Captain Antoine Paulint

A Bibliography and Portrait Summary

There have been several printed treatments of the life and military career of Captain Antoine Paulint who fought in the French Army under General Montcalm during the French and Indian Wars. He later served in Moses Hazen’s regiment, a unit also referred to as “Congress’ Own”, during the American Revolution. He was granted land in Clinton County at the close of the war and was one of the founders of the community of Coopersville. He is interred in an old burying ground known as “Graves Acres” or the “Shute Cemetery” which is located in part of his original land grant.

For many of his descendants, especially those working with the family genealogy, gathering information on him, his family and his military career, is a never-ending project of passion and commitment. Below is a listing of the written works relating to Captain Paulint and information about the portraits that are know exist.

In 1940, the first account of his life and career was written by a descendant, Adela Peltier Reed. A very small number of hardcover copies were printed, almost all going to family members. A copy is in the public stacks at the Library of Congress in Washington.

In 1966, the second major piece written about the Captain was completed when Dorothy C. L’Esperance Hughes, another of his descendants, self-published a typewritten manuscript which also included various appendices with documents. This was printed in even smaller numbers than Reed’s 1940 work.

In 1973, a greatly condensed version of the original 1966 Hughes work was published in the journal; Colonial Genealogist (Vol. 6 No 3.). It was entitled “Captain Antoine Paulint, Veteran” and appeared on pages 391-392.

In 1978, the Hughes manuscript from 1966 was edited and published in another genealogical journal. This version contained changes made to the 1966 work; sometimes adding entire new sections of text while omitting large passages of supporting material at other points in the narrative. Also, the 1966 edition had more extensive appendices than this edition.

In 1984, Mrs. Hughes, in collaboration with other family members, published a genealogy of the Paulint family. This work contained 33 leaves when originally printed and appears to be an expanded version of the genealogical information included in the 1978 journal article.

In addition to the printed works cited above, there are three known portrait versions of the Captain.

Black and White Portrait – The first appeared on page 44 of Reed’s 1940 book. It was an etching which was supposedly taken from a group image. It was owned by Paulint descendants, the Bleau (Blow) family, who made it available to Mrs. Reed for her book.

Color Portrait – The second portrait is a color painting of Captain Paulint done by Dorothy C. Hughes. She used the etching in Reed’s book as its inspiration. This is the portrait shown in this post.

Dress Uniform Portrait – The third is the largest and most detailed of the existing images. It is a portrait of Captain Antoine Paulin in the dress uniform of the 2nd Canadian Regiment, 1783. He is wearing the medal of The Society of the Cincinnati, which he joined in 1783. The society was founded by General George Washington at the close of the Revolution and membership consisted of Colonial Army officers who had been invited to participate. This is a modern day portrait, commissioned by a descendent, Wilford L. L'Esperance III (1930-1982), and painted by Jose Centron of Cleveland, Ohio. Captain Paulin's face is based upon the 18th century engraving found in Adela Reed’s book.

Books/Articles

·         Memoirs of Antoine Paulint, Veteran of the Old French War, 1755 to 1760, Captain in Hazen's Second Canadian, "Congress' Own" Regiment, 1775 to 1783, Brevet Major at the Close of the Revolutionary War by Adela Peltier Reed. Published by Adela Peltier Reed and printed by The San Encino Press, Los Angeles. 1940 (61 pages) – Out of print

·         Captain Antoine Paulint and The American Revolution of Hazen’s Canadian Regiment “Congress’ Own”. Written and compiled by a descendant Dorothy C. (L’Esperance) Hughes 1966. Privately Printed. Typewritten manuscript. (110 pages) [including extensive appendices]. – Out of print

·         Captain Antoine Paulint, Veteran by Dorothy C. (L’Esperance) Hughes, Published in the Colonial Genealogist, vol. 6, no. 3 (1973): (pp. 391-392)

·         Captain Antoine Paulint of Hazen’s Canadian Regiment “Congress’ Own” and The American Revolution by D.C. Hughes. Published in the French Canadian and Acadian Genealogical Review Volume VI, No 1. Published in the Spring 1978 edition (pp. 17-51).

·         Genealogy of the Family of Captain Antoine Paulin: Captain in "Congress' Own Regiment" the Second Canadian Regiment of the American War of the Revolution, Enlisted in Quebec, Canada Nov. 1775, Mustered Out in Fishkill, N.Y. July, 1783. Compiled by Dorothy C Hughes. Printed in Amherst, Mass. 1984. (33 pages)

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·         Another excellent resource which contains information on Capt. Paulint and his unit is: Moses Hazen and the Canadian Refugees in the American Revolution by Allan S. Everest Published by the Syracuse University Press, 1976. (217 pages)