968. Rev. James BOISSEAU
From the book, "Lesrforms de Saumur au temps de l'dit de Nantes," by Jean Luc Tulot, we now know that the Rev. James BOISSEAU was born Jacques Boisseau on December 24, 1656 in Saumur, Maine et Loire, France. A son of Mathurin Boisseau and Marie Couppeau. When the repeal of the Edict of Nantes came down in 1685 which led to more persecution of the Huguenots of which he was one, James fled to England. He left England and sailed to Virginia in the United States in 1689. James married to Sarah Holmes in Virginia. He ministered at several churches, including St. Peter's Parish. They had the following children; James (later called Capt. James), Holmes, Jean and Susanna. Rev. James and his wife, Sarah were both dead by 1713, according to records of Prince George County, Virginia. Their son Capt. James had many descendants, of which I am one, through two of Capt. James' children, James III and John BOISSEAU.
Rev. James BOISSEAU was born 1660 in Montauban, France. When the Edict of Nantes came down in 1685, it is said his father, grandfather and one of his brothers were all killed trying to defend their church where they were apparently clergymen. James and his other brother, Joseph Ehyrr BOISSEAU fled to England. Joseph married a Swiss girl and had several children. They both left England headed for Virginia in the United States in 1689, Joseph and his family were on one ship, James, still single at the time, on another. Joseph's ship went off course and ended up in South Carolina. While James made it to Virginia. The two families were seperated for many years, until some of Joseph's family later moved to Virginia. James married to Sarah Holmes in Virginia. He ministered at several churches, including St. Peter's Parish. They had at least two children, James (later called Capt. James) and Mary. Rev. James and his wife, Sarah were both dead by 1715, according to records of Prince George County, Virginia.
*Alphabetical Rent Roll of Virginia 1704/05 (c) 1994 For more information on the early Virginia planters, consult: Wertenbaker, Thomas J., The Planters of Colonial Virginia, Russell & Russell New York, New YorkBody Wm Isle Wighte County, 1704
Bohannah John Glocester, Kingston Parish
Bohannah Joseph Glocester, Kingston Parish
Boisseau James Quart King & Queen County, 1704
Bolling Coll Prince George County, 1704
Bolling John Henrico County, 1705
Bolling Rob[t] Henrico County, 1705
Bolton Henry Glocester, Kingston ParishThe Original Immigrant Ancestor, Rev. James Boisseau and his wife Sarah
Holmes, and their ChildrenThe story of the Boisseau family in Virginia begins in Montauban France, in the 1620's. For two generations, the Boisseau family worked and worshipped in that region, helping to build the Protestant University. By 1685, the
Protestants had lost power in France, and with the Revocation of the Treaty of Nantes, they were forced to either accept Catholicism or leave the country. When the Boisseaus refused to tear down the university that their fathers and grandfathers had helped to build, they were murdered in the streets. But while the elders in the family were killed, specifically the father, uncle, and oldest brother, others survived. The mother, and her two younger sons, James and Joseph, fled to England, where the king was sympathetic to the plight of the exiled Protestants. The king planned on using these immigrants to settle the new world, and offered them enough money and land to provide them with some security in the colonies. The two brothers, worried that their mother would not survive the voyage, stayed with her in England until her death in 1689. This is the story of James and Joseph Boisseau, and all their descendants.
On November 11, 1689, James Boisseau, now a reverend, signed areceipt for money paid to him to serve as an immigrant minister to the colonies. The
receipt is now at the Bodleian Library at Oxford University.
As legend has it, the two brothers took separate vessels in the samefleet. Joseph had married Mathilde H. S. DeSaussure while in England (it isbeleived she was Swiss), and so raveled on the ship with women, and presumably other marriedcouples. James, still unmarried, sailed on the male's vessel. At some point during the voyage, the ships were separated by a powerful storm, and each brother thought that the other was lost at sea. Because Joseph's ship was blown so far off course, is ship landed in South Carolina instead of Virginia, were his brother arrived. The two branches of the family apparently grew for 80 years withoutknowingthat the other existed.
Joseph Ehyrr Boisseau and his wife Mathilde H. S. DeSaussure stayed in South Carolina for only a brief period of time. They apparently found the locals unfriendly, and unwilling to accept their new Huguenot neighbors. Ironically, by 1695, John Boisseau, probably a distant cousin of James and Joseph, had settled in Camden, South Carolina. Joseph however had decided that he would settle elsewhere, and so left South Carolina for the West Indies, and settled in St. Christopher's, to raise his family on a sugar plantation.
James Boisseau arrived safely in Virginia, and settled in King and Queen
County, where he had charge of St. John's Parish. By 1694, he had married
Sarah Holmes, who had previously been married to Mr. Bird. The House of
Burgesses which governed Virginia was very insecure about allowing the Parish
officials to have too much power, and so would often dismiss or re-elect a
minister depending on their whims. Even so, James was able to keep control
of his parish for a number of years. Eventually, he moved to another parish,
probably Martins Brandon Parish. Unfortunately, virtually all of the records
of both parishes are either lost or destroyed. Even so, what is known is that
Reverend James Boisseau and Sarah Holmes raised several children. They were,
not necessarily in order:1. Captain James Boisseau
2. Mary Boisseau
3. Holmes Boisseau
4. Jean Boisseau
5. Susanna BoisseauAll of their children were born sometime between 1692 and probably 1710.
Although it is not known precisely when Reverend James Boisseau and Sarah
Holmes died, James is not found in the records anywhere after 1705, and Sarah
must be dead by 1713, since their daughter, Jean, chooses a guardian, Major
Nathaniel Harrison, in Surry County.
988. Edward PEGRAM I
Came to Virginia in the latter part on the year 1699 or the first part of the
year 1700, with a party of Engineers under Col Daniel Baker, during the reign
of Queen Anne of England.
1010. John CROSS
Source, Rambo Family Tree John Cross id 11360. At the time of John's death Featherstone son of placed under the care of his uncle Wiilliam Featherstone.
Sources:
(1) Wills and Deeds 1725-1730- by Weisiger, Page 333; Charles City County, VA :
Will of John Cross of Westover Parish, Charles City Co., "sick" To mywife Jane, negro woman Pat, with her first child going to my daughter Hannah; also my riding horse and saddle
To my son William, bed I lie on, my trooping saddle and Furniture.
To my daughter Mary Cradock, grey mare filly, 3 cous, 3 guineas
I desire that my son Featherstone with what I give him by this my lastwill, may be delivered to the care of his uncle WILLIAM Featherstone ofPrince George Co.
To my son William 3 cows and 10 lbs.
To my son John, 1 young bay mare
Rest of estate to be divided between my wife, my sons John, Richard,Featherstone, Charles, Elias, Parrish, and my daughters Judith, Hannahand Jan
Executors: wife Jane and son Willliam
dated: 29 Jan 1730/1
Wit: John Stith, John Anderson, Charles (CP) Parrish
Signed: John (X) Cross
Recorded 1st Wed. in Mar 1730/1
Will presented by executors and proved by Anderson and Parrish
Family Group Records familysearch.org used for dates.
Deed book 15 page 307, 6 Dec. 1789--Lyddal Bacon of Lunenburg Co. to Joseph Winn, same for 100.0.0 sold 325 acers in Lunenburg Co. on branch of Hounds Creek adj. Alexander Winn, John Cross, Covington Hardy, Elishia Winn, Orasimus Winn. Wit: Jonathan Patterson, Thomas Gunn, Jr., Daniel Winn, Alexander Winn, Rec. 8 Jan. 1789.
"Cross' Chance," surveyed 6 Feb. 1743, was deeded 19 Aug. 1752 by John WHEELER & John CROSS to Abraham RAVEN along with 50 acres, "Wheeler's Beginnings," surveyed 7 Oct. 1716. Wives Elizabeth WHEELER & Dinah CROSS consented [TR:D:408]."Abstracts of Inventories": John WHEELER, 11.591, Balto. Co., 12 Aug. 1725, 16 S 1726. Appraisers Luke STANSBURY & Samuell HOOKER. Creditors, Clement WHEELER, George HITCHCOCK, Thomas SHEREDINE. Next of kin William & Thomas WHEELER, and administratrix Dinah CROSS.
Davis,Huddleston,Watkins,Strickland
Entries: 5908 Updated: Tue Jun 10 10:54:37 2003 Contact: Sadie Davis Lindk924@aol.comThe Original Lists OF PERSONS OF QUALITY
Lists of the Livinge and Dead in Virginia Febr: 16th 1623.[i.e. 162xxx]*
JOHN CROSSE