VI. Salmond.
The family of Salmond of Waterfoot, on the shores of Ullswater, have a tradition that their ancestors were French Protestant Refugees who, at the Revocation era, emigrated to the island of Antigua. An abiding tradition like this is more convincing than many elaborate pedigrees. The surname was known among refugees in England at an earlier date than 1685. There was a baptism in Canterbury on 4th August 1672 of Isaac, son of Anthoine Saumon — this, probably, was the original spelling of the family name. John Samon was naturalized at Westminster, 3d July 1701 (see List xxv.). William Salmond, Esq., removed from Antigua to England in the end of last century. He was the father of Major-General James Salmond of Waterfoot, whose son, James (born 15th June 1805, died 24th November 1880), was successively Captain of the 2d Dragoon Guards and Lieutenant-Colonel of the Westmoreland and Cumberland Yeomanry Cavalry. This family is best known by its connection with the above-named counties, although by residence it is more rooted in Nottinghamshire.
VII. Sigournay.
The surname of Sigournay has received celebrity through the poetry and other writings of Mrs. Lydia Sigournay (née Huntly), an American lady, who was born 1st September 1791, and died 10th June 1865. She mentions in her “Scenes in my Native Land” a place named Huguenot Fort, in the United States, to which Andrew Sigournay, a Huguenot refugee in England, came in 1713. It is singular that in the Naturalizations (see List iv.) this surname is deliberately placed under the letter C, and spelt Cigournai, among other Christian names there being two Andrews (father and son). The initial letter S is always employed in the French Church registers.
Chapter VII.
HERVART AND GOUVERNET.
I. Baron D’Hervart.
The brothers Hervart (Barthelemy and Jean, natives of Augsburg), having, as bankers in Paris, made an immense fortune, laid it all at the feet of King Louis XIII., at the critical period of the invasion of Alsace. This money enabled the king to retain ten thousand Swedish soldiers in his army, and saved the State. Bartholomew and John Hervart received in return the estates of Landser, and Hart Forest (which were confiscated at the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes).
Mazarin made Bartholomew Hervart Comptroller-General of the Finances, in defiance of the screaming protests of the Popish clergy. The financial department of the government of France thus became a refuge for Protestants, who had been unrighteously debarred from other government employments. The finances were collected with such unparalleled efficiency and integrity, that Hervart retained office from the year 1657 till his death in 1676. His wife’s maiden name was Esther Vimart.
His son was Philibert Hervart, born in 1645, and styled Baron de Huningue by French writers, but Baron of Huningen in some English law-papers;[1] in common conversation, Monsieur De Hervart or Baron Hervart. He inherited the respect and regard of all the Protestants of France. At the period of the Revocation he was in the prime of bodily and mental vigour. Being a refugee in England, he was selected by King William in 1690 to be his ambassador at Geneva. There was some delay before his actual installation. Luttrell writes:— “1691, April 13. — Letters from Switzerland say that the city of Geneva had not yet received Monsieur Hervart, King William’s Envoy, from fear of the French. Mr. Cox, King William’s Envoy in Switzerland, had not been able to prevail with the cantons to relinquish the French interest and declare for the confederates, nor to raise 4000 men for His Majesty, as agreed on.” Baron Hervart resided at Geneva; latterly he was ambassador to Switzerland, and resided at Berne, till the close of King William’s reign.
- ↑ Aufrère MSS. [A box of papers connected with several refugee families, which was courteously lent to me by the late George Anthony Aufrère, Esq.]
