Black Dutch

Black Dutch: Boutellier - Lewis
Descendants of Catherine Elizabeth Boutellier (1770 - 1847) and Henry Lewis (1760 - 1849)

Our Boutellier-Lewis family is what is known as a "Black Dutch" family. The "Dutch" part has nothing to do with Holland, by the way, it's just the way the English said and interpreted "Deutsch" which means they spoke German. The principality (independent) of Montbeliard FR / Mompelgard DE moved back and forth between France and Germany a few times (it's on the border), though it considered itself independent, and the inhabitants spoke German "Deutsch" and were Protestants, the French (France) at one time tried to impose Roman Catholicism on them, and likely also forced them to take French names ... so that's likely why their names are French but they spoke German when they arrived in North America, hence "Dutch", They fled their homeland because of religious persecution by Roman Catholic France, the British Crown which was Protestant at the time, helped them escape and brought them to safety near Halifax, where they settled at first in the Mi'kma'kik district of Sipeknekatik, Kji panupek aka St Margarets Bay.

"Black Dutch" is a term used for mixed people (People of Color, inclusive of African and Native American, European and "mixed") whose European ancestors had spoken German, like our Boutellier / Boutilier ancestors had.

Our ancestor Henry Lewis of Virginia was one of what today are known by some as "Black Loyalists", he fought with Charles Cornwallis' army of Free People of Color (inclusive of Africans, Native American allies, East and West Asians, and Mustee, Mulatto and others of mixed ethnicity), and newly freed and runaway slaves, considered Loyalists by the English Crown. His life partner was a woman of European ancestry, whose ancestors had spoken German - Deutsch, hence she would have been called "Dutch" by many North American anglophones.

Because we were people who did not discriminate against others when it came to choosing a life partner, at one time we would have been known as the "Black Dutch" by the Englishmen of Nova Scotia and Canada.

"Black Dutch" is a term pretty much like "Melungeon" for mixed-race people, at first outsiders use it against others in a derogatory fashion, but then the people themselves decide to use it for themselves, not as an element of shame, but as one of pride in their people (ancestors) and their community which historically has been tolerant of and welcoming to and inclusive of different others.

-- 29 May 2018 Red Knot

George Morley 1762 Boston

The George Morley mentioned below in the minutes is likely the grandson of George Morley I born 1682, that is, he is George Morley III b c 1725 d c 1766, whose father George Morley II b c 1705 d c 1757 appears on the 1753 census North Side (where the "Indians" were) Trinity Bay with wife and eight children (five sons and three daughters) and along with his brother Charles born c 1707 who appears to have disappeared from records soon after the census. Charles Morley may have died, along with his wife Mary Hurd, in one of several waves of smallpox epidemics that swept Trinity Bay around that time. There were apparently many Morley family deaths occuring there shortly before and during the nearby expulsion of the Acadians known as "The Great Upheaval", and many of those identified by the colonial government as Acadians who were expelled had been relocated to Boston as well as the 93 people from Trinity Bay, Newfoundland. It's worth noting that the Morleys and others fished in summers, but moved inland during the winter months and in the traditional way of Indigenous peoples, hunted Caribou to survive. They are asking here for help in returning in late October which would give them just enough time to move to set up their winter camp, or to join one already established, before the deep snows arrived.

Selectmen's Minutes, City Document No. 147, Vol. 19, (Boston) 1762.

[97] At a Meeting of the Selectmen, October 21, 1762.-:
Present Thomas Cushing Esq.
John Scollay Esq.
Benjamin Austin Esq.
Samuel Sewall Esq.
Mr. Sam P. Savage.
Ezekiel Lewis Esq.

The Honourable Thomas Hubbard & Thomas Hancock Esq. be a Committee from the Honble. His Majesty's Council. Represented, that Mr. George Morley and a great number of other Persons, lately come into this place from Newfoundland, had apply'd to the Governor and Council to help them, to a passage for themselves and Familys to Newfoundland being very desirous of returning there again the Committee therefore desired that the Select men would make enquiry into the Circumstances of those People, and Report the same as soon as may be.

The Selectmen accordingly made enquiry into this matter and having examined the said George Morley and others, find that there is about Nineteen Familys of the Newfoundlanders making in all Ninety three Souls; that they are in [98] Necessitous Circumstances, and not able to procure Employs that will support them, and consequently must be a great charge to the Province unless the Assistance they require should be afforded them - whereupon.

Voted, that a Memorial be drawn up and preferred to His Excellency Governor Bernard & the Honble. His Majestys Councill, respecting the Newfoundland Familys which was accordingly done, and is as follows - Viz:

Province of the Massachusetts Bay.

To His Excellency Francis Bernard Esq. Capt. General and Commander in Chief, in and over said Province, and to the Honourable His Majestys Council.

The Memorial of the Subscribers, Selectmen of the Town of Boston.

Humbly sheweth:

That the Honourable Thomas Hubbard Esq. and Thomas Hancock Esq. a Committee from the Honourable Board have desired your Memorialists to enquire into the Circumstances of George Morley [99]. And others, who lately came from Newfoundland Your Memorialists have accordingly made the enquiry and find they are truly necessitous Persons, and as they cannot meet with employ here are desirous to return but are not able to pay the passage of themselves and Familys, they therefore request some Assistance, which Assistance if not afforded them and they continue here during the Winter, great charge will thereby accrue to the Province; all which is humbly submitted to your Excellency and Honours wise consideration.

Signed by the six Selectmen above and also by Samuels Hews.

Boston October 25, 1762.
His Excellency Francis Bernard Esq.
At a Meeting of the Selectmen, October 25, 1762, PM.
Present (as above but excluding John Scollay).
[102]. Memo. of the Familys now in this Town who came from ye Land, with their Circumstances as taken from George Morley, the twenty second of this Inst. October.

George Morley, his wife & five children, not able to pay their passage to the Land.
Henry Radford, his wife & 6 children.
Walter Degrave, and sister.
Morgan Murphey, wife and 3 children.
James Winter, wife, father & Mother and a child.
John Marshall, his father & mother & 2 children.
James Clark, his wife & 8 children.
Joseph Pottells, his wife and 7 children.
Mary Greenlace, and four children.
James Howell, wife and 7 children (very poor).
Mary Worth, and two children (very poor).
William Pulling, and Wife.
William Stone, his wife and one child, not able to pay their passage to the Land.
Patrick Connell, and Wife.
Edward Freeman, and 3 children.
Joseph Newell, his wife and a child.
Andrew Murphey, and wife.
George Wood, his wife and 2 children.
William Whiting, his wife and 4 children.

Source

Links
More about the Acadians in Massachusetts
Commonwealth Museum - Le Grande Derangement: The Acadian Exile in Massachusetts 1755-1766

by L A Childress, 9 Mar 2018 updated and corrected, link added