The Resseguie Family (Alexander Resseguie of Norwalk)

to certain parties for the purpose of taking out the ore. In 1774 Alexander deeded this property to his son William, subject to the above named lease. During the Revolutionary war the mine was filled with brush and rubbish, undoubtedly for the purpose of keeping its existence secret from the British, who at times abounded in that region. It remained in this condition until 1S76, when it was cleaned out and a company formed for the purpose of working it, but a question arising as to the validity of title, and the prospect of success being considered too vague Wood's heirs, West by highway, . . . and liberty of ingress, Egress to and for the said Samuel Betts (et al) their heirs. Executors, Administrators & assigns, and their servants and workmen at all times during the term hereafter mentioned, with horses and carriages to and from the same, except and always Reserved out of the said grant, unto the said Alexander Resseguie, his heirs and assigns, one full equal eight part, the whole into eight equal parts being divided, of and in the said ores and minerals which shall arise, be digged and gotten in the lands aforesaid, after the same is pounded and washed and fitted for Refining, free of all charges of the same, for and in Lease of the Toll ar^d farm, to be had and taken by the said Alexander Resseguie, his heirs and assigns in such manner as is hereafter mentioned. To have and to hold all and singular, sd Libertys and privileges before Leased, unto the sd Samuel Betts (c7 al.) their heirs, executors, administrators, and from the day of the date hereof for and during the term of one hundred years next ensuing, fully to be completed and ended, yielding and delivering unto the said Resseguie, his heirs and assigns the said one eighth part, the whole into eight equal parts being divided, .hereinbefore excepted, of all of the ores and minerals which shall be so digged, raised, after the same is pounded and fitted for refining, out of the lands aforesaid or any part thereof as aforesaid, and to have, hold and enjoy their remaining seven eights parts thereof, to them, their heirs, Executors, Administrators & assigns to their own proper use and uses as aforesaid. As witness whereof we have set our hands and seals. The con- sideration of the above written instrument is such that if the above mentioned persons shall continue to carry on and prosecute the above mentioned enter- prise, then this Lease to stand in full force, otherwise to be null and void. James Olmsted. Jr. Alexander Resseguie Silas Olmsted. Sam1 Betts. Joseph Rockwell Jr. Nathan Hubbell Jesse Ogden. Matthew Mead Matthew Fountain, Matt. Mervine." Signed Sealed & Delivered In presence of 1 Thadd Hubbell. Ephm Kimberly. j Peter Hubbell. J (Norwalk Town Records.) 22 RESSEGLUE GENEALOGY. to warrant the necessary expenditure, it was soon abandoned by its projectors. Undoubtedly the large property formerly held by the senior Alexander, and bequeathed by him to his children, became largely reduced by the events connected with the Revolutionary war, which depreciated property everywhere and proved the financial ruin of so many people. The family became scattered and the closing years of the eighteenth century found them located widely apart. No stone marks the burial place of Alex- ander and his wife, but probably the old cemetery in Ridgefield received their remains. The will of Alexander Resseguie is dated July 27, 1793. It was written in a beautiful script upon two pages of a sheet, the lower half of which has been burned away. It is a relic of the hair trunk noted on page 10. The legible portion of the will is here given. No record of its pro- bate has been found. " In the name of Almighty God ; Amen : — this 27th day of July A. D. 1793 : — I Alexander Resseguie of Ridgefield, in the District of Danbury, being advanced in Age, but thro' the goodness of God of a Sound mind and Mem- ory; being desirous to set my house in Order, Do for that purpose make and Ordain this my last Will & Testament; — that is to say; — First of all I give and Recommend my Immortal Spirit into the hands of God who gave it, hop- ing for Acceptance with him, and the Eternal Life in the World to come, through the Merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior ; — £ my Body to the Dust from whence it was taken, (believing in the Resurrection from the Dead) to be Buried in a Decent Christian like manner; — (after my Decease) at the Discretion of my Executors herein named; — & as to what Worldly Goods and Estates it hath pleased God to Bless me with : I hereby Give, Bequeath, and Dispose thereof in the following form and manner. . . . (Bottom of page missing.) Item, — I hereby declare that what I have already given to my son William to be his full part, and portion of my Estate. Item, — I hereby Give & Bequeath unto my sons Timothy, and Daniel, & to their Heirs and Assigns, the whole of my Real Estate to be equally Divided (after my own and Wife's Decease), between them and their respective Heirs. Lastly, — I hereby Constitute, Appoint, Ordain and fully Empower my Well beloved & faithfull Son Timothy, and my well beloved Wife, Thankful!, to be the Executors of this my last Will & Testament, and I hereby order them to cause the same to be fulfilled in every part and particular thereof ; & I hereby revoke and Disannul all former Wills & Testaments by me made ; hereby declaring this, & this only, to be my last Will & Testament; . . . Signed, Sealed, Pronounced, and declared, by the Testator to be his la.-^t Will and Testament; In the presence of" (Bottom of page missing.) SECOXD GENERA TION~. 9 *io n *I2 *'3 *i4 •»5 *i6 CHILDREN*. (7/-.W Generation.) I. Sarah, b. Nov. 26, 173S; d. July 5, 1745. 11. Margaret, b. Feb 20, 1 741 ; m. Joseph Riggs. in. Alexander, b. Sept. 9, 1743; d. July 16, 1745. iv. Alexander, b. Dec. 10, 1745. v. William, b. vi. Timothy, b. Dec. 2S, 1754. vii. Daniel, b. May 1, 1760. viii. Mary, b. 1764; m. Thomas Cole. James Resseguie, born Nov. 6, 17 13. A thorough search of records and diligent inquiry, fails to gain much information concerning him. The only scrap attainable besides the record of his birth, relates to the fact that he died in the French and Indian War. That he married and had a family is beyond ques- tion, for circumstantial evidence points to him as the progenitor of a goodly line of descendants. In the absence of documentary evidence this may be considered amply sufficient to justify the place given him by the compiler. CHILDREN. {Ihird Generation.) •17. 1. James, b. 1744- *i8. 11. Sarah, b. *i9. 111. Abraham, b. - m. Seth Bouton. Abraham Resseguie, born July 27, 1715; married Jane -, who died July 31, 1797, aged 81. He was one of the heirs to his father's estate. His death occurred previously to that of his wife. CHILDREN. {Third Generation.) Abigail, b. ; m. Jesse Nichols. Janf, b. 1750; m. Nathan Smith. Rachel, b. April 11, 1752; m. John Peck. Phebe, b. March 31, 1754; m. Asa Prime. Hannah, b May 9, 1757; m. Samuel Nichols. 0. 1. I. 11. 2. in. 3- IV. 4" v. vi. John, b. April 2, 1758. 6. Isaac Resseguie, born May 24, 17 17. We know but little about him. He lived first at Ridirefield, and was one of the 24 RESSEGUIE GENEALOGY. heirs under his father's will, and received also his portion of his mother's estate. He removed over the border into New York, and evidently settled upon land owned by Colonel Roger Morris, holding as a tenant, for June 4, 1782, he purchased of the commissioners of forfeiture,* for the sum of ,£58 \os. this land, which is described as follows : " Situate in Fredericksburgh Precinct, t Dutchess county, in possession of Isaac Russegue. Beginning at a stake and stones bv the road in the line of Duke Foster's land, then in the line of said Foster's land north seventy degrees west, thirteen chains, eighty links, to a stake twenty-five links west from a white oak sapling marked: then in the line of Isaac Perce's land, south fifteen degrees west fifty chains seventy-five links, to a black oak stump with stones on it in the line of John Ganung's land : thence in the line of said Ganung's land south forty-two degrees east twenty-nine chains to a stake at said Ganung's northeast corner in the line of Yeoman's land on the westerly bank of Croton River, then north eighteen degrees east thirty chains, eighty links, to a large black oak tree marked, at the southwest corner of said Fos- ter's land, then north three degrees west thirty-three chains seventy-five links to the beginning, containing one hundred and thirty acres more or less." We do not know that Isaac Resseguie married, unless the following extract from the Redding (Conn.) Church records, refers to him: "Dec. 28, 1766, Simon, son of Isaaih (Isaack?) and Sarah Russica." (Baptized.) If this is intended for oar Isaac, and he had a son Simon, no further evidence has been found of his existence. * " A strip 5S0 rods wide along the east border of the county constitutes a part of the 'oblong tract' and was patented by Thomas Hauley and his associates June 8, 1 73 1. The remaining part of the county (Putnam) and a small part of Dutchess, are included in the great Highland Patent of Adolph Philipse. At the time of the Revolution this Patent was owned by Philip Philipse, and Mary and Susannah, wives of Colonel Roger Morris and Beverly Robinson, of the British army. Morris and Robinson, together with their wives, were attainted, and their propertv was confiscated and sold by the Commissioners of Forfeiture, chiefly to their former tenants." — French's Gazeteer of New York, page 540-1. • t Frederickstown Precinct was formed March 24, 1772, and was named for Frederick Philipse. It included the present towns of Carmel and Kent. Kent was formed as Frederickstown March 7, 17S8 : its name was changed to Frederick, March 17, 1795, and to Kent, April 15, 1S17. The town received its present name from the Kent family who were early settlers. Carmel and a part of Patterson were taken off in 1795. SECOND GEXERA T/O.Y. 25