7. NOTORIOUS ROBICHAUD BROTHERS, INDIAN TRADERS
In the history book New Brunswick a History 1784-1867, by WS MacNutt, the name Robichaud is mentioned only once : " In the autumn the Acadians would advance supplies to the Indians against the produce of the hunting season. But the ability of the savages to pay was forestalled by the Canadian traders, especially the notorious Robicheau brothers, who came over the portage at the conclusion of the season, demoralized them with intoxicating liquors, and stripped of their peltry."1 Who were these notorious Robichaud brothers?
To better understand the context of the time it is first necessary to discuss the discord between two other brothers, born in Ireland, Colonel Thomas Carleton (1735-1817), Governor of New Brunswick from 1784 to 1817 and his brother Sir Guy Carleton (Baron of Dorchester) (1724-1808), Governor of Canada and Lower Canada (Quebec), from 1766 to 1796. Guy Carleton was part of the General Staff during the Wolfe conquest and become the second governor of Canada, after Murray. 18 years later, a part of Nova Scotia was cut off to accommodate the Loyalists, the Province of New Brunswick was thus created, and Thomas Carleton was appointed the first governor of the new province of New Brunswick.
The boundary between the colonies of Canada (Quebec) and New Brunswick will be the subject of many disputes. Fredericton surveyor, George Sproule, fixed the boundary between Lake Temiscouata and the St. Lawrence River, on the heights of Saint-Honoré. While the Quebec surveyor, Samuel Holland, claimed that all the Madawaska was part of Lower Canada, with the line starting in Grand Falls and from there to the Restigouche River.
Thus trappers, including the Robichaud brothers, traded for furs with the Indians and people of Madawaska without much consideration for these indeterminate boundaries. In 1792, a lieutenant in the militia appointed by Quebec, Jacques Cyr of Madawaska, brought action against two residents of Madawaska, Augustin Dubé and Pierre Duperré for unpaid debts to the Robichaud brothers from Canada. The debtor paid the required ten pounds, which were handed over to the beneficiaries. The justice of the peace appointed by the province of New Brunswick, John Costin, did not see as a good thing, this foray into the territory claimed by New Brunswick. The next year, Jacques Cyr will be stopped by Costin and held in Grand Falls, until he agrees to refund the money that was collected on behalf of the Court of Quebec. The Quebec government protested to London, where they won their case. The conduct of the Governor Carleton of New Brunswick was severely repressed. The elder brother, Sir Guy Carleton, Baron of Dorchester, had to give policy lessons to his younger brother, Thomas Carleton, when he explained that their baffles could benefit Americans who also claimed this territory : " ... it was quite immaterial to which of the King's provinces Madawaska shoulds belong, that New Brunswick, in pushing the northwestern angle to the north, was furnishing arguments and conviction to the Americans, who, on the same geographic reasoning, would attempt to push their frontier to the north. "2
However, shortly after, New Brunswick finally obtained jurisdiction over the territory of Madawaska when sixty heads of families signed a petition asking to be part of New Brunswick, rather than be in Canada, to stay with their Acadian relatives.
The history of Madawaska, by Thomas Albert, reveals the identity of these brothers Robichaud: it is Anselme and Michel Robichaud, of Rivière-des-Caps and Kamouraska. The Robichaud brothers are sons of Marie LeBorgne of Bellisle of Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, widow of François Robichaud. "The brothers Michel and Anselme Robichaud, merchants of the Rivière-des-Caps and Kamouraska, were involved the fur trade in the territory of Madawaska, which led to strong protests from indigenous people who claimed to have the exclusive right of hunting and trafficking in this territory."3 The Robichaud and their relatives by marriage, Bellisle, d'Amours and Villeray of Canada have continued in Canada the business of their parents exercised at Nid d’Aigle on the Saint John River in Acadie, from 1739, before being ousted by General Monckton in 1758, during the Great Expulsion.
From January 8 1769, " Pierre Robichaud of l’Islette, Indian trader " was engaged by John Lymburner Quebec merchant. Pierre Robichaud, uncle to Anselme and Michel, also owned a schooner used for fishing for cod, which he leases from 1766. One of his son, François Régis, was hired by Simon Fraser in 1786 for the fur trade.
According to Hudon, "Trading seems the specialty of the Robichaud family. Unlike other Acadian people the Robichaud clan seek less to marry between Acadians. They willingly marry Quebecers, especially families interested in trade."4 A marital strategy!
Returning to our notorious brothers Robichaud. Anselme (1753-1819) is said to be a Kamouraska merchant and a Rivière-des-Caps trader. He married, on November 23, 1775, Geneviève Marquis, they will have 17 children. He was captain of the militia of Saint-André-de-Kamouraska and Rivière-du-Loup in 1805. He will have insubordination problems with his superior officer. The Quebec Gazette published on April 11, 1816 the following order: " His Excellency the Chief, approved the sentence of the General Court Martial on the Anselme Robichaud case, Rimouski division of militia, this officer was relieved of his suspension and must return to his duty."5
Michel (1758-1808) married in Kamouraska, January 26, 1784, Marguerite Pinette, they had 10 children. On his marriage certificate, he is said to be " son of the late François Robichaud, formerly merchant of the Saint John River." Many traders were present at his marriage, including his brother Anselme. Through his marriage, Michel Robichaud was associated in the clan of traders of fisheries, furs and agricultural products, established in Kamouraska. He was captain of the militia of the Rivière-des-Caps. In 1796, it is mentioned that a Michel Robichaud of Faubourg des Récollets is engaged to Todd & McGill Co. to go in any designated area. In 1798, a Michel Robicheau of Montreal is committed to P. Gabriel Cotte to go to Michilmakinac (Great Lakes).6 Is it possible that our Acadian indian trader travelled so far?
Several documents refer to Sir François, Sir Pierre, Sir Anselme ... when speaking of this Robichaud clan. According to Thomas Albert, "Both Robichaud brothers (Francois and Pierre) belonged to an ancient Acadian family of the Saint John River, ennobled by the French governors of Fort St. John, for exceptional service, and that they had been granted the lordship of Belle Isle ... "7
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References
1. MACNUTT, W.S., New Brunswick, A History 1784-1867, MacMillan, Toronto, 1984, p. 81-82
2. MACNUTT, W.S., New Brunswick, A History 1784-1867, MacMillan, Toronto, 1984, p. 81.
3. ALBERT, Thomas, Histoire du Madawaska, entre l’Acadie, le Québec et l’Amérique, La Société historique du Madawaska, Huturbise HMH, Lasalle, Qc, 1982, p. 96 (42).
4. HUDON, Paul-Henri, Le Clan Robichaud-LeBorgne dans la région de l’Islet, Héritage Acadien, Revue d’histoire et de généalogie, Magog, Québec, février 1997, p. 13.
5. HUDON, Paul-Henri, Le Clan Robichaud-LeBorgne dans la région de l’Islet, Héritage Acadien, Revue d’histoire et de généalogie, Magog, Québec, février 1997, p. 9-10 ; ROBICHAUD, Donat, Les Robichaud d’Amérique, dictionnaire généalogique, Shippagan, 1999, p. 683-684.
6. HUDON, Paul-Henri, Le Clan Robichaud-LeBorgne dans la région de l’Islet, Héritage Acadien, Revue d’histoire et de généalogie, Magog, Québec, février 1997, p. 10 ; ROBICHAUD, Donat, Les Robichaud d’Amérique, dictionnaire généalogique, Shippagan, 1999, p. 786.
7. ALBERT, Thomas, Histoire du Madawaska, entre l’Acadie, le Québec et l’Amérique, La Société Historique du Madawaska, Huturbise HMH, Lasalle, Qc, 1982, p. 43 (97).
Translated from ROBICHAUD, Armand, Des histoires de Robichaud, du Poitou à la mer Rouge, Éditions de la Francophonie, Moncton, 2002, p. 211-215.