The House of Truax
While the Truax family is one of the oldest in America, it has never had a completed published history. Some time in the 1870's, or later, David Truax of Chicago began collecting data for a projected history of the family, but after his death his manuscript was, unfortunately, lost.
About the same time Theodore de T. Truax, a New York City newspaper man, began gathering data for a projected history of the family, to be titled The House of Truax. I corresponded with Mr. Truax in 1903 when he was endeavoring to publish his work, but as his personal resources were apparently slender, and financial help from prominent members of the Truax family lacking, the work was not brought out and he later sold his manuscript to the Grafton Press of New York. Theodore de T. Truax died in 1915. The Truax family owes him a great debt of gratitude, for without his splendid and devoted efforts no future history of our ancient family would have been possible.
After acquiring the House of Truax manuscript, the Grafton Press tried, unsuccessfully, to publish the work. The manuscript finally passed into the hands of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society. In the meantime, being solicitous about the fate of the manuscript, I had written may Truax family members, seeking to interest them in the manuscript's publication. By a stroke of good fortune in 1925 I came in touch with Mrs. Thura Truax Hires of Philadelphia, who offered to take up the work where Theodore Truax left off, and carry it through to completion at her own time and expense. Be becoming a member of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, she gained access to the manuscript. After years of research, travel, correspondence and personal contacts, she acquired an imposing mass of family history and genealogy which she was on the eve of publishing when she died suddenly in 1955, leaving the material in the hands of her three children. It is not known at this time (1956) what will be done with it.
Having retired 1933, and feeling a great obligation to Mrs. Hires, I assisted her in every way possible. From 1934 to 1945, I traveled extensively, interviewing hundreds of Truax descendants, copying gravestone inscriptions, unearthing old Bibles and consulting local records. My work is incorporated with that of Mrs. Hires.
In the meantime, Howard S. F. Randolph, editor of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Magazine, revised and edited the Theodore Truax manuscript and, beginning with July 1926 issue, printed his edition of the manuscript in the magazine. Bound volumes of that magazine can be found in most large libraries. This edition of the House of Truax constitutes at present the only printed history of the Truax family, and Mr. Randolph deserves the sincere thanks of all Truaxes for his devoted and skillful efforts in making it available to the public.
Descendants of Philippe Du Trieux, 1586-1653
(Excerpted from Howard Randolph's article in the July 1926 edition of The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society Magazine. Interested researchers should consult the original article, which includes corrections and editions by Thura Truax Hires and Allan L. Truax.)
It is a great loss to posterity that there does not seem to be any list extant of the passengers of the New Netherland and its famous voyage from Amsterdam to New Amsterdam in 1624. If some record of this voyage had been preserved, with a complete list of the settlers thereon, the fame of the New Netherland would undoubtedly rival that of the Mayflower.
Of the "company of 30 families, mostly Walloons," which Wassenear mentions, we know with certainty the names of only one family, and that family consisted of Joris Jansen Rapalje and his wife, Cataline Trice.
There seems to be a general consensus of opinion that another of these families consisted of Philippe du Trieux and his second wife, Susannah du Chesne, probably with two children, a son of his first marriage, and a daughter of his second.
The Genealogical Record (1916) of the St. Nicholas Society says of Philippe du Trieux:
He was assuredly one of the very first settlers of the city.
The DeForests of Avesnes states:
No list of May's emigrants has survived; but we are certain that two of them were Philippe du Trieux and his wife, Jacqueline Noiret. *
The bride's (Sarah du Trieux) father and mother undoubtedly came over on the New Netherland, in the famous voyage of 1624. (Philippe's daughter Sarah wed Isaac du Forest.)
* Jacqueline was his first wife. It is now established that it was his second wife, Susannah du Chesne, who immigrated with Philippe du Trieux.
A Walloon Family in America says:
There is not much doubt that Philippe and Susanna were among the colonists who came to New Amsterdam on board the New Netherland.
Of the antecedents of Philippe du Trieux we know nothing. The manuscripts from which this genealogy is edited traces numerous families of similar names, but as none of them can be linked with Philippe du Trieux, they are omitted.
The only clue we have is contained in the record of the Walloon Church at Leyden:
"April 22, 1601. Jacquemyne, widow of Philippe du Trieu, received into Church of Leyden, by letter from Norwich, England."
This Jacquemyne and her deceased husband might well have been the parents of Philippe who came to New Amsterdam in 1624, but we have no proof that such is the case. Nor do we know his birthplace. A possible clue is contained in A Walloon Family in America which, quoting the church record at Amsterdam, says Philippe was a "worsted-dyer from Robez (Roubaix), not very far from Avesnes." We do, however, know the date of his birth. In a declaration he made at "Fort Amsterdam" on August 15, 1639, he stated his age as 53 years, so he was probably born in 1586. There can be no doubt that he was a Walloon.
Philippe du Trieux married for his first wife Jacqueline (or Jacquemine) Noiret. This we know from the records of Walloon Church at Amsterdam and at Leyden, quoted in full on page 188 of The DeForests of Avesnes:
Jan. 3, 1616. Amsterdam; baptized, Philippe, son of Philippe du Trieu and his wife Jacqueline Noiret.
Oct. 1617. Received into the church of Leyden, by letter from Amsterdam, Philippe du Trieu and his wife Jaquemine Norret.
Dec. 31 1617. Received into the church of Amsterdam, by letter from Leyden, Philipe du Tryheu and Jaquemine Norret.
Philippe du Trieux, believed to have been born in 1586 at Roubaix, France, came to America, it seems aboard the New Netherland in 1624. He was appointed by New York's Governor Kiefft in 1638 as a court messenger. He wed 1) Jacqueline Norriet (or Jacquemyne Noiret), born 1593, Lillie, France, and died ca. 1621 in Holland. Philippe married 2) Susanna du Chesne, born ca. 1601, Leden (?), France. They were wed at Leyden, Holland in 1621 and she was still living in 1654.
Children by first marriage:
Children by second marriage:
Second Boat Lineage #38
Philippe Du Trieux