Suzanne (Lavillon) DuPuy (abt. 1658 - abt. 1737)

Born about 1658 in Gabrielles, France [uncertain]

Wife of Bartholomew Dupuy — married 1685 in France

Descendants

Died about 13 Mar 1737 at about age 79 in King William Parish, Henrico County, Colony of Virginia [uncertain]

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Suzanne (Lavillon) DuPuy resided in the Southern Colonies in North America before 1776. Join: US Southern Colonies Project Discuss: southern_colonies

Suzanne (Lavillon) DuPuy was a Huguenot emigrant. Join: Huguenot Migration Project Discuss: huguenot

Biography

Disputed origins

Fictitious Person

See https://www.americanancestors.org/databases/american-genealogist-the/image/?pageName=1&volumeId=13222 or the Wikitree free space https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Space:Origin_of_Barthelemy_Dupuy_of_Manakin_Town%2C_Virginia_and_his_Wife&public=1 created by Jillaine Smith.

Cameron Allen in his " The Origin of Barthelemey of Manikin Town, Virginia and his Wife". decisively shows that Suzanna Lavillion was a fictitious person and replaces her with the real wife, Marie Gaudie/Gaudier. He also goes into detail how this fiction was created and expanded over many generations.

Bartolomuw has had a lot of controversy about his ancestry and wives, many articles written pro and con what I have here. It was accepted by Lillian O. Russell who did the genealogy for my Uncle Rainey but about a decade ago it was seriously challenged in the American Genealogist. I have been provided a copy and it rules out any doubt that the Countess Suzanne Lavillion story is a story and has no basis in fact. The rest of the "Dupuy Pedigree" is of course now in complete doubt though any serious genealogist would have been very suspicious of the complete lack of records for either Barthelemy or Suzanne's ancestry and many were.

Disproved

Dupuy Family papers which were donated to the Virginia Historical Society include a genealogical guide, compiled in 1963. It states that Bartholomew and his wife, Suzanne, fled from France in 1685 as Huguenot refugees, stopping in England and finally migrating to Virginia in 1700.

When Bartholomew was eighteen years of age, he enlisted in the French army as a common soldier. He served for fourteen years, during which he fought fourteen pitched battles as well as skirmishes and duels. He also won the admiration and confidence of King Luis XIV; so, he was promoted to Lieutenant, and transferred to the King's household guards. While in the King's service, he was provided with a written pass containing the signature of the King, which prohibited any one from molesting his progress.

He married Susanna Lavillon in France in 1685. She was a young Countess of noble standing, and of the Huguenot faith. A detailed account of the experiences which he and his wife endured during the short time they remained in France after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, and of their escape in December of 1685 is given in "The Story of the Huguenot's Sword" which was published in "Harper's New Monthly Magazine" of April 1857. The author of this story was John Esten Cooke.

The sword, a possession of Bartholomew since the time of his service, was what was known as a short sword with a triangular blade, not exceeding three feet in length. He wore it at the waist; and was wearing it on the evening upon which Captain Jarnilloc, backed by soldiers, came to his home at his chateau at Velours in Saintogne. But, Dupuy was also armed with a piece of parchment which stated that any annoyance of Dupuy would be at the peril of any officer who commanded it as this was the Royal Will of the King, which would be in effect until the first of December 1685; and, this directive was signed "Louis". The Dragoon had hoped to arrest Dupuy on a charge of heresy for his Huguenot beliefs. Others throughout the country were not only being persecuted, but beaten, robbed, tortured, and killed if they did not profess the Catholic faith on the spot. He now backed down; but not without searching the premises for any other heretics that might be hiding on Dupuy's property. Dupuy's friend, Msr. Fontaine, escaped discovery in the secret room where Bartholomew had hidden him just upon the Dragoon's arrival. Captain Jarnilloc and his company left, defeated for the moment.

Bartholomew had been planning his family's escape during the few short months since the Revocation had taken place. He now sent his friend, Fontaine, ahead with his betrothed, Anne Boursiquot, her sister, Elizabeth Boursiquot, and his little niece, Jeannette Forestier. He gave him instructions where to travel, finally ending up at the English brig Portsmouth, which would carry him and his little troupe to England, where he was to await Dupuy and his family's arrival. Not thirty minutes after Fontaine's departure, Captain Jarnilloc returned, determined to smoke out the heretics that he felt sure were there. Dupuy informed him that they had left; and, he was immediately off in pursuit. However, Dupuy followed him, eventually catching up and challenging him with his short sword, soundly wounding him, but not mortally......just enough to interrupt the pursuit of Fontaine and his company.

Fontaine's subsequent adventure was frightful as he and his charges were left an extra day waiting for the boat Captain to leave. It became too dangerous and the Captain told him that he could not help him. Fontaine was forced to leave and travel along the coast, hoping to reconnect with the Portsmouth. However, unremitting patrols looking for escaping Huguenots continued to range about making it impossible to hail the ship from the shore. Another whole day passed in this manner before, only by the Grace of God, they were able to board the ship, whereupon Fontaine fell upon his knees thanking the Lord above.

Meanwhile, Dupuy was to meet with the local Catholic Cure [priest] to listen to his appeal for him to abjure and become a Catholic. Their arguments went on for hours with the Cure finally agreeing to withhold informing upon Dupuy until the day after the King's amnesty would expire. The following morning, Dupuy sold his estate to Seigneur Agoust for one third of it's value in gold. He then bought a Page's costume for his wife and returned home whereupon they readied themselves to flee, he clad in his uniform as king's guardsman, with his trusty sword thrust into his belt. Upon their heels came the Dragoons as Agoust had betrayed them to Captain Jarnilloc.

Jarnilloc raced after them and finally intercepted their trail. He then fired his pistol at them. The ball missed Dupuy; but, struck his wife in the chest. At this, Dupuy shot Jarnilloc straight through the heart. He grabbed his wife's horse's bridle and galloped away. He was shocked to see Susanna all of a sudden sit up erect, finding that she had not been wounded as the ball had been stopped by her book of psalms which she carried in her bosom.

Further adventures were helped along by the letter from the King, as most people met could not read; but could only recognize the Royal Seal. They continued on into Germany and relative safety. Next, they traveled to England, where they stayed until 1700, finally coming to America and settling in Virginia. The sword came to America, too, where it was passed down, and was long treasured as an heirloom by his descendants from his grandson, John Bartholomew. It was worn in the Revolutionary War by Capt. James Dupuy of Nottoway County, Virginia; and, he, in turn left it to his grandson, Dr. John James Dupuy, son of Dr. William Jones Dupuy. It was lost in a raid by Federal troops during the Civil War by this last owner. It had been left at his mother-in-law's house, which was pillaged and burnt to the ground. Whether the sword was burned in the house or carried off by Federal troops is unknown.

LAND HOLDINGS:

208 acres on the south side of Lower Manakin Creek, King William Parish, Henrico County, Virginia as evidenced by the 1722 Vestry Book.

Sources

• https://www.americanancestors.org/databases/american-genealogist-the/image/?pageName=1&volumeId=13222

• The Wikitree free space https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Space:Origin_of_Barthelemy_Dupuy_of_Manakin_Town%2C_Virginia_and_his_Wife&public=1

See also:

• DuPuy Family Papers, Genealogical Guide 1963; Manuscript Collection, Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, VA
• Rev. B. H. Dupuy, The Huguenot Bartholomew Dupuy and His Descendants, 1908; Page 178