James Pineo

James Pineo (/'pɪnio/; born Jacques Pineau; say 1665 – 1727) was my 7th-great-grandfather and a French Huguenot (or possibly Waldensian; see below) who fled his native country and eventually immigrated to America. His parents are uncertain, although there are claims about their identities. He was a great-grandfather of Sarah Pineo, wife of Henry Gesner.

There is some variation in the spelling of both surnames, particularly that the n is sometimes doubled.

Background

The Edict of Nantes, which had guaranteed freedom of religion in France, was revoked by Louis XIV on 1685-10-22, unleashing a wave of persecution of Protestants, in particular the numerous French Huguenots. As a result, many fled France for other countries. This represented a substantial “brain drain”, as Huguenots were a disproportionately skilled and educated class.

James seems to have lived in Lyon (see below), which had been the site of past religious violence: during the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre in 1572, an estimated 500 to 1000 Huguenots were killed there. A history of Maine said that James “had escaped from Lyons, France, when the King’s troops were hanging many of his contemporaries.”⁠^⟮1⟯

Origins

A variety of middle-quality sources claim he migrated from Lyon, France (also called Lyons). One analysis suggests their hometown may be a smaller village named Lyons and not the large city; and that James and his friend hid in a cave for three days to escape arrest.⁠^⟮2⟯ Several sources identify James’s parents as Laurence and Jeanne du Pinneau, but they do not seem credible.

Early books suggest he may have been Waldensian, or of a Waldensian family, but the National Huguenot Society accepts him as a Huguenot ancestor.⁠^⟮3⟯ In any case, he certainly faced substantial danger in France.

Migration

James and his friend Jean Soulard (later John Sullard) fled France on a ship for England soon after the revocation. They lacked the money to pay for passage, and so the captain sold them into a term of indentured servitude. They served their term (which was supposedly shortened due to their good behavior) and remained in England for about 15 years, living mostly in Bristol. They became naturalized English citizens in London on 1689-01-05.⁠^⟮4⟯

Around 1700, they made their way for the American colonies. They arrived first in Plymouth, Massachusetts, but soon moved to Bristol, Rhode Island, where James married. They later settled in Lebanon, Connecticut, where James lived out the rest of his life.

Family

James married Dorothy (1685-01-19 – 1737?), daughter of Return Badcock and Sarah Denison, on 1706-05-09, and had nine children, the first five born in Bristol, RI, the last four in Lebanon, CT:⁠^⟮5⟯⁠^{⟮6⟯FamilySearch}

James Pineo (1707-04-19⁠^{⟮7⟯FamilySearch} – 1707-06-06⁠^{⟮8⟯FamilySearch}).
Elizabeth Pineo (* 1709-02-22); unclear whether the date is 1708/9 or 1709/10; married Solomon Curtis (1704–1737)⁠^⟮9⟯, and apparently later married Benjamin Carpenter.
James Pineo (c.1710 – 1789-04-16), the name reused, married Priscilla Newcomb. No birth record found, but he is said to be aged 81 at his death, but there is chronological difficulty fitting these children in, and his age may have been overstated, though he may have been older than Elizabeth. All descendants with the surname Pineo are through James or his younger brother Peter.
Sarah Pineo (1712-12-19 – 1804?)⁠^{⟮10⟯FamilySearch}, married first Joseph Porter, second Joseph Sullard, son of the above-noted John Sullard.
Daniel Pineo (* 1715-07-28), supposedly died young⁠^⟮11⟯.
Submit Pineo (1717-10-19 – 1804-02-12)⁠^{⟮12⟯FamilySearch}⁠^{⟮13⟯FamilySearch}, married Silas Newcomb.
Joseph Pineo (1720-06-14 – 1743-01-08), married Hannah Hall.
Peter Pineo (1723-05-04 – c.1810), married Elizabeth Sampson, great-granddaughter of Henry Samson. They were my 6th-great-grandparents. Peter moved to Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, the only child to move up to Canada. He had the nickname Old Chunk due to his dark complexion and large stature. He had 10 children:⁠^⟮14⟯⁠^{⟮15⟯FamilySearch}
- Peter Pineo Jr. (1745-07-30 – 1790-09-14), married Eunice Bentley.
- David Pineo (1747-09-08 – 1843?)⁠^⟮16⟯⁠^⟮17⟯, twin, married Rebecca daughter of Stephen West; these were my 5th-great-grandparents. David died in Machias, Maine. They had 10 children:⁠^{⟮18⟯The first nine listed at https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=loc.ark:/13960/t86h5bv1r&seq=800.}
  - Sarah Pineo (1768-09-03 – 1842-04-23)⁠^⟮19⟯, wife of Henry Gesner; my 4th-great-grandparents.
  - David Sampson Pineo (1770-10-13 – 1838-01-28), married Ann Huntley.
  - Gibbs Pineo (1773-05-12 – 1829-05-12)⁠^{⟮20⟯Find a Grave memorial for Gibbs}, married Charlotte Comstock.
  - Esther Pineo (* 1775-04-12), married Lemuel Borden⁠^{⟮21⟯FamilySearch}.
  - Lavinia Pineo (* 1777-06-02)⁠^{⟮22⟯FamilySearch}, married Benjamin Borden (brother of Lemuel) as his second wife.
  - Elizabeth Pineo (1779-10-17 – 1849-02-11)⁠^{⟮23⟯Find a Grave memorial for Elizabeth}, married Robert Holmes Smith.
  - Jonathan Pineo (1782-05-04 – 1862-04?)⁠^⟮24⟯, never married.
  - Ruby Pineo (1784-07-19 – after 1839)⁠^{⟮25⟯FamilySearch}⁠^{⟮26⟯FamilySearch}, married Daniel Huntley⁠^{⟮27⟯FamilySearch}.
  - Elijah Pineo (1788-07-19 – 1869-08-30)⁠^{⟮28⟯FamilySearch}, married Elizabeth Newcomb⁠^{⟮29⟯FamilySearch}.
  - Rebecca Pineo (1792-06-01 – 1856-01-17)⁠^{⟮30⟯Find a Grave memorial for Rebecca}, married first Barnaby Newcomb⁠^{⟮31⟯FamilySearch}, second his brother John Newcomb.
- Jonathan Pineo (1747-09-08 – 1821-06-10), twin, married first Esther Libby, second Bridget (née Byron) Doty.
- Dan/Daniel Pineo (1750-02-25 – 1843-02-03)⁠^{⟮32⟯Another source says he died on the 6th.}, married first Anna Bentley, second Keziah Cox.
- William Pineo (c.1753 – after 1803), married Phebe Bentley.
- John Pineo (c.1755 – 1835-06-21), married Hannah Loomer.
- Elizabeth Pineo (* c.1757), married Elijah Bewel.
- Marcy Pineo (1763-01-18 – 1815-03), married William Woodworth Jr.
- Ruby Pineo (1765-09-17 – bef 1819), married Oliver Woodworth.
- Mary Pineo (* 1768-05-23), married Matthew Fisher.
Dorothy Pineo (1725-12-06 – 1770), married John Reed.

Death

No death record for James has been found. His will was administered 1727-10-10 in Lebanon, CT, so presumably he died not long before then.