Found in Mother’s will. Have picture of old tombstone and one of big monument

Have copies of letters he wrote to relatives, Very interesting. a.

RootsWeb: PAFAYETT-L [Pafayett-L] MESTREZAT letters, part 1


Have copy of letter written by Albert Gallatin on behalf of the family after Charles drowned

According to a letter signed by Tom Hudson, Charles came to America in 1794 and sold swiss watches in Philadelphia for a short time before moving to Mapletown.
Charles drowned in the Monongahela River on April 1, 1815.
Charles and Louisa came to Greene County, PA in 1795, and were among the earliest settlers. They lived a short time near Carmichaels, in Cumberland Township, then settled in Mapletown and spent the remainder of their lives.

EMIGRATION DOCUMENT OF CHARLES ALEXANDER MESTREZAT, 1794:
We, the magistrates and council of the Republic of Geneva, certify to all whom it may concern that having been requested by Charles Alexander Mestrezat, citizen of Geneva, age twenty-eight years; height five feet six inches; hair and eyebrows, light; face, oval and florid; eyes blue, mouth, medium in size; nose, medium and well shaped; wishing to go to Schaffhausen, passing through Versoie and Berne, do issue him a passport in order that on his trip he may experience neither discomfort nor interference, we beg and sincerely request all those whom it shall concern, and to whom he shall address himself to give him free and safe passage in the places of their control, without causing him, or permitting any difficulty or limitations, but giving him all aid and assistance that they might desire of us for those who would be recommended by them; offering to reciprocate each time that we shall be thus requested.
Given under the seal of the Republic and the signature of our secretary, the twenty-eighth day of August, 1794, in the year of "egalite" and to the said Charles Alexander Mestrezat.

EXCERPT FROM THE FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA GENEALOGICAL AND PERSONAL HISTORY: (Publlished 1912; pages 124 and 125)
"The Mestrezats are a family of distinguished lineage, many of them having been prominent in the civil and religious life of France and Switzerland. The origin of the family is readily traced to Amedee or Ami Mestrezat, who lived at the close of the fifteenth century at Thonon, in France. Some genealogists trace the family to Henri Meytrizat, a citizen of Gex, in 1414, but the authentic record is considered to extend no further than Amedee Mestrezat. He married a daughter of Jean of Fernex, chief magistrate of the city of Geneva. Of their six sons, Leger became, prominent in Switzerland, he having been admitted to citizenship in Geneva in 1524 for the consideration of "Six golden Shiny crowns." From this time down the family have been of exceptional ability, and in every land residents have acquired unusual distinctioin. Volume 1, page 447, of the French genealogical publication, "Notices Genealogiques Suries Families Genevoises" (1829) says: "The Mestrezat family was ancient, very rich and very powerful, and furnished to Geneva several very distinguished magistrates and some illustrious scholars, Leger Mestrezat, the first citizen of Geneva of the family, rendered great service in the war for independence, and his descendants were very eminent in the magistracy for more than two centuries." Jean Mestrezat, born 1592, was a Huguenot minister in Paris, France, locating there soon after his ordination. Of him the historian Rayle says: "His conference with the Roman Catholics, his disputations, his sermons and his books, made him conspicuous as one of the ablest men and ministers of the Reformed church in France." On one occasion he was summoned before the great Cardinal Richelieu, who propounded to him a number of questions trouching his religious faith, practice and customs. His incisive, courageous replies so impressed the Cardinal that, laying his hand on Mestrezat's shoulder, he said: "Behold the boldest minister in France."
Mestrezat's shoulder, he said: "Behold the boldest minister in France."
The founder of the family in the United States was Charles Alexandre Mestrezat, born 1766, who was the
friend and relative of Charles Gallatin, one of the most distinguished foreign citizens of our country, diplomat and statesman, who took up a residence and established glass works in Fayette county. Charles Alexandre was a descendant of the Huguenot divine, Jean Mestrezat, and a son of Rev. Jacob Mestrezat, who was also a minister of note. Under the influence of Albert Gallatin (who was born in Geneva) several families of Geneva, Switzerland, were induced to come to the United States, among them Charles Alexandre Mestrezat, who came in 1795, taking up his residence in Greene county, Pennsylvania, near Mapleton (sic), on the banks of the Monongahela river, nearly opposite the Gallatin mansion in Fayette county. Here he carried on a prosperous business in general merchandise until his death in 1815, by accidental drowning in the Monongahela. He married, in France, Louise Elizabeth Dufresne, but their ten children were all born in the United States Of their sons, Frederick is of further mention; another, Jean Louis Guillaume, was a successful merchant and stock raiser. Among his children was Stephen Lelsie Mestrezat, L.L.D., the noted jurist, who after a successful legal career was elevated to the supreme bench of Pennsylvania in 1899 for a term of twenty-one years.
Frederick, son of Charles Alexandre and Louise Elizabeth (Dufresne) Mestrezat, was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, September 25, 1807. He was educated in the select schools of Mapleton (sic), and during his short life was one of the foremost men in securing good educational advantages for the town in which he resided. He learned the hatter's trade and dealt extensively in furs. He was a faithful Christian and an earnest worker in t he Sunday school and church, although he did not become a member a great while before his death, when he joined the Presbyterian church of Greensboro, where his wife had been a faithful member from her youth. He married, April 4, 1833, Martha, daughter of Lemuel and Sarah (Grove) Hall, natives of Delaware, of Scotch-Irish and German extraction. Children of Frederice Mestrezat: 1. Charles A., enlisted in Company E, Fourteenth Regiment Pennsylvania Cavalry, captured, and died in Richmond, Virginia, March 27, 1864; 2. John, of whom further.
Jean (John) Albert, son of Frederick and Martha Hall Mestrezat, was born at Mapleton, Greene county, Pennsylvania, in 1839. He received a good education, and became a carpenter and car builder, having himself mastered the carpenter trade in his younger years. He remained in Greene county until 1878, when he moved his residence to Connellsville, following his trade in the employ of the H. C. Frick Coke Company. He continued in active business all his life, dying in 1904. He was a member of the Presbyterian church. He married Catherine Barbara Neil, born in Mapleton (sic), Pennsylvania, January 1, 1833, died in Connellsville in 1900; she was of Scotch-Irish ancestry. Children: 1. Frederick, now living in Old Mexico, master mechanic on a Mexican railroad. 2. William, died in infancy. 3. Charles, died in infancy. 4. Aline A., married H. F. Atkinson, of Connellsville. 5. Mary, married Rev. J. I. Humbert, now of Siegal, Jefferson county, Pennsylvania. 6. Martha, died in infancy. 7. John Raymond, of whom further.
John Raymond, youngest child of John Albert and Catherine Barbara Neil Mestrezat, was born in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, May 31, 1884. He was educated in his native city, graduating from the high school, class of 1901. He then entered the employ of the Title & Trust Company, as clerk, continuing until April 1, 1911, having advanced to the position of teller. On the last date mentioned he assumed the position of secretary and treasurer of the Wells Mills Electric Company of Connellsville, having also special charge of the automobile department. He is a Republican in politics, and a thirty-second degree Mason of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Pittsburgh Consistory, and also a noble of the Mystic Shrine, Syria Temple, of Pittsburgh. In religious preference he is a member of the Presbyterian church.

Frederick Mestrezat
Past of the French Church
Hasle Switzerland
Baltimore 20th May 1802
I have not received a letter from any of you, my dear Frederick, since yours dated
Jan. 2nd, 1800, so long a silence makes me uneasy and I do not know what to
attribute it to. I have been in this town for six days which I have passed in buying a
small assortment of all kinds of goods to be sold in the country. The times are not
very propitious; since peace was declared business has been incredibly dull, but I
must do something, or in a few years I shall have no means left to take a part in
any undertaking whatever. It was not easy for me to make up my mind to go in
for this country-store-keeping, which forces me to come here or go to
Philadelphia twice a year, and I am also sometimes obliged to go to New Orleans
to sell my flour, but F? having led me by the nose in the matter of manufactory
and as he now appears determined not to sell it, I had no choice. The four years
and a half during which I pretended to be a farmer have cost me half of what I
had when I left Philadelphia, that is to say 2,500 piastres. I sold my land for what
it cost me, 864 piastres, one half payable next April and the other half a year later;
I should not have obtained 2/3 of this sum ill had asked cash as I paid when I
bought it; land being only worth half of what it was. And the repairs one makes
are never paid for at half their cost, so the thousand piasters or so which I spent
on the house, the barn, the clearing of the ground, etc. were completely lost. I
lost about 300 piastres of what was ? to me when I left Philadelphia. I lost several
animals and my expenses have absorbed the rest. I don't know whether I shall be
more successful in my business, but if I am not, it will be the fault of
circumstances and not mine. I left all my family in good health, and I hope that in
nine or ten days I shall find them the same. If I am to believe the public papers,
one third of the French stocks have been paid for some years past, but I don't
suppose that you have been paid the 600 livres of my life annuity without having
a certificate that I am still living. I rather think there was also an annuity for which
our three signatures were necessary, and if you can get any part of it, write and
tell me how the certificate is to be made out, I suppose it must be witnessed by
the French consul; on my next journey here I might take all the steps necessary if
you think it might be of use in seeking to obtain payment of the annuities which I
gave you at my departure as a slight proof of my gratitude for the generous way
in which you had acted towards me. If none of you write I will apply to Adela and
her cousin Aline in order to get some news of you. How are Jenny, Adela, Henry

and three of whom I have not heard speak? What is our dear sister doing? Is
Mestrezat better? Has he no children but Aline and Domey? Answer this letter as
soon as you have received it and do not leave in a state of anxiety a brother
whom you love and who loves you.
Ch. Ale Mestrezat
(#10)

Rev. Fred Mestrezat
Pastor of the Consistorial Church
Paris, Rue de Provence, Paris
Baltimore, 11th
May 1804
My dear Frederick,
I write you in a hurry, having but a moment to stay in this town where I have just
finished the business which I had ?. It is about two months since I received your
letter dated from Paris, ApriI 1st; I was delighted to hear that you have been
I
invited to take upon yourself the august function of the past which you occupy at
present. I trust your children and their dear mother have joined you and that
none of them have suffered from the change of climate. I have not received the
letters from Zat and from Henrietta of which you advise me in your last letter. I
such fear they will not reach me if they have been sent, and I hardly hope your
will receive this, but at any rate I feel that I must write and tell you that I left all
my family in good health a fortnight ago and I hope to find them the same in less
than a week. You have not told me whether in case I send you my proxy signed by
the consul, it is necessary to add a Certificate of Life. I hope that the return of
peace will render our correspondence easier before long. If it is not possible to
send the letters via England perhaps you will be able to write me by some vessel
sailing from a French Port to America addressing the letter to Smith and Steiner
Merchants at Baltimore.
Goodbye, my dear brother, embrace for me your dear children and their good
mother.
Chs. Alexre. Mestrezat
(#12)

Frederick Mestrezat
Pastor of the Consistorial Church
Place Vendome No. 2
Paris
Baltimore, 20th
May 1805
I wrote you, my dear Frederick, a long letter at the beginning of November last
year. It contained my proxy in due form drawn up by the French Council, I sent
the whole to Jean Bousquet at Bordeaux by a vessel which sailed from here,
reached its destination and had returned here, so that I flatter myself you have
.
received my letter, but I have not received your answer, which I fear has gone
astray. Do not be afraid of writing to me often, my dear friend, I own it is not
agreeable to write long letters when it is so uncertain whether they will be duly
received or not, but, after having sent one, as it give me much please to receive
them, you should send two or three at short intervals, to be a substitute for the
principal; it would only cost you a few moments devoted to giving me succinct
information about each member of your dear family. Our tranquility has been
dispersed by the death of our little Charlotte, she died on her mother's breast in
January last, when she was about 10 months old. We buried her in an ? of our
garden around which we have placed a little fence painted black and white and
we have planted some weeping willows and a white rosebush. My too sensitive
wife goes there every day to weep over these funeral emblems and the caresses
of our other children have hitherto only renewed her regrets. My health is fairly
good now and my business is prospering. lwrite you in haste, being overwhelmed
with work during this short time l can stay here, but I hope to receive a letter
from you one of these days and l will send you in answer a long epistle from my
Hermitage.
Goodbye, my dearest brother, give my love to "Kat" and to our dear Henrietta,
tell them to write to me and send me their addresses. I suppose Kat is still? ? Kiss
your dear wife for me; I picture her to myself with the same childlike face she
used to have and I hope she still keeps it in reality as pretty as it is in my memory.
I have still as much color as I need to have and my eyes are bright enough, but the
loss of two front teeth and nearly bald. head do not make me look young. John is
so like me, that I can always see what I used to be formerly, the education which
he receives, better suited than mine for making men, will preserve him I hope
from the inconveniences of a weak constitution, he will be delighted to receive
news from his cousin, the little ?. With my most heartfelt love to all I am, your
affectionate brother.
C. A. Mestrezat
(#14)

Mr. Frederick Mestrezat
Hambourg, 17th
October 1794
Here we are at Hambourg where we arrived on Thursday, the 9th
inst; we shall
only stay here long enough to make a few purchases, for there are several vessels
ready to set sail for America. We stopped eleven days at Schaffhausen, two days
at Frankfort, five days at CasselI?, a very pretty town though the population is
small; one day at Hanover and probably a week at Hambourg. ? and Solomon
have joined us; they will embark with us and we travelled with ten Savoyards
hired by the Duke of Rochefoucald to cultivate the land which he has bought in
America. l was very well received by all the merchants to whom I was
recommended, I intend to make a little venture on my own account with which I
hope to gain my passage money. I shall not receive any further news from you
before I get to America, but you can write me under the care of Mr. George Henry
? at Hambourg who will send on the letters addressed to me. With my warmest
loveto Adela and her dear mother who I hope will give you another child as
pretty as the first. Goodbye, my dear Frederick, distance shall not lessen my
affection for you.
Cha. Alex Mestrezat
(#3)

Baltimore, November 18, 1802
This city being in Maryland the French consul has not been able to legalize the
enclosed procuration (l suppose he is competent for these things which do not
belong to the cities of a French minister). He has advised me to gain a procuration
here before a notary, whose signature he could acknowledge. The procuration
will be in English, there is no ? of having it different, but l suppose it will be as
valid as in French. Moreover it must be legalized by the French consul and in
order that he give me a life certificate, which l think is necessary, I must prove my
identity which cannot be done without some steps that will take more time than l
can afford, so that I am obliged to put off this business till next spring. I hope to
receive news from you and to know if the way in which I propose to act is good
and sufficient.
The ? address I can give you is C. A. Mestrezat, care Smith and Steiner, Merchants,
Market St., 25*'", Baltimore. You can send the letters under cover of James ? & Co.
Merchants, London. I am ready to ? on horseback and join my dear family. I have
only to kiss you.
Chas. Alex. Mestrezat
l send you at all ? the procuration I have made.
II llllII 1_l

Frederick Mestrezat
Pastor of the Consistorial Church
Place Vendome No. 2
Paris Baltimore, 20th May 1805
I wrote you, my dear Frederick, a long letter at the beginning of November last
year. It contained my proxy in due form drawn up by the French Council, I sent
the whole to Jean Bousquet at Bordeaux by a vessel which sailed from here,
reached its destination and had returned here, so that I flatter myself you have .
received my letter, but I have not received your answer, which I fear has gone
astray. Do not be afraid of writing to me often, my dear friend, I own it is not
agreeable to write long letters when it is so uncertain whether they will be duly
received or not, but, after having sent one, as it give me much please to receive
them, you should send two or three at short intervals, to be a substitute for the
principal; it would only cost you a few moments devoted to giving me succinct
information about each member of your dear family. Our tranquility has been
dispersed by the death of our little Charlotte, she died on her mother's breast in
January last, when she was about 10 months old. We buried her in an ? of our
garden around which we have placed a little fence painted black and white and
we have planted some weeping willows and a white rosebush. My too sensitive
wife goes there every day to weep over these funeral emblems and the caresses
of our other children have hitherto only renewed her regrets. My health is fairly
good now and my business is prospering. lwrite you in haste, being overwhelmed
with work during this short time l can stay here, but I hope to receive a letter
from you one of these days and l will send you in answer a long epistle from my
Hermitage.
Goodbye, my dearest brother, give my love to "Kat" and to our dear Henrietta,
tell them to write to me and send me their addresses. I suppose Kat is still? ? Kiss
your dear wife for me; I picture her to myself with the same childlike face she
used to have and I hope she still keeps it in reality as pretty as it is in my memory.
I have still as much color as I need to have and my eyes are bright enough, but the
loss of two front teeth and nearly bald. head do not make me look young. John is
so like me, that I can always see what I used to be formerly, the education which
he receives, better suited than mine for making men, will preserve him I hope
from the inconveniences of a weak constitution, he will be delighted to receive
news from his cousin, the little ?. With my most heartfelt love to all I am, your
affectionate brother. C. A. Mestrezat (#14)