History of the Pauly, Rockwell, Cleveland, Boncquet, and related Families

Here are recorded the facts, stories, and legends of our ancestors. These records are unavoidably incomplete, and we invite those who can add to them to contact the Site Admin. There is a contact link at the bottom of every page.

Our understanding of the disciplines of family history and genealogy is growing along with this website. In consequence the style and level of documentation is uneven. If you find a lapse please let us know and we'll do our best to address it.

The Pauly Family In America

The Pauly family's origins are in Luxembourg. John Pauly immigrated from Luxembourg with his father and brothers and sisters on the ship Sylvanus Jenkins in July, 1845. The ship traveled from Antwerp, Belgium to New York and the family soon settled in the Chicago, Illinois area. John Pauly's wife, Anna Maria Caster, and her family immigrated in the early 1850's to the Midwest US. John and Anna married in Chicago, IL in 1851 and subsequently staked a claim as pioneers south of Chanhassen, MN, on the shore of Lake Susan. Anna Maria was unable to bear children because of her health, and the couple adopted Gustave John Pauly between 1860 and 1865. Gustave John's birth family is not known.

Gustave John's wife Amelia Young is descended from French Canadians with many roots to the 17th century immigrant French soldiers and filles du roi. The name "Young" was assumed by her parents, Charles Lajeunesse and Marguerite Gibeau, when they moved from Montreal to Connecticut about 1849.

The Rockwell Family In America

The immigrant Robert Rockwell or Rockhold was a radical Protestant gunsmith, probably of English origin. Robert and his family, along with others, followed Puritan Richard Bennett to the Chesapeake shores of Virginia from his sanctuary in the Netherlands about 1635. Finding themselves unwelcome in Virginia some of this group migrated in 1649 up the Chesapeake to Maryland as the first European settlers of Anne Arundel County. Robert's role in the 1655 Battle of the Severn, the last battle of the English Civil War and the first land battle between Europeans in North America, is unknown. His side, the Protestants, won the battle and controlled Maryland for several years before peacefully ceding control back to the English Proprietor, Lord Baltimore, in an agreement that promised amnesty, religious freedom, and lifting a requirement for a loyalty oath that had sparked the battle.

The early Maryland families, after the first generation, used the form "Rockhold" most frequently. Some branches of the family, starting in the 18th century, returned to "Rockwell". Many other forms are encountered as well. Sometimes this variation is encapsulated as "Rock*" in this genealogy.

According to DNA analysis the root of the Rock* family is unrelated to the New England Rockwells.

Our Rockwell ancestors were colonial Puritans, as discussed above, as well as colonial Dutch and 18th century German immigrants.

The Cleveland Family In America

Moses Cleveland immigrated to New England in 1635. He married Ann Winn in 1648 in Woburn, Massachusetts. Moses and Ann had 5 daughters and 7 sons, and their descendants include many prominent Americans including a president, military men in every war from the pre-revolutionary Indian wars, and a founder of Cleveland, Ohio. Our Ohio branch of Clevelands, descended from the Edward (son of Moses) line, was established in Norwalk, OH by Edward Cleveland in 1832. His great-grandson Delbert Alanson Cleveland (1866-1939) bought the center of Elyria, OH, sold prior to the Depression, and retired to Texas.

The Boncquet Family In America

Julia Maria Boncquet immigrated through Ellis Island in 1907 with her parents and many of her siblings. This family had deep roots in Flemish Belgium, in the area of Zonnebeke east of Ieper. Julia's maternal uncle Isidore Pyck had settled in Minnesota and the family moved there. Soon her parents moved to Washington State, leaving the older daughters in Minnesota.

Julia Married Gustave John Pauly's son Francis, a European-trained musician from Minneapolis.

This site was last updated on 9 September 2010. If you have any comments or feedback please contact Site Admin.

• Francis PAULY Pedigree Tree
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• Francis PAULY
Birth 11 April 1889 34 32 -- Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Death 1958 ‎(Age 68)‎ -- New York, New York, USA
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• Gustave John PAULY
Birth 15 February 1855 32 26 -- Minnesota, USA
Death 15 December 1911 ‎(Age 56)‎ -- Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota
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• John PAULY
Birth 4 June 1822 36 37 -- Rédange-sur-Attert, Luxembourg
Death 14 November 1907 ‎(Age 85)‎ -- Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, USA
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• Anna Maria CASTER
Birth 23 May 1828 25 -- Grevenmacher, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg
Death 14 May 1900 ‎(Age 71)‎ -- Shakopee, Minnesota, USA
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• Amelia M YOUNG
Birth September 1856 36 38 -- Enfield, Hartford, Connecticut, USA
Death 1 March 1939 ‎(Age 82)‎ -- Chicago, Cook, IL, USA
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• Charles L. YOUNG
Birth 6 November 1819 24 23 -- St-Martin, Île Jésus, Laval, Québec, Canada
Death 1 December 1883 ‎(Age 64)‎ -- Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, USA
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• Marguerite L. GIBEAU
Birth 1818 -- Québec, Canada
Death 25 December 1900 ‎(Age 82)‎ -- Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, USA
Private Pedigree Tree
Private
• Walter E. ROCKWELL
Birth February 1869 32 28 IL, USA
Death 24 February 1943 ‎(Age 74)‎ near Parintown, OH, USA
• Edward P. ROCKWELL
Birth 4 April 1836 24 21 Morgan Co., VA, USA
Death 9 October 1925 ‎(Age 89)‎ Cincinnati, OH, USA
• Margaret Celia KARR
Birth 27 June 1840 42 35 McLean County, IL, USA
Death 4 January 1923 ‎(Age 82)‎ Wakeman, OH, USA
• Eva J. BECKLEY
Birth 28 June 1870 28 23 New Albany, IN, USA
Death 15 February 1926 ‎(Age 55)‎ Cincinnati, OH, USA
• George W. BECKLEY
Birth 29 April 1842 38 32 Longcoming ‎(Berlin)‎, Camden, NJ, USA
Death 20 July 1914 ‎(Age 72)‎ Sandusky, OH, USA
• Joanna WYCKOFF
Birth May 1847 25 New Jersey
Death 22 May 1930 ‎(Age 83)‎ Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio, USA
• Delbert Alanson CLEVELAND Pedigree Tree
• Delbert Alanson CLEVELAND
Birth 5 January 1866 29 24 Norwalk, Ohio, USA
Death 31 October 1939 ‎(Age 73)‎ Hidalgo, Texas, USA
• William Henry CLEVELAND
Birth 28 March 1835/36 (9 April 1836) 29 24 Conquest, Cayuga Co., NY, USA
Death 24 November 1913 ‎(Age 77)‎ Norwalk, OH, USA
• Alanson L. CLEVELAND
Birth 27 July 1806 31 31 Woodstock, VT
Death 5 October 1871 ‎(Age 65)‎ Norwalk, OH
• Betsy WHITE
Birth 10 May 1811 Ballston, New York, USA
Death Date Unknown
• Emma Arvilla PARKER
Birth 28 March 1841 32 25 Manchester, England
Death 28 March 1914 ‎(Age 73)‎ Norwalk, Ohio
• James PARKER
Birth about 1809 England
Death before 1880 ‎(Age 71)‎
• Harriet SLOAN
Birth about 1816 England
Death after 1879 ‎(Age 63)‎
• Julia Maria BONCQUET Pedigree Tree
• Julia Maria BONCQUET
Birth 23 May 1889 37 35 Zillebeke, Belgium ‎[P0251]‎
Death 1953 ‎(Age 63)‎ New York, NY, USA
• Henri Isidore BONCQUET
Birth 16 June 1851 36 23 Zonnebeke, Belgium ‎[P2658]‎
Death 6 October 1922 ‎(Age 71)‎ Verboort, Washington, OR, USA
Donatus BONCQUET
Birth 5 January 1815 36 29 Roeselare, , , Belgium
Death 16 April 1888 ‎(Age 73)‎ Zonnebeke, Belgium ‎[P2658]‎
Nathalia Rosalia VANDE VELDE
Birth 23 May 1828 Kachtem ‎[P2663]‎
Death 5 February 1894 ‎(Age 65)‎ Zonnebeke, Belgium
• Theresia Pelagia PYCK
Birth 19 February 1854 29 31 Zonnebeke, Belgium ‎[P2658]‎
Death 1936 ‎(Age 81)‎ Washington Co., Oregon, USA
Pierre Jean PYCK
Birth 11 August 1824 29 Zonnebeke
Death 18 January 1892 ‎(Age 67)‎ Zonnebeke
Hortense Clemence GRYMONPREZ
Birth 13 February 1823 Ieper, Belgium
Death Date Unknown
News
Rockholds/Rockwells in Morgan Co. VA ‎(now WV)‎ and their migration to McLean Co. Illinois
26 August 2010 - 7:34:43pm

There is now more detailed, corrected, illustrated, and sourced information about the Rock* families of Morgan County, VA and surrounding areas and those that left for lllinois.

This new research was sparked by a letter from Edward P. Rockwell to his son Walter. Edward's letter disproves the theory formerly favored on this website that Jesse Rockhold was the father of John J. Rockwell. The letter identifies "Tolbert" as John J.'s father, but due to several coincidences and difficulties in reading and interpreting the letter which seems to have been dictated, it is not clear whether the person identified is Thomas Tolbert Rockhold Sr. or Thomas Tolbert Rockhold Jr. Based on some details such as the relative age of the men and the mention of "‎[Tolbert]‎ married again and raised quite a family of boys ‎‎(& girls?)‎‎" the evidence seems to favor that Thomas Tolbert Rockhold, Jr. was the father of John J. Rockwell. This website has been updated to reflect this theory, but it remains a possibility that John J.s father was instead Thomas Tolbert Rockhold, Sr.
Privacy and Security
1 August 2010 - 7:38:08pm

We've been wrestling with issues of privacy and security of online genealogy and family history information lately. Previously this site contained almost no information about living persons, and most information about deceased persons was publicly available.

However, we would like to record family history information about living people if this can be done safely and securely, and we recognize that information about deceased persons may be sensitive and even a security risk for their survivors.

Hence the site policy is now to restrict access to deceased persons who have living close family members to registered visitors only. We are also experimenting with "Family Vault" encryption for living persons. Encrypted notes are attached only to restricted individuals, so even the ciphertext is not publicly available.

Feedback on these changes is welcome. Please let us know if you need or have forgotten your access credentials.
Secure Sockets
2 June 2010 - 12:38:14am

We're beta testing Ancestor Tree's secure socket ‎(https)‎ feature.

Try it - https://paulyfamily.org

This will be publicly available soon!
We're Back & Better ‎(mostly)‎
21 March 2010 - 8:54:59am

After some time off while we upgraded to PGV 4.2.3 and worked through some interruptions paulyfamily.org is back. We've also been working to flesh out sources, starting with the Pauly, Rockwell, Cleveland, Boncquet, and allied families.

You should see faster response and updated reports and charts.

Some special characters in News entries ‎(below)‎ are mangled, but there should be no other side effects.

As always, we're happy to hear from you - just click the link at the bottom of any page.
Emma Lajeunesse aka Dame Albani: A Pauly Family Rock Star
24 December 2009 - 10:39:00am

In a 1909 Minneapolis Tribune article, Amelia Young Pauly referred to "Madame Albani" as a cousin. I tracked down Mme. Albani, born Emma Lajeunesse, who it turns out was the original 19th century Canadian rock star. Back then, they called rock stars opera divas. I noticed that Emma's father Joseph Lajeunesse was born one year before Amelia Young's father Charles Lajeunesse ‎(later changed to Young)‎ in St. Martin, Laval, Quebec. I have a reference to a professional genealogy of Mme. Albani which I'll look up next time I visit the Allen County Public Library. But in the meantime I'll assume that Charles and Joseph Lajeunesse were brothers and so Charles Lajeunesse/Young was Emma the rock star's uncle and Amelia Young/Pauly was her cousin.

Biographies of Mme. ‎(actually Dame, she was buds with Queen Vickie)‎ Emma Lajeunesse/Albani claim she is descended from 17th century French immigrant Etienne Charles dit Lajeunesse. There is a genealogy focussing on her Labelle ancestors on the website www.leslabelle.com. I've used this as a source for the Canadian ancestors of the Minneapolis Young family.

This relation to a famous cousin explains a lot about this family, beyond providing the clue needed to connect with the Quebecois Lajeunesse genealogy. Francis Pauly Sr. and his siblings, Amelia Young/Pauly's kids, were trained as musicians, actors, an elocutionist. Francis and one of his sisters were trained in Europe ‎(this was the subject of the 1909 article I mentioned)‎. Despite these efforts no other rock stars resulted. Amelia Young's husband, Gustave John Pauly, a successful banker, died in middle age. He left his family cared for with a trust. But the trust was embezzled just prior to the depression, leaving the family of artists with little income. Curiously, Mme Emma Albani also lost her savings at about the same time to "bad investments". I'd like to investigate these financial problems to see if they were related.

Hmm, I wonder what Neil Young's genealogy is?

Thanks Ancestor Tree!
8 December 2009 - 9:20:29am

We're hosted by Ancestor Tree, http://ancestortree.net.

Please consider them if you'd like to have a PHPGedview site like this one.

Thanks!
Old and New Amsterdammers
8 December 2009 - 9:19:40am

From The Sutphen Family ‎(1926)‎ genealogy we find several ancient ancestors: van Sutphen, van Zutphens, van Cleefs, Pietersen, van Nuys. The earliest is Dutchman Dirck van Zutphen, "the hero of Breda", born about 1562.

In America, there was Aucke Jansen van Nuys, a builder of private and public buildings in New Amsterdam in the 17th century.
Mary "Horsington" is a Hoisington
9 September 2009 - 9:04:54am

Mary "Horsington" ‎(as spelled in the Cleveland/Cleaveland genealogy)‎, wife of Edward Cleveland ‎(b abt 1749)‎ is of the Hoisington family, Through several generations of Hoisingtons and a couple of Shailors, we arrive at the immigrant Thomas Shailor/Shaylor ‎(b. abt 1645, Stratford on Avon, England)‎. Thomas married Marah Spencer in Connecticut, daughter of immigrant Gerrard Spencer ‎(b. 1614, Bedfordshire, England)‎.

The Spencer family ‎(http://www.althorp.com/estate_family.php)‎ has a well-developed genealogy, although some confusion exists. Others have traced many prominent Americans ‎(as well as British)‎ to Spencer ancestors, including George Washington and F.D. Roosevelt, as well as many other politicians, artists, and capitalists. These pedigrees can be found from http://kinnexions.com/smlawson/spencer.htm and http://kinnexions.com/kinnexions/cousins.htm.

As it turns out, the Hoisington immigrant, John ‎(b. abt 1640, England or Wales)‎ spelled his name "Horsington".

Lux Paulys, Castors and Belgian Pycks and others
9 September 2009 - 8:13:37am

With information from a Luxembourgish website, http://www.spetzbouf.com/heredis/accueil.htm, the maiden name of John PAULY's ‎(b. 1822 Rédange-sur-Attert, Luxembourg)‎ wife Anna Maria is now known: CASTOR. Her brother, Gustave "Frenchie" CASTER and descendents are now listed as well. Welcome to Castors, Casters, and Custers.

Another website, this one from Belgium, http://www.vrijwilligersrab.be/blog/index.php, lists the grandparents of Pierre Jean PYCK ‎(b. 1824 Zonnebeke, Belgium)‎. Welcome to Pycks, Lesages, De Leus, and Catteeuws.
Robert Rockwell family of Nansemond, Virginia
12 December 2008 - 9:09:56am

Recently the early land records of Virginia have been put online. Searching these for Rock* cognates yields five entries about or mentioning Robert Rockwell and his family. These records are shown and transcribed under the media tab for Robert Rockwell.

It is my understanding that the online records are early transcriptions of local records, so the transcriptions given are doubly transcribed.

The first record dated 19 August 1637 grants 250 acres of land along the Nansemond to Robert Rockwell for transportation of his family, who are listed by name. The names include daughter Mary, who had not been listed in this genealogy. Wife 'Hanah' could have been a transcription error from Sarah, the commonly given name for Robert's wife. Child 'Thomasin' could be a transcription error from Thomas. Also included is a servant, Mary Hayes.

The second survey of the 250 acres, dated 26 October 1638, is signed by a Thomas Rockwell. This is possibly the brother of Robert mentioned in the third, 1645 survey and assessment of the 250 acres.

These three surveys of Robert's Nansemond tract are perfectly consistent in the spelling of his last name as 'Rockwell'. Either Robert himself or a family member may have been present when these were recorded. In contrast, the 1647 and 1650 records are mentions of the Rockwell tract in the description of other tracts. In these last two records Robert's last name is spelled 'Rockhole' or 'Rockhold'. So it may be that Robert spelled his name 'Rockwell' ‎(presuming literacy)‎, but pronounced it more like 'Rockole'.

A less likely alternative is that Robert had been disguising his identity in the early years in the Colonies, but felt less need to do so by 1647.

The puritans residing in Nansemond resettled in Anne Arundel county, MD ‎(Early New England By David A. Weir, p. 13)‎ in 1649 because of religious pressure from the Virginia government and because Maryland promised better treatment.
Rock* DNA origins - Haplogroup I1 ‎(formerly I1a)‎
30 November 2008 - 3:59:39pm

Entering data from male descendents of Robert Rockhold ‎(b. abt 1605)‎ from the Rockwell DNA project, as recorded here, into the Haplogroup Predictor, predicts haplogroup I1 ‎(formerly designated I1a)‎.

Haplogroup I1/I1a is discussed here, which contains this reference with a very useful Fig. 1, showing our Rock* origins in far northern Europe. Ken Nordtvedt states that the Rock* value of 12 repeats for DYS 462 indicates a more southerly origin in the I1 range.

Unfortunately this does little to help discern Robert Rockhold's ‎(b ~1605)‎ origins. He may have been from the Netherlands - the Netherlands is a hotspot for haplotypes similar to the Rockhold haplotype. However Rockhold ‎(and Rockwell for that matter)‎ is an English name, not a Dutch name.

note: the New England Rockwells ‎(not the main group covered in this genealogy)‎ are Haplogroup R1b, the most frequent Haplogroup in Western Europe. In parts of England the frequency of R1b reaches 90%.
Heimer Hypothesis
26 May 2008 - 2:58:13pm

UPDATE: The Heimers have been found in 1870. They were listed under "Heinen" in the Minnesota census, with John included. Gustave John PAULY is not descended from the Heimers. Gustave John's origins are still a mystery.

Unfortunately, Gustave John's adoption is not in the surviving official records of Minnesota.
Jesse Rockhold/Rockwell - The Rock* lineage is filled in
27 April 2008 - 9:09:59pm

Putting together evidence from censusses ‎[what is the plural?]‎ and testimony in Virginia about Thomas Tolbert Rockhold/Rockholt's Revolutionary War service, it appears that Jesse Rock* ‎(b. 1781)‎, son of Thomas Tolbert Rock* ‎(b. 1756)‎, was the father of John Rockwell. While the case is not yet proved, this genealogy file has been changed to reflect it. A detailed discussion is in the notes to the family of Jesse Rock*.
New Clevelands
21 January 2008 - 12:30:30pm

The Cleveland and Cleaveland Genealogy ‎(Cleveland, 1899)‎ has extended the line from Ruby Cleveland back to Ann Winn ‎(b. 1628)‎ and Moses Cleveland ‎(b 1620)‎ and their ancestors.

Moses was the founder of most Cle‎(a)‎velands in America. He and Ann Winn immigrated from England around 1635. Our line descends from their son Edward and Deliverance Palmer. President Grover Cleveland descended from Moses' son Aaron and Dorcas Wilson.

The entire 3-volume Cleveland and Cleaveland set is available on this site. Please email webinfo ‎(at)‎ simplemax ‎(dot)‎ net for the URL.
New Paulys
29 December 2007 - 10:42:33am

A European website, http://www.spetzbouf.com/heredis/accueil.htm, has parish records that extend the genealogy of John Pauly ‎(b. 1822)‎ back to before 1632 in Luxembourg.

John/Jean Pierre Pauly ‎(b. 1822)‎ adopted John Gustave/Gustave John in the 1860's.
Pauly Rockwell Cleveland Boncquet and allied families

10 September 2010 - 12:17:15pm