Family History

 

Judith GASHERIE  

Her son Stephen's marriage entry records him as being born in Marenne.1 There are two Gascherie families in the Marenne Reformed Church Register from 1655 to 1662, however the baptisms do not include a Stephen or Estienne :- 2
 

Bapt

     Child     Father   Mother Born Presented by
12 Sep 1655 GASCHERIE Pierre s. Pierre & Judith FAULCON 4th Pierre G. & Marie Faulcon
4 Mar 1657 GASCHERIE Judith d. Pierre & Judith FAULCON 8-Feb Jean Gasherie prone? Presidial Melien & Susanne Begn?
17 Feb 1658 GASCHERIE Marianne d. Pierre & Judith FAUCON 4th Pierre G. N're Royal & Judith Gashet
20 Apr 1659 GASCHERIE Judith d. Jean, Procureur au presidial & Judith GASHET 2nd Pierre G. & Judith Mirlin?
8 May 1659 GACHERIE Marie d. Pierre & Judith FAUCON 7-Apr Louis G. & Marie Thomar
25 Apr  1660 GACHERIE Jean s.  Jean, Procureur au presidial de liener? & Judith Gachot 18th Jean Gaschot & Marie Gacherie
2 Apr 1662 GACHERIE Louis Gacot s. Jean, Procureur au presidial de lien er? & Judith Gachot 23-Mar Louis Gacherie Notaire Royal & Susanne Gashot of La Rochelle

Gasherie baptisms cease from 1662 onwards. 

A Jean Gascherie and Judith Gaschot married on 25 Apr 1657 in the La Rochelle Reformed Church, France. There are numerous Gascherie and Gashot / Gaschet entries in the La Rochelle registers that I have transcripts for (1657-1682).

It  appears that her son would have been from one the two families above despite the lack of a baptism. Perhaps they left Marenne shortly after his birth and before his baptism? As both mothers are named Judith, it is not possible to ascertain conclusively which family he belongs to, but as the 2nd family includes a Jean / John, this is the most likely family. Stephen named his two children Jan (John / Jean) & Judith, perhaps indicating that his parents were the John & Judith in the Marenne records above (Jan being the Dutch form of John / Jean. Dutch being the prominent settlers and church in Ulster Co., New York). 

Being Huguenots the family would have faced difficulties after the 'Revocation'. The Edict of Nantes of the 13 April 1598 granted religious and civil liberties to Hugeunots, but this was revoked in 1658 by Louis XIV. After this many Huguenots fled to other parts of Europe, UK & to America. Her granddaughter's narrative (see link below) confirms that they fled France because of the troubles.

It would appear that Judith and two of her children John & Stephen first went to England. A Judith Gascherie, and her sons John & Stephen, were granted Letters of Denization (a form of British Citizenship) in England on 9 Apr 1687.
[Patent Roll S.P. Dom Car.II, Entry book 67 - The National Archives, London]

When the three of them migrated to America is not known. Whilst there is ample evidence of Stephen & John presence in America, there is no other evidence that their mother Judith accompanied them apart from that contained in Stephen's daughter Judith's narrative made  in 1766.

child i. Jan GASHERIE
child ii  Stephen / Etienne GASHERIE 

Sources :-
1. Kingston Marriage Register transcript. 
2. Marenne Reformed Church Register


Now on WikiTree