Our Immigrant Ancestors: the Huguenot Pierre Cresson ca1609-ca1681

St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of Huguenots, France 1572

My 9th great-grandfather Pierre Cresson was a Huguenot who lived in France then settled in New Amstel, Delaware and New Harlem New York

Pierre Cresson was born circa 1609 at Menil La Cresson, Picardy, France. He was the son of Pierre Cresson and Elizabeth Vuilesme. In 1639 he married Rachel Clauss, daughter of Pierre Clauss and Jeanna Famelar at Picardy, France.

On 25 April 1659 he is said to have set sail from Amsterdam on the "Beaver" for New Netherland and arrived several weeks later.

On 1660 Gov. Steuyvesant engaged him to go to Manhattan and appointed Commissary (Judge) Pierre Cresson on 16 August 1660 at New Harlem, Kings County, New York. He  was a Corporal of the First Company in an expedition against the Indians at Esopus (Kingston) in 1663. He left a will on 15 March 1673 leaving 50 guilders ot the church at New York, and indicating that his son, Elias was under 16 years of age.

On 1679 he sold lands in Harlem and moved to Staten Island where he had already obtained a lot at or near Long Neck by the Fresh Kill on the northwest side of the Island.

He received a patent of 88 acres on the northwest side of Staten Island. On 30 December 1680 at Staten Island, Richmond County, New York. He died after 3 August 1681 at Staten Island, Richmond County, New York.

Surnames A-Z: G Names

There's a new meme going around Facebook right now. Genealogists are listing their mother's maiden name, father's surname, maternal and paternal grandparents' surnames and a few more generations back.

It's a cute idea but I don't think it's wise to be providing such detail, especially your mother's maiden name, as it is often the secret question asked on sites where you require a password to log in.

So I'm revising the meme to suit me and I hope others will follow suit, either here as a comment on Olive Tree Genealogy blog, or on their own blog.

Over the coming weeks I'll be listing my surnames starting with "A" and going through the alphabet until I reach "Z".

I'll preface this with a caveat - most surnames are more common than you might think, so sharing a surname doesn't mean we're related. To be completely useful any surname list should have a geographic location and a time period. But this is just a fun little exercise and if you spot a name of interest, just let me know and we'll compare dates and locations.

G SURNAMES: Gerrits, Gingrich, Goodson, Grant, Greenlees, Gurnee

Join me - maybe we connect! Find previous surnames on Surnames A-Z

Surnames A-Z: I Names

There's a new meme going around Facebook right now. Genealogists are listing their mother's maiden name, father's surname, maternal and paternal grandparents' surnames and a few more generations back.

It's a cute idea but I don't think it's wise to be providing such detail, especially your mother's maiden name, as it is often the secret question asked on sites where you require a password to log in.

So I'm revising the meme to suit me and I hope others will follow suit, either here as a comment on Olive Tree Genealogy blog, or on their own blog.

Over the coming weeks I'll be listing my surnames starting with "A" and going through the alphabet until I reach "Z".

I'll preface this with a caveat - most surnames are more common than you might think, so sharing a surname doesn't mean we're related. To be completely useful any surname list should have a geographic location and a time period. But this is just a fun little exercise and if you spot a name of interest, just let me know and we'll compare dates and locations.

I SURNAMES:Iden

Join me - maybe we connect! Find previous surnames on Surnames A-Z

Surnames A-Z: H Names

There's a new meme going around Facebook right now. Genealogists are listing their mother's maiden name, father's surname, maternal and paternal grandparents' surnames and a few more generations back.

It's a cute idea but I don't think it's wise to be providing such detail, especially your mother's maiden name, as it is often the secret question asked on sites where you require a password to log in.

So I'm revising the meme to suit me and I hope others will follow suit, either here as a comment on Olive Tree Genealogy blog, or on their own blog.

Over the coming weeks I'll be listing my surnames starting with "A" and going through the alphabet until I reach "Z".

I'll preface this with a caveat - most surnames are more common than you might think, so sharing a surname doesn't mean we're related. To be completely useful any surname list should have a geographic location and a time period. But this is just a fun little exercise and if you spot a name of interest, just let me know and we'll compare dates and locations.

H SURNAMES: Haldi, Hansen, Harman, Harrison, Haull, Hellman, Hendricksdr., Herbert, Herschi, Hertel, Hervagault, Heuser, Higginson, Hinds, Hogben, Holden, Holford, Hommel, Hooper, Hougham, Howell, Hubbard, Hummel, Hunsicker, Hutchford

Join me - maybe we connect! Find previous surnames on Surnames A-Z

Surnames A-Z: L Names

There's a new meme going around Facebook right now. Genealogists are listing their mother's maiden name, father's surname, maternal and paternal grandparents' surnames and a few more generations back.

It's a cute idea but I don't think it's wise to be providing such detail, especially your mother's maiden name, as it is often the secret question asked on sites where you require a password to log in.

So I'm revising the meme to suit me and I hope others will follow suit, either here as a comment on Olive Tree Genealogy blog, or on their own blog.

Over the coming weeks I'll be listing my surnames starting with "A" and going through the alphabet until I reach "Z".

I'll preface this with a caveat - most surnames are more common than you might think, so sharing a surname doesn't mean we're related. To be completely useful any surname list should have a geographic location and a time period. But this is just a fun little exercise and if you spot a name of interest, just let me know and we'll compare dates and locations.

L SURNAMES: Lambshead, Laming, Larroway, Latcham, Lauw, Le Roy, Le Roy-dit-Audy, Limbrey, Linnen, Longe, Lucas, Ludewigs, Lydecker, Lymacher

Join me - maybe we connect! Find previous surnames on Surnames A-Z

Surnames A-Z: F Names

There's a new meme going around Facebook right now. Genealogists are listing their mother's maiden name, father's surname, maternal and paternal grandparents' surnames and a few more generations back.

It's a cute idea but I don't think it's wise to be providing such detail, especially your mother's maiden name, as it is often the secret question asked on sites where you require a password to log in.

So I'm revising the meme to suit me and I hope others will follow suit, either here as a comment on Olive Tree Genealogy blog, or on their own blog.

Over the coming weeks I'll be listing my surnames starting with "A" and going through the alphabet until I reach "Z".

I'll preface this with a caveat - most surnames are more common than you might think, so sharing a surname doesn't mean we're related. To be completely useful any surname list should have a geographic location and a time period. But this is just a fun little exercise and if you spot a name of interest, just let me know and we'll compare dates and locations.

F SURNAMES: Faierman, Flood, Fox, Frances, Freende, Friar, Fuller

Join me - maybe we connect! Find previous surnames on Surnames A-Z

Surnames A-Z: J Names

There's a new meme going around Facebook right now. Genealogists are listing their mother's maiden name, father's surname, maternal and paternal grandparents' surnames and a few more generations back.

It's a cute idea but I don't think it's wise to be providing such detail, especially your mother's maiden name, as it is often the secret question asked on sites where you require a password to log in.

So I'm revising the meme to suit me and I hope others will follow suit, either here as a comment on Olive Tree Genealogy blog, or on their own blog.

Over the coming weeks I'll be listing my surnames starting with "A" and going through the alphabet until I reach "Z".

I'll preface this with a caveat - most surnames are more common than you might think, so sharing a surname doesn't mean we're related. To be completely useful any surname list should have a geographic location and a time period. But this is just a fun little exercise and if you spot a name of interest, just let me know and we'll compare dates and locations.

J SURNAMES: Jackson, Jacobs, Jacquet, Jaeckel, Jamieson, Johnston

Join me - maybe we connect! Find previous surnames on Surnames A-Z

Surnames A-Z: K Names

There's a new meme going around Facebook right now. Genealogists are listing their mother's maiden name, father's surname, maternal and paternal grandparents' surnames and a few more generations back.

It's a cute idea but I don't think it's wise to be providing such detail, especially your mother's maiden name, as it is often the secret question asked on sites where you require a password to log in.

So I'm revising the meme to suit me and I hope others will follow suit, either here as a comment on Olive Tree Genealogy blog, or on their own blog.

Over the coming weeks I'll be listing my surnames starting with "A" and going through the alphabet until I reach "Z".

I'll preface this with a caveat - most surnames are more common than you might think, so sharing a surname doesn't mean we're related. To be completely useful any surname list should have a geographic location and a time period. But this is just a fun little exercise and if you spot a name of interest, just let me know and we'll compare dates and locations.

K SURNAMES: Kehl, Kell, Kennard, Kennett, Kerstantsz, King, Koberger, Kuhn

Join me - maybe we connect! Find previous surnames on Surnames A-Z

Surnames A-Z: D Names

There's a new meme going around Facebook right now. Genealogists are listing their mother's maiden name, father's surname, maternal and paternal grandparents' surnames and a few more generations back.

It's a cute idea but I don't think it's wise to be providing such detail, especially your mother's maiden name, as it is often the secret question asked on sites where you require a password to log in.

So I'm revising the meme to suit me and I hope others will follow suit, either here as a comment on Olive Tree Genealogy blog, or on their own blog.

Over the coming weeks I'll be listing my surnames starting with "A" and going through the alphabet until I reach "Z".

I'll preface this with a caveat - most surnames are more common than you might think, so sharing a surname doesn't mean we're related. To be completely useful any surname list should have a geographic location and a time period. But this is just a fun little exercise and if you spot a name of interest, just let me know and we'll compare dates and locations.

D SURNAMES: Damen, Dawson, De Grauw, De Groot, De Roche, De Ruine, de Toine, Deane, Deckmann, Demarest, Des Chalets, Dewes, Doust, Down, Downey, Drury, Duty

Join me - maybe we connect! Find previous surnames on Surnames A-Z

Surnames A-Z: E Names

There's a new meme going around Facebook right now. Genealogists are listing their mother's maiden name, father's surname, maternal and paternal grandparents' surnames and a few more generations back.

It's a cute idea but I don't think it's wise to be providing such detail, especially your mother's maiden name, as it is often the secret question asked on sites where you require a password to log in.

So I'm revising the meme to suit me and I hope others will follow suit, either here as a comment on Olive Tree Genealogy blog, or on their own blog.

Over the coming weeks I'll be listing my surnames starting with "A" and going through the alphabet until I reach "Z".

I'll preface this with a caveat - most surnames are more common than you might think, so sharing a surname doesn't mean we're related. To be completely useful any surname list should have a geographic location and a time period. But this is just a fun little exercise and if you spot a name of interest, just let me know and we'll compare dates and locations.

E SURNAMES: Earl, Ecker, Ellington, Elvery

Join me - maybe we connect! Find previous surnames on Surnames A-Z

Surnames A-Z: B Names

There's a new meme going around Facebook right now. Genealogists are listing their mother's maiden name, father's surname, maternal and paternal grandparents' surnames and a few more generations back.

It's a cute idea but I don't think it's wise to be providing such detail, especially your mother's maiden name, as it is often the secret question asked on sites where you require a password to log in.

So I'm revising the meme to suit me and I hope others will follow suit, either here as a comment on Olive Tree Genealogy blog, or on their own blog.

Over the coming weeks I'll be listing my surnames starting with "A" and going through the alphabet until I reach "Z".

I'll preface this with a caveat - most surnames are more common than you might think, so sharing a surname doesn't mean we're related. To be completely useful any surname list should have a geographic location and a time period. But this is just a fun little exercise and if you spot a name of interest, just let me know and we'll compare dates and locations.

B SURNAMES: Badcock, Baertie, Baker, Barentsdr. Baylie, Beery/Bieri, Bell, Bellinger, Bellingham, Best, Bex, Blanden, Boertgen, Boughton, Bradt, Brooke, Brown, Browning, Bruchhausen, Brunger, Burgh, Burkholder, Burrey,Buss

Join me - maybe we connect! Find previous surnames on Surnames A-Z

Surnames A-Z: C Names

There's a new meme going around Facebook right now. Genealogists are listing their mother's maiden name, father's surname, maternal and paternal grandparents' surnames and a few more generations back.

It's a cute idea but I don't think it's wise to be providing such detail, especially your mother's maiden name, as it is often the secret question asked on sites where you require a password to log in.

So I'm revising the meme to suit me and I hope others will follow suit, either here as a comment on Olive Tree Genealogy blog, or on their own blog.

Over the coming weeks I'll be listing my surnames starting with "A" and going through the alphabet until I reach "Z".

I'll preface this with a caveat - most surnames are more common than you might think, so sharing a surname doesn't mean we're related. To be completely useful any surname list should have a geographic location and a time period. But this is just a fun little exercise and if you spot a name of interest, just let me know and we'll compare dates and locations.

C SURNAMES: Caplin, Carr, Casier, Caspall, Chevallereau, Clark, Clauss, Clement, Clopper, Coburger, Cockling, Coerte, Cole, Concklin, Cooke, Coppin, Covell, Creest, Cresson, Crunden, Cullmer, Curling

Join me - maybe we connect! Find previous surnames on Surnames A-Z

Surnames A-Z

There's a new meme going around Facebook right now. Genealogists are listing their mother's maiden name, father's surname, maternal and paternal grandparents' surnames and a few more generations back.

It's a cute idea but I don't think it's wise to be providing such detail, especially your mother's maiden name, as it is often the secret question asked on sites where you require a password to log in.

So I'm revising the meme to suit me and I hope others will follow suit, either here as a comment on Olive Tree Genealogy blog, or on their own blog.

Over the coming weeks I'll be listing my surnames starting with "A" and going through the alphabet until I reach "Z".

I'll preface this with a caveat - most surnames are more common than you might think, so sharing a surname doesn't mean we're related. To be completely useful any surname list should have a geographic location and a time period. But this is just a fun little exercise and if you spot a name of interest, just let me know and we'll compare dates and locations.

Here are my "A" surnames:

A SURNAMES: Abel, Allard, Allen, Alman, Ammis, Andrews, Ansell, Austin

Are you ready to join me? Maybe we connect somewhere!

Meme: Immigrant Ancestor Frances Holford Higginson

Frances Holford Higginson was born 28 May 1769 in Lower Peover, Cheshire England along with her twin sister Sarah Holford. Not much is know about Frances' life - her parents  John Holford and Ann Harrison were from Devanham Cheshire but settled in Lower Poever shortly after their marriage. In 1787 at the age of 18, young Frances married Thomas Higginson, a tax collector and wheelwright in Lower Peover. Over the next 15 years the couple had 8 children born in the town. 

 

I really like that both Thomas and Frances could write their names. For a woman that was fairly rare in the 1780s so it appears Frances had some basic education. It is not known exactly what happened to the family but some misfortune did fall on them - the loss of the family's home in 1805. An impoverished Thomas, deep in debt, signed over his land and effects before July that year. The couple had 8 children to care for, the youngest only 3 years old. 

Sometime between 1805 and 1831 Thomas died. In December that year Frances, a widow, set sail for New York with her daughter Elizabeth (Betty) Bell and Betty's children Ann, Phoebe, Mary, Peter & Joseph. They were meeting Betty's husband Peter Bell who had previously settled in New York.

Peter and Elizabeth and their children as well as Elizabeth's brother John Higginson eventually left New York for the wilderness of a new settlement in Upper Canada (present-day Ontario). Peter filed a petition for land in 1839 explaining that he wasn't happy living in New York and desired land in Arkell Ontario.  But what happened to Frances?

She was 62 years old when she left her homeland for America. Did she die there? Or did she travel with the Bell family to Upper Canada and die there? The records are sparse for Upper Canada in that time period and her death remains a mystery.  It must have been difficult for Frances - and I suspect she never saw her other children again after 1831. Her daughter Sarah remained behind in England until June 1841 when she too left for America, settling in Illinois with her husband Aaron Richardson. Poor Sarah died in Illinois that August.

What challenging lives our ancestors lived! I cannot imagine leaving my children and grandchildren behind and venturing off to an unknown land at 62 years of age. I am glad though that Frances was with her daughter Elizabeth and some of her grandchildren.  I hope that was some comfort to her.

Meme: Immigrant Ancestor Lucas Dircksen Vanderburgh

There is a lot of discussion about immigration in America right now. Tempers have flared, and different groups hold various strong opinions. There is also Brexit, where immigration was a large focus of the vote which resulted in the U.K. leaving the E.U.

I've been following this for several months and it occurs to me that those of us in Canada, America, and Australia have immigrant ancestors. Have you researched yours? Do you know who they were, why they came to your country and when? Do you know how they fared once settled in their new land? Were they welcomed? Were they shunned? Was their discrimination based on their religion or ethnic origin? These are all questions that are important, and interesting to discover. With that in mind, I'm the dedicating Saturdays (as many as needed) as the day to join me in discussing your immigrant ancestors.

You will be able to read any you are interested in by using the keyword Immigrant Ancestors. I'm going to share each week what I know of my immigrant ancestors to North America (in both USA and Canada)

Lucas Dircksen Vanderburgh first appeared in New Amsterdam (in New Netherland) about 1652 and soon after his arrival he married Annetjie Cornelis, the daughter of Cornelis and Adriantje (Wallings) Shubber of Durgerdam, North Holland. He was one of the signers of the Lutheran petition1 in Oct 1657, so his origins may have been German rather than Dutch.  

Lucas was a Sergeant in the service of the Dutch West India Company as early as
1652. While still a member of the Company, he applied in 1654 at the New Amsterdam City Hall to become a tavern keeper.

That same year, Lucas was given a patent for land at Mespat, Long Island,  but never settled there. In 1655, he paid 60 guilders for Lucas Hendrickson, a drummer, to take his place in an expedition against the Swedes at Delaware.  In 1656 he submitted the following petition asking for his discharge from the Dutch West India Company:

"To the Noble, Very Worshipful, Honorable Director-General and High Council of New-Netherland. Shows with humble reverence Luycas Dircksen, Sergeant inthe service of the Honble Company here, that he, petitioner has served the said Honble Company for a period of about four years and that he would like now to transport himself with his family to the Southriver of New-Netherland, to settle there, where he has bought a house.  He requests therefore, that your Noble Worships will kindly please to discharge him from the service and consent to his removal thither, which doing etc."
[signed] Luycas Dircksen

Lucasí petition was approved.  He left for the South River Delaware, where he was granted a patent for land on 10 Feb 1657 near Fort Casmir.  However he was soon back in Manhattan where he remained. Lucas became a well known tavern keeper in New Amsterdam.  He initially operated his tavern from his home on 21 Broadway, but by the mid 1660s he kept a tavern called "The Signe of the Fort Orange" in Manhattan.

He was often being sued in court for debts owed and there are many court documents involving him throughout his lifetime. 

Lucas and 92 others appealed to their leaders of New Netherland in September 1664 to negotiate a peaceful agreement with the English. Their petition, in part, read 

"Right Honorable.  We ... cannot conscientiously foresee that anything else is to be expected for this fort and city of Manhattans (as your Honors must be convinced), than misery, sorrow, conflagration, the dishonor of women, murder of children in their cradles, and, in a word, the absolute ruin and destruction of about fifteen hundred innocent souls, only two hundred and fifty of whom are capable of bearing arms, unless you be pleased to adjust matters according to the conjecture of the time.

Your honors are ... better aware than we, that four of the English Kingís frigates are now lying in the road at Nyack, with six hundred soldiers, ... for the purpose of reducing New Netherland to his Majestyís obedience.  In compliance with that commission, the English General hath sent divers letters to your Honors, summoning this city and Fort Manhattan, promising, in case we voluntarily submit, that we shall not experience the least loss or damage ... ."

The English reached a peaceful accord with the Dutch and in Oct 1664, Lucas and many other New Amsterdam residents swore allegiance to the King of Great Britain. Lucas died in 1669. His long and turbulent life of struggle and debt was over. 
 

Meme: Immigrant Ancestor John Greenlees

Thomas Ridout survey of 1821

There is a lot of discussion about immigration in America right now. Tempers have flared, and different groups hold various strong opinions. There is also Brexit, where immigration was a large focus of the recent vote which resulted in the U.K. leaving the E.U.

I've been following this for several months and it occurs to me that those of us in Canada, America, and Australia have immigrant ancestors. Have you researched yours? Do you know who they were, why they came to your country and when? Do you know how they fared once settled in their new land? Were they welcomed? Were they shunned? Was their discrimination based on their religion or ethnic origin? These are all questions that are important, and interesting to discover. With that in mind, I'm the dedicating Saturdays (as many as needed) as the day to join me in discussing your immigrant ancestors.

You will be able to read any you are interested in by using the keyword Immigrant Ancestors. I'm going to share each week what I know of my immigrant ancestors to North America (whether that is USA or Canada)

John Greenlees, my great-great-great-grandfather, was born somewhere in Ireland circa 1791. In 1814 he married Elizabeth Johnston in Galloon Parish, Clogher Diocese, County Fermanagh. He was noted as living in the Parish of Aghalurcher at that time, so it is very possible that is where he was born. 

Sometime between 1819 and 1826 John, Elizabeth and their three eldest children left Ireland for the wilderness of Upper Canada (present day Ontario). We do not know what drove them to leave their home and no ship passenger list has been found to give a more precise year of arrival in their new land. But in November 1826 John put an ad in the local paper about a lost heifer he found on his property. He states that the heifer was seen in August "last" which may indicate 1825. 

In the 1842 census for Nelson, John and family are noted as having lived in "the Province" 21 years so I can narrow his arrival year to circa 1821. Halton County, where John and family settled, was not even opened for settlement until 1816. So we can imagine how wild and rough it would have been. Forests would have covered almost all the land. John would have had to quickly build a log home for his family and his young children ages 2 to 6. He would have needed to clear land to plant crops so the family could survive the winter. Winters can be rough in Canada! 

John and Elizabeth had 4 more children born to them in Upper Canada, and they lived long and fruitful lives. They are both buried in Lowville Cemetery and their tombstone reads:

In memory of John Greenleese who died Nov. 5, 1868 Aged 75 years also Elizabeth wife of above Died Apr. 6, 1872 Aged 84 years & 8 mo's both natives of Ireland.
A few short years of evil past
We reach the happy shore
Where death divided friends at last
Shall meet to part no more. 

 

 

Meme: Immigrant Ancestor The Walloon Philip Casier

There is a lot of discussion about immigration in America right now. Tempers have flared, and different groups hold various strong opinions. There is also Brexit, where immigration was a large focus of the recent vote which resulted in the U.K. leaving the E.U.

I've been following this for several months and it occurs to me that those of us in Canada, America, and Australia have immigrant ancestors. Have you researched yours? Do you know who they were, why they came to your country and when? Do you know how they fared once settled in their new land? Were they welcomed? Were they shunned? Was their discrimination based on their religion or ethnic origin? These are all questions that are important, and interesting to discover. With that in mind, I'm the dedicating Saturdays (as many as needed) as the day to join me in discussing your immigrant ancestors.

You will be able to read any you are interested in by using the keyword Immigrant Ancestors. I'm going to share each week what I know of my immigrant ancestors to North America (whether that is USA or Canada)

My 10th great-grandfather Philippe Casier was born circa 1616 in Flanders France. We can summarize his life in these few words:  

Philippe, a Walloon,  fled religious persecution, escaping France for the West Indies in 1635. Forced out of West Indies he took his family to Holland, then fled to New Netherland on the Gilded Otter in 1660. He died in 1663 in Harlem New York. 

But wow! Think about what those words mean. What a life he led - full of adventure, turmoil, no doubt tragedy, and a great deal of hard work in forging a new life - several new lives in each country to which he fled for safety and freedom of religion. 

The Casier family is first mentioned in the Huguenot settlement of Martinique in the French West Indies. In 1635 a party of old and experienced settlers had gone to Martinique from the neighbouring island of St. Christopher, which had been settled by French Huguenots in 1627. Philippe and Marie (Taine) Casier's first two children, Jean and Marie, were born on Martinique. In 1645, Philippe Casier and others left the island and returned to Europe. Casier went first to Calais, then to Sluis, Flanders where his daughter Hester was born. Many French and Walloon exiles from England and from the Dutch seaboard were fleeing to Mannheim, drawn there by assurances of freedom and protection under the government of the Protestant Elector, Charles Lewis who held out strong inducements to the refugees to settle there. Some time after 1652, Philippe and his family moved to Mannheim in the Lower Palatinate of Germany, along with other Huguenots and Walloon Protestants.

On 16 November, Philippe was made a magistrate, but near the close of the ensuing winter, he died.  The widow bought a house in the Markvelt-steegie in New York and lived there for some years with her sons Jean and Jacques who were bakers. In 1671, she married Jean Le Roy of Harlem. 

Immigrant Ancestors Meme: The Huguenot Philippe Casier

There is a lot of discussion about immigration in America right now. Tempers have flared, and different groups hold various strong opinions. There is also Brexit, where immigration was a large focus of the recent vote which resulted in the U.K. leaving the E.U.

I've been following this for several months and it occurs to me that those of us in Canada, America, and Australia have immigrant ancestors. Have you researched yours? Do you know who they were, why they came to your country and when? Do you know how they fared once settled in their new land? Were they welcomed? Were they shunned? Was their discrimination based on their religion or ethnic origin? These are all questions that are important, and interesting to discover. With that in mind, I'm the dedicating Saturdays (as many as needed) as the day to join me in discussing your immigrant ancestors.

You will be able to read any you are interested in by using the keyword Immigrant Ancestors. I'm going to share each week what I know of my immigrant ancestors to North America (whether that is USA or Canada)

1572 Massacre of Huguenots in France

Philippe Casier (ca 1616 Calais, Flanders, France - ca 1662 Harlem New York) was a French Huguenot who fled religious persecution, escaping France for West Indies in 1635. Forced out of the West Indies he took his family to Holland, then fled to New Netherland on the Gilded Otter (der Vergulde Otter) in 1660. He is recorded on the manifest as "Philip Cassier, farmer from Calais, wife and 4 children, 23, 16, 12 and 3 yrs"

Philippe Casier (my 10th great-grandfather) of Calais France, is first mentioned in the Huguenot settlement of Martinique in the French West Indies. In 1635 a party of old and experienced settlers had gone to Martinique from the neighbouring island of St. Christopher, which had been settled by French Huguenots in 1627. Philippe and Marie (Taine) Casier's first two children, Jean and Marie, were born on Martinique. 

In 1645, Philippe Casier and others left the island and returned to Europe. Casier went first to Calais, then to Sluis, Flanders where his daughter Hester was born. Many French and Walloon exiles from England and from the Dutch seaboard were fleeing to Mannheim, drawn there by assurances of freedom and protection under the government of the Protestant Elector, Charles Lewis who held out strong inducements to the refugees to settle there. Some time after 1652, Philippe and his family moved to Mannheim in the Lower Palatinate of Germany, along with other Huguenots and Walloon Protestants. 

 Philippe Casier is listed as a Schepen [magistrate] of Harlem as of 16 November 1662. New magistrates were appointed by the Director and Council and the new board was Jan La Montagne, Philippe Casier and Derick Claessen. One of their first acts was to provide for the more careful placing of houses and fences.

Philippe Casier and wife Marie Taine, united with the church October 1662. On 16 November, he was made a magistrate, but near the close of the ensuing winter, he died. 

Immigrant Ancestors Meme: The Dutchman Herman Coerte

There is a lot of discussion about immigration in America right now. Tempers have flared, and different groups hold various strong opinions. There is also Brexit, where immigration was a large focus of the recent vote which resulted in the U.K. leaving the E.U.

I've been following this for several months and it occurs to me that those of us in Canada, America, and Australia have immigrant ancestors. Have you researched yours? Do you know who they were, why they came to your country and when? Do you know how they fared once settled in their new land? Were they welcomed? Were they shunned? Was their discrimination based on their religion or ethnic origin? These are all questions that are important, and interesting to discover. With that in mind, I'm the dedicating Saturdays (as many as needed) as the day to join me in discussing your immigrant ancestors.

You will be able to read any you are interested in by using the keyword Immigrant Ancestors. I'm going to share each week what I know of my immigrant ancestors to North America (whether that is USA or Canada)

I don't know much about my 10th great-grandfather Herman Coerte. He was from Voorhusyen, Holland and died 26 November 1689 in Bergen New Jersey.

He arrived in New Netherland on the ship De Trouw, February 12, 1659 with his wife Aertje Gerrits and 5 Children ages 5, 6, 8, 9 and 17 years

He made a declaration regarding the raid on the town by Captain John Scott in 1664 in New Utrecht.He made the Oath of Allegience to the King of England in 1665 in Bergen, New Jersey.Harmen Coerton of Voorhuysen was buried in the Dutch Church, Bergen, New Jersey. Being the 19th member of the church, the 105th person to be buried there, and the 48th to be covered with the church pall at his funeral.

His wife Aertje died on 2 December 1684 in Bergen, New Jersey. Aertje Gerrits was buried in the Dutch Church, Bergen, New Jersey. Being the 9th member of the church, the 78th person buried there, and the 26th to be covered with the church pall at her funeral.

Immigrant Ancestors Meme: Peter Bell

There is a lot of discussion about immigration in America right now. Tempers have flared, and different groups hold various strong opinions. There is also Brexit, where immigration was a large focus of the recent vote which resulted in the U.K. leaving the E.U.

I've been following this for several months and it occurs to me that those of us in Canada, America, and Australia have immigrant ancestors. Have you researched yours? Do you know who they were, why they came to your country and when? Do you know how they fared once settled in their new land? Were they welcomed? Were they shunned? Was their discrimination based on their religion or ethnic origin? These are all questions that are important, and interesting to discover. With that in mind, I'm the dedicating Saturdays (as many as needed) as the day to join me in discussing your immigrant ancestors.

You will be able to read any you are interested in by using the keyword Immigrant Ancestors. I'm going to share each week what I know of my immigrant ancestors to North America (whether that is USA or Canada)


My 3rd. great-grandfather, Peter Bell (1788 Middlewhich, Cheshire England - 1861 Arkell, Wellington Co. Ontario) left England for New York then immigrated to the brand-new settlement of Arkell Ontario in 1831.

Peter was one of the original group of Englishmen who settled this community in the wilderness of what was then Upper Canada.

His wife Betty Higginson and several of their children followed later on the Brig Joseph Charles sailing into New York then on to Upper Canada.

Peter and his wife worked hard to carve out an existence for their family. In 1855 Betty died and Peter followed 5 years later. They are buried in the Farnham Cemetery in Arkell.  

Betty's tombstone was discovered in Farnham Cemetery by Gerald and Chris Thiessen. They dug it from the ground where it lay buried. They interpreted the text on it as "In Memory of Elizabeth, wife of Peter Bell, Sep 1833" In reality the date she died was 1855.

One of Peter's daughters (Mary) married David King, the son of another Arkell pioneer, and my 2nd great-grandparents. I found their adventures so fascinating that I wrote a book "From England to Arkell" which is available at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, or CreateSpace