It’s Bastille Day and we’re marking the occasion on these shores by remembering Crusoe Island.
Legend has it that the Columbus County community, which now goes by the name Riverview, was founded by French refugees from the revolutions in France and Haiti. Supposedly Jean Formy-Duvall, a French army surgeon in the late 18th or early 19th century, conspired with an execution squad to spare the lives of a small group of royalists. Formy-Duvall and his co-conspirators filled the executioners’ guns with blanks. As the guns discharged, the condemned feigned death. Formy-Duvall created fake death certificates and he and those whose lives he had spared headed for the French countryside. When the conspiracy was discovered the group fled for Haiti.
The fleeing group’s time in Haiti was relatively short-lived. A slave insurrection arose there in 1791 and many French settlers fled the island. Formy-Duvall and his group supposedly took to the Caribbean in an open boat. Sometime thereafter they were picked up at sea by a ship, which eventually dropped them on the North Carolina coast at Smithville (now known as Southport).
At this point the story becomes even more incredible. As historian Wilson Angley has pointed out in Columbus County North Carolina: Recollections and Records , for some unexplained reason Formy-Duvall and his compatriots headed inland toward swampy terrain near Lake Waccamaw. In so doing, they bypassed areas more suitable for settlement.
The location of the settlement, on a small rise of land bounded on 3 sides by the Waccamaw River and on the fourth by Green Swamp ( it’s not actually an island) left its residents relatively isolated. They survived by fishing, subsistence farming, shingle-making, basket-weaving, hunting and occasionally trading furs in the nearby town of Old Dock.
Crusoe Island’s isolation and residents’ distinct style of speech, which struck some visitors as French-sounding, led to speculation as to the community’s origins. Those supporting a tie between France and Crusoe Island also pointed to the similarity between chimneys built in the Columbus County settlement and those constructed in Normandy. Some also suggested that such common Crusoe Island surnames as Sasser and Clewis were Anglicized versions of DeSaucierre and Cluveiries. Other common names in the community–Forney, Duvall, Dubois and Dupre–also suggest a French origin.
Besides French refugees, residents were said to be the descendants of the Lost Colony, pirates hiding from the authorities, white settlers escaping pirate raids on the coast, deserters from the Revolutionary or Civil wars, English settlers and Indians who intermarried and were driven inland from the coast.
The origins of the community’s name are also in dispute. One story suggests that the settlement was named for Ben Crusoe. But there is no Crusoe listed in local census records from the late 1700s and early 1800s.
Residents have long disputed the story of French origins. They trace their ancestry to three settlers of English origins–Cornelis Clewis, Laspeyre Long and Elias Register.
The mysteries and legends tied to Crusoe Island are cited as some of the reasons that locals sought to change the name of the community. And, in 1961, the General Assembly agreed to residents’ request to rename the settlement Riverview.
While legislators may have settled on the community’s name, they were unable to certify its origins. Vive le mystere.
Great tale, John. What a coincidence that two different French faked-execution refugees would wind up in North Carolina — the early 19th century version of Elvis sightings? Maybe Dr. Formy-Duvall and Marshal Ney got together for an occasional glass of scuppernong….
I hate it that Crusoe Islanders were so thin-skinned that they preferred the stultifyingly generic “Riverview.”
This not a tale for me. Cornelius Clewis is my ancestor from Crusoe Island. I am also related to Duval and Hewitt. This is my lineage and I can assure you that NOONE there uses the name Riverview….its what the tax collector called it in modern times.or so the old timers say. I have never found anything in England to back up the name Clewis as English either. My family has passed down info regarding French roots and were all taught it as a tribute. Cornelius Clewis and Adam Long founded the area and there are many records in French from them. I have been unable to find anything on the fake death certs, so I’ll call that part a “tale”. Do you have any records that you’d be willing to pass along to “back up” the info you have gathered? I would love to have it, email or by mail. Thanks, Pam Watson
Family Names: Clewis, Hewitt, Long, Duval, McFarland and Watson
Pam,
Glad to hear the perspective of someone with Crusoe Island roots. Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be a lot of primary source, written documentation on Crusoe Island history. As I mentioned in the blog post, Wilson Angley, who worked with the NC Office of Archives and History, wrote an essay on Crusoe Island in the book Columbus County North Carolina: Recollections and Records.
Over the years many newspaper reporters have been drawn to the story. The North Carolina Collection has preserved some of their articles in our subject clipping files. If you like, you could request photocopies of those articles by emailing our reference staff at wilsonlibrary@unc.edu.
If you and your family have any written information about the community’s roots, we’d love to see it and possibly get copies.
John
I am one of the great great great Grandsons of Laspeyre Long. He was born in Brunswick county. His family origin though still remains a mystery to me cause his father Joel Long was also born in Brunswick county. Laspeyre Long though was one of the original founders of Crusoe that is why there is a place called Long’s corner which he use to own. Though to be honest Laspeyre is a unique name to give a person of English origin.
Very interesting article! Have lived in Crusoe Island my whole life and Cornelis Clewis, Laspeyre Long and Elias Register were all three my Great-Great-Great Grandfathers.
Thanks for sharing everyone. We’re all peas in a pod. My name was Barbara Ann Spivey. My Daddy was Tommy Spivey, snake catcher and boat builder. I am related to all of these folks as well. I am doing family history myself. I’ll let you know what I find. Please keep me posted ; ) God bless
My name is Greta blackckman my maiden name is Greta clewis my dads name was Dallas Cornilus clewis so I am. Related to the crusoe people to my dads fathers name was picket clewis but I don’t know any of the family history
Charles Patton’s book is charming and Mike Formyduval’s family research is formidable but neither of them solves the Crusoe mystery. The first mention of Crusoe Island in deed instruments is in 1738 to James Long. Crusoe is spelled differently but the name is, as they say, carved in stone. No French expatriates here then, just some pirates and such. But there were Acadians, some 500, who entered North Carolina on their way to Cajun country down in Louisiana and apparently stayed and one of the surnames was Poitevin. The Poitevin brothers did a lot of real estate transactions in early Bladen county, especially around the Whiteville area. One brother sold Rodger Haynes the original Marsh Castle tract in 1735 here on White Marsh. That marsh winds its way down to the Crusoe area and was called the Western Branch of the Waccamaw River in 1770. The first Crusoe folks I met when I moved to NC from Mississippi 22 years ago struck me as displaced Cajuns.
So there’s another story.
I am also a descendent of this Clewis family. Interesting information indeed. My Clewis name was changed to Cluiss in the late 1800′s when Joel Agusta Clewis came to Texas from Robeson County, North Carolina.
I’m also related to these ancestors. laspeyre long and joel long were my direct line. I believe the french connection along with indian influence. I would appreciate any more hx of these families or hx of the area, thnxs.
Hi all. To Greta, Barbara, Tabitha, and Josh I just wanted to take a few minutes to let you know that I have our family history. Most of it is hand written because we didn’t have computers when I started, but I’m trying to get it in order. Most of our history was gathered through talking with the older folks in the community. I have since searched online census records and spent hours going over newspaper articles and magazine stories to corroborate the info I recieved, and for the most part, they are in agreement. I also have photos of Laspeyre Long and Elias Register along with several of the older folks, along with their families. In fact, I have over 200 photos of old Crusoe Island that I now have on CD. I’d be happy to get you a copy if you’d like.
As for the name change from Crusoe Island to Riverview, here’s the story from my Grandfather. The Columbus County Commissioners changed the name in the early sixties. He said the people of Crusoe didn’t know about the change until after it had happened, and they were very upset about it. When they kicked up a dust about it, they were told that Crusoe wasn’t a recognized, or “official” name “on the record books” and that they (County Commissioners) had changed the name of the community so as to have county funds made available to keep the road, bridges, and road shoulder serviced.
I can for a fact tell you that the people of Crusoe Island didn’t take the news well. In fact, I have personally seen fights break out over someone calling Crusoe Island by the blasphemous name Riverview while in the presence of a Crusoe resident….and to that, I say good.
Addressing the French connection, here is what I know, or rather… believe I know. My Grandmother was the Granddaughter of Elias and Mary Ann Register, and when asked about how Crusoe got it’s name, she told me about Ben Crusoe and took me to the spot where he was buried. Every time I pass his grave I think about the day Grandma took me there and told me the story.
I have asked many people, many old people, about the Sasser and Formy-Duval name as to if anyone by that name ever lived in Crusoe. Not a single person could remember those names being used anywhere except the Old Dock community. My Great Grandfather Rufus Register was over 100 years old during the early sixties, and he didn’t remember any Sassers or Formy-Duval families living anywhere except Old Dock. Just saying.
Lastly, as a young man I had be curious as to why the earliest people of Crusoe were listed as being born in Brunswick county. Years later I posed the question to Mr. Johnny McNeill and he told me that the answer was simple. Crusoe Island had once been a part of Brunswick County. The county line used to be defined by the Waccamaw River instead of Juniper Creek as it is today. He showed me a copy of the request from the Crusoe Island Community to be “annexed” into Columbus County. The reason given on the document was simple. As a community of Brunswick County, the Crusoe Island residents had to make their way to Southport, the county seat, to register births and deaths, pay taxes, and any other bussiness that needed attention. This would have been impossible for years on end as the trip was almost entirely through swamps. There were no roads to or from Crusoe at the time. The people petitioned to be moved into Columbus County and the county line was moved from the Waccamaw River to the Juniper Creek line as it appears today.
This allowed the Crusoe residents to travel up the Waccamaw River by boat to the village of Flemington (known today as the town of Lake Waccamaw) and travel by road to Whiteville, the county seat of Columbus County. This may also explain why Ben Crusoe’s name didn’t appear on any records. Maybe it just wasn’t worth the effort to travel weeks through swamps filled with snakes and mosquitoes to sign a book in Southport. Or, maybe he just didn’t want to be found? Anyway, Laspeyre Long was indeed born in Brunswick County… but he didn’t move to Crusoe Island. Crusoe Island just moved to Columbus County.
All this reflection has me waxing a bit nostalgic, I think I might just take a walk and say “hi” to Ben Crusoe…..it is such a lovely day here on Crusoe Island.
Jeff,
I am Elias Register 3rd great granddaughter. My Great-grandparents were Willie and Lola Etheridge. I would absolutly love if I could please get a copy of those old pictures from you and see where Ben Crusoe is “relaxing” at. If you would please e-mail me at tracyleahbenton@gmail.com
Thank you!!
The township in which Crusoe Island is located is named after my great great grandfather, Thomas Lee who married a Powell. The remainder of Thomas’ relatives left for Screven Co Georgia after the Revolutionary War. dmann002@nc.rr.com
Jeff,
I would love a copy of any photos you are willing to share. Both of my grandparents were the grandchildren of Isabella and Laspyre Long. Their mothers were sisters Martha Ann Long Etheridge and Catherine Jane Long Clewis. I have 3 young children and I am trying to put together some of our family’s history for them. THANK YOU , Jennifer Boyd