As time permits, we are updating our files with profiles, sketches or timelines of each ancestor. Some ancestors are easy, while others prove more challenging. Our research usually provides a more complete picture of a person or family and turns names on paper into living, breathing people.  I recently finished a timeline on the Torquet family. Homphroy (Humphrey), Jacques (James) and Paul Torquet were all in Carolina and it is believed they were brothers. As with many of our ancestors, it was difficult to “flesh them out,” but I was able to find some information.

It appears that the Torquet family was probably from Rouen, France. Rouen is located on an inland curve of the River Seine and served as the port of Paris during Medieval times. It was known for its cloth, silk and metallurgy and its fishermen often sailed to the Baltic Sea. The town had numerous printing presses which may have been led to the growth of a large Protestant minority in the area. Estimates indicate that its population during the 17th century was one-quarter to one-third Protestant.

I think Jacques Torquet was probably born c. 1660. It is possible that there are records in the French Archives with more information, but I have not had time to search what is available on-line. The first mention I found of his name in the English records was his denization in England on 8 Mar 1681/2.[1] He was married by 9 Aug 1682 when Judith Motteux, identified as the wife of Jacques Torquet, witnessed the baptism of Timothée Prevost at the French Church of Threadneedle Street in London with Timothée Motteux, whom I believe was her brother.[2]

On 30 Mar 1684 Judith Torquet of Rouen made her témoinage at the Threadneedle Street Church. She and her husband Jacques Torquet baptized their daughter Catterine Francoise there 8 Mar 1685. Witnesses were Jacques Le Sade and Marie Catherine Le Motteux, wife of Gabriel Le Quien.[3]

The three Torquet brothers and James’ wife, Judith Motteux, and (hopefully) their daughter probably sailed for Carolina during the spring, summer or fall of 1685. On 19 Jan 1685/6, Mr. James Torquett bought about 433 acres, known as Clapp’s Plantation, on the eastern side of the Stono River from John Clapp. Both men were identified as merchants of the province. Unfortunately, James Torquet did not enjoy his new home long. He wrote his will 26 Sep 1686, stating he was of Berkeley County on the east side of the Stono River. He left his wife Judith his estate in Carolina and in England for her life, supposing that she would pass what was left to their children, but he did not give names.[4]

The first references to the names of Humphrey and Paul Torquet were not dated until 1695 and 1696.[5] One of them was building a brigantine with “Mr. Marion” for a partnership which included Pierre Girard, Henri Noble and several others in June of 1695. Since both Humphrey and Paul were identified in other documents as shipwrights, it is impossible to identify to whom this refers.[6] Humphrey Torquet bought part of town lot #192 on 22 Feb 1695/6 from Jean Boisseau. He and Paul both signed the Naturalization Petition on 30 Mar 1695/6, about three months before their denization papers were granted in London.[7]

Humphrey Torquet had married by early June 1696 (and may have married much earlier) when he and his wife Sarah sold part of his town lot to Caleb Sudberry for £34. Later that month, Torquet signed a warrant of survey for the ship Kent, stating that it was not fit to travel to England or to be repaired.[8] During the next several years he bought several tracts of land and sold several slaves. One tract of land was Cedar Swamp in Orange Quarter which lay “between the Hagan Bluff and the Bluff in Wistobo Creek.” He received the grant for this 320 acres in 1700.”  In 1701 Mr. Humphrey Torquet registered his mark for cattle and hogs in Berkeley County.[9]

Humphrey Torquet had died by 26 Jan 1703/4 when Humphrey and Sarah Torquet and Peter Mailhet were bound for her administration of her husband’s estate. That same year, Humphrey’s daughters, Marianne, Sarah, Judith and Elizabeth received a grant for 230 acres, probably from a warrant of their father’s.[10] Their uncle Paul Torquet was bound with Peter Mailhet and Marianne Mailhet (widow of Paul Pepin) for the guardianship of Judith Marian Pepin, daughter of Paul Pepin, blacksmith.[11]

In 1710 Paul Torquet, John’s Island, took out a cattle mark and bought land in Colleton County. A year later, he sold two large tracts of land on Cooper River to Anthoine Bonneau II. He wrote his will on 29 Aug 1711 and it was probated on 30 October. He identified himself as a planter of Berkeley County. He left his son Paul 800 acres, part of a tract of 2,040 acres known as Keywaw (Kiawah) Plantation and his daughter Judith Ester 620 acres, part of the same tract. His wife Jane was his sole executor, but his friends Alexander Chastaigner, Peter Villepontoux, Jr. and Isaac Porcher, Jr. were to be his executors if his wife remarried.[12]

There is more information on the descendants of these men in the Carolina records. The surname Torquet “daughtered out,” but the Belin, Hext, Ford, Brown and other families bear witness to these ancestors.

[1] Quarto 18: 155.

[2] Quarto 13: 257. Timothée Motteux of Rouen, France, had received naturalization in Apr 1676/7. Quarto 18: 118.

[3] Quarto 13: 275.

[4] Bates & Leland, Proprietary Records I: 93, 100.

[5] That neither of them received land sooner probably indicates that they were younger than James. The supposition that they were brothers is based upon their surnames and that they all came to Carolina.

[6] Moore, Secretary of the Province 131

[7] Bates & Leland, Proprietary Records II: 187-8 and III: 80 and French Santee 357; Quarto 18: 245.

[8] Moore, Secretary of the Province, 136.

[9] Salley, Warrants 571; SC Historical Magazine 18: 27; Moore, Secretary of the Province 168, 185; Register of the Province 1695-1737: 8.

[10] SC Historical Magazine 18: 31, 114 and Transactions 87: 82.

[11] SC Historical Magazine 12: 151.

[12] Moore, SC Wills I: 45-6.