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Notes for Jacques (James) "The Younger" Fontaine
Born April 7, at Jenouille, of which estate, and that of Jaffe', he became possessed; received degree of M.A. from College of Guienne; imprisoned, 1658; m. Feb 8, 1686, Anne Elizabeth Boursiquot; escaped, after the Revocation of the Edict of Natz, to England, with his sister Elizabeth, and niece, Janette Fountaine; landed December 6, 1685; admitted to Holy Orders by the Protestant Synod, at Taunton, June 10, 1688. His life, as further set forth in his Memoir, which has quite the intrest of a romance, was one exhibiting marked mental fertility, courage, and determination of charactor.
Jacques IV adopting the anglification of his name, became known as James Fontaine. On the 8th of February 1686, Anne Elizabeth Boursiquot, daugther of Aaron and Jeann (Guillet) Boursiquot of Taillesbourg, Saintonge near Bordeau, became his bride in the parish church in Barnstaple, England. They moved to Taunton, the trade center of Somersethire. Disliking the Church of England's persecution of the Presbyterians and their unfriendly attitude toward the Huguenots, he ceased to worship in the Church and asked to be examined for the ministry by the Presbyterian Synod meeting at Taunton in 1688. On June 10th of that year his holy orders were received from them. He began his ministry by serving his fellow Huguenots. Needing other financial means, Jean or James established a small cloth-weaving business for himself and fellow Huguenots. Just by devising a method of weaving a superior cloth, known as Calimanco, he became a competitor to the English weavers who soon forced him to close up shop and leave Tauton in 1694. He moved his family to Bear Haven on the Irish coast of Cork.
Never lacking in ingenuity, James established a fishing business that soon became a profitable enterprise. Alas, misfortune struck again, French privateers, who considered Huguenots fair prey, decided to destroy the business. The Fountaines were ready for them as one of their members had been warned in a dream. Even Ann Elizabeth aided in warding off the attack; at the same time acting as surgeon and nurse for the wounded. The privateers, an envious and presistent group, returned with a larger and well-armed crew; quickly drove away the Fountaines and thoroughly destroyed all the fishing gear, ships, nets and shacks.
Realizing that further efforts there would be useless James moved his family to Dublin. He rented a house on St. Stephen Green and started a preparatory school. Here he was able to give his children an excellent preparatory education. Besides, he earned enough extra money with which he sent his sons to Trinity College north of Dublin. Peter received a BA degree in 1715, Francis a BA in 1716 and a MA in 1719 and Moses a MA in 1717. Jame's death is unknown. He most likely was buried beside Anne near St. Stephen Green.
CITATION: pg 19 "John's letter expounding the wonders of Virginia caused Matthew and Mary to decide to make it thier home. Since Mary was expecting their first child and Matthew was impatient to learn more about their intended home, he went alone to Virginia. He was so delighted with the reception he received, he purchased from John, a tract of land on the north side of Pamunkey in King William County. After hiring carpenters to build a house, he hurried home to Mary, only to find his son had arrived before him. In the fall of 1718, the three came to Virginia to their new home, which they called "Fontainebleau"."
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REV. JACQUES (JAMES) FONTAINE (1658-1728) was born on April 7, 1658 at Jenouille, France, to Marie Chaillou, age 41, and Rev. Jacques Fontaine, age 54.At the age of six, he was taken to La Rochelle to be taught by Mr. John Arnaud, the son-in-law of his aunt, Bouquet.He learned to read, write and cipher during the two years there, as well as receiving diligent doses of the rod. Upon the death of his father in 1666, Jacques was sent by his mother to study under his sister's husband, the Reverand Pierre Forestier.Jacques remained until he was fourteen under the instruction of his brother-in-law.Over the next six years, he attended a number of schools before entering the College of Guienne in 1678.
In 1680 Jacques received his master of arts degree, and his mother died.At her death, he inherited both the estate of "Jenouille" and the adjoining farm of "Jaffe."Jacques, a short time later, began theological studies under the supervision of his former teacher, Reverand Forestier.Before he completed his studies, however, the Reverend Forestier. was imprisoned and forced to flee to England.Soon afterwards, two other ministers under whom Jacques was studying were imprisoned, and also his half-brother, Pierre the Elder.He returned to his home, "Jenouille," and there began to conduct devotions not only for his family and servants but also for many of his neighbors.It was not long before word of these "Illegal" services reached the authorities, and in April of 1684, Jacques was arrested and imprisoned for nine months.
In 1685 murder, torture, and property confiscation of the Protestants became widespread, and in October the Edict of Nantes was revoked. In order to escape the persecutions then inflicted upon the Huguenots.On November 30, 1685 Jacques, his fiancee, his sister Janette Fontaine and a dozen other Protestants escaped to England aboard an English merchant ship. They landed at Appledore in north Devonshire, England on December 6, 1685, where they were treated cordially and taken in by the citizens of the town.During the next few year she lived at Barnstaple, Bridgewater, and Taunton.
On February 8, 1686, in Barnstaple, Jacques married Anne Elizabeth Boursiquot, a daughter of Aaron Boursiquot, who was a silk merchant of Taillebourg in Saintonge, and his wife Jeanne Guillot.As he was not yet an ordained minister, Jacques had to find some way in which to make a living.After a disastrous attempt to send trading ships to France, he took his wife and child to Taunton in Somerset in early 1688 and opened a shop and school.On June 10, 1688, he was admitted to Holy Orders by the Protestant Synod (Presbyterian), at Taunton and in 1694 removed to Cork, Ireland.
For six years, the growing family resided in Taunton and prospered as a result of Jacques' ingenuity as a manufacturer of woolen cloth.In 1694 he found a French church that wanted him to be their pastor, and in December he moved with his family and twelve wagons of goods and furniture to Cork, Ireland.To subsidize his small church income, Jacques started a factory to manufacture broadcloth and also a dyeing facility.Both the church and the business grew and prospered for several years, but in 1698 when a change in export laws made his cloth factory no longer profitable, he closed it.
Shortly thereafter, a split in the congregation of his church caused Jacques to resign as pastor.In 1699 his search for new opportunities led him to lease a large farm on Bantry Bay at Bear Haven.(Bear Haven was on the barren and isolated southwestern coast of Ireland about seventy-five miles west of Cork.)On his farm, Jacques began a fishery and export operation with a small fleet of fishing boats, but for various reasons, most of which were not his fault, it did not prosper.During the family's sojourn to Bear Haven, he was appointed a justice of the peace by the British government in Ireland.
In 1704 the famous attack on Jacques' home by the French privateers, in league with some of his Irish Catholic neighbors, and the family's resistance occurred. (Jacques described this episode in great detail in his "Memoirs" which he began March 26, 1722 which was written for his children in England.)It brought him government aid and enabled him to turn his home into a "fortification."In 1708, however, the home was taken by surprise, and Jacques was forced to surrender to an overwhelming force.The house was looted and much of the property destroyed.For his actions in defense of the coast, he was granted a pension by the British government.
Soon afterwards, except for his eldest son who remained at Bear Haven, the family went to Dublin.Jacques purchased a large house on St. Stephen's Green in Dublin, and he opened a school for both boarders and day students.Anne's health slowly declined, and she died on January 29, 1721.In the following September, with his wife dead and all of his children except one gone to America or England, Jacques closed his school.While writing his "Memoirs", he slowly became enfeebled and died on May 20, 1728.Jacques and Anne were buried in the cemetery of St. Stephen's Green in Dublin.They had eight children.
His life, as further set forth in his" Memoirs," which has quite the interest of a romance, was one exhibiting marked mental fertility, courage and determination of character.
OTHER NOTES ON JACQUES (JAMES) FONTAINE
James' leg was broken by his nurse's daughter when he was an infant, and he remained lame for life. As the youngest in the family he spent much of his early childhood alone in study. His thoughtfulness convinced his family that he would make a good minister, and they decided to train him to be one. From ages six to eight he studied at Rochelle under the tutelage of Mr. John Arnauld.
His father died when he was eight and he travelled back to his home by sea. He stayed there with his mother for two weeks, and then went to study with his brother- in- law Mr. Forestier for five or six years. He caught a disease from some of his schoolmates there, and a journeyman recommended anointing his body with lard and mercury. Of course, he became very ill for weeks and nearly died.
He made little progress with Mr. Forestier, and was considered wild and hard to teach. At age 14 he was sent to another brother- in- law, Mr. Sautreau, where he was beaten often and still made little progress. He wrote to his sister Ann that he would rather be a druggist's apprentice like a friend of his than a minister. She showed the letter to his family and they decided that his arguments against his being a minister were so good that they only proved he was meant to be a theologian. He ran away from school, walking the entire six miles home, but his mother turned him away saying he'd either have to go back to school or she'd disown him.
After three years with Mr. Sautreau at Saujon he was sent to a Mr. De La Bussiere at Marennes. From age 17 to 20 he studied with him, and for the first time in his academic career made rapid progress. He wrote that De La Bussiere was one of the most influential people in his early life. After that he went to the College of Guienne where all his lectures were in Latin. He forced himself to think in Latin all the time and study sixteen hours a day. At the end of two years, at age 22, he graduated with a Master of Arts, second in a class of 14. His mother died about the same time that he graduated.
James bought his siblings' shares of the family estate, and became sole owner of Jenouille and Jaffe. After this, having been reconciled to the idea of being a minister, he went back to Mr. Forestier to learn the profession. Forestier was persecuted and arrested during this time, but he and his wife stood firm in their faith and eventually escaped to England. (She gave birth to her daughter while on board the ship.) After Forestier's imprisonment, he went to study under two ministers at Saintes, who were also later imprisoned. After this, he went home.
His brother Peter was then serving as the minister at Vaux. Peter was imprisoned and confined to the castle of OlÈron, and the church was demolished. James decided after this to invite the former congregation to his house for services, and soon was giving several services a week. On Palm Sunday, 1684, he was away from his home, and several members of his congregation decided to have their own services in the woods behind his house. There were as many as a thousand there by Easter. They were observed, and warrants were drawn up for their arrests. Even though James had not been present, his name was included on the list.
He went to the officials to turn himself in, but they denied that there was a warrant out for him. After a week though, they sent men to arrest him, and his friends warned him of this. He refused to go to their houses and hide, but rather stayed in his house, packed a few of his clothes, and waited for them to come. He went willingly when they came to arrest him, and said "I feel it an honor to be esteemed worthy of suffering in such a cause." He was taken to Saintes, and tried to comfort his companions along the way.
While in prison he ministered to the other Protestants there, and led them in prayer services. He held these at the same time as the prison mass, because the Catholics were usually absent. He was charged while in prison with keeping his fellow Protestants from changing their religion, offending the Catholics who were also in prison, and interrupting the priest's mass. He was given a trial where he had to answer to these charges as well as to the original one of holding the Easter services in the woods.
A man named Agoust, who had claimed to see him on Easter, was a lawyer and a competent witness. However, he stumbled in the cross- examination and admitted he had only seen him in the dusk, through a window, and at a distance of approximately three or four hundred paces. Agoust became confused and said "At any rate, I thought it was you." Then witnesses were called to testify to the three charges brought against him while he was in prison. They all gave contradictory statements, and could not prove the charges, but nonetheless he was taken to the dungeon of the tower of Pons.
He was kept in the dungeon only a short time, before being removed to a small room high up in the tower. He was kept there for three months. The president of the jail hinted that he could get out with a bribe, and his friends offered to pay it for him, but he refused the offer. He stood trial before the president, and argued that there could be nothing illegal about a prayer service. However he was sentenced to pay a hundred livres to the king and forbidden to ever act as a minister again. He appealed to Parliament and issued a factum in his defense, on August 6, 1684. His sentence was reversed and the fine was lifted.
In October 1685, the Edict of Nantes (which had offered some protection to Protestants) was revoked, and he made preparations to flee France with his future wife Anne Elizabeth Boursiquot. They left on a ship bound for England from Tremblade on Nov. 30, 1685. James had to leave most of his property behind, and they arrived in England as paupers. A wealthy man named Mr. Downe at Barnstaple, England accepted them in on charity. His sister Miss Downe wished to marry James, and Mr. Downe offered to marry Anne, but James and Anne refused out of their love for each other. They got married and wished to support themselves so they left the Downes. James tried to keep a shop in Bridgewater, an endeavor which failed, so he was forced to look elsewhere for a chance to earn a living.
He moved his family to Taunton, where he became a French tutor, kept a shop, and manufactured cloth. He became so prosperous that he was taken to court by his fellow shop- owners for selling products at too low a price, and for working without having had an apprenticeship. The charges didn't hold up in court, but he was still resented by the other shop- keepers. During the Revolution of 1688 he gave up his business to run a school, but started up a new business again after the Revolution was over. He paid off all his debts, and started a shop to manufacture a new type of cloth called calimanco. In 1693 other cloth merchants discovered the secret process by which he made the cloth, and began making imitations of their own. He had saved about a 1000 pounds, and decided to relocate his family to Cork, Ireland.
They reached Cork on Dec. 24, 1694 and on Jan. 19, 1695 he became a pastor there. He ministered to French refugees, even though they couldn't pay him. Once when they raised a small sum to pay him with, he insisted they give it to the poor instead. His wife had six children by the time they reached Cork: James, Aaron, Mary Anne, Peter, John, and Moses. He supported his family again by making cloth, until a law passed in Ireland forbidding cloth from being exported to England. He was forced to relocate to Bear Haven, where he began operating a farm and a fishery. His family followed him to Bear Haven in 1700.
In 1702, after a series of misfortunes, his fishery business failed and he lost a great deal of money. He retained his position as the Justice of Peace at Bear Haven though, and worked for the government to keep French privateers from smuggling goods with the Irish. Both Irish and French privateers grew to resent him. In 1704 they attacked his house with cannons and guns, but he fended them off with help of other Protestants and his wife, whom he described as "fearless" during the battle. Several government officials supported him, and gave him money to add more fortifications to his house.
In October of 1708 his house was attacked by privateers a second time. They set fire to the house, and he was injured when a gun he was using to defend himself exploded. Eventually he had to surrendered, and let them plunder the house in exchange for his family's lives and liberty. On October 8, 1708, he and his sons James and Peter were taken prisoner. His wife tried to get a priest to negotiate with their captors, but failed. She followed the ship where they were being held for some way along the shore, and borrowed 30 pounds to buy the release of her husband and son James. The privateers demanded 70 more pounds for Peter's release, but the Fontaines finally got the government to persuade the pirates to release Peter for free. The government also paid the Fontaines 800 pounds to compensate for what was stolen from them.
They moved to Dublin, where James kept a school. He taught several subjects himself, and hired tutors for the others. He lived there for the rest of his life, and saw that his children were educated and provided for. Many moved to America (Virginia colony). Elizabeth, his youngest daughter, remained in Dublin and cared for him and Anne until their deaths.
He began writing Memoirs of a Huguenot Family on March 26, 1722 and finished on June 21. I took most of this information on the Fontaines from his book. He wrote therein to his descendants " I have insinuated that our family was of noble origin, and it is true; but I would not have you glory in that knowledge, but rather in the much greater and more glorious nobility which I am going to lay before you - the suffering and martyrdom for the cause of true religion of those from whom we are descended."
Jacques (James) Fontaine, born April 07, 1658 in Jenouille, an estate near the borough of Veaux, France; died 1728 in Dublin, Ireland, he is buried at St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland. He was the son of James (Jacques) Fontaine and Marie Chaillon. He married Anne Elizabeth Boursiquot, February 08, 1685/86 in Parish Church, Barnstable, North Devon, England.
Anne Elizabeth Boursiquot, born in Taillebourg, France; died January 29, 1720/21 in Dublin, Ireland. She was the daughter of Aaron Boursiquot and Jeanne Guillot. She is buried at St. Stephens Green, Dublin Ireland.
Children of Jacques Fontaine and Anne Boursiquot are:
i.James Fontaine, born 1686 in Taunton, Somerset, England; died October 1745 in Northumberland Co., Virginia; married (1) Lucretia Desjarrie 1711 in Cork, Ireland; married (2) Elizabeth Harcum 1738 in Virginia. James sailed to Virginia in April, 1717 with his wife and infant daughter Elizabeth. Their vessel sprung a leak, and they had to work at the pumps for 26 days and nights to keep from sinking. His brother John, who had prepared a house for them on his plantation, met them at York Town. John left the plantation in James' hands when he fell ill and went to live with his brother- in- law, Matthew Maury.
ii.Aaron Fontaine, born 1688 in Barnstaple Par., Devon, or Taunton, Somerset, England; died 1699 in Cork, Ireland.
iii.Mary Ann Fontaine, born April 12, 1690 in Taunton, Somerset, England; died December 30, 1755 in Charles City Co., Virginia; married Matthew Strother Maury October 20, 1716 in Dublin, Ireland. He died 1752 in King William Co, Virginia. Matthew was from Castel Mauron, Gascony. In 1717 he sailed for Virginia with a shipment of trade goods, arriving there in March of 1718. After taking a portion of the land which John had purchased, he made preparations for the construction of a small house and returned to Dublin for his wife. They sailed back to America in September, 1719 and settled at "Hickory Hill" near West Point.Mary Ann married to Matthew Maury in Dublin, Ireland in 1716, ancestors of Matthew Fontaine Maury the noted scientist. Emigrated to Virginia in 1728.
iv.Peter Fontaine, born 1691 in Taunton, Somerset, England; died August 1759 in Westover, Charles City Co., Virginia; married (1) Elizabeth Fourreau March 29, 1714 in Dublin, Ireland; married (2) Elizabeth (Sarah) Wade 1740 in Virginia.
v.John Fontaine, born April 28, 1693 in Taunton, Somerset, England; died November 26, 1767 in Cwm Castle, Carmarthenshire, Wales; buried Newchurch, Wales; married Mary Magdalen Sabatier 1728 in London, Middlesex, England.He was appointed Ensign of September 10, 1710 at the age of seventeen and sailed with Lord Shaw's regiment on February 1, 1711 when all troops stationed in Ireland were ordered to Spain. He returned home in 1713.
After marrying, he and his wife went to London to live. John, liking action, became an esign in Lord Sahw's Regiment of the British Army and took part in the Spanish War of Succession. Upon returning home, he began to search for employment. When this proved futile, he then discussed at length with the family the possibility of a future for all in the New World across the Atlantic. They decided that John should got to America and purchase land on which they could settle. It was with heavy hearts that James and Elizabeth accepted the decision. Knowing though, that their children were independent, that they were not ashamed to work at a trade when necessity compelled such and that they were intelligent and morally strong, they readily gave them their blessing as they were confident that they would achieve their goals in the New World.
He was the first of the family to come to America. On December 7, 1714 he sailed on the ship "Dove" and landed in Virginia on June 5, 1715. He purchased a plantation in King William County, Virginia. He remained in Virginia for about four years and then sailed for Dublin in July, 1719. He arrived in Dublin on December 6, 1719. After a year in Dublin, he accompanied his brother, Francis to London. He studied watch making and by 1722 was in business for himself. He later joined a partnership with his brother, Moses. They made clocks and watches at "The Dial" in Middle Moorfields. he subsequently became a silk weaver, which was the occupation of his father-in-law. By 1748 he had moved to South Wales and was living in Llanllwch.
May 1715 John Fontaine arrived in Virginia he was warmly welcomed by his Majesty's lieutenant governor and Commander-in-chief of the royal colony, Governor Spotswood. He was invited by the governor to accompany him on his expedition to claim the western lands for the King of England. A journal kept by John is the only known and reliable history of the journey. At the conclusion of the trip, Governor Spotswood presented John and each of his fellow travelers a small commemorative golden horseshoe. This earned them the title of Knights of the Golden Horseshoe.
Having had ample opportunity to select a suitable tract of land, John purchased an acreage in King William County. He immediately sent word to the family in Ireland, who had been waiting patiently for such news. John, though, did not remain in Virginia, he went to England where he married Madame Sabatier and where later he died, surviving all his siblings.
vi.Moses Fontaine, born 1694 in Taunton, Somerset, England; died 1766 in Wales. Buried February 19, 1766, Newchurch Wales. Moses was a preacher, but was so timid that he turned to engraving and was very successful. He was never married.
vii.Francis Fontaine, Reverand, born September 16, 1697 in Cork, Ireland; died 1749 in York Co., Virginia; married (1) Susanna Brush Barbor in Virginia; married (2) Mary Glannison 1719 in London, Middlesex, England; married (3) Susanna Brush 1735 in Virginia. Francis entered Trinity College in June 1712. He later enrolled in the Inns of Court at the Temple, London, England where he planned to study law. He decided that the law profession was not for him and returned to Dublin and Trinity College to prepare for the ministry. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity in 1716 and a Master of Arts degree in 1716.
Rev. Francis Fontaine married Mary Glannison in London in 1719. Shortly afterward they left for Virginia. They at Manakintowne, on the south side of the James River in King William Parish, which was within the bounds of Henrico Parish. The reason for a parish within a parish, " was to release the refugees settling there from paying parish levies and thus enable them to support their own minsters. In 1721 he became rector of St. Margaret's Parish in King William County, Virginia. It was here that Rev. Francis served as rector from 1722 to 1724, following his brother, Rev. Peter. On February 2, 1727 he was appointed Chaplain of the House of Burgesses. In the same year he was appointed to the faculty of William and Mary College where he established the Department of Oriental Languages (Hebrew).
His parish was 4 miles wide and 20 miles long, with two churches, 200 families and one glebe ( a plot of cultivated ground belonging to a parish church). His salary was 150 pounds, arising from the sale of 20 thousand weight sweet-scented tobacco. Not only was he faithful minister, but he also instructed the children and servants.
viii.Elizabeth Fontaine, born August 03, 1701 in Bear Haven, Ireland; died 1764 in Cwm Castle, Carmarthenshire, Wales; married Daniel Torin October 31, 1729 in London, Middlesex, England. Daniel was from Wandsworth, and was a watch and clock maker who had recently completed his apprenticeship to David Lesturgeon in London
A printed copy of Memoirs of a Huguenot Family is available from the Fontaine Maury Society
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