Thomas Berwick, III

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Presbyterian

Notes:

Berwick, Thomas a Presbyterian (Thomas & Helen Bols) m 16 Feb 1795 Raquel Cromstock of Boston (Opel Ch v. 1, p 55 & v. 1-Supp #1) of Lake Ponchartrain (SM Ch.)


Catharine Vinson
To:
Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2000 8:17 PM

Berwick (the town) and Berwick's Bay and Bayou Barwick are all named for Thomas Berwick. He came to the area a few years after marrying Helena Wallace in 1768. Gov. Galvez (Louisiana was a Spanish territory at the time) turned down his petition for land near Natchez. Instead, Galvez
granted Berwick land in the Attakapas district and hired him as the surveyor for the district. Some sources claim that he was the first Anglo settler west of the Mississippi.
Thomas Berwick is my 4th great grandfather and the Berwicks were prolific (he and his wife had 10 or 11 children) in St. Mary, St. Martinville, St. Landry parishes until beginning of the 20th century.
Berwick's Bay and Bayou Teche were strategic during the Civil War and most of the Berwicks homes and land (they were sugar planters) were pretty much demolished by the fighting (land and naval.) The O'Brien(Bryan/Bryant) , Lyons, and Berwicks were closely aligned with a good bit of intermarrying among family members. A good number of
people in all these families ended up in Texas.

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/LA-LGHS/2000-04/0955155462

Thomas married Rachel Comstock on 16 Feb 1795 in St. Martinville, St. Martin Parish, Louisiana. Rachel (daughter of William* "Guilermo" Comstock and Rachel* Aldrich) was born in 1777 in Boston, Nelson Co, Kentucky; died after 1810. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
The marriage took place in what would eventually be Lousiana after 1803.
St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, LA
Marriages
vol. 1-A 201; vol. 1-A page 55 [Church source]

February 16, 1795
groom: Thomas Berwick (a Presbyterian)
bride: Rachel Comstock (a Quaker from Boston)
groom's parents: Thomas Berwick & Helen Bols
bride's parents: William Crumstuk & Rachel Edward
witnesses: John Merriman, Joseph Matthee, Joseph Berwick
Fr. Pedro de Zamora

Southwest Louisiana records: church and civil records (1750-1900), Complete Revision, Rev. Donald J Hébert, 1974



In another place, the marriage is recorded as Raquel of Boston [William & Raquel Edward de secto quienisto] married 16 Feb 1795 to Thomas Barwick, Presbyterian.

1. Thomas Berwick was born on 14 Jan 1797 in St.Martin Parish, Louisiana; died after 1816.
2. William Berwick was born on 6 Jan 1799 in St.Martin Parish, Louisiana; died after 1816.
3. Marie Zilpha Berwick was born on 22 Jul 1802 in Atacapas Post, St. Martin Parish, Louisiana; died on 12 Jun 1843 in Jefferson Co, Texas.
4. Delphine Berwick was born on 22 Jul 1802 in St.Martin Parish, Louisiana; died after 1803.

Notes:

Berwick, Thomas of England m Eleanor Helena Birgitta Wales of Ireland (SM Ch)
Berwick, Thomas, succ. dated 16 Jan 1792 (LSAR: Opel.: 1792)

Berwick (the town) and Berwick's Bay and Bayou Barwick are all named for Thomas Berwick. He came to the area a few years after marrying Helena Wallace in 1768. Gov. Galvez (Louisiana was a Spanish territory at the time) turned down his petition for land near Natchez. Instead, Galvez granted Berwick land in the Attakapas district and hired him as the surveyor for the district. Some sources claim that he was the first Anglo settler west of the Mississippi.

Thomas Berwick and the Berwicks were prolific (he and his wife had 10 or 11 children) in St. Mary, St. Martinville, St. Landry parishes until beginning of the 20th century.
Berwick's Bay and Bayou Teche were strategic during the Civil War and most of the Berwicks homes and land (they were sugar planters) were pretty much demolished by the fighting (land and naval.)

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/LA-LGHS/2000-04/0955155462

Thomas married Eleanore Helena Brigitta Wallace (or Walles) about 1770. Eleanore was born on 14 Aug 1748 in Dublin, Ireland; died before 17 Jun 1789 in Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Berwick, Thomas, widr. of Helene Walles succ. dated 17 Jun 1789 (LSU-Archives; Opel #4)

Name:
last name recorded as Wales in SW LA books

Notes:

Thomas Berwick and his wife are identified somewhat differently in various records throughout the Opelousas and Attakapas districts. Thomas is variously identified as a native of England, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania. His wife, who is identified as Eleonore Wales,
Helene Walles, Elenore Helene Birgitta Wales, and even Elena Ouzez, is also somewhat mysterious since it is not clear where and when they married.
https://archive.org/stream/AttakapasGazette/1986_Vol21_djvu.txt