As frequently happened Jean Magny’s named appears in differently in several places. Jean Magny was a Huguenot of noble descent. Huguenots were French Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who followed the teachings of theologian John Calvin. Persecuted by the French Catholic government during a violent period, Huguenots fled the country in the 17th century. Jean and two brothers, Jacques and Jeremie, were among those that went to the colonies in America. The earliest records found in America of these men are from 1686 placing them in Narrgansett in Rhode Island. Thirteen years latter, Jean was in New York City, with the name, “John Many” and living next door to Captian Kidd, the well-known pirate.

Annie Thorne Manny Clark, who married William Wiltshire Attix and is mentioned in the last blog was a descendant of this fellow. Annie was the mother of William Wallace Attix who was my, Harry Arthur Tatro, grandfather.

In 1701 a ship returned from Jamaica, “Captain Jean Magny”, Master. He was certainly engaged in West Indies trade and most historians think he was also following the “industry” of his New York neighbour, Captain Kidd. Jamaica rum and the slavery trade were very dangerous, but lucrative and piracy was a common part of it.

The life Jean Magny led was not the life for a wife, so his marriage was relatively late. At the age of 48 he married Jeanne Machet. They had three children: Elizabeth, Jean and Jacques. The child, Jean, is our ancestor on the Attix side.