Gaudet pioneers

Hi, I am posting the notes that I have for some of my pioneer ancestors, in hopes that they may be of interest to some of you that are doing research on your ancestors.Enjoy, Janet

Descendants of Jean Gaudet

Generation No. 1

       1.Jean1 Gaudet was born about 1575 in Martaize, Londun, Vienne, France, and died Aft. 1671 in Port Royal, Annapolis, Nova Scotia (New Scotland).He married (1) Unknown.She was born about 1600 in France, and died Aft. 1633 in France.He married (2) Nicole Colleson about 1650 in Port Royal, Annapolis, Nova Scotia (New Scotland) or France.She was born about 1607 in France, and died Aft. 1686 in Port Royal, Acadie.

Notes for Jean Gaudet:
JEAN (Jehan) GAUDET was born in Martaize, France in 1575, probably in the seigniory of Aulnay, the parish of Martaizé, in the area of Poitou-Charentes, of the current department of Vienna. Part of the group originating in this commune that became Acadiens in the 17th century.
He and his brother Aubin had made a trip to the New World around 1610 to "check the place out". Jean then went back to France and Jean later returned to Acadie with his three children.He must have been part of the first expedition of Poutrincourt.
He married twice.First in France about 1598, his wife remains unknown, as per the foremost Acadien genealogist Stephen White.In spite of some writings by some genealogists (on the web) of which some admitted to have made an error.His second marriage was about 1652 with Nicole Colleson, born about 1607.This Acadien ancestor returned to Acadie a little after 1634.
Jean Gaudet and his second wife, Nicole Colleson, were among the first families settled in Acadie. Until now, the French who had come to North America, except for the wives of one or two officials, were mostly contract workers who were employed in the fisheries or fur trade, and who returned to France once their stint was done.Jean Gaudet had come to clear forest into farmland, build dikes to reclaim tidal marshes, hew timbers for his home and keep a family fed while he was doing it. He would farm his Annapolis Basin lands for more than 30 years, dying at the age of 87.
By 1650 there were some 50 families in Acadie. They would establish farms and families and live a life described in 1638 by Nicolas Denys, who wrote, "there are plenty of clams, whelks, mussels, and other mollusks and an abundance of lobsters ... some of which have a claw so large it will hold a pint of wine." He mentions swordfish "as large as a cow," and writes of huge flocks of wild pigeons flying over his camp. He says he was kept awake by the noise from flocks of geese and ducks nearby.
Historian Rameau de Saint Pere, drawing from accounts by an early priest of the colony, Ignace de Senlis, tells us:On Sunday, the Acadien farmers emerged from the folds of this charming valley, some in canoes, others on horseback, their wives and daughters riding behind, while long lines of Micmac, brightly painted and with colorful ornaments, mingled with them. Around the church grounds, d'Aulnay had developed extensive green areas, which were called les champs commune, where the arrivals tethered their mounts and left their belongings. After the service, the colonists relaxed on the champs commune, discussing crops, hunting, progress of clearing the land, the work undertaken by the Siegneur, a thousand and one topics about their private lives and gossiping the way it is done in all French countries.
The Acadiens were left to themselves, with little guidance or support from France, and they liked it that way. The colony was once again growing in peace and prosperity when European intrigue again interrupted its life.
In 1651, when King Charles and Oliver Cromwell were battling for control of England, Parliament passed a Navigation Act, requiring that goods from Asia, Africa and America be carried to England only on English ships. The act was aimed chiefly at the Dutch, who were supporting the King in his feud with the Parliament. The British and the Dutch went to war over the issue and France (allied with the Dutch) was soon drawn into it.
So it was in 1654 that an English force from Boston headed to Acadie with orders from Cromwell to clear the French from the place. The British commander, Robert Sedgwick, had easy work. He quickly subdued the lightly defended Acadien lands, but instead of clearing the Frenchmen out, left the colony in control of a local council headed by Guillaume Trahan.
Little changed in everyday life during the council's administration. The Acadiens farmed their lands. There was no flood of new British settlers to disrupt their lives. In fact, the years of British rule passed very quietly until, in 1667, the Treaty of Breda once again returned the colony to France.
But two important things had happened. The first was that the 16 years of benign English neglect had strengthened the Acadiens' sense of independence. They discovered that they could get along quite well, thank you, with little help from the outside. The other thing was that the British began to think that maybe, next time, they ought to keep this place for themselves--and ship those papist Frenchmen someplace else.
In all, we believe that some 10,000 immigrants traveled to Canada (not all of them to Acadie) during the French regime (1604 to 1713) and that between 5,000 and 6,000 of them arrived before the year 1700. More than half of those who came from France before 1700 were from the old provinces of Poitou and Aunio--from towns such as Rochefort, la Rochelle, Île Oleron, and Chatelleraut.But progress was interrupted by regular raids from British freebooters who preyed upon Acadie almost at will. There were only about 400 people listed on the census of 1671, the first taken in Acadie, yet three-fourths of the Acadiens alive today can trace their roots to these folks.
Rameu de Saint-Pere tells us about the life they lived:Port Royal consisted (c.1700) of a rough fort formed by earthworks topped by a large wooden palisade. The church and some houses surrounded it. Most of the farmers were spread out around the countryside, and each settler lived on his own land.The homes were built of squared logs or of heavy beams planted in the soil with the interstices sealed with moss and clay. Chimneys were formed with poles and hardened clay. The roof was covered with rushes, bark, even sod at times. Wood being in abundant supply, the houses were easy to build, and if disaster struck, just as easily abandoned and lost without much regret, an important consideration because the frequent incursions of the English led to a certain indifference and they therefore endeavored to leave nothing of value to the enemy.
He was the oldest pioneer listed in the 1671 Acadien census at Port Royal.1671 Port Royal: Jehan Gaudet 86, Nicolle Colleson 64, Jehan 18; 3 arpents of cultivated land at two locations, 6 cattle, 3 sheep.
Jean is not included in the 1686 census at Port Royal: Nicole Colson 80, Jean Godet her son 45, wife Jeanne Henry, Francoise 13, Jean 12, and 3 other children by his first wife; 1 gun, 4 arpents, 4 cattle, 4 sheep, 3 hogs.
Rev. Archange Godbout described Jehan Gaudet as being the Abraham of Acadie.
We are unaware of the date of his death, like that of his wife, Nicole Colleson, Coleson or Colson.
Jean Gaudet's son Denis Gaudet, with help from his two sons, carved a large domain for himself along the banks of the Port-Royal river. The community was known as "Village des Gaudet" and is now the town of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.Denis Gaudet's son, Pierre dit le Jeune (the younger), became the owner of one of the largest establishments in the valley.His property included 23 acres of land, 20 cattle, 32 ewes and 15 hogs.After the brutal expulsion of the Acadiens, the Gaudets settled chiefly in the Memramcook area of New Brunswick, at Baie-Sainte-Marie in Nova Scotia (New Scotland) and in Saint-Jacques-de-l'Achigan in Québec.
       
Children of Jean Gaudet and Unknown are:
       2       i.       Francoise2 Gaudet, born about 1623 in Martaize, Londun, Vienne, France; died about 1699 in Port Royal, Acadie.She married Daniel Leblanc about 1650 in Port Royal, Acadie; born about 1626.
       3       ii.       Denis Gaudet, born about 1625 in Martaize, Londun, Vienne, France; died 11 Oct 1709 in St. Jean Baptiste, Port Royal, Acadie.He married Martine Gauthier about 1645 in Port Royal, Acadie; born about 1633 in France; died Bef. 1678 in Port Royal, Acadie.
       4       iii.       Marie-Anne Gaudet, born about 1633 in Martaize, Londun, Vienne, France; died 30 Jul 1710 in Port Royal, Acadie, Canada.She married (1) Etienne Hebert about 1650 in Port Royal, Acadie, Canada; born about 1630 in France; died Bef. 1671 in Port Royal, Acadie, Canada.She married (2) Dominique GaRaux/Rault(Garant) about 1676 in Port Royal, Acadie; born about 1626 in France.

Notes for Marie-Anne Gaudet:
She was listed as the widow of Etienne Hebert in the 1671 Acadien census with 10 of their 12 children, 4 cattle and 5 sheep.

Notes for Etienne Hebert:
The land of Acadie was owned by France in the 1630's. For years, France wanted to settle the area with its own people. Although they had sent men to start a settlement as early as 1604, no women were sent for over 30 years. In the mid 1630's, France started sending men and women to colonize the land. Among those settlers were two brothers, Antoine and Etienne HÉBERT.
When did they get here?We don't know exactly when they arrived in Acadie.Some have placed the date as 1640.I would place the date closer to 1648, since his brother Antoine's oldest son was born in 1649.There was a ship, La Verve, that arrived at that time.Depending on which census (1671/1686) you consult, Antoine was born in 1614 or 1621. He arrived with his wife, Genevieve LEFRANCE (b. 1613 or 1606). His brother, Etienne, was supposedly born about 1630 and married Marie GAUDET around 1650.We do not know exactly where these brothers came from or who their parents were. For a long time, it was thought that their parents were Jacques and Marie JUNEAU of Haye-Descartes of Touraine; but that has been shown to be incorrect.
The misconception began with Father Adrien Bergeron's article entitled "Deux grandes familles acadiennes" [Memoires de la Societe genealogique canadienne-francaise (Vol. VI, No. 8, Oct 1955, pp. 393-394)].Father Bergeron tried to say that Antoine and Etienne were brothers of a Jacques HEBERT, son of Jacques and Marie JUNEAU. The following year, Father Archange Godbout showed the connection to be incorrect (Vol. VII, No. 2, April 1956, pp. 122-123). An examination of Jacques' (the son) marriage contract showed his name to be HABERT, not HEBERT.We know for sure thatGodbaut's article also shows evidence (derived from marriage dispensations) that Antoine and Etienne were indeed brothers.
Stephen White (renounced genealogist) said the origin of Acadien HEBERTs can be summed up in one word: unknown.
Most of the Acadien records were destroyed when the British captured Acadie.


       
Child of Jean Gaudet and Nicole Colleson is:
       5       i.       Jean2 Gaudet-dit-LeJeune, born about 1653 in Port Royal, Acadie; died Aft. 1714.He married (1) Jeanne Henry about 1680 in Port Royal, Acadie; born about 1656; died Bef. 1693 in Port Royal, Acadie.He married (2) Marie-Francoise Comeau about 1672 in Port Royal Acadie; born about 1656 in Port Royal, Acadie; died Bef. 1678 in Port Royal, Acadie.He married (3) Jeanne Lejeune about 1694 in Mirligoueche, Acadie, Canada; born about 1651 in Mirligoueche, Acadie, Canada; died Aft. 1708.