Felicity Paul was born 7 Jun 1825 in Mississippi to Joseph Paul "Peter" Pascal and Nancy McLaughin. She married Leander Hewett in Natchez, Mississippi on 14 Jun 1841.
Leander and Felicity are said to have had four children: Florence, Gertrude, Nida, and Haco. Nothing has been learned about Florence other than she appears to have married Augustus T. Margraf in Natchez on 4 Apr 1860.
Gertrude Zane Hewett was born 4 Dec 1845 in Iberville, Louisiana. She married Henry Everett Ellis 21 Mar 1861 in Natchez. They had two daughters: Florence who was born in December 1862, and Katie Beulah who was born on 12 Aug 1872. Henry Ellis died on 7 Jun 1879 in East Feliciana, Louisiana. Gertrude died on 7 Jan 1916 in Dresden, Tennessee.
We discuss Nida Hewett on another page. The final child, Haco, is said to have been born in 1850 and died in 1851.
Her Father
The identity of Felicity Paul's father is shrouded in family legend coupled with some documentation. According to the research of Lorena Phelps Oberly, a descendant,
"Joseph Paul Pascal was born in Corsica of a noble family. He was a follower of Napoleon Bonaparte, and was a member of his Body Guard. He was a member of the Legion of Honor founded by Napoleon in 1804.
"Some reports say he was a relative of Napoleon. Before the first World War, Lorenzo A. Phelps, his grandson, (a member of the Legion of Honor), received an invitation to attend a centennial celebration in France in his honor, which was subsequently cancelled due to the start of the war.
"Joseph Paul Pascal was twice captured, escaping both times. Captured again, he was taken back to be beheaded, but escaped a third time in women's clothing. He fled his native country and came to America, settling in Natchez, Mississippi, about 1815, where he dropped his last name Pascal, and was known thereafter as Joseph Paul. He died in Natchez August, 1829.
"He married in Natchez, 1816, Nancy McLaughlin, daughter of Ephraim McLaughlin and his wife, Elizabeth Zane. She was born in St. Clairsville, Ohio, 1788, and died in Natchez 1867."
I do not have access to Mrs. Oberly's documentation, so this will have to stand as undocumented information.
Myra N. Martin of Waverly, Illinois, provided a typed copy of the following document.
CHANCERY RECORDS OF ADAMS COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI, AT NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI
WILL BOOK #1, page 425 (handwritten copies of original)
Will of PETER PAUL, of Natchez, Mississippi.
"In the name of God, Amen. I, Peter Paul, of the City of Natchez and State of Mississippi, being weak and sick of body, but of sound and disposing mind, calling to mind the uncertainty of this transitory life, and knowing that it is appointed for all men to die, do make and publish this, my Last Will and Testament in manner and form, viz.:
First, my will and desire is that all my just debts be truly and honestly paid.
Secondly, I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife, Nancy, all my estate, both real and personal, to dispose of at her own will and pleasure, during her natural life, and for the use and support of herself and her children, and at her death to be equally divided among all her children.
Thirdly, I hereby nominate and appoint my beloved Wife, Nancy, to be my whole and sole Executrix of this, my Last Will and Testament, revoking all former will by me heretofore made, ratifying this and none other to be my Last Will and Testament.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal, this 10th day of January, 1829.
Peter (His X Mark) Paul (SEAL)
Signed and acknowledged by Peter Paul, the Testator, in presence of us, who subscribe our names as witnesses thereunto.
J. H. Hedges
G. Hail
Joseph (His X Mark) Farber.
No other notation under this Will, for date when proven in Court, etc.
INDEX TO PROBATE PAPERS shows estate papers of Peter Paul in Box 55 (new number - old box number 104)
He was born 29 Jan 1784 in Corsica according to Myra N. Martin, but according to Adams County, Mississippi Sexton Records, Peter Paul died 14 Jan 1829 of "dysentery" at the age of 55.
The final documentation that we have for Felicity's father is this 1820 census record. In that census, only the head of the household is named. The others are listed by number according to age. Below is a transcription of the census record together with our tentative identification of those listed.
1820 Federal Census: Mississippi, Adams County, Natchez Township, page 13
Paul, Peter - 200001-20010
male under 10 - William Wev, born 16 Jul 1810
male under 10 - Joseph Wev, born 29 Jan 1815
female under 10 - Mary Ann Paul, born 5 Aug 1817
female under 10 - Pascalena Paul, born 3 Sep 1819
male 45+ - Peter Paul
female 26-44 - Nancy Paul
There is little doubt in our minds that this is the father of Felicity Paul. We will examine this record in more detail below in the discussion of Nancy McLaughlin.
Felicity Paul's Mother
Nancy McLaughlin was born 12 Jul 1788 in St. Clairsville, Ohio, to Ephraim and Elizabeth Zane McLaughlin. According to Myra Martin, "Nancy Mclaughlin was married first in Ohio. It is said that she and Bernard La Caze/ La Coste started to Natchez, Mississippi in 1806 and he died on the way."
It is believed that Elizabeth married Joseph Wev shortly after reaching Natchez. They are said to have had three children: William, born 16 Jul 1810; Elizabeth, born 16 Oct 1812 and died in 1816; and Joseph B. Wev, born 29 Jan 1815. Joseph Wev died on 13 Dec 1814 according to Mrs. Martin.
Elizabeth next married Peter Paul and by 1820 they had two daughters: Mary Ann, born 5 Aug 1817; and Pascalena, born 3 Sep 1819 according to one source. If you examine the census record above, you will see that the two sons by Joseph Wev and the two daughters by Peter Paul fit the census record.
We will discuss the rest of Felicity's siblings below, but first let's look at Nancy McLaughlin's ancestry.
A persistent legend indicates that Ephraim McLaughlin, Nancy's father, was reported to have gone on a fishing trip down the Ohio River and never seen again. Before he disappeared, he and Elizabeth Zane McLaughlin had six daughters: Nancy, Mary, Rebecca, Mariam, and Hannah.
Nancy's mother, Elizabeth Zane McLaughlin was the daughter of William Andrew Zane and his wife Nancy Nolan. Elizabeth Zane is one of a small number of females to be recognized as a Revolutionary War patriot by the Daughters of the American Revolution. (Source: D.A.R. Lineage Book, Vol. 121, page 232.) According to this lineage book, Elizabeth "Rendered service 9/12/1782 in the capacity of ammunition bearer at the 'second siege' of Fort Henry. Elizabeth secreted gunpowder in her apron and ran past the unsuspecting enemies to the defenders of the fort, who were out of ammunition."
Perhaps the best description of this episode is found online at the West Virginia Division of Culture and History site in an article titled Betty Zane, Lydia Boggs, and Molly Scott: The Gunpowder Exploits at Fort Henry written by William Hintzen. I recommend it hightly.
After Peter Paul's death, Nancy McLaughlin Paul raised her family alone. She is found in the 1830 and 1840 censuses in Natchez. We later find her living with her daughter, Cynthia Waller, in 1860. Then Nancy died on 18 Aug 1867 according to a transcription of her Bible by Myra Martin.
Felicity Paul had five sisters and a brother. Here is a list of them.
Mary Ann Paul, born 15 Aug 1817; married Fredrick Schuyler Phelps on 2 Jun 1835 in Natchez
Pascalena Paul, born 3 Sep 1819; married Clark Lorenzo Phelps on 16 Jan 1838 in Natchez
Cynthia Ann Paul, born 2 Feb 1822; married Jeremiah Waller on 14 Aug 1838 in Natchez
Nancy Paul, born 5 Jan 1824; married Ansel Hammond Kendrick on 11 Feb 1841 in Natchez
Sarah Paul, born 23 Jan 1827; married Charles Swain (brother of William Swain) on 19 Mar 1846 in Natchez
Peter Pascal Paul, born 11 Jan 1829; married Harriet Ann Swain (sister of William and Charles) on 13 Sep 1851 in Natchez
Effort has been made to eliminate errors, but their absence is not guaranteed. This document is copyright 2018 by Charles Hartley. Permission is hereby granted to individuals seeking family history information to copy the contents of this document for their personal use. It may not be sold, either separately or as part of a collection, without the written permission of the copyright holder; nor may it be placed at any other location on the internet without said written permission.