Secret History X

Cher Almoustine,

While you are up enjoying the brisk Canadian Weather, I am busy holding down the fort here at home. My son and his family just moved into the apartments downstairs, the house is busy but the up side is I get to enjoy my granddaughter on a daily basis. it slows down the research somewhat but is will worth it.

Regarding the blue men legends… I encountered a tidbit about our shared ancestry that may interest you. It seems many of the descendants of the Muscheon/Legant/Fougere family of Huguenots (at least those who maintained the maritime trade between the East/West Indies, Europe and Middle Colonies during the 1600s) are carriers of Methemoglobinemia (aka. the “Blue Blood/Pictish Gene”).

So far we can identify three main branches of the family who settled in Scandinavia (Musteen/Muscheon), Ireland (Leggat/Legant/Legare), and Kentucky (Fugate/Fougere).

This trait results in a blue tint to the skin (particularly lips and nail beds) and can lead to blue baby syndrome (babies born blue but with otherwise healthy Apgar scores). Also, contrary to popular belief… Methemoglobinemia is not a disease (unless it is occasioned by chemical poisoning, or a heart defect) nor is it deadly; studies indicate that individuals (even the most blue) frequently live lengthy, healthy, lives. Hereditary Methemoglobinemia it is an autosomal recessive genetic trait with a yet undetermined origin. Although the blue skin tones associated with this trait usually fade during infancy, population bottlenecks where cousins frequently intermarry may give rise to a race of people who have blue skin permanently. This bottleneck phenomenon has been documented in Finland, Ireland, and Kentucky.

Almoustine, you and I are both carriers of this trait. Your ancestor, Thomas “The Musteen” of Virginia had ties to the East Indies, Madagascar, East Asia, and Haiti, the Musteen’s of Finland were frequent traders between Scotland, Scandinavia, and Holland along the Baltic and Barent Sea routes. My family tree links to both Fougere and Legant (all documented carriers of this trait).

I am posting this on the site in case anyone interested in helping me to research this unique lineage may contact either of us via our Research Page on Methemoglobinemia .

Pamè Mon Chèrie

Ce matin je suis dans le port de Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Je suis sur ma façon de rencontrer Mikmaq local.Je poursuis le insaisissable “mDNA-X”. Je vous garderai informés de mon progrès. J’essaierai aussi d’écrire plus dans l’anglais.

Je sais que votre nom de jeune fille est Magee, donc vous le trouverez bizarre. Les Miqmaq s’appellent comme le Megu-maagee.

J’envoie les informations d’ADN au laboratoire à Salt Lake City. Vous pouvez vérifier avec notre contact là pour voir les résultats. Les données à propos l’histoire et la langue du Miqmaq je vous enverrai directement.

Je votre ami,
Almoustine

Cher Almoustine,

Thank you so much for your feedback on my new play. I appreciate you taking the time from your busy schedule to read it. I am glad you liked it. You are absolutely right in suggesting that the play seems to be part of something bigger. The story is definitely worth expanding into a full length play. I have way more material than a simple one act can hold.

You do make me blush however when you compare it (stylistically) to the works of Tennessee Williams.  That is an honor that I feel is way more than I deserve. Ironically regarding Tennessee Williams, you might be curious to know that he happens to be my paternal grandmother’s 4th cousin once removed. Both my grandmother Viola and ” Tennessee”, aka Thomas Lanier Williams, are descended from Joseph Williams and Rebeca Lanier of Virginia.

Pamè Mon Chèrie

Le merci pour les magnifiques caractères du Daguerrotype, et pour le poste de Robert Cornelius.  Avez-vous été capables de poster la généalogie de Robert sur Rodovid.com ?

J’espère que ses descendants apprécieront cet article, commentaires post et contribueront davantage à la recherche sur cette famille.

Je reste le vôtre.

Almoustine

Cher Almoustine,

Last night as I was going to sleep, I was thinking of my Dad. As I drifted off I heard his voice in my head singing that strange tuneless version of Froggy went a Courtin‘. He sang that song to me often as I was growing up. More so when I was a little kid than when I was older. But when I had children of my own he would sing it to them.

I don’t remember hearing anyone else sing that song quite like he did… Thinking about it, I remember little turns of phrases that I never heard anyone else use (“Tweedle twino” and “fo fum fairo”. I asked him about it once and he said that it was something he heard as a kid. Unfortunately he didn’t remember all of the song, but enough of it to make it identifiable as a regionalized rendition of the Thomas Ravenscroft version from 1611. In reviewing the history of the song… I noticed that a note is included that claims that Ravenscroft’s original version refers to the wooing of Elizabeth I of England by François de Berry, Duke of Anjou. Indeed there are possible references in the song to various political figures of the time (“Gib, our cat [Sir Humphrey Gilbert]” and “Dick, our Drake. [Richard Drake of Morchard.”)

Additional Family information for Richard Drake can be found at the following places:

• 1500-1700 Drake Wills UK (Additional source: Drake Wills Index)
• GEN-MEDIEVAL-L Archives
• Genuki Cruwys Morchard

Francois du Berry, the earstwhile suitor, was successor to his brother Henri III, but died prematurely leaving Henri IV the Huguenot as the successor to the throne of France. Henri IV’s son Cesar du Vendome was one of the first landholders in Occitan(Axacan), Wingandacoa (Virginia, named by Elizabeth I in honor of  Wingina, the native chieftain) overseeing crown estates on the York river near the Iron Mill at Falling Creek prior to its transfer of ownership to management by the Virgina Company in 1609. Both Cesar and his son Francois (ancestors of my father) served as the French Admiral of the High Seas and lived abroad for much of their lives in England, Ireland, Haiti, Martinique and Virginia. Their descendants were also active in the East India trade between Jamaica, Barbados, and the Indian Ocean islands of Reunion, Mauritius, and Madagascar.

About Ravenscroft himself… He earned his batchelor’s degree from Cambridge om 1605. This at a time when many of the Hugenot nobility had removed themselves to England to escape the Inquisition. In addition to songs in English and Latin, Ravenscroft also set several French poems to melody; preserving them in such works as:
* Pammelia
* Deuteromelia
* Melismata (The volume containing a version of Froggy as well as the pirate ditty Heigh ho, away the Mare.)
* Brief
* Psalter

I could not help but wonder if this song were a clue that could somehow link our two families?

Best Regards to You,
Pamela Bradford.

The rare and beautiful Orothamnus is known as both the Marsh Rose and the Phoenix Rose. Commonly referred to as the Marsh Rose it is rare and grows only in peaty marshes. It is called the Phoenix Rose due to its unique lifecycle. While the plants themselves live on average only about 15 years, the seed can remain underground for over 35 years waiting for a rare summer fire in order to germinate.

The Phoenix Rose was discovered first by Jean Villet the twice great grandson of Pirate Thomas Tew.

The Agreement Between the Owners and Crew of the Sloop Amity

This original agreement was signed 8 January 1692 by Thomas Tew, the other owners of the sloop Amity, and the members of the crew. A copy was made on the 5th June 1694.

“Articles of agreement Indented, had, made concluded and agreed upon the eight day of January in the ffourth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord and Lady King William and Queen Mary over England Scotland ffrance and Ireland Defendor of the ffaith Annog (sic) Dom 1692. Between the owners Capt Thomas Tew, Henery ffyfeild, Thomas Wamsly, Richard Gilbert, Thomas Hall being Owners of the Sloop Called the Amity now Rideing att Anchor in the Island of Bermuda at Somers Islands of the owne Part and the rest of the Sloops Company on the other part have Severally and Joyntly Subscribed theire Names and affixed theire s to those Presents as ffolloweth.

Whereas the said Capt Thomas Tew and the Rest of the sloops Company partye to those Presents are now intended out on a voyage to Sea in the said Sloop Amity, now those presents Witness that it`s agreed by between all the said parties to those presents and the said owners Capt Thomas Tew Henery ffyfeild Thomas Wansly, Richard Gilbert Thomas Hall for themselves theire heires Exrs: Admrs: and assignes doth Covenant, Promise, Grant and Agree to and with the said sloops Company and Every of them his and their Exrs: Admrs: and assignes by those Presents in Manner and forms following (That is to Say)

Imprimis, That the said Sloop the Amity att the proper cort and Charges of the aforesaid owners shall within ten days after the date hereof be well and Sufficiently fitted Tackted, Equippyed and Apparrelled for the Forms of Months certaine and Months uncertaine as the Comand and Major part of the said Company shall agree on and shall saile on such Voyage or Expedition as the said Comander and Company shall think ffitt for the Best advantage of the said owners and Company and further the said owners dox Covenant, promise, Grant and Agree to and with the Company of the said Sloop Amity in the Penall Sume of one Thousand pounds that they and theire heires Exrs: Admrs: and Assignes shall and will allow all proper costs and charges to the said Company att theire Returne they giving an account of their Expences, Charges & Disbursments dureing the said voyage in the said Sloop the Amity.

Item that whatsoever interest, profitt or Advantage As Mony Plate Bullion Jewells Ambergrease Goods Wares Merchandizes Shipping Vessell or Vessells or other matter or thing whatsoever that shall bee ffound, Taken, Gotten, had or Recovered att any time or place or in any mannor dureing the whole terme of the said voyage or voyages or Expedition shall bee sharred and Divided as followeth (That is to say) That all maimed men of the said Company that shall bee Disabled in the true service of the Voyage to the Apparent hindrance of getting their future Livelyhood, before any Dividend shall be made hee or they shall have & Receive Eight hundred pieces of Eight, or the true Value there of it so much shall bee gained received or procured in the said voyage.

Item provided that if any person or persons belonging to the said sloop Amity, in time of fight or in Acting or in doing for the Good of the said voyage he or they Loseing of a Joynt or Joynts they or theire Heires Exrs. Admrs or assignes shall have and receive one hundred pieces of Eight for each Joynt soe Loesing.

Item that all plunder that did belong to the said prize or prizes Company Excepting mony Plate Bullion Jewells Ambergreese or Merchandizes Whatsoever that shall bee found, Taken, Gotten, apon Dock or between Docks or in the Cabben shall bee free Plunder Equally to bee Divided amongst the said Sloops Company.

Item it`s further agreed that the said Owners for theire said Sloop shall Next have and Receive Nine full common shaires, and the Comandr thereof for the time being for himselfe and his Comission shall have two and a halfe like full shares the master shall have one and a halfe like full shares. The Doctor conditionally (That is) his Chest bee well fitted with Medicons and that hee give Due attendance on all the said company as need shall require throughout the said voyage and for the terme of one month if need bee after the Expedition thereof shall therefore have and receive all Chyrurgeons(?) Instruments and Medicons properly Belonging to any Vessell taken and also one hundred pieces of Eight towards his Chest over and above his full share in Comon with the said company.

Item, that if it shall happen that any Shipp or Vessell Whatsoever shall bee Taken Gotten or obtained dureing this terme of the said Voyage by the said parties to those presents or any others being parties parties hereunto that then the said Comandr and his Successors Comanders for the time being shall and may save Keep Burne or Distroy such shipp wessell or vessellls att his Discretion according as he shall order and think most Convenient without any of the said Company.

Item that all Disbursments by the said owners for the said Company on the account of provision shall bee duely pay`d for according to agreement before any Dividend bee made of the first mony or goods taken as they or their Orders shall think most meet to the Advantage.

Item that all and Singular the Whole Remaining part of the produce proffitts and Issues of the said voyage without any fraud or Concealement shall bee shared and Divided amongst the said Company part & part alike, and ashore any of them shall Dye or bee shared and Divided amongst the said Company part & part alike, and ashore any of them shall Dye or bee Jrined (??) in the Service of the said voyage every such persons Share of the Whole shall bee good to the time of his or their death and no further and their Exrs: Admrs: or assignes by vertue of those presents shall have a good right and Title according to Demand and receive the same allwas(?) hereby Excepting and reserveing to the said Comandr and Company for the time Being the Power Knowne Use and Customs of making any Defalcations or abatement, Where he or the Company find cause for any Knowne Default or misdemeaner or any of the said company then Living which Defalcations shall bee Disposed of amongst the said Company by De**** (illegible), and the party as thereby Pretending to bee agreived shall have no remedy thereby or herein.

Item that whomsoever of the said Company shall first Spy a saile and the same prove to bee a Prize sufficient to make them a Voyage he shall Therefore have one hundred pieces of Eight or the Vallue att the choice and Appointment of the Comand and the Major part of ye Company and free Entrance into the Prize.

Item that if the Company belonging to the said sloops Conow (sic) being att any time sent out shall take or find anything under that vallue of ffive hundred pieces of Eight without Gunshott of the said sloop the same shall bee Equally shared amongst the said Conows Company But is any such booty or purchase shall amount to that vallue or upwards itt shall be brought to A common and General dividend amongst the said sloops Whole Company.

Item itt is further Covenanted Granted and agreed to and with the Consent of the sloops whole Company that all Due and Civill respect that is usually paid to a Capt in his Station shall bee paid to Capt. Thomas Tew, and his Successors as our Comission officer, and also that the said Company in General will furnish themselves with small Arms and Amunicion for their small arms fitting for the said Expedition.

Item if any of the said Company shall Dureing the said voyage force or Ravish any Maid or Woman then hee or they shall loose his or their whole share as aforesaid, and bee punished att the Capts and the Companys Discretion.

Item that if any Man of the said Company shall in time of service be so Drunk & incapable that he does not fight and withstand the Enemy then he or they shall bee Cutt of or punished according as the Capt and the Major part of the Company thinks meete.

Item that if any of the said Company shall in time of Service Dureing the said Voyage show or prove himselfe a Coward then he or they Shall Loose his and their voyage as aforesaid.

Item that if any of the said company shall dureing the said voyage conceale or Defraud anything of the booty or purchase found taken or Gotten to the Vallue of a piece of Eight for any Longer than ffour and twenty houers And shall not fully and truly deliver the same unto the Quarter master for the time being he or they shall therefore Loose his and their whole Share and Dividend as aforesaid.

Item it`s Mutually agreed that those Islands shall be theyer Comission port And to the full and true performance of these present Articles and every clause and thing herein Contained each of the said parties to those presents bindeth him and themselves seaverally and his and their severall Exrs admrs. and assignes unto the other of the said Parties his and their Exrs Admrs. and Assignes in the Sums or penalty of Two Thousand pounds Currant mony of those Islands Nevertheless it`s further covenanted Granted, Concluded, and agreed uppon that the whole company or each person severally will(?) forme those Articles, Excepting the Hardness of ye Seas and the Danger of the Enemyes, In Witness whereof all the said parties to those Articles have sett thir hands & s Dated the day & yeare first above Written.

Signed Sealed and Delivered in the Presence of us

Contract Signers

Signer	RodovidID
Samuel Stone
Joshua Lake
Capt Thomas Tew	216562
Nicholas Beare
Arthur Jones	133446
David Basset	287084
Barent Rynder	285905
Hugh ffrater
Thomas Leivis (Thomas Lewis)	285935
Thomas Evin
Joshua Barnes	286152
Kalop Mathos (Caleb Matthews)	314996
Thomas ffoilds
Charles Roberts
Richard Want	287059
John Dodd
ffrancis Wetherinton
Robert Silvester
Stephen Squire
Jeanda Dourneau (Jean de Tourneaux)	289476
Thomas Way
Benji Doughtie (Benjamin Doughtie)	287329
John Rowe
George Brok
John Baukes
Thomas Ball
John Johnson
Samuel Elatson
James Traworth
Anthony Bermingham
Carnolus Reekes
Thomas Phillips
William Clampsett
Paul Lafleur	315021
Thomas Seele
William Noble
Peter Ledger
John ffredrick
Mingoe Smith (Mungo Smith)	287314
John Banks
John Green
John Coary
John Morris
Jacob Smith
Nicholas Cutler
Edward Woodman
William Howes
William Daniel

Bermudas June 5th: 1694.
The before written Confermed in Three sheets of Paper is a True Coppy of the Originall
Examined by mee Jn Tucker.

The before Written is a true Coppy of the Coppy Attested by Captn John Tucker as above being therewith.
Examined * Charles Minors Dty Secty.”

Cher Almoustine,

This morning while searching through some Daguerreotypes of Native Americans, I ran across a stunning portrait from 1839. The image is clear and shows a stunningly handsome tousle haired young man in his prime standing off center with his arms crossed. I did some research on the photo and found it to be a self portrait of Robert Cornelius. It is historically significant as it is believed to be the very FIRST photographic portrait of a human being.

As you probably know the Daguerreotype was named for artist Louis Daguerre who first developed and used the technique to capture images for his dioramas. The first photos were landscapes and still life photos. It was Robert Cornelius who perfected the technique to capture crystal clear images suitable for portrait work.

The subject of the photo, Robert Cornelius married Harriet Comely and together they had 3 sons and 4 daughters. Genealogy is spare with regards to Harriet’s ancestry. Naming conventions in the subsequent generations of Robert’s family indicate a possible connection to Earlier generations of immigrants as well as the Amity Voyage of 1690 and the Dutch Colony of Amsterdam, Niew Holland, Africa.

My research has also turned up a fair number of descendants. I welcome the opportunity to collaborate with them if you could allow them to contact me via comments to this post.

Votre Ami,

Pamela Bradford