 The Jean Hasbrouck House,
New Paltz NY, Copyright (c) 1998 Edie Elting |
"Jean Hasbrouck and his wife are members of the church of Christ and have lived virtuosly and Christianlike among us during the sojourn which they have made here, frequenting the sacred assemblies and participation in the Holy Sacrament of the Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ without scandal known to us.
Therefore we recommend them as such to the brothers of the Church where God may Guide them.
Done at Manheim in the lower Palatinate this 27 March 1672
The Directors of the French Church of the said place and in the
name of all.
Wesenfels, Pastor."
"Laus Deo
Spire
Ce 3 decembre 1676
My Dear Children
Having had the opportunity through Monsieur Boidiy of giving you
news of us I have not wished to loose the occasion to tell you
that we are all well, God be thanked, namely: I, my wife, your
brother Andrien and your sister Elizabette, hoping the same for
you all.
Meanwhile we are greatly surprised that since your departure from London, about twenty months ago, we have had no news of your welfare and more especially because the gazettes are always haunting us here with bad news of your country on account of the war which you have had against the savages, but as they tell us at present that the savages are entirely defeated and that even King Phillipe captured and beheaded and quartered, we hope you will do better for the future.
As for us we have always great wars since your departure and we are staying in this town waiting for better things. We have constantly lost our cattle and our harvest these two years past and this last summer were always with weapons in hand for the Imperials laid siege to the city of Philippbourg at the beginning of May and staid before it until the beginning of September when the French came out of it. By the capture of this city we hoped things would go a little better. However if peace is not made we have nothing to expect in this quarter but all sorts of misery and poverty.
Write us as quickly as possible how it goes in your country and what there is of it, for if it is good I am always of the same intention as when you left here, to come and find you; but if it does not suit you at all well, I hope that you would return here near us.
If you cannot make enough to return as far as here, try to get as far as London and let us know it, and then I and your mother Esther will send you the money to the said London for returning here.
Above all do not fail to describe truthfully how everything is.
There is no change in the house of your mother since your departure and they live [remainder of page torn away]"
*This letter is somewhat controversial. Recent research and longstanding speculation have it that the letter was in fact written by the father-in-law of Louis Bevier, another of the New Paltz Patentees. This would explain the curious wording of the letter which seems to refer to two households (the mother of Louis Bevier was probably Esther and his wife probably had a brother named Andrien). Despite this it is included here because it is of general interest. I do believe personally, however, that it originated from a LeBlanc or Bevier and not a Hasbrouck.
"I, Thomas Lawrence, Notary and Tabellion Publick, by Royal Authority admitted and sworn, dwelling in London, Do hereby Certifie and Attest unto all whom it may concern, That I have Seen and Perused certain Letters Patents of Denization, granted by our Sovereign Lord King William the Third under the Broad seal of England Dated the 3rd day of July in the Thirteenth Year of His Majesty's Reign, wherein among others is inserted the name of John Hasbrouck, who though Born beyond Seas, is made His Majesty's Liege Subject and is to be held reputed and taken, as Subject Born in this Kingdom of England; and may as such Purchase, Buy, Sell and Dispose of Lands, Tenements and Hereditaments in this Kindom, or in any other of His Majesty's Dominions, as freely, peaceably and entirely, as any Subject born in this Kingdom; and that Said John Hasbrouck… by Virtue of said Letters Patents, is to enjoy all Liberties, Priveleges and Franchises of Subject Born in this Kingdom, without any Disturbance, Impediment or Molestation: As also permitting the Persons in the said Patent mentioned, to be mariners or Masters of Ships during the time they and their families shall reside and inhabit within the Dominions of the Crown of England and no longer, as by the said patent, relation being thereunto had, may more at large appear.
All of which, Act being Required of me said Notary, I have Granted these Presents to serve and avail the said John Hasbrouck… in time and place convenient.
London, the 15th day of July 1701. And in the thirteenth
Year of His Majesty's Reign.
In Testimonium Veritatis Signo meo Manuali Solito Signavi Tabellionatus
mei Sigillum apposui rogatus
Tho: Lawrence DM Nots Pub
1701
[seal]"
"In the name of the Lord, Amen. Be it hereby known to everybody that to-day, the twenty-sixth of August in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and twelve, I the undersigned Jean Hasbrouck of New Paltz, County of Ulster, being sound in body as I walk and stand, and in full possession of my mind and memory, praised be the Lord for his mercy, considering the shortness and frailty of human life, the certainty of death and the uncertain hour thereof, and desiring to put everything in order, make this my last will and testament, hereby revoking, annulling, declaring null and void all such testament or testaments, will or wills, heretofore made or executed , either verbally or in writing, and this alone to be taken for my last will and testament and no other.
Imprimis, I commend my soul to God Almighty, my creator, and to Jesus Christ my Redeemer, and to the Holy Ghost, my sanctifier, and my body to the earth whence it came, to be buried in a Christian manner, and there to rest until my soul and body shall be reunited on the Day of Judgement and enjoy eternal gladness of immortality, which God by his grace has, by the sole merits of our Saviour, promised and prepared for all who sincerely believe in him in their hearts.
Second, and concerning such worldly estate of lands houses, negroes, goods, houses, cattle, accounts, gold, silver, coined or uncoined, etc. as the Lord has been pleased to grant far above my merits, I order, give and dispose as follows:
3rd. It is my wish and will that all my honest debts shall in due time be paid.
4th I give to my son Jacob Hasbrouck and to his order or heirs all my land, lying within the boundaries of the patent of New Paltz, nothing excepted, with house, barn, and all my other buildings theron being and standing, also my wagons, ploughs, harrows and everything thereto belonging and also my two negroes named Gerrit and James; further, the gun and what belongs to it and the clothing of my deceased son Isaac Hasbrouck, and all my books, excepting three hereafter bequeathed to my daughter Elizabeth; also one just half of the balance of my whole personal or moveable estate, excepting what hereafter is bequeathed to my daughters Mary and Elizabeth, for which he shall turn over and pay as by these presents is hereafter directed, on the condition that his oldest son shall have first for himself, his order or heirs, the piece of land lying between the land of Abraham DuBois and my daughter Mary along the Paltz on the South of it and at the north of the Paltz village.
5th. It is my will and wish that if my son Abraham Hasbrouck, who removed from this Province, should be alive and return here, then my said son Jacob shall deliver to him a good horse for his privilege of first-born and shall also give to him for himself, his order or heirs, one just half of my whole real estate as it has above been devised to my said son Jacob and my said son Abraham shall have nor make any further claim on my estate.
6th. I give to my daughter Mary and to her order or heirs the sum of fifty-seven pounds current money of New York due to me from Abraham Rutan according to bond forty-two pounds and from Pieter DuBois according to bond fifteen pounds. I also give to her all that she has heretofore had from me, and she shall make no further claims on my estate.
7th. I give to Pieter Guimard, only son of my deceased daughter Hester, the sum of fifteen pounds current money of New York, which my said son Jacob is to pay to said Pieter Guimard, when he marries or comes to be twenty-one years old, but id he should die before marrying or reaching the age of twenty-one, my son Jacob shall be relieved from paying the said sum of fifteen pounds.
8th. I give to my daughter Elizabeth, her order or heirs, the sum of sixty pounds current money of New York, which I have now by me in cash and also my negro woman named Molly; also three books, one Testament, the Practice of Devotion and a book of sermons written by Pieter DuMollin and printed in the French language; also the just half of my personal or moveable estate, excepting what hereabove has been bequeathed, on condition that when the negro woman Molly bears children, Jacob shall have the first daughter, but he must leave her with her mother until she is one year old.
9th. It is my wish and will that if my son Jacob should die without a child or children lawfully begotten by him, all that is hereby given to him shall go to my said two daughters Mary and Elizabeth, their order or heirs, to be divided between the two as follows: Elizabeth shall first have my house, barn, lot and the orchard behind the barn and the pastureland, lying between the pasture of Abraham DuBois and my said daughter Mary and all the rest they, Mary and Elizabeth , shall share equally.
10th. It is my wish and will that if my said daughter Elizabeth should die without child or children, the share herewith devised and bequeathed to her shall go to my son Jacob and daughter Mary, their order or heirs, to be equally divided between them.
11th. It is my wish and will that, should my son Jacob and my daughter Elizabeth both die without child or children, the shares hereabove devised and bequeathed to them shall go to the two sons of my said daughter Mary, named Daniel and Phillip, and to their order or heirs, to be equally divided between them.
12th. I appoint as Executors of this my last will and testament my said son Jacob DuBois and my cousins Andre LeFevre and Luoys Dubois, demanding that this my last will and testament may be obeyed and carried out in every part. Thus done at my house on the day and year as above
The Mark of
Jean IHB Hasbrouck (L. S.)
Signed, sealed and declared by Jean Hasbrouck to be his
last will & testament in our presence
Abraham Hasbrouk
Roeloff Eltinge
Abraham Doyo
W. Nottingham
[This will was proved 14th August 1714]"
When Jean came to America, around 1673, he first resided at Kingston, before moving to New Paltz after the 1677 patent. He built his home there between 1602 and 1712. It still stands today, as a monument under the auspices of the Huguenot Historical Society and the Hasbrouck Family Association. Some pictures of the house and other photos relating to the family, are below.
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The Jean Hasbrouck House,
New Paltz NY, Copyright (c) 1998 Edie Elting |
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