Petrus DuBois Family Papers (1732-1869)

Finding Aid Completed by Eric Roth 4/6/1999

Volume: 0.5 cu. ft.

Acquisition: The papers were donated to the Huguenot Historical Society by Mr. and Mrs. James Philip Tobey on August 15, 1984.

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

Petrus DuBois D-123 (1), tanner at Hurley, NY, was born on March 28, 1749 to Johannes DuBois and Judeke Wynkoop and was baptized at the Reformed Dutch Church at Kingston, NY on April 2. At this same church, Petrus married Ariantje Nieukerk (1749-1805), daughter of Cornelius Nieukirk and Dina Hooghteeling on December 23, 1779. Petrus and Ariantje had four children: Judeke, Petrus P., Dina, and John P. DuBois. Petrus died on April 2, 1830 and is buried along with his wife at the Old Hurley Burial Ground.

During the Revolutionary War, Petrus signed in the Troop of Horse at Kingston in 1775 (2), and in 1777 received nine days pay for service rendered unto Captain Silvester Salisbury's Company of Light Horse in Kingston in 1776 (3). Historian Nathaniel Bartlett Sylvester lists Petrus DuBois as a town assessor at Hurley in 1793 and as an organizer of the Reformed Church at Hurley in 1801 (4).

Collection Description

The collection primarily relates to the DuBois family's property holdings in the towns of Hurley, New Paltz and Wawarsing in Ulster County, New York. Deeds, quit-claims, agreements, receipts, estate inventories and other miscellaneous items of Petrus DuBois and various members of his family, including his children Judeke (Judith), Petrus (Peter), Dinah and John. Other families represented in the papers include the Newkirk, Crispell and Wynkoop families. Items of note include deeds of Jan Crispell (1732-1739); two letters to Peter (Petrus) DuBois (1817-1820); journal documenting a trip from Hurley, New York to Limestone, Kentucky (1817); an undated letter to Elizabeth Newkirk from Judith DuBois; and an undated estate inventory designated to Dinah and Judith DuBois.

The overall condition of the papers is good and the handwriting is legible. There are no restrictions on access to the collection. Papers are chronologically. Oversize documents are filed separately from legal and letter-sized documents. 

The Huguenot Historical Society also maintains several other collections of DuBois family papers. These include the Daniel and Simon DuBois Family Papers (1695-1864), Hendricus and Mathusalem DuBois Family Papers (1702-1927), Josiah DuBois Receipt Book (1794-1854), Nathaniel and Isaac DuBois Family Papers (1778-1927), Patterson DuBois Family Papers (1775-1921), Garret and Roelof DuBois Family Papers (1771-1882), 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. The Petrus DuBois Family Papers (1732-1869) were formerly known as the Tobey Collection.

Folder List

Estate and Legal Papers (1732-1855) OVERSIZE
Miscellaneous Papers (1793-1869)

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. Sylvester, Nathaniel Bartlett. History of Ulster County.... Philadelphia, Everts & Peck (1880): Part 1, p. 73.

3. Public Papers of George Clinton, First Governor of New YorkÖ. Vol 1. Published by the State of New York at New York and Albany (1899): p. 575.

4. Sylvester, Part 2, pp. 150-151.