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From: "sharon marshall" <>
Subject: Re: [ZA] French ancestry of Du PLESSIS
Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2004 12:00:44 +0200
References: <007f01c3f772$46302a80$c1b11ec4@don>


Hi Don - and others,
Do you know anything about the reputation of French Speakers at the Cape:
The European Background by M.Boucher - have found it to very well-researched
complete with sources, though of course it doesn't provide whole family
trees. Herewithw aht it ahs on DU PLESSIS:

P143,144:
The ancient capital of Poitiers , on its commanding hilltop occupies a
special place in the history of western civilisation, for its name is
associated with the battlefield, not far distant, where in the eighth
century Charles Martel defeated the invading Moors. iIn the seventeenth
century it was an active enter of Calvinism and its temple at les
Quartre-Piquest outside the town was served by its two pastors.

Among thus who sailed from Goeree on Feb 3, 1688 aboard the Oosterland of
the Zeeland chamber were the surgeon Jean Prieur du Plessis ((Pleases), born
in Poitiers about the year 1638, and his wife Madeleine Menanteau of the
same town. Du Plessis had taken the oath of loyalty required of emigrants
together with other male members of the oosterland party on January 8, 1688
in Middleburg, having moved to the Zeeland capital from Amsterdam. A son
Charles was born to the couple on the voyage and christened aboard the ship
on April 18, 1688.

In the style of adventure, Du Plessis is said to have lived at some period
"op St Christoffel". Franken is of the opinion that this must refer to a
place of that name in France. There are a number of possibilities here,
including the village of Saint-Christophe north of Poitiers . he may,
however, be mistaken in dismissing another alternative, the island of St
Kitts (St Christopher) in the West Indies. This colony in the Leeward
islands was divided into French and English quarters, and was a considerable
haven for Calvinist refugees after 1660, especially from the French Atlantic
seaboard and its hinterland. Huguenot merchants were numerous in ten west
Indies and although worship in the French quarter of St Kitts was only
permitted in private houses,a Dutch pastor preached in French for Huguenots
in the English quarter. Among settlers in the French part of the island were
Guillaume Du Plessis and Pierre Prieur.

It has been suggested that Du Plessis was of noble origin and that a
descendant refused to accept an offer made by the first Napoleon to restore
him the family title and inheritance. It may be so, although the story has
not been substantiated. On the other hand the fact that the minister's wife
Anne de Berault and her brother Louis stood as godparents at the baptism of
Jean-Louis Du Plessis, born at the Cape on Feb 13, 1691, might suggest a
higher social status than the average. The names Prieur and Du Plessis
probably represent a family alliance. Both appear in Protestant registers in
Poitou, together with that of Menanteau. The marriage of a Jean Prieur to
Jeanne Sanzeau is recorded in 1674 at Lusigna, a rural church SW of
Poitiers.

The exact date of arrival of Jean Prieur du Plessis and Madeleine Menanteau
in the United Provinces is uncertain, but they became members of the Walloon
church in Amsterdam on Sep 28, 1687, with attestation form the church at
Saint-Thomas. This may reinforce the argument in favour of a period of
residence in the West Indies. Du Plessis became a citizen of Amsterdam on
Sep 30, 1687. Three Menanteaus, Antoine, Marguerite and Marie, were members
of the Walloon church in Amsterdam in august 1688m while in the previous
month Deis Martineau Du Plessis, a schoolmaster from Fontenay, possily
Fontenay-le-Comte, had reached the city. He married there a few months
later. In Amsterdam at an earlier date was a wine merchant, Jean Du Plessis,
of Saint-Germain-en-Laye near Versailles, birthplace of Louis XIV. One Du
Plessis from Poitiers made his way to Wolfenbuttle in Brunswick before the
revocation: Joseph Du Plessis, a former Catholic priest. There was also a
Louis Du Plessis, minister of the French church at Bremen, whose daughter
Louise was baptised in Amsterdam in Sep 1686, and a Michel Du Plessis,
reader of the church at Bergen-op-Zoom and father of a large family. The
further history of Jean Prieur do Plessis, who was to return to Europe for
some years, is recounted elsewhere in this study.

P257: From Sedan came Marie Buisset, daughter of a merchant and long a
midwife in Table Valley, who reaches the Cape in the early years of the
eighteenth century as the new wife of the surgeon Jean Prieur du Plessis.
Her father's name is not known, although there was an Etienne Buisset in
Amsterdam in 1690. Marie Buisset and Jean Prieur du plesiis were married din
teh Nieuwe Kerk of Amsterdam in august 1700. Her second husband, Dirk Snith,
also became a surgeon.

P344: Jean Prieur Du Plessis returned at the end of the five years
stipulated period of residence in 1693 with his wife Madelein Menatueas and
their sons Charles and Jean-Louis. Although the historian GM Theal has
suggested that jean Prieur returned to Europe to look into the family
fortunes Du Plessis himself stated in April 1693 that his departure was
occasioned by an inability to earn sufficient money either as a farmer or in
his professional capacity. He hoped to do better in the United Provinces and
in view of his lack of funds, he and his family were not required to pay
immediately under the command of Jan Gerritsz, with the return of fleet of
June 1693. The captain was doubtless the man from Bordeaux who brought the
Java into Table Bay in Apr 1688.

The movements of the family after reaching the United Provinces are
uncertain, but it is known that a daughter Judith was born in Ireland - or
possibly England - in 1694. Du Plessis may have joined the Irish settlement
scheme for French refugees undertaken at this prison, or perhaps had English
family connections. The surname is not infrequent among refugees there:
Francis Du plesiis was the first chaplain to the protestant Hospital in
London which opened in 1718; Philippe Du plesiss, like Jean Prieur a
surgeon, lived in Tower liberty of the English capital in 1702.

Menanteaus, perhaps relative of Jean Prieur Du Plessis's wife, were still
living in Amsterdam in 1699, while at Delft on May 6, 1691, the child Louis,
son of Charles Marette and Judith (Du Plessis), was baptised, Charels with
his brother, Louis, had come from Laons, near Dreux, with Gedeon Malherbe in
1687, abjuring Calvinsinm in order to escape. Could his wife have given her
name to his daughter? (MY NOTE: IF LINEAGE GIVEN BY OTHER RESEARCHERS IS
CORRECT< IT WOULD SEEM THAT THIS NAME CAME FROM HIS GRAN, Judith Du Plessis
Du Mornay) This family connection is merely conjectural, but what is certain
is that Jean Prieur Du Plessis was in Amsterdam by 1700 and that his wife
Madeleine Menanteau had died by that date. His subsequent marriage to Marrie
Buisste in teh Nieuwe kerk of Amsterdam suggests that his wife's family ahd
long been resident in the United Provinces. It is clear from Walloon church
records, as at Groningen, that there was a tendency for French speakers to
move into into the Dutch churches when they were fluent in the language of
the country of their adoption. At the time of her marriage Marie was in her
early 2Os and her husband was over 60 years of age.

Jean Prieur Du Plessis, his children and Marie Buisset returned to the Cape,
where the eldest son Charles followed in his father's footsteps as farmer
and surgeon. Marie Buisset was not the only member of her family to
emigrate. Chrsitophe Buisset stood godfather to her daughter Anne in 1704
and the company's sword maker Jacob Buisset of Sedan must also have been
related. By the end of the 18th century branches of the Du Plessis family
were farming in the Swellendam, Tulbagh and Graaff-Reinet district, as well
as the south-western cape.

SOURCES: Over 40 sources given for above conclusions - ranging from SA
published sources, FRANKEN, 'Jean Prieur Du Plessis', Die Huisgenoot, XIV,
382, July
26, 1929, to Dutch, French and SA archives

Let me know if you'd like more specifics of these sources,
Sharon




----- Original Message -----
From: "Don McArthur" <>
To: <>
Sent: Friday, February 20, 2004 7:22 AM
Subject: RE: [ZA] French ancestry of Du PLESSIS


> The book in question is not well regarded. Published in the mid 19th C
when
> genealogical embellishment was at epidemic proportions. The articles are
> the result of various families own submissions - as such have not been
> subjected to an form of critical review. They have few if any source
> citations.
>
> There are no doubt some very good works published by researchers. However
> Sturgeon's Law '90% of everything is Crap' applies here.
>
> My point is that not one single source has been sited in this debate for
the
> alleged deep ancestry of our du PLESSIS progenitor. If anyone has any
then
> post so that they may be evaluated.
>
> Regards,
>
> Don McArthur.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [mailto:]
> Sent: 19 February 2004 23:40
> To: ;
> "
> Subject: Re: [ZA] French ancestry of Du PLESSIS
>
>
> Self publication is often seen as being a last resort for those who write
> material that is not good enough. But often some very good and invaluable
> material is not commercially publishable because the market will not pay
for
> it. Generalogy is a very good example. Self publication is thus not always
> an act of vanity, but may be a very noble act.
> --
>
> --
> I remain, as always,
> Your Most Humble Savant,
> Francois Greeff
>
>
> www.Hiddencode.co.uk
> Second Floor, Elmfield House
> 5 Stockwell Mews
> London
> SW9 9GX
>
> Tel 020 7737 5500
>
>
> --------- Original Message --------
> From:
> To: <>
> Subject: [ZA] French ancestry of Du PLESSIS
> Date: 18/02/04 22:56
>
> >
> > No doubt what satisfies you is fine for you. This is after all only a
> > hobby.
> >
> > However, you might not 'force' your opinions by proliferating dubious
> > material. Oft repeated drivel seems to gain credibility as the process
> goes
> > on.
> >
> > None of what you have referred to can in any way be construed as
> > contemporary evidence for the origin of the SA progenitor. Therefore
they
> > do NOT constitute sources. Please be clear to distinguish references
from
> > sources, e.g. the du PLESSIS genealogy in Chesnaye des Bois et Badier is
a
> > reference. And a bad one at that as it was what could loosely be called
a
> > vanity publication.
> >
> > If you publish stuff in a public forum such as this then be prepared to
> > credibly support your ascertains. Expect vigorous debate, genealogy is
a
> > Science and it's rules of proof apply equally.
> >
> > FWIW I would very much welcome solid proof of Jean Prier's ancestry.
> > However I find the noble conjecture to be very weak - a species of
> 'Wishful
> > Linking'
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Don McArthur.
>
> snip
>
>
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volunteers who
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>
>


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