Jacques Dubois ⁵²⁸

   Find a Grave ID: 148243491.

  General Notes:

While this record, from Heidgerd's history of the family, says that he was born in Wicres, France, the area at his birth was in the Spanish Netherlands and not under the control of France. He was likely born in the now French commune of Herlies, of which Wicres is a boundary town. His wife, Pierronne Bentyn was born in Lille according to the marriage record and lived in Geergraft, which was likely a neighborhood of Leyden where she was living when she married. Wicres is but 10 miles from the center of Lille. Jacques was a Protestant living in territory controled by the Catholic Spanish Hapsburg dynasty. Calvinism had appeared in the area a century before his birth and thereafter was much religious warfare.

Both Jacques and his wife were born some 125 miles south of where they were married which would seem to suggest that they had fled that area because of religious warfare.

Rather extensive documentation of Jacques DuBois exists, especially in the genealogy prepared in 1962 for the DuBois Family association. He was a Huguenot refugee living in Leyden, Holland when he married his wife in 1663. His brother Louis had already sought a better life in America, and at the age of 47 or 48, in 1675, he decided to follow his brother there with his family. He was a manufacturer of laces, grosgrains and cloth. But he died not long after his arrival in America. One record, in FamilySearch, states that he died on Staten Island. It is considered that he was buried, along with his wife, in the Old Ulster Cemetery in Kingston but any remains or headstones are long gone.

There is a chart prepared in 1876 that has been passed down in the family and was the basis of Elizabeth Mott's (Aunt Bessie) knowledge of Jacques. There are many descendants, including W.E.B. DuBois who dedicated his autobiography to Dr. James DuBois who was supposedly a descendant. ⁵²⁸

  Research Notes:

Information about Jacques Du Bois and his descendants comes from the chart: Descendants of Jacques Du Bois, by Geo. W. Du Bois of Faribault, MN, published in Philadelphia in 1876 with additions to 1929. Also from Heidgerd

  Events

• Marriage: Leyden Town Hall record: "Jacques DuBois, young man from La Basse accompanied by Phillipe DuBois, his cousin, was betrothed to Pierronne Bentyn, young maidedn, from near Lille, accompanied by her sister Marie Bentyn, also present as a witness," 6 Apr 1663, Leyden, Holland. ⁵²⁸

• Marriage: Leyden Walloon Ch. record: Married, Jacques DuBois & Pierronnne Bentyn, who were betrothed 4-6-1663, 23 Apr 1663, Leyden, Holland. ⁵²⁸

• Land: Jacques DuBois was granted a license to sell his house in Leyden (Leyden Town Hall Archives), 1675, Leyden, Holland. ⁵²⁸

• Arrival: Jacques DuBois accompanied by his wife and seven children, all born in Europe, arrives at Esopus (Kingston) during 1675. Among the children were sons Jacques, Jean and Pierre and four daughters, 1675, New York. ⁵²⁸ Documentary History of New York and Holland Society record.

• Employment, 8 Jan 1676/77, Kingston, NY. ⁵²⁸

Jacques married Pierronne Bentyn 25 Apr 1663 in Leyden, Holland.⁶³⁸ (Pierronne Bentyn was born about 1642 in Lille, France and died after 1698 in Kingston, NY.)

  Marriage Notes:

Witnesses groom: Philps du Bois cousin Langestraet
Witnesses bride: Mary Bentyn sister Geer Graft - Walloon Church ⁶³⁸