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CITY OF DUBOIS Page 71
The family of DuBois in the United States (from which
John DuBois descended) starts with Louis duBois, one of this house,
who was born October 27, 1626, at Wicres, in the Township of Artois,
Northern France. From here Louis duBois moved to the City of
Manheim, in the Palatinate of the Rhine, Germany, where he married
Catherine Blanchau, of Blanjean, the daughter of a Burger, October
10, 1655. Two sons, viz: Abraham and Isaac were born to them at this
place. This little family, with other French Huguenots, embarked for
America in 1660; seeking in the new world freedom from the religious
persecution which was then at its heighth in that part of France.
The family was stripped of all its possessions before they left
Europe for America.
Professor Ross tells us that if the bed of the Atlantic
Ocean should become dry, the path of the ships conveying the
Huguenots sailing to America during the periods of persecution,
could be traced across the Atlantic Ocean by the bones of those
dying on shipboard at sea. He states that more than half the
Huguenot emigrants died on the way across.
This is probably best described in a poem read at the
DuBois Reunion at New Paltz August 25, 1875:
"Nor sword, nor fire, nor mortal pain
Could their undaunted courage move:
The word of God sustained them then;
Such cruel deaths their faith did prove.
* * * *
"Let earthly kings and worldly men
Acknowledge Thee a god on earth;
Thy ghostly might o'er them extend,
But we have rights of heavenly birth.
* * * *
"A right to read God's holy word,
To guide our conscience by the light
It sheds upon the path of all
Who would the flesh and devil fight.
* * * *
"And we are told, and know it true,
There is a land beyond the sea;
And God hath bid us seek a home
Where we may worship and be free.
* * * *
"Farewell to France! Our native land
And all we have we leave behind—
Our arms are strong, our hearts are brave;
There peace and plenty we will find."
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