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ACADIAN GENEALOGICAL The ." ESEARCH RESOURCES 1686, 1693. 1 1752. The cen~ the AcadianI'; Stanley LeBlanc along the St.. mation. Beginning in 1755, the were uprooted from Acadie and scat­ tered throughout the world, yet Acadians have nevertheless been able to trace naCl'amental their roots back to their Acadian progenitors. This is possible because of the vast number of records that were preserved prior to, during, and after the exile. When- rould be relea This article addresses the research material that is available, but no cuments. Unfi article on Acadian genealogy would be complete without giving special recogni­ lost to history. tion to State Sen. Dudley J. LeBlanc, aka "Cousin" Dud (1894-1971). Church at He was a great-great-grandson of Rene LeBlanc, who arrived in New Orleans .0 ~Iaryland. in February 1765 as a young orphan with resistance leader Joseph Broussard dit BeausoleiL /0 merr nd or after F LeBlanc was totally dedicated in his efforts to reconnect in Loui­ ne entry made siana with their Acadian relatives in Canada and France. In August 1936, he Alpin [sic]. Thl' brought his " Girls"-young women dressed in costumes evoking the ::Ulain family. 2 heroine in Longfellow's poem Evangeline-to Lanaudiere, Quebec. He also wrote , S95 in the arcl The True Story of the Acadians, which was later re-issued as The Acadian Mi­ ..remely \"alu racle (1966). - aract cards on Rouge C revised.

dian Cen", Sen. Dudley J. LeBlanc ;.,c; I'lhown i/1 the center of the front row. Standing to his right IS Msg. Joseph·Arsene Rlchard, who developed the Acadian community in the Verdun district ofMontreal.

Ph oto.cEvf1ng(··lLJI I! Richol·rt

Bona Arsenault (1903-1993), a former Minister of the Canadian Parlia­ ment, and originally from the Acadian area ofBonaventure, Quebec, has contri­ buted greatly in uncovering many misplaced Acadian registers and genealogy sources, and after ten years of research, he published the impressive Histoire et Genealogie des Acadiens in 1965 (rev. 1978), in two volumes containing 1,178 pages. The English book editions were published in 1966 (rev. 1971). 42 Acadian Genealogical Research Resources

It would take hundreds of pages just to list the titles and sources of the Acadian research material that is available; therefore this article will address only the major categories of records.

Census Records of Acadie, Prior to the Exile

The first census of Acadie was taken in 1671, followed by censuses in 1686, 1693, 1695, 1698, 1700, 1701, 1703, 1707, 1708, 1714, 1716, 1751, and 1752. The census of 1751 was mistakenly shown as 1732, and was a census of the Acadians who had moved and settled in current-day and along the St. John River. The last two years contain especially valuable infor­ mation. kadie and scat­ een able to trace Sacramental Records from St. Charles Aux Mines, Smuggled Out of Acadie ~ because of the id after the exile. When the Acadians were rounded up in 1755, many thought that they would be released soon, therefore they buried the church registers and other do­ available, but no cuments. Unfortunately, they did not return soon and these records have been ~ special recogni­ lost to history. However, the registers of the St. Charles Aux Mines Catholic Dud (1894-1971). Church at Grand-Pre for 1707-1748 were smuggled out by the Acadians exiled t in New Orleans to Maryland. Dseph Broussard No mention was made of the registers either by the Acadians in Mary­ land or after some of them arrived in Louisiana in 1767. There was, however, t Cajuns in Loui­ one entry made on June 29, 1773, [not a Sunday] for the baptism of Marguerite August 1936, he Alein [sic]. This indicates that the registers had been in the possession of the ones evoking the Allain family, at least while they were in Maryland. They were discovered in ec. He also wrote 1895 in the archives of St. Gabriel Church in Iberville Parish, Louisiana. These The Acadian Mi- extremely valuable records were microfilmed and a copy was sent to Canada. Extract cards were made from the microfilm and published in the Diocese of Baton Rouge Catholic Church Records, Acadian Records, 1707-1748, Volume l(a) revised.

Acadian Censuses in 1760 and 1761; Prisoner Lists in Acadie

Some Acadians exiles gained control of the ship Pembroke and returned to the St. John River. Most of them ended up in Quebec, but some joined the Acadians who had escaped to the Restigouche River and the Gaspe Peninsula. There was a census taken on October 24, 1760, of the Acadians on the Res­ tigouche River, and one dated July 31, 1761, of the Acadian refugees at the various locations on the Gaspe Peninsula. There were several Acadian leaders resisting the exile, but they were ultimately forced to surrender. They were im­ Canadian Parlia­ prisoned at Forts Beausejour, Edward, and Halifax. There are prisoner lists for uebec, has contri­ these three locations. I'S and genealogy lJ)ressive Histoire At the end of the in 1763, these prisoners were I containing 1,178 offered the opportunity to remain ifthey took an oath of allegiance. They refused, 1971). and in November 1764, a group left with Joseph Broussard dit BeausoleiL They

43 Acadie Then and Now went to Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), where they changed ships and went on to Mili New Orleans, arriving in February 1765. A second group left Halifax in early ~are8! 1765 and arrived in Louisiana (also via Saint-Domingue) in May 1765. The first .Ethe~ Acadian group settled in the Attakapas Territory, however, some left because of ...... aide numerous deaths and joined a group of Acadians settled on the Mississippi River , 'i. Brit in the present-day St. James and Ascension parishes. .aidmd "...... Ship Records, Prisoner Lists, Census and Sacramental Records in Exile CIIIIl t...... ~ There are records for the Acadians sent to the British Colonies, En­ .- "whi gland, and France. There are census records of those in the British Colonies in ts ..,.." 1763, and at the various locations in England. There are ship lists for those re­ (ADN patriated from England to France in 1763 and for those sent to France between ...... 1755 and 1785. One especially valuable set of records are the Belle-Ile-en-Mer l!nO 1IIIIi notarial declarations made by the heads of households that traced ancestries !l+'lieChl back to the Acadian progenitors. Brittany had the Acadians record their ori­ , ..t. gins in France. The pastors recorded recitations of their genealogy and history, which have been published in Reiders' The Acadians in France, V. II. ... In 1785, some of the Acadians in France were allowed to go to Louisiana on seven ships for which there are passenger lists. For those Acadians who re­ mained in France after 1785, there are some records of financial aid given them and also a few census records. IIiI; Canadian Records, After the Exile

Some Acadians returned to and Prince-Edward Islands af­ ter 1763, but most ended up in New Brunswick. Some of the Acadians who had fled to Quebec remained there. Thus, there are civil and church records in all of the locations in which they settled.

Louisiana Records a. Censuses, Militia Rosters, and Sacramental Records in Louisiana According to (1988) by former member of the Canadian Parliament Bona Arsenault, the largest number of exiled Acadians migrated to Louisiana; therefore, the civil and sacramental records recorded in Louisiana are very important. There is a list of 32 exiles who arrived with Joseph Broussard dit Beausoleil in February of 1765, and who signed for the exchange of card money in New Orleans. The first census and militia roster prepared after the Acadians arrived in Louisiana was in April 1766. Additional censuses were taken before the Acadians in France arrived in 1785: 1769-1770 (some completed in 1771); 1774, and 1777. The first census taken after the Aca­ dians arrived from France in 1785 was the one of 1788. Additional ones were taken in 1791, 1792, 1795, 1797, and 1798. Louisiana became a territory of the in 1803 and there was a census taken of the Attakapas Territory in 1808 that lists the age and location of the residents.

44 Acadian Genealogical Research Resources

I and. went on to Militia rosters were normally completed when the censuses were taken. Halifax in early There are special records for the period during Bernardo Galvez's governorship .. 1765. The first of the colony of Louisiana, from 1777 to 1785. Galvez, later the viceroy of New Ie left because of Spain, aided the 13 colonies in their quest for independence from Britain, de­ ~ippiRiver feating British forces at Pensacola and reconquering Florida for Spain. With the aid of the Acadians, he also defeated the British at the battles of Manchac, Baton Rouge, and Natchez. Is in Exile Church officials, under both the French and the Spanish regimes, pre­ pared sacramental records for births, marriages, and deaths. Marriage dispen­ III Colonies, En­ sations, which showed relationships back to grandparents and beyond, are also riIish Colonies in available. The sacramental records are available in the Archdiocese of New Or­ lists for those re­ leans [ADNO]; the Diocese of Baton Rouge [DOBR]; the Southwest Louisiana ~ France between Records; and the South Louisiana Records by Fr. Donald Hebert. Beginning Belle-ile-en-Mer in 1970 until his death in 2000, Father Hebert compiled dozens of volumes of tneed ancestries Catholic Church records in south Louisiana. His first volume was published in record their ori­ 1974, and he went on to publish 96 more. iJogy and history, b. Marriage Contracts and Land Records, Including Successions and Tutorships Ir,. V. II. in Louisiana lD go to Louisiana kadians who re­ Marriage contracts, imported to Louisiana by Spanish laws, were made al aid given them with the commandant, who was both the chief civil official and the military commander of a district. These contracts were used to alter the normal regime of community property and establish a system whereby spouses maintained their assets separately. Land records (grants, sales, conveyances, and estate divisions) were dward Islands af­ kept for all transactions and now provide invaluable information. Successions, k:adians who had the body of law concerning the distribution of a person's property after his or :h records in all of her death, also had to be prepared for all estates. When minors were involved, tutors and undertutors had to be appointed. Thus, these records provide helpful information on spouses, children, and other relatives.

Records in other U. S. States oisiana Some Acadians remained in the colonies to which they had been exiled. er member of the Later, other Acadians migrated to the United States. For example, beginning in i exiled Acadians 1780, Acadians migrated to Madawaska (today Maine), where there are records l records recorded existing for this group. Many of those who remained in the colonies anglicized who arrived with their surnames so that tracing their family lines is more difficult; for example, rho signed for the LeBlanc became White, and Dupuis became Wells. md militia roster il1766. Additional Finally, there are many genealogical societies and associations in the ID 1785: 1769-1770 Unites States, in Canada, and in France that can also assist in the search of ken after the Aca­ Acadian ancestry. titional ones were ! a territory of the ;takapas Territory

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