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BELGIANS IN AMERICA:    Biographies of Belgian settlers  

Joseph Rosseel, was a native of Ghent, Belgium, who came to America at the age of 25, with letters from Hope & Co. of Amsterdam, introducing him to Mr. Parish and several commercial houses, ostensibly with a view of extending his commercial knowledge, but in reality to avoid the military conscriptions of Napoleon. He arrived in Baltimore in August, 1807, and resided a year in Philadelphia. In the summer of 1808 he visited the lands in Northern New York which Mr. Parish cntemplated purchasing, in the employ of that gentleman. In September he met D. Parish and G. Morris, and was strongly urged by the latter to locate at Morristown, under promise of a gift of one mille square, but through Mr. Parish's representations of the superior advantages of Ogdensburg he was prevailed upon to embark in a mercantile business in company with David M. Lewis, who was private secretary to Mr. Parish. For several years an extensive business was done, but they became involved through an unfortunate speculation in western produce. Mr. Parish discharged their obligations and again offered to establish Mr. Rosseel in business, or give him the general agency for the sale of his lands. Mr. Rosseel chose the latter trust and discharged it until incapacited for its duties, when he was retired upon a gratuity from Mr. George Parish, who managed the business after his brother's departure to Europe.

Source : Child, Hamilton, : Gazetteer and business directory of St. Lawrence County, N.Y., for 1873-4; Syracuse: H. Child, 1873, 480 pgs.
 

JOSEPH Rosseel, although never placed in a public station, yet from his early and prominent connection with the business of Ogdensburgh, has become in a measure identified with its history. He is a native of Ghent, Belgium, and came to America at the age of 25, with letters from the house of Hope & Co., of Amsterdam, introducing him to Mr. Parish, and to several commercial houses, ostensibly with a view of extending his commercial knowledge, but in reality, to avoid the military conscriptions of Napoleon. He reached Baltimore in August, 1807, and resided a year in Philadelphia, where he became acquainted with Robert H. Rose, late of-Montrose, Pa., and with him took a tour into Pennsylvania. Late in 1807, he was sent by David Pariah to explore the lands in Northern New York, which that gentleman proposed to buy, but from the lateness of the season vas obliged to defer the exploration, which was accomplished in the summer of 1808, in which he traversed Antwerp Rossie, and Kilkenny, then mostly a wilderness. In September, while on his way to " the garrison," he met D. Parish and G. Morris, and the latter offered strong inducements for him to locate at Morristown, and promised a gift of a mile square where the village now is, if he would establish himself there; but Mr. Parish was convinced that Ogdensburgh would be the place, and his advice prevailed. With Mr. Parish's advice and sustained by his capital, he commenced mercantile business with David M. Lewis,* under the firm of d. Rosseel & Co., and for several years did an extensive business, but an unfortunate speculation in western produce led to embarrassments, which Mr. Parish met. Having implicit confidence in Mr. R. he offered to again establish business, or to give him the general agency of his lands. He chose the latter, and has since continued in the employment of the family.
*Mr Lewis was private secretary of Mr Parish, and died in New Orleans, June 1, 1834, aged fifty-eight.

Source : Hough, Franklin Benjamin, : A history of St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties, New York : from the earliest period to the present time; Albany N.Y.: Little, 1853, 723 pgs.