Notes
Note N703
Index
From the Boston Transcript.."The Casteel family of Prince George and Garrett counties, Maryland and of Preston county, West Virginia, had as its founder the Huguenot Nobleman, Capt. Edmond du Chastel de Blangerval, member of a distinguished Flemish family, who arrived in Philadelphia soon after the founding of the city in the year 1682 and took the Oath of Allegiance to the Proprietor, William Penn, on September 10, 1683 (four sources cited).
"On September 22, 1701, Capt. Edmond du Chastel was appointed administrator cum testamento annexo of the Nucupative Will (one made by word of mouth before witnesses, by a dying person, usually a soldier or mariner and afterward reduced to writing by the witnesses) of George Lloyd, late of the Island of Barbados "practiconer in Physick, deced." dated 17b September 1701 and proved 22 September 1701 (two sources cited).
"In this will, Capt. du Chastel is designated with Henry Charlott, as the "Good Friends" of the testator charged with arranging for his burial. (It is probable that Dr./ George Lloyd had served as ship's surgeon to Capt. du Chastel because even at that time, the priviledges of making a valid nuncupative will was limited to those in military or naval service.)
"Affixed to this will at the place where the testator's signature would normally appear, is the heraldic seal of Capt. Edmund du Chastel unaccompanied by any signature; the will being signed only by the witnesses, whose signatures appear in their urual position at the left-hand side of the document. This seal, on red wax, shows in perfect detail the arms. (Illustration appears here)." Several paragraphs concentrating on the seal follow.
"The genealogy of the Counts de Chastel de Blangerval, which follows, has been taken from the works of de la Chenaye-Desbois and Louis-Pierre d'Hozier.
"The du Chastel, du Cahatel, or van den Casteel family of Flanders, had as its founder Gilles Du Chastel, consciller to Louis, Count of Flanders, and then to his son-in-law, Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. Gilles died 1403 (source cited) in which he is called "Gilles Van den Casteele"; and was the grandfather of Antoine de Chastel (source cited), exprivetier to Philip the Handsome, Archduke of Austria, in 1490, who married Beatrix de Gavarelle, Dame de Marcouville, who the nurse of Francis of Austria, elder brother of Philip, called "the Handsome".
"Their children: Jean du Chastel, who married Catherine Van den Brand, of whom: Jacques du Chastel, Chevaller, Segneau de Blangerval, Marconelles, etc. He was employed on various embassie, Gentlemen of the Household of the Holy Emperor Charles V and to Philip II, Grand-Baille and Chatelin of Lille; died in 1574, having married Jeanne de Bois de Fiennes, Dame of Bourse and la Vacquerie, through whom the Seigneurie of Blangerval came to the du Chastel family on the death of ___ de Boise de Fennes, her brother; she died in 1599 and was the mother of Phillipe du Chastel, Seigneur de Blangerval, la Bourse, Marconville, Noyelles, and Rollegham; created Chevalier in 1563, member of the Council of War, Gentlemen of the Household of his Catholic Majesty in 1574, Captain of one of the Emperor's five Companies in Ordinary; Governor of the Castle of Lille; Governor and Grand Baille of the City, Catle, and Chatellenie of Oudenarde; married 21 December 1569, Marie de la Salle, Dame de Terramesnil and Beaurain, daughter of the Noble Homme, Pierre de la Salle and of Nicold Turpin; and left his wife, who died in 1626, the high and powerful Seigneur.
"Maximillen du Chastel, Chevalier, Seigneur de Blangerval, Rolleghem, la Bourse, Noyelles, etc., created Chevalier in 1615; Colonel of Infantry in 1621, Gentlemen de le Bouche to the Archduke of Austria, died while Governor and Grand-Baille of the City, Castle, and Chatellenie of Oudenarde. He married 11 October 1608 Suzanne d"Andrea, Dame de Petrieu, daughter of Don Jeronimo d"Andrea, Sieur de Wenhem, and had the noble and illustrious Seigneur Jerome-Phillipe du Chastel, Comte de Blangerval, Seigneur de Rillegham, Marcanville, etc., Hereditary Governor and Grand-Baille of the Chalellenie of Ourdenarde, Colonel of the Regiment of Wollcon Infantry, and member of the Council of War, in whose favor the Seigneurie of Blangerval was erected into a County by Letters-Patent, in the year 1664. He married first, Louise de Bellefourriere, who died without issue in 1666. He married second, 18 March 1673, Marie Anne Michelle de Gand, daughter of Noble and Illustrious Seigneur Jacques de Gand, Marquis d'Hem, and Michelle de Varnes. Jerome-Phillipe de Chastel, who made his will 25 September 1692 had by his second wife (1) Guillebart-Francois-Joseph de Chastel, who follows (2) Alberic-Adrien-Francois-Joseph du Chstel, reported after his brother."
"To return now to Capt. Edmond du Chastel de Blangerval, whose parentage has not yet been discovered, although the information given above sufficiently identifies the particular du Chastel family to which he belongs.
"It appears that on 1 May 1693, he married Christian Bonde or Boon, also of Philadelphia (source cited), who was the sister of Abraham Bonde (source cited), Wenetie Bond, wife of Jeremia Collette (source cited). The early Philadelphia and Delaware County records contain frequent references to the Bonde family, now called Boon. This family was founded by Anders Svenson Bonde, who came from Sweden with Minuit or Hollander (sources cited).
"In the year 1693, the tax lists for Philadelphia County, "Ambros Swanson Boon" who had "three sons of age" living at home, was assessed 350 lb. and possessed 750 acres of land. Christian Bonde was probably his granddaughter as she is not mentioned in his will dated 18 April 1694, proved 1 June 1696 (source cited) which names wife Annika; sons Swan, Peter, Hance, Neeles, Andreasa, Wolla and Ambros, Jr.; and three daughters....
"The du Chastel home in Philadelphia was located on Front Street at Morris Alley, (now called Galzmer Street) adjoining the house of the first Anthony Morris, in what was then a fashionable district of the city (sources cited). From the inventories of the estates of the Capt. and his widow, it appears that their residence was a comfortable two story dwellig, with a room for the servants on the second floor. In size and style it probably resembled the Morris Mansion described by Dr. Moon, as the 1695 assessment for the two neighbors was the same, 800 lb (source cited). As judged by the assessments of that year, "there were but four Colonists possessing greater wealth than Capt. Du Chastel and Anthony Morris."
"At the close of the 17th Century, the Port of Philadelphia was a veritable haven for the pirates who preyed upon the Spanish and French shipping in time of war,under Letters of Marque; and in time of peace upon any ship they dared board. It was the practice of wealthy Philadelphians to outfit ships with arms, rum and supplies, and sent them to the pirates of Madagascar, who could offer in exchange the cargoes taken from India merchantmen. So great was the complaint of the Colonial shippers that the Admiralty sent Capt. Thomas Robinson, from England with a Commission to put anend to piracy in Philadelphia.
"The report of the commissioner to his superior, the Earl of Romney, describes his visit to Philadelphia on the 16th of June 1697, and complains of his lack of success in that there were warrents out for the apprehending of Charles Goss, Edmund Du Castell, George Thompson, Adam Birth and James Miller, known privateers and Pyrates, not withstanding which they were publickly and dayly seen up and down the streets of Philadelphia without any notice taken of them (sources cited).
" 'The pyrates were much alarmed at that time,' wrote Matthew Vanderheyenson on July 13, 1697, 'being as I was tould occasion'd by Capt. Thos. Robinson his coming up there with some commission to call them to acco't...' (source cited).
"Apparently Capt du Chastel continued his carreer as "Merchant and Privateerman or Pyrate", as the Commission called him, with honor and profit; because during Queen Anne's War, he was given command of the sloop "RESOLUTION"under Letters of Marque. Whereas Her Majesty on the 4 May 1702 declared war against the Kings of France and Spain and Whereas Capt. George Roach, John Van Lower, and the Hurst Murchants hath equipped the sloope "Resolution" for a private Man-of-War, Capt. Edmund du Castell is commissioned COMMANDER (sources cited)."