Person:Frederick DeVeaux (6)

Or Artois, France. Frederick left France with parents, and went to Manheim, Germany at the age of 12 (c. 1657), then to England in 1675, and thence to New York, settling at Harlem.

Cornell University, Making Of America, History Of Harlem; pages 475-47: At age 12 or 14 years of age, with parents and two brothers, at least, left France and settled in Mannheim, Germany. Frederick grew to manhood. 23 February 1675 obtains passport, Mannheim; travels to New York via England; settles in Harlem. Dutch Church marriage record records him as Fredrik du Voix. Settles at Cromwell Farm, located on eastern shore of the cove into which Cromwell Creek connects with Harlem River, near Central Bridge. 1694, purchases 184 acres, afterwards known as Devoe's Point, connecting McComb's Dam (Central Bridge in 1885) on east end across Harlem River. On purchase agreement, name written as Fredrick Duvou, but signed Frederck de Vaux. 1698 signed a petition with several hundred French Protestants in Westchester County against expressing favor for King William's Christian (catholic?) principles that arose in response to the attempted assassination of King William. Signed as Fredrick Devou. 1705, purchased land in Morrisania; 1715 took oath of allegiance; 1718; purchased 200 acres in New Rochelle from his daughter, Leah Gendron, widow. 1718, bought farm adjacent to last land purchased; name appears here as Freadrick De Vose. 1718, name appears elsewhere as Fredrick de Voue. 1724, name appears as Frederick De Voo. 1728, name appears as Fredrick Devoe. 1730, residing with son-in-law, Andrew Naudain, at New Rochelle.

Abstracts of Wills Vol III 1730-1744, pages 417 & 418: --In the name of God, Amen, January 23, 1741. I, FREDERICK DE VOORSE, SR., of Westchester. My executors are to pay all debts, and I leave to each of them œ5. I leave to my eldest son Frederick, œ10. To my son Joseph, œ15, to be paid by my son Abel, out of the money due to me from him on mortgage. I leave to my grand son, John De Voorse, œ20, to be paid by my son Abel. I leave to my son Abel, all that my 100 acres of land at New Rochelle, and he is to pay to my executors œ135. I leave to my daughter Judith, my French Psalm Book. All the rest of my personal estate I leave to my daughters, Rachel, wife of Johanes Dyckman, Susanah, wife of Andrew Nodine, Esther, wife of Laury Vincent, Leah, widow of Nathaniel Bayley, Dinah, late wife of Tobias Conckling (and to the children she had by her former husband, viz., Leah, wife of John O'Brien, and Esther, wife of Charles Vincent, Elizabeth, Margaret, and Sarah), Judith, wife of Johanes Barhite, And to the children of my daughter Mary, wife of Joshua Bishop (by her former husband, Evert Brown, viz., Evert, David, Benjamin, Asia, and Elizabeth). I make my sons Frederick and Daniel, and my friend Abraham Morthing, executors.

Witnesses, Gerardus Wilse, James Collard, Roger Barton. Proved, December 8, 1743.

Familes of the Colonial Town of Philipsburgh by Grenville C. MacKinzie in 1966 states: "Accompanied his parents and brothers Nicholas, Daniel and Jacob to Manheim, Germany. In 1675 he went to England and came thence to New York. He settled in Harlem where he married. He lived in Harlem until about 1683 when he moved to Westchester (Fordham Manor) where he lived on land which his wife had received from her father. This land was on the Harlem River below the present 149th Street. On June 13, 1721 he deeded this land to his son Frederick, and probably at this time went to live with his daughter Susannah Nodine in Yonkers. His will dated Jan 23, 1741 describes him as a Westchester and his name is spelled De Voorse Sr. He died in the home of his son Frederick in 1743."

Church records of Mannheim, Germany list him as a native of Festhubert, province of Artois (France). No record of Frederick in Mannheim, Germany after 1674. Several sources cite Frederick's migration in 1675 via Holland and England to Harlem, New York to join his brother Nicholas.

Joan Turnure, Valhalla, NY, Tourjo@aol.com, is the source of much of this information.

[Editor's note: If a genealogy report is printed out starting from this individual, know that he had several siblings who also emigrated to Colonial America. See http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=jss_devoe for the complete (to date) DeVeaux/Devoe database.]

[From The Genealogy of the DeVeaux Family, 1885:]

The forefathers of the De Voe family in America were found to be French Protestants, who with the many thousands early become known as Huguenots, all of whom were particularly obnoxious to the Roman Catholic authorities in France, especially the infamous Catherine of Medicis, who persuaded her son, King Charles IX of France, to massacre all Protestants in the kingdom... The Massacre of St. Bartholemew began on Sunday morning, August 24, 1572, and continued eight days, with scarce an intermission, when more than five thousand were slain. Old and young, male and female, rich and poor, all who were Huguenots, or suspected of favoring their principles, were mercilessly slaughtered.

Frederick DeVeaux was born around 1645 in the province of Annis (said to be near Rochelle) in France. When he was 12 or 14, he escaped French persecution with parents and two brothers, at least, to Manheim. Their absence from their home soon became known to the king's murderous troppers, who trailed them over the country, and were so close on these Huguenot refugees that it was only by the friendship of a woman that they escaped; after which they dared only to travel at night and hide in the day, and this with almost starvation among them, as they were not provided for such an emergency. The incident of their narrow escape has been handed down through the several generations of those who settled near New York. In Manheim, Frederick grew up to manhood and became enabled to enter into trade in the town, where he married about 1673. Death claimed his wife soon after their marriage. Being without children and having received favorable accounts from America, he made up his mind to close his business and follow his brotheres and other relatives who had been several years in this new country.

[I find it a bit difficult to believe that he has brothers almost 20 years his junior. This needs checking. All information about Devoe/Deveaux ancestry is from the 1885 Genealogy of the De Veaux Family, unless otherwise noted. -- Jillaine Smith, November 2000.]

Departed 1675 for England and from there to New York (with brother Daniel, accompanying Sir Edmund Andros, the second Governor of New York); settled in Harlem. Through his marriage to Hester Terneur, owned Cromwell Farm, located on eastern shore of the cove into which Cromwell Creek connects with the Harlem River near the Central Bridge.

In 1684, purchased the neck of land (afterwards known as Devoe's Point) which connected McComb's Dam- now Central Bridge) on the east end across the Harlem River, from William Bickley, Sr., wh hold a patent for it, which contained 184 acres, for which Prefrerick agreed to pay 14 pounds and to have three years to pay for it.

1705, purchased land from Col. Lewis Morris, in Morrisania.

1715, took the oath of allegiance.

1718, purchased 200 acres of land for 213 pounds in New Rochelle from his widowed daughter Leah Gendron.

1719, bought the 100-acre farm adjoining the last from Susanna Couton for 150 pounds.

1721, lost his wife, deeds to his son, Frederick "DeVoose" Jun. the farm or certain lands and meadows he gained through his marriage to Hester Terneur. His son Abel occupies the two farms bought in 1718-1719. Frederick lives there with him.

1728 disposes of his Bickley farm (Devoe's point) to his son Daniel Devoe.

1730, boards will son-in-law, Andrew Naudain, New Rochelle, where he resided until a few months before his death, November 1743, at the house of his son Daniel, Morrisonia, town of Westchester.

Was a man of considerable wealth based on the inventory of hi smoney, bonds, goods, etc. after his death.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Personal Records of Harold Bingham Lee in possession of Marlee Goeringer.

   Family record of Katharine Lee DeVeau.

2.   Jillaine Smith online (http:/freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jillaine/pdb/devoe.html).
3. ↑ Plumley, Judith Dick (2).
4. ↑ De Voe, Thomas Farrington. Genealogy of the De Veaux family: introducing the numerous forms of spelling the name by various branches and generations in the past eleven hundred years. (New York: Unknown, 1885).
5. ↑ De Voe, Thomas Farrington. Genealogy of the De Veaux family: introducing the numerous forms of spelling the name by various branches and generations in the past eleven hundred years. (New York: Unknown, 1885).

   "We, President, Mayor, Burgomaster and Council of the Electorial Pfalztown Manheim-- Do make known and proclaim herewith, that the bearer of this, Frederic de Veaux, has been a citizen of this Town, and intends now to travel in Holland and then further to England: therefore We request, according to custom, to let the said Frederick de Veaux pass, free, safe and unmolesterd at all places, and also to insure him all good Will and help. We shall do the same in return, according to his rank, to all persons. It Witness hereof we have put Our customary Seal. Done Manheim, this 23rd February Syl. Vet. Anno, One thousand six hundred and seventy-five. (Signed)."