LOTT FAMILY REGISTER: FLANDREAU FAMILY

Gathered here are materials on the family of Jacques Flandreau*, a French Huguenot who emigrated to New Rochelle, Westchester, New York near the end of the 17th Century.

* NOTE: Variant spellings of this surname include: Flandereau, Flandereaux, Flandreaux, Flandrau, Flandreu. Somewhat more anglicized versions are: Flandro, Flandrow, Flandraw, Flandrew, Flanderow, Flanders.

Jacques Flandreau (about 1667-1726)

Biography

Jacques Flandreau was a French Huguenot who fled from France to London, England, before eventually emigrating to the New World.

According to the inscription on his headstone, he was 69 years old at the time of his death in February 1726 (what would now be considered 1727); thus, he was born about 1656/1657. A census entry from 1698, however, lists his age as 30, making his birth about 1668. One source suggests that the headstone transcription is wrong, and that Jacques Flandreau was 59 rather than 69 at the time of his death. If so, then the year of his birth, about 1667/1668, would approximate the census entry, in which case 1667 would be the most likely year of birth.

His place of origin is given as La Rochelle ("Little Rock"), a port city in Poitou, France (according to the marriage entry in the French Church in London to his first wife) and, alternatively, as "La Chataegnevaj" (likely "La Chataigneraie", i.e., "chestnut tree grove"), in the historic province of Poitou, now in the Vendee departement (according to the 1703 marriage record to his second wife).

Jacques was married in the French Church, Glasshouse Street, London, England, on 15 December 1695 (or 1692), to his first wife, Madeleine Mesnard, said to be of Saintes, Saintonge, France (not far from La Rochelle). No children are known to have come to this marriage.

By 1698 Jacques was in New Rochelle, Westchester, New York, his name appearing in the census of that year as "Jeams [James] Flandeu" [or "Flandren"], aged thirty years. His first wife, Madeleine, does not appear in the census list, apparently having died before that date.

[Deed, 1694, White Plains clerk's office: he conveys 100 acres of land to Trinity Church at New Rochelle.]

On 13 November 1703, in the New Rochelle Church, Jacques married again, this time to Elizabeth Boderit or Beaudry of Rye, England.

In 1707 Jacques Flandreau bought land of Jacob Leisler, Jr., on the Boston Road.

On 1 April 1710 Jacques was elected collector of New Rochelle.

[1710 Census]

In 1716 Jacques added an additional purchase to his land on the Boston Road.

On 18 May 1720 Jacques Flandreau made his will, which was proved 20 December 1727. His will reads:

Au Nom De Dieu, et Du Fils, et Du St. Esprit. I, JACQUES FLANDREAU, living at New Rochelle, in Westchester County, by the will of God being under some sickness, but of sound mind, and willing to put my estate in order, which it has pleased God to give me. My body to be buried as a true Christian at the discretion of my executors. My will is that after all just debts are paid my wife Elizabeth shall possess all my goods, during the time she remains my widow, but if she remarries, they are to be divided among my sons, Jacques, Peter, John, Daniel, Benjamin, and Elias. Giving 5 shillings more to my son Jacques, than to the others. I leave to my eldest son, Jacques, a horse and saddle, such as he shall choose. I leave to my daughter Elizabeth Magdalene, £15, and a cow, when she is married, or when her mother shall judge it proper. I leave to my daughter Jeane, £15 and a cow when she is married. For executors of this my will, which I wish to have executed in all its points, I appoint my good friend, Jean Martin, and my wife.

Done at New Rochelle, the 18 of May, 1720. Witnesses, Isaac Mercier, Alexander Allaire, Jeremie Mebee. Proved before Gilbert Willett, appointed by his Excellency, William Burnet, Governor, December 20, 1727.

Jacques Flandreau died 19 February 1726 in New Rochelle, aged sixty-nine years, according to a transcription made of his headstone in the Town [Trinity Church] cemetery. (The original headstone is no longer extant.)

A house built by Jacques Flandreau in New Rochelle in 1700 burned down in the Spring of 1898.

Date(s)

Item/Image

Link

Sources

▪

Bolton, Rev. Robert. History of the County of Westchester, vol. 1, p. 668

1881

▪

Biographical Sketches and Index of the Huguenot Settlers of New Rochelle, 1687-1776, p. 24

page 24