• About Waldo “Wally” Tomosky and his blogs
  • CONFUSED? (Serial Posts; Where do they Start? Stand Alone Posts; where are they?)

waldotomosky

~ Old Books, Old Artists and Other Interesting People

waldotomosky

Tag Archives: France

AS I WANDERED #35 d’AUTREMONT

13 Thursday Feb 2014

Posted by Waldo "Wally" Tomosky in AS I WANDERED

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Angelica NY, Chenango County NY, d'Autremont, France, French Revolution, Madame d'Autremont, Reward in Gold, Tallyrand, The French Asylum, Train Robery

She first came to the wilderness of New York.

After four years it was enough.

Then she went to an asylum in Pennsylvania; a political asylum.

And finally, back to New York; however, this time, in a genteel society.

That is the whole story of Madame d’Autremont; well – – – almost all of the story.

There was trouble in France in the 1790’s. Madame d’Autremont  was part of the royal court.

Autry Shield

She decided, along with several other families, to purchase land in the new United States. Several thousand acres were purchased in the County of Chenango, New York. A road was cut and a village of sorts established. However the life was a little rough for these effete.

An escape from the hell of the wilderness appeared.

Another group from France had established an asylum, supposedly for the Queen of France, for a place to escape from the revolution.

Autry Mansion Asylum

Madame d’Autremont and her cohorts in Chenango county bought a few boats, followed the current of the Chenango River to where it met with the Susquehanna River in the new village of Binghamton.

From there they, once again, followed the current downstream. They passed Tioga Point where the river turned southward to Towanda. A few miles farther and they were relieved to reach the asylum.

Autry Map to Asylum

Due to a series of legal and human disasters Madame d’Autremont lost her thousands of acres in Chenango County.

At “Asylum” they stayed for a period of time. The French Diplomat Talleyrand traveled to the asylum and met with Madame d’Autremont and her sons.

Autry Record of sons

Talleyrand took Louis Paul d’Autremont back to France with him. That son was able to reclaim his mother’s land in Chenango county.

Autry Court Case

Madame d’Autremont sold that land and repaired to Angelica, New York were she and her sister lived out their lives.

Autry Tombstone

Autry Tombstone Words

I hope that was the end of the story but recently I am beginning to wonder.

Autry Boys

OK, OK. It is another railroad story. So sue me.

As I Wander Introduction 2

©W. Tomosky♠

JOHN BESSAC CROSSES THE PYRENEES MOUNTAINS

26 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by Waldo "Wally" Tomosky in John Bessac

≈ 52 Comments

Tags

Abd ar-Rahman III, Alicante, Alicante Wine, America, American Army, Arabs, Badalona, Barcelona, Blanes, Cadiz, Coll de Panissars, France, Gerona, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, John Bessac, Jonquera, Madrid, Mataro, Mediterranean, Minstrel, Perpignon, Philadelphia, Pompey the Great, Pryrenees, Roman Roads, Romans, Spain, Tortosa, Toulouse, Via Augusta, Via Domitia, Vidreres

John had been sitting in the city of Toulouse, France, knowing that he had to make a decision about where to settle. But Madrid? Why Madrid? Cadiz had no calling for him since his brother Ruffus died. But why did John choose Madrid? It had to be his adventuresome spirit. Young men tend to think romantically about far places as well as beautiful women. So Madrid it would be.

John’s first leg would be from Toulouse to Perpignon. He would still be in France; however, he would be on the cusp of the Pyrenees Mountains. Perpignon would allow him to gather whatever information he may need to help him cross the mountains.

It was an eighty mile trek from Toulouse to Perpignon. Being excited about his next great adventure he made the trip in three days. John had overestimated his endurance. He required rest. He found some solitude on the banks of the river. There was thick brush near the bridge that would shield him from the sun and the prying eyes of the church.  That is where he spent the fourth day. Many others were also there resting their tired feet and doing their best to get out of the November sun. The nights were cold but by nine in the morning the heat was well on its way.

It was there that he met a minstrel of sorts. They agreed to become traveling companions while they crossed the Pyrenees. A plan was made between them. They would enter Spain at Jonquera. The die was cast and they set their course forward.

Their path through the Pyrenees was only six miles from the Mediterranean Sea. John could smell the mountain shrubs and the salt air simultaneously. He had never experienced an aroma like this before. His senses were aroused and his romantic thoughts of wanderlust almost undid him. He considered staying there. His new companion, the minstrel, convinced him that they needed to keep moving.

There were no inns across the mountains and a person needed to be “established” in order to set roots in the villages. They met many local people along their way through the Pyrenees. It was not that the people were terse or rude. In fact they went out of their way to offer the two travelers shelter. The mountain people shared their black bread and onions with them.

After a twenty mile trek they finally reached Jonquera.

John Bessac’s romanticism once again took control as he viewed the castle in the mountains. It rested above Jonquera with a commanding presence. A Roman road, the Via Augusta , which ran from Cádiz to the Pyrénées , also captured John Bessac’s imagination. There, at Jonquera, it joined the Via Domitia at the Coll de Panissars. The people informed John that this was an alter built by Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus; Pompey the Great. John Bessac was carried away with the history of La Jonquera.

Once John came to his senses he realized that it was a long eighty miles to Barcelona and another three hundred miles to his goal of Madrid. The next day he and his companion were once more on the pathway to their final destination.

Some of the trip was through the countryside of Gerona and Vidreres which reminded him of his home country. The trip was, at times, more enjoyable once he reached Blanes, Mataro and then Badalona. Along that route he could see the Mediterranean and it took his mind off of his feet.

The eighty mile walk from Jonquera along the coast to Barcelona was completed in four days.

John’s minstrel friend decided to stay in Barcelona. There were many people there and several venues in which he could ply his craft. John travelled alone for the remaining one hundred miles to Tortosa.

Another castle and more romantic notions held John’s attention as he spoke to the people of Tortosa.

John heard stories of Roman conquest and the start of this castle. The Arabs under the second caliphate of  Abd ar-Rahman III added to it. John was mesmerized by the view of the castle above the Ebro River.

John still had another two hundred miles after leaving Tortosa.  The trip gave him plenty of time to think. He had thoughts about eventually getting to Philadelphia to become an agent for a business. His brothers had recently become involved with establishing contacts in America.

Or possibly, if that did not work out, he would join the American army. John carefully weighed several different plans. His trip was not all planning. He had plenty of time to enjoy himself.

Once he slept in a cottage and another time in the open air under a wide spread chestnut tree.

He remembered one evening staying with a priest and three lay brothers. That evening he enjoyed roasted chestnuts followed up with a few servings of Alicant wine.

Most of the trip was on foot.

Once in a while, rain – – – sun – – – or fog, he would hitch a ride on a rickety mule-hauled cart.

He never knew if he would be sitting next to a keg of olive oil – – – or at other times sacks of figs. There were a few times when a cart was loaded with honey or bee’s wax. Then he would have to keep swatting at bees that were drawn to the load.

John arrived in Madrid without a coin in his pocket.

JOHN BESSAC’S FOOTPATH TO FREEDOM

24 Tuesday Apr 2012

Posted by Waldo "Wally" Tomosky in John Bessac

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Agen, Beaumont, Cadiz, Catholic Church, France, Gendarme, Madrid, Montvalant, Shylock, St. Martin's Day, Toulouse

John Bessac walked speedily along the highways all that evening. He made considerable distance. However, as daylight appeared he knew that his father, his uncle and the Holy Roman Catholic Church would be searching for him. Agen was his immediate destination.

He kept up his pace so that he could put more distance between himself and Montvalant. To be safe he departed the highway and walked the fields and solitary footpaths. He wished to see the city of Agen soon; and then Beaumont and Toulouse.

John’s forty mile trip from Montvalent to Agen was without incident. On the second morning he decided to rest after being two days without sleep. He found a comfortable place near a stack of hay and drifted off for a well-deserved rest.

Something brought him out of his deep sleep. Even with his eyes closed he felt a presence of some sort. Slowly opening his eyes he found himself looking at the well-shined boots of a state gendarme. A conversation about John ensued.

After some convincing, the policeman was satisfied that John was on a trip to visit friends. He pointed out to John that a storm was in the air and that he should find a more secure place to rest. John, in his deep sleep, had not noticed the change in the temperature, wind and clouds. He remained a little foggy from his recent awakening and attempted to determine what day it was.

“November 13th or 14th; a few days after St. Martin’s Day” he said out loud.

“Pardon me?” responded the policeman.

“Nothing, nothing at all” lied John. “Just forgot the actual date.”

The policeman looked askance at John, excused himself, and departed.

John felt rested up enough to continue his journey towards Toulouse. He was somewhat conflicted as to whether to find shelter or move on. He decided to put more distance between himself and the dreaded plans that the church had for him.

The next sixty miles to Toulouse were windy and cold. John was thankful that it did not rain. He had not thought about a canvas wrap to keep the wetness from soaking him. There was a heavy fall mist coming from the Atlantic side of France but it was not enough to dampen him through.

It took three more days of walking for John to reach Toulouse. He found a reasonable priced boarding room and started making plans. His first task was to write his good friend Barte. Barte’s return letter contained advice and a gift. The advice was for John to head for Cadiz where John had established friends. Barte suggested that John may be able to find a job in the hospital where he had once worked. John did not wish to relive the memories of his brother dying in Cadiz.

The gift was a note that John could cash. It was a second party check drawn on a merchant from Bordeaux. The only person that John could find to cash it was a shylock who extracted an ungodly sum “due to the risk.”

Being desperate, John took the partial amount.

A month had passed while he stayed in Toulouse.

John then departed for Madrid.

 

JOHN BESSAC’S TERMINATED NOVITIATE

22 Sunday Apr 2012

Posted by Waldo "Wally" Tomosky in John Bessac

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

American colonies, de Facto Prime Minister, Declaration of Independence, Earl of Bute, France, John Stuart, King George III, Prime Minister, St. Martin's Day

During the two years preceding John Bessac’s planned St. Martins solemn celebration he had paid close attention to the activities of the American colonies. They were struggling to avoid the yoke of British Taxes and regulations. The sympathies of most of France, and especially young John Bessac, were with the colonies.

This was at the time that King George III was being heavily influenced by his one-time mentor; John Stuart, Earl of Bute.

John Bessac’s interest in the colonies was was an inspiration. He read “The Declaration of Independence” several times over. Perhaps he empathized with the colonies. Possibly he viewed their being under the thumb of King George as a metaphor of himself being under the thumb of his father and uncle.

One thing we know for sure, John had voiced his desire to join the gallant American army to fight against the hereditary enemy of France.

Therefore, when on the morning of St. Martin’s day John was nowhere to be found an assumption was made. Those in charge of the ceremony, including John’s father and uncle, determined that he had left for Bordeaux or some other nearby port. Several quick steeds were put to use in order to locate John. Their assumptions about him leaving for America were wrong.

John, the previous night, had found his mother by herself. He confided that he was immediately leaving his home. She wept bitterly as she hugged him. Even with his pangs of guilt, for hurting her, he told her that his plans were unalterable. He would not take the vows of priesthood – – – “for the present.”

We will never know whether the last statement was to ease the pain for his mother or himself.

Knowing that he was going to offend his father and forever bring the hatred of his uncle upon himself, not to mention the denunciations of the Holy Catholic Church, he maintained his plan. He broke himself away from his mother’s embrace and packed a leather travelling sack with some clothes. His mother gave him a small bible and parting instructions to observe the religious precepts he had been taught throughout his life.

As John was placing the bible in his travel-bag his mother, once again, embraced him. With tears streaming down both their faces John held her tightly a final time. She slipped a few livres, worth five pounds of silver, into his bag. She knew if she looked at him another second she would break down. She looked away.

John knew that he had broken her heart.

John never again returned to the house of his father.

 

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Categories

  • A Circumfluent Model of Consciousness and Emotions
  • A DEVINE TRAGEDY
  • ADIRONDACK IMAGES AND TALES
  • Adirondack Mountains Today
  • Adirondack Mountains Yesterday
  • Aiden Lair
  • ALEX
  • Archaeology
  • ARCHIVES OF SIN
  • AS I WANDERED
  • BEHOLD ME! For I am NED.
  • Destruction of the Soul
  • DREAMING WALLY
  • Educational
  • Egil's Saga
  • EXTREMADURA
  • FISHERMEN
  • Forty Days and Forty Nights
  • Fred Speaks
  • Genghis Khan
  • Going Down
  • Haloween
  • Historical
  • Isabel Paterson
  • JOHN AUGUSTUS HOWS & FRIENDS
  • John Bessac
  • JUAN JAIN
  • Ladies Fashions in the Antebellum
  • Notes From Popeville
  • Odds and Ends
  • PAUL HAMILTON HAYNE
  • Philosophical
  • Short Stories
  • The Chateaugay Platoon
  • The Dehkhoda
  • THE INEBRIATE
  • THE PILGRIMAGE
  • Tocqueville and Me
  • Uncategorized
  • Upstate New York
  • Zodiac

Recent Posts

  • (no title)
  • Just Released: My New Paperback “THE LIBRARIANS”
  • NEW GLOBE
  • HEY MOM, HE’S AT IT AGAIN
  • VERDANT PALACES
  • DEATH
  • BUY IT NOW
  • CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS GUY? HE IS SELF PROMOTING AGAIN. Sheeeesh!
  • Egalitarianism, Utopianism and Other Such Nonsense
  • Adirondack Images and Tales Slideshow
  • The Land of Akbar; Post #1 (an introduction)
  • HARMONY
  • PAINTED FACES – PAINTED MEN
  • The Dehkhoda S3:E5 A Story About Sharing
  • The Dehkhoda S3:E4 The Dehkhoda Teaches Them About “Understanding”

A month by month list of all the posts. HOWEVER, IN REVERSE ORDER

My Info

  • About Waldo “Wally” Tomosky and his blogs
  • CONFUSED? (Serial Posts; Where do they Start? Stand Alone Posts; where are they?)

Recent Posts

  • (no title)
  • Just Released: My New Paperback “THE LIBRARIANS”
  • NEW GLOBE
  • HEY MOM, HE’S AT IT AGAIN
  • VERDANT PALACES
  • DEATH
  • BUY IT NOW
  • CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS GUY? HE IS SELF PROMOTING AGAIN. Sheeeesh!
  • Egalitarianism, Utopianism and Other Such Nonsense
  • Adirondack Images and Tales Slideshow
  • The Land of Akbar; Post #1 (an introduction)
  • HARMONY
  • PAINTED FACES – PAINTED MEN
  • The Dehkhoda S3:E5 A Story About Sharing
  • The Dehkhoda S3:E4 The Dehkhoda Teaches Them About “Understanding”

Categories

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 873 other subscribers

Wally’s Other Blogs

  • About Waldo “Wally” Tomosky and his blogs
  • CONFUSED? (Serial Posts; Where do they Start? Stand Alone Posts; where are they?)

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • waldotomosky
    • Join 743 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • waldotomosky
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...