DuPont, Pierre Jean
Birth
Pierre Jean DuPont was born about 1749 Europe, his parents are not known.
Immigration
Pierre was probably a first generation immigrant, likely from the Palatine/Alsace region where the name is most frequently found.[1] He apparently immigrated sometime prior to the revolution, probably landing in New York. According to Drew, Tales from Little Lewis (p15)[2] Pierre met his wife to be, Maria Richter, an indentured servant onboard the same ship.
Religion
Reformed.
Occupation
Presumably a farmer.
Anna Maria, may have been a midwife: "From Washburn's Reminiscences... Very early the gratuitous services of Mistress Bennet and her colleague, Mother De Pung..."[3]
Military Service
15 Aug 1775, Dutchess County, NY, Peter Depung was a signer of the Articles of Association in support of the Revolution.[4] It is a reasonable assumption he also served in the local militia during the Revolution. The fact he signed the Articles of Association, and was issued land by Van Rensselaer in 1787, indicates his service was honorable.
Property
- 1787 the Patroon Stephen Van Rensselaer had the vacant lands of his Manor in his west Rensselaer Manor [Berne] surveyed and he made plans to develop and populate those unsettled lands(1787 survey map). Handbills were distributed throughout New England announcing that he would give veterans of the Revolution homesteads without cost.[5]
- 17 May 1788 Peter J. Depong, at Beaver Dam (Berne), leased lot 430, containing 168 acres from the Patroon (Rensselearwyck, West Manor Ledger A, p93).[6]
- 1790 census of Rensselaerville [Berne] - Peter J. Dupong was listed with this son, wife and three of his daughters, his daughter Catherine having married Henrich earlier that year.
Migration
About 1810, Pierre, his wife and son left Berne for Phelps, Ontario Co, NY,[7] though he did not sell lot 430 until 1813.
Marriage & Children
Pierre married about 1770 to Anna Maria Henrietta Fredericka Richter.
- 1. Catherine Ann DuPont, born 18 Sep 1770, NY; Died: after 1860 in Greig, Lewis Co, NY, Married: 10 Jan 1790 Schoharie DRC, Albany Co, NY to Henrich Dietz, Born: 01 Jan 1771 Switzkill Valley, Beaverdam (Rensselaerville), Albany Co, NY Baptism 1: 02 Jan 1771 Beaver Dam Dutch Reformed, Berne, Albany Co, NY, Baptism 2: 20 Jan 1771 Schoharie Dutch Reformed Church, Albany Co, NY, Died: 06 May 1850 in Greig, Lewis Co, NY.
- 2. John DePung Born: 1775 NY Died: Aft. 1820, Married: abt. 1798 Berne, Albany Co, NY to Sarah Fellers Born: abt. 1775.
- 3. Eva DuPont Born: 1781 Germantown, Columbia Co, NY Baptism: 16 Dec 1781 Reformed Church Germantown, Columbia Co, NY, sponsors were Niklas Rausch jr and Eva Rausch. Died: Aft. 1815, Married: before 1815 to Mr. Parker.
- 4. Elizabeth DuPont Born: Apr 1783 Germantown, Columbia Co, NY Died: 16 Dec 1841 in Greig, Lewis Co, NY, Married: 01 Jun 1801 Schoharie Lutheran Church, to Frederick Swart Born: 06 Sep 1779 Switzkill Valley, Berne, Albany Co, NY Baptism: Oct 1779 Lutheran Ch, Schoharie, NY, Died: abt. 1845 in Greig, Lewis Co, NY.
- 5. Maria DuPont Born: 1787 Germantown, Columbia Co, NY Baptism: 16 Sep 1787 Reformed Church, Germantown, Columbia Co, NY Died: 11 Jun 1869 in Greig, Lewis Co, NY, Married: abt. 1805 pr, Berne, Caleb Lyon Born: 1761 East Windsor, Hartford Co, CT, Died: 15 Sep 1835 in Lyonsdale, Lewis Co, NY.
Will
1815, will (undated). Peter John DePung, Phelps (township), Surrogate Court Records, Canandaigua, Ontario Co, NY, bk.10, pp43-5. Proved 1815 Aug 15.
Death
Pierre Jean DuPont died 1815 Phelps, Ontario Co, NY. No tombstone has been found.
His wife, Anna Maria Henrietta Fredericka Richter, died 31 Dec 1836 in Greig, Lewis Co, NY. She is buried at Collinsville Cemetery, Turin, Lewis Co, NY: 22nd row, Tombstone:[8] Anna Maia Henrietta Fredericka Ritcher, consort of Pierre Jean Depont, Died Dec. 31, 1836, AE 81 years & 3 days. Erected by her Grandson, L. R. Lyon.
Caveats
For over 145 years a number of fictitious stories about Pierre Jean DuPont and his three daughter's of Lewis County, New York have been in print and are now circulated on the internet has fact, not to mention a number of obituaries.
The fictions claim he was everything from an aid to Montcalm,[9] a Commodor in the French Navy,[10] and a Colonel in the French Army,[11] all false.[12]
Additional Media
- DuPont-Sisters.doc
"Three Sisters, DuPont - The Facts, the Fiction and the truth about Pierre Jean DuPont."
Sources
- ↑ Correspondance, ca. 2007 by Glen Swartz, with the Huguenot Historical Society of New Paltz, NY
- ↑ Drew, Hazel C. "Tales from Little Lewis." Lyons Falls, NY: 1961
- ↑ "People Made it Happen, History of the Town of Rensselaerville ca. 1788-1950." Rensselaerville, NY: Rensselaerville Hist. Soc., 1977. p113 - physicians.
- ↑ Smith, Philip H. "General History of Dutchess County: from 1609 to 1876 Inclusive." Pawling, NY: P.H. Smith, 1877. p485
- ↑ Miller, Harold
- ↑ "Rensselearwyck Manor (NY), Records 1574-1870." NY State Library, Albany NY: (MA/FM 974.74 V36 99-18511). Reel 4: West Manor Rent Ledger A"
- ↑ 1810 Phelps, Ontario Co, NY, (M252-33), p232; Peter Depong 00001-00001
- ↑ transcribed by Glen Swartz from photo taken ca. 2008, by Doris Murray Lamphear
- ↑ Hough, Franklin B. "A History of Lewis County, in the State of New York: From the Beginning of Its Settlement to the Present." Albany, NY: Munsell & Rowland, 1860. p109, "Maj. Jean Pierre Du Pont, nephew and aid of Montcalm."
- ↑ Cutter, William R., ed. "Genealogical and Family History of Northern New York..." 3 vol, NY: Lewis Hist. Pub. Co., 1910. vol.2, pp763. "Commodore Pierre Dupont"
- ↑ Oakes, Rensselaer A, ed., "Genealogical and Family History of the County of Jefferson, New York..." NY: Lewis Pub. Co., 1905. 1:501. "Colonel St. Pierre Dupont".
- ↑ Swartz, Glen. "Three Sisters, DuPont - The Facts, the Fiction and the truth about Pierre Jean DuPont." Alexandria, VA: Glen A. Swartz, 2007.
