In a most recent published genealogy of the Belyea
family it is stated that they came from Holland to South Carolina, then
to New York. That very well could be but there is no documentation or
footnotes in that genealogy to prove that as truth or speculation.
We do know that the Belyeas were French Huguenots who fled the
persecution in France in the 1680s with the revoking of the Edict of
Nants. We are sure of that because hundreds of thousands of French
Huguenots died or fled the country at the same time. The fact that the
Belyeas lived with Dutch settlers in the New World proves that they
would have fled to Holland, the Netherlands, and most likely to
Amsterdam or some other port city.
We do not know when they came over from Holland. Many Huguenots sought
to settle in the New World to have freedom of religion. I have checked
and rechecked all the available lists of passengers registered on ships
to America between 1680 and 1720 and have yet to find the name Belyea,
Boljee, or any other spelling. That is not too troublesome since
accurate records of migrations were not kept until late in the 1700s.
I have located several close names to Belyea listed among passengers
aboard some ships to America.
Ship Passenger Lists
Boule, Symon, na Virginia 1650 2772 p40
Bouline,(or Bouley) Henry na Barbados 1680 3283 p474
Boulay, James na Maryland 1680 8510 p51
Maryland Servants
Book
Boyly, Dorothy Oct 15, 1672 2
Bayly, Thomas(mariner) Aug 21, 1660 1
Boole, Edward Aug 26, 1676 2
Boole, Jane Aug 26, 1676 2
Huguenot Emigrants To America
Chapter 2 -- Waldenses on Staten Island p 186
Bovie, Jerome Aug 1662
Bolhier p 297
Boles, Jan martyred p154
Bouyer, Etienne i, 237, ii 31
Bouyer, Jean i, 138
Passenger Lists
Belet, Dirch na New Netherlands 1659
Immigrants to the Middle Colonies ed Michael Tepper, Gen Pub. Co.
"List of early immigrants to New Netherlands"
is a significant list that most likely does contain the name of
ancestors of Lowies and Jan Bolyea but under some other spelling
than we have hitherto seen. This list contains the name of some,
but not all, those living on the Philipsburg Manor and listed
in the Old Dutch Reformed Church rolls.
Among them:
Van Cortlant,
Oloff Stevense from Wyck of Dunusted, Utecht (46)
Philipse, Fredrichj, from Bolsward, Friesland (460)
Storm, Dirck from Maiery of Bosh, wife, 3 child.
6,2,1 1/4, Sept 2, 1662
Buys, Jan 1648
Other Belyea possibilities are:
pages
DeBoer, Lois 75
Beller, Jacob 87
Bellin, Mary 113
Boller, Philip 101
Boole, Edward/Jane 64
Boules, Joseph 148,149
Buvelot, James 134
Buyer, Geertrie 34
Bouche, Simon 55
Belet, Dirch from Breda, cooper, April 1659
Bole, Vincent 1683
*This could be a relative of the Jan Boeyer refered to in A Voyage To New New York,
p.225-227 from New Castle, Del.
There are several other possible names but their location and date make
them less likely ancestors. We must remember that whenever they came
they most likely arrived with Dutch settlers.
Therefore we must check sailing vessels to America from Holland from the
mid 1600s to 1720. Here are a few ideas on that....
1564 French Huguenots sponsored by Admiral Coligny sailed to America
and established a settlement in Fort Carolina - all were massacred
1584 An English settlment at Roanoke Island - Cape Hateras S.Carolina
All disappeared and never a trace found.
1630 Sir Robert Heath carrying French Huguenots on the MAYFLOWER
Passengers landed in Virginia and sued for damages
Some passed farther south to form communities at Abermarle Sound
1663-65 King Charles gave 8 barones and manors totalling 96,000 acres
Three went to the South Charleston area
- Cape Fear 1665 abandoned in 1667
- Albermale Point - huguenots arrived 1669 later
removed
- Ships sailed in 1669 the Carolina, Port Royal,
Albemarle. The Port Royal was lost at sea yet one
couple survived and migrated to NY.
The possibilities are many. Belyea could have been the surviving couple
aboard the Port Royal. The Belyeas could have sailed to Virginia then
migrated to NY. They could have been among the survivors of Carolina's
earthquake, hurricane, yellow fever, who fled to NY. They may have
taken the long way around to Brazil, Barbados and finally to NY. Take
your pick. Dream up your own stories. There are no hard facts yet to
give us a clear trail to follow.
It is interesting, agravating even, that though we know that Louis
Boulje was in Tarrytown, New York living on the then VanCortlant estate
that there is virtually no names that are identical in any of the ship
manifest, immigration lists, or early family records in genealogical
archives. WHY? Could it be that the name was so different initially
that Boulje is not even close to the original name they came over with?
Could it be that they migrated from elsewhere? WHERE? WHEN? WHY?
New York was not that large. New Amsterdam had only about 4,000 people
in 1709. Tarrytown would have had less than 500 people.
Should we be looking farther south, like South Carolina? Or Barbados?
