JOHN BESSAC’S GRANDSON CLOSES THE STORY

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Abraam Storms, American revolution, Anah Bessac, Chenango County, Chenango Forks, Chenango River, Fur Trader, George Park, Greene NY, Henry Birdsall, John Bessac, Madrid, North Fenton, Priest, Privateer, Royal Guard

John Bessac’s grandson Benjamin L. Bessac gave the introduction to this story with a short note. See the bottom of the following post.

https://waldotomosky.wordpress.com/2012/04/13/the-story-of-jean-guilliame-de-besse-1760-1824/ 

It would be proper, I believe, to allow Benjamin L. Bessac speak to us from his notes of July 30, 1863, written in Albion, NY.

My grandfather had eight children, four sons and four daughters, of whom all but one survived him. His widow [Anah] died at the city of Hudson on the Eleventh day of February, 1834, aged seventy-seven years.

[One paragraph is set aside for each child. Each paragraph gives the details of each child, their spouses and their children.]

It only remains for me to add a few personal recollections of one of the noblest men I have ever known. I first saw him in the spring of 1816 at my father’s house in Tioga County. He was then in his fifty-eighth year, about five feet ten inches high, straight as an arrow, and perfect in form and features; his face was bronzed by exposure, but his eye was as keen as the eagle’s, and his chestnut hair, without a stripe of grey, hung in curls about his neck. His movements were light and rapid, and his language as polished as that of an officer of the reign of Louis the Grand. He was as courteously polite to the pauper, who begged his bread by the wayside, as he would have been to the proudest monarch on earth. He was a man of unusual physical power, and was endowed with a constitution of iron. It was my good fortune to go with him to his home on the Chenango River, where I remained for some months, following him about on his daily walks about the farm and listening to his instructive and most entertaining conversation. In the cool evenings of that cold summer, when the rambles of the day were over, it was a pleasure never to be forgotten to sit near him by the cheerful fire and listen to the reminiscences of his eventful life – – – a life that had been passed in France, Spain and America, upon the sea and the land, and covering the overthrow of the Bourbon Dynasty, the crash of the French Revolution, the rise and fall of the great Napoleon, and the glorious uprising of this great and, then, happy and prosperous nation; “all of which he saw and part of which he was.” He told me of Louis the Sixteenth, and the good Lafayette, of Rochambeau, and Washington, of Kosciuszko and Pulaski, of the sunny slopes and smiling valleys of his beloved France; of his mother in that beautiful land, who he reverenced almost to idolatry; of Spain, the land of rugged mountains and sparking rivers, immortalized by the song of the Troubadour, and of his wanderings and romantic life and adventures. So the evenings would glide away until the small hours of the night, when he would rise from his chair, and with courteous obeisance, retire. I saw him again in the fall of 1817, a few weeks only, and then for the last time on earth. The disease of which he died had begun its fatal work upon his iron frame; his step was less elastic, his face appeared care-worn and tinged with a shade of sadness entirely unusual. I was about returning to the eastern part of the State to commence my education, and he walked from his house with me to the river and ferried me across. We went up the bank together, and then he gave me his blessing and turned away. May God so direct my footsteps on earth that I shall meet him in the realm above the stars, where the weary are at rest.

When I first became acquainted with Grandfather I noticed a small purple spot or pimple on his chin; when I saw him last it was so much enlarged that in shaving himself he cut around it. This incipient cancer continued to increase in size and virulence until the early spring of the year 1824, when on the 25^th day of March he was gathered to his fathers. So passed away from earth JEAN GUILLIAUME BESSAC, the novitiate of the French Catholic Church, the wanderer over the Pyrenees, the member of the life guard to the King of Spain, the soldier of the American Revolution, and aid-de-camp of Count Rochambeau; an affectionate son, brother and father; a wise and faithful counselor and friend. May all of his descendants strive to imitate those virtues which have rendered his memory so fragrant.

[Another page is used to describe encounters with people who knew of John Bessac or his family in France.]

There is nothing I could add to the story of John Bessac. So I close out these posts with a few relevant items that may serve as a summary of this story; in chronological order starting with John Bessacs parents and siblings.

JOHN BESSAC VISITS MOROCCO

 

JOHN BESSAC THE RUNAWAY PRIEST

 

JOHN BESSAC LEAVES A TEARFUL MOTHER

 

JOHN BESSAC PASSES GERONA ON HIS WAY TO MADRID

 

JOHN BESSAC’S FIRST LOVE

 

THE KNIFE FIGHT

 

JOHN BESSAC OFFERS HIS RESIGNATION FROM THE ROYAL GUARD

 

 

JOHN BESSAC SEARCHES FOR HIS BROTHER’S SHIP

 

JOHN BESSAC BECOMES A PRIVATEER

 

JOHN BESSAC INVOLVED IN AMERICAN REVOLUTION

 

JOHN BESSAC THE FUR TRADER

 

 

JOHN BESSAC MOVES TO THE CHENANGO VALLEY

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Albany, American revolution, Battle of Oriskany, British, Chenango County, Chenango River, Chenango Valley, Cherry Valley, Cherry Valley Massacre, Continental Army, Cooperstown, General Burgoyne, General Clinton's Dam, General Sullivan, Hanau, Indian Territory, Indian Warfare, Jager, Joseph Brant, Loyalists, Montvalant, New York City, Oquaga, Oriskany, St. Leger, Susquehanna River, Tioga, Tory, Walter Butler, William Butler

John Bessac, in 1809, was offered a place to dwell. It was a peaceful valley plot that his son Lewis had purchased. The Chenango River was at its base and the hills, almost mountains, rose above it for several hundred feet.

The Chenango River Valley As Seen From Between the Mountain Top Trees

This was the first movement of people west of the banks of the Susquehanna River. Prior to John Bessac’s move the American Revolution had turned into a very unconventional and nasty war. There were two army officers named Butler. Walter Butler fought for the British and the William Butler for the Continental Army.

All the territory to the west of the Susquehanna River was questionable territory. The white man had moved in and began farming. But with the American Revolution the territory was muddied; and no one wins when drinking muddied water.

There were farming settlements in Cherry Valley, Oquaga and Tioga. The British saw these territories as fair game for deflecting the war. Their thrust was towards those farmers who had no defense. This was especially true after the Battle of Oriskany. The American Revolution had moved from New York City to the midlands of New York.

The British had decided to split New England in half by taking control of the Hudson Valley. General Burgoyne, “Gentleman Johnny”, drove his forces from Quebec, Canada southward. This was timed with Lieutenant Barry St. Leger’s expedition of about 1,800 men that were a mix of British regulars, Hessian Jäger from Hanau, Loyalists, Indians, and hired rangers. St. Leger’s drive was a surprise attack from the west. They were to meet Burgoyne in Albany.

Between June of 1777 and 1778 General Walter Butler, a Loyalist to the British, had created havoc for the small farming communities. In 1778, he and Joseph Brant, a Mohawk chief, led a company of Tories and Indians in the raid that culminated in the Cherry Valley Massacre. He has been blamed for the deaths of the many women and children that were killed on that occasion.

The battles and massacres between the American’s Continental Army and the British mixture of Hession Soldiers of Fortune, Indians and Torys continued.

General Sullivan’s Expedition, which wiped out all opponents, halted these attacks on defenseless small farming communities. The expedition was a “scorched earth” campaign that flooded the entire Susquehanna Valley.

A dam was constructed by General Clinton’s men at the mouth of Otsego Lake. After several months the damn was destroyed. Indian, Tory and Loyalist settlements were wiped out; if not at first by the flood then with follow up troop movements that burned any remaining homes, Indian lodges and fields of corn.

With the opposition finally beaten the United States opened up the “Indian Territory” west of the Susquehanna River. This included the Chenango River Valley where Lewis Bessac, John’s son had purchased property.

When John Bessac moved to the Chenango Valley he found a previous settler already established. That settler was Abram Storms. Storms had hauled mill stones across the Katskill Mountains; from the Hudson Valley to the Chenango Valley. He had established a grist mill in what was to become Brisban, New York. Storms then started farming in what was known as the Stillwater Area of the Chenango River.

John Bessac learned proper farming methods from Storms. Then another farmer moved his family from the Connecticut/New York border; this farmer was Henry Birdsall.

Bessac, Storms and Birdsall learned from each other. Their farms became prosperous.

John Bessac had found a river, hills and friends that reminded him of his boyhood in Montvalant, France.

John Bessac was a happy man.

JOHN BESSAC THE HONORARY SURGEON

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American revolution, Anna Nichols, Count Rochambeau, de Ternay, de Vimeur, DeKalb County, Dutchess County, Ephriam Nichols, Jersey City, Monsieur de Ternay, Newport RI, Patriot, Poughkeepsie, Whig

The French connection continued to play in John Bessac’s favor. Another French fleet under Monsieur de Ternay had arrived at a safe port; Newport, Rhode Island. It was a troop fleet delivering the land forces of Count de Rochambeau.

The brothers Bessac were acquainted with several officers of Ternay and Rochambeau. During several conversations with these officers they asked about Rufus Bessac. They were interested in obtaining the skills of a physician to help handle the wounded who were sure to need help. When told that he had unexpectedly died in the hospital at Cadiz they discovered that John Bessac had some medical skills. They attempted to enlist him as a surgeon.

John was aghast at the thought of using what little surgical skill he had. He only watched and read about surgery. Surely there must be a surgeon with the correct skills available. John made them aware that he was not properly skilled. The French officers imagined that their needs would outstrip the surgeons available. They begged John to sign on.

A compromise was made. John would help if he would be allowed additional time to observe other surgeons at practice. Also, he would be allowed to act as stand-in and only do surgery on his own if a real surgeon was unavailable.

John Bessac received a commission as assistant surgeon on the staff of Count Rochambeau without exacting the performance of active professional duty.

John’s commission as assistant surgeon was not called upon. He and his brother Baptiste continued to obtain provisions for the Continental Army. Business in Jersey City was good.

During these dealings he met and formed a friendship with Colonel Ephriam Nichols. The colonel was an ardent “Whig and Patriot” of the American cause from Dutchess County, New York. The colonel was heavily engaged in waging war with his Mother Country. He supported the American cause with the time, money and talents that God had made available to him.

Colonel Nichols accepted responsibility for the payment of goods and provisions deemed necessary by the Commissary General of the Continental Army. Hopefully, repayment would be received at a later date. Of course that all depended on the Americans becoming victorious in their rebellion. If not, then Colonel Nichols would end up without so much as an acre of property or a penny in his pocket, not to mention the specter of jail.

John Bessac obtained the goods for the Continental Army. Ephriam Nichols paid for those goods. A close business relationship was established.

The relationship between John Bessac and Colonel Nichols had yet another turn to take.

JOHN BESSAC THE PRIVATEER

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1779, American revolution, American Society, Atlantic Ocean, Baptiste Bessac, Bay of Biscay, Bordeaux, Caribbean, Central America, Continental Congress, Count d'estaing, Declaration of Independence, Delaware Bay, Diplomatic Meeting, dye wood, East River, George Clymer, Gulf of Mexico, John Bessac, Letters of marque, molasses, New York, Philadelphia, Prison Ship, Prisoners of Brittan, Prisoners of War, privateering, rum, South Sea, sugar

The privateer “Letter Of Marque”, who was ready for her dangerous mission, sailed out of the Port of Bordeaux in the early summer months of 1779.

There was, surprisingly, little action in the Bay of Biscay. The destination for the “Letter of Marque” was the West Indies. Her intentions were to sail both the Atlantic Ocean and the “South Sea” which was becoming known as the “Caribbean.” The Gulf of Mexico was quite calm aside from the privateering action.

The Marque took two prizes consisting of rum, sugar, molasses and dye woods which were rare except for in Central America. The ship was loaded to the point where it was best to head for port. She entered the Delaware Bay and sailed up to Philadelphia.

There, the prize was exchanged for money which was divided between the ship owners, the officers and the crew. John and Baptiste deposited their money with Clymer & Sons, a reputable ship builder and banker.

Money had been set aside for repairs and refitting of The Marque. As soon as that task was complete she sailed once more, in search of a prize.

A British sloop-of-war outmaneuvered The Marque. The sloop fired a majority of its eighteen guns and The Marque lost the battle. Three men were killed and several wounded. The Marque was captured and held by the British. Likewise, Baptiste and John Bessac also came to the same fate.

The British had a prison ship docked in the East River of New York. Baptiste, John, the officers and crew were imprisoned within this ship. Diplomatic efforts were made between the British and the French. An exchange of British for French prisoners was made. John and Baptiste Bessac headed to Philadelphia to retrieve their money from Clymer.

The gentleman handed over their money and the two brothers traveled to Jersey City across the Hudson from New York. Once there, they intended to start merchant and commercial businesses.

Connections had to be established. A light ship of shallow draft was chartered with the intent of visiting the French Fleet laying off the coast. The chartered ship was sufficient enough to avoid the heavy British men-o-war that remained hovering off the coast. The British were attempting to strangle the American uprising by starving it of needed goods.

The Bessac brothers met with Count d’Estaing who commanded the fleet. Arrangements were made for newly shipped goods to be delivered to Jersey City. These good would be sold and distributed by the Bessacs.

From Wikipedia

It was a very lucrative business and the brothers did quite well for themselves. John, cutting a masculine figure about town, rapidly commanded the English language. He was graced with the polished manners of a well-bred Frenchman and soon became a known figure within the best of American society.

Another chapter of John Bessac’s life was in full bloom.