Bevier, Louis (b. ABT 1646, d. ABT JUN 1720)

Note: Louis Bevier was probably born about 1646 in the country known as the Spanish Netherlands, then under the rule of King Philip of Spain. The exact location of his birth is unknown, but it was either near Chimay, about 50-60 kilometers southeast of Lille in what is now Belgium, or in Russia near Moscow. His father's family left their home presumably for reasons of work as forgeurs in the iron trade, In 1661. They settled in the Lower Palatinate near Mannheim, Germany. The earliest recording of the Bevier name in Germany is of a Louis Bevier [perhaps the father or uncle of Louis Bevier the Patentee] witnessing a baptism in Mannheim in 1661. The family settled in Winden across the Rhine River. Records of the Bevier family have been found in Winden, Frankenthal, Mannheim, and Speyer. Louis married Marie LeBlanc in 1673 in Speyer and they had their first child, Maria Jul 09, 1674. They left Germany for America in 1675 with a letter of church dismissal from the pastor of the Frankenthal Reformed Church. The ship they traveled on from Europe is unknown, but it is possible they came with the Abraham Hasbrouck family from the Palatinate. The journey of the Hasbrouck family took them from Mannheim to Rotterdam, then Amsterdam, Holland. From there they embarked for England in April 1675, thence by ship to the port of Boston in America. From Boston they embarked for New York and thus to Esopus in Ulster County.
The Bevier family arrived in New York in the summer or autumn of 1675 and traditionally settled on Staten Island for a period of time. The baby, Maria Bevier, at some point between leaving Germany and arriving in Hurley, New York had died, possibly at sea during the voyage. The baptism record of Louis and Marie's first son Jean has never been found, thus leading to the conclusion he was baptized in the Reformed Church on Staten Island whose records were destroyed by fire. In September 1677, Louis Bevier signed the New Paltz Patent along with eleven other Walloons and Huguenots. This patent for 39,000 acres of land, was drawn up by Governor Edmund Andros and ratified by the English Parliament. The family resided in Hurley for a time as their second son Abraham was born in Hurley. Eleven of the "twelve men" went to settle their land in the Spring of 1678 and the town of New Paltz was formed. He died between May 2, 1720 when he made his last will and Jul 4, 1720 when it was admitted to probat
It is thought the Louis Bevier is buried in the old French Churchyard next to his wife Maria.

Source: (Death)
Titel: The Bevier Family - by Katherine Bevier
Auteur: Katherine Bevier
Publicatie: Tobias A. Wright Company - 1916
Media: Book

Reference: 1

Note: Marie LeBlanc was thought to have been from a family that lived originally near the Beviers in the Spanish Netherlands. Tradition indicates that the LeBlanc family fled to Germany at the approximate time of the Bevier family and they renewed their friendship after arriving in Germany. Marie's father is thought to have been a tapestry manufacturer and therefore his settling in Frankenthal would be logical, as this was a place of tapestry weaving during that period of time. Research conducted in Europe by Francis DeVos in 2000-2001, states the new findings of the names of Marie's parents and grandfather. These findings are somewhat speculative according to New Paltz Historian, Alfred H. Marks.
Marie is believed to be buried in the old French Churchyard in New Paltz next to her husband Louis.

Source: (Death)
Titel: The Bevier Family - by Katherine Bevier
Auteur: Katherine Bevier
Publicatie: Tobias A. Wright Company - 1916
Media: Book

Reference: 2

Source: (Birth)
Titel: Huguenot Historical Society Archives

Reference: 3

Note: Nothing is known of Jean's boyhood. There has been no record found of his baptism. It is possible that he was baptized on Staten Island where the Louis Bevier family may have lived near friends prior to arriving in Hurley in 1677. He was about two years of age when his parents settled at New Paltz. He and his brothers were probably among the pupils of Jean Cottin in 1689, and then his successor, Jean Tebenin, who taught school from 1696 to 1700. On April 14, 1712, at 36 years of age, Jean married Catherine Montanye. Jean and brother Abraham, who had married five years earlier, moved to their new farms at Wawarsing about 1708. In 1715, Jean Bevier and his two brothers, Abraham and Samuel, were Lieutenants in Captain Johannes Vernooy's Militia Company of the Rochester and Wawarsing Regiment. Jean had a large family of five daughters and two younger sons, Louis J. and Jesse. All of his children settled near his home after their respective marriages. He and his wife are probably buried in Wawarsing, Ulster, NY.
Daughter Elizabeth married her second cousin, Isaac Bevier, son of Samuel of New Paltz. Johanna, the fourth daughter, married Michael Sax, and both these families settled at Fantinekill. A band of thirty or forty Indians, led by Brandt, attacked Fantinekill on May 4, 1779. Several houses were plundered and burned, and Elizabeth Bevier with her two sons, and Johanna Sax, with her five children were massacred before help could reach them. They were all buried in one grave which was marked by a monument in 1909; placed there by the citizens of Wawarsing. The only children of Elizabeth Bevier who survived the attack were Katrinje and Magdalena, the eldest and youngest. The story of the Fantinekill Massacre, told by an eyewitness, was written by Cornelius Bevier, a boy of ten years, son of Capt. Andries Bevier and grandson of Abraham Bevier. (See Cornelius Bevier's notes).
Some of the descendants of Jean Bevier, surviving after the massacre of 1779, moved to western New York. He himself did not live long enough to see the horrors of the massacre. He died intestate many years prior to the November 14, 1764 massacre.

Source: (Death)
Titel: The Bevier Family - by Katherine Bevier
Auteur: Katherine Bevier
Publicatie: Tobias A. Wright Company - 1916
Media: Book

Reference: 4

Note: Abraham Bevier, second son of the Patentee, was born at Hurley 20 Jan 1678. This was just prior to the family moving to New Paltz. The sponsors of his baptism in Kingston on 31 Mar 1678 were Patentee Abraham DuBois and Margaret Deyo, his wife. Jean and Abraham were received into church membership at New Paltz 3 Jul 1699. Jean was 23 and Abraham 21 at the time of this event and there seems to have been a strong tie between these two brothers. In 1707, Abraham Bevier married Rachel Vernooy, daughter of Cornelis C. Vernooy and Annatje Cornelis, five years prior to his brother Jean's marriage. The Vernooys and Beviers owned adjoining lands in Wawarsing and this was the first Bevier marriage in America uniting the Walloon stock with the old Dutch. Jean, Abraham, and Samuel were all lieutenants in the militia regiment of Capt. Johannes Vernooy in 1715. On Oct 28, 1720, Abraham Bevier and his brothers signed a conveyance of property to their brother, Louis Bevier, of Marbletown. This was a division of the property of Louis Bevier, the Patentee, according to the terms of his will. In 1728, the names of Abraham, Samuel, and Louis Bevier, brothers, with those of 21 other proprietors of the New Paltz lands were signed to a document that established the government of New Paltz by the "Twelve Men." This body was later known as the" Duzine." In June of 1728, Jean and Abraham Bevier sold rights to Daniel Brodhead to dig for minerals on the Beer kill. A new stone church was built at Wawarsing in 1742 and Abraham headed up this list with a pledge of 20 days work, 10 days carting, and 10 pounds of money. Abraham was kirkmaster of that church in 1747 and 1748. Abraham signed a deed in 1749 transferring some land in Warwarsing to his son, Jacob Bevier, and in January 1750, he conveyed title to lands to his sons and son-in-law. Tradition states that Abraham's dwelling was the old house at Napanoch, on a cross-road east of the highway, and was called by many "The Old Fort." Sometime prior to July 23, 1774, Abraham passed on and left his children equal shares in his estate.

Source: (Death)
Titel: The Bevier Family - by Katherine Bevier
Auteur: Katherine Bevier
Publicatie: Tobias A. Wright Company - 1916
Media: Book

Reference: 5

Note: Samuel was born 21 Jan 1680, the first of Louis and Marie's children to be born in New Paltz and the only one to remain there until his death. In May of 1680, three New Paltz families took children on an arduous journey to have them baptized in New York at the French Reformed Church. These children were: Magdalena, daughter of Louis DuBois and Catherine Blanchan; Rachel, daughter of Abraham Hasbrouck and Marie Deyo; Samuel, son of Louis Bevier and Marie LeBlanc. Samuel's sponsors were Abraham Rutan and Marie Deyo, wife of Abraham Hasbrouck. This little band of pioneers probably undertook this journey because there was no French minister in either Kingston or New Paltz. The church had not been established in the new settlement yet.
Samuel was received into the New Paltz Church as a member in June of 1700. Samuel married Magdalena Blanchan in 1710 and established his own home in New Paltz. Soon after this in 1714, his sister Esther married Jacob Hasbrouck, the other three sons had moved across the mountains to Wawarsing and Marbletown, and old Louis was left alone, after Marie had died in 1689. It was then that the old man turned to Samuel and invited him and his little family to come back to the old Bevier house to live with him there. There was much love and kindness in the acceptance of this offer, but it could hardly have been peaceful for Louis. At the time of Louis' death in 1720, Samuel and Magdalena had seven children, five sons and two daughters, all under the age of nine. The first appearance of Samuel's name in the official records was 25 Aug 1703, when the surviving Patentees and the representatives of those who were dead, apportioned to each Patentee or to his heirs, his share of land in the Patent. This appears to be the first division of lands, which had been held in common for 26 years.
In 1715, Samuel was one of the three lieutenants of the Wawarsing Militia Company of which Johannes Vernooy was Captain, his brothers Jean and Abraham were the other two. On April 21, 1728, when the 24 proprietors of the New Paltz lands instituted the government of the Duzine, Abraham, Samuel, and Louis Bevier, being three of the 24, signed the document which established the "Twelve Men" in power. Abraham and Louis were non-residents, but Samuel was chosen one of the Twelve that first year. Samuel Bevier was a staunch supporter of the church. He was chosen deacon on March 11, 1730 and elder on May 22, 1736. In the last will of Samuel Bevier, drawn in 1750 and probated in 1759, he speaks of his wife Esther. From this fact it is evident that Magdalena passed away prior to this and he married Esther ......... A number of the grandsons of Samuel Bevier moved to Western New York and some of his descendants settled the small mining town in Missouri called Bevier. Another family source indicates Samuel died in 1746. Esther joined the New Paltz Church as wife of Samuel Bevier July 1, 1753.

Source: (Death)
Titel: The Bevier Family - by Katherine Bevier
Auteur: Katherine Bevier
Publicatie: Tobias A. Wright Company - 1916
Media: Book

Reference: 6

Note: There is little known about Andre' Bevier, the fifth child of Louis Bevier and Marie LeBlanc. He was born 12 Jul 1682, and was baptized at Kingston, 24 Sep 1682. His godparents were Andries LeFevre and Jeanne Wybouw. On 1 Mar 1713, Andre' acted as godfather at the baptism of Jean Bevier's eldest child, Maria. He is on record as holding a seat in a pew of the old stone church at New Paltz 27 Dec 1720, shortly after his father's death.
When Louis Bevier made his first will in 1715, Andre' seemed to be treated normally in every respect, and he is named equally along with the other children as one of the heirs. Sometime between the first and second will, drawn by Louis in 1720, Andre' either became sick or was in an accident for his faculties seemed to have become impaired by some means. Apparently, he never regained his former composure, for his brothers remained, by the terms of their father's will, trustees of his property, till their death or the trust was passed on to their heirs. Andre' outlived them all as he died in 1768 at the age of 86. After his sister Hester (Esther) married Jacob Hasbrouck, Andre' lived with her and probably remained with one of her children after her death. He lived in comfort all his life. After Hester's death Andre' lived for a time with her son, Jacob Hasbrouck, Jr. and for this service Jacob was paid a sum of L10 per annum.

Source: (Death)
Titel: The Bevier Family - by Katherine Bevier
Auteur: Katherine Bevier
Publicatie: Tobias A. Wright Company - 1916
Media: Book

Reference: 7

Note: Louis Bevier was born 6 Nov 1684 and baptized at New Paltz 6 Apr 1685. His sponsors were his parents' old friends Abraham Hasbrouck and his wife Mary Deyo. In July of 1711 Louis Bevier, Jr. appears on the muster roll of Captain Wessel Tenbroeck's volunteer company. Queen Anne's War was being contested and the volunteers went: "to march upon ye expedition to Canada." this expedition was termed a failure by historian, John Back McMaster. Louis Bevier was married 2 Jun 1713 at Kingston to Elizabeth Hasbrouck, daughter of Jean Hasbrouck. Louis and Elizabeth were both 28 years of age at the time. They probably moved in with
Jean Hasbrouck until, in 1715, they moved to their new home in Marbletown. In 1716, Louis Bevier was appointed Ensign in Captain Hoffman's Ulster County Regiment of Foot. On 29 Apr 1717, the only child of Louis Bevier and Elizabeth Hasbrouck was born; he was named Louis Bevier, 3rd. In 1729, both Louis and his brother Samuel were chosen members of the Committee of Twelve which attended to the affairs of the New Paltz Patent. In about 1730, Louis Bevier was one of the founders of the Marbletown Church. The 34 owners of the New Paltz lands agreed in 1744 to defray all expenses incurred by any one of them in defending his title. In 1751, Louis Bevier was once again chosen to be a member of the Duzine. Some New Paltz land remained in possession of his branch of the family throughout the lifetime of his son, Louis Bevier, 3rd.
Louis Bevier lived at Marbletown until his death, which occurred 19 Feb 1753. His wife survived him by seven years. Louis Bevier left no will, possibly because he fathered only one child. He held many town offices and was an active member of the church of which he was long an elder. Another family source indicates the marriage of Elizabeth & Louis occurred 6 May 1713.

Source: (Death)
Titel: The Bevier Family - by Katherine Bevier
Auteur: Katherine Bevier
Publicatie: Tobias A. Wright Company - 1916
Media: Book

Reference: 8

Note: Little is known concerning the life of Esther (Hester) Bevier, the only daughter of Louis Bevier who lived past infancy. She was born 16 Nov 1686 and was baptized at New Paltz 16 Apr 1687. Her sponsors were Jean Hasbrouck and Esther Latoinelle. It is probable that she grew up shouldering all the cares her mother would have undertaken had she lived. Esther, as a young girl kept a home for five brothers and her father. She remained at this post until all her brothers had married, with the exception of Andre', who never married. On 7 Dec 1714, she married Jacob Hasbrouck and took Andre' with her to the new home. As Jean Hasbrouck had died a few months before this event, they took possession of the Hasbrouck Homestead on Huguenot Street, now the flagship property of the Huguenot Historical Society. Esther must have had schooling for she wrote very well. Her name is attached to several documents at the time of the settlement of her father's estate. The date of her death is not known, but was probably prior to 1 Nov 1742. Her husband, Jacob Hasbrouck, survived her.

Source: (Birth)
Titel: The Bevier Family - by Katherine Bevier
Auteur: Katherine Bevier
Publicatie: Tobias A. Wright Company - 1916
Media: Book

Reference: 9

Source: (Birth)
Titel: Huguenot Historical Society Archives

Reference: 10

Source: (Birth)
Titel: The Bevier Family - by Katherine Bevier
Auteur: Katherine Bevier
Publicatie: Tobias A. Wright Company - 1916
Media: Book

Reference: 11

Source: (Birth)
Titel: The Bevier Family - by Katherine Bevier
Auteur: Katherine Bevier
Publicatie: Tobias A. Wright Company - 1916
Media: Book

Reference: 12

Source: (Birth)
Titel: One World Tree
Auteur: Ancestry. com

Reference: 13

Note: Her name may have been Maria.

Source: (Birth)
Titel: The Bevier Family - by Katherine Bevier
Auteur: Katherine Bevier
Publicatie: Tobias A. Wright Company - 1916
Media: Book

Reference: 14

Source: (Death)
Titel: The Bevier Family - by Katherine Bevier
Auteur: Katherine Bevier
Publicatie: Tobias A. Wright Company - 1916
Media: Book

Reference: 15

Source: (Name)
Titel: The Bevier Family - by Katherine Bevier
Auteur: Katherine Bevier
Publicatie: Tobias A. Wright Company - 1916
Media: Book

Reference: 16

Source: (Death)
Titel: Huguenot Historical Society Archives

Reference: 17

Source: (Birth)
Titel: The Bevier Family - by Katherine Bevier
Auteur: Katherine Bevier
Publicatie: Tobias A. Wright Company - 1916
Media: Book

Reference: 18

Note: Louis J. Bevier's baptismal date is the only date known about his life. He grew up in pioneer surroundings as his father and uncle were the first settlers in Wawarsing, having gone there to live in about 1707. Louis was a member of the Rochester Militia in 1738 under Captain Cornelius Hoornbeek. He married, but the name of his wife, date of marriage, and place are not known. His child's 1763 birth was recorded in the old Wawarsing Church Register, but nothing else is known. Evidently the child died young because Louis J's will made January 22, 1794, and probated on February 5, 1812 at Kingston, left his entire estate to his brother Jesse's son, John. At the time of the Fantinekill Massacre, Louis J. Bevier and Conrad Bevier armed themselves and ran to the scene of the fighting and scared off the Indians and Tories. This act saved the lives of Catherine Bevier and other women present. Louis J. Bevier signed the papers settling his Uncle Andre's estate on March 19, 1768. He died prior to 1812.

Source: (Death)
Titel: The Bevier Family - by Katherine Bevier
Auteur: Katherine Bevier
Publicatie: Tobias A. Wright Company - 1916
Media: Book

Reference: 19

Source: (Birth)
Titel: The Bevier Family - by Katherine Bevier
Auteur: Katherine Bevier
Publicatie: Tobias A. Wright Company - 1916
Media: Book

Reference: 20