arrived in Acadia with his son, (II)-Charles de Biencourt, Baron de Saint Just (1591-1623), and (I)-Jean Ralluau, (I)-Marc Lescarbot (1570-1642), (I)-Louis Herbert (1575-1727). (I)-Louis Herbert grew herbs to use as medicine to treat sick settlers and returned to France in 1616, but would return to New France in 1617.

July 27: The de Monts Company ship reached Port Royal, Acadia and they planted apple trees from Normandy. They began to construct a road from Port Royal to Cape Digby.

September 5: De Poutrincourt and (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) explored south as far as Martha’s Vineyard before returning on November 14.

1607

(I)-Louis Herbert was in Port Royal from the summer of 1606 through the winter of 1606/1607. Others who wintered were Poutrincourt (Lord of the Manor), Champlain, Biencourt, Marc L’Escarbot, (the lawyer), Pontgrave Champdoré, and Daniel Hay (surgeon)

Merchants ignored the trade monopoly, and free trade contributed to the collapse of the Monts Trading Company.

(I)-Marc Lescarbot (1570-1642) wrote: by all accounts everyone ate well at Port Royal: stone-ground whole wheat bread, sturgeon, lobster, crabmeat, mussels, vegetables including corn, squash, beans and cabbage. Of all their meats none is so tender as moose and none so delicate as beaver tail. A bottle of wine topped off the menu.

Six men die at Port Royal from the exertion of grinding grain by hand, so de Pountrincourt built a water driven mill on the Allains River.

(I)-John Popham and (I)-Ferdinando Gorges of the Northern Virginia Company, established a trading post on an island in the mouth of the Kennebec River. One hundred English settlers established Fort St. George (Popham Colony) (I)-Raleight Gilbert is appointed Governor. Confronted by numerous well armed Indians, the settlers abandoned this project within a month. Some suggest Thomas Dale was the Governor of the failed Virginia colony and that he quit upon hearing of the French settlement, that America was not big enough to contain both the French and English.

Others suggest The Plymouth Company under command of George Popham and Raleigh Gilbert established an English colony at the mouth of the Kennebec River, Maine. They report that the French were in the area. The cold winter of 1607/08 discouraged this venture. They all returned to England in 1608.

Still others suggest Captains Popham & Gilbert established a colony on the River Sagadahock New England (Maine) and with 100 men built Fort George. The colony was abandoned in 1608 as their patron had died.

King James of England extended their right of occupation from 33rd degree of north latitude up to the 45th degree giving them power to attack all foreigners whom they might find within these limits of 50 miles out to sea. They thus claimed the southern half of Acadia (Nova Scotia) and the southern half of Maine. To the south they claimed the northern 2/3 of South Carolina. The actual Royal patents reads “we give them all the lands up to the 45 degree, which do not actually belong to any Christian Prince. This French king already claimed and possessed the said lands to the 39 degree and that included New York and New Jersey. The Jesuit claim in 1523 the French through discover had claimed to the 33 degree to include the Carolina’s and North. The maps of this time issued by Spain, Italy, Holland, Germany, and England her self acknowledged New France down to the 38 degree or New Jersey North. The English Kings proclamation established the rules to ensure war would be inevitable between England and France.

From 1607 to 1613 no European remained in Acadia, the area however was visited by traders and fishermen during this period.

Bartholomew Gosnold (1572-1607) carried 52 of the original Jamestown colonists to the Virginia coast.

May: John Smith and Christopher Newport ventured up the James River as far as Richmond from Jamestown.

May 24: The forced collapse of the Monts Trading Company resulted in the employees being ordered back to France, including all colonists. Which they did in the fall of this year.

August 11: (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) sailed for Canso, Acadia ( Nova Scotia).

December: John Smith (1579-1631) led an expedition up the Chickahominy River from Jamestown and was captured by the Powhatan for three months. He wrote in 1616: “New England is that part of America in the South Sea, and here are no hard Landlords to racke us with high rents, or extorted fines to sonsume us, no tedious pleas in law to consume us, so freely hath God and his Majesty bestowed those blessings on them that will attempt to obtaine them, as here every man may be master and owner of his owne labour and land, or the greatest part in small time.”

1608

Population of Kebec 31 French, 28 being workmen building the trading post.

The Virginia Company on the Kennebec River is abandoned, as the Indians refused to trade.

(I)-Bonerme, the first surgeon in Canada accompanied (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) this year. He died Kebec the winter of 1608-1609.

(I)-Jean Duval arrived Kebec. Some suggest Nouvelle-France was started with 6 families totaling 28 people. Twenty would die the first winter. Duval conspired against Champlain and is executed in Kebec. His three companions are returned to France.

A settlement ship to Jamestown included five Poles. Their numbers would rise to forty-five. This clearly indicated that non-English was allowed in the colonies.

France, on the other hand, only wanted Roman Catholic French in their Colony.

Kebec Settlement (Kebec means Narrow Passage)
Quebec Settlement This drawing is based on a sketch by Champlain. The population of Quebec is some 25-28 persons. Others suggest Fort Quebec, at this time it, is no more than a minor trading post. This is likely, based on the fact that 16 men died of scurvy, leaving a crew of 9-10 men. The name Quebec is from the native word Kebec which means narrowing of the waters. The first task is to build a storehouse, three main buildings and then to plant a garden. This Stadacona location, where the waters narrow, is an excellent location, designed to restrict free trade and impose a French monopoly on the trade route. Stadacona, in 1535, was a well constructed town of 500 Iroquois. There is some evidence to suggest they were absorbed into the Huron culture.

(I)-Jean Duval, d-1608, a workman, and four others arrived Kebec 1608 and are plotting to kill (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635). They hoped to become agent and intended to turn the trading post over to the Basque or Spanish to encourage free trade and, thereby, profit. Others suggest the Basque had bribed Duval and company. (I)-Jean Antoine Natel, d-1608, a sailor and locksmith also arrived Kebec 1608, one of the conspirators, told the French of the plan, resulting in the hanging of (I)-Jean Duval, d-1608. His severed head is impaled on a pike and placed in full view. Three other conspirators are sent home (to France) in chains. Unknown to the French, the St. Lawrence River valley is a disputed territorial zone. The Algonquian people, having recently recovered their lands from the Iroquois, easily enter into alliance with the French. This is probably the reason they did not challenge the (I)-Francois Grave, sieur Du Pont (Pontegrave) (1560-1629) settlement at Stadacona (Kebec).

Champdore visited Port Royal saying it was in good order.

Mathieu da Costa, an African Blackman signed a contract in Amsterdam to provide service in Canada or Acadia to Pierre du gua de Monts for the years 1609 to 1612.

January 7: The de Mont Trading Company monopoly is extended for one year. Three ships are sent out; one to revive the colony at Port Royal, one to the lower St. Lawrence, and one to found a post at Quebec under the direction of (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635).

April 13: (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) departed France aboard the Don de Dieu.

June 3: (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) arrived Tadoussac, Quebec. Some suggest (I)-Etienne Brule (1591-1633) is on this ship but others suggest he didn’t arrive until 1610. Basque traders are working Tadoussac, Quebec at the mouth of the Saguenay River when the de Monts Trading Company arrived. Some suggest (I)-Nicolas Marsolet (1587-1677) and (I)-Etienne Brule (1592-1633) were on this ship with (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) and became the best of friends. (I)-Nicolas Marsolet (1587-1677) reported to the King of France and was not subject to Champlain. (I)-Nicolas Marsolet (1587-1677) remained at Tadoussac from 1608 to 1635 remaining even during the English occupation. (I)-Nicolas Marsolet (1587-1677) lived in a building constructed in 1600 by (I)-Pierre Chauvin, d-1602 and lived among the Montagnais and Saguenay peoples as interpreter/trader. (I)-Nicolas Marsolet (1587-1677) was called the Little King of Tadoussac and he fathered a number of Metis children among the Montagnais.

April 13: Tadoussac, A Basque fur-trader is told to stop trading by (I)-Francois Grave, sieur Du Pont (Pontegrave) (1560-1629) and the Basque set upon Pontgrave with musket and cannon, killing one man and severely wounding two others, including Pontgrave. However upon (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) arrive the Basques were greatly outnumbered and agreed to a truce, not to molest Pontgrave or De Monts. It is noteworthy that Pontegrave was in command and Champlain was a geographer.

April 13: (I)-Nicolas Marsolet de Saint-Aignan (1587-1677) is appointed by King Henry IV as drogman (interpreter) to La Nouvelle France. He arrived with (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) who disliked Nicolas because he reported directly to the King. To ensure he didn’t interfere with his domain he assigned him to Tadoussac where he stayed from 1608 to 1635. He took a country wife and fathered Metis children. It is noteworthy that Tanguay was well aware of Nicolas Metis children but made no mention. His second marriage 1636, Kebec to Marie Lebarbier age 16 was well noted with their 10 children.

HABITATION AT KEBEC Quebec Settlement

(I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) returning from an exploration up the St. Lawrence River. This Hanitation at Kebec was built by 30 men in only three months.

July 3: (I)-Pierre Du Gua de Monts (1558-1628), (I)-Francois Grave, sieur Du Pont (Pontegrave) (1560-1629), and (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) of the de Monts Trading Company, established the first permanent official French settlement and some claim it to be the oldest city in Canada- Quebec City. The first French settlement in Canada, however, is Port Royal (1605-1613).

July 3: (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) lands at Acadia with 30 carpenters, stonemasons and artisans and builds a permanent fur-trading post at Place-Royale, thinking the spot allows him to control the St. Lawrence R. Not everyone wants him to succeed. Some of his men are bribed by Basques to kill him and steal his provisions. One of them, (I)-Antoine Natel informs and they are captured and tried. Their leader (I)-Jean Duval is hung and his head is piked.

July 4: Kebec: Sieur Jean Duval and four others conspire to kill Champlain and turn Kebec over to the Basque and Spanish for great profit. Sieur Natel told sieur Testu who told Champlain of the plot. Jean Duval was piked and the remaining three conspirators sent back to France. The piking was deemed necessary as an example to the Basque and Spaniards who were about in large numbers in New France.

September: (I)-Francois Grave, sieur Du Pont (Pontegrave) (1560-1629) returned to France, leaving (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) as his agent. Over the winter, out of twenty-two (others suggest 27 or 28) men, all but eight of the colony died of scurvy and dysentery. (I)-Etienne Brule (1592-1633), a sixteen year-old lad, is among the survivors. They had brought cows, but no one knew how to assist in their calving and they died. It would appear that women in France did the calving. Champlain worked on his maps this winter.

November: Kebec, death (I)-Antoine Natel, a sailor.

1609

Population of Kebec 25 French

(I)-Claude De Saint Etienne De La Tour and his son (II)-Charles La Tour (1595-1665) arrived Acadia and built a fort at Penobscot River, Acadia, later he would move to Port Royal, Acadia. His friend (II)-Charles Biencourt (1591-1623) settled near Port Royal, Acadia.

Joseph Martin, b-1609, a Matchonon (Huron) Savage, possible Metis son (I)-Abraham Martin dit L’Ecossais (1589-1664). (I)-Abraham and Marguerite Langlois, likely a savage, had a daughter (II)-Anne b-1614, no birth location given and a son (II)-Eustache b-1621 Kebec, and daughter (II)-Marguerite b-1624, Kebec, and (II)-Helene, b-1627, Kebec.

CHAMPLAIN’S WAR AGAINST THE IROQUOIS

Champlain’s WarA French engraving from 1613, made from a drawing supplied by Champlain with his arquebus (harquebus). Some suggest his placement of himself between the apposing forces is highly unlikely. Some suggest Champlain entered into war because the Algonquian people said there would be no trade without a military partnership. This is highly unlikely as the French have been trading with the Algonquian people since at least 1599 and this is not consistent with their trading culture. The Iroquois and Algonquian people have been trading for centuries. It is more likely that Champlain wanted to demonstrate a superior power for his own glorification. However Champlain was accompanied, in his expedition against the Iroquois, by bands of Huron, Algonquins, Iroquets, and Montagnais. As a result the Algonquins were attracted to the St. Lawrence, and settle chiefly at Three Rivers.

(I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) entered into a trading partnership with the Herons hopefully to stimulate the fur trade.

Nicolas du Vignau was sent to live among the Algonquins on the Ottawa River.

Étienne Brûlé (1592-1633) was sent by Champlain to live among the Hurons

(I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) of the de Monts Trading Company, solidified his alliance with the Algonquian by participating in a battle at Lake Champlain against the Iroquois. Others suggest that (I)-Samuel de Champlain supported the Huron (a Wendat-Iroquois speaking people) to attack the Iroquois Nation at Richelieu River, thereby starting a hundred year war. Still others suggest that 9 French and 300 Huron marched south to attack the Iroquois. Many returned to Kebec, and Champlain says, with 6 men and 60 Huron, they faced 200 Iroquois (likely a highly exaggerated number). (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) claimed to have killed three Iroquois at 27 meters, but this is an obvious lie as his gun is incapable of the feat. arquebus (harquebus) were slow and cumbersome in their action, taking several minutes to prime, load and fire. It was said an expert could shoot his weight in shot before killing anyone. The kick was so heavy, sometimes it dislocated the shoulder or collar-bone of the shooter. It wasn’t until 1670 that the gun became superior to the bow and arrow. Champlain likely fired from an ambush position, and the sound frightened the Iroquois, but this would only work once. Native historic conflicts usually did not result in death to either side. It was a time to demonstrate superior strength and skills. The French word Huron for the Wendat people is a contemptuous term, also used to describe peasants in France.

(I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) claimed to have defeated the Iroquois, but it is more likely the Iroquois withdrew to debate in council why the French did not follow the century old rules of conduct between rival cultures. Hundreds of French would pay with their lives, but the Huron would be annulated for the stupidity of this man.

What ever the real truth is, (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) sealed his alliance with the Huron in blood and, for almost a century the, Kebec settlers would pay the price of making the Iroquois their mortal enemy.

Unable to renew his trading monopoly, (I)-Gua de Monts is forced to form a partnership with Rouen merchants.

Hendrik Hudson discovered the South River aka. Delaware to become the Southern limits of New Holland and northern limits of New Sweden.

Samuel Argall, an Englishman (1572-1626) sailed to Jamestown basically as a pirate.

Francisco Fernandez de Ecija again sailed the Atlantic coast looking for English settlements. He spotted smoke signals along the Carolina Outer Banks but no Europeans.

February: Ten men are dead and 18 are sick at Kebec. Only 8 men out of 28 would survive the winter. 14 died of scurvy and 18 from dysentery.

April: Only eight men of the Kebec colony remain alive. Kebec received supplies from France after a disastrous winter marked by severe scurvy. Twenty of twenty-eight traders died. Two thirds died from scurvy and one third as a result of dysentery.

April 6: (I)-Henry Hudson sailed for the Dutch East India Company up the Hudson River as far as Albany, New York. He traded liquor with the Mohawks.

June 28: (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) set out to explore the Iroquois country with 11 Frenchmen and 60 Natives. He made a strategic decision to support the Algonquin and Huron Peoples against the Iroquois in the hope of furthering his trading and exploration activities. It is amazing that Champlain, so far, has survived on a series of failures: first, by selecting St. Croix, resulting in serious loss; second, in failing to find a colony site; and now creating an enemy when in a vulnerable condition, having nearly lost the infant Colony last winter.

July 3: (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) recruited 20 men from Tadoussac but only 4 guns (arguebus).

July 13: (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) traveled up the Richelieu River with two Frenchmen and their Indian allies, reaching Lake Champlain and Lake George.

July 24: Francisco Fernandez de Ecija tried to enter Chesapeake Bay but is blocked by an English ship. He returned to Saint Augustine by September 24.

July 29: (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) and his war party met a large party of Iroquois near Ticonderoga, New York, and both parties accepted a challenge to do battle. Champlain had no ideal of the nature of engagement in America, nor of the diplomatic process to avoid serious conflict. Again Champlain shows his ignorance and commits France and New France to a century long war. Some suggest it wasn’t his fault, and the clash is, or would be, inevitable, as an ongoing European clash exported to the New World. This European religious and cultural pathology could have been avoided by a more astute authority. Champlain greatly embellished his role in the encounter and the number of Mohawks (Iroquois).

September 5: (I)-Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) sailed from Tadoussac, arriving France on October 13. His gifts to the King included a Mohawk scalp.

September 24: Francisco Fernandez de Ecija reported finding the English Jamestown and also reported the strategic importance of Chesapeake Bay as an English base from which to takeover Spanish lands in North America.

Joseph Deyo & Descendants

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The Deyos- 1800-1982 [written by Wilfred Frank Deyo circa 1982]

The writer, Wilfred Frank Deyo will incorporate -the following information available as of October 8, 1982 into the “Deyo Family History”- 1800-1982-From Canada to the United States of America which he hopes to put together in the not too distant future. More

Luftgau Kommando VII

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This is the last unit in the Luftwaffe to which Luise Senger (Rabideau) belonged.

all material which follows on this page © 1997-2005 Michael Holm

Chef des Stabes:

  • ?
  • Obstlt Eckhard Krahmer, 1.7.38 – 1.4.39
  • Oberst Bruno Maass, 1.4.39 – 5.3.43
  • Oberst Otto Petzold, 5.3.43 – 8.5.45

Formed 4.2.38 in München from Luftgau-Kommando XIV. More

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