Through Their Eyes...
John Abraham DeNormandie
to
Colonel Augustin Willett
Oct. 12, 1785
Dr. John Abraham DeNormandie Jr.
Dr. John Abraham DeNormandie, Jr. a direct descended from the feudal Lords of La Motte and the high nobility of France, was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania on September 13, 1721. He married Rebeccah Bard of Burlington, New Jersey on July 3, 1745.
DeNormandie, a member of the American Philosophical Society, was a man of learning and science and though widowed in 1767 he went on to become an eminent physician of Bristol, Pennsylvania, publishing mineral water analyses in both 1768 and 1769. Additionally, he published an extensive analysis of diseases in 1768 and Later became a member of the New Jersey Medical Society.
He served as Justice of the Peace of Bucks County, Pennsylvania fron 1761 through 1774. Both the DeNormandies and the Bards, his wife's family, were loyalists but later became neutral.
DeNormandie died on September 25, 1805 at Hyde Park on the Hudson River in New York. He was thought to have had no will but, forty years later, his family received a paper in a language unbeknownst to them. It was later translated and found to be his will, leaving an immense estate to his children.
Learn more about Dr. DeNormandie here:
General Augustin Willett
General Augustin Willett
General Willett was born in Bucks County in 1751, and was the son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Lawrence) Willett, of English descent. He married Elizabeth Hicks, daughter of Gilbert and Mary (Rodman) Hicks, of Attle- borough (now Langhorne). At the outbreak of the war he raised a company at his own expense in the lower end of Bucks county. He was with Arnold's division in that terrible march to Quebec in the winter of 1775. From captain he rose to the command of a regiment as lieuteiiant-colonel, and was a faithful and efficient officer. He was in the battles of White Plains, Monmouth, Trenton, Brandywine and Germantown, and was commissioned brigadier-general in the peace establishment. He was a man of tall stature. He had a favorite colored servant named Priam, who was with his master in the army and accompanied him in all his goings, always on horseback. He belonged to the Bristol Masonic Lodge, organized March 15, 1780. He was one of the men of the age that tried men's souls and did his state good service in his day and generation. He died in the year 1824, honored and respected by all who knew him. Elizabeth, his wife, was born in 1755 and died May 24, 1833. They had eight daughters and two sons, viz: Mary, Elizabeth, Abigail, Horatio G., Joseph R., Sarah A., Margaret, Euphemia, Grace, and Lydia. The Willett homestead stood along the Valley run not far beyond the Neshaminy creek, at Oakford,on the road leading from Langhorne, in the township of Bensalem. The plantation at the time of his death was divided into farms for his children. All have now passed into the hands of strangers except one farm of 100 acres where the buildings stand. His descendants still live there. His great-grandson and namesake is now serving as a member of the state legislature.
From:
Col Augustin Willett
Belmead
Dear Collonel
I must have misunderstood W. Edger if he did not tell me that the only objection to paying the tax was the want of an order from me. As I would not think it proper to give an order, I wrote at his request that note by him.
I knew the agreement between my agents and Banking was that the rent was to be exempt from all deductions for Taxes, which I mentioned to W. Edgar on which he told me that notice was given at the Vendue that the purchasers were to pay the money to you or Captn Clarke & that he had no other way of getting it but from the land - If he has neglected his duty & did not receive it when he might, from the person who was under covenant to pay it I shall think it unjust in him to try to extort it from an innocent person. Bantins Balance due to me is L 18:13:7- to that I hope you will from the sales be able to secure your own debt as I understood from Captn Clark that the sales amounts to more than the rent. Since the Vendue I have recd from him L 3: 10: 6 which is all I ever
received from that Vendue. I am a perfect stranger to the laws of Pennsylvania & do not know whether the land is liable, if that should be the case I would give no trouble to the collector, if it is not, & that I imagine you may know either from Captn Clarke or Doc McIlvaine. I must desire you to take no notice of the note I sent by him. Some time since you wrote me you expected from the person to whom you sold your place a payment would be made you in the course of this month which would inable you to settle at least the interest, this induced me to draw an order on in favor of Mr Thomas Yardley for L133:10 - dated Oct : 1st - which I hope you will have it in your power to accept - I am with Compliments to Mrs Willett & Salley Your assured Friend and most Obedient Servant-- John Ab DeNormandie
Burlington Oct 12th: 1785.