Nathaniel and Isaac DuBois Family Papers (1778-1927)

Finding Aid Completed by Eric Roth, October 5, 1999
Last revised June 28, 2005
Volume: 1 cu. ft.
Acquisition: Unknown.
Access: Unrestricted.
Copyright: Request for permission to publish materials from these records should be discussed with the Archivist and Director of the Huguenot Historical Society.

Biographical Note
 

Individuals primarily represented in the collection include Nathaniel DuBois E-681 [1] (1773-1848) and his son Isaac DuBois F-1534 (1815-1876).

Nathaniel DuBois E-681 was born on November 18, 1773 to Zacharias DuBois and Anchie VanDuzer. He was baptized at the New Windsor Presbyterian Church on February 6, 1774. On March 28, 1797, Nathaniel married Eleanor ( Helena ) DuBois F-1726 (b. 1778), daughter of Abraham DuBois and Nellie Gildersleeve. They were married at the Reformed Dutch Church at Fishkill, NY. Nathaniel and Eleanor had five children: Zacahariah, Peter, Abraham, Nathaniel A., and Eleanor. Nathaniel married second Margaret DuBois E-671 (1776-1855), daughter of Lewis DuBois and Rachel DuBois, and widow of Daniel Lockwood. By her Nathaniel had two more children: Isaac and Edwin L. Nathaniel DuBois died on May 10, 1848 and is buried at the Old Town Ground in Newburgh.

DuBois's business pursuits included the Snake Hill Turnpike Company in 1815 and the Clove Turnpike Company in 1819, and the Hudson and Delaware Railroad Company, of which he was elected to the Board of Directors in 1836. [2] He owned the mill at Quassaick Creek after 1789 until his death in 1848. DuBois was also apparently involved in shipping goods on the Hudson River. Alexander Colden originally built the mill in 1743. (p. 280). [3] Politically, DuBois served as Elector of United States President Harrison and Vice President Tyler in 1840 (p. 203), and served as City Trustee at Newburgh from 1839-1841. [4] (p. 329). There are also several listings of Nathaniel DuBois in James Roberts' New York in the Revolution as Colony and State (1904). [5]

Nathaniel's sixth child, Isaac DuBois F-1534 was born on July 12, 1815 and married Jane McAleny (1820-1899), daughter of John and Mary McAlies. Together they had four children: Sarah J., Charles, Mary E., and Isaac W. According to Ruttenber, Isaac enlisted in Company D of the 56th (New York Regiment) on September 24, 1861. [6] He died on August 18, 1876 and is buried at the Old Town Burying Ground at Newburgh.

Collection Description
 

Records include letters, leases, deeds, agreements, receipts, bills, bonds, court papers, mortgages, promissory notes, wills and estate papers, accounts chiefly relating to the business pursuits of Nathaniel and Isaac DuBois of the city of Newburgh in Orange County, New York. Items of note are estate papers of Daniel Lockwood concerning land in Marlborough, Ulster County, NY (1795-1815), incorporation papers of the Clove Turnpike Road Company and Snake Hill Turnpike Road Company (1819-1842); court papers pertaining to a lawsuit between Nathaniel DuBois and Steven DuBois over the settlement of the late Jonathan Hasbrouck's Newburgh estate (1808); agreements and bills of sale concerning two sloops, the �Favorite� and the �James Monroe�(1817-1833); letter of attorney of David DuBois to Mary DuBois (1825); wills of Nathaniel DuBois (1848) and Margaret DuBois (1850); lawsuit concerning land in the town of Crawford (1855); legal correspondence of Mary E. Dubois concerning the Anaconda Copper Mining Company; and an undated tax list and warrant for Newburgh School District #2. Other records concern the genealogy of the DuBois family.

Letters to Nathaniel DuBois from Rufus King, Henry B. Meyer and others primarily discuss military orders, the flour business, tax assessments, loans, property, national politics and business, and railroads and canals in Michigan and New York (1807-1846). Also of note are a letter to Anne DuBois of Goshen from Major Zachariah DuBois discussing a military prisoner exchange (1778); a letter to Jonathan Hasbrouck from Aaron Burr (1812); a letter to Nathaniel DuBois discussing national tariffs and resolutions proposed by Henry Clay (1832); letters to and from Isaac DuBois concerning notes and land transactions (1850-1876); letters to Willie and Charles DuBois from A.B. Major (1871-1876); and letters to Mary E. DuBois from E.E. Roosa discussing finances and family matters (1874-1925).

The physical condition of the papers is generally quite good, although some documents show signs of damage from scotch tape. There are no access restrictions. The handwriting is quite legible throughout the collection. The papers are organized into folders by format and thereunder by date. This collection was formerly known as the DuBois Collection.

The Huguenot Historical Society also maintains several other collections of DuBois family papers. These include Garret and Roelof DuBois Family Papers (1771-1882), Hendricus and Mathusalem DuBois Family Papers (1702-1927), Daniel and Simon DuBois Family Papers (1695-1864), Josiah DuBois Receipt Book (1794-1854), Daniel and Simon DuBois Family Papers (1695-1864), Patterson DuBois Family Papers (1775-1921), Petrus DuBois Family Papers (1732-1869), and the Solomon DuBois and Rachel Elting Family Papers (1812-1944). Researchers should also consult the Huguenot Historical Society Bible and Rare Book Collection and Ciphering Book Collection for other items with DuBois family history.

Folder/Item List
 

Bound Volumes:
The Address of Gen. George Washington, First President of the United States: On declining a re-election to the Presidency. Montgomery, printed by Luther Pratt (1811).
Bi-Centenary Reunion of the Descendants of Louis and Jacques DuBois (Emigrants to America, 1660 and 1675), at New Paltz, New York, 1875. Philadelphia, Press of Rue & Jones (1876).
Gillbert DuBois, by his daughter Mary Jansen DuBois (undated).
Record of the Family of Louis DuBois who Emigrated from France to America in 1660. Press of John C. Clark & Son (1860).

Correspondence:
(1778-1837)
(1838-1850)
(1871-1871)

Estate and Legal Papers:
(1788-1813 and undated)
(1814-1823)
(1824-1832)
(1835-1848)
(1850-1923)
(1838 and undated) - oversize, see Flat File D

Financial Papers:
(1804-1870)
(1893-1927)

Miscellaneous (undated)

Receipts:
(1797-1876)
(1886-1903)

Deed, Lewis DuBois to Daniel Lockwood (1795) - oversize, see Archives Flat Files

Notes
 

[1] Identification numbers are taken from The American Descendants of Chretien DuBois of Wicres, France, 20 vols., compiled by William Heidgerd for the DuBois Family Association and the Huguenot Historical Society, Inc. New Paltz, New York (1968-1988). Unless otherwise noted, all genealogical information is taken from this source.

[2] Ruttenber, E.M., and Clark, L. H. History of Orange County, New York, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, 2 vols. Philadelphia, Everts & Peck (1881), Republished in 1980 at Interlaken, NY, by Heart of the Lakes Publishing (pp. 114, 119).

[3] Ibid., p. 280.

[4] Ibid., p. 331.

[5] Roberts, James. New York in the Revolution as Colony and State: a compilation of documents and records from the office of the state comptroller, vol. 1. Albany, NY, J.B. Lyon Company, Printers (1904).

[6] Ruttember., p. 483.