The Vautiers: Truck Farmers of Philadelphia

"One does not need to go far to learn the names of the old neck barons. By a visit to the Lutheran Church on Eighteenth street below Passyunk any Sunday morning he will read their ancestral names on the tombstones in the old graveyard. They are the Shetzlines, Myers, Shislers, Vautiers, Youngs, Simons and Wilhelms; the Wilhelms, Vautiers, Youngs, Simons, Shislers, Myers and Shetzlines almost ad infinitum."

~ The Neck Barons," The Times (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 25 April 1891, page 8

One of the more notable families in my genealogy are the Vautiers, who lived in Philadelphia.  The patriarch of this family was one Dominique Vautier, who was born in Saint Aubin-Sur-Aire, near  Meuse, in the Lorraine region of France on 8 January 1766.  He immigrated to the United States at the time of the French Revolution as part of the French 500, and traveled to Philadelphia, where he married Marie Louise DeLaittre on 7 January 1793 at the Old St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Philadelphia.

According to stories passed down through descendants, Dominique was a gardener first in France. and was possibly even employed as a gardener for someone in the Second Estate.  There were many tiny estate farms in France, and since Dominique was from the Lorraine area of France, it is likely he worked on one of these farms.  He was listed as a farmhand on transcriptions of the passenger list for the ship The Patriot, and he may have even worked at one point or another for Count Jean-Joseph De Barth, as De Barth was a witness at the marriage of Dominique and Marie Louise.

The Vautier family first settled in East Southwark, south of Philadelphia, appearing on the 1810 Federal census enumeration as having lived here.  Southwark was a settlement just south of the city of Philadelphia, but no history can be found on the settlement of East Southwark.

By 1820, the family was living in Passyunk, Philadelphia County, on a farm that eventually came to be on Beggar's Town Road (also known as Magazine Road).  Dominique settled his family in the area of Passyunk that would become known as "The Neck."

The Neck was an area marshlands south of the city of Philadelphia that had been farmed by settlers since before the Revolution.  The Neck's northern order was the city of Philadelphia as it existed before 1854, and its southern end was the area where the Schuylkill and the Delaware Rivers meet. It was named for the way the land snaked by the rivers and its resemblance a goose's neck.  The area had a rural way of life that had existed for many years.  Much of the land in the Neck was used for some sort of farming of vegetables and livestock to feed Philadelphia's population, though that sort of agriculture in the area was a precarious business, as flooding was a possibility.

In the Neck's heyday it was almost a romantic place, known as a place of adventure, almost ruffian of sorts. Two sorts of people lived in this area.  They were known as the Neckers and "Ma'shers (Marshers)," and there was a distinction between them. The Neckers were the farmers who owned the farms that were situated on the best land in the neck.  The were the bourgeois and the truest of them had Revolutionary war hero blood running through their veins.  Their predominate trade was truck farming, and their produce and livestock fed the growing city of Philadelphia.  Ma'ashers lived in the lower lands that became marshes in the spring when the ice and snow melted, often in shanties that cropped up.  They also made their living, somewhat precariously, through farming, although they were also looked down upon as often being squatters, as they rarely owned the land they lived on.

The Vautiers were Neckers, although they could not claim to be the truest Neckers, as Dominique settled in the area in the nineteenth century.  Nevertheless, documents and family history suggest that he became prosperous, and the Vautiers became one of the more affluent farming families in the area.

Dominique Vautier died 27 January 1828 from paralysis, likely on his farm in Passyunk.  He was buried two days later at the cemetery at Holy Trinity Catholic Church two days later.  He died intestate, so his eldest son, Charles, became the administrator of his estate.  The total value of the estate of Dominique Vautier, late of Passyunk, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, was worth $1556.99.

While farmers were necessary to feed Philadelphians, the business of truck farming seemed to be looked down upon by the city of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  On 9 February 1828, local truck farmers, including the sons of Dominique Vautier  (namely Michael, Charles, John, and Peter) signed a petition that appeared in the local paper.

"We, the undersigned, Proprietors and Tenants of Lands in the vicinity of the Southern part of Philadelphia, commonly called the Neck, having seen the report of a certain meeting, convened at the Commissioners' Hall, in the District of Southwark on the 26th of January, for the purpose of forming a Canal from the Schuylkill to the Delaware, which must be cut through many of our gardens, do hereby declare that we shall do all in our power to prevent it, by respectfully petitioning the Legislature of the State, showing that such a Canal would be highly injurious in many ways to our properties, running through and ruining many a poor man's garden, in some instances not more than 6 or 7 acres, for the support of himself and a numerous family; and that such a Canal is not necessary to the good of the community at large, but only may be serviceable to a few interested individuals. Signed by us, residents in the immediate vicinity of the site of the projected Canal."  ~ The National Gazette (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 9 February 1828, page 2

The Vautier brothers all owned land in the neck at one point or another, although locating the deeds from Philadelphia County has proven difficult.  The brothers all sold their wares at the Callowhill Market, located on Callowhill Street between Fourth and Seventh Streets north of Center City.  Peter Vautier, my ancestor, held a stall in Section 26 at the market for at least three years, according to the city directories, while his farm was miles away on Jefferson above Buck Road in Passyunk Township.

Farming and raising animals was not unadventurous.  In the Public Ledger (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 12 June 1843 edition on page 3 appeared this advert:

"Five Dollars Reward," advertisement, Public Ledger (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 12 June 1843, Volume: XIV; Issue: 68; Page: 3; online archive, Genealogy Bank (www.genealogybank.com : 23 October 2016 ).

It is not known if Peter found the cow.

According to reminiscences from Peter's sons William and John, the family woke up early in the morning and load their produce wares onto their wagon (or truck, hence "truck farming") and head out before dawn to the market.  The best way to get to the market was to travel up Passyunk Street from the farms to the edge of the then incorporated city and then travel through the labyrinth of city streets to the market.  By evening, the family had usually sold all of their produce, and loaded up their empty baskets and boxes onto their truck and traveled the same route in reverse to come home.  The round trip took several hours, but was only twice or trice a week.  The rest of the week, farmers spent tending their crops and readying their wares for sale.

Peter Vautier died from pulmonary congestion on 28 November 1860 at his farm, which had been consolidated into Philadelphia by the time of his death.  His widow, Sarah, either sold the farm or lost it after his probate (records have not been located for his probate, although there is a letter of administration) and moved around the city, having been listed at several addresses around the city between the years of 1862 and 1891, when she died on 1 October 1891 at 1224 Wisner street of old age.

Consolidation of all of the Neck into the city of Philadelphia happened on 2 February 1854. One of the reasons for consolidation was that the surrounding neighborhoods, known then as colonies of Philadelphia, were unruly places, and there was no proper police force to govern any of Philadelphia county.  Population in these colonies grew, and there was so much diversity.  As a result, there was also a great deal of unrest. The act extended the boundaries of the city to the whole territory of the county of Philadelphia.  What was once the Dominique Vautier farm by 1910 was owned by the Atlantic Refining Company, per maps available at PhilaGeoHistory.  By the 1890s, what was once the farm of Peter Vautier was built up into the city.  By 1955, all traces of the Neck were obliterated as the last of the farms were shut down.  The area that encompassed what was the truck farms of the Vautiers are now the neighborhoods of Girard Estates and South Philadelphia and the area west of those neighborhoods.

Sources Used
"1810 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 October 2016), Entry for Domique Vautier, Year: 1810, Census Place: East Southwark Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Roll: 56, Page: 134, Image: 00192, and Family History Library Film: 0193682; citing Third Census of the United States, 1810. (NARA microfilm publication M252, 71 rolls). Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

"1860 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 October 2016), Entry for Peter Vautier and family, Year: 1860, Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 1 Division 1 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Roll: M653_1151, Page: 52, Image: 56, and Family History Library Film: 805151; citing 1860 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

Ancestry.com, "1820 United States Federal Census," online database, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 October 2016), Entry for Domonique Voleer, 1820 U S Census, Census Place: Passyunk Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Page: 143, NARA Roll: M33_110, and Image: 408; citing Fourth Census of the United States, 1820. (NARA microfilm publication M33, 142 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Ancestry.com, "1840 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 October 2016), Entry for Peter Vautier, Year: 1840, Census Place: Passyunk Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Roll: 491, Page: 181, Image: 911, and Family History Library Film: 0020556.

Ancestry.com, "1850 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 October 2016), Entry for Peter Voutier and family, Year: 1850, Census Place: Passyunk Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Roll: M432_820, Page: 63A, and Image: 134; citing Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C..

Archives Départementales de la Meuse, "Etat Civil," database, Archives Départementales de la Meuse Archives En Ligne (http://archives.meuse.fr/search/home: accessed 26 October 2016), Dominique Vautier; Baptême; 9 Jan 1766; image 94; citing Baptêmes, Mariages, Sépultures , 1753-1768 de Saint-Aubin, Cote du document original : E dépôt 346 (1 E 15).

Blumart, Jake. "Lens: Finding Stonehouse Lane, South Philly’s lost neighborhood," online, PBS, Whyy (https://whyy.org/articles/lens-finding-stonehouse-lane-south-philly-s-lost-neighborhood/ : accessed 8 January 2020).

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [LDS], "Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 2016), entry for Dominique Vautier https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:99LP-PVD; submitted by submitted by jmiller2719484 (CD #13 Pin #313539).

"City Directories for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania," online database with images, Fold3 (www.fold3.com : accessed 30 September 2016), year: 1858; page: 700; "Vautier Peter farmer Jeff av ab Buck road".

"City Directories for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania," online database with images, Fold3 (www.fold3.com : accessed 30 September 2016), year: 1859; page: 203; "Vautier Peter 84 Callowhill mkt sec 26".

"City Directories for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania," online database with images, Fold3 (www.fold3.com : accessed 10 February 2019), year: 1860; page: 1019; "Vautier, Peter, gardener, 84 Callowhill St Market, h Moyamensing av n Buck rd."

Egan, Maurice F. "A Day in the Ma'sh," Scribner's Monthly, July 1881, Volume 22, Issue 3, Adam Levine, Philly H2O: The History of Philadelphia's Watersheds and Sewers (http://www.phillyh2o.org/backpages/neck1881.htm : accessed 15 January 2019), information on the Neck and Marshers; reprinted online.

Ellet Jr., Charles. A Map of the County of Philadelphia from Actual Survey (Philadelphia: Charles Ellet, 1843); digital image, Greater Philadelphia Digital History Network (https://www.philageohistory.org/tiles/viewer/ : accessed 15 February 2019), Vautier farm on Beggar's Town Lane has been determined to be Charles Nichoals Vautier's Farm.

"Five Dollars Reward," advertisement, Public Ledger (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 12 June 1843, Volume: XIV; Issue: 68; Page: 3; online archive, Genealogy Bank (www.genealogybank.com : 23 October 2016 ).

Haney, Beth.  Gallia County Genealogical Society OGS Chapter, Inc., The French 500 : Passenger List for the ship Patriot (http://www.galliagenealogy.org/French500/patriot.htm : accessed 26 October 2016), "Vautier, Dominique, Farmhand, male, from Aubin, Lorraine, age 22".

Kelitad, "The "French 500" who came over to America in 1790," article, (9 September 2012), HubPages (https://hubpages.com/education/1790-French-500 : accessed 9 September 2012).

Kropp, Sonny. A White Star On My Cap by William J. Vautier (N.p.: Sonny Kropp, 1983).

Kyriakodis, Harry. "The Life And Death Of Callowhill," Hidden City, 10 Feb 2016; online, Hidden City: Exploring Philadelphia's Urban Landscape (https://hiddencityphila.org/2016/02/the-life-and-death-of-callowhill/ : accessed 8 January 2020), information on Callowhill Street Market.

McElroy's Philadelphia city directory (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: A. McElroy & Co, 1861), 1015, "Vautier Peter, gardener, stall 84 Callowhill st Market, h Moyamensing av n Buck la"; digital image, Geneanet (http://en.geneanet.org : accessed 7 September 2017).

"The Neck Barons," The Times (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 25 April 1891, page 8; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 23 January 2019).

"Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985," online database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 October 2016), Entry for Dominicus Vautier; Burial date 29 Jan 1828; Organization Name : Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church; image 48; Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Collection Name: Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records; Reel: 960; citing Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

"Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 30 October 2016), 004009791 > image 331 of 582; (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12116-151655-97?cc=1320976); citing Philadelphia City Archives and Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

"Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 16 October 2016), Entry for Peter Vautier, 28 Nov 1860; FHL microfilm 1,977,524; (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JK9D-P57); citing Philadelphia City Archives and Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. certificate.

"Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 16 October 2016), Entry for Peter Vautier, 28 Nov 1860; v 1 p 13; FHL microfilm 1,003,690; (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKZ6-G4V); citing Philadelphia City Archives and Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. death register.

"Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 4 November 2016), Entry for Sarah Vantier, 01 Oct 1891; cn 6783; FHL microfilm 1,888,605.; citing Philadelphia City Archives and Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

"Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 4 November 2016), Entry for Sarah Vantier, 01 Oct 1891; v B p 166; FHL microfilm 1,011,821; (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VK8P-W7C); death register; citing Philadelphia City Archives and Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

"Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993," database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 30 October 2016), Entry for Domimig Vantier; probate date 1828; Case Number: 19; Administration Files, No 271-307, 1-20, 1827-1828; Pennsylvania, City of Philadelphia, administration files; Author: Philadelphia (Pennsylvania). Register of Wills; Probate Place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 9 pages total; citing Pennsylvania County District and Probate Courts.

Philadelphia County Register of Wills, Wills, 1682-1916; indexes to wills, 1682-1924, Administration index, 1682-1900, Sm-Z, year 1860, Number 511, Peter Vautier, Administration Book R, page 472; FHL microfilm 21841.

Philadelphia Orphans' Court, Orphans' Court records 1719-1856 ; Index 1719-1938, Book 32, page 110; Item 44; Settlement of the estate of Dominique Vautier, filed 21 May 1830; Philadelphia City Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; FHL microfilm 7726605.

"Philadelphia Roman Catholic Parish Marriages," database online with images, Find My Past (www.findmypast.com : accessed 9 September 2018), Entry for Dominicus Vantier and Maria Luisa de Laittre, married 07 Jan 1793; referencing Old St. Joseph Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania marriages, page 50, first entry, film number 79.04; citing Archdiocese of Philadelphia parish registers.

Robinson, Sam. "In Defense Of Consolidation, 160 Years Later," online article, Hidden City Philadelphia (https://hiddencityphila.org/2014/02/in-defense-of-consolidation-160-years-later/ : accessed 15 January 2019), information on the consolidation of Philadelphia.

"Untitled Petition," legal notice, The National Gazette (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 9 February 1828, page 2; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 16 January 2019).

"U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s," database online, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 October 2016), Entry for Dominique Vautier; Place: Alexandria, Virginia; Year: 1790; Page Number: 49; Source Bibliography: EVANS, HENNY AND JOCELYN ZANELLI. Genealogical Special: 1790 Ship Passenger Lists Emigration from Le Havre France, to Alexandria, Virginia. In The Gallia County Glade (Gallia County Historical/Genealogical Society, Gallipolis, OH), vol. 19:3 (Fall 199?); citing Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s. Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research, 2012.

Vautier, John D. The Personal Diary of John D. Vautier, transcribed copy (n.p., n.d.); online transcription, Robert Weaver and Phyllis Weaver Bickley, WikiTree (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Vautier-28 : accessed 4 November 2016.

Vidumsky, John. "In “The Neck,' A History Of Stiff Resistance To Change," online article, Hidden City Philadelphia (https://hiddencityphila.org/2013/01/in-the-neck-a-history-of-stiff-resistance-to-change/ : accessed 15 January 2019), information on The Neck.

"WikiTree Wiki", database, WikiTree (www.wikitree.com : accessed 4 November 2016), "Vautier," Entry for Peter Vautier, Vautier-29; submitted 6 March 2014 by Bob Weaver.

Wilde, Robert. "Pre-Revolutionary France," article, (30 June 2018), ThoughtCo (https://www.thoughtco.com/french-revolution-pre-revolutionary-france-1221877 : accessed 16 January 2019).