Genet Family
Papers, 1794-1846

SC15308

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Biographical Note:

Edmond Charles Genet was a French diplomat, who was also known as Citizen Genet. He was born in Versailles, France, January 1763, the son of Edmond Jacques Genet, a career civil servant with the French foreign ministry.  He succeeded his father in 1781 in the foreign ministry as a translator and interpreter. In 1788 he was appointed diplomat at the French embassy in Saint Petersburg, Russia. He had become disenchanted with monarchy as a form of government by time the French Revolution began in 1789 and so he remained in Russia. His revolutionary ardor, however, eventually led to friction with the Russian Empress, Catherine, who demanded his recall in 1792. That same year, the Girondists had risen to power in France and appointed Genet minister to the United States.

His coming to the United States was the first of several events that became known as the "Citizen Genet affair." He landed in Charleston, South Carolina, on April 8, 1793, and, instead of traveling to Philadelphia as planned, he stayed in South Carolina, recruiting and arming American privateers and militia to fight for France against England and Spain. He finally arrived in Philadelphia on May 18, and continued similar actions which defied George Washington's neutrality proclamation of April 22. Thomas Jefferson, who was then Secretary of State, informed him that his actions were unacceptable, and demanded his recall. Meanwhile the Jacobins had seized power in France and issued a warrant of arrest for Genet.  Knowing he would be guillotined upon his return, he sought political asylum in the United States. This was granted by Washington, with the rare joint concurrence of Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson and Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton (who had joined Washington in condemning his actions).

Genet then moved to Jamaica, Queens County, New York, and married Cornelia Tappen Clinton in 1794, the daughter of George Clinton, who was prominent in New York State politics and government. She died in 1810 and in 1818 Genet married Martha Brandon Osgood, the daughter of Samuel Osgood, the first United States postmaster general. Records indicate that both his first and second wife bore children. About 1800 the Genet family settled on a farm called Prospect Hill located in Greenbush, Rensselaer County, New York, which was situated on the opposite side of the Hudson River from Albany. Here he lived the life of a gentleman farmer and authored a book about farming techniques. He also wrote essays and opinion pieces related to political issues. He died on July 14, 1834 and is buried in the churchyard behind the Greenbush Reformed Church, about two miles east of his farm.

Scope and Contents Note:

The Genet Family Papers is organized into two series:  letters and papers of Edmond Charles Genet, 1794-1829, and the Genet family papers, 1832-1847.

The first series consists chiefly of letters written by Edmond Charles Genet from 1805 to 1834, which relate mostly to matters of his interests in farming, the lumber industry, and the building of bridges and canals. Genet's personal finances are also considered in a number of letters.  Issues relative to Genet's career as a diplomat, particularly the "Citizen Genet" affair is considered only in the letter of April 29, 1794.  The letter of May 1, 1821, is the only other letter that appears to concern diplomatic relations between France and the United States. Other papers of Edmond C. Genet include drafts of letters to the editor of the Albany Register concerning the War of 1812; drafts of essays regarding his endorsement of DeWitt Clinton for president in 1812; and petitions for the incorporation of the Hudson Ship Canal Company in 1826.

The second series consists chiefly of correspondence, legal papers, and financial records related to Genet family real estate holdings in the Greenwich Village area of New York City.  A plat map in folder 34 indicates that several lots were distributed to the sons and daughters of Edmond Charles Genet: Henry James Genet, Maria Louisa Genet, Charles Alexander Genet, Cornelia Tappen Genet, and George Clinton Genet.  They were party to a chancery dispute brought against Anthony Carroll. Charles Alexander Genet died in 1839, which apparently complicated the matter.  Correspondence and other papers indicate Timothy R. Green and John W. Mitchell, attorneys of New York City, were handing the case.

Provenance Note:

The collection originally consisted of the documents in Box 2 that were purchased from Argasy in September 1972. Later many items that were originally accessioned separately were collated with the existing group to form a single collection. The original accession number of these items appears in parenthesis following the description of the item in the inventory list.

Box and Folder List: