PIERRE LE BLANC
PIONEER OF CHURCH POINT, NOVA SCOTIA

BAIE STE-MARIE


Pierre LeBlanc, born in 1719 at Grand-Pré, was the son of Jacques LeBlanc and Élisabeth Boudrot; the grandson of Jacques LeBlanc and Cathérine Hébert; the great grandson of Daniel LeBlanc and Françoise Gaudet.

Life was good for Pierre and his family as for all the families living in Minas Basin in 1755. Pierre married Madeleine Babin daughter of Joseph Babin and Angélique Landry. They had married on October 4, 1745.

In September 1755, this family now had two young children, Marie-Josephine, nine years old, and Marguerite Modeste, eight years of age. Deported to Boston, Massachusetts, they waited 17 years before returning to settle at Baie-Ste-Marie, now known as Church Point, in the southwest of Nova Scotia.

In the spring of 1772, nearly twenty years after the arrival of the first Acadian exiles in Boston, a schooner left Salem, Massachusetts. A month later this schooner would drop anchor at a point of land, some miles to the south of the colony of Grosse Coques, in Baie Ste-Marie (St. Mary's Bay). This boat transported the families of Pierre LeBlanc, age 53 years, and Françoise Doucet. Knowing that some of their friends and countrymen who had been exiled New England had returned to their beloved Acadia, they landed in the south of Nova Scotia. Having learned of the land grants being given to other former exiles by Lieutenant-Governor Michael Franklin they too decided to finally return home.

At the time of the deportation, Pierre LeBlanc was one of the the wealthier farmers in Grand-Pré. He owned a farm which also had a hundred or more head of cattle. He also owned large orchards of apple, plum, cherry and pear trees, making him the envy of all the inhabitants. He also owned a horse. Held as a prisoner in the Church of St-Charles-des-Mines at Grand-Pré, the 5th of September 1755, he was later led to the transport boats, anchored in port by soldiers armed with rifles an bayonets. Thrown in the hold of the ship, in the most terrible of conditions, he and his family were deported to Boston.

A great deal has been said about the horrors of the Great Deportation but now in the spring of 1772, new hope would lead Pierre LeBlanc and his wife and children to this land that was once Acadie. Pierre and Madeleine resolved to rebuild their lives. Seven other children had been born during the years of exile. None had been baptized since priests had been forbidden by the British to venture anywhere near the Acadians. If they did, they would be either imprisoned or even put to death! During the many years of exile, the Acadians were without the consolation of their priests and the sacraments that were so much a part of their lives and that meant so much to them.

The oldest daughter of the children born in exile to Pierre and Madeleine was named Elisabeth. She had been born on the docks in Boston, Massachusetts on November 25, 1755. This little Elisabeth(Isabelle), born under such terrible conditions, went on to live to the age of 92 years, after having given many beautiful children to her spouse, Sylvain Pothier. Pierre LeBlanc, his wife, Madeleine Babin, and their children, were then, from the onset of 1772, the first inhabitants of this point of land, bordered by the sea, which would eventually become known as Pointe-de-l'Eglise, that is to say, Church Point. This settlement became a center of Acadian culture and education thanks to the Eudist Fathers who believed that all Acadian children should receive an education. The result was what is known today as Ste-Anne University.

In 1772, things had now changed. The English authorities, once very hostile to the Acadians, showed them more consideration and were now ready to concede lands to these courageous and valiant farmers and their descendants some of whom had been among the old settlers of the country. They were now returning home and in so doing, many once again became the backbone of the future prosperity in the country.

A year before the arrival of Pierre LeBlanc, on the 6th of August 1771, most of the 1,360 acres of land had been conceded in the district of Clare to Béloni LeBlanc, Joseph Bonnevie, Amable Richard and Joseph Gravois. Joseph Gravois married a sister of Father Joseph-Mathurin Bourg(Bourque), then missionary in all Acadia and pastor of Carleton in the Gaspésie. Joseph Gravois decided to sell his lot, number 23, with a house already built on it, to go settle at Carleton, near his wife's parents. The land was sold to Captain Pierre Doucet.

Finally, Pierre LeBlanc, with the help of his 13 year old son Charles, cleared their land found near Étang-des-Aucoin (Wedge Point), about two kilometers to the south of the actual church at Church Point, where they all finally lived in peace following the many years of exile and suffering.

It is interesting to note that the children of Pierre LeBlanc and Madeleine Babin born in Massachusetts during the exile - and whose birth dates are available - were all born in the month of April. Their children were:

1. Marie-Josèphe, born at Rivière-aux Canards in 1746.

2. Marguerite-Modeste, born at Rivière-aux Canards in 1747. Marguerite married François COMEAU.

3. The LeBlanc family of Wedgeport exists since 1778 shortly after 28 December, when in the absence of a priest, Joseph LeBlanc, son of Pierre LeBlanc (to Jacques) and Marie-Madeleine Babin (to Joseph) of Church Point (Pointe-de-l'Église), married Marie Amirault, daughter of Jacques (to Jacques) and Marie-Madeleine Belliveau (to Pierre dit Piau) of Amirault Butte (Butte Amirault). This marriage was ratified at Ste-Anne-du-Ruisseau on 24 August 1781 by Father Mathurin Bourg (Bourque).

Joseph LeBlanc was born in the fall of 1752. He was just a toddler living with his parents at Rivière-aux-Canards (now Cornwallis) when in 1755 his parents were deported to Massachusetts.

The history of his parents and family leaving Salem, Massachusetts in 1772 to return to Nova Scotia is well known. They had left Salem for Ile-à-Séraphin, Pointe-de-l'Église (Church Point). Joseph LeBlanc who would settle at Bas-de-Tousquet, was the twin brother of Madeleine. However, history does not tell us why Joseph decided to later settle at Wedgeport. He died here the night of November 16, 1812 at approximately 58-60 years of age.

4. Élisabeth(Isabelle), born in Boston on 25 November 1755, married Sylvain POTHIER. She was conditionally baptized by François Doucet after her birth, and was re-baptized 18 years later, the 15th of October, 1774, at Baie-Ste-Marie by Abbé Joseph-Mathurin Bourg. Her godparents were Joseph Gravois and Marie Daigre.

5. Françoise, was born in Massachusetts

6. Madeleine, was born in Massachusetts, she married on 30 October 1774 to Charles-Marin BELLIVEAU.

7. Charles, born the 9th of April 1759 in Massachusetts, baptized fifteen years later, 15 October 1774 by Abbé Bourg at Baie-Ste-Marie. His godparents were Hilarion Thériault and Marie Robichaud. Charles married Marie MELANSON.

8. Anne-Marie, born in Massachusetts on 19 April 1762; she married Pierre COMEAU.

9. Suzanne, born in Massachusetts on 24 April 1764. Baptized conditionally by Jean Roy, she was re-baptized ten years later at Baie-Ste-Maried by Abbé Bourg. Her godparents were Joseph Doucet and Marie-Madeleine Bourg. Suzanne married Jean-Chrysôstome COMEAU.

10. Anselme, was born in Massachusetts on 4 April, 1767. He was baptized conditionally by François Doucet and re-baptized on 15 October 1774 by Abbé Bourg. His godparents were Joseph Doucet and Anne Doucet. Anselme married Geneviève AMIRAULT.



SOURCES: Antoine Bernard. HISTORE DE LA SURVIVANCE ACADIENNE, Montreal, 1935

Abbé H.R. Casgrain UN PELERINAGE AU PAYS D'EVANGELINE 1888

Janet Jehn. BAIE STE-MARIE PARISH REGISTERS, 1799-1801. Covington, KY, 1895


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