LEFEVER-L Archives

From: "Morris LeFever" <>
Subject: FIRST LEFEVRES
Date: Sun, 4 Aug 2002 18:53:34 -0700

The information below came from a contact of mine (Melanie) a descendant as
I am of Isaac / Ferree founder of the Pennsylvania Lefevres.
Morris: While I've been recovering I managed to go through some of the
papers I've had waiting to be filed and I finally found the ones that
detailed the Lefevers I found in New Jersey. This book I took the
information from deals with the early history of Piscataway and Woodbridge,
New Jersey to 1745. From the research the author did, evidently the earliest
history of East Jersey, which comprised Piscataway and Woodbridge, also
included Staten Island and Long Island of New York. Because the settlers of
these New York Islands were included, there was information on the Lefevre
family. I'll paraphrase the information here to make this a short e-mail. I
don't know if these people are truly part of our Lefevre family, but I
thought you would enjoy reading about the earliest members of the family in
America. Melanie
FROM PAGE 120-121--STATEN ISLAND, RICHMOND COUNTY, NEW YORK
More attention has been paid to the French surnames than to the English and
Dutch families of Staten Island, because the latter removed in larger
numbers to Bergen County, New Jersey, while the French Huguenots transferred
across the Kill von Kull, and are discoverable in Union and Middlesex
Counties, New Jersey in explanation of the violent corruption of names
appearing in the original New Jersey records. This refers more particularly
to the transcription of the French Surnames by their phonetic sounds and
unusual spellings. While the Dutch surnames are at the same time many of
them lost by the substitution of the Christian name and other surnames in
later records for the ones first appearing. Furthermore, the French
Huguenots settlement on Staten Island, in the southeastern portion, and
adjacent to the Christopher Billop grant and at Fresh Kills, and Smoking
Point, were most important as receiving the largest number of French
Huguenot families, coming to America before, at and after the Revocation of
the Edict of Nantes in 1685.
.......The most important is a map prepared by the City Surveyor, George M.
Root, in 1902, in which an attempt is made to lay out by metes and bounds
the tracts of land set forth in the original Colonial Grants. Although the
latter is incomplete, shows pertinent omissions and some errors,
particularly, in the name spelling, those given represent the greater number
of family surnames, 1676 and later. However, Staten Island was settled
previously and the real settlements may be said to have properly commenced
as early as 1661, if not before, and was getting under way when the
settlements started at Piscataway and Woodbridge in 1664.
Here follows a list of names of these settlers, among which are the
names: LeFebvre is varied to Febure, and other changes. Mary Febvre (wife
of Pierre Monnet of Staten Island. LeMoine (see Money, de)
Mary LeFebvre (wife of Pierre Monnet of Staten Island) Pierre Monnet, Jr.,
and Mary LeFebvre, his wife, the same, Henri Monnet (corrupted to Henry de
Money) and wife Marianne Grasset, before 1700.

FROM PAGE 397--HUGUENOT PARK MEMORIAL CHURCH, STATEN ISLAND, A PERMANENT
HUGUENOT MEMORIAL
Many Huguenot shrines are being established and preserved in historic
places in America. The Huguenot Societies have grown in the land, and are
flourishing and most active in recent years. The number, influence and
characterization of the old Huguenot Families in early American
civilization, and especially in New Jersey history, have never received
adequate or special treatment before this Series.
...In addition to well known Huguenot names, among New Jersey First
Settlers, many have been lost by careless recordation, transcription and
corrupted uses. With New York City, La Rochelle, Long Island and
particularly, Staten Island as points of immigration, before 1700, with
their disembarkation upon Atlantic shores, the emigrants of the French
Protestant Faith, set up their hearth sides and churches at these points as
convenient centers; and they soon spread out along the Atlantic seaboard and
into New Jersey.
...Located not so very far away from the original site of the first
French Church, on the Island--not far from the old "Huguenot", itself, and
the old land grants and home sites on the Eastern Shore of the Island, where
these French families lived in large umbers, such as LaTourette, Seguine,
Androvette, Perrin, Monnet, LeFebvre, Pillot, Grasset, et
al.............................
FROM PAGE 423--GENEALOGICAL REFERENCES: PRELIMINARY DEDUCTIONS LEFEBVRE
This was certainly an early New York name, on Staten Island and also in
New Jersey. It is unnecessary to present authorities and quotations fro the
Huguenot Society of London, which are plentiful. The wife of Pierre Monnet,
Jr., of Staten Island was Mary or Marie LeFebvre, which follows as "the
night, the day", as Abraham LeFebvre was in London, the neighbor of Pierre
Monnet, Sr., who died there 1715 and was a witness to the latter's will.
The first American LeFebvre was Pierre LeFebvre of N.Y., 1658. There are
many references and much genealogy concerning the first Isaac LeFebvre, of
Colonial New York, which is a separate investigation.
However, Jean LeFebvre was first on Staten Island and then in New Jersey, in
the latter region he was called John DuFavour, listed as a servant, 1694, to
Captain Henry Greenland of Piscataway. It may be assumed with comparative
safety, that he was a kinsman of the Isaac LeFebvre above and of Marie
LeFebvre-Monnet of Staten Island.
FROM PAGE 432--SAVOY
.....His associates among others, were Hypolie LeFebure and John Pledger.
Hypolite Lefevre was a French Huguenot, who had left his native land and
gone to England, from which country he, which John Pledger, and their
families came to West New Jersey........Joshua Savoy was i London, a member
of the Threadneedle Street Church, together with LeFebvure, Pillot,
Chabosseau, Monnet, el al, as appears by entry.

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• FIRST LEFEVRES by "Morris LeFever" <>