LeCompte family document

Sorry about the length of this message, but I think it provides interesting information.

I did a search a couple of weeks ago on the Internet and found an old ad where someone was selling the following item:

For Sale: a Handwritten genealogy of the LeCompte family residing in Dorchester Co. Maryland. The cover is written: " property of R. Estelle Meaupou Baltimore Maryland The notebook begins with the following: " a true copy of the original statement made May 10, 1867 ........ ......a short sketch of the rise and progress of the family of the Le Comptis princially in Maryland.......this record was made in 1816 by thomas and daniel Le Compte - both blind......." The note book contains several ca = 1920 photographs of a house identified as "castle heaven" and "old LeCompte house" the volume also contains an obituary of one Adolph Meaupou which reads in part "married 25 years ago to R. Estelle Le Compte and a newspaper clipping of the "old Cator house" in Cambridge Maryland, dated from the Baltimore Sun October 15, 1923. The clipping states that the house "was built in 1712 was the first home of the LeCompte family of Dorchester county. I'm asking $35.00 and I'll pay for the shipping Thks Bob Cerra 617-244-8454

The item had been listed for sale a few years back and the information had been left out on the Internet.I decided to check with him to see if it was still available and it was - so I purchased it.It is truly a handwritten document.The cover says "Note Book property of R. Estelle Meaupou Baltimore, Maryland.In the document was some pictures from the Baltimore Sun of the Old Cator Home.The caption says "Cambridge, Md., Oct. 15. -- Down on a neck of land jutting out into the Choptank river, from which one can see across the Chesapeake Bay the bluffs of Calvert county stand the remains of the home of Robinson Cator, progenitor of the family of that name so prominent in the military trade in Baltimore.This old home, a bit worse for wear and tear of time, is just as it was built in 1712.It was, too, the first home of the Huguenot family, Le Compte.It is one of the many interesting places in Dorchester county."

Here is the information contained within the document and originally written by Thomas and Daniel LeCompte back in 1819.It starts with Anthony LeCompte who was my 9th great grandfather.

Enjoy!
Mark Raulin
[email protected]
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Genealogy of Anothony LeCompte –

The original settler in this Dorchester County of that name.The name is spelt in the original grant of land Antoine le Compte, February 11th, 1658.Subsequently in the old records Anthony LiCompte in many subsequent cases corrected Le Compte, Lecompte, & c.

This record was made in 1819 by Thomas and Daniel LeCompte – both blind.

A true copy of the original statement made May 10th 1867 by James N. Dawson.

A short sketch of the rise and progress of the family of the LeComptes in America principally in Maryland.

Anthony LeCompte a native of the Province of Picorde in France on account of his being a protestant was driven out of France and his estate confiscated to the Roman clergy which was a custom at that time.He then fled into England and there took up arms against the King of France – there being war at that time between the two nations.He joined the British Army and fought eleven years for the King of Great Britain.When the war was over his fame was so great, and for his valor, the King had him knighted and the title of “Monsieur” bestowed upon him together with a coat of arms which as we have heard from our ancestors is now in the tower of London.While in the city of London, he met a French lady by the name of Esther Doatlon and married her there.She was also a French Protestant born in the province of Normande and turned out on account of her religion.

He then took shipping and came into Chesapeake Bay and settled on the Potomac River in St. Mary’s County in the year of Our Lord 1654.

In the course of time he heard of the fame of the great Choptank River.

In the year 1656 he and a man by the name of Horn came in a boat together and arrived the shores up to where we now live.

He then took up his lands upon the Bay which afterwards called “LeCompte’s Bayou”.

The first patent which was granted was 75 acres to Antoine LeCompte Feb. 11th, 1658.This tract was called “Compton”.On Jan. 17th, 1659 there were 800 acres patented to Antoine (Anthony) LeCompte.This tract was called “St. Anthony”.

Horn took up the lands of “Horn’s Point” that belongs to Charles Goldsborough.The two tracts close together.Anthony LeCompte then moved his family from the Potomac and setlled upon the Northern side of a creek which was afterwards called “LeCompte’s Creek”.

There being so few whites and they so far apart, he was obliged to fort himself in or be cut off by the natives, which however he averted by bringing white servants with small arms, ammunition and some cannons.When surrounded by the savages he would disperse them by firing guns of most every size and killed some at different times which was the sole cause of his preservation no doubt.

I now come to the genealogy of Anthony LeCompte.Anthony LeCompte has six children – four sons and two daughters which were these, beginning with the eldest:John, Moses, Philip, and Anthony; his daughters were Esther and Catharine.

John, the first, married Nancy Windesmore (the daughter of Doctor Windesmore how lived at Windermore Bridge) his children were John, William, Philemon, James and Robert; he had one daughter – Nancy.John the second son married one Blanche Powell – he had five sons and six daughters.The sons were John, Charles, Anthony, Philemon and William LeCompte; his daughters were Nancy, Mary, Clara, Esther, Blanche and Elizabeth.

William the second son of the first John from “Monsieur” married one Smart and Levin and Stephen LeCompte were the descendents of the aforesaid William and some others.

Philemon third son of the first John from “Monsieur” married one Seward and Charles LeCompte who lives at Oyster Shell Point was the youngest son; the others were William, James, John and Abram.

James the fourth son of the first John married a Mallet and his sons were James, Philemon, Anthony, Charles and Nathan.The LeCompte’s in Caroline County, also James LeCompte overseer for the poor, Samuel LeCompte the surveyor are grand-children of the above James the fourth son of the first John from “Monsieur” with other daughters descendents.

Though Robert Windesmore LeCompte married, we do not know anything of his descendents.

John the third married one Sarah Petukin and had three sons John, Charles and James.

Charles second son of John the second married Sarah Hith in Talbot County.

Anthony third son of John the second married Mary Sewell.

Philemon married a Hatfield.William for his first wife married one Sarah Byus and had three sons and two daughters.The sons were William, Philemon and John; the daughters were Sarah and Rebecca who were the wives of Stephen and Levin LeCompte in Chickamacomico.The same William for his last wife married Esther LeCompte (sister to Oyster Shell Point Charles) and had two sons Charles and Caleb LeCompte.

I now come to the second son of Monsieur LeCompte which is Moses.

Moses when about eighteen or nineteen began to lose his sight and it was gone when he was about two or three and twenty; he married a lady by the name of Skinner the daughter of old Skinner from England who took up the land that is now owned by Joseph Byus.They had eleven children whose names were as follows;The eldest was Philip who lost his sight; Moses lost his; Thomas also; Peter kept his sight; Samuel lost his; Joseph his; Anthony saved his sight and William my father lost his; The daughters of Moses were Esther, Nancy and Elizabeth who all lost their sight.

Philip first son of Moses the first never married.

Moses the second married on James Island the widow Driver and had one son and three daughters – the son was Moses which we call Moses the third.The daughters were Lavinah, Esther and Mary.

Moses the third married a Pattison and had one son and four daughters.The sons were Moses, the daughters were Nancy, Esther, Rosamond and Elizabeth.

Lavinah first daughter of Moses the second married one William Geoghegan from Dubin.

Mary married a Cator first and then a Dove – lastly she married a Navy and by Cator and Dove many descendents and some by Navy.

Esther married Matthew Skinner and left no descendents.

Moses the fourth married one Edmonson first and had one daughter who was the wife of Keene, and after her death Col. LeCompte (Moses) married Woodward and had two sons Benjamin and Samuel.There were three daughters Elizabeth, Emily and Margaret.

Thomas third son of Moses from Monsieur married a Brannock and had four sons viz; Thomas, Peter and Joseph.

The descendents of Peter the second are Peter LeCompte in Blackwater and his relations.

Thomas and Samuel, sons of Peter the first went to sea and never returned.

Joseph fourth son of Peter the first married Elizabeth Sewers and had four sons.Samuel who lived in Tuckahoe Neck – Joseph who lives in Castle Haven Neck – Thomas who was killed at sea, and James who died a young man.There were three daughters

I now come to the fifth son of Moses – Samuel who never married.

Joseph sixth son of Moses the first married a widow Shawhawn and had two sons Samuel and Nicholas.Samuel
Married a Rachel Watts and left sons and daughters; the sons were Edmond and Samuel.Nicholas never married.The family of Parkers are the descendents of the above Joseph sixth son of Moses from Monsieur.

Anthony seventh son of Moses from Monsieur- who lost his sight married a widow Bennett in Talbot Co., and had four daughters – Elizabeth, Catharine, Mary and Esther – and from these a number of descendents; His second wife was Blanche LeCompte and by her he had two daughters Sarah and Dolly and from them many descendents.

William the eighth son of Moses from Monsieur married a widow Martin of Talbot Co., and had five sons and two daughters; the sons were Philip, Moses, Thomas, Daniel and Isaiah Lecompte.

Philip never married.

Moses married a Wheeler and had two sons and two daughters – the sons Moses and Hugh – the daughters Mary and Mahala.

Thomas third son of William never married.

Daniel was never married.

Isaiah married a Sarah Geoghegan and had three sons William, Samuel and Isaiah LeCompte.The daughters of the aforesaid William eighth son of Moses were Mary and Nancy.Mary married Thomas Wingate and left descendents.Nancy married Levin Wingate and also left many descendents.

William G. LeCompte the first son of Isaiah, the fifth son of William, eighth son of Moses from Monsieur married Mary A. Eaton of Talbot Co., and they had two sons and five daughters – the eldest son Thomas and second William G.The daughters were Sarah, Mary Matilda, Ann Maria, Rebecca and Ararminta.Thomas the eldest son of William G. married Margaret Cook, and they had three sons and two daughters.The eldest Thomas, Isaiah, Daniel and Samuel Eaton LeCompte.The daughters are Mary Lydia, and Margaret Maria.

William G. second son of William married Nannie Stewart by whom he had two sons and two daughters.The eldest son William G. and George Winthrop; the daughters are Mary Stuart and Anna Tudor.

Sarah eldest daughter of William G. (the first son of Isaiah) married Thomas Hubbard and had ten children.William, Thomas, George W., Edward, James, Robert Benjamin and Olin.The daughters were Mary, Annie and Sarah.

Mary Matilda married Samuel Brattan; they had two children – Marian and Rush.

Ann Maria third daughter married John F. Applegarth and had three children.The sons were William and John and the daughter Ida.

Rebecca married Stephen B. LeCompte and had three children.The sons were Charles and Stephen – the daughter Mary.

Araminta married William Mitchell and has six children.The sons were Charles, Irving, and Oliver.The daughters were Ella, Araminta and Mary.

Thomas Isaiah the eldest son of Thomas the first son of William G. who was the first son of Isaiah – the fifth son of William, eighth son of Moses from Monsieur – married Fanny Hull.

Daniel the second son married Ella Spedden and had six children.The sons are Daniel, Guy, Olin and Dorsey.The daughters Leila and Fannie.

Samuel third son married Eliza Spedden and had three sons – Edward, Robert and Granville.

Mary, the eldest daughter married John L. Spedden and had three daughters Marian, Emily and Roberta.

Margaret married Edward Hearn and had two sons Earl and Frederick.This includes the family of Thomas LeCompte of Castle Haven who reached the age of seventy four years the 22nd of April 1894.

Now we will return to Samuel the second son of Isaiah who married Mary Simmons and had one son Philip Isaiah – and he married Susan Hubbard by whom he had three sons.The daughters were Mary, Blanche, Evan, Lena, Susan, Daisy and Lula.

Isaiah the third son of Isaiah never married.

Thomas and Daniel LeCompte the sons of William are the sole proprietors of this statement.

I now come to the daughters of Moses the first from Monsieur.Esther the eldest never married.Mary married Arthur Rigby of Talbot Co., and had five sons and five daughters.The sons were Arthur, Philip, Thomas, Moses and Johnathon; her daughters were Esther, Mary, Eliza, Elizabeth and Sarah – and from these men and women are large numbers of descendents and some who have lost their sight.

Elizabeth, third daughter of Moses from Monsieur married James Sewers from Philadelphia and had two sons and three daughters.The sons were John and James; the daughters Mary, Elizabeth and Susan – and from these many descendents.

Philip third son of Monsieur never married – he died under age.

Anthony the fourth son and last of Monsieur married Margaret Beckwith and had two sons and one daughter.The sons were Nehemiah and Anthony – the daughter was Margaret.

Nehemiah married Clara Pool and had three sons and four daughters; his sons were Anthony, Nehemiah and John; his daughters were Margaret, Mary, Elizabeth and Esther.

Anthony second son of Anthony from Monsieur left no issue.

Anthony, Nehemiah’s eldest son, married Sarah Skinner and had sons and daughters but all are dead – no descendents living from Anthony fourth son of Monsieur.

Esther the eldest daughter of Monsieur married Henry Fox of Talbot Co., (near where St. Michaels now stands).They had two daughters Esther and Mary and then Fox died and she married William Skinner and had three sons William, Philemon and Thomas.

Her eldest daughter by Fox – Esther – married John Leeds of Talbot Co.Her other daughter Mary married Joseph Hopkins of the same Co., and from her a great family of Hopkins’ have issued.The three sons of Esther by Skinner (daughter of Monsieur) all married and from them have arisen a great number of descendents in Talbot and Dorchester Counties.

We must proceed to Catherine, Monsieur’s second daughter; she married James Cullins from Annapolis and by him she had three sons – John, William and James; Cullins then died.John and James never married.

William married Sarah Pool; they have no descendents now living.

The widow Cullins, daughter of Monsieur, married Thomas Bruff and settled in Cambridge; she had one daughter by Bruff by the name of Margaret, who married John Woolford and had five sons and one daughter.The sons are John, James, William, Robert and Levin; the daughter Mary who married Capt. Robert Hewing left no descendents that we know of.John, James and William never married.Robert married Elizabeth LeCompte daughter of Charles LeCompte of Castle Haven Neck, and had one daughter named Elizabeth who married Capt. Solomon Frazier.

John Woolford last son of Levin who lived at Shoal Creek was married twice – his last wife was a Woodard – he had one son and some daughters; his son’s name was John; so much of Monsieur LeCompte’s children.

Moses, son of Philip, had three sons – Thomas, Solomon and Stephen, and two daughters Eliza and Deborah.

Thomas married Mary Handley by whom he had seven children.The sons were William, Agustus and Hamilton; the daughters were Mary Jane, Virginia, Martina and Ida.

Solomon second son of Moses married Henrietta Nichols and had one son Joseph N. and two daughters Hester and Annie.

Stephen Barnett LeCompte third son of Moses whose first wife was Rebecca – fourth daughter of Wm. G. LeCompte and by whom he had three children – Charles, Stephen and Mary – afterwards married Rowina Bradley by whom he had six children – The sons are Lloyd, Fay and Stuart.The daughters are Estelle, Annie and Edith.

Eliza, eldest daughter of Moses, married James Wrightson and had three daughters – Harriet who married Thomas McBride, Annie married John Lewis and Susan who married Frank Camper.

Deborah married John L. Wrightson.They died without issue.

We will now conclude by observing that Monsieur LeCompte though he was turned out of France because of his religion and then braved the wars of France and England, and in London found his lady and came and settled in America.Still after this hath arisen the most numerous family from him than any other man perhaps that ever came across the ocean – which naturally implies that he was in favor both with God and man; as some other families are extinct and gone, and not one to keep up the name – while these hundreds of people who do not bear the name of LeCompte, they are as near in blood as those who bear the name, and we who have heard and kept this intelligence are blind men too.

Moses, the second son of Monsieur was first who lost his sight – and he had eleven children – nine of them lost their sight, but since, by blind men and women marrying into other families the proportion is much less, as from more than two thirds to less than one third.

It is a nice dispensation of our Creator that the gifts and talents of the blind are often superior to those who have their sight.

The cause assigned for so many being blind in the LeCompte family was the intermarriage with those who were blind.

Since Moses the first lost his sight, there have been two and forty, and now, in this year (1819) there are nineteen living in Dorchester and Talbot of different familieis and names.

Some people have thought this misfortune befell us on account of the wickedness of our ancestors, but how different it is from the truth, reason and scripture.

Our Lord said “many are the afflictions of the righteous” “but out of them He will deliver them all.”For “whom He loveth He chastensth and scourgeth every son shom He receiveth”.

Read the ninth chapter of St. John a part of which is as follows:“And as Jesus passed by He saw a man who was blind from birth and His disciples asked Him saying Master who died in sin, this man, or his parents that he was born blind?Jesus answered, neither hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.I must work the work of Him who sent me while it is day, the night cometh when no man can work.As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” and when He had thus spoken He spat upon the ground and made clay of the spittle and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay and said unto him – Go wash in the pool of Siloam which is by interpretation sent, he went his way therefore and washed and same seeing.