NameCatherine Blanchan724,1927
Birthca 1634, Armentieres, France1954
Death18 Oct 1713, Kingston, Ulster Cty, NY1955
FatherMatthys Blanchan (ca1610-<1688)
MotherMadeline Joire (<1611->1688)
Spouses
Birth16261953,1932,1949
Deathbef 27 Mar 1696862,1932,1928
FatherCretien DuBois (1597-<1655)
MotherCornelia
Marriage10 Oct 1655, Manheim, Germany862,1928,1956,1957,1929,1958,1959,1960,1961
ChildrenSarah (1662-1726)
Marriage16971960
Notes for Catherine Blanchan
She was also said to have been born ca. 1635 in Artois, Franch Flanders and died 1713 in Kingston, NY. 1929

“Now that we know her parents were married in 1633, she was probably born at the earliest in 1634. Also, Catherine was married in 1655. If she was at least 18, then she was born at the latest in 1637. Catherine was the oldest based on order in Mathieu’s will. Her parents were married in Armentieres and they bap. Maximilliam there in 1642. So, my best guess is that Catherine was born there, too. I checked the microfilm (#1133312) of the Catholic Church in Armentieres (the same one Max was bap. in and her parents were married in) and did not see her baptism. There were only a few records between May and Sep 1634. 9 mos after her parents marriage would be July 1634; so maybe she was bap. during that semi-gap in the records.” 1954

“The wife of Louis du Bois and their three children were taken captive by the Indians in 1663 and they were rescued only just in time to save their lives. The prisoners had succeeded in delaying their executions by pleasing the savages with songs. One entitled ‘The Babylonish Captives’ was, appropriately, the song which Catherine du Bois and her children were singing at the moment of their deliverers’ arrival.” 1953

“On June 7th, 1663, an Indian war party raided the settlement, taking Catherine, three of their children, and others as prisoners. Louis, with Captain Martin Kreiger and a party of thirty men set out in pursuit of the Indians and their captives. They surprised and killed one of the Indian’s rear guard, and took another captive. From him they learned the whereabouts of the main party, and on the second day found them. The Indians had bound the captives ot trees, in preparation for torture and death, but Catherine led the group in singing the 137th Psalm, which laments the affliction of the Israelites as they sat by Babylon’s stream. So sweet was the sound of this soung that the savages hesitated. Louis and his party also heard them, surprised the Indians, and set the prisoners free.” 1966

“In the Second Esopus war, 1663, among the captives taken by the Minnisink Indians into the Catskill Mts., when they burned the village of Hurley, June 7, were Catharine du Bois and Macyken Van Meteren with some of their children. After ten weeks the Indians decided to celebrate their repeated escape from pursuit, by burning one of their prisoners. Catharine and her baby Sara (who afterwards became the wife of Joost Janse Van Meteren) were placed upon a pile of logs. The Hugunot mother began to sing a hymn learned in France. The charmed Indians withheld the torch and listened, demanding another and another song. Before the last hymn was finished, her husband Louis du Bois, with the Dutch soldiers and capt. Krieger arrived, and this time were successful in saving all the captives and punishing the Indians.” 1928

“A touching story is told of the almost miraculous escape of Catharine Du Bois from burning at the hands of the Indians. (Letters of Rev. Allen H. Brown, 1899.) “ 1905

“Upon the death of Louis, and at the age of 63, Catherine was a wealthy woman for those days. In his will Louis had made an unusual bequest bestowing on her the full half of the property in case she should marry again. Catherine's father, Matthew Blanchan, was a very rich man. Probably much of the property in the family had come from him.
No record has been found showing the marriage date of Jean Cottin, a merchant of Kingston who had previously been schoolmaster at New Paltz, and Catherine. The first record bearing on this point is in the baptismal record of Old Dutch Church, Kingston: "#1421, 5 September 1703: Rachel After profession of her faith she received the Sacrement of Holy Baptism, aged 17 years. Besides the points required of her in the formula of baptism, she also promised the congregation to serve her mistress, Catherine Cottyn, faithfully and diligently until the death of her mistress, and after that to serve her master, Jan Cottyn, and afterwards she 'shall be at liberty and free'."
"Jan Cottyn, when he died left much property to the church. The families of Catherine's seven sons, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon, Louis Jr. and Matthew were living at New Paltz, Rochester, Hurley and Kingston, but it was to none of these that her negro girl should go as a slave. Mrs. Cottyn was an old woman. It was not to be supposed, in the course of nature, that she or her husband would live many years. In all probability by the time the negro girl reached the age of 25 she became a free woman by the act of her mistress." 1956

Catherine died at Kingston in 1713. The Ulster County Surrogate's Record, Liber BB, p. 323 records her will dated 23 July 1712 and proved 10 December 1713, translated from the French as follows: "Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth, Amen. I, Catherine Cottin being very sound of mind and memory and having for my husband Jean Cottin, merchant living at Kingston in the County of Ulster, Province of New York, considering that the hour of death is unknown to all human creatures, and having recommended my sould to my creator, the omnipotent God and to my Savior and Redeemer and by the merit of His son Jesus Christ I believe I will be saved and have remission of my sins and hope for the resurrection of the Just by this virtue of the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ to attain the Kingdom of Heaven prepared by His Spirit, of my following words it is my Testament and my last Will for that which concerns the temporal goods which it has pleased my God by His Grace and Benediction to give me during all the time I have Lived and resided with my husband Jean Cottin (to the effect) that I would have the third part of the profit which God has given us together by his bounty, with my said husband Jean Cottin since the hour of our marriage up to the first trespass, therefore, I wish and it is my Will, very justly, that the franchise dated 22 September 1702 which I gave to Rachel, which is her name after having been baptized, shall be observed and shall be of full force and virtue from the first word of the page to the last word, and the said Rachel shall have and take after my death, my said third part of the profit, 30 pieces of Eight, and the other things which are stated in the said indenture, and she shall take before my children can divide my third part of the profit and also, I wish and it is my Will, being very just, that the indenture dated 17 August 1709 which I gave to our negress Dina shall be observed and guarded in full force and virtue, and also I wish and it is my very just Will that the donations dated 10 March 1697 which I made to my daughter Sarah for all my clothing, one chest, shall be observed and guarded in full force and virtue. Also I give to the Walloon Church of Kingston, 20 pieces of Eight which to take after my death in my said third part of the profit and this to aid in assisting the poor, and for all that which concerns my third part of the profit, it shall be to Abraham DuBois and Jacob DuBois and David DuBois and Matthew DuBois, and the two sons of Isaac DuBois, to them together I give them which they take after my death in my said third part of the profit, one fourth part, and to my said daughter I give to take after my death the two other fourt parts of my said third part of the profit to her alone, and for their inheritance of my said third part of the profit, all these children shall take in good merchandise and trade goods, each in proportion to their part, for this effect I have chosen my husband Jean Cottin whom I hereby constitute Executor of my present Testament and last Will who shall be bound by the above conditions and who shall render account six weeks after my death and deliver to each his part as is specified hereabove, and it is my last Will, and I have hereby signed, sealed, and delivered this present in my proper hand in presence of two witnesses, made at Kingston, 23 July 1712.
Cattolon Cottin (Seal)
"Witnesses: Cornelis Swart, Mattys Paors, Carol Barwoon
"A True copy: W. Nottingham, Clark"
The Ulster County Surrogate's Record follows her will with the following document: "This indenture made this 20th day of January in the 12th yeare of the reigne of our Soueraigne Lady Anne, by the Grace of God, Queen of Great Brittain, France & Ireland, defender of the faith &c., Seaventh part, BETWEEN Abraham Dubois of the New Paltz in the County of Ulster of the first part, Jacob DuBois of Hurley in the Said County of the Second part, David DuBois of Rochester the Said County of the third part, Solomon DuBois of the New Paltz, aforesaid, of the fourth part, Louis DuBois of the New Paltz aforesaid of the fifth part, Matteiu DuBois of the Corporation of Kingston in said County of the Sixth part, & Daniel Dubois of the New Paltz aforesaid, of the Seaventh part, the heirs of Cathrine Cottin, deceased, late wife of Mr. Jean Cottin of Kingston, aforesaid, & formerly wife of Louis DuBois, late of Kingston, aforesaid, deceased. WHEREAS the said Cathrine Cottin did make her Last Will and Testament bearing the date the 23rd day of July Anno Dom. 1712 which last Will & Testament is not value or Authentick in the Law and the heirs being willing to settle the promisses in good order now this Indenture wittnesseth that the partys above named in the ... are fully agreed that the said Last Will and Testament of the said deceased Cathrine Cottin is and shall be null and void and of none effect and that no notice shall be taken of the same as if it had never been and it is further agreed and concluded upon that the partys above mentioned together with Sara Van Meteren, daughter of said Cathrine Cottin, deceased , shall equally divide and share the whole estate of the said Cathrine Cottin, deceased both of whatever nature or quality wahtever and that share and share alike, provided that the said Sara Van Metteren is only to have the use, issues and proffits of said share of said Estate during the Terme of her natural life and after her decease it shall return to her children to be equally divided and shared among them share and share alike.
"In witness whereof the said partys above named to share p'Gent Indenture, have hereunto putt theire hands & Seals the day and yeare first above.
Abraham Dubois (S) Jacob Dubois (S)
David Dubois (S) Solomon Dubois (S)
Louis DuBois (S) Matteiu dubois (S)
Daniel dubois (S)
"Sealed and delivered in presence of us: Stephen Gasherie, Cornelis Eltinge, W. Nottingham.
"In the presence of me, Mattys Jansen, Justice of the Peace.
"A true Copy: W. Nottingham, Clark." 1956

“Catherine, born at Artois, France in 1629, married Louis DuBois at Mannheim, Germany on 10 October 1655, married (2) Jean Cottin at Kingston, Ulster County, New York, died at Kingston in 1713; “1956

“The first-named punitive expedition of June 7, 1663, was known in the New York history as the Eusopus War. It was organized at the time the settlement was attacked by the Minnisinks, who burned Hurley, killed and injured some of the settlers, and carried away as prisoners, the wife of Louis du Bois, his three children, and at least two of Jan Joosten’s. These were taken to the fastnesses of the Catskill Mountains and there remained in captivity for months, but were rescued on the eve of torture by du Bois and Captain Martin Kreiger’s company of Manhattan soldiers; the trainband finally rounded up the Indians and defeated them on September 3, 1663. In connection with this tragic experience the following statement is quoted: ‘ About ten weeks after the capture of the women and children, the Indians decided to celebrate their own escape from pursuit by burning some of their victims and the ones selected were Catherine du Bois, and her baby Sara, who afterward married her companion in captivity, John Van Metre. A cubical pile of logs was arranged and the mother and child placed thereon; when the Indians were about to apply the torch, Catherine began to sing the 137th Psalm as a death chant. The Indians withheld the fire and gave her respite while they listened; when she had finished they demanded more, and before she had finished the last one her husband and the Dutch soldiers from New Amsterdam arrived and surrounded the savages, killed and captured some, and otherwise inflicted terrible punishment upon them, and released the prisoners.’ “1904

“Some time after her husband’s death,and when she was about 63 years of age, Louis’ widow married Jean Cottin, a very worthy Huguenot, who kept a store at Kingston and had been previously the schoolmaster at New Paltz. In the year 1703 we find recorded in the church book at Kingston the following interesting entry int he list of baptisms, under date of September 5th:
‘Rachel ____ after profession of her faith she received the sacrament of holy baptism, aged 17 years. Besides the points require of her in the formula of baptism she also promised the congregation to serve her mistress catherine Cottyn faithfully and diligently until the death of her mistress and after that to serve her master Jan Cottyn and after that she shall be at liberty and free.’ The old Dutch dominie, who recorded all this in the church book, performed a valuable deed for history and for the descendants of Louis DuBois, the Patentee. Usually the church record contained simply the name of the child baptised, the parents, and sponsors; but here wer have the evidence that the woman who, in her early married years, saved her life by singing a psalm, while the savages were preparing to burn her at the stake, now in her old age manumitted her negro woman. This is perhaps the very first recorded instance in this country of the freeing of a slave.” 1965

“In looking over the settlement of the estate of Catherine du Bois widow of Louis, the Hugenot emigrant of Kingston, 1696, a statement is found to the effect that one of the divisions of her estate falls ‘to the heirs of Sara, deceased.’ In the genealogy of the Du Bois family it is expressly stated that Sara, the daughter of Louis and Catherine du Bois, married Joost Janz van Meteren! Now in the face of the above assertoion [sic] how are we to account for the fact that in 1715 Jooste Jans and his wife Sara du Bois were sponsors at the baptism of sara, the daughter of Cornelis and Rebecca (van Metere) Elting, at Kingston? Either, that by one of those remarkable coincidences that sometimes occur, Jooste Jan married another Sara du Bois after the death of the first, or, that the two Jooste Janz were not identical, or, that some one has made an error in the records.” 1903

“The DuBoises, and other Huguenot families of New Paltz, were slave owners. Louis purchased two slaves at public auction in Kingston 1674. . . The DuBois family takes some small comfort that Catherine DuBois Cottin (Louis DuBois widow) made specific mention in her 1712 will that a manumission letter written for her slave girl Rachel in 1709 shall ‘remain in force and be properly observed’.” 1952

“It seems pretty certain that Catharine survived her husband about ten years, as in April, 1706, the heirs completed the partition or the estate, by executing certain releases according to the tenor of the codicil, Matthias Blancon (or Blanshan, as he wrote) was no doubt her brother. He settled at Hurley, and left four daughters and a son.--[SENIOR ED]”1970

“The widow of Louis du Bois was a wealthy woman for those days. In his Will Louis had made an unusual bequest bestowing on her the full half of the property in case she should marry again. Mrs. du Bois’ father, Matthew Blanchan, was a very rich man. Probably much of the property in the family had come from him. No record showing the marriage date of Jean Cottin and Catherine, widow of Lous the Patentee, has been found. The first record bearing on this point is in the baptismal record of Old Dutch Church, Kingston:
‘#1421, September 5, 1703: Rachel ‘After profession of her faith she received the Sacrement of Holy Baptism, aged 17 years. Besides the points required of her in the formula of baptism, she also promised the congregation to serve her mistress, Catherine Cottyn, faithfully and diligently until the death of her mistress, and after that to serve her master, Jan Cottyn, and afterwards she ‘shall be at liberty and free’.”1929

“We find the Will of Cataherine Cottin in the Ulster County Surrogate’s Record, Liber BB, p. 323 written in French. The Will was dated 7-23-1712 and proved 12-10-1713:
‘Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth, Amen. I, Catherine Cottin being very sound of mind and memory and having for my husband Jean Cottin, merchant living at Kingston in the County of Ulster, Province of New York, . . . I wish and it is my Will, very justly, that the franchise dated September 22, 1702, which I gave to Rachel, which is her name after having been baptized, shall be observed and shall be of full force and virtue from the first word of the page to the last word, and the said Rachel shall have and take after my death, my said third part of the profit, thirty pieces of eight, and the other things which are stated in the said indenture, and she shall take before my children can divide my third part of the profit and also, I wish and it is my Will, being very just, that the indenture dated August 17, 1709, which I gave to our negress Dina shall be observed and guarded in full force and virtue, and also I wish and it is my very just Will that the donations dated March 10, 1697, which I made to my daugther Sarah for all my clothing, one chest, shall be observed and guarded in full force and virtue. . . and to my said daughter I give to take after my death the two other fourth parts of my said third part of the profit to her alone, and for their inheritance of my said third part of the profit, all these children shall take in good merchandise and trade goods, each in proportion to their part . . Kingston July 23, 1712.
Cattolon Cottin (seal)
Witnesses: Cornelis, Swart, Mattys Paors, Carol Barwoon
A true copy: W. Nottingham, Clerk” 1929

“Liber BB, pp. 325-326:
‘This indenture made this 20th day of January in the 12th yeare of the reigne of our Soueraigne Lady Anne, by the Grace of God . . . the heirs of cathrine Cottin, deceased, late wife of Mr. Jean Cottin of Kingston, aforesaid, & formerly wife of Louis DuBois, late of Kingston, aforesaid, deceased. WHEREAS the said Cathrine Cottin did make her Last Will and Testament bearing date of 23rd day of July Anno Dom. 1712 which last Will & Testament is not value or Authentick in the Law and the heirs being willing to settle the promisses in good order now this Indenture wittnesseth that the partys above named in the . .. are fully agreed that the said Last Will and testament of the said deceased Cathrine Cottin is and shall be null and void and of none effect and that no notice shall be taken of the same as if it had never been and it is further agreed and concluded upon that the partys above mentioned together with Sara Van Meteren, daughter of said Cathrine Cottin, deceased, shall equally divide and share the whole estate of the said Cathrine Cottin, deceased both of whatever nature or quality whatever and that share and share alike, provided that the said Sara Van Metteren is only to have the use, issues and proffits of said share of said Estate during the Terme of her natural life and after her decease it shall return to her children to be equally divided and shared among them share and share alike. . . . “1929

Text of will of Cottin, Catherine, of Kingston dated July 23, 1712 and written in French to be entered. 1944
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