Robichaud Stories

François, youngest son, nicknamed " Niganne " or " Nighan ", was born at Port-Royal in 1677. He was only nine years old when his father, Estienne, died. In 1702, he married Marie Madeleine Terriot, daughter of Claude and Marie Gautrot. In 1707, François is settled on three acres of land where he has a herd of 13 cattle, 17 sheep and eight pigs.

 

A "Village-des-Robichaud" is shown to the west of Allain Brook. This is probably the current Dugway Road, where Prudent is settled, with his sons and probably some nephews. It is interesting to note that the Acadians settled in clans and it was not uncommon to find two or three generations under one roof. The maps of the period showing the layout of buildings illustrate the grouping of houses by families in clusters. It differs greatly from the current linear layouts that were "imposed" by the British surveyors.

 

Following is what Reverend Donat Robichaud wrote about Nigannne.1

 

François nicknamed Niganne, was born in Port-Royal in 1677. He was 9 years old in the census of 1686. In 1701, he married Marie-Madeleine Terriot. It seems that they are not settled on their land near the old fort. François’s lot, was close to that of Abraham Dugas and of Lady Bellisle, across the street, stretched from the ditch to the old fort. Labat’s detailed report however does not mention a house on this lot.

 

Indeed, Sieur de Labat, royal engineer and lieutenant in the companies of the Navy, in a document signed December 2, 1705 reports to the king the lands to be acquired for the extension of the old fort and houses to be demolished. While the house of his brother Charles, on the neighboring lot was expropriated, on François’s land, there is no mention of a house. Steps to negotiate the purchase of land lasted throughout 1705, since the report was submitted in December. Probably at that time, the bridegroom had looked elsewhere for a location to build a house.

 

From 1707, François is settled on three acres of land, where he has a herd of 13 cattle, 17 sheep and 8 pigs. The location of his house and land are well known and shown on the maps of this time. His house was the first in the Cape area, of Port Royal to the right of the only road that led from the fort to the Cape. This is the current St. George Street. On most maps, the name of François is given as "Nigan" and "Nighan" Robichaud. His first neighbor on the same side was his brother Prudent, while his neighbor across the street was the Sieur de Labat. As for his brother Charles, he was installed much further, beyond the small mound called "Lion Rampant" where was buried the heart of Sieur de Brouillant.

 

However, the attack on the fort by the British June 6, 1707, while not successful was still devastating to the people of Cape who saw their homes destroyed. The maps clearly show that on this occasion, the Robichaud houses were burned. But most went back to work and rebuilt.

 

While absent at the ceremony of proclamation of the accession of King George, in August 1714, François probably always lived in Port Royal. He appears in the census of that year as a resident of the Cape area with his wife and five children. He is also present on January 22, 1715, for the oath of allegiance to the new sovereign. Contrary to Prudent who can read, write and calculate, François can only "make his mark".

 

It is likely that François worked for his brother Prudent, well-known merchant in the region, whose main income came from supplying the British garrison of the fort. Indeed, only Acadians could supply the food, timber and firewood required for the maintenance of troops.

 

On August 30, 1731, Governor Armstrong in his first order as replacement of Governor Richard Philipps, while announcing his arrival, notify residents that he wants to buy 200 quintals of biscuits and 60 barrels of peas for the garrison. By the same proclamation, he commands François - always known as Niganne - to go to Minas Bassin to buy some cattle and sheep and lead them to Annapolis. Trafficking with Acadians had become indispensable for the English garrison and was also an important income for the inhabitants.

 

September 21, 1731, an order of Governor Armstrong is sent to Acadians of Annapolis specifying that it must be read in the church "in the presence of Nigan Robichaud". Provisions for the garrison are requested and inhabitants are accused of neglecting the project of construction of a road connecting Annapolis to Minas.

 

July 13, 1733 an order of Governor Lawrence Armstrong names François as guardian of herds. "Several complaints were received from Acadians and English residents of Annapolis Royal, Cap Bellair and Forchu Creek because their herds have a common pasture and that there is no herd guardian. Francis Robichaud said Nigan and Claude Melanson become herders. Residents must mark cattle and inform guardians when placing cattle in the pasture. No animal can be removed from the pasture without asking permission, under penalty of paying double the value of the animal taken. If this happens, half of the proceeds will go to the informer and the other half to the poor. Those who use the pasture must pay six pennies for each cow or ox and four pennies for each sheep. Herders have the legal right to investigate someone who kills cattle and force them to show their herd." (Arch Halifax, RG 1, vol. 20, no. 72).

 

December 11, 1742, Governor Mascarene gives notice that Nigan Robichaud, Pierre Gaudet, Nicolas Gauthier, Denis Saint-Seine and Guillaume Bourgeois are appointed to resolve a dispute between neighbors, Prudent Robichaud and Charles Belliveau, about the dividing line between their lands, stressing "they have already served as arbitrators in this case, go back, try to find a solution to the problem and report." (Arch Halifax, RG 1, vol. 21, no. 42).

 

June 15, 1746, René Blanchard delegates with proxy François Robichaud "with power to try to withdraw the sum of 300 pounds. This money is owed for an English prisoner he bought the Indians." (Arch Halifax, RG 1).

 

August 1, 1747, an order of Paul Mascarene approves the purchase of the house of Honoré Duon by François Robichaud: "According to custom, the case was referred to neutral members who report to the Council. Robichaud is authorized to purchase the property provided he gives money to the Council, Duon has since left the province." (Arch Halifax RG1, vol 21, No. 116).

 

François "Niganne" died at Port-Royal on December 8,1747, at the age of 70 years.

 

François and Marie Madeleine had nine children, four son and five daughters:

 

1) François "the elder", born at Port-Royal in 1703. Died in 1729. Married at Port Royal, February 24, 1727, Angélique Pitre (Claude and Marie Comeau) who, widow, married in 1732, Michel Doucet (Charles and Huguette Guérin).

 

2 ) Marie-Madeleine, born at Port Royal, on October 26, 1705, godfather Sieur de Closneuf and godmother Marie Robichaud Saint-Seine. Married at Port Royal, November 6, 1725, to Joseph Doucet (Charles and Huguette Guérin). Died before 12 April 1763.

 

3) Marguerite, born at Port-Royal on 1 October 1708. Her godfather was the Sieur de Goutin, and her godmother, Marguerite Landry. Married at Port-Royal, February 13, 1730, to Jean-Baptiste Richard (Alex and Elizabeth Petitpas), who died in 1751. She was a widow in 1760 in Massachusetts, Charleston, now a neighborhood of Boston, with her five children. She and her children will settle around 1774 in St-Jacques de l’Achigan. She died Oct. 4, 1788, at age 80.

 

4) Anne, called Niganne married in Port-Royal, January 28, 1732, to Charles Dugas (Claude and Marguerite Bourg), died before 1763.

 

5) Pierre, born at Port-Royal March 15, 1713, married at Port Royal, January 16, 1737, to Marie Françoise LeBorgne de Belleisle (Sieur Alexandre and Anastasie d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin ) died in L'Islet, Quebec, November 5, 1784, buried in the church.

 

6) François "the young", born in Port-Royal September 6, 1716, married January 7, 1739, to Marie LeBorgne de Belleisle (Sieur Alexandre and Anastasie d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin) died before 21 May 1764.

 

7) Madeleine, born in Port-Royal January 4, 1718, baptised by Sr Denis Petitot surgeon.

 

8) Joseph, born at Port-Royal, 15 September 1721, died at Port-Royal 12 January 1747, aged about 30 years, and was buried the next day.

 

9) Louise, aka Lisette, born in June 1724. Married at Louisboug, on October 6, 1742 Guillaume Ouinette (William Winniett), son of William, Protestant merchant from Port-Royal and Madeleine Maisonnat, Catholic, daughter of the famous pirate Pierre, alias Maisonnat Baptiste and his second wife Madeleine Bourg, sister of Alexander Bourg, notary in Grand-Pré. The Honourable William Winniett, Lisette’s stepfather was a member of the board of Annapolis where he often showed sympathy for the Acadians, to become suspect in the eyes of his countrymen. He had 13 children, including John, who married in Boston in 1746, Elizabeth Winslow, niece of Colonel John Winslow. (Winslow captured on June 18, 1755 Fort Gaspareaux and on August 11, of that fateful year, executed the Deportation of the Acadians of Minas Basin.) Lisette was widowed in 1747 and was deported to Boston in 1755 with her children, William David and Betty. The latter, after marrying in Boston, January 31, 1769, Timothy Bourgeois before Louis Robichaud and other relatives and friends, came to settle in Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec. William David was baptized on 27 February 1744, without reference to age, by the priest Desenclaves, with Madeleine St-Sceine and Charles Dugast as godparents.2

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References:

1. ROBICHAUD, Donat, Les Robichaud d’Amérique, op. cit. p. 724-726.

2. RUMILLY, l’Acadie Française et l’Acadie Anglaise, voir l’index pour Winniett ou Winslow. 

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Translated from ROBICHAUD, Armand, Des histoires de Robichaud, du Poitou à la mer Rouge, Éditions de la Francophonie, Moncton, 2002, p. 73-79.