Acadian Ancestral Home

Independence Day - Fourth of July 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:03:00 +0000

The signing of the Declaration of Independence.

In Congress, July 4, 1776,

THE UNANIMOUS DECLARATION OF THE THIRTEEN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume, among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That, to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the consent of the governed. That, whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such Principles and organizing its Powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and, accordingly, all experience hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But, when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of People, unless those People would relinquish the right of Representation in the legislature; a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing, with manly firmness, his invasions on the rights of the People.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the Population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws of Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our People, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of Peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from Punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us, in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with Power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his protection, and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the Lives of our People.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens, taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions, We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free People.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred, to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in GENERAL CONGRESS assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for the rectitude of our intentions, DO, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly PUBLISH and DECLARE, That these United Colonies are, and of Right, ought to be free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Bri tain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that, as FREE and INDEPENDENT STATES, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which INDEPENDENT STATES may of right do. AND for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

JOHN HANCOCK, President
Attested, CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary

The Dunlap Broadside of the
Declaration of Independence

Signers of the Declaration of Independence

New Hampshire: JOSIAH BARTLETT, WILLIAM WHIPPLE, MATTHEW THORNTON
Massachusetts-Bay: SAMUEL ADAMS, JOHN ADAMS, ROBERT TREAT PAINE, ELBRIDGE GERRY
Rhode Island: STEPHEN HOPKINS, WILLIAM ELLERY
Connecticut: ROGER SHERMAN, SAMUEL HUNTINGTON, WILLIAM WILLIAMS, OLIVER WOLCOTT
Georgia: BUTTON GWINNETT, LYMAN HALL, GEO. WALTON
Maryland: SAMUEL CHASE, WILLIAM PACA, THOMAS STONE, CHARLES CARROLL OF CARROLLTON
Virginia: GEORGE WYTHE, RICHARD HENRY LEE, THOMAS JEFFERSON, BENJAMIN HARRISON, THOMAS NELSON, JR., FRANCIS LIGHTFOOT LEE, CARTER BRAXTON.
New York: WILLIAM FLOYD, PHILIP LIVINGSTON, FRANCIS LEWIS, LEWIS MORRIS
Pennsylvania: ROBERT MORRIS, BENJAMIN RUSH, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, JOHN MORTON, GEORGE CLYMER, JAMES SMITH, GEORGE TAYLOR, JAMES WILSON, GEORGE ROSS
Delaware: CAESAR RODNEY, GEORGE READ, THOMAS M'KEAN
North Carolina: WILLIAM HOOPER, JOSEPH HEWES, JOHN PENN
South Carolina: EDWARD RUTLEDGE, THOMAS HEYWARD, JR., THOMAS LYNCH, JR., ARTHUR MIDDLETON
New Jersey: RICHARD STOCKTON, JOHN WITHERSPOON, FRANCIS HOPKINS, JOHN HART, ABRAHAM CLARK
Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?
Five signers wree captured by the British as traitors and tortured before they died.
Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.
Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revotionary War.
They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.
What kind of men were they?
Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists
Eleven were merchants, nince were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated, but they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captued.
Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthyplanter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the Britishthat he was forced to move his family almost constantly.He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him,and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown , Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that

the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson

home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General

George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed,

and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed.

The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying.

Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill

were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests

and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his

children vanished.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

Remember: Freedom is never free!

When I was growing up in Lawrence, I just loved these patriotic holidays. We would be playing out-of-doors and suddenly we would hear bands playing and it would be a holiday parade that we would run out on the main street near our homes to see the parade pass. Later, along with the extended family, we would go to the stadium to see the fire works. If the fire works were on the eve of the 4th of July we would have a cookout on the 4th - if the fireworks were on the 4th itself then we would have had a cookout after the parade. Of course in those days, a cook out meant that our mothers had prepared the food and we took it outside to eat. There were not charcoal or gas grills. Those were the days!

I hope everyone has a terrific Fourth of July celebration! Let's not forget our military men and women who have always made these celebrations possible and who continue to do so - it is their service that affords us ongoing freedom in the United States of America!

God bless America and all of you!

Your Cousin Lucie

All rights reserved
Lucie LeBlanc Consentino
Acadian & French-Canadian Ancestral Home

A postcard tells a story about "Theater Row"

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:56:00 +0000

Theater Row, Lawrence, Massachusetts

A couple of weeks ago I promised to blog about postcards - well I got waylaid but here I am at last.

Back almost a month ago, I decided to pull out all of the postcards we have in this house and enter one of the Festivals of Postcards hosted by Evelyn Theriault on her A Canadian Family Blog. First my husband and I pulled out all the postcards that he has had for years that belonged - from what I can figure out - to his father before his father was married and to one of his uncles. We pulled those out and I could not believe the treasure trove of postcards that have been sitting around all of these years. Many date back to the early 1900s!

After doing a bit of research about old or vintage postcards I realized that back in those days there were postcard clubs and this is how they worked: people would agree or sign up to send a postcard from wherever they traveled to the name or names of the persons they had. What helped me to figure this out was because some from the Gaspé region of Quebec were on dates that would have been impossible for my husband's uncle Peter to travel to Canada because of the business he owned at the beach. He and his wife could definitely not travel in the summer. The other thing is that some postcards are from France and different parts of the U.S. Anyhow we know they did not travel to those places.

Now other than uncle Peter's and my father-in-law's cards, I've been searching high and low for the postcards my mother had. I have come across a very few but I know there are more. I've put them in such a safe place that I've not yet found them - to my great chagrin.

Nonetheless, I did find the two postcards posted in this blog. They are two different views of "Theater Row" in Lawrence, Massachusetts where I grew up. When I was a kid, my mother would pay for me and one or two of my cousins to go to the movies. In those days they were all double feature movies and started with Looney Tune Cartoon, the first feature, the news reel and then the second feature. Lots of value for twelve cents wasn't it? When I was in high school the cost to go to a movie increased to eighteen cents then to twenty-five cents where it remained for a very long time.

Back to "Theater Row" - it was so named because on one side of the street the movie houses began with the Palace then it was the Broadway then the Modern and then the Strand. As if that wasn't enough, across the street was the Victoria.

According to "Rilpey's Believe It or Not," the only place in the world where one could find a street with four movie theaters in a row was in Lawrence, MA. Known as "Theater Row" on Broadway, there were the STRAND (built in 1917), later renamed as the ASTOR, the MODERN (1921), BROADWAY (1910) and PALACE (1921). Along with several other theaters in downtown Lawrence, these venues entertained Merrimack Valley citizens for decades.

We would do one theater on Saturday and sometimes we do another on Sunday afternoon. I remember seeing Shirley Temple live on stage at the Victoria once. During WWII different people would come on stage to encourage people to buy War Bonds to support the war effort.

Though the various theaters sold candy and pop corn there was a candy and variety store before the Palace and one after the Strand. The one before the Palace was called Charlie Mann's and the one after the Strand was called Louis Pearl's. Interestingly enough, when I was researching through Lawrence City Directories for my father's family it turned out that they lived in a tenement over Louis Pearl's.

As though Theater Row wasn't enough, there were other theaters in Lawrence. My husband grew up in the Italian neighborhood of the city and they used to go to the Central Theater. On the same street (Broadway) where Theater Row was located but much further in a northerly direction was the WarnerTheater.

What I've shared just goes to show how many memories can be evoked through old or vintage postcards.

The next Festival of Postcards is about signs and signs I did find several postcards for New York City - I am very eager to enter these into the festival. Before I get to that though, the Fourth of July is almost here and I will be blogging about that.

So if you have vintage postcards, why not share what memories they hold for you?

Love,

Your Cousin Lucie

All rights reserved
Lucie LeBlanc Consentino
Acadian & French-Canadian Ancestral Home

Happy Canada Day - 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:13:00 +0000

(Canada Day Celebration in Montreal)

Happy Canada Day!

On the 20th day of June 1868 a proclamation signed by Governor General ( Lord Monck ) called upon all Her Majesty's loving subjects across Canada to join in the celebration of the anniversary of the formation of the union of the British North America provinces in a federation under the name of Canada on July 1^st.

The July 1 holiday was established by statute in 1879, under the name Dominion Day.

There is no record of organized ceremonies after this first anniversary, except for the 50^th anniversary of Confederation in 1917, at which time the new Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings, under construction, was dedicated as a memorial to the Fathers of Confederation & to the valor of those Canadians fighting in the 1st World War over in Europe.

The next celebration to take place was held in the year 1927 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Confederation. It was highlighted by the laying of the corners tone by the Governor General of the Confederation Building on Wellington Street and the inauguration of the Carillon in the Peace Tower.

Since 1958 the government has arranged for an annual observance of Canada's national day with the Secretary of State of Canada in charge of the co-ordination. The format provided for a Trooping the Colours ceremony on the lawn of Parliament Hill in the afternoon, a sunset ceremony in the evening followed by a mass band concert & a fireworks display.

Another high light was Canada's Centennial in 1967 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II attended the celebrations with Parliament Hill again being the setting for a large scale official ceremony.

The format changed in 1968 with the addition of professional & multicultural concerts held on Parliament Hill including a nationally televised TV show. Up until 1975 the focus of the celebrations under the name "Festival Canada" was held in the National Capital Region during the whole month of July & involved many cultural, sport & artistic activities as well as municipalities & voluntary organizations. The celebration was cancelled in 1976 but was reactivated in the year 1977.

A new formula was developed in 1980 whereby the National Committee (the federal government organization charged with planning Canada's Birthday celebrations) stressed and sponsored the development of local celebrations all across Canada. Seed money (Money used for the opening for a new business to pay for such preliminary stages as market research and product development.) was distributed to promote popular and amateur activities organized by volunteer groups in hundreds of local communities. The same approach was also followed for the 1981 celebrations with the addition of fireworks displays in 15 major cities across the nation.

On October 27, 1982, July 1^st which was known as "Dominion Day" became "Canada Day".

Act respecting the Do minion Day - 1879:

On the 15th day of May 1879 a Royal Assent (Assent/ agreement with a statement or proposal to do something ) was given to... An Act which would make the 1st day of July a Public Holiday which would be named Dominion Day"

Proclamation - Respecting the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of:
On the 16th day of June 1917 the Duke of Devonshire & the Governor General issued a proc lamation appointing Monday the 2nd Day of July 1917 for the special celebration of the 50th Anniver sary of Confederation.

Diamond Jubilee of the Confederation Act & 1927 Incorporation of National Committee: On the 18th day of February 1927 Royal Assent was given to an act which would in corporate a National Committee for the celebration of the ( Diamond Jubilee of Confederation ).

The Committee named the Corporation comprised of about 70 persons which including the Governor General with his wife, the lieutenant governor's of the provinces, the right honorable Prime Minister of Canada and 7 members of the Cabinet (not including the Secretary of State), several privy councilors including the former prime minister, the Chief Justice, the speakers of both Houses, the premiers of all the provinces, the Leader of the Opposition party, many senators & the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Clerk of the Privy Council, the Dominion Archivist, the Under Secretary of State, the Under Secretary of State for External Affairs & the heads of a few organizations consisting of: National Council of Women, the Trades & Labour Congress, the United Farmers of Alberta, National Battlefields Commission, Bar Association, Canadian Legion and others.

Objects of the Corporation were to make & carry out necessary arrangements in co-operation with the provinces and other bodies for an effective celebration of the 60th anniversary of the formation of the Dominion of Canada & to administer & distribute a grant of $250,000. The affairs of the corporation were looked after by an executive committee in which the Secretary of State of Canada convened the 1st meeting ever of this national committee.

Celebration throughout Canada 1927:

The National Committee put forth a booklet which was named "Order of Proceedings" for national thanks giving by the people of Canada for Sunday July 3 as a suggestion for local committees across Canada for a public religious ceremony at 2:30 pm in each local time zone under the direction of the lieutenant-governor or mayor or any other senior person in the community. The Prime Minister ( Right Honorable William Lyon Mackenzie King ) who happened to be a Presbyterian, decided to edit this booklet as it was found to be not acceptable for Roman Catholic usage.

The Committee issued a 48 page pamphlet which was illustrated in colour and contained suggestions for historical pageants, floats & tableaux (tableaux = A representation of some scene by means of persons grouped in the proper manner, placed in appropriate postures & remaining silent and motionless) for the guidance and bib liography of Canadian history.

Ottawa Confederation 1927:

the National Committee put together the program of a national celebration at Ottawa which began at 11:00 am. on Friday July 1, 1927 with the laying of the cornerstone done by the Governor General of the Confederation Building at the corner of Bank St. and Wellington St. & continued with the planting of Con federation maple trees on Parliament Hill & the inauguration of the Carillon in the Peace Tower & in the afternoon addresses by the Prime Minister of Canada, the Governor General of Canada & the Leader of the official Opposition & descendants of fathers of Confederation mixed with public singing which was lead by a centenary choir & schoolchildren. Later there was a rather large dinner which was provided by National Committee. The dinner took place in the Ottawa Parliament buildings on the night of the 1st of July followed by an historical parade.

I thought you would enjoy reading how Canada came about. Thanks to Wikipedia for its help!

To all of our Canadian Cousins, we wish you a Happy Canada Day 2009!

Love,

Your Cousin Lucie

Papa and Me

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 08:57:00 +0000

Papa and Me

My first bike, my first puppy and my first *new* bike

As a child I always thought my Papa was pretty special. As an adult, I've come to realize that most children think their Dads are special... but for me, my Papa really was!

He would do the most unexpected things. Of course, my Mother might not agree with everything he did for his children - like the time he unexpectedly brought home a puppy or two. I wasn't around the first time he brought one home but I was about ten or eleven the second time he brought one home. He had popped into a local diner for lunch and ordered a hot dog. The wait fellow at the counter brought him a tiny puppy in a coffee cup. Well being the old softy that he was, Papa decided to take the puppy home. Of course, Mama wasn't home at the time. She was in a Brookline, Ma hospital where she'd had surgery. So my sister who was about 18 at the time was home when Papa brought the little beagle-mix puppy home. My sister was ten years older than me. She had left high school at 16 to go work in the mills. Lots of people used to leave their education behind to go work in the mills. As it would turn out, I was the first in my family to graduate from high school.

But back to the puppy. Because my sister went to work from 1p.m. to 10p.m. in the Pacific Mills where Mama also worked, it was decided I would stay at my Mémère and Pépère's home that was just a stone's throw and that we could see from our own home. My sister called over to me (yes, we lived that nearby) and told me to come to the house that there was a surprise for me waiting there. I ran over to see what it was and lo and behold this cute little black, tan and white cuddly little pup was put in my arms. It was love at first hold! We named the pup Queenie and she would be my little Queenie for as long as she lived.

Of course now the real problem would be getting Mama to agree to keeping this little pup. As a child I always loved animals. I would have dogs and cats follow me and then ask Mama if we could keep them. As all mothers should, she told me to take those animals back where I found them... gee, I was so sure she'd let me keep each one I brought home!

So how could we convince Mama that we should keep this cute little critter? Well that evening when Papa went to visit Mama at the hospital, we brought Queenie with us. I waited for a bit until the coast was clear and we brought the puppy into the hospital wrapped in my sweater. I put her on Mama's hospital bed and she couldn't resist either. Of course, had the nurses seen this puppy inside the hospital they would not have resisted kicking us out either but we got in and out unscathed ;o)

Anyhow these are the kinds of things Papa was prone to do.

I was pretty much the youngest child not only in my family but among most of the neighborhood children. I used to bemoan the fact that all of these olders "kids" had two wheel bicycles while I had none.

My Papa worked part-time for Cooper's Express - when he worked there it was a moving company. One day while moving furniture to someone's home they had some items they wanted to dispose of. One of those items Papa brought home. I was not allowed to go to the basement of our tenement until he was done "whatever" he was doing with that item.

It turned out to be a small child's two wheel bicycle. Nothing at all like the big two wheelers but boy it suited me just fine. It was indeed an old bicycle and Papa had put it in the basement so he could paint it. It was one of the best gifts he could have given me.

When I was twelve years old one afternoon after work he told me I was to go to the store with him. We went to Roby Miers Bicycle Shop in Lawrence where I grew up. He let me pick out a spanking new bicycle of my choice. I chose a beautiful red and white bike.

There are so many acts of kindness Dad did that I could write a book.

When I was about twenty-one I was at work when a Nor'easter hit. Since I used to ride with another worker, I had no idea how I would walk home in all that snow when I got dropped off a block away. I imagined I'd be soaking wet! Well when I was dropped off, Papa was waiting at that spot with my boots so I could get home without getting wet.

This was the kind of father he was - always concerned for his family and always doing the unexpected that brought great pleasure and satisfaction.

All in all Papa loved his family a whole lot. His own Mother passed away when he was only thirteen. He once told me that his older brothers and sisters raised him. He was born into a family of seventeen children, he being the third youngest.

I always fondly remember how Saturday evening was date night for him and Mama. They would get dressed up and go to the movies. On the way they always passed L'Heureux Jewelers. One Monday noon time he came home with two jewelry sets Mama had liked as they window shopped at L'Heureux' on Saturday evening. She chose one set and he returned the other. Mama gave me that set after I was married. I cherish it to this day.

So life was indeed interesting with my parents. Whether times were good or bad they made things work.

As my Papa lay dying, I was by his bedside while the rest of the family had gone to lunch. He told me he would always be with me and I know that both he and Mama are always and forever with me and all of our family. He loved his two oldest grandchildren he lived to see. He passed away at the age of 59 so never got to see his other grandchildren.

Happy Father's Day Papa! Your great grandson Theo is writing another chapter in our family history.

With all our love,

Your daughter Lucie

mtDNAPlus test - Family Tree DNA Special

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:35:00 +0000

Dear Cousins and Friends,

As a result of the mtDNA interviews that were broadcast on television in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada and Montreal as well as access to these interviews online, Family Tree DNA company is allowing me to offer a special price for all who would like to be mtDNA tested through the Mothers of Acadia mtDNA Project.

From now until July 15th, you may be mtDNA tested for only $119 US or $135 Canadian.

This is a truly a great price! The regular price is $149 US or $169 Canadian.

Two years ago, it cost $249 US to be do the mtDNAPlus test. The mtDNAPlus test includes both the HVR1 and the HVR2 test which is much preferable to doing only the HVR1 test as many were doing when testing began a few years ago. When on special, it cost $189 to be mtDNAPlus tested. Now that there is a greater number of people being tested, the regular price is $149 - so $119 for these two tests is truly unprecedented since I have been involved with the project.

To order a test kit go to the Mothers of Acadia mtDNA Project site, click on REQUEST TO JOIN THIS GROUP and follow the instructions. If you have any difficulty, please contact me by leaving a comment at the end of this blog along with your email address and I will get back to you asap. While on the Mothers of Acadia Project site, please read about our project goals.

I know I had promised to blog about postcards today but this offer is just too good for me to not blog about it immediately! It is our hope that this special unbelievable price of $119 will encourage many people to be tested.

Looking forward to hearing from many of you.

Here is a repeat of some of yesterday's blog with links on where you may see the interviews online:

People interviewed in the television program entitled "Cousins ADN" - in English "DNA Cousins" were:

Stephen A. White, Acadian Genealogist, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Lorette Doucet Leafe, Manchester, New Hampshire,
Barbara Le Blanc, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada
Lucie LeBlanc Consentino, Methuen, Massachusetts

It was televised on June 15th in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada at 6 p.m. Atlantic time and in Montreal at 10 p.m. To view online please click on this link:

Le Téléjournal Radio-Canada and then click on Acadie: l'ADN à la rescousse de la généalogie.

Even if you do not understand French some have told me they were able to get the gist. If you do not understand French, then the upside is that you get to see what we all look like too. My family is showcased. My husband, two daughters, son-in-law and grandson.

Love,

Your cousin Lucie

Radio-Canada Television mtDNA Interviews

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:54:00 +0000

All day yesterday, the plan was that I would blog about postcards and then decide which postcards I would blog about so as to enter them into the Festival of Postcards. Well as you can see, I never did blog about that. Instead I waited for the interviews on mtDNA that I blogged about at the beginning of May when the Radio-Canada television crew drove from Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada to interview me in Massachusetts. Once I saw the interview online, I was so excited at how well the segment was presented that I just could not settle down to write a blog.

People interviewed in the television problem entitled "Cousins ADN" or in English "DNA Cousins" were:

Stephen A. White, Acadian Genealogist, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Lorette Doucet Leafe, Manchester, New Hampshire,
Barbara Le Blanc, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada
Lucie LeBlanc Consentino, Methuen, Massachusetts

It was televised in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada at 6 p.m. Atlantic time and in Montreal at 10 p.m. To view online please click on this link:

Le Téléjournal Radio-Canada and then click on Acadie: l'ADN à la rescousse de la généalogie.

Even if you do not understand French some have told me they were able to get the gist. If you do not understand French, then the upside is that you get to see what we all look like too. My family is showcased. My husband, two daughters, son-in-law and grandson.

Now tomorrow I promise that I will blog all about postcards!

Love,

Your Cousin Lucie

Flag Day June 14, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 14:37:00 +0000

History of American Flag

For more than 200 years, the American flag has been the symbol of our nation's strength and unity. It's been a source of pride and inspiration for millions of citizens. And the American Flag has been a prominent icon in our national history. Here are the highlights of its unique past.

On January 1, 1776, the Continental Army was reorganized in accordance with a Congressional resolution which placed American forces under George Washington's control. On that New Year's Day the Continental Army was laying siege to Boston which had been taken over by the British Army. Washington ordered the Grand Union flag hoisted above his base at Prospect Hill. It had 13 alternate red and white stripes and the British Union Jack in the upper left-hand corner (the canton).

In May of 1776, Betsy Ross reported that she sewed the first American flag.

On June 14, 1777, in order to establish an official flag for the new nation, the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act: "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation."

Between 1777 and 1960, Congress passed several acts that changed the shape, design and arrangement of the flag and allowed for additional stars and stripes to be added to reflect the admission of each new state.

When to display the American Flag

The flag should be displayed, from sunrise to sunset,
on all days when the weather permits.
It can also be displayed during the night
as long as the display is lit.
Holidays it should be flown/dispalayed are listed.

New Year's Day, January 1
Inauguration Day
Martin Luther King Day - Third Monday in January
Lincoln's Birthday, February 12
Washington's Birthday, February 22
Easter Sunday (variable)
Mother's Day, Second Sunday in May
Armed Forces Day, Third Saturday in May
Memorial Day (half-staff until noon), Last Monday in May.
Flag Day, June 14th
Independence Day, July 4th
Labor Day, First Monday in September
Constitution Day, September 17th
Columbus Day, October 12th
Veterans Day, November 11th
Thanksgiving Day, Fourth Thursday in November
Christmas Day, December 25th
Election Days (various)
Federally observed dates of the above holidays which may be different from the actual dates
Such days as may be proclaimed by the President of the United States
State and Local Holidays
Your State Birthday (February 6, 1788 is Massachusetts' date of admission to the Union)

All rights reserved
Lucie LeBlanc Consentino
Acadian & French-Canadian Ancestral Home

CMA2009 - Congrès Mondial Acadien - World Congress of Acadians

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 10:51:00 +0000

When our Ancestors arrived in this land called Acadie in 1604, with the hopes of establishing a permanent colony, they could not have imagined that their legacy would be celebrated with such grandeur, four centuries later.

This international gathering of Acadians in Nova Scotia in 2004 marked the third celebration of its kind.

The idea of large Acadian gatherings with a distinctive family flavor is not new. Indeed, at the end of the 19th century and during the first part of the twentieth, the Acadian elite of the period organized what where then called National Conventions. At the Saint Jean-Baptiste celebrations of 1880 in Québec, Acadians as well as other francophone delegates from all over North America, were invited to participate. The Acadian leaders who attended this convention were motivated to organize the first Acadian National Convention the following year, 1881, at Memramcook in southeastern New Brunswick. Here Acadians chose their National Feast Day of August 15th. Three years later, in 1884, during the second convention at Miscouche on Prince Edward Island, the Acadian flag was adopted. Based on the flag of France with its blue, white and red colors, a golden star was inserted in the blue section of the flag since blue is the traditional color representing the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patron Saint of the Acadians. The gold color in the star symbolizes the unwavering adherence of the Acadians to the Roman Catholic Church, as gold is the traditional color of the papacy. At this same convention the Acadian national anthem, the hymn Ave, Maris Stella, was chosen as another symbol of Acadian identity.

More local in nature than the Congrès of today, these national conventions nevertheless regrouped Acadians around common themes and set the Acadians on a course of defining their ethnic identity, preparing the way for a series of Acadian World Congress gatherings spanning the end of the twentieth century into the twenty first.

Origins of Congrès mondial acadien

The idea of large Acadian gatherings with a distinctive family flavor is not new. Indeed, at the end of the 19th century and during the first part of the twentieth, the Acadian elite of the period organized what where then called National Conventions. At the Saint Jean-Baptiste celebrations of 1880 in Québec, Acadians as well as other francophone delegates from all over North America, were invited to participate. The Acadian leaders who attended this convention were motivated to organize the first Acadian National Convention the following year, 1881, at Memramcook in southeastern New Brunswick. Here Acadians chose their National Feast Day of August 15th.
Three years later, in 1884, during the second convention at Miscouche on Prince Edward Island, the Acadian flag was adopted. based on the flag of France with its blue, white and red colors, a golden star was inserted in the blue section of the flag since blue is the traditional color representing the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patron Saint of the Acadians. The gold color in the star symbolizes the unwavering adherence of the Acadians to the Roman Catholic Church, as gold is the traditional color of the papacy. At this same convention the Acadian national anthem, the hymn Ave Maris Stella, was chosen as another symbol of Acadian identity.
More local in nature than the Congrès of today, these national conventions nevertheless regrouped Acadians around common themes and set the Acadians on a course of defining their ethnic identity, preparing the way for a series of Acadian World Congress gatherings spanning the end of the twentieth century into the twenty first.

Trois Congrès mondial acadien/Three World Gatherings:
CMA 1994 – New Brunswick
The scope of the enterprise explains why the first world-scale gathering of Acadians only materialized six years later in southeastern New Brunswick, in 1994. In all, 9 local municipalities were involved, 60 employees were hired, 80 conferences and 81 family reunions were held, 150 cultural and artistic events took place, and all within the time frame of two weeks! It is estimated that some 3 million dollars was invested into the region by this organization.
CMA 1999 – Louisiana
Five years hence it was Louisiana's turn to open its Cajun doors to the world. Integrated with the Franco Fete celebrations to mark the 300th anniversary of French presence within the State, the second Congrès hosted 61 family reunions, and saw the twinning of many Louisiana villages with their Nova Scotia or New Brunswick counterparts and kept visitors entertained with a wide range of cultural and musical venues all across the state.
CMA 2004 - Nova Scotia
Five more years later, it was a return to the land of our birth! Never before had so many Acadian descendants returned to what was once the mother land knowns as Acadie.
Acadie received her children with arms wide open as 250,000 Acadian descendants converged to this wonderful land of our Ancestors. Much will be written about the history that was made at that time and in that place. There were many historical moments!
Source: CMA 2004 with permission in 2004

CMA 2009

This summer, CMA 2009 is scheduled for August 3rd through the 23rd. It will be held on the Acadian Peninsula or in Northern New Brunswick, Canada.

For CMA 2009 information and more CMA history, please go to the CMA2009 site.

I will be at the Doucet Family Reunion on August 22nd and at the Belliveau-Gaudet banquet that evening. I hope to meet many of you at both affairs!

Love,

Your cousin Lucie
© Lucie LeBlanc Consentino
Acadian & French Canadian Ancestral Home

I'm going to CMA2009

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:48:00 +0000

Dear Cousins,

I have finally decided to go to CMA2009. My friend Lorette is a Doucet so we will attend the Doucet Family Reunion and in the evening we will partake of the banquet at the Belliveau and Gaudet Reunion.

We leave on August 19th and will return home on the 24th. We will spend the day of August 22nd at the above reunions. Another day we will go to Fort Beauséjour as it is a regular pilgrimage that I make to remember my ancestors who were imprisoned here during the years of exile. They were not deported but they were imprisoned. There is much we do not know about their sojourn.

So if you plan to be in Northern New Brunswick on August 22nd, please let me know as I would just love to meet you!

CMA 2004 in Nova Scotia was wonderful. We all had a great time. I made Wolfville/Grand-Pré area my home base. There were large tents on the grounds of the Grand-Pré Historic site and day or evening there was something going on. In the evening we listened to Cajun bands and singers from Louisiana and ate Cajun food. It was so fun!

At CMA 2004 I was priviledged to be one of the speakers at the LeBlanc Family Reunion as well as at Grand-Pré. I had also been invited to represent New England Acadians at the closing Mass on August 15th. I met so many wonderful people! I hope CMA 2009 will be as eventful for everyone who is attending.

So let me know if you will be there! ;o)

Hugs,

Your cousin Lucie

We remember... Memorial Day 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Mon, 25 May 2009 12:20:00 +0000

This Memorial Day, 2009, we remember all of our military past and present especially those who are fighting two wars to keep us all free from terrorists who harm the innocent and resent the freedoms we enjoy. Over 5,000 men and women in the U.S. military have died since the wars began in Iraq and Afghanistan; 36,000 wounded - this does not even account for the military from other countries who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that their loved ones and the citizens of their countries might live free. Today, we remember them all and we are grateful as individuals, as Americans and as citizens of the world! My father, George Charles LeBlanc knew something about fighting for our freedoms that we have long enjoyed. The photo above captures him in his World War I uniform. He fought with Yankee Division. It was said at the time that World War I was the war to end all wars. How wonderful if that had been true. It was a war that incurred many deaths.
and a great many wounded.

Members of the Yankee Division were cast into the worse of the battles.

Activated and Inducted into Federal Service: July 1917 (National Guard Division from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont).

Overseas: October 1917.

Major Operations: Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne

Days of combat: 210
Casualties: Total-13,664
Killed in action: 1,587
Wounded in action: 12,077

Inactivated, and returned to National Guard service: May 1919

The Yankee Division was re-activated in World War II and continues as a viable part of the military today.

One day while searching for information regarding the 26th Yankee Division, I came across a photo on E-bay that was for sale by Zazzle. Zazzle has purchased many photos from the National Archives and have made "reasonable" sizes of the photos available for purchase. I say "reasonable" because an inquiry I made to the National Archives informed me that 1. the originals photos as huge landscape size photos and 2. very expensive if purchased from the archives.

Zazzle had two sizes of the photo I wanted. The photo is of the final review at Fort Devens, Massachusetts before the Yankee Division was inactivated after World War I. It is a great photo and I know that my Dad is "somewhere" among all of the military on the parade grounds for the last time.

I decided to inquire as to whether the company might have a photo of the company my Dad was part of - they did not but they purchased it from the National Archives and a few months later I was ab le to purchase a copy from Zazzle. Amazingly, what could have cost me in the hundreds of dollars from the National Archives cost me only $25 and $35 respectively in a much more manageable size that I framed and hangs on the wall in this, my work space or home office as some might call it. Next to those two photos is the photo of my Dad in his World War I uniform encased in a frame that also holds his Victory Medal with clasps or bars described as follows: " battle clasps were awarded for each of the major operations for individuals actually present under competent orders. The clasps, with a star on each side of the name of the campaign or one of the defensive sectors, were worn on the suspension ribbon."

To the right is what the WWI Victory Medal looks like. I was able to find this on the Internet - my father's medal has four clasps representing the four battles he fought in. I treasure the fact that my mother kept my father's enlistment and discharge papers, including his medal, safely among her treasured items.

[ I sometimes see these things on Ebay and people just do not realize the history they've given away. Some of these items can never again be retrieved in any way. A few years ago I tried to obtain new copies of my father's papers. There had been a fire some years ago where the military records were housed. My father's papers were among those lost in that fire. So had my mother not kept these I would never have known my father's military history.]

World War I sources: Wikepedia, Free pages military on Ancestry.com, Zazzle Company

Patriotic holidays bring back great memories of when I was growing up. As children, we would be playing out in the yard and suddenly we would hear the drum and bugle corps coming up the street. Yup, a parade! It just seems to me that everyone was so patriotic back then. We didn't need a war to bind us together and to be proud of who we were. I was so impressed with my family's patriotism that I have always been very patriotic as has been my husband and his family.

Family cookouts were great but if we had not been celebrating something American, we would not have been gathering to remember. I hope every child grows up knowing what it is to be bound together with the pride of being American.

No matter our country, we should always remember the brave men and women who fought that we might all be free - and... don't forget to thank a Veteran!

save

A preview of Sarah and Corey's Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:52:00 +0000

Sarah and Corey's wedding on Sunday, May 17th, 2009
Turner Hill, Ipswich, Massachusetts

Exchanging Vows
(Father Richard Clancy officiating)

Exchanging Rings

Mazel Tov!

Mr. and Mrs. Jackson

Much more to come including lots more photos and details of the wedding... please stay tuned!

Some enchanted evening....

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Wed, 13 May 2009 07:54:00 +0000

Sarah and Corey's wedding is on Sunday

but first a review of photos from the Bridal Shower

Above photos of Sarah & Corey, who in their own little worlds, were dressed by their mothers who took the above photos. Can you believe she had a sailor dress and he a sailor suit? Was this an omen of what was to be? (smile) They even had the same haircut!

Sarah & Corey at the bridal shower

We have been talking about it for more than a year now and we are in the home stretch as the wedding will take place this Sunday, May 17th. Today I thought I would share some photos from the bridal shower.

Above: opening gifts

Some of the guests

More guests

There was one "gift" or surprise left for Sarah toward the end of the shower - Corey sang "Some Enchanted Evening" from South Pacific. Before singing, in the photo above, Corey is telling everyone present that the night he met Sarah he knew someday they would marry. He did not know how or when but he knew. You must know that there was not a dry eye once he said that and sang to Sarah with his beautiful voice.

Corey singing... Sarah crying as Corey sings to her... happy tears!

Rebecca - Sarah's sister and Matron of Honor
and the beautiful Bridesmaids

The bridal party prepared
a great brunch!

Yes, Sarah was surprised by it all.

Corey and Sarah are like two peas in a pod. I always say that if these two are not meant to be together, I don't know who is. So on to the wedding... We are proud, happy and honored that Corey will be part of our family!

I end today's blog with the lyrics to...

Some Enchanted Evening
by Rogers and Hammerstein

Some enchanted evening
You may see a stranger,
you may see a stranger
Across a crowded room
And somehow you know,
You know even then
That somewhere you'll see her
Again and again.

Some enchanted evening
Someone may be laughing,
You may hear her laughing
Across a crowded room
And night after night,
As strange as it seems
The sound of her laughter
Will sing in your dreams.

Who can explain it?
Who can tell you why?
Fools give you reasons,
Wise men never try.

Some enchanted evening
When you find your true love,
When you feel her call you
Across a crowded room,
Then fly to her side,
And make her your own
Or all through your life you
May dream all alone.

Once you have found her,
Never let her go.
Once you have found her,
Never let her go!

Radio Canada Television comes to Methuen

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Mon, 11 May 2009 21:58:00 +0000

Radio Canada Television comes to Methuen!

A week ago Sunday, I received an email that Radio Canada Television wanted to come to our home in Methuen - all the way from Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada - to interview me about the Mothers of Acadia mtDNA Project. Because our daughter Sarah's wedding is this coming Sunday, I tried to put off the interview for two weeks. I received a phone call on Monday that they were leaving Moncton and would be here Tuesday.

They arrived at the designated time on Tuesday afternoon, took a bit of time setting up the lights, etc. while Michel Nogue and I chatted and then the interview began. It centered greatly on mtDNA, the results we have and what the results mean. At the same time, though the interview was mtDNA we also talked about the research that I do; the great help Stephen White has been to the project; the people I help with their research; about my family.

I thought I would be quite nervous since the interview was both in French and in English but Michel Nogue who interviewed me made me feel quite at ease. The three men from the network were Michel, Mark Savoie and the cameraman Guy LeBlanc who all were very encouraging as we proceeded. As the interview moved along, I had a really good time and enjoyed the process tremendously.

On Wednesday morning , they went to the American-Canadian Genealogical Society in Manchester, New Hampshire where they interviewed Lorette Leafe who has been mtDNA tested and whose furthest maternal ancestor is Marie Gaudet, daughter of Jean Gaudet and Unknown first spouse. They made a stop at Lorette's home, went to dinner then headed back to our home in Methuen where they wanted to video our two daughters, son-in-law and grandson. They did a nice little piece on the family.

This photo shows the arrival of Tyler, Theo and Rebecca being videoed.

When the interview ended, I broke out the wine, cheese and crackers with a toast thanking Michel, Mark and Guy for having come all the way to Methuen to interview me and my family.

I wonder if my husband Tony might have found a new career!

The interview, along with interviews of Stephen A. White, Lorette Leafe and Barbara LeBlanc of Cape Breton, will be broadcast toward the middle of June from Moncton. When I receive the exact date, time and direct link to the Internet site where we can all view it it will be posted on my blog.
So stay tuned....

My husband and I watched as they decided to video the two of us on at our front door while they included the U.S. and Acadian flags in the foreground that fly in front of our home.

© Lucie LeBlanc Consentino
Acadian & French Canadian Ancestral Home

Mama and Me

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Sun, 03 May 2009 08:51:00 +0000

Mama and Me

When I was a little girl, I thought there was nobody more wonderful and special than my mother who we fondly called "Mama". Of course, I suppose children feel that way about their mothers and why wouldn't they? Parents are the whole world of a little child. As infants, toddlers and young children, we ultimately rely on our parents to fulfill our every need. My parents, especially Mama, were no different.

Growing up in a French-Canadian ethnic neighborhood was the best. Why? Because we grew up with all of our aunts, uncles, cousins and especially our grandparents. Our parish church was in our neighborhood as were all businesses owned by French-Candians that allowed our migrant grandparents to take care of business in their customary language which was French. So whether they went grocery shopping, were in need of pharmacy or other services, attending church (which was most important to them), they could conduct business in comfortably in their mother tongue with which they had spoken since childhood in Canada. I remember Dubrule Pharmacy that included a soda fountain. We enjoyed many ice cream cones in the summer and ice cream sundaes on Sunday afternoons. Each ethnic neigborhood had its own grocery stores, fish markets, fruit stores etc. These neighborhoods were great microcosms of the larger world but best of all we felt safe. Our doors were never locked and nobody was a stranger to us.

When hiring nuns to teach in our parish school of Ste Anne, they had to be bilingual speaking personnel who would teach their children and grandchildren not only English but French as well. I always believed we were pretty fortunate to grow up in that kind of situation with our heritage always at the forefront of their minds for our own sakes though as children we didn't realize just how fortunate we were.

From "baby room" (called kindergarten today) through 8th grade we were taught in two languages. No, we did not have a French "period" or "class" in those days. Rather we had a half day of English and a half day of French. During French classes we were taught the catechism, church history, french grammar, spelling and literature. During English classes, we were taught the usual classes of reading, grammar, spelling writing, and arithmetic. Of course, classes did not begin at 8:00 a.m. and end at 2:00 p.m. as they usually do today. We were in school from 7:45 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. until the schedule was changed to 3:00 p.m. half way through elementary school.

To their credit, les Soeurs du Bon-Pasteur de Québec/Sisters of the Good Shepherd, whose mother house was in Quebec on rue Lachevrotière, did a great job preparing the children of the parish for high school as well as for their future. How fortunate we were to be fluent in both French and English. As a child I spoke French before I spoke English and I do suppose that was because my Mémère and Pépère (grandmother and grandfather) lived next door for a while and Mémère Lévesque used to baby sit me quite a bit. Wherever we went in our neighborhood we could converse in French at anytime. Of course, like all young American children, we had a tendency to speak in English more than French even encouraged by our parents to do so so we would grow up as true Americans.

Thanks to them, we have grown up as true Americans but today we long for those days when there was someone with whom we could speak in the tongue of our grandparents and forebears.

I digress.. growing up with Maman was both interesting and fun for us as children. Just about every summer Sunday the extended family would go to Canobie Lake for a family picnic. Most of us had no automobiles so we would all take the bus that we could board at the corner of our street and head out for the day. Most often we would go to 6:00 a.m. Mass and be on the 7:15 a.m. bus so we could get the picnic tables closest to the lake while at other times we would arrive early enough to reserve the kiosk so we would be in the shade if it was going to be a very hot day. Everything depended on how fast the bus could get us there. Sometimes it would have a hard time making the hill close to Canobie. Buses were not what they are today!

At the end of the day, our extended family would take the last bus home at 10:00 p.m. and sing all the way home. It was great fun for us kids!

In those days going to Canobie Lake was free admission and it was still a pretty rustic forest full of big pine trees. We would tie our bottles of drinks together and lower them into the lake to keep them cool. There were no coolers then.

There were a few amusement rides and a few food booths and life was simple. Today it is quite expensive at Canobie because there are mega rides available. I'd take the good old days anytime.

Of course, as great as Mama was in getting us ready for the day and sending us off on the bus with my brother and sister so we would arrive with the rest of the family, she always came later. I don't remember her ever being ready to leave when it was time to go. But that was part of who she was. Her main purpose was to get us ready so we could have a fun day from beginning to end. She would usually arrive at the Lake a couple of hours later with my Mémère who would usually go to 8:00 a.m. Mass.

Once in a while we would spend a Sunday at Salisbury Beach. That was more unusual though. Canobie was only a half hour from home in those days whereas Salisbury was an hour by bus. Today you can get to Canobie in 10-15 minutes by car and Salisbury in 35-40 minutes depending on traffic.

Wherever we went Mama made sure we had a good time. She loved to laugh, tease and have fun. She always put in on the "dobbie horses" aka carousel. At certain times of the day or evening you could try to "catch" a "gold" ring as the dobbies passed a certain area. If you could grab onto one you got a free ride. I didn't get one often because I loved the dobbie horses that went up and down - the ones closest to the edge of the carousel did not move. Often parents would stand there to grab a ring for their child to get a free ride. I just loved the dobbie horses so much that I used to fantasize owning my own horse some day.

Now at Canobie Lake there was a "fortune teller". My mother and aunts would go have their fortunes told. You know it was taboo in those days but they did it for fun and didn't believe a word the fortune teller would say. One day when they were done having their fortunes told, my father told us that his mother used to be a fortune teller. Everybody laughed and thought he was joking. I never knew my grandmother Odille because she died at age 42 when my father was just a young boy. Let me tell you though that as I plodded through our family history, one day I went to the public library to look through City Directories and lo and behold my grandmother was listed as a "clairvoyant" aka fortune teller. So my father was right. I sure wish I'd known her! Not because she claimed to be a clairvoyant but rather because she did what she must to help support a large family. I see her as having been a very strong woman doing what she must to help her family survive. They were very poor and when she died there was no money for a grave. She is buried with in a grave belonging to friends of the family.

So that is also how I always perceived my Mama to be: a very strong woman from who I learned much about surviving the ups and downs of every day life and hanging in there when things were difficult.

As Mama grew older and more frail I realized that my perception of how strong a person she was might not be entirely true or correct - I wondered whether or not I was mistaken. As she shared some of her fears and concerns in her aging years, I realized more and more that she imparted to me the strengths she would have wanted for herself in the up and down years of her life: however, no matter what she thought of and for herself, she had a greater and deeper strength than she ever imagined.

I am the last of six children. Three children died at young ages. My two oldest siblings, Rita and Emile died one month apart at ages 3 and 4. A year later my sister Claudia was born, three years later my brother Albert, two years later my brother Alphee who died the age of 9 months. Five years later I was born.

One time I remember my father telling me that when their children passed away, Mama would just sit in a rocker with their toys rocking back and forth. They had died of whooping cough which was untreatable back then. When I was under a two years old I contracted scarlet fever. Quarantined to the hospital during that illness when I returned home my Mama patiently taught me once again to walk as I had been so decimated from the illness that I could not walk and was not talking much for an 18 month old.

There was never a day that passed when she did not tell us how much she loved us no matter how old we were and no matter how ill she was at the end of her life. Today I do the same with our daughters and now our grandson.

So in spite of the lack of strength she thought lacking, Mama was a much stronger woman than she believed herself to be and I attribute so much of who I am because of who she was in my life.

Mother's Day is this Sunday. In Mother's Days past, I used to love to sing all of the Mother's Day songs that we were taught at school or that we would hear on the radio. On Mother's Day morning I would sing them one after the other for my mother. Mother's Day was a very special day to honor Mama in a special way.

Mama I love you and think of you every day.
Here is a recent photo of your great grandson Theo.

Genographic Project ends in 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Sat, 02 May 2009 16:35:00 +0000

The International Society

of Genetic Genealogy

Vol. 2 No. 4 Apr 2009

From the Director -

The Four-Year Anniversary of the Genographic Project

April 2009 marks the four-year anniversary of the launch of National
Geographic's Genographic Project. The project is slated for five years
so its hard to believe there is only one year left! In 2010, all DNA
samples that are not transferred to Family Tree DNA's (FTDNA) database will be destroyed. As of mid-March 2009, over 296,000+ Genographic kits have been sold and around 70,000 of those have been uploaded into Family Tree DNA. But this still leaves 226,000+ samples marked for destruction. Including the sample I bought for a relative and then misplaced the log-in code! I have one year to find that code - the clock is ticking!

Once the sample has been transferred to FTDNA, the company will
provide storage for 25 years and this provides the ability to upgrade the
sample for new and exciting tests that become available. There is no
charge for storage or for the upload from Genographic to FTDNA. If
existing FTDNA customers wish to contribute their DNA results for
Genographic Project research, they can do so for a nominal transfer fee.

To transfer your results, log in to your Genographic page and scroll
down to the bottom header which reads, "WHAT ELSE CAN I DO WITH MY RESULTS?" and then click the blue "learn more" link at the end of the paragraph. This will walk you through the process of transferring your results and then you can explore your genetic journey for an additional 25 more years!

-Katherine Borges
ISOGG Director

Note: You may subscribe to the ISOGG Newsletter for free. It is published online monthly.

What's blogging all about?

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:15:00 +0000

What's Blogging all About?

You know, I used to wonder what blogging was all about. What was so great about having a blog and writing about all the day to day sundry things of life. In May of 2006 I decided to take the leap and started my own blog. What I found was that it is actually quite an enjoyable way to:

1. reflect on one's life and family
2. keep my family and friends updated
3. share genealogy and history
4. collaborate with other bloggers who have similar interests
5. learn about what others think and are sharing
6. support other bloggers

Until the past couple of months I was not a faithful blogger. I did blog quite a bit but I seemed more inclined around the holidays when there was so much more to be talking about regarding my family activities.

One day, my friend Evelyn Thériault invited to visit her new blog she had launched on a few months earlier - I was totally impressed! Evelyn's A Canadian Family Blog inspired me and I could see that blogs had become a new venue for more than one's musings. I decided to launch my blog anew. The result is what visitors to the Acadian Ancestral Home blog have been reading the past couple of months. It has become a mix of family sharing, genealogy and history and whatever other musings that might come to mind in the future.

Bloggers are now able to cluster into groups and that adds to my interest in sharing the information I have on my Acadian & French-Canadian Ancestral Home website as well any new information I might find.

Some bloggers also share a great bit of technologicial information on a variety of topics. That interests me immensely.

So if you have ever thought about having your own blog I say give it a try. You might be surprised at how much fun it is and you will get to meet some of the nicest people.

My blog is nested on Blogger. Blooger is free and so is Wordpess. If you search about I'm sure you can find other free blog space but in my estimation these two are probably the most popular.

If you are a genealogy and history researcher, you might want to join Geneabloggers Geneabloggers has links to hundreds of genealogy and history blogs. Each week you will find the links to new sites that have joined Geneabloggers. If you are on Facebook, Geneabloggers is there too. Geneabloggers answers a variety of questions including some of the technology one might want to use in a blog.

If you decide to blog, you might also want to submit one of your blogs to the Carnival Blog - blogs can be submitted on a variety of topics. In fact, last week I submitted a blog to the Carnival for Local History that you can read at the drop down menu in the blog archives bottom right of the sidebar. It is entitled: My Hometown: Methuen, Massachusetts dated April 21, 2009.

What I have shared in today's blog is just the tip of the iceberg as to how enjoyable blogging has become for thousands of people. As many visitors to this blog know, I have a huge website. It is lots of work to build one page before it goes online - blogging is so much easier and for some blogging has replaced having a website.

That's it in a nutshell but before I go I want to talk about Evelyn Thériault's blog mentioned above.

In addition to what Evelyn shares about family genealogy and history, you will also see vintage postcards she has collected. Some of them are of places where her ancestors lived at one others are from different places in Quebec, Montreal and New Brunswick. Looking at these old postcards is worth the visit to her blog! I look forward to seeing each new postcard she shares that I've not seen before. This is a blog you don't want to miss!

Thank you for your visit.

Deportation Orders as read at Grand-Pré

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 11:32:00 +0000

The Deportation Orders at Grand-Pré

as read by Colonel John Winslow

On September 2, 1755, Acadians in Grand Pré were presented with the following order: These words were translated into French by Isaac Deschamps) who was a Swiss merchant.

To the Inhabitants of the district of Grand Pré, Mines, River Cannard, &c., as well ancient as young Men and Lades.

Whereas His Excellency the Governour has Instructed us of his Last resolution Respecting the maters Proposd Lately to the Inhabitants, and as ordered us to Communicate the same to the Inhabitants in General in Person His Excellency be desierous that each of them Should be fully Satisfyed of His Majesty's Intentions which he has also ordered us to Communicate to you Such as they have been given Him.

I therefore order and Strictly Injoyne, by these Pressence to all of the Inhabitant as well of the above named District as of all the other Districts. both old men & young men, as well as all the Lads of ten years of age to attend at the Church of Grand Pré on Fryday the 5th Instant, at Three of the Clock in the afternoon that We may Impart to them what we are ordered to Communicate to them : Declaring that no Excuse will be admitted on any Pretence whatsoever, on Pain of Forfitting Goods and Chattels on Default.

Given at Grand Pré, Second of September in the 29th year of His Majesty's reign A.D. 1755. John Winslow

At the Church 418 men were read the following words delivered in French by an interpreter.

Gentlemen, - I have received from His Excellency Governor Lawrance. The King's Commission, which I have in my hand and by whose orders you are Convened together to Manifest to you His Majesty's Final Resolution to the French Inhabitants of this his Province of Nova Scotia. who for almost half a Centry have had more Indulgence Granted them, then any of his Subjects in any part of his Dominions. what use you have made of them you your Self Best Know.

The Part of Duty I am now upon is what thoh Necessary is Very Disagreable to my natural make & Temper as I Know it Must be Grevous to you who are of the Same Specia.

But it is not my Business to annimedvert, but to obey Such orders as I receive and therefore, without Hesistation Shall Deliver you His Majesty's orders and Instructions vizt.

That your Lands & Tenements, Cattle of all Kinds, and Live Stock of all Sortes, are Forfitted to the Crown with all other your Effects Saving your money and Household Goods and you your Selves to be removed from this his Province.

Thus it is Preremptorily His Majesty's orders That the whole French Inhabitants of these Districts, be removed, and I am Throh his Majesty's Goodness Directed to allow you Liberty to Carry of your money and Household Goods as Many as you Can, without Discomemoading the Vessels you Go in. I Shall do Every thing in my Power that all Those Goods be Secured to you and that you are Not Molested in Carrying of them of and also that whole Familys Shall go in the Same Vessel. and make this remove, which I am Sensable must give you a great Deal of Trouble as Easey as His Majesty's Service will admit and hope that in what Ever part of the world you may Fall you may be Faithful Subjects, a Peasable & happy People.

I Must also Inform you That it is His Majesty's Pleasure that you remain in Security, under the Inspection & Direction of the Troops that I have theHonr. to Command.

At this point Winslow declared the Acadians the King's prisoners. He also ordered the following:

All officers and Soldiers and Sea Men Employed in his Majesty's Service as well as all his Subjects of what Denomination Soever, are herby Notifyed That all Cattle vizt Horsses, Horne Cattle, Sheep, goats, Hoggs, and Poultrey of Every Kinde. that was this Day Soposed to be Vested in the French Inhabitants of this Province are become Forfitted to his Majesty whose Property they now are and Every Person of what Denomination Soever is to take Care not to Hurt Kill or Distroy anything of any Kinde nor to Rob Orchards or Gardens or to make waste of anything Dead or alive in these Districts without Special order.

Of course the "security" John Winslow speaks of to the Acadians is that they will all be held prisoners in the church of St-Charles-des-Mines until the ships arrive to deport them and their families. When the ships arrived the men and boys who had been held prisoners were marched all the way to Gaspéreau Landing at bayonet point. Their families would follow and wait for the long boats that would row them out to the ships waiting to take them into exile from their beloved Acadia.

Map Source: Nova Scotia Provincial Archives http://www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/

© Lucie LeBlanc Consentino
Acadian & French Canadian Ancestral Home

Expulsion Orders by Governor Charles Lawrence

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 06:39:00 +0000

Expulsion Orders from Governor Charles Lawrence
to Captain John Handfield

Halifax 11 August 1755

Instructions for Major Handfield, Commanding his Majesty's garrison of Annapolis Royale in relation to the transportation of the Inhabitants of the District of Annapolis River and other French Inhabitants out of the Province of Nova Scotia.

"Sir,

Having in my Letter of the 31st of July last made you acquainted with the reasons which Induced His Majesty's Council to come to the Resolution of sending away the French Inhabitants and clearing the whole Country of such bad subjects, it only remains for me to give you the necessary orders for the putting in practice what has been so solemnly determined.

That the Inhabitants may not have it in their power to return to this Province nor to join in strengthening the French of Canada in Louisbourg; it is resolved that they shall be dispersed among his Majesty's Colonies upon the Continent of America.

For this purpose Transports are ordered to be sent from Boston to Annapolis to ship on board one thousand persons reckoning two persons to a ton, and for Chignecto, transports have been taken up here to carry off the Inhabitants of that place; and for those of the District around Mines Bason Transports are in from Boston. As Annapolis is the place where the last of the transports will depart from, any of the vessels that may not receive their full complement up the Bay will be ordered there, and Colonel Winslow with his detachment will follow by land and bring up what stragglers he may meet with to ship on board at your place.

Upon the arrival of the vessels from Boston in the Bason of Annapolis as many of the Inhabitants of Annapolis District as can be collected by any means, particularly the heads of families and young men, are to be shipped on board of them at the above rate of two persons to a ton, or as near it as possible. The tonnage of the vessels to be ascertained by the charter partys, which the masters will furnish you with an amount of.

And to give you all the ease possible respecting the victualling of these transports, I have appointed Mr. George Sauls to act as agent Victualler upon this occasion and have given him particular instructions for that purpose with a copy of which he will furnish you upon his arrival at Annapolis Royale from Chignecto with the provisions for victualling the whole transports; but in case you should have shipped any of the Inhabitants before his arrival you will order five pounds of flour and one pound of pork to be delivered to each person so shipped to last for seven days and so until Mr. Saul's arrival, and it will be replaced by him into the stores from what he has on board the provision vessel for that purpose.

The destination of the Inhabitants of Annapolis River and of the transports ordered to Annapolis Bason:

To be sent to Philadelphia such a number of vessels as will transport three hundred persons.

To be sent to New York such a number of vessels as will transport two hundred persons.

To be sent to Connecticut such a number of vessels / whereof the Sloop Dove, Samuel Forbes, Master to be one / as will transport three hundred persons.

And To be sent to Boston such a number of vessels as will transport two hundred persons, or rather more in proportion to the province of Connecticut, should the number to be shipped off exceed one thousand persons.

When the people are embarked you will please to give the master of each vessel one of the letters of which you will receive a number signed by me of which you will address to the Governor of the Province or the Commander in Chief for the time being where they are to be put on shore and enclose therein the printed form of the Certificate to be granted to the Masters of the vessels to entitle them to their hire as agreed upon by Charter party; and with these you will give each of the Masters their sailing orders in writing to proceed according to the above destination, and upon their arrival immediately to wait upon the Governors or Commanders in Chief of the Provinces for which they are bound with the said Letters and to make all possible dispatch in debarking their passengers and obtain certificates thereof agreeable to the form aforesaid.

And you will in these orders make it a particular injunction to the said Masters to be as careful and watchful as possible during the whole course of the passage to prevent the passengers making any attempt to seize upon the vessel by allowing only a small number to be upon the decks at a time and using all other necessary precautions to prevent the bad consequence of such attempts; and that they be particularly careful that the Inhabitants carry no arms nor other offensive weapons on board with them at their embarkation. As also that they see the provisions regularly issued to the people agreeable to the allowance proportioned in Mr. George Saul's instructions.

You will use all the means proper and necessary for collecting the people together so as to get them on board. If you find that fair means will not do with them, you must proceed by the most vigorous measures possible, not only in compelling them to embark, but in depriving those who shall escape of all means of shelter or support by burning their houses and destroying everything that may afford them the means of subsistence in the country, and if you have not force sufficient to perform this service, Colonel Winslow at Mines or the Commanding Officer there will upon your application send you a proper reinforcement.

You will see by the Charter partys of the vessels taken up at Boston that they are hired by the month; therefore I am to desire that you will use all possible dispatch to save expense to the public.

As soon as the people are shipped and the transports are ready you will acquaint the Commander of His Majesty's Ship therewith that he may take them under his convoy and put to sea without loss of time."

– Sir Charles Lawrence, Orders to Major John Handfield

My Hometown: Methuen, Massachusetts

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:03:00 +0000

My Hometown: Methuen, Massachusetts

At the time of the earliest white settlers, what is now Methuen was part of Haverhill. This area extended north of the Merrimack River, westward to Dracut. Friendly Penacook Indians used the bands of the Merrimack and Spicket Rivers to hunt and fish from 1666 to 1683, and about this time residents of Haverhill and Andover settled in the eastern and southern parts of this territory that would one day be. (Source: Early Methuen History by Dan Gagnon)

The City Clerk of Methuen is the guardian of old town meeting records dating from the incorporation of the town in 1726 through the present. A few years ago, the mayor asked me if I might be interested in transcribing these town meeting records. I was indeed quite interested in pursuing this work for two reasons: firstly, it would help all residents of this city known as the "Town of Methuen" to research not only the lives of their ancestors but to understand the work they had done as the fathers of our wonderful town; secondly, I as an Acadian researcher. I knew that early in 1756 Acadians had been exiled to the then village of Methuen. In fact, some 2,000 Acadians had been deported from their lands, in what we know today as Nova Scotia, to the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

The Acadians had petitioned the Selectmen of the various villages and towns they lived in either because their children were taken from them or because they were being mistreated by the townspersons who had been assigned their care. Many had no clothes, no food and no medical care. All of these petitions would be sent to the General Court in Boston and today these can be found in the Massachusetts State Archives under the title "French Neutrals" volumes XXIII and XXIV.

As a result of delving into local history, I learned a whole lot more than I had bargained for. Names I had so often heard over the years were en fleshed as I began to read about them in the old town records. Some had served in one capacity or another as the town was established and grew. A real thrill was when I came across a copy of the Declaration of Independence that had been transcribed by Town Clerk Richard Whittier.

At the March 8th, 1775 town meeting, one of the articles was "To see what the Town will act concerning providing bayonets for the Minutemen".

Another article for the April 22nd meeting in 1776 asked for a vote to support the Revolution: "To see if the Inhabants (Inhabitants) in Said meeting consider and etermen (determine) whether they will give their consent that the House of Representatives of this State of Massachusetts) Bay in New England together with the Consel (Council) if they consent in one Body with the House and by equel (equal) voice should Consent agree on and enact such a Constitution and form of Government for this State as the Said House of Representatives and Counsel as aforesaid on the fullest most mAtt (At)er deliberation shall judge will most conduct to the Safty (Safety) Peace and Happiness of this State in all after successions and Generations"

The next entry was written on July 17th, 1776 as follows:

Ordered that the Declaration of Independence be printed and a coppy sent to the Ministers of each Parish of every Denomination within this State and that they generally be required to read the same to their Respective Congregations as soon as Divine Service is ended in the afternoon of the first Lord Day after they shall have received it and after such publication hereof to deliver the Said Declaration to the Clerks of their several Towns or Districks who are hereby required to record the same in their Respective Town or Districts Books there to remain a Perpetual Memorial thereof. In the name and by order of the Counsel –

A true coppy attest John Avery Dystrict Secy

The above order was followed by the Declaration of Independence being entered into the record as shown in the above photo. It was then signed as follows:

Signed by order and in behalf of the Congress
John Hancock President
Attest, Charles Thomson Secretary
A true coppy Richard Whittier Town Clerk

As a result of getting so involved in the history of Methuen I learned first hand how

America

was built.

Yes, we read our history books and we think we understand all of it but I now realized what people across colonies of this country went through to obtain freedom from

England

and its king. It was an enlightening history lesson I shall never forget. There are no books that could have brought this reality home to me as did working in the actual records that spoke of the men elected by townsmen to attend meetings in Boston. The sacrifices the townspeople made when 156 men went off to fight in the American Revolution - how they provided ammunition provisions and blankets for them and even contributed to paying them while they served so that their families would not be in want. Townspeople took care of townspeople across the land.

It was exciting to read about the Continental Congress that was to take place in Philadelphia and then to transcribe the Declaration of Independence. What an experience!

When done, I knew that those transcriptions would help so many local people with their family genealogies. Names like Sargent, Rogers, Frederick, Dummer, Russell, Swan, Searles, Nevins, Bodwell, How and so many other founding families.

Now in the process, my second goal was also accomplished when I came across entries the Selectmen had made that concerned the "French families" - those French families were none other than the Acadians or "French Neutrals" who had been deported and exiled to Methuen. To that end, I found the following entries:

At the same meeting, the Town voted and made a new list of jurors. And at the same meeting, the Town voted not to fetch the French family from Amesbury.

We, the subscribers, being chosen a committee to reckon with Capt. Stephen Barker, Town Treasurer, we have proceeded, and have reckoned what he was to receive from the constables, for the years 1756-1757-1758 and 1759, both by rates and notes, and also eleven pounds and nineteen shillings, which he received, that was allowed by the Province to the Town, for providing for the French; and also four pounds, three shillings and two pence which he received from the sheriff of the County of Essex, bestowed on this Town towards the support of the school, making in whole ninety seven pounds, eleven shillings and one penny; and we find his orders to pay out of the Town’s money amount to one hundred and eight pounds, ten shillings and five pence, which is ten pounds, nineteen shillings and four pence more than what he had orders to receive as aforesaid.

Methuen, January 19, 1761

Daniel Bodwell Ebenezer Barker } Committee

We find there is due to the Town from the Province 12-13-0.
January the 19, 1761, on adjournment, the Town accepted the above reckoning and voted that it should be recorded.

Petitions of the Acadians exiled to the Town of Methuen in Essex County
From Volume XXIII at the Massachusetts State Archives we find these petitions from the Acadians to the General Court while they were exiled in the then Village of Methuen.

In the House of Representatives, September 10, 1756

Voted that thirteen of the French Inhabitants now residing in Gloucester be removed to Wenham and that the other eleven now at the Said Town be removed to Methuen and that the Town of Gloucester be at the charge of their removal.

Sent up for concurrence, T. Hubbard, Speaker.

In Council, September 10, 1756, read and concurred, Thomas Clarke, Deputy Secretary - Consented to, W. Shirley

Page 317:

Bill of Captain William Allen, John Low Jr, Thomas Rand. Paid John Mallen for conveying John Muise & family to Methuen.
Bills for Joseph Douset & his family.
January 1756 to May 22nd - Bills for John Muse and family.

Page 402:

To the honorable his Majesty's Council of his Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England now sitting at Boston, May twenty-fifth, 1757.

The petition of the Selectmen of the Town of Methuen whose names are hereunto subscribed, Humbly sheweth that your petitioners and their predecessors in the same office have taken great care and pains to support the French people which were ordered to dwell in our Town in such manner as might be least cost and charge to the Province and the necessary and unavoidable cost we have been at for their suport, we have exhibited herewith prayihng that your honors would be pleased to order that the same may be paid to our Town - all which is humbly presented by

John Bodwell, William Russ, Stephen Barker } Selectmen of Methuen

Page 403:

Methuen, March 2, 1757

September 1756 - Received a family of French people of the late inhabitants of Nova Scotia, viz., John Muse and his wife & children, that is his sons and three daughters (viz.) Enoch, about twenty years old; Joseph, about ten years old; Lawrance, about eighteen years old; John, about twelve years old; Joseph, about ten y ears old; Charles, about eight yeras old; Paul, about nine months old; and Margaret, about sixteen years old; and Lydia, about six years old; Mary about four years old. The wife of the Said John hath been very sickly the whole time she hatch been in our Town and the whole family unaccustomed to labor, having chiefly got their livelihood by hunting in their own county.

Daniel Bodwell, Ebenezer Barker ] Selectmen of Methuen

Methuen, May 23^rd, 1757

An account of what we the subscribers have delivered to the above named French since the second day of March last.

John Bodwell, William Russ, Stephen Barker } Selectmen of Methuen.

Page 464

Methuen, September 24th, 1757

To his Exelllency Thomas Pownall Esquire, Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over his Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England and to the Honorable his Majesty's Council of Said Province.

We the Subscribers, Selectmen of the Town of Methuen, humbly present the following for your Excellency's and your Honors' allowance, being a true and just account of the necessary cost and charge from the first day of June last past to the date hereof, for the support and relief of French inhabitants of Nova Scotia, which were ordered by the General court to dwell in our Town, namely, John Mewis (Mius) and his wife and nine children (viz.) Enoch, Lawrants (Laurent), Margaret, John, Joseph, Charles, Lydia, Mary and Paul. The eldest of which children is about twenty years old and the youngest is about one year and a half old and the woman during the time of this account hath been very sickly and helpless. We have carefully avoided unnecessary charges and made the account as low as we could, consistent with humanity and justice.

John Bodwell, William Russ, Stephen Barker } Selectmen of Methuen.

Page 547

His Excellency Thomas Pownall Esquire, Governor, and to the honorable gentlemen of the Council of Boston and honorable House of Representatives,

The humble petition of Lawrence Mieuse (Mius) most humbly sheweth

That the Selectmen of Methuen have about the beginning of last March sent him & his brother to work promising them the same wages that any had in place, which work they continued two months. But going for their wages your petitioner had three yards of old linen priced at 70 the yard, two pounds dried cod & one pound of hog's fat, his brother having little more if any. Your petitioner's family consisting of twelve persons have had allowed them by the town six pounds pork per week & one bushel Indian corn, which the Selectmen tell them will be reduced to half this winter. Your petitioner's brother has done work to the value of three pistoles & 15/, which he going to demand was not only refused payment butpushed out. The man following with a fire shovel struck him in the sie with which made him spit blood all that day and caused a great sore which has disabled him from work ever since. The same person says if it had not been for fear of justice he would as soon kill any of them as a frog. And as for yor petitioner's young family and hmself are almost naked for want of work or the price of his labor and alllodged in a very bad house. He has another brother who worked seven months for another man and would give him nothing, for which he had left him, but the man followed him to the house and almost stripped him naked and said if his father stood in his defense he would split his head. And when two poor women lay in they went to the Selectmen to get boards to stop the snow from blowing in on their beds and a couple of old little blankets to cover them, being plundered of everything valuable when moved from their farms, which they now oblige them to pay for. With sundry other grievances too tedious to mention, all of which he submits to your wise consideration not doubting your assistance and in hope of which he shall for your honors as in duty bound ever pray.

Lawrence + Mieuse
(his mark)

Page 548

In Council, January 10, 1758, read and ordered that James Minot Esquire, with such as the honorable House shall join be a committee to consider of this petition and report what they judge prooper to be done in the affair.

Sent down for concurrence, A. Oliver, Secretary.
In the House of Representatives, January 10, 1758
Read and concurred and Colonel Choate & Colonel Buckminster are joined in the affair.
T. Hubbard, Speaker

Volume XXIV Page 14

Methuen, April 15, 1758
Accounts, October 1, 1757 to April 15, 1758

The Said family consists of twelve in number, viz. John Muse and his wife and ten children, namely Enoch, Lawrence, John, Joseph, Charles, Paul, Margaret, Lydia, Mary and Susanna. The eldest whereof is about twenty-one years of age and the youngest about five months old.

Ebenezer Barker, James Ordway, John Mansur } Selectmen of Methuen. Pages 236 to 238

Accounts, March 17, 1759 to December 7, 1759

Extraordinary expenses in sickness with the measles.

Also to taking care of John Mius seven weeks, a French man that was sent by said court to Methuen, but taken sick in said Tewksbury with the fever and afterward the fever and age.

Page 283

To his Excellency Thomas Pownall Esquire, Captain General & Governor in Chief in and over his Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, to the honorable his Majesty's Council and House of representatives in said province in General Court assembled at Boston, March 19^th, 1760.

The petition of John Mius, late inhabitant of Cape Sable, humbly sheweth that your petitioner, when he was brought to New England dwelt some time at Cape Anne and then was carried with my family to the town of Methuen, where we have continued more than three years, where many circumstances occur to set forward my calamity, some of which I beg leave to mention to your Excellency and your honors (viz.) that my wife hath (been?] very poor and sickly ever since she been removed at such a distance from the salt waters and being accustomed only to fishing & hunting(?) for a livelihood at Cap Sable and neigther myself or my sons at all used to husbandry we cannot get such wages for our labor at Methuen or in the nieghboring towns as we might at Cape Anne and two of my sons spent the time the two last summers at Cape Anne with much more profit and advantage than they could have done where we now dwell and three of my sons are determined and promised to go thither again the summer ensuing and although under these disadvantages I am obliged to be very chargeable to the Selectmen of Methuen for the support of my family yet I would request nothing more of the province toward the support of myself, my wife and ten children than a house to dwell in at Cape Anne, I and my sons would choose rather than a house to dwell in and thirty dollars a year at such distance from the sea coast as we now live.

Your petitioner therefore humbly prays with submission that your Excellency and your honors would be pleased to take his case into your most wise and serious consideration and so order that your petitioner with his family may be speedily removed from the town of Methuen to the town of Gloucester and your petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray.

John Mius

In the House of Representatives, March 22, 1760

Read and ordered that the petitioner have liberty to remove himself and family from the town of Methuen to the town of Gloucester. But that he be obliged to subsist himself and family after such removal without any assistance from the government.

Sent up for concurrence, J. White, Speaker.

In Council, March 24, 1760, read and concurred, A. Oliver, Secretary,
Consented to, T. Pownall.

Pages 293 and 294

To his Excellency Thomas Pownall Esquire, Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over his Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, to the honorable his majesty's Council and House of Representatives of said province in General Court assembled at Boston, April 1760.

The memorial of John Mius, a late inhabitant of Cape Sable, but now residing in Methuen, humbly sheweth.

That your memorialist, laboring under many difficulties and disadvantages in the place of his residence (which occasioneth him to be very chargeable to the selectmen) he sent his petition to this great & honorable court at their last session. In which petition he desired to be removed with his family from Methuen to the town of Gloucester. There to subsist himself and family without any help or assistance from this government, only a house to dwell in at Gloucester. How be it the order of this great and wise court on the said petition is, that the petitioner have liberty to remove himself and family from the town of Methuen to the town of Gloucester, but that he be obliged to subsist himself family after such removal without any assistance from the government. Now your memorialist humbly conceives that as he hath a great family and some of them small & helpless, a comfortable house to dwell in at Gloucester would be much less cost and charge to the government than what the generality of my country people have bestowed on them according to their circumstances. You memorialist humbly prays that your Excellency and your honors would be pleased in your wisdom to reconsider his case and circumstances and so order that I may have a house to dwell in at Gloucester provided at the cost of the province, that so with hard labor and industry I may subsist my self and family without any further charge to the government and your memorialist (as in duty bound) shall ever pray,

Test. Ebenezer Barker

John + Mius (his mark)

In the House of Representatives, April 17, 1760
Read and in answer ordered to the Selectmen of Gloucester be directed to procure a suitable house for the petitioner at the cost of the Province.
Sent up for concurrence, J. White, Speaker.
In Council, April 19, 1760, read and concurred, A. Oliver, Secretary.
Consented to, T. Pownall

Pagaes 346 and 347

June 24, 1760
Essex SS.
To the Selectmen of the town of Bradford in the said county,

Pursuant to the power and directions given by the Great and General Court to a committee appointed to proportion the French inhabitants to the several towns in said county.

You are hereby required forthwith to cause to be removed to the town of Newbury Ann Lower, alis Dosset (Doucet), Hanna, Margaret, & Eliz. Dossit (Doucet) & the Widow Rashne, five French Neutrals, which were sent by order of the General Court to you & then deliver to one or of the Selectmen of Newbury.

You are also to deliver Mary Richards, a French Neutral girl, to one or more of the Selectmen of Methuen.

And you are to make return to me of your doings in the premises with the names of the persons so removed and the particular charge of removing them.

Salem, June 24, 1760 - Benjamin Lynde

COUNCIL MINUTES: pages 410 through 422

July 20, 1760

Methuen
Marron Tebedo (Thibodeau) age 8, from Andover
Joseph Leblong (LeBlanc) from Amesbury age 63
Margaret Leblong (LeBlanc) & infirm age 61
Mary Richards age 13 from Bradford

Page 376

Amesbury, August 7^th, 1760

Honorable sir agreeable to your order sent to us to remove Joseph Leblong & Margaret, his wife, two of the French Neutrals, from our town of Amesbury to the town of Methuen, being twenty miles or upwards. Pursuant to said order we have removed the said Joseph Leblong (LeBlanc) & Margaret, his wife, from the town of Amesbury to the town of Methuen, & have delivered them to the selectmen of said town & herewith send you account of the charge of removing them.

Thomas Rowell, Stephen Barlett J^r, Eph. West, Selectmen of Amesbury.

I was able to connect the genealogies of these Acadian families who had been exiled to Methuen. For instance, John (Jean) LeBlanc was the son of Jean-Simon LeBlanc and Jeanne Dupuis who had been exiled to Westboro, Massachusetts.

As a result of my experience, I look forward to researching more local history and have been doing research in Lawrence, Ma where I grew up.

Sarah and Corey's Bridal Shower

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:14:00 +0000

Sarah and Corey's Bridal Shower

This past Saturday a bridal shower took place for our daughter Sarah and her fiancé Corey. (Yes, bridal showers are now held for both the intended bride *and* the groom.)

Thanks to the ingenuity of Sarah's sister, Rebecca, it was held at the Old Town Hall in Salem, Massachusetts.

Now Salem was one of the earliest villages in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock in 1620 and others established Salem in 1626. Salem was the fourth village established by the English so one may well imagine that Salem abounds in American history. Like other villages that were established, Salem harbor opens onto the Atlantic Ocean. All early villages were established with easy access to the ocean.

The Old Town Hall in Salem is no longer used as a Town Hall but it is a rather historic site.

So why an historic site for the shower?

When looking at venues for their wedding, Sarah and Corey decided they wanted a very special location. They decided to take a look at Turner Hill Mansion in Ipswich, Ma. They fell in love with the history and the heritage accompanying this venue. As a result, they decided to have a "vintage wedding".

Turner Hill is one of the finest estates on Boston’s historic North Shore. The Elizabethan-style mansion is set among towering pines, formal gardens, rolling lawns and swan ponds.

In 1898, noted turn of the century architect William Rantoul was commissioned by Charles Goodnough Rice & Ann Proctor Rice of Boston to build a grand home. An extensive tour of Europe's historic castles and manors provided the Rice's and Mr. Rantoul with vision and inspiration for the home.

Completed in 1903, the mansion boasts hand-molded plaster ceilings, vivid wall friezes, gleaming oak hardwood floors and hand-carved paneling, doors and stairways. The reception hall’s wildlife motifs and windows were modeled after Haddington Hall in Scotland. These features constitute a structural work of art that could rarely be replicated today. At Turner Hill, the Rices raised their children and entertained their family and friends in grand style in the early 1900’s. A young George Patton (known as General Patton of WWII) was a frequent guest of Turner Hill and once entertained party guests from the book ladder in the library.

Shortly after Mr. Rice passed away in 1943, the estate was sold to The Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette, and the property was converted to ministry and spiritual retreat uses.

In a previous blog I talked about the La Salette Shrine and how I used to take my grandmother Arthémise Dumais Lévesque to the shrine on Sundays in the summer months. She was very religious and really enjoyed her visits to La Salette with me as we were very close. Who would ever have thought that all of these years later, our youngest daughter would be married in this special place in one of the beautiful gardens.. a place that holds so many special memories for me of those special summer Sunday afternoons with my grandmother. I still cannot believe it!

In 1997, the Raymond Property Company purchased Turner Hill from the La Salette order, and worked to restore the property to its original splendor, and to reinvent the estate as a once-in-a-lifetime retreat for a new generation of guests and residents.

It is only since 2008 that weddings have been held at Turner Hill.

So as you see, there is a great deal of history in choosing this location including some personal family history with me and my grandmother.

How do Sarah and Corey plan to make this a vintage wedding that is reflective our families' heritage? They have planned well.

First Sarah, her sister and I went looking for her wedding dress. We looked at many beautiful dresses but none of them were "just right". One Saturday we went to a bridal shop and rather than what we know as the traditional white wedding dress, Sarah opted for a dress that is off-white and gold. Let me say that when she came out of the dressing room we were speechless - this was *it* this was defintely the dress she had been searching for. The dress has no train so to compliment the dress and to create a train Sarah tried on a very long custom made veil. Perfect! The veil has been made to compliment the dress. It is off-white with wide matching gold trim that matches the gold brocade on the dress. Yes, perfect indeed!

So that part of the "vintage" plan accomplished. What else could make this vintage wedding in keeping with both Sarah and Corey's heritage... they have scanned photos of the two families. They have framed them and they will be on the guests tables and on the mantle of the huge fire place. They have photos of their great grandparents and grandparents. What a nice touch!

There are many more details but I will share those after the wedding next month.

My, I am so excited about how plans are moving forward that I have digressed... so back to the shower. I arrived at the Salem Town Hall with my good friend Deb. Rebecca was there with her husband Tyler and the bridesmaids so we proceeded to set up the tables and serving tables for the guests who arrived shortly thereafter.

Corey knew about the shower and he brought Sarah in at about 11:30 a.m. She was totally surprised! It was just the best surprise! I had placed framed photos of Sarah from the time she was born through today on the staging in front of the gift table. Eveyone so enjoyed looking at those photos!

The champagne brunch was superb, the generosity of family and friends unbelievable and the joy it all brought to both Sarah and Corey ... no words can express.

At the end of the shower Corey had a surprise for Sarah. He began with a few words telling everyone that when he first met Sarah he knew this day would come... and he sang "Some Enchanted Evening" from South Pacific. There was not a dry eye especially Sarah! What a perfect ending to a perfect event.

I have said from the beginning that if Sarah and Corey are not meant to be together nobody is.

So that was our day. Next Saturday evening is the Bachelor Party for Corey. Sarah's Dad and brother-in-law Tyler will atttend. Rebecca, Sarah, Mom and baby will go out together for the evening. We'll have our own girls' night out!

Thanks for your visit today. I hope you have enjoyed reading about the happenings in my family. It is a happy time and we are celebrating on through to the wedding.

Love,

Cousin Lucie

PORT ROYAL - 1604-1710

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:45:00 +0000

PORT ROYAL ~ 1604-1710
The First Settlement of Acadia

The history of La Cadie or L'Acadie began with its first foundation - Port Royal (now Annapolis Royal), in 1604. A grant of Port Royal was made to Poutrincourt by De Monts. With the French noblesse were both Catholic and Protestant clergymen, laborers and artisans. These explorers spent the winter on an island at the mouth of the St-Croix River. This was the spot De Monts had chosen for his headquarter. It proved to be a terrible choice, for after a dreary winter; half of the party had died of scurvy. The survivors returned to Port Royal and settled this land.

Among the men traveling with De Monts was an apothecary by the name of Louis Hébert. Louis would later return to France then go to Québec taking his family there with him.

In 1607, De Monts lost his lion's share of the fur trade and the colonists abandoned Acadia. In 1610, a party sailed for Acadia once more, this time under the leadership of Poutrincourt. The British colony of Jamestown, Virginia, settled in 1607, was growing rapidly. Samuel Argall destroyed Port Royal in 1612. A few of the French colonists then remained in the country among the Indians.

For the next 10 years there was little mention of Acadia. The fur trade continued and the fishing industry increased. The French continued in the country and forts were built on the St. John River, Rivière St-Jean, and at Cape Sable.

In 1621, James I gave Acadia to Sir William Alexander who became the Earl of Stirling, and the country received the name it would ultimately retain, Nova Scotia. To help in this enterprise of an annual fishing, the Order of Nova Scotia Baronets was established.

The treaty of St-Germain-en-Laye, in 1632, gave Nova Scotia to France once more. It was at this time that the French succeeded in establishing colonies in this place. The Commander named to lead this new expedition was Isaac de Razilly along with his kinsmen d'Aulnay de Charnisay and Nicholas Denys de la Ronde. It is at this time that 300 persons were brought to Acadia. Between 1639 to 1649, Charnisay brought other settlers. In 1651, Charles Étienne de la Tour brought even more settlers. (From these first Acadian settlers descend the millions of Acadian descendants throughout the world). Of the 300 who came in 1632, there were perhaps twenty families. Others married young women who were brought from France at a later date.

Three Capuchin friars who took charge of the Acadian missions had come with Razilly. Records of births/baptisms, marriages, deaths/burials were always recorded by the priests. Many of these registers were destroyed or lost during the Deportation years so that it is impossible to know from which parishes some of the ancestors came from in France.

In 1636, the building of dykes was begun in an effort to keep the salt tides of the ocean from flooding the marshes. The Acadians succeeded in this endeavor. Consequently, agriculture grew in great proportions as more and more of this rich land was brought under cultivation. The Acadians also became skillful in the care of the dyke-protected meadows. In all parts of New France, seigneuries - large tracts of land - had been granted to members and friends of the governing body of the country, the Hundred Associates. It was their duty to settle the country, protect the settlers and to support the mission.

It was not too long before rivalry arose between two of the seigneurs in Acadia. La Tour and d'Aulnay-Charnisay, the one living at the mouth of the St. John River, the other at his fortified trading-post on the Penobscot, resulted in open war, which continued to 1645, when, during the absence of La Tour, d'Aulnay captured Fort La Tour. The defense was bravely conducted by Lady La Tour but without avail against such a superior force as d'Aulnay displayed. The Lady was forced to witness the execution of her courageous followers. It has been said that she died of grief because of this cruel act. D'Aulnay died in 1650 and La Tour became governor as well as lieutenant for the king in Acadia. He also married the widow of his late rival.

The Founding of Acadia Sieur De Monts

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 09:40:00 +0000

Pierre de Guast, Sieur de Monts

It was in 1604 that Pierre de Guast, Sieur de Monts, a native of Saintonge, a nobleman of the court of Henry IV of France, came to Acadia to found a colony.

His reward for this work was the lion's share of the fur trade. Accompanying De Monts were Champlain, Poutrincourt and Pontgrave, names well known in connection with the history of New France.
In 1604 De Monts set out to explore this new land by sailing up la Baie Françoise (Bay of Fundy). He visited the mines of pure copper at Cap D'Or (Golden Cap), also named Cap-des-Mines. It is quite certain that the Mik'maqs would have been familiar with the mines since pieces of copper were found with their remains on the shores of the Basin.
De Monts sailed into the Basin to Partridge Island. There a captain of one of the ships found a large sample of amethyst. The stone was broken in two pieces and De Monts received one of them. When they returned to France, these specimens were cut and mounted in beautiful settings and presented to the king and queen.
Looking for what he considered suitable land to settle, De Monts was not impressed with the starkness of the rocky cliffs of Blomidon nor the north shores of the bay. Actually, had he continued just a few miles farther south, he would have come to rich lands. Instead he continued his passage along Baie Française. (The French called the Bay of Fundy both Baie Françoise and Baie Française. The word Fundy derives from fond meaning the end or top of the bay.)
Tomorrow's blog:

PORT ROYAL ~ 1604-1710 - First Settlement of Acadia

Acadian History - by Placide Gaudet

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:27:00 +0000

Acadian History
by Placide Gaudet
Bridgetown, Nova Scotia July 18, 1922

The homestead of Antoine Belliveau, born in France in 1621, and married about 1651 to Andrée Guyon, was about one mile below the Allen river. Jean his only son, born at Port-Royal about 1652, married Jeanne Bourque about 1673 by whom he had three sons and two daughters. Jean Jr., his eldest son married in 1696 Madeleine Melanson and died September 13, 1707 of a wound he received in fighting the English, at the second attack of Colonel March against Port-Royal. He left three sons, of whom two settled at or near Carleton Corner opposite Bridgetown. Of these two I will speak, after I have related an episode relating to Charles, the eldest of the sons who was born in 1697, and married at Grand-Pré, November 3, 1717, Marguerite Granger, by whom he had ten children, of whom two where sons. Charles inherited his father's farm, and besides being a farmer, he was a ship carpenter and a good mariner. What I am going to say about Charles Belliveau, related to the year 1755, at the time of the Expulsion of the Acadians.
Writing on board his flagship the Torbay, then at St-Helen's, November 15 1755, to John Cleveland, Esq. Secretary to the Admiralty, Vice-Admiral Edward Boscawen, speaking of the removal of the Acadians, says: I appointed the following ships to convoy the transports that were to carry them: the Syren, captain Proby, from Chignecto to Georgia and the two Carolinas; the Nightingale, captain Diggs, from Mines to Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, and then proceed to his station at New York; the Baltimore, captain Owen, from Annapolis Royal to Newe York; the Hornet, captain Salt, from Annapolis Royal to Boston, and then the Spithead; the Mermaid, captain Shirley, to Connecticut. Captain Rous, of the Success, to assist in embarking them and to look into the St. John River.
Being short of provisions and the transports expected from Halifax not having yet arrived at Annapolis, captain Washington Shirley, commander of H.M.S., the Mermaid, sailed from Annapolis for Boston, with Sloop Hornet, captain Salk, November 10, and left T. Owen, captain of the Sloop Baltimore, in charge of the transports, five of which arrived at Annapolis Royal, between the 14th and the 17th of November. But the Pembroke Snow, with the provisions, having lost her main mast in a storm only reached Annapolis Royal between November 25, and December 1st.Her disabled mast had to be replaced, and Charles Belliveau was ordered to make a new one which he did. When it was finished he asked to be paid but on the refusal of the captain to do so, he at once lifted up his carpenter's axe and threatened to cut the new mast, and the captain had to pay him the price asked. But irony of fate he was embarked on board the Pembroke to be deported.
The Pembroke was of 42 tons, victualled for 139 days; she had on board 33 men, 37 women, 70 sons and 92 daughters forming a total of 232 persons. She sailed from Goat Island, December 8, 1755, bound for North Caroline. The other transports were the Helena, 323 persons, for Boston; the Edwards, 278 persons, for Connecticut; the Two Sisters, 280, for Connecticut; the Experiment, 200 persons, for New York; the Hopson 342 persons, for South Carolina, and a Schooner, for South Carolina, with 9 persons. The grant total on the seven vessels was 1664 Acadian prisoners. With the exception of the Pembroke the transports reached their destination and landed their human cargo. The Baltimore convoyed them as far as New York, and Captain Owen approaching the Pembroke said to her captain: Be on your guard; on board your vessel you have some very able men and some good mariners, and so saying the captain of the Baltimore took another direction, whilst the Pembroke, which was only manned by eight persons went on her course towards North Carolina.
The 232 Acadian prisoners were kept in the hole of the Pembroke.
Just think of it, 232 persons packed in that part of the vessel where there was no ventilation of any kind! Was that an act of humanity, or of barbarity? I will not dwell on that subject; it is too heart rending. In order to prevent the unfortunate prisoners dying of suffocation, six at a time were allowed to come on deck every half hour alternatively. At last Charles Belliveau chose five of the strongest men among them, and told them what thy were to do, when the hatch-way would be opened, and instructions were also given to others to act promptly, at the proper moment. As soon as the half hour was over, and the six on deck ordered to go down in the hole, and six others called on deck, Belliveau and his five chosen companions came out quickly, and before the hatchway was closed they had mastered the captain and crew by stunning them with strong blows from their fists, and as the hatchway was left open many others came on deck to help their companions, if need be. At once Charles Belliveau took charge of the vessel, and as he was an expert mariner, he soon turned the direction of the Pembroke. The wind was very strong and the captain cried out: Stop! you are going to break the main-mast! To this Belliveau answered promptly: You lie; I made this mast and I know it will not break. Alternatively Captain Fontaine called Beaulieu and Belliveau, and some others were at the wheel. The Pembroke had sailed from Goat Island, December 8, 1755, and on February 8, 1756, she entered the port of St. John, New Brunswick where its human cargo was landed.
There are several documents relating to the capture of the Pembroke but the following extract of a letter from Governor Lawrence to Governor Shirley, of Massachusetts Bay, bearing date, February 18, 1756 is here appropriate. Here is what Lawrence says:
I lately sent a part of Rangers in a schooner to St. John River, as the men were cloathed like french soldiers and the schooner under french colours, I had hopes by such a deceit, not only to discover what was going there but to bring off some of the St. John Indians. The officer found there an English ship, one of our transports that sailed from Annapolis Royal with French inhabitants aboard bound for the Continent, but the inhabitants had risen upon the master & crew and carried the ship into that harbour, our people would have brought her off but by an accident they discovered themselved too soon, upon which the French set fire to the ship.
Amongst the Acadian prisoners onboard the Pembroke, besides Charles Belliveau and Captain Beaulieu, there were families of Boudreau, Dugas, Guilbeau, Granger, St-Seine, etc. There was also Prudent Robichaud, born in 1669 at Port-Royal, son of Etienne Robichaud and Françoise Boudreau, both natives of France. Prudent Robichaud married in 1691, Henriette Petitpas, and they had a family of twelve children, of whom five were sons. He was one of the prominent inhabitants of Annapolis Royal and rendered services to the English garrison, and yet notwhithstanding his old age - he was then eighty-six years old - he was embarked in December 1755 on board the Pembroke. In the summer of 1756, some of the 32 families left St-John River for Quebec. Robichaud was with them and died on the St-John River on his way to Quebec. On April 16 (N.S.) 1727, Lieutenant Governor Lawrence Armstrong had appointed him a Justice of the Peace for Annapolis, and on December 12 (N.S.) 1733, the same Lieutenant-Governor had given him the commission for collecting his Majesty's rents, etc., within the Banlieue of Annapolis Royal.
As to Charles Belliveau he succeded in reaching Quebec where he died in January 1758. His wife had predeceased him eight years and was buried at Annapolis Royal May 2, 1750.
Charles Jr. the eldest of the two sons, was born October 12, 1731, and on January 10, 1755, he married Osithe Dugas. He was deported in 1755 to Massachusetts Bay, and in 1767, he was permitted with his family to go to the province of Quebec, settled at St-Jacques de l'Achigan, where he died August 10, 1796, leaving several children, whose descendants are today numerous. As to Pierre, the youngest of the sons of Charles, the ship carpenter and mariner, he was born May 16, 1734, and therefore he was twenty one years old, at the time of the deportation which he escaped by taking to the woods, and succeeded in reaching, with others, an Acadian settlement at Coverdale, a few miles from Moncton. Amongst his companions in flight from Annapolis river, were three brothers, namely: Joseph, Charlitte and Bonaventure LeBlanc. They were all unmarried. They are, with Pierre Belliveau at their head, connected with the capture of the schooner in the summer of 1756, at Sackville, Westmorland County, New Brunswick. The Acadian families who had taken refuge, at the Acadian Village at Coverdale, about five or six miles from Moncton, being short of provisions Pierre Belliveau and the three LeBlanc brothers offered to go in search of cattle in the Chignictou district if a guide was given them. Cyprien Gautreau, a native of that district, offered his services which were accepted.
Pierre Belliveau and his four companions on arriving at Tintamarre River, at or near the town of Sackville, noticed at the bottom of the river, it was low tide, a schooner which Pierre Belliveau recognized at once, as belonging t his father, the hero of the Pembroke, and resolved to capture her. Having explained his plan to his companions, the five of them boarded the schooner on the pretext to buy some tobacco. The captain with a crew of four men had been sent from Annapolis, in search of Acadian fugitives, and to capture those he would meet. He therefore was delighted when those five young men went onboard of his schooner, and gave them free plenty of tobacco. But as the tide began to rise, Pierre Belliveau who could speak English well enough to make himself understood, thanked the captain and pretended to leave the vessel, but the captain told him that he and his companions were his prisoners, and then ordered three men of the crew to throw them into the hole. But this was not to be effected. Charlitte LeBlanc, one of the three brothers and who had the strength of four ordinary men, had been told to keep himself close to windlass, and to make use of the windlass bar when ordered, consequently before the order of the captain could be obeyed, the cry of Strike, Charlitte, was heard, and the heavy bar of the windlass fell alternatively on the heads of the three sailors, who were killed outright. Then the captain called his first mate - a mighty strong man - who at the time was in the cabin, and ordered him to throw in the hole these Acadians whom he qualified with epithets unproper to be repeated here. Again was heard Strike, Charlitte! and the first mate fell overboard, holding Pierre Belliveau. The latter was promptly rescued, and the mate received another blow which finished him. Then came the turn of the captain who begged of them on his knees not to kill him but without avail. Having been told to recommend his soul to his Maker, he received a fatal blow from the hands of Charlitte LeBlanc. The schooner was taken up the Petcoudiac River, and hidden in a creek at Coverdale.
It was in the seventies of the last century that at Memramcook, I learned this last episode from the lips of some of the descendants of those who captured that schooner. Some twelve years later, Pierre Belliveau and the three LeBlanc brothers settled on the west side of the Memramcook River, where they died leaving large families. The descendants of Gautreau are at Barachois, near the town of Shediac.
Pierre Bellieveau was born 16 May 1734 and married Abt. 1760, Anne Girouard, and died at Memramcook, Febraury 16, 1820, and his wife on April 5th, 1823. They had a family of seven children whose descendants are today very numerous.
As I have said, two sons, of Jean Belliveau (who died in 1707, from the wounds he received at one of the sieges of Port-Royal by Colonel March) and brothers of Charles Belliveau of the Pembroke fame, settled at Carleton Corner after their marriage. Jean, the eldest of the two, born in 1699, married November 13, 1730, Marie-Madeleine Gaudet, and died at Belliveau's Cove, Digby County, Nova Scotia. He was the great-grandfather of Julie Vitaline Belliveau, wife of the late Luc LeBlanc and mother of the Right Reverend Dr. Edouard A. LeBlanc, Bishop of St-John, New Brunswick.
Pierre Belliveau, brother of Jean, who died at Belliveau's Cove, was born August 4, 1706, and on January 21, 1723, he married Jeanne Gaudet, sister of Marie-Madeleine, wife of his brother Jean. These two sisters were the daughters of Bernard Gaudet and Jeanne Terriot.
Pierre Belliveau had the surname Piau (pronounced Peeo) and was the uncle of the Pierre Belliveau who with four others made the capture of his father's schooner at Sackville, New Brunswick. This Pierre Belliveau surnamed Piau was the grandfather of my father's mother. Like his brother harles and Pierre, his nephew, his adventures at the time of the Expulsion deserve to be related.
Towards the end of August 1755, on the arrival of the first vessels ordered from Halifax to Annapolis Royal to transport the Acadians, all the French inhabitants residing above the fort fled to the wood. A few days later many returned to their dwelling houses, and there remained until they were embarked, on December 4, onboard the transports, but not on those which had arrived from Boston in the month of August. These had to be sent to Minas Basin where vessels were waiting to deport the population of that district.
But Pierre Belliveau surnamed Piau and several of his neighbors and a few families,from both sides of the river, below the fort, who had fled to Gaudet Village, thought it more prudent to abandon their homes and seek a temporary place of refuge, where they would be in in safety from the pursuit of the soldiery. Acordingly they took with them as much of their effects as they could conveniently carry, crossed to the North Mountain, and went to New Hampton, then called Anse de la Croix (Cross Cove). Here were several large fishing boats hidden there by the heads of the families living below the fort who fled to Gaudet Village. It must be remembered that Major John Handfield, commanding officer at Annapolis Royal, had ordered by a proclamation, dated July 12, 1755, that all fire arms, boats of all kinds belonging to the Acadians should be delivered at the fort, without delay. Fortunately for Belliveau and his companions this order was not unanimously carried out, and this is the explanation why fishing boats were hidden at Cross Point. These boats were used by Belliveau's caravan to ascend the bay, some twenty-four miles, till they reached a little port which afterwards was called French Cross on account of a cross erected there by Bellieveau and his Acadian companions but is now known as Morden. It is situated on the Bay of Fundy shore, and lies about seven miles from Hampton station, in a direct line. Here they remained until about the 9th day of December, awaiting with great anxiety to learn what would be the fate of their compatriots who had returned to their homes in the beginning of September.
From their hiding place they noticed one day, about the middle of October, a fleet of ten ships, convoyed by an armed vessel, going down the bay. did they dream that onboard of these there was a human cargo of 1,045 Acadian prisoners from Chignictou district? There is no record to tell us. This fleet had sailed from Cumberland Basin, on the 13th of October, bound for Georgia, North and South Carolina, and put in the Basin of Annapolis, whence it sailed again on the 27th, which day, another fleet composed of thirteen vessels, convoyed by the frigate Nightengale, also sailed from Minas Basin, with 1,505 prisoners from that locality, and 1,100 from Pisiguit. These also, as they went down the bay, were noticed by Bellieveau and his companions.
At last they got information through some Indians met by their watching party, that the people of Annapolis had been shipped off on a fleet which sailed from Goat Island on Monday the 8th of December at five o'clock in the morning. this human cargo consisted of 1,664 Acadian prisoners.
Had Belliveau and his companions remained a few weeks longer in their hiding place, they would have seen other transports going down the bay with human cargoes, one on the 6th of same month with 150 prisoners, two on the 13th with 350 Acadians, and on the 20th December, two other vessels left Minas Basin with 230 prisoners.
Summing up the above figures, we have a total of 6,080 Acadians of Annapolis, Kings, Hants, Colchester and Cumberland counties, who were shipped off in thirty-four vessels. Minor deportations took place from time to time for several years.
What a terrible catastrophe had fallen on the Acadian people. Pastors and flocks were being tossed at the same time on the rolling waves of an angry sea. The members of families were separated and embarked on different transports. Their houses and churches were given to flames. The inhabitants of the peninsula who had escaped deportation were wandering in the forest and shivering with cold and exposure, whilst the perpetrators of these misfortunes and miseries were rejoicing over the result of their inhuman and cruel work. The heart-rending sufferings of the unfortunate Acadians were nothing to Lawrence and his associates. They thought the Acadian race was forever banished from Acadie. How great mistaken they were!
About the 9th of December, 1755, after having erected a cross as a momento of their sojourn at Morden, Belliveau and his companions left their hiding place at French Cross to seek a safer one. Fortunately, they had the few fishing boats which I have already mentioned, and having embarked onboard, they coasted the shore of the Bay of Fundy as far as Digby Neck, and then enterred by Petit Passage, nearly opposite Ste-Anne College, at Church Point, into St-Mary's Bay, which they ascended as far as the entrace of Belliveau's Cove, five miles from Petit Passage. Here there was then a small island, and they decided to land and encamp on it for the rest of the winter. When I first visited that locality, in February 1885, that island was called Ile-à-Piau (Piau's Island) by the old people of the neighbourhood. that name is now in oblivion, and the island itself is no more, it has since joined the mainland and forms a part of the picturesque landscape now called Major Doucet's Point. With Church Point this is the most historic spot in the whole municipality of Clare or French Town, as the Acadian settlements on the estern shore of St. Mary's Bay were formerly known to their English-speaking neighbors. As several deaths occurred among Pierre Belliveau's caravan, soon after their arrival and during the winter 1755-6, they were buried here. This spot was in September, 1768, the cradle of Clare Settlement by Acadians. For twenty years, from 1771 to 1791, the first Acadian settlers of Clare buried their dead alongside of those interred there during the winter of 1755-6, and thus Piau's Island became the first Acadian burial ground in Digby County.
I will not endeavor to portray the sufferings and miseries the Acadian fugitives endured during that winter. They are more easy to be conveived than to be described. One of their cares was to build rough huts. This I know by family tradition. These unfortunate one, poorly clad, sleeping on bed of fir twigs spread on bare ground for pillows, often covered with snow after stormy nights, destitute of proper food and starving, were often visited by the angel of death, which mercifully ended the sufferings of many. Thus passed the bleak winter of 1755-6.
Spring came at last and Pierre Belliveau and his companions bade adieu to the small island which had given them shelter, and embarked in their fishing boats to seek another place of refuge. Having crossed to the other side of the Bay of Fundy they followed its shores to Chignictou Bay which they ascended, entered Shipody Bay then Petcoudiac River went to its bend, now Moncton, and proceeded to the Acadian Village at Coverdale. Here they found every one in complete misery and that decided them to seek another refuge. They went through the woods to Cocagne, and on foot reached Boishebert's camp, at Nelson, on the Miramichi River, a distance of nearly one hundred miles. The caravan found here as much miseries if not more than at Coverdael. The Acadian refugees there were daily dying of starvation, and many of Belliveau's caravan were buried at Nelson. Belliveau and his companions soon left the place and went to Ristigouche where they remained a few years and then returned to Coverdale. Thjis was before Captain McKenzie's raid at Ristigouche in 1761.
About the year 1768, Pierre Belliveau surnamed Piau, with his son Joseph, settled on the western side of the Memramcook River, nearly opposite where is now the University St-Joseph (today in 1999 a museum exists here). For many years that locality was called Le Village-des-Piaux, (Piaus' Village) but now it is St-Joseph. A few years later, Joseph Belliveau became one of the first settlers of Belliveau's Village on the eastern side of the Petcoudiac river, and it is there that his father died in 1800, and himself in 1840, both of them approaching one hundred years of age. Their descendatns are very numerous
Placide Gaudet ended this presentation by saying: Dear Denis Gaudet, first settler of this locality, may you rest in peace. Your race shall never become extinct, since your numerous descendants are to be found in nearly every province in the Dominion and even in the United States. Placide Gaudet
SOURCE: La Société Historique Acadienne, le 30ième Cahier, Vol. III no. 10, January, February, March 1971. - With Permission.
© Lucie LeBlanc Consentino
Acadian & French Canadian Ancestral Home
1998 - 2004

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Blessings of Easter be yours

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 11:56:00 +0000

Blessings of Easter be yours!

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Dear Cousins,

All religious holidays held deep meaning for our ancestors. I pray that their spirit and all that they held dear envelope you this Easter day.

Wherever you live I hope you will be close to hearth and family this day.

Our family will be with us for dinner this evening and we will join together in prayer thanking God for all he has given our family, and as always, we will remember our ancestors in gratitude for our heritage and the legacy they have left us.

Love,

Your cousin Luciesave

Stephen A. White - Acadian Genealogist

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie LeBlanc Consentino) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:15:00 +0000

Stephen A. White, Acadian Genealogist Honored

Dear Cousins,

Stephen A. White, Acadian Genealogist, received an honor this week that has been granted to very few.

Here is a translation of the french text:

Stephen A. White, Genealogist at the Centre d’études acadiennes Anselme-Chiasson, Moncton campus, has been nominated "généalogistes émérites" by the Quebec Bureau that recognizes persons with exceptional competency in genealogical research.

Under the auspices of the Fédération québécoise des société de généalogy, this is the highest honor that can be given by the Québec Bureau.

A "généalogistes émérites" is an individual who has had a long experience in genealogical research and who has shown exceptional competency in his work.

Mr. White is the first to receive this honor since 1984 and among the 19 other "généalogistes émérites" so named, he is the only one from outside of Québec to obtain this distinction.

The certificates will be given to recipients at a ceremony that will take place during the conference of the Fédération québécoise des sociétés de généalogie in Trois-Rivieres, Québec, on June 13, 2009.

(I could find no correct or exact translation for "généalogistes émérites" .)

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Good Friday 2009

Today is Good Friday. It is a most special day for Christians around the world. Let us spend some time in God's presence today remembering who God is in our lives; that he gave His only Son, Jesus; that through His sacrifice and God's goodness, we have come to know the meaning of forgiveness in our lives.

Your cousin,

Lucie

Lucie LeBlanc Consentino
www.acadian-home.org
www.familytreedna.com/public/mothersofacadia/
http://acadian-ancestral-home.blogspot.com/
www.acadian-genweb.acadian-home.org/frames.html
Acadian-French-Canadian-L-request@rootsweb.com

Acadian Ancestral Home

Independence Day - Fourth of July 2009

The signing of the Declaration of Independence.

A postcard tells a story about "Theater Row"

All rights reservedLucie LeBlanc ConsentinoAcadian & French-Canadian Ancestral Home

Happy Canada Day - 2009

Papa and Me

mtDNAPlus test - Family Tree DNA Special

Radio-Canada Television mtDNA Interviews

Flag Day June 14, 2009

When to display the American Flag

The flag should be displayed, from sunrise to sunset,on all days when the weather permits.It can also be displayed during the nightas long as the display is lit. Holidays it should be flown/dispalayed are listed.

All rights reservedLucie LeBlanc ConsentinoAcadian & French-Canadian Ancestral Home

CMA2009 - Congrès Mondial Acadien - World Congress of Acadians

Origins of Congrès mondial acadien

Trois Congrès mondial acadien/Three World Gatherings:

© Lucie LeBlanc ConsentinoAcadian & French Canadian Ancestral Home

I'm going to CMA2009

We remember... Memorial Day 2009

A preview of Sarah and Corey's Wedding

Some enchanted evening....

Radio Canada Television comes to Methuen

© Lucie LeBlanc ConsentinoAcadian & French Canadian Ancestral Home

Mama and Me

Genographic Project ends in 2010

What's blogging all about?

Deportation Orders as read at Grand-Pré

© Lucie LeBlanc ConsentinoAcadian & French Canadian Ancestral Home

Expulsion Orders by Governor Charles Lawrence

My Hometown: Methuen, Massachusetts

Daniel Bodwell Ebenezer Barker } Committee

Voted that thirteen of the French Inhabitants now residing in Gloucester be removed to Wenham and that the other eleven now at the Said Town be removed to Methuen and that the Town of Gloucester be at the charge of their removal.

Sent up for concurrence, T. Hubbard, Speaker.

In Council, September 10, 1756, read and concurred, Thomas Clarke, Deputy Secretary - Consented to, W. Shirley

Page 317:

Bill of Captain William Allen, John Low Jr, Thomas Rand. Paid John Mallen for conveying John Muise & family to Methuen.Bills for Joseph Douset & his family.January 1756 to May 22nd - Bills for John Muse and family.

Page 402:

To the honorable his Majesty's Council of his Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England now sitting at Boston, May twenty-fifth, 1757.

John Bodwell, William Russ, Stephen Barker } Selectmen of Methuen

Page 403:

Methuen, March 2, 1757

Daniel Bodwell, Ebenezer Barker ] Selectmen of Methuen

Methuen, May 23rd, 1757

An account of what we the subscribers have delivered to the above named French since the second day of March last.

John Bodwell, William Russ, Stephen Barker } Selectmen of Methuen.

Page 464

Methuen, September 24th, 1757

To his Exelllency Thomas Pownall Esquire, Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over his Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England and to the Honorable his Majesty's Council of Said Province.

John Bodwell, William Russ, Stephen Barker } Selectmen of Methuen.

Page 547

His Excellency Thomas Pownall Esquire, Governor, and to the honorable gentlemen of the Council of Boston and honorable House of Representatives,

The humble petition of Lawrence Mieuse (Mius) most humbly sheweth

Lawrence + Mieuse(his mark)

Page 548

In Council, January 10, 1758, read and ordered that James Minot Esquire, with such as the honorable House shall join be a committee to consider of this petition and report what they judge prooper to be done in the affair.

Sent down for concurrence, A. Oliver, Secretary.In the House of Representatives, January 10, 1758Read and concurred and Colonel Choate & Colonel Buckminster are joined in the affair.T. Hubbard, Speaker

Volume XXIV Page 14

Methuen, April 15, 1758Accounts, October 1, 1757 to April 15, 1758

The Said family consists of twelve in number, viz. John Muse and his wife and ten children, namely Enoch, Lawrence, John, Joseph, Charles, Paul, Margaret, Lydia, Mary and Susanna. The eldest whereof is about twenty-one years of age and the youngest about five months old.

Ebenezer Barker, James Ordway, John Mansur } Selectmen of Methuen. Pages 236 to 238

Accounts, March 17, 1759 to December 7, 1759

Extraordinary expenses in sickness with the measles.

Also to taking care of John Mius seven weeks, a French man that was sent by said court to Methuen, but taken sick in said Tewksbury with the fever and afterward the fever and age.

Page 283

To his Excellency Thomas Pownall Esquire, Captain General & Governor in Chief in and over his Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, to the honorable his Majesty's Council and House of representatives in said province in General Court assembled at Boston, March 19th, 1760.

John Mius

In the House of Representatives, March 22, 1760

Read and ordered that the petitioner have liberty to remove himself and family from the town of Methuen to the town of Gloucester. But that he be obliged to subsist himself and family after such removal without any assistance from the government.

Sent up for concurrence, J. White, Speaker.

In Council, March 24, 1760, read and concurred, A. Oliver, Secretary,Consented to, T. Pownall.

Pages 293 and 294

To his Excellency Thomas Pownall Esquire, Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over his Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, to the honorable his majesty's Council and House of Representatives of said province in General Court assembled at Boston, April 1760.

The memorial of John Mius, a late inhabitant of Cape Sable, but now residing in Methuen, humbly sheweth.

Test. Ebenezer Barker

John + Mius (his mark)

Pagaes 346 and 347

June 24, 1760Essex SS.To the Selectmen of the town of Bradford in the said county,

Pursuant to the power and directions given by the Great and General Court to a committee appointed to proportion the French inhabitants to the several towns in said county.

You are also to deliver Mary Richards, a French Neutral girl, to one or more of the Selectmen of Methuen.

And you are to make return to me of your doings in the premises with the names of the persons so removed and the particular charge of removing them.

All rights reserved
Lucie LeBlanc Consentino
Acadian & French-Canadian Ancestral Home

The flag should be displayed, from sunrise to sunset,
on all days when the weather permits.
It can also be displayed during the night
as long as the display is lit.
Holidays it should be flown/dispalayed are listed.

All rights reserved
Lucie LeBlanc Consentino
Acadian & French-Canadian Ancestral Home

© Lucie LeBlanc Consentino
Acadian & French Canadian Ancestral Home

© Lucie LeBlanc Consentino
Acadian & French Canadian Ancestral Home

© Lucie LeBlanc Consentino
Acadian & French Canadian Ancestral Home

Bill of Captain William Allen, John Low Jr, Thomas Rand. Paid John Mallen for conveying John Muise & family to Methuen.
Bills for Joseph Douset & his family.
January 1756 to May 22nd - Bills for John Muse and family.

Methuen, May 23^rd, 1757

Lawrence + Mieuse
(his mark)

Sent down for concurrence, A. Oliver, Secretary.
In the House of Representatives, January 10, 1758
Read and concurred and Colonel Choate & Colonel Buckminster are joined in the affair.
T. Hubbard, Speaker

Methuen, April 15, 1758
Accounts, October 1, 1757 to April 15, 1758

To his Excellency Thomas Pownall Esquire, Captain General & Governor in Chief in and over his Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, to the honorable his Majesty's Council and House of representatives in said province in General Court assembled at Boston, March 19^th, 1760.

In Council, March 24, 1760, read and concurred, A. Oliver, Secretary,
Consented to, T. Pownall.

June 24, 1760
Essex SS.
To the Selectmen of the town of Bradford in the said county,

Methuen
Marron Tebedo (Thibodeau) age 8, from Andover
Joseph Leblong (LeBlanc) from Amesbury age 63
Margaret Leblong (LeBlanc) & infirm age 61
Mary Richards age 13 from Bradford

Amesbury, August 7^th, 1760

Thomas Rowell, Stephen Barlett J^r, Eph. West, Selectmen of Amesbury.

© Lucie LeBlanc Consentino
Acadian & French Canadian Ancestral Home

© Lucie LeBlanc Consentino
Acadian & French Canadian Ancestral Home
1998- Present

© Lucie LeBlanc Consentino
Acadian & French Canadian Ancestral Home
1998 - 2004