James , Captain Boisseau Captain
Captain James Boisseau was the ancestor to most if not all of the future
Boisseaus of Dinwiddie and Chesterfield Counties. How he gained the title
Captain is not known. He may have served in the British Military or the
Colonial Militia at some point, or he may have been the captain of avessel
for a period of time, or perhaps the title was honorary. Throughout theperiod
of his life, the title was often but not always used in the legaldocuments in
which his name is found. Because of this, it cannot be determined with
certainty when he was first given this title.
Captain James Boisseau first appeared in the records of PrinceGeorge County,
witnessing a sale of land from Joshua Pritchett to Henry Willson, onSeptember
30, 1725. By this time he had probably affiliated himself with BristolParish,
in Petersburg. Although Tyler's Quarterly states that he became a vestryman
at Bristol Parish in 1722, he was probably too young to have reached that
position in the church. The Parish register states that he became avestry man
in 1747, so it appears that 1722 was the year that he joined the parish,but
only as a member, and not one of the church elders.
Despite his affiliation with Bristol Parish, he continued to ownlands in
other parishes, especially Southwarke Parish in Surry County. On January7,
1727, he purchased 56 1/2 acres in Southwarke Parish. The court documentalso
listed his wife, Mary Rebecca Holt. She was the daughter of ReverendJoseph
Holt, and the marriage probably took place sometime between 1724 and1726. The
couple began to have children in early 1730. Their children were:1. Lucy Boisseau, born February 4, 1730
2. Elizabeth Boisseau, born September 30, 1733
3. James Boisseau, born May 22, 1736
4. Sarah Boisseau, born March 3, 1738
5. Susanna Boisseau, born October 30, 1741
6. John Boisseau, born February 12, 1747
7. Benjamin Boisseau, born February 28, 1753
8. Molley Holt Boisseau, born September 25, 1756All of the children's birth dates came from the Bristol Parishregister,
except for their first child, Lucy, whose birth came form her tombstone at
Blandford Cemetery. Because Lucy does not appear in that register, or inthe
neighboring Albemarle Parish register, where the births of SusannaBoisseau
and David Jones' children appear, she was most likely born in Southwarke
Parish.
By 1752, Captain James Boisseau had acquired some position ofprominence not
only in the Parish he served, but in the larger community. On April 25,1752,
he was appointed to the Commission for Peace, which was responsible for
relations with the local native americans. In 1757, he received a landgrant
of 628 acres in Dinwiddie County from the Regal Government in theColonies.
On November 22, 1768, Captain James Boisseau resigned from thevestry of
Bristol Parish. He probably died within a few years, although the exactdate
of his death is unknown. His wife Mary survived him, and in 1772 gave oneof
her grandchildren, Molly Pettway, a slave, indicating that Captain James
Boisseau was dead by then. Unfortunately, it is not known when MaryRebecca
Holt Boisseau died either.
Holmes DeSaussure Ehyrr Boisseau, the only son of Col. DeSaussureEhyrr
Boisseau and Caroline (La) Roche, was born on the island of St.Christopher's
on May 17, 1740, and was educated, like his father, at the University of
Geneva, in Switzerland. By 1760, towards the end of his stay at the
University, he had to return to St. Christopher's to be near hisgrandmother,
Mathilde H. S. DeSaussure Boisseau, who was dying. While he was away in
Switzerland, all of his sisters had married and moved away, and he foundthe
sugar plantation his family had built had fallen into a state ofdisrepair.
Eventually he decided to leave St. Christopher's for South Carolina, andthere
he married Judith Roberdeau, the daughter of General Daniel Roberdeau. OnGood
Friday, 1775, Judith gave birth to twin boys, Isaac and Joseph. A few days
later, both Isaac Boisseau and his mother, Judith, fell ill, and bothdied,
leaving an infant Joseph Holmes DeSaussure Boisseau, and a disconsolate
father.
Within a few years, Holmes DeSaussure Ehyrr Boisseau married hissecond wife,
Elizabeth Jordan, the daughter of John Jordan. By 1778, the couple, alongwith
young Joseph relocated to Prince George County, and at this point the two
branches of the Boisseau family, separated by 80 years, finally learnedof the
true fate of their ancestor's brother.
Between 1778 and 1789, Holmes and Elizabeth Boisseau had two otherchildren,
Holmes John Alexander Boisseau, and Jane Boisseau. Unfortunately, thefate of
these two children has been lost. Elizabeth Jordan Boisseau died inFrance in
1789, but her husband, Holmes DeSaussure Ehyrr Boisseau, continued,traveling
back and forth from Virginia to France. A copy of some of hiscorrespondence
with his first child, Joseph, has survived, and most of the history ofthis
branch of the family comes form the letters sent from the father to hisfirst
born son.
By 1824, Holmes DeSaussure Ehyrr Boisseau, like his grandfather, hadreturned
to his birth place to die, and was buried on St. Christopher's Island.
Jeanne Robert Boisseau, one of five daughters of Col. DeSaussureEhyrr
Boisseau and Caroline (La) Roche, was an older sister to Holmes DeSaussure
Ehyrr Boisseau. She was born probably between 170 and 1735. On June 8,1748,
she married Jean Francois De Bois. While little is known about thiscouple,
they did apparently have at least one child, Pierre Francois De Bois.Pierre
Francois De Bois joined the American Army on October 7, 1776, and wasmade a
Brevet Major. Between 1776 and 1779, he served in the Army, until losingan
arm in the Battle of the Woods. On April 9, 1779, he resigned form the
American Army, and afterwards, he returned to France, receiving a hero's
welcome.
Note: Some of the early information is now in doubt concerning JosephEhyrr
Boisseau, and his descendants.
Lucy Boisseau, the first child of Captain James Boisseau and Mary Rebecca
Holt, was born on February 4, 1730. She married Thomas Williams anEnglishman
born in 1702 in St. James Parish, London, on November 27, 1746 in Bristol
Parish. She was his second wife. His first wife, Rachael Freeman, haddied on
July 23, 1746, leaving three children, one son and two daughters. One ofthe
daughters, Hannah Williams, died on July 5, 1747. Later that month, Lucy
Boisseau Williams also died, and was buried at Blandford Cemetery next tothe
both Rachael and Hannah. Lucy Boisseau's tombstone reads:"Here lies in the hope of a blessed Resurrection,
the body of Mrs. Lucy Williams. wife of
Mr. Thomas Williams, She was ye daughter
of Mr. James Boisseau & Mary his wife
Born February ye 8th 1730. Married November
the 27th 1746. who died ye 25th of July 1747
Aged 16 years five months & two weeks &
3 days. who was very much beloved and lamented
Young men & women, all & standers by
That on these tombs do cast a wandering eye
Call on ye Lord whilst in your health & youth
For die you must, it is a certain truth
Your life a Shadow is more pris'd than gold
As for Example here you may behold
Beneath these mournful tombs there lyeth three
Which maketh eight out of one Familey
Two loving virtuous wives and child most dear
All died within two days & one whole year
Whose patience quitted not their silent breast
But lull'd them into an eternal rest
To wait in peace, until that glorious day
The trumpet sounds, to call them hence away"
James , Reverend Boisseau Reverend
From the book, "Les rforms de Saumur au temps de l'dit de Nantes," byJean Luc Tulot, we now know that the Rev. James BOISSEAU was born JacquesBoisseau on December 24, 1656 in Saumur, Maine et Loire, France. A son ofMathurin Boisseau and Marie Couppeau. When the repeal of the Edict ofNantes came down in 1685 which led to more persecution of the Huguenotsof which he was one, James fled to England. He left England and sailed toVirginia in the United States in 1689. James married to Sarah Holmes inVirginia. He ministered at several churches, including St. Peter'sParish. They had the following children; James (later called Capt.James), Holmes, Jean and Susanna. Rev. James and his wife, Sarah wereboth dead by 1713, according to records of Prince George County,Virginia. Their son Capt. James had many descendants, of which I am one,through two of Capt. James' children, James III and John BOISSEAU.
Rev. James BOISSEAU was born 1660 in Montauban, France. When the Edict ofNantes came down in 1685, it is said his father, grandfather and one ofhis brothers were all killed trying to defend their church where theywere apparently clergymen. James and his other brother, Joseph EhyrrBOISSEAU fled to England. Joseph married a Swiss girl and had severalchildren. They both left England headed for Virginia in the United Statesin 1689, Joseph and his family were on one ship, James, still single atthe time, on another. Joseph's ship went off course and ended up in SouthCarolina. While James made it to Virginia. The two families wereseperated for many years, until some of Joseph's family later moved toVirginia. James married to Sarah Holmes in Virginia. He ministered atseveral churches, including St. Peter's Parish. They had at least twochildren, James (later called Capt. James) and Mary. Rev. James and hiswife, Sarah were both dead by 1715, according to records of Prince GeorgeCounty, Virginia.
*Alphabetical Rent Roll of Virginia 1704/05 (c) 1994 For more informationon the early Virginia planters, consult: Wertenbaker, Thomas J., ThePlanters of Colonial Virginia, Russell & Russell New York, New YorkBody Wm Isle Wighte County, 1704
Bohannah John Glocester, Kingston Parish
Bohannah Joseph Glocester, Kingston Parish
Boisseau James Quart King & Queen County, 1704
Bolling Coll Prince George County, 1704
Bolling John Henrico County, 1705
Bolling Rob[t] Henrico County, 1705
Bolton Henry Glocester, Kingston ParishThe Original Immigrant Ancestor, Rev. James Boisseau and his wife Sarah
Holmes, and their ChildrenThe story of the Boisseau family in Virginia begins in MontaubanFrance, in
the 1620's. For two generations, the Boisseau family worked andworshipped in
that region, helping to build the Protestant University. By 1685, the
Protestants had lost power in France, and with the Revocation of theTreaty of
Nantes, they were forced to either accept Catholicism or leave thecountry.
When the Boisseaus refused to tear down the university that their fathersand
grandfathers had helped to build, they were murdered in the streets. Butwhile
the elders in the family were killed, specifically the father, uncle, and
oldest brother, others survived. The mother, and her two younger sons,James
and Joseph, fled to England, where the king was sympathetic to the plightof
the exiled Protestants. The king planned on using these immigrants tosettle
the new world, and offered them enough money and land to provide them with
some security in the colonies. The two brothers, worried that their mother
would not survive the voyage, stayed with her in England until her deathin
1689. This is the story of James and Joseph Boisseau, and all their
descendants.
On November 11, 1689, James Boisseau, now a reverend, signed areceipt for
money paid to him to serve as an immigrant minister to the colonies. The
receipt is now at the Bodleian Library at Oxford University.
As legend has it, the two brothers took separate vessels in the samefleet.
Joseph had married Mathilde H. S. DeSaussure while in England (it isbeleived she was Swiss),
and so raveled on the ship with women, and presumably other marriedcouples. James, still
unmarried, sailed on the male's vessel. At some point during the voyage,the
ships were separated by a powerful storm, and each brother thought thatthe
other was lost at sea. Because Joseph's ship was blown so far off course,his
ship landed in South Carolina instead of Virginia, were his brotherarrived.
The two branches of the family apparently grew for 80 years withoutknowing
that the other existed.
Joseph Ehyrr Boisseau and his wife Mathilde H. S. DeSaussure stayedin South
Carolina for only a brief period of time. They apparently found the locals
unfriendly, and unwilling to accept their new Huguenot neighbors.Ironically,
by 1695, John Boisseau, probably a distant cousin of James and Joseph, had
settled in Camden, South Carolina. Joseph however had decided that hewould
settle elsewhere, and so left South Carolina for the West Indies, andsettled
in St. Christopher's, to raise his family on a sugar plantation.
James Boisseau arrived safely in Virginia, and settled in King andQueen
County, where he had charge of St. John's Parish. By 1694, he had married
Sarah Holmes, who had previously been married to Mr. Bird. The House of
Burgesses which governed Virginia was very insecure about allowing theParish
officials to have too much power, and so would often dismiss or re-elect a
minister depending on their whims. Even so, James was able to keepcontrol
of his parish for a number of years. Eventually, he moved to anotherparish,
probably Martins Brandon Parish. Unfortunately, virtually all of therecords
of both parishes are either lost or destroyed. Even so, what is known isthat
Reverend James Boisseau and Sarah Holmes raised several children. Theywere,
not necessarily in order:1. Captain James Boisseau
2. Mary Boisseau
3. Holmes Boisseau
4. Jean Boisseau
5. Susanna BoisseauAll of their children were born sometime between 1692 and probably1710.
Although it is not known precisely when Reverend James Boisseau and Sarah
Holmes died, James is not found in the records anywhere after 1705, andSarah
must be dead by 1713, since their daughter, Jean, chooses a guardian,Major
Nathaniel Harrison, in Surry County.m
Much more is known about Susanna Boisseau. Like her siblings, her date of
birth is unknown, however, by 1730, she had married David Jones ofAlbemarle
Parish, and this couple produced at least nine children. They were:1. James Boisseau Jones, born April 23, 1731
2. Rebecca Jones, born February 4, 1732
3. John Jones, born December 10, 1736
4. Holmes Jones, born January 24, 1739
5. Susanna Jones, born January 13, 1740
6. Sarah Jones, born August 8, 1743
7. Elizabeth Jones, born May 18, 1745
8. Mary Jones, born February 4, 1747
9. Robert Jones, born November 17, 1752
10. Catherine JonesSusanna Boisseau, the wife of David Jones, died in October, 1771. Her
husband, David Jones, died sometime before November 16, 1780, the date his
will was executed.
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The early history of Joseph Ehyrr Boisseau and Mathilde H. S. DeSaussureis
both more detailed and vague. While they probably had several children,only
one has not been lost to history. Joseph and his wife lived on St.
Christopher's for many years, but the ancestral lands back in MontaubanFrance
were always in the thoughts of Joseph Ehyrr Boisseau. So much so that the
desire to reclaim those lands was passed down not only to his son, but tohis
grandson, and great grandson. His desire was so strong that he probably
undertook a trip back to France very late in life, and in 1748, he died,and
was buried near Montauban France. Mathilde H. S. DeSaussure Boisseausurvived
her husband for many years, helped to raise her grandchildren as she had
raised her children. In 1760, she died, and was buried on St.Christopher's
Island. An unknown grandson laid a monument for her at the cemetery whereshe
is buried.
Their son, Col. DeSaussure Ehyrr Boisseau, was born on February 2,1694, on
the family sugar plantation on St. Christopher's Isle, and was educatedat the
University of Geneva, Switzerland, around 1710. He presumably served inthe
British military in some capacity, but it is not known when or where he
served. By 1730, he had returned to the West Indies, and in May of thatyear
he married Caroline (La) Roache. There on the island of St. Christopher's,
they had six children, one son, Holmes DeSaussure Ehyrr Boisseau, and five
daughters, the names of which are lost, except for one, Jeanne Robert
Boisseau.
It is by this time that the children of Reverend James Boisseau andSarah
Holmes also began to marry and have children. The life of Jean Boisseau is
unknown. No trace of her has been found following her appearance in theSurry
County Court in 1713, in which she chooses Major Nathaniel Harrison as her
guardian. Her sister, Mary Boisseau, married J. Bonner. This couple hadone
child, Hamilton Bonner, and possibly others, but no record of MaryBoisseau
and J. Bonner has been found in official records. The only source forthem has
been The Huguenot magazine.
The life of Holmes Boisseau is perhaps a little more detailed. Hemarried a
woman named Rebecca, and apparently after her death, sometime before1745, he
married secondly a woman named Sarah. He had at least two children:1. Holmes Boisseau
2. James Boisseau