Notes for Gideon Marlatt (Marlott/Marlette):The story of Gideon Mellott must start in the province of Champagne in France. The spelling of his last name would go through many changes as he traveled from France to Holland, to Mannheim, Germany, back to Holland and finally to New Amsterdam in the year 1662, always in search of religious freedom. The Marlot family of Champagne have a coat of arms with three "Merlettes" (martlets or Old French for blackbirds). One legend has it that the three Merlettes were placed on the family coat of arms to commemorate the night that the blackbirds sang. It seems that some family members were serving in the French army and on the night just before one of their many battles with the English the French soldiers heard the blackbirds sing. This was quite uncharacteristic of these birds and the French soldiers took it as a sign and the next day they gained the victory.Thus the merlette was the symbol in battle of the family named Marlot. Along the way English speaking clerks would hear the name Merlette, spell it the way it sounded, and gradually the spelling in the in the new world evolved into Malot or Mellott for some branches of the family. Gideon Merlitt's home was in Rousy or Roucy in the French Province of Champagne. In Paris the French National Archives have a section for documents concerning religious fugitives (fugitifs religionnaires). In these files exists a letter to the Count of Roucy written about 1599. The letter discusses the count's Calvinistic religious beliefs. It goes on to point out that prior to the issue of The Edict of Nantes, in 1598, the Count's estates would have been confiscated for heresy. A warning tone was evident. It was this Count of the family de la Rochefoucauld who held the chateau during the lifetime of Josue or Josias Merlit and Jeanne Robbe the parents of Gedon Merlit. Enforcement of the Edict of Nantes was sporadic and uncertain at best until it's repeal, in 1685 by King Louis XIV, when persecution of Protestants began in earnest. Seeing that they were in danger many of the Hugenots scattered to Holland, to the Rheinish Palatinate in Germany and some to colonies in North
America, where religious tolerance was greater. The carpenter Gideon migrated to Holland and in December 1643 the record of the Church of Leyden shows that a Gedeon Merlette was received into membership. Reference was made to records from the Church of Ter Gouda back in France in the transfer of membership. Gideon had the nickname of "LaPlante".
The next big step in Gideon's life was his marriage. The Wallon Church of Leyden, Holland has a marriage book record of Gedeon Merlet a carpenter from Rousey, dwelling in "Sand Street" in Leyden, accompanied by Phillipe Merlet his uncle also living there. With Marguerite Martjin (Martin) from Limbourg was Jenne (Jeanne) Martjin, her cousin, also living there. This record was dated 06 Aug 1644. On 21 Aug 1644 the actual marriage ceremony took place. In the Wallon Church of Leyden are found the following Baptismal records:
17 Sep 1645: Josias (Josue), son of Gedeon Merlette. The baptism was witnessed by Claude Marcy, Jean Martjin and Classine Tertelim.
11 Nov 1646: Marie daughter of Gedeon Merlette. Witnesses to the baptism were Daniel Fromavesijn, Francois Charret, Jacquemine du Lon, and Catherine de La Tour
26 Jul 1648: Esechias, son of Gedeon Merlette and Marguerite Martin. Witnesses to the Baptism were Paul Merlette, Augustin Goftin and Marie Cordies.
In December 1651 Gedeon Merlet and his wife Marguerite were received into the Church at Leyden and reference was made to the records of Paris. The best estimate is that Gideon lived in Leyden from about 1643 until the 1650's when he moved to Mannheim, Germany. This was another refuge for the Calvinistic Hugenot expatriates from France
at the time. Two of Gideon's sons were born in Mannheim, namely Abraham and Jean Pierre. On 07 Feb 1656 the Church at Mannheim, Germany recorded the baptism of Abraham Merlette son of Gedeon and Marguerite Martin. On 02 May 1658 the Church at Mannheim, Germany recorded the baptism of Jean Pierre Merlet son of Gedeon and Marguerite Martin. In 1651 Gedeon Marlet and his wife were recorded as members of the Church at Leyden, Holland. Their membership was still there and would remain so until they sailed for New Amsterdam in the new world. In fact a listing of their names on 15 Mar 1664 makes no account of the fact that they had already emigrated to the Dutch Colony of New Amsterdam in 1662. A return to Holland between 1658 and 1662 was their last European adventure before embarking for the new world. They resumed their membership in the Wallon Church where in 1643 Gideon and his uncle Philippe had been listed as coming from Gouda in France. This Uncle's name appears as Phillipe Merlit widower of Magdalena
Gilbert, who married in Amsterdam on 12 Oct 1647 Jeanette Pau who was born at Sedan, France and was herself a widow. Before Gideon left Holland in 1662 two of his children had died, namely Maria and Esechias. Gideon Merlitt or mellott arrived in New Amsterdam on 12 Oct 1662 on the ship the Church Pumerland, or "De Purmerlander Kerck," with Captain Benjamin Barentsz in command. The passenger lists "Gideon Merlitt, wife and four children,15,8,6,and 4 years old. The four sons were Josue or Josias, Poulis or Paul, Jean Pierre or John Peter and Abraham. Gideon brought along a nephew who was his brothers son but the brother's son or nephew's name is not known. This was copied from the Holland Society of New York's Yearbook of 1902 page 22. This French Hugenot family had fled to Holland earlier because of religious persecution. Their ancestors had held
high government positions in France. After Gideon and Marguerite's arrival in New Amsterdam another child Anne Merlit was born. A sad story is recorded by a Coroners jury report of 25 August 1681 in New York. Mary Marshall and Anne Merlitt were determined to have drowned after being overset in a canoe. This occurred while trying to ride a canoe in
Hellsgate, in New York's East River. The source is: NY Abstracts of Wills: LIBER 19B, p. 427. On 19 Mar 1663, according to NY Manuscripts, Vol. 10, Part 2, P. 49,(Translated from the Dutch) after arrival in New Amsterda, Gideon as well as six other settlers petitioned the Director General of The Council of New Netherlands for grants of suitable land, provision for temporary subsistence, and seed grain so that the supplicants may exert their industry and zeal without obstruction in the cultivation of the land not only for their personal benefit but for the welfare and good of the whole country.They also promised to repay the council for such advances. The petition is now on file at the New York State
Archives in Albany. It was approved and Gideon Merlet were assigned land on Staten Island. The Calendar of Land Papers, New York State, Vol. 1 P.69 for 31 Mar 1675 records a survey of 256 acres of land on the south side of Staten Island layed out for Gideon Marlett. Page 65 of the above document records: On 18 Oct 1675 a survey of 250 acres for Gideon Marlett and his sons was made by James Cortelyou. Page 66 of the above document records: On 01 Nov 1675 a Patent of Land to Gideon Marlett and his two sons,
Joshua and Paulus, of 243 acres on the south side of Staten Island, also 30 acres of salt meadow lying at the mouth of Fresh Kill. Gideon was appointed constable at Dover, Staten Island, New Amsterdam on 20 Apr 1671 during the first British occupation under Governor Francis Lovelace. On 14 Feb 1674 he was appointed Magistrate during a brief
Dutch re-occupation of the territory under Governor Colve. In 1683 he was on the list of early settlers in Piscataway and Woodbridge, New Jersey.
Information copied from: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/k/l/i/Michael-Kline/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-1041.html
