Individual Details
Baron Jean Du Voussalls
(1543 - Sep 1625)
Jean was born in the beautiful farmland of Normandy in France, just outside of the city of Caen, about twenty miles from the coast. The family owned a large fleet of ships that sailed the known world. About one hundred years before, Jean's ancestor Bertrand had married the heiress Resplandine de Rinac, and his grandfather had inherited her lands, on which their chateau stood.
In 1560, young Baron Jean du Voussall, now an accomplished seventeen year old, told his friends he was going to sea to learn the shipping business. He went instead to England, to the home of his father's old friend, Sir William Russell, in London. Sir William was a member of the neighboring du Rousall family from Normandy, but his branch had been in England several generations. They also owned a large fleet of ships. Later, Jean's father would enter in French records that he had died.
Somehow, the shipping business was gradually transferred to London and the capable young hands of Jean, under the expert tutorage of Sir William. He was soon recognized as an authority on shipping laws and ethics and gave expert witness in many lawsuits. He became a vestryman in Stephney, where he lived, and was a maritime adviser to Queen Elizabeth I.
He was a member of the Virginia Company of London and his name is inserted in its second charter of 23 May 1609 as "John Vassall, Gentleman".
Jean was a member of the powerful Levant Company, a group of successful shipping businesses who banded together for everything from shipbuilding contracts to the opening of shipping routes in the new world. Ships built for this consortium wee the monarchs of the shipping world. Called Levantiers, they were heavily armed and involved in many operations when the powers of the day could not have won battles without them. It is presumed that the name came from the company's ability very early on to travel for trade to Levant, or the eastern Mediterranean which included Israel, Jordan, and Egypt.
French Baron Jean du Voussall was knighted Sir John Vassall by Elizabeth I after he captained two of his own ships at his own expense against the Spanish Armada in 1588. At that time, they started to use the old spelling of the name, Vassalls.
John died in 1625 in Stephney, of the plague, and was buried in the parish church on 13 Sept.
Additional information obtained Apr. 2007:
John Vassall fought with Sir Francis Drake at the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1655. For that effort, John was given the island of Barbados; that is why so many of the early travelers between England, Europe, and the two new world colonies, stopped off at Barbados. Edward Winslow, step father of Resolved, and William Vassall had an ongoing disagreement over opening Massachusetts to the other religious followers of Europe and England. Wm Vassall and brother Samuel both lived in MA after they used their fathers fleet of ships to bring the Puritans to MA (Winthrop Fleet). William Vassall died in Barbados and interestingly, Edward Winslow died at sea near Barbados.
Sir Wm Penn was awarded an area now called Pennsylvania for his later defeat of more Spanish ships near Barbados so you can see that John Vassall and his contributions to the new world were quite profound. He died of the plague in 1625 in London and is buried in a large common grave there. He was a successful and very wealthy businessman who had dealings with Oliver Cromwell, Lords, Dukes, and other wealthy merchants. They then invested in and created the two patents: Massachusetts Bay Company and the Virginia Co., of London and in turn, Jamestown. The Vassals were Loyalists and after the Rev. War lost all of their holdings. (See Tory Row in MA, Longfellows home was an early Vassall home). After emancipation, all of the Vassall holdings were also lost on Barbados.
In 1560, young Baron Jean du Voussall, now an accomplished seventeen year old, told his friends he was going to sea to learn the shipping business. He went instead to England, to the home of his father's old friend, Sir William Russell, in London. Sir William was a member of the neighboring du Rousall family from Normandy, but his branch had been in England several generations. They also owned a large fleet of ships. Later, Jean's father would enter in French records that he had died.
Somehow, the shipping business was gradually transferred to London and the capable young hands of Jean, under the expert tutorage of Sir William. He was soon recognized as an authority on shipping laws and ethics and gave expert witness in many lawsuits. He became a vestryman in Stephney, where he lived, and was a maritime adviser to Queen Elizabeth I.
He was a member of the Virginia Company of London and his name is inserted in its second charter of 23 May 1609 as "John Vassall, Gentleman".
Jean was a member of the powerful Levant Company, a group of successful shipping businesses who banded together for everything from shipbuilding contracts to the opening of shipping routes in the new world. Ships built for this consortium wee the monarchs of the shipping world. Called Levantiers, they were heavily armed and involved in many operations when the powers of the day could not have won battles without them. It is presumed that the name came from the company's ability very early on to travel for trade to Levant, or the eastern Mediterranean which included Israel, Jordan, and Egypt.
French Baron Jean du Voussall was knighted Sir John Vassall by Elizabeth I after he captained two of his own ships at his own expense against the Spanish Armada in 1588. At that time, they started to use the old spelling of the name, Vassalls.
John died in 1625 in Stephney, of the plague, and was buried in the parish church on 13 Sept.
Additional information obtained Apr. 2007:
John Vassall fought with Sir Francis Drake at the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1655. For that effort, John was given the island of Barbados; that is why so many of the early travelers between England, Europe, and the two new world colonies, stopped off at Barbados. Edward Winslow, step father of Resolved, and William Vassall had an ongoing disagreement over opening Massachusetts to the other religious followers of Europe and England. Wm Vassall and brother Samuel both lived in MA after they used their fathers fleet of ships to bring the Puritans to MA (Winthrop Fleet). William Vassall died in Barbados and interestingly, Edward Winslow died at sea near Barbados.
Sir Wm Penn was awarded an area now called Pennsylvania for his later defeat of more Spanish ships near Barbados so you can see that John Vassall and his contributions to the new world were quite profound. He died of the plague in 1625 in London and is buried in a large common grave there. He was a successful and very wealthy businessman who had dealings with Oliver Cromwell, Lords, Dukes, and other wealthy merchants. They then invested in and created the two patents: Massachusetts Bay Company and the Virginia Co., of London and in turn, Jamestown. The Vassals were Loyalists and after the Rev. War lost all of their holdings. (See Tory Row in MA, Longfellows home was an early Vassall home). After emancipation, all of the Vassall holdings were also lost on Barbados.
Events
| Birth | 1543 | Caen, Normandy, France | |||
| Marriage | 25 Sep 1569 | St. Dunstan church, England - Ann Hewes | |||
| Marriage | 4 Sep 1580 | St. Dunstan church, England - Anna Russell | |||
| Marriage | 27 Mar 1594 | Judith Borough | |||
| Death | Sep 1625 | near London - Stephney, England | |||
| Alt name | Sir John Vassall | ||||
| Burial | St. Dunstan church, England |
Families
| Spouse | Anna Russell (1560 - 1593) |
| Child | Judith Vassalls (1582 - ) |
| Child | Jean Vassalls (1584 - 1585) |
| Child | Samuel Vassalls (1586 - 1667) |
| Child | Jean Vassalls (1589 - 1591) |
| Child | William Vassalls (1592 - 1665) |
| Spouse | Ann Hewes ( - 1579) |
| Spouse | Judith Borough ( - 1639) |
| Child | Stephen Vassalls (1596 - 1643) |
| Child | Rachael Vassalls ( - ) |
| Child | Mary Vassalls ( - ) |
| Child | Thomas Vassalls (1602 - ) |
| Child | Anna Vassalls (1605 - 1640) |
| Child | Elizabeth Vassalls (1607 - ) |