156. Mark Anthony Bessellieu II & 157. Martha Chiche [SC]
~1720 Mark born s/o 312. Mark Anthony Bessellieu I.
~1725 Martha born d/o 314. Philip Chiche and 315. Jeanne ?.
10/8/1745 in Charleston, “Then was married Mark Anthony Besseliau & Martha Chichet [per] Lic.” (S) Reg. of St. Phillip’s Parish of Charles Town, Salley, 1971, P182.
1/19/1747, “Whereas it is not well known that I keep a school in the Day, This is to give notice that I teach French, English, Writing, and Arithmetic from the Hour of 9 to half an Hour after 11 in the Forenoon and from half an Hour after 1 to 4 in the afternoon at the house wherein Dr. Case lately lived in Broad Street. Whoever sends their children there may depend on their being carefully instructed by their most humbe servant, Mark Anthony Besselleu. N. B. I continue to keep my French and English Evening School from the hours of 6 to 9 at said house where sundry goods are to be sold at reasonable prices. (S) SC Gazette Advertisement.
8/14/1747, Mark was naturalized in SC. (S) Publications of the Huguenot Society of London, V24.
11/16/1747, an advertisement listed for sale “cambricks, lawns fans, necklaces, ribbons, calicoes, cotton gowns, knee buckles, salt petre, hats, caps, sealing wax, and sundry other things-resonable at their house near to Messrs. Smith and Palmer in Broad Street. /s/ Martha and Mark Anthony Besseleu.” This additional notice followed: “At the same house French and English Day School continues to be kept as usual, where sewing is also taught in the neatest manner by Martha Besseleu.” (S) The Huguenots of Colonial SC, by Hirsch, 1928, P158.
12/6/1748, Mark was admitted as the 161st member of the SC Society. (S) Rules of the SC Society Established in Charestown. Society Publication of 3/30/1937, P108.
4/7/1765 Mark was buried in Charleston. (S) St. Phillips Reg. (1754-1810), by Smith & Huger, 1927, P309.
8/13/1765, “Martha Besselleu of Charleston, widow, one of the daughters of Jeanne Chiche, late of Charleston, Deceased, relinquished her one-third of her mother’s estate to James Henderson, son-in-law of Jeanne Chiche, as he had taken care of Jeanne for the past several years. The estate consisted chiefly of two negro slaves named George and Jack, the children of a negro slave named Hannah, which slaves had been given the deceased by Martha Marthant, widow.” Recorded 6/5/1769. (S) Charleston Co. Probate Court, V91-A, PP114-5.
1/19/1784, Martha left money in the codicil to the will of her sister Joannah.
Family notes:
• The French and English Day School of Martha and Mark Anthony Bessellieu is mentioned in Woman’s Life and Work in the Southern Colonies by Julia Spruill, 1938, Univ. of NC Press.
Children of Mark and Martha:
i. Mark Anthony Bessellieu III, born 9/7/1746 in Charleston.
(S) Reg. of St. Phillip’s Parish of Charles Town, Salley, 1971, P92.
7/10/1747 Mark, “a child” was buried. (S) Reg. of St. Phillip’s Parish of Charles Town, Salley, 1971, P206.
ii. Mary Bessellieu, born, ~1747 in Charleston.
12/24/1768, “John White and Mary Besselleu, spinster, were married per Lic by the Rev. Mr. Hart. (S) St. Phillips Reg. (1754-1810), by Smith & Salley, 1927, P191.
8/27/1769, Mary was buried [probably dying in childbirth]. (S) St. Phillips Reg., 1754–1810, P191.
iii. Philip Anthony Bessellieu ( 78), born 3/31/1748 in Charleston.
iv. Susanna Bessellieu, born, 5/1751 in Charleston.
8/21/1783, Susannah left a bed in the will of her aunt Joannah Cheche Riley315i.
12/31/1795, “John Gissendanner and Susannah Bessileau spinster were married per Lic by the Rev’d Thomas Frost.” (S) St. Phillips Reg. (1754-1810), by Smith & Huger, 1927, P259.
1/13/1798, Susannah and nephew Charles involved in the purchase/sale of a slave. (S) SCDA&H, Misc. LLL, P173.
6/8/1799 John was buried in the French Churchyard.
1806, Sussannah Gissendanner, widow, 24 Beaufain St. (S) Charleston City Dir.
1810, (S) 1810 Census, SC, Charleston Dist. Sus Gisendanner, 1 son, 1 other female.
1820, (S) 1820 Census, SC, Charleston Dist. Susannah Gisendenner, many female persons living with her.
1825, Susannah is a nurse living at 36 Beaufain St. (S) Charleston City Dir.
1829, S. Gissendanner, Nurse, 36 Beaufain St. (S) Charleston City Dir.
1829, Susannah died, age 77 years and 8 months. (S) Bessellieu Family Bible.
v. Lewis Bessellieu, born, ~1753 in Charleston.
8/27/1775, Louis Besselleu married Susannah Wood. (S) Annals and Parish Reg., St. Thomas & St. Denis, by Clute, 1884, P26 & P44.
3/20/1778, Lewis Besseleu appointed guardian of Rachel Wood, infant. (S) Charleston Misc. Records, RR, P466.
8/21/1783, Lewis left money in the will of his aunt Joannah Cheche Riley315i.
1785, Lewis owned half of a 220 acre tract, “property of the heirs of Robert Wood”.
5/22/1786, “Died in this city after a long illness Mrs. Susannah Besselleau, wife of Mr. Lewis Besselleau.” (S) SC Hist. & Gen. Mag., V51, P27 & V20, P143.
11/2/1786, “Indenture” of Lewis concerns lease from Lewis to Andre Michaux of a plantation in the Parish of St. James, Goose Creek, 111 acres. (S) Mesne Conveyance Office, Charleston, Bk-Y5, P131.
11/3/1786 Lewis sold his half of the 220 acre tract to Andre Michaux, the celebrated botanist sent by the King of France to SC.
8/19/1790, “Lewis Bessileu and Elizabeth Young, spinster, were married per Lic by theRev’s Thomas Frost.” (S) St. Phillips Reg. (1754-1810), by Smith & Huger, 1927, P248.
1790, (S) 1790 Census, SC, Charleston Dist., St. Phillips & St. Michaels Parish. Lewis “Bazeleau” [Same spelling as his brother, living in the same parish. There is also a Lewis “” in who could be a son.]
1790, Lewis, a planter, lives at 28 Beaufain St. (S) Charleston City Directory.
11/4/1792, Lewis to son John: “for the love and affection which he hath and bearth toward his beloved son John Besseleau”, to whom he conveys one half of a lot on the north side of Beaufain St., also a negro fellow named Simon and a negro wench named Chloe. (S) Mesne Conveyance Office, Charleston, Bk-F6, P447.
11/24/1792, Lewis registered a deed of gift. A “negroe wench” named Affee and one half a lot on Beaufain St in trust for the separateuse, benefit and behoof of Elizabeth Besselleau his wife. (S) Mesne Conveyance Office, Charleston, Bk-F6, P449.
Lewis died bef. 1810.
(S) 1810 Census, SC, Charleston Dist. Elizabeth Besseleau; 2m:10-16, 1f:16-26, 1f>45. This indicates Elizabeth was born bef. 1765.
Children of Susannah:
John Lewis Besselue [Jr], born ~1776 in SC.
(S) 1790 Census, SC, Charleston Dist., St. Bartholomew Parish: 111.
1806 & 1807, Lewis in the Charleston Directory. He is listed as a cabinet maker at No. 29 Beaufain St.
11/2/1827, letters of estate administration are given to Elizabeth Besselleu, widow of John Lewis Besselleu, “coach-maker”.
(S) Charleston Furniture, 1700–1825, Publ. 1997, P72.
John Bessellieu, born 1776-1786.
11/4/1792, John received property from his father. (S) See Lewis.
Children of Elizabeth:
Benjamin Lewis Bessellieu, baptized 7/4/1798 in Charleston. (S) St. Phillips Reg. (1754-1810), by Smith & Huger, 1927, P17.
Mary Johanna Bessellieu, baptized 10/12/1801. (S) St. Phillips Reg. (1754-1810), by Smith & Huger, 1927, P27.
