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The Story of "Duke of Mont Sarret" of France
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Family tradition of this branch of SARRETT'S in America, comes from
Mrs. Gilda Mae (SARRETT) LESLIE, b. 19 March 1905 and her sister
Miss Dessie Jane SARRETT, born 14 Sept. 1908, both of Raleigh
County, West Virginia. They published an article in 1950, for the
Beckley Newspaper, of Raleigh County Centennial in West Virginia,
the following: [REF: #90. pg163]
Descendants of this SARRETT family which includes some of the early pioneers of Raleigh County, West Virginia can trace their ancestry back to a young French Nobleman who fought on the side of freedom in the American Revolution. [REF: #90. pg163] This Nobleman who bore the title of "Duke of Mont Sarrette" came to America on the same ship which brought Marquis Jean Paul LAFAYETTE, to this country. Both offered their services to General GEORGE WASHINGTON and fought through the American Revolution after which they returned to their native land of France. When the French Revolution broke out, the "Duke of Mont Sarrette" with his little 2 year old son stole aboard a ship bound for America under the cover of darkness. The two were concealed by the captain and transported here. [South Carolina, 1799]. The reason for the Duke's hasty flight from France was the wave of violent antagonism which was sweeping the country at that time. During that period membership in the nobility was deemed necessary cause for beheading individuals. On his arrival in America the Duke became known as ELISHA SARRETT and settled in North Carolina where he met and married on 02 Jan. 1806, to Miss JANE JENKINS and they had Four sons and Two Daughters born to this marriage. [REF: #90. pg163]
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Is this Elisha SARRATT the "Duke" ???????Some questions which come to mind are: Who was the boy who was supposed to come from France with his father? What became of him? Is Elisha SARRETT who allegedly- married Jane JENKINS (c1804, Person Co., NC.) being confused with Elisha SARRATT of Person County, North Carolina, who married Jan Jacobs in 1806? Is the Elisha SERET who showed up in the 1830 census in Grayson County, Virginia, with Patrick and Wiley Seret the "Duke" or Elisha of Person County? Since he gave his age as between 50 & 60 he more closely follows the correct age for the Person County man, but it is not impossible he might have been the "Duke." After all, Lafayette was just a little over twenty when he offered to go to Amprica to aid the colonies. If the "Duke" had been a young man in his early twenties when he first came to America during the Revolution, he would be nearing 75 in 1830 and the census indicates a younger man. But, if Elisha of Person County moved to Grayson County, why did he move in his old age? The most obvious reason would be to live near relatives. Were Patrick and Wiley Seret, also in the 1830 census, related to him? Were all the Sarratts and Sarretts connected, perhaps in France? Much more research will have to be done on this family to answer these questions. [REF: #90. pg168] The last and most gnawing question is why didn't they show up on the early censuses in Surry County where these young men were supposedly born and where some marriages took place? If they lived across the border in Virginia, they should surely show up on some records and searching will have to be done to determine this. Some records have been found which placed Sarretts in Virginia in the counties of Wythe and Grayson from about 1810 on. [REF: #90. pg168] |
These records are part of the "Genealogy Computer Package"
*** PC-PROFILE *** Volume - II. Sarratt/Sarrett/Surratt Family Profile©
Compiled and self Published in Oct. 31, 1989 by Paul R. Sarrett, Jr. with
the assistance of my late mother
E-Mail: 
Nov 06, 2001;
Jun 17, 2004;
Apr 22, 2006;
Dec 13, 2007;