Intrigued by family research compiled for my wife Carole Brunet (Abigail Nims) we attended our first Nims family reunion in Deerfield in 2014. Both Carole and I were enchanted by her family history both at Oka, and - through Abigail to Godfrey – in New England and Europe. Shortly after our Deerfield visit, we were able to locate and visit the Nims-Rising (Raizenne) 1721 homestead in Oka. I was hooked. I love solving problems and for the last year I’ve been using my avid interest in history and my professional skills to try to “find Godfrey”. I have much more research to do, but I do have some progress to report.

I’ve based my research on the following assumptions: (1) his name was Godfrey Nims or Godefroy de Nismes or similar; (2) he himself was the immigrant; (3) he was a Huguenot; (4) he was about 17 years of age in 1667; and (5) he was in Massachusetts by 1667.  Based on these, one would logically surmise that he migrated from Europe to America sometime between 1650 and 1667, or more realistically, between 1655 and 1665, allowing for a “reality” buffer.

So, what do we know about 17th century New England and 17th century Europe to help set the stage for further investigation?

17th Century New England

As I researched New England society from the Mayflower to the late century, I learned that the entire century was filled with European interest in, and migrations to the New World. I was surprised to learn that the “Plymouth Rock” Pilgrims were by no means the first settlers to the Americas as there were several fledgling communities all along the North American coast from Florida to Newfoundland. By mid-century, New England had communities of Pilgrims, Puritans, Huguenots and other religious refugees. New England had become a safe haven in which to find refuge. The populations were not large: the “Massachusetts” area estimated to have some 10,000 people by mid-century. Whatever the number, it is countably finite.

Surprisingly, records of ships and captains, dates of travel and passenger lists are available, as I discovered, especially with French migrations to New France. In Massachusetts there is record of two communities of particular interest: Jacques Papin’s settlement in Boston Bay in 1661, and Dr. Jean Teuton’s colony of 1662. Both of these individuals were Huguenots and both came from La Rochelle, France. Key to remember: Massachusetts at the time had several small but growing, religiously diverse communities, thirsty for manpower, of which at least two were Huguenot settlements that originated from La Rochelle, France.

17th Century Europe

It would be unfair to try to summarize 17th century European history in one paragraph, but suffice to say that Europe was bustling with incredible activity and social unrest, much based on religious differences between people and their political manifestation. This “turmoil” spilled over into the unspoiled richness of the early New World.  In short, exploration, immigration, industry, trade, political and economic competition, and ultimately conflict existed wherever Europeans set foot in North America. The key instigators were England, France, Spain and Holland. I had to focus, so I chose France - both because of Godfrey’s name and the family lore, and because of the strong suspicions of a Huguenot connection. Luckily both New France and New England are rich with French and French Huguenot involvement. Key to remember: French Huguenots were amongst the earliest immigrants to America fleeing persecution in France - in an era of tremendous tension between France and England. An English sanctuary, in America, for a French Huguenot made perfect sense. But, anyone helping make this happen would get noticed. 

17th Century France

The century proves to be a rich tapestry of activity - France was a colonial trading power in the midst of expansion. It’s important to recognize that from around 1650 onwards, with the Edict of Nantes coming to an end (the Edict, signed in 1598, gave Huguenots specific civil and religious freedoms) the Huguenots were having an increasingly difficult time. Interestingly, I ran across the story of a Huguenot orphan – Pierre Coutelle – who at age 12 was taken in by the Bishop of Nimes (Evesque de Nimes) in 1650 and baptised Catholic. He was subsequently freed by a Huguenot mob only to disappear from history. Did he change his name? Did he migrate to America? A future article perhaps. 

The mid-century for French Huguenots reminds me of Germany in the 1930’s for the Jews and other minorities: a gradual and steady erosion of rights leading to greater terrors. We do know that both La Rochelle and Nimes were Huguenot strongholds, and that by 1661 mass migration of Huguenots from La Rochelle - to anywhere - were starting. 

The Curious Case of Henry Brunet (1662) 

Researching these migrations, I came across the curious case of a “captain Brunet” who was fined heavily in 1662 for having “…transported 36 young men to America with the English…as servants and the like…” the year before. This is both unusual and noteworthy. It’s also right in the middle of my target timeframe. On further investigation, this “Captain” turns out to be none other than Henry Brunet, a relatively prolific La Rochelle trader who worked North America from Virginia to Newfoundland from the 1650’s to his death in 1686. Brunet himself was a Huguenot who settled in Boston in 1674 and his brother-in-law was “Georges” Papin! You make the links.  Key to remember: Henry Brunet, a Huguenot trader from La Rochelle, with likely personal ties to Boston was convicted of “transporting 36 young men to America in 1661”!  

Research Directions

I have a strong hunch that Godefroy de Nismes was one of Henry Brunet’s “36 young men”. He would have been around 11 years of age (Pierre Coutelle was 12 when he was written into history). Evidence to support this theory might well be found in the records of the early Huguenot communities in Massachusetts, specifically Papin’s Boston Bay settlement, or in the merchant or court records of Henry Brunet circa 1661, in France. I will be looking there next ...