St George's Bay Mi'kmaq

THE FOURTEEN OLD ONES

IN 1790, PIONEERS WHO SETTLED IN CHETECAMP OBTAINED A CHARTER DATED THE 27 SEPT. WHICH GAVE THEM 7,000 ACRES OF LAND.

THEY WERE PIERRE BOIS(PETER WOOD), PETER O'QUINN (PIERRE AUCOIN), JOSEPH BOUDROIT(BOUDREAU), JOSEPH GOUDEIL(GAUDET) , PAUL CHAISSON, BASILE CHAISSON, JOSEPH DESVEAUX, GREGOIRE MATLLETTE (MAILLET), JOHN CHAISSON, LAZARD WHITE (LAZARD LE BLANC), RAYMOND POIRIE (POIRIER), ANSELM O’QUINN (AUCOIN) JOSEPH O' QUINN(AUCOIN) JUSTIN DESVEAUX. SINCE THIS TIME AND STILL TODAY, THEY ARE CALLED THE 14 OLD ONES.

THERE WAS A VERY CLOSE BLOOD BETWEEN THEM. IT WAS NOT UNCOMMON THAT A BROTHER AND A SISTER—MARRY THE SISTERS AND THE BROTHERS OF ANOTHER FAMILY THIS CREATED SOME VERY DIFFICULT SITUATIONS TO FIGURE OUT, BUT WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE UNION OF THIS LITTLE GROUP WHICH FOUND ITSELF WITHOUT OTHER LINKS TO THE REST OF THE WORLD EXCEPT THE RARE MISSIONARY, THE HARD J,FRSAIS(NATIVES OF JERSEY), AND THEIR HARDY SCHOONERS FOR A LONG TIME YOU CAN SAY THAT THEY FORMED ONE LARGE FAMILY.

PIERRE AUCOIN (PETER O'QUINN)

PIERRE AUCOIN HAS BORN IN NOVA SCOTIA IN 1736. HE WAS THE SON OF JOHN AUCOIN AND MARGUERITE PITRE. IT SEEMS THAT ALL THE AUCOIN’S OF ACADIA, THOSE OF CHETECAMP LIKE THE OTHERS, CAME FROM MARTIN AUCOIN AND HIS WIFE MARIE GAUDET.

MARTIN AUCOIN CAME FROM FRANCE AND THEY WERE MARRIED AT PORT ROYAL, JOHN AUCOIN PETER'S FATHER, WAS THE SON OF MARTIN.

IT IS CERTAIN THAT PETER UNDERWENT THE DISPERSION OF THE ACADIANS AND PROBABLY THE ISLAND OF ST. JOHN'S (NOW PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND). HE WAS DEPORTED TO ENGLAND THEN BROUGHT TO FRANCE IN 1763 WHERE HE SETTLED IN ST. MALO WITH HIS WIFE FELICITE LEBLANC--TWO OF HIS CHILDREN WERE BORN IN FRANCE, ANSLEM IN 1764, AND PETER IN 1765.

IN 1772, HE LEFT FRANCE TO COME BACK TO ACADIA BY WAY OF ENGLAND. IN 1778 WE FOUND HIM ON ST. JOHN'S ISLAND BECAUSE HIS SON JOSEPH -(BIG MAN) WAS BORN ON THIS DATE.

HE ALSO TRAVELLED A LOT BEFORE COMING TO SETTLE IN CHETECAMP. HE WAS ON ST. JOHN'S ISLAND IN 1770 AND IN 1781, HE WAS AT ARICHAT. PERHAPS HE WAS AWHILE AT PISIQUID NOVA SCOTIA, PERHAPS AT BAIE DES CHALEURS. HE WAS AT TRACADIA NOVA SCOTIA BECAUSE HIS SON PIERROT WAS STILL THERE IN 1791.

PIERRE( PETER) ARRIVED AT CHETECAMP AROUND 1706. IT SEEMS THAT HE LODGED AT PLATEAU. THERE WHERE OCTAVE A PADDY PITELET AUCOIN LIVED. SINCE HIS ARRIVAL HE AND JOSEPH BOUDREAU BUILT A FLOUR MILL AT THE TOP OF AUCOIN RIVER.

THEY CHOOSE WELL THE PLACEMENT BECAUSE THE MILL, AFTER HAVING CHANGED HANDS SEVERAL TIMES, UNDERWENT TRANSFORMATIONS SERVED FOR OTHER MEANS ANC FUNCTIONED UNTIL 1949. PIERRE (PETER) CULTIVATED LAND AND FISHED AT THE SAME TIME WITH JOSEPH HIS BROTHER AND ANSLEM HIS SON IN A SCHOONER BELONGING TO ANSLEM.

PIERRE MARRIED FIRST—FELICITE LE BLANC AND SECOND MARRIAGE TO MARIE DOUCETTE. THE FIRST MARRIAGE PRODUCED 7 CHILDREN -- 3 BOYS AND A GIRLS. ANSLEM, JOSPEH, PIERRE, MADALINE, MARIE, ISABELLE AND GENEVIEVE.

A SECOND MARRIAGE PRODUCED NO CHILDREN. IN 1825, HE SOLD HIS BELONGINGS TO HIS SON PIERRE. HE MUST HAVE. FELT THE END COMING — HE DIED THE 15 OF DEC. 1827 AT THE AGE OF 91 YRS. AS PIERRE AUCOIN IS THE ANCESTOR OF ALL THE AUCOINS OF CHETECAMP.

JOSEPH AUCOIN

JOSEPH AUCOIN WAS BORN IN NOVA SCOTIA IN 1748. HE WAS THE SON OF JOHN AUCOIN AND OF MARGUERITE PITRE, AND ALSO THE BROTHER OF OLD PIERRE.

JOSEPH WAS DEPORTED TO ENGLAND WITH PIERRE AND IN 1763 WENT TO FRANCE. HE CAME HACK TO ACADIA IN 1772 BY WAY OF ENGLAND. IN 1770, HE WAS FOUND ON ST. JOHN'S ISLAND AND IN 1701 IN ARICHAT. IF PIERRE WENT TO PISIQUID AND BAIE-DES CHALELIRS AS MENTIONED BEFORE, PROBABLY JOSEPH WAS WITH HIM.

JOSEPH SAYS MONDU, ARRIVED AT CHETECAMP IN 1706 WITH THE SAME CONTINGENT OF PIONEERS AS PIERRE. HE WAS 30 YEARS OLD. HE BROUGHT WITH HIM HIS WIFE MARIE HEBERT AND HIS ADOPTED SON CYRIAC ROCHE—2 YRS OLD-- BORN IN NOVA SCOTIA OF IRISH PARENTS OF IRELAND. CYRIAC IS THE ANCESTOR OF ALL THE ROCHES OR ROACHES OF THIS PARISH.

JOSEPH AND HIS WIFE DID NOT HAVE NATURAL CHILDREN. HE LODGED TO THE SOUTH WEST OF ANSLEM AUCOIN BUT TO THE SOUTH EAST OF PLATEAU RIVER. IT WAS HE WHO REPLACED THE PRIEST AND WHO CONDUCTED RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES. HE FISHED WITH HIS BROTHER PIERRE AND HIS NEPHEW ANSLEM.

JOSEPH DIED ON FEB. 10, 1833 AT THE AGE OF 84 YEARS. HIS WIFE MARIE HEBERT SURVIVED HIM.

ANSELME AUCOIN

ANSELME AUCOIN WAS THE SON OF PIERRE AUCOIN AND FELICITE LE BLANC. HE WAS BORN IN FRANCE IN 1764 WHEN HIS FATHER BROUGHT HIM THERE AFTER HAVING BEEN DEPORTED TO ENGLAND DURING THE DISPERSEMENT. HE FOLLOWED HIS FATHER IN ALL JOURNEYS ON THIS RETURN FROM FRANCE TO CHETECAMP.

ANSELME ARRIVED AT CHETECAMP IN 1705 AT THE AGE OF 21. HIS WIFE ROSE CHAISSON WAS THE DAUGHTER OF PAUL CHAISSON, ANOTHER OF THE OLD ONES. LIKE THE MAJORITY OF THE PIONEERS, ANSELME WAS A FISHERMAN.

HE LODGED AT PLATEAU AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CEMETRY SOUTH WEST OF THE BOUDREAUS. ANSELME AND ROSE WERE BLESSED WITH A FAMILY OF 9 CHILDREN. THEY WERE: RAPHAEL, HUBERT, PIERRE, JOSEPH, THOMAS, SUSANNE,MARIE AND ANOTHER DAUGHTER (NAME UNKNOWN).

ANSELME DIED 27 SEPT. 1824 AT THE AGE OF 60 YEARS.

JOSEPH GAUDET

JOSEPH GAUDET WAS BORN AT LOUISBOURG TO PARENTS BORN IN NOVA SCOTIA. HE MARRIED MARIE-ANNE RICHARD. JOSEPH IS ANOTHER OF THESE PIONEERS WHO HAD TO TRAVEL A LOT BEFORE FINALLY SETTLING IN CHETECAMP.

IN 1761, HE WAS AT LOUISBOURG AT DESCOUSSE IN 1771 AT ARICHAT FROM 1776 to 1700 AT BONAVENTURE, IN 1780 FROM BONAVENTURE HE WENT TO CHETECAMP.

HE ARRIVED IN 1706 WITH HIS WIFE ANNE, AND HIS SON MAXIMILLIEN ARRIVED THE YEAR BEFORE. JOSEPH LIVED IN PLATIN. HIS CHILDREN WERE OSITE, ISABELLE, MARGUERITE, HENRIETTE, VICTOIRE, FRANCOIS, JOSEPH, MAXIMILIEN.

RAYMOND POIRIER

RAYMOND POIRIER WAS BORN IN NOVA SCOTIA TO PARENTS BORN IN NOVA SCOTIA. HE WAS IN THE REGION OF MADAME ISLAND IN 1771. THIS SAME YEAR UPON THE ARRIVAL OF THE MISSIONARY CHARLES BAILLY, RAYMOND AND MARIE BOIS, DAUGHTER OF PIERRE BOIS, FIRST FOUNDER OF CHETECAMP, GOT MARRIED. TWO DAYS LATER, THE 14 AUGUST, 1771, THEY HAD A SON.

IN 1780 RAYMOND WAS IN GASPESIE AND THEN CAME TO CHETECAMP. HE ARRIVED AT CHETECAMP IN 1785 WITH HIS FAMILY. HE STAYED AT PLATIN. HIS CHILDREN WERE RAYMOND, PASCAL, AND HENRIETTE.

LAZARE LE BLANC (WHITE)
L

AZARE LE BLANC WAS BORN IN NOVA SCOTIA IN 1753 OF PARENTS BORN IN NOVA SCOTIA. IT SEEMS THAT HE WAS AT ST. JOHN'S ISLAND BEFORE COMING TO CHETECAMP. HE ARRIVED THERE IN 1786 AT AGE 33 WITH WIFE MODESTE CHAISSON. HE STAYED IN CHETECAMP. HIS CHILDREN WERE: GREGOIRE, JEAN, JOSEPH DIT QUAIREK, JOACHIM, SIMON, LAZARE.

JEAN, PAUL, AND BASILE CHIASSON

PAUL CHIASSON WAS BORN IN 1727. HE WAS THE SON OF JACQUES CHIASSON AND MARIE ARSENEAU. JOHN, THE BROTHER OF PAUL, WAS BORN IN 1740. IN 1750, SUSPECTING DECEIT OF THE ENGLISH, SLIPPED AWAY FROM THE FRENCH BAY WITH 5 OTHER FAMILIES TO GO TO POINT PRIME, HUT THEY DIDN'T STAY LONG AT POINT PRIME BEFORE LEAVING AGAIN IN 1752. JOHN AND HIS FAMILY WERE SETTLED NORTH OF ST. JOHN'S ISLAND. HIS FAMILY WAS MADE UP OF HIS WIFE MARIE AND 7 BOYS. PIERRE - 27 YRS. OLD, PAUL - 25, JACQUES - 23.MICHEL- 21, JOSEPH- 15, JEAN-12, ARMAND - 7 AND 2 GIRLS: MADELEINE - 18 AND ELIZABETH - 14..

IT IS NOT CLEAR WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHIASSON FAMILY DURING THE DISPERSEMENT OF 1758 WHICH SWEPT ST. JOHN'S ISLAND AND CAPE BRETON. NO TRACE THAT THEY WERE DEPORTED. A TRADITION HERE WISHES THAT THEY SUCCEEDED IN ESCAPING FIRST INTO THE WOODS THEN LATER TO ST. PIERRE AND MIQUELON WHERE WE FOUND THEM IN 1767.

AT THIS DATE PAUL MARRIED LOUISE ROUDROT. THEY HAD 4 CHILDREN: BASILE - 11YRS. OLD, GERMAIN -9, ARMAND - 5 AND ROSE 2 YEARS OLD .(ANSELME’s WIFE).

THE ENGLISH TWICE SWEPT THE ISLANDS OF ST. PIERRE AND MIQUILON. MOST OF THE ACADIAN RFFUGEES THERE. WERE. DEPORTED TO FRANCE. BUT IT SEEMS THAT THE. SENSES OF JACK CHIASSON AVERTED THEM AGAIN AND PERMITTED THEM TO FLEE. BE WHAT IT MAY, WE FOUND THEM AGAIN ON ST. JOHN'S ISLAND AROUND 1 781 WITHOUT OLD JACK WHO DIED DURING THIS TIME. IT SEEMS THEY FIRST SETTLED IN THE AREA AROUND FORTUNE BAY (P.E.I.). BUT, THE. INTERFERING OF THE ENGLISH DISCOURAGED THEM AND THEY LEFT-SOME TO POLLO BAY AND OTHER PLACES ON THE COAST OF P.E.I. OTHERS WENT ON TO FOUND CHETECAMP, ST. JOSEPH DU MOINE, AND MARGAREE.

JOHN, PAUL, AND BASILE CHIASSON ARRIVED AT CHETECAMP IN 1786. ALL 3 WERE MARRIED. PAUL WAS MARRIED TO LOUISE BOUDROT, JOHN TO ISABELLE BOUDROT, AND BASILE TO ADELAIDE ARSENEAU. THEY HAD THEIR OWN LAND LEGALLY GIVEN BY THE CHARTER OF 1790. BUT THEY KEPT REGULAR CONTACT WITH THE CHIASSON FAMILIES AND OTHERS OF ST. JOHN'S ISLAND (P.E.I.). THEY HAD TO TRAVEL OFTEN FROM ONE PLACE TO THE OTHER AND WEREN'T DEFINITELY FIXED AT CHETECAMP.

BASILE AND JOHN DEFINITELY LIVED AT CHETECAMP WHILE PAUL RETURNED TO LIVE AND DIE AT POLLO BAY. IN FACT IN 1809, PAUL SOLD HIS LAND —500 ACRES TO HIS SON JOSEPH.

SOME OF PAUL'S CHILDREN LIKE JACK LIVED ON ST. JOHN'S ISLAND WHERE THEY HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF DESCENDANTS TODAY. MANY OTHERS SETTLED AT CHETECAMP AND HAVE FAMILIES THERE, AS WELL AS OTHERS DIRECTLY RELATED TO HIM.

WE HAVE OFTEN SPOKEN OF THE PROBLEMS OF IMMIGRATION WHICH CERTAINLY SLOWED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ACADIAN REGION NORTH OF THE COUNTY OF INVERNESS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF ITS HISTORY. AND EVERYONE IS AWARE OF SEVERAL PEOPLE FROM HERE WHO ARE ACTUALLY SPREAD OUT OVER CANADA AND THE U.S. IT IS MAINLY FROM THE TURN OF THE CENTURY THAT THE FLOW OF IMMIGRATIONS BEGAN.

BUT THE THING PROBABLY LESS KNOWN BY OUR PEOPLE IS THAT THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE IMMIGRATION IN OUR AREA MUCH EARLIER THAT. IN FACT, BEFORE THE MIDDLE OF THE 19th CENTURY, MANY OF OUR FAMILIES FROM CHETECAMP AND ST. JOSEPH DE MOINE AND ESPECIALLY MARGAREE WENT TO SETTLE ON THE WEST COAST OF NFLD. IN THE BAY ST. GEORGE REGION AND THE CODROY VALLEY (THAT OUR PEOPLE CALL CADRE). THERE WAS ALSO EVEN EARLIER THAT, AROUND 1820, A GROUP OF ACADIANS FROM THE REGION OF LITTLE BRA'D OR WHO WENT TO SETTLE IN THE SAME REGION. HOWEVER, TO THIS TIME, WE HAVE NOT SUCCEEDED IN IDENTIFYING ANY OF OURS WHO LEFT EARLY. ITS MAINLY SINCE 1840 THAT OUR PEOPLE WENT THERE.

WHAT DID NFLD. HAVE TO OFFER TO ATTRACT OUR PEOPLE? WHY DID THEY LEAVE THE BEAUTIFUL LAND OF MARGAREE OR THE BEAUTIFUL CHETECAMP TO GO LIVE IN PLACES THAT WERE NEARLY SAVAGE(WILD). OH WELL, MOTIVATION WAS-MISSING.

FIRST, ONE MUST REMEMBER THAT OUR PEOPLE AT THAT TIME LIVED BY FISHING AND AGRICULTURE. WHILE FISHING FOR THE ROBINS CO., THEY CULTIVATED THE LAND AND RAISED CATTLE FOR FOOD. THEREFORE, EACH ONE NEEDED A LARGE PARCEL OF GOOD LAND. ALREADY BY THE MIDDLE OF THE 19th CENTURY, THE POPULATION OF THE REGION HAD RISEN A LOT. THE LANDS HAD ALREADY BEEN DIVIDED BY THE FIRST TO ARRIVE TO PERMIT EACH OF THEIR CHILDREN TO ESTABLISH HIS OWN LITTLE FARM. THUS, THE GOOD LAND WAS MORE AND MORE SCARCE. IN ADDITION, THE GOVERNMENT OF NOVA SCOTIA IMPOSED TAXES FOR LANDS OUR ANCESTORS OWNED AND WORKED. ON THE OTHER HAND, NFLD. HAD LOTS OF LAND THAT AWAITED DEVELOPMENT. THE NFLD GOVERNMENT OFFERED FREE LAND TO WHOEVER WANTED IT ON ONE CONDITION THAT THIS LAND BE CULTIVATED.

EVEN MORE, THERE WAS COD AND HERRING IN GREAT QUANTITIES IN THE WATERS OF THIS NFLD. REGION. OUR PEOPLE WHO WERE JUST AND FOREMOST FISHERMAN CERTAINLY WERE ATTRACTED BY THE RICH FISHING BANKS ON THE WEST COAST OF NFLD. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE IN THE REGION, BUYERS OF FISH FROM FRANCE WHICH WAS GOOD FOR OUR PEOPLE WHO DEALT IN THE FRENCH LANGUAGE.

EVEN MORE, OUR YOUNG MEN AND ALSO OUR YOUNG WOMEN OF THE 19 th CENTURY DON'T DOUBT IT, ALSO HAD THE TASTE OF ADVENTURE, THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, HAVE TODAY HOWEVER, THEIR MEANS FOR GOING INTO THE UNKNOWN WERE MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THOSE AVAILABLE TO OUR YOUNG IN 1980. AT THAT TIME MONEY WAS PRACTICALLY NONEXISTENT. IT WAS H.\RD TO PAY FOR LONG TRIPS. THERE ALSO WASN'T IN THOSE TIMES GOOD ROADS CONNECTING CHETECAMP WITH THE EXTERIOR. IT WAS HARD TO PAY FOR LONG TRIPS. THOSE VOYAGES HAD TO BE BY SEA AND WHERE ONE TRAVELLED BY BOAT, THE LANDS CLOSEST TO CHETECAMP WERE THE ISLANDS IN THE GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE AND BAY ST. GEORGE.

ASIDE FROM ALL THOSE FACTORS WHICH COULD MOTIVATE IMMIGRATION, IT IS POSSIBLE TO SUSPECT THAT MANY OF OUR PEOPLE, FROM MARGAREE SETTLED ON LANDS FOR WHICH THEY HAD LEASES AND THAT THEY WERE CHASED FROM THESE LANDS BY SCOTTISH WHO HAD ASKED THE GOVERNMENT FOR OWNERSHIP OF THESE LANDS WHICH WAS GRANTED. ONE THING IS FOR SURE, THAT IS WE FIND SCOTTISH WHO OCCUPY LANDS ON THE WEST COAST OF MARGAREE RIVER WHERE ONCE ACADIANS WERE, AMONG OTHER PIERROT AUCOIN AND WILLIAM CORMIER (BIG BILL).

HOW THESE LANDS CHANGED HANDS IS A MYSTERY. THERE ARE MANY FACTORS WHICH EXPLAIN A WAVE OF IMMIGRATION OF OUR PEOPLE TO THE WEST COAST OF NFLD. AN IMMIGRATION WHICH TOOK A SERIOUS INCREASE ESPECIALLY IN THE 1840'S. IMMIGRANTS FROM HOME JOINED OTHER WHO HAD IMMIGRATED EARLIER TO THE LITTLE BRAS D’OR PEOPLE FROM ST. PIERRRE MIQUELON ALSO ARRIVED AND OTHER WHO CAME DIRECTLY FROM FRANCE. IN 'HIE MIDDLE OF THE CENTURY THE FRENCH CATHOLICS IN THIS REGION OF NFLD. FOUND THEMSELVES ALREADY LARGER IN NUMBERS THAN THE ENGLISH PROTESTANTS AND THIS CURRENT OF IMMIGRATION WAS MAINTAINED UNTIL THE TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY.

OUR RESEARCH UNTIL NOW PERMITTED US TO IDENTIFY ABOUT A HUNDRED PEOPLE FROM OUR REGION, ESPECIALLY MARGAREE WHO IMMIGRATED TO NFLD. WE DO NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY SPACE TO MENTION ALL THESE PERSONS. WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TO IDENTIFY ESPECIALLY THE LEADERS OF THE FAMILIES WHO WENT THERE.

THOMAS W. LE BLANC, WHO IMMIGRATED FROM MARGAREE TO NFLD AROUND l847, IN HIS CORRESPONDENCE WITH FATHER ANSELME CHIASSON DURING THE 1960'S, MENTIONED MANY ACADIANS FROM THE REGION WHO WENT TO LIVE IN NFLD.

FIRST around 1840, HE SAYS, CHARLES (A JEAN) BLANCHARD MARRIED TO HENRIETTE (A JOSEPH) GAUDET IMMIGRATED FROM MARGEREE TO ST. GEORGE'S. THEY HAD A FAMILY OF AT LEAST 8 CHILDREN: MAGLOINE, TIMOTHY, SYLVAIN, PIERRE, CHARLES, EDMOND, ELIZABETH AND LUCE.

MAGLOINE WHO WAS ALREADY MARRIED TO AGATHE (A PIERRE AUCOIN) DID NOT FOLLOW THE REST OF THE FAMILY RIGHT AWAY. HOWEVER, HE DID COME A LITTLE LATER.

IT WAS ALSO AROUND 1840 THAT STEPHEN, SON OF HILARY LE BLANC (WHITE), AND HIS BROTHER CELESTIN CAME. THEY WERE MARRIED TO 2 SISTERS, DAUGHTERS OF WILLIAM CORMIER AND OF ISABEL B0UDREAU. STEPHEN'S WIFE WAS ANNE MARIE AND CELESTIN'S WAS NAMED MODESTR. THESE 2 COUPLES FROM MARGAREE. SETTLED AT L'ANS AUX SAVAGE. THEY WERE ACCOMPANIED BY FELIX GALLANT WHO WAS MARRIED TO A DAUGHTER OF STEPHEN AND ANNE MARIE. SHE WAS CALLED THEOTIME.

WITH TIME L'ANS SAVAGE WAS RENAMED STEPHENVILLE. IT IS SAID THIS NAME WAS GIVEN IN HONOUR OF OUR STEPHEN LE BLANC (WHITE) OF MARGAREE. OTHERS ATTRIBUTE THIS NAME TO HONOR STEPHEN SON OF FELIX GALLANT, GRANDSON OF STEPHEN WHITE.

ANYWAY, WHATEVER THE CASE, IT SEEMS THAT THE TOWN OF STEPHENVILLE WAS NAMED AFTER ONE OF OUR OWN.

IN 1845, CECIME, SON OF MARIN LE BLANC, AND HIS WIFE VITALINE(A RAPHAEL) AUCOIN ALSO LEFT MARGAREE TO SETTLE IN NFLD.
2 YEARS LATER, AROUND 1847, 5 OTHER CHILDREN OF RAPHAEL (SON OF ANSELME AUCOIN AND OF EUPHROSINE (A CHARLES) HACHE, WERE TASSIEN, CONSTANT, SEVERIN, ISAAC. (PERHAPS HIM WHO BAPTISED EXUPERE) AND THAT OUR PEOPLE CALLED CATAC, AND SUSANNE, MADE THE SAME VOYAGE.
SEVERIN, WHO WAS THEN MARRIED TO ADELAIDE (A P'TIT GEORGES A GEORGES) LE BLANC AFTER HAVING LIVED AT SHALLOP COVE FOR 12 YEARS, RETURNED TO MARGAREE. HIS SECOND MARRIAGE WAS TO SOPHIQUE ARSENAULT.


THE OTHERS ALL TOOK UP PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN NFLD. IT SEEMS SUZANNE MARRIED JOSEPH DELANEY AND SETTLED TN ST. GEORGES. TASSIEN MARRIED MARGUERITE OF STEPHEN WHITE, AND CONSTANT MARRIED MARCELLINE OF CELISTIN WHITE SETTLED IN STEPHENVILLE.

ISAAC SETTLED IN CODROY. THERE ARE MANY THINGS WHICH ARE NOT CLEAR ABOUT ISAAC AUCOIN. WE SUGGEST THAT HE IS THE ONE THAT OUR PEOPLE CALLED CATAC AND THAT HE MARRIED ELISE(OF OLIVE A PIERRE)AUCOIN. ALSO, WE FIND EXUPERE SON OF RAPHAEL AUCOIN MARRIED TO DOMITILLE A PIERRE AUCOIN WHO IMMIGRATED TO NFLD. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THERE IS SIMPLY A CONFUSSION OF NAMES— EXUPERE, ISAAC AND CATAC, OR THEY ARE THREE DIFFERENT NAMES GIVEN TO THE SAME PERSON. AND THE SAME FOR ELSIE, OLIVE AND DOMITILLE, OR ARE THEY BROTHERS MARRIED TO SISTERS. IF ONE OF OUR READERS IS ABLE TO ENLIGHTEN US ON THIS SUBJECT, WE WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE THEIR COMMENTARY. WE HOPE THAT SOON WE WILL SUCCEED IN CLEARING UP THIS INTREGING QUESTION.

IT WAS ALSO IN 1847 THAT WILLIAM(A MARIN) LE BLANC AND HIS BROTHER ANTHONY LEFT MARGAREE TO GO JOIN THEIR BROTHER CECIME IN ST. GEORGES. HE WAS THERE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. WILLIAM LE BLANC WHO WAS MARRIED TO ISABEL LE BLANC, AFTER HAVING LIVED SOME TIME IN NFLD., WE'VE BEEN TOLD, WENT TO LIVE ON THE MAGDALEN ISLANDS. ANTHONY WHO WAS MARRIED TO MARIE (OF LITTLE GEORGE WHITE), STAYED IN NFLD. ANTHONY AND MARIE ARE GRAND PARENTS OF THOMAS LE BLANC FROM WHOM WE GET MOST OF THE. INFORMATION FOR THIS PRESENT ARTICLE. IT SEEMS THAT MARIN LE BLANC, FATHER OF WILLIAM, CECIME AND ANTHONY ALSO WENT TO NFLD. PEOPLE SAY HE DIED AT AGE 103 YEARS.

AROUND 1848, ACCORDING TO PROFESSOR G.R. THOMAS, OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NFLD., 2 SONS OF PIERRE AUCOIN IMMIGRATED FROM OUR AREA AND WENT TO LIVE AT CODROY. THAT WAS .MESMAIN, MARRIED TO THARSILE DOUCETTE AND ONESIME MARRIED TO SOPHIE DOUCETTE.

IT WAS AROUND THE SAME TIME, AROUND 1848, ACCORDING TO THE TESTIMONY OF THOMAS WHITE, THAT 3 SONS OF BONIFACE BENOIT AND MARIE MANET — GEORGE, LUKE, AND PAUL, — LEFT MARGAREE HEADING FOR THE WEST COAST OF NFLD. ALL 3 WERE MARRIED TO DAUGHTERS OF GERMAIN WHITE AND MADELEINE CORMIER. GEORGE WAS MARRIED TO SERAPHIQUE, LUKE TO HELENE, AND PAUL TU VICTORIA.. GEORGE AND PAUL LIVED IN FLAT BAY WHILE LUKE SETTLED IN CAPE ST. GEORGE.

DURING THAT SAME TIME, SAY M. LE BLANC, A LARGE CONTINGENT OF PEOPLE FROM OUR AREA, WHO FIRST WENT TO THE MAGDALIN ISLANDS LEFT THE ISLANDS ABOARD A SCHOONER BELONGING TO FIRMIN CORMIER TO GO TO NFLD. THIS FIRMIN CORMIER, SON OF PIERRE CORMIER AND OF FELICITE LE BLANC OF MARGAREE, WAS MARRIED TO JUDITH DOUCETTE. IN ADDITION TO HIS OWN FAMILY, CAPTAIN CORMIER ALSO BROUGHT PIERRE DOUCETTE'S FAMILY. HE WAS MARRIED TO MARIE CORMIER. HE ALSO BROUGHT THE FAMILY OF AIME (AFRANCOIS) LE BLANC AND ELIZABETH (A P'TIT GEORGE) LE BLANC. THEY WERE ACCOMPANIED BY FRANCOIS LE BLANC, FATHER OF ATME AND BY CHRISTINE LE BLANC, SISTER OF AIME, WHO BECAME THE FIRST FRENCH CATHOLIC TEACHER ON THE WEST COAST OF NFLD. ALL THE CORMIER'S, DOUCETTE'S, AND LE BLANC'S SETTLED IN THE BAY ST. GEORGE AREA WHERE WE STILL FIND SEVERAL OF THEIR DESCENDANTS.

WE, OF THE SOCIETY OF ST. PIERRRE, REJOICE AT HAVING RE-DISCOVERED THESE ACADIAN FRIENDS FROM NFLD. AND WE WILL ALWAYS BE HAPPY TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO HELP THEM RETRACE GENEALOGY TO OUR AREA.

A BIT OF OUR HISTORY:

BETWEEN REDMAN AND THE POINTE-A-COCHONS ON THE OLD ROAD, STILL EXISTS THE OLD CEMENT BRIDGE--WE SAY: WHEN WAS IT BUILT AND BY WHOM? MR ANSELME BOUDREAU, AGE 97 IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE ONLY ONE AT CHETECAMP ABLE TO REPLY WITH ANY CERTAINTY TO THESE QUESTIONS. ALSO OUR INFORMATION CAME FROM HIM AND WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL.

THE CEMENT BRIDGE WAS BUILT IN 1902 BY JOSEPH LE BLANC OF MARGAREE WHEN THE GOVERNMENT GAVE HIM THE CONTRACT.

DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BRIDGE JOSEPH LE BLANC BOARDED AT CHARLES BOUDREAU'S HOUSE. CHARLES SON OF PLACIDE WAS OCCUPIED WITH THE SCHEDULES OF THE WORKERS.

AT THIS TIME THEY-BUILT WITH MORTOR WITHOUT IRON. YOU HAD TO DRY THE MORTOR BEFORE USING THE BRIDGE. THAT TOOK MANY WEEKS IF NOT MONTHS.

THEN IN SEPTEMBER, A FEW WEEKS AFTER THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BRIDGE, SABINE BOUDREAU DIED, THE THIRD WIFE OF LITTLE LAWRENCE BOURGEOIS, WHO LIVED WITH CHARLES BOUDREAU AT POINTE-A-COCHONS. THEY WANTED TO GO OVER THE BRIDGE WITH THE FUNERAL PROCESSION FROM THE CHURCH TO THE CEMETARY, INSTEAD OF GOING ALL THE WAY AROUND. BELLE MARCHE AND THE PLATIN, JOE MASON LE BLANC CONSENTED, BUT HE TOOK PRECAUTION BY COVERING AND RE-ENFORCING THE BRIDGE WITH POLES AND PLANKS TO AVOID THE DANGER OF IT FALLING.

THEREFORE;, THE 1ST PERSON TO GO OVER THE CIMA BRIDGE WAS SABINE DOUDREAU, WIFE OF LITTLE LAWRENCE DOURGEIOS AND HER FUNERAL PROCESSION.

Written by: THE SOCIETY OF ST. PIERRRE

Viewer Feedback about this article:

Mon, 8 Sep 2003

(Excerpt) First, I would like to see that he would correct the spelling of the name. It should be "Chiasson", not "Chaisson" as it appears on his page. Also, John should be Jean. The spelling Chaisson first appeared among the children of Jacques Chiasson, one of the 8 founders of Tignish in 1799 and in all of my searching, it is clear that spelling was never used anywhere outside of PEI until at least one or two generations later... and in Cape Breton, we don't see it until late 1800's, and certainly not in Cheticamp.

His comment about it being a fairly closed community with children of one family often marrying the children of one other family, is indeed accurate. In fact, a few of the missionaries charged with responsibility for the area had raised concerns about this. It was confusing with Chiassons marrying Chiassons, etc. We know from genealogy, some of these relationships were distant enough to be okay, yet others were awfully close. The same was true of many of the families.

Pierre Bois and Joseph Richard (dit Matinal) were at Cheticamp in 1786, having come from Port Toulouse (present day St. Peter's) but they did not officially own land there at that time. Before 1790, Joseph Richard moved to Tracadie, which is in Antigonish County, on St. George's Bay, halfway between Antigonish and Auld's Cove. Richard Bois remained at Cheticamp.

Dave.

Come visit our Chiasson Genealogy Web Site: http://chiasson.chebucto.org

Return to top of page

Webpage Copyright © 2002 Jasen Benwah

Thanks for Dropping By