The ancestor of the L'Amoreaux family was a French Protestant Huguenot, one of a large number of refugees forced to leave France in consequence of religious persecutions either before or after the revocation by Louis XIV. of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. These refugees set sail for the American colonies and landed at New Rochelle, Westchester county, New York, between 1685 and 1750. In consequence of the meager records it is impossible to fix the exact date of arrival. There can be little doubt some of these French Huguenots had commenced a settlement at New Rochelle before 1687. It is reasonably well established the Huguenots, or French Protestants, of New Rochelle were a part of the vast multitude who were driven from France by persecutions for conscience sake and sought refuge in lands where they might enjoy religious freedom. Some of them, it is said, came from the West Indies, where they had lived for some years after leaving France, while others came no doubt from England and were a part of the fifty thousand persecuted who fled into that country before the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. This is confirmed by the charter of Trinity Church in New Rochelle, wherein they specify that they fled from France in 1681; that they were subsequently transported in the King's ships and landed on Davenport's Neck at a place called Bauffets, or Bonnefays Point. It seems about this time thirty familes comprised this colony of Huguenots. Very little is known of them at just this period, except that other Huguenots arrived from time to time, so that by the year 1710 there was a total population of two hundred and sixty-one persons. The fact that these colonists had sacrificed all their possessions in France and suffered exile for the sake of a principle is evidence enough that they were men of strong character. That many of them were also highly educated and intelligent is apparent even in the meager records which show how their public and private affairs were conducted. A bronze tablet now marks the spot upon which these Huguenots first set foot upon the land of their adoption.
Mr. L'Amoreaux's descendants are domiciled in many of the states of the Union and in many parts of the state of New York. These descendants to the number of hundreds assemble annually at reunions at Cayuga Lake, New York. This article has to do with the Peter L'Amoreaux branch of the family that settled at Peekskill, Dutchess county, afterward, at a comparatively early date, removed to Rose Valley, Wayne county, New York.
(I) Peter L'Amoreaux was born July 12, 1761; married Elizabeth L'Amoreaux, born September 12, 1760, and are buried at Rose Valley, New York. They had children:
- Daniel, born October 24, 1785, son of Elizabeth by a former husband.
- John, born October 24, 1787.
- Jesse, of further mention.
- Catherine, born December 1, 1793; married Joel Brundage; lived in Rensselaer county, New York.
- Joel, born January 15, 1797; married a Mrs. Baldwin, and had son Sullivan, lieutenant-colonel New York Ninth Heavy Artillery; served in civil war.
- Elizabeth, born June 10, 1800; married Frederick Tanner; settled in Illinois.
- Phoebe, born June 1, 1802; married David Silliman.
- Jane, born March 24, 1806; married Zachariah Esmond.
(II) Jesse, son of Peter and Elizabeth L'Amoreaux, was born at Peekskill, New York, November 1, 1790, died January 17, 1869, at Ballston Spa, New York; married, November 21, 1817, Charity Esmond, born at Pittstown, Rensselaer county, New York, November 21, 1796, died March 18, 1888, daughter of Joseph Esmond, born April 9, 1765, married Catherine ————, born May 16, 1765. Joseph Esmond had children:
- Elizabeth, born April 15, 1788.
- Thomas, February 13, 1790.
- Peter D., August 11, 1792.
- Charity, November 21, 1796.
- Zachariah.
- Joseph M. Children of Jesse and Charity L'Amoreaux:
- Elizabeth, born August 5, 1819, died April 13, 1892; married Calvin T. Peek, February 21, 1839; had two daughters:
- Ann Eliza, born February 14, 1840; resides at Ballston Spa, New York; married (first) Fred J. Wakeman, and had two daughters:
- Lelah E., born October 30, 1862, and
- Irene A., born July 25, 1865.
Fred J. Wakeman died July 24, 1875, from whom Ann Eliza was divorced, and afterward married Andrew J. Hall, May 28, 1874; by second marriage, one daughter, Nellie May, born February 16, 1878.
- Catherine J. Peek, daughter of Calvin T. and Elizabeth Peek, born April 20, 1842, died July 21, 1845.
- Ann Eliza, born February 14, 1840; resides at Ballston Spa, New York; married (first) Fred J. Wakeman, and had two daughters:
- Catherine L'Amoreaux, daughter of Jesse and Charity, born April 16, 1822, died September 15, 1844.
- Sarah Maria, born April 14, 1831; died January 24, 1847.
- Jesse S., of further mention.
- Elizabeth, born August 5, 1819, died April 13, 1892; married Calvin T. Peek, February 21, 1839; had two daughters:
(III) Jesse S. L'Amoreaux, only son of Jesse and Charity (Esmond) L'Amoreaux, was born in Wilton, Saratoga county, New York, December 11, 1837. He was admitted to the bar and began the practice of law at Schuylerville, New York, April 1, 1857. The following year he removed to Ballston Spa, at which place he has maintained an office to the present writing (1911).
He married Ellen S. Holbrook, June 8, 1865; no children. In 1882 he was elected, without opposition, judge of Saratoga county, and served until 1887. In 1887 he was the nominee of his party for state comptroller, but failed of election, the entire state ticket being defeated. He took part in the organization of the First National Bank of Ballston Spa in 1865, has since been one of its directors, was its vice-president for a number of years, and afterwards became and still is its president. He has been a member of the Masonic order, lodge, chapter, commandery, and a member ofthe First Presbyterian Church of Ballston Spa for many years. He is at present associated with Hon. George S. Graham in the practice of law in the city of New York. He (Jesse) in earlier years engaged in both civil and criminal business, during which period he was counsel in various of the famous criminal cases tried in his county. In later years he has devoted much of his time to corporate work.