Biographical Sketch of Gertrude Bogardus Deyo Jessup (1817-1844)
by Eric Roth, Archivist, Huguenot Historical Society 8/27/98
Gertrude Bogardus Deyo was born to Abraham A. and Margaret
Deyo in 1817. She probably grew up in the Deyo House on Huguenot Street in New
Paltz, and at some time must have moved with her family to Plattekill, where her
father later became Town Supervisor. The family retained ownership of the Deyo
House for two more generations. Gertrude married Thomas K. Jessup and gave birth
to her only daughter in 1843. One year later she died, presumably of
consumption, although it is possible that she fell victim to some other illness,
since it is known that there were outbreaks of cholera and influenza in the
region at that time. In fact, several letters between Gertrude's cousin (and
Thomas Jessup's second wife) Leah Catharine Deyo from the years 1845-1855
mention numerous friends and relatives having severe illnesses "of the
throat and mouth." The painting of Gertrude in the Deyo House shows her as
very pale and sickly girl, despite the artist's obvious attempt to cover up her
afflictions. It is also highly likely that the process of childbirth weakened
this already sickly young woman and caused her death.
Gertrude's illness and death commenced a long period of
painful trials of her husband, Thomas Jessup, who also lost his daughter Gertude
in 1850 at the tender age of seven, and his second wife, Leah Catherine Jessup,
sometime before 1860 after several bouts of illness beginning at least as early
as 1849. In 1849, Thomas appeared to have been a very religious man who bore his
pain with optimism and a strong faith in the Lord's will, although the hint of
fear and sorrow in his tone is unmistakable. After the death of his second wife,
however, much of Thomas' optimism seemed to have been broken, as is evident by a
letter he wrote to his sister in 1860, consoling her after the death of another
loved one. In the letter Thomas writes, "our happiness is not to be sought
in this world, our enjoyment here is of short duration, and are not our
chastisements designed to teach us this important truth?"
More information concerning this tragic story can be found in
the Leah Catherine Deyo Jessup Personal Letters (1845-1855) in the Elting
Memorial Library, Haviland Heidgerd Historical Collection. Other sources of note
include the Deyo House Structure Report, prepared for the Huguenot Historical
Society in 1997 by John G. Waite Associates; Ralph Lefevre's History of New
Paltz and its Old Families. Fort Orange Press, Albany NY (1907); The Deyo (Deyoe)
Family, revised & enlarged, by the Deyo Family Association, New Paltz, NY
(1992); and the Deyo Family Papers (1675-1870), mss. coll., maintained in the
Huguenot Historical Society Archives.
