Acadiensis/Volume 1/Number 1/Jacau de Fiedmond
Jacau de Fiedmond.
The name of Louis Thomas Jacau de Fiedmond is familiar to those who interest themselves in French Canadian and Acadian antiquities. But very few are aware, however, that the brave artillery captain who immortalized his name by refusing to sign the decision of the council of war to surrender Quebec in 1758, was the son of an Acadian woman, herself a native of Grand Pre.
The line of investigation by which the writer discovered that Jacau de Fiedmond was Acadian by his mother—whose name was Anne Melanson—will be of interest to the readers of this magazine.
Chevalier Poilvillain de la Houssaye, commandant of Fort Gaspereau, at Baie Verte, in Acadia, writing from that post under date of February 20, 1752, to Chevalier Michel Le Courtois de Surlaville, major of the marine detachment at Louisbourg, and speaking of the plundering of stores and cord wood at Forts Beausejour and Gaspereau by two Canadian officers, says:
It has been unfortunate for them to have had M. Jacau, brother of Madame Rodrigue, of Louisbourg, officer of artillery, to direct the works here, his integrity in setting prices and keeping the time of the workmen, as also in providing for the solidity of the works; without which they would have each made thirty thousand [livres of gain]. I would have too much to tell you were I to describe the plunderings, the misery of the Acadians, and the difficulties that are put in the way of our troops at Louisbourg. . .
(Although a captain of artillery, Jacau de Fiedmond was acting as military engineer at Fort Beausejour).
It now interests us to know who "Mme. Rodrigue" was. The parish registers of Louisbourg will give us information on this point. Under date of May 19, 1750, I find the marriage of Antoine Rodrigues, ship owner, native of Louisbourg, son of Jean Rodrigues, formerly of the same place, and of Anne LeBorgne, of Belleisle, to Franchise Jacau, native of Port Dauphin, daughter of Thomas Jacau and Anne Melanson. The parents of "M. Jacau, brother of Mme. Rodrigue," were therefore Thomas Jacau and Anne Melanson.
As to Jean Rodrigue, father of the ship-owner, his full name was Jean de Fond, called Rodrigue. He married at Port Royal, March 16, 1707, "Anne LeBorgne, of Belle-isle, daughter of deceased Sieur Alexander LeBorgne, Sieur of Belleisle, and of Dame Marie de St. Etienne de La Tour." The entry of his marriage informs us that he was "now pilot, maintained by the King in Acadie," and "son of Jean de Fond and of deceased Anne Mance, his father and mother, of the town of 'Vienne, in Portugal.'"
The following extract from the registers of the parish of St. John Baptist of Port Royal will enlighten us as to Thomas Jacau, father of Jacau of Fiedmond:
This 15th October of the year one thousand seven hundred and five, we, the undersigned, chaplain of Fort Royal in Acadia, being delegated by the Reverend Father Durand, cure in charge of the parish of Port Royal, after publication of one bann, the two others having been dispensed, no opposition or impediment being found, have united by words of the present before our Mother Holy Church the Sieur Thomas Jacob [sic Jacau], son of Sieur Samuel Jacob and Judith Fillieu, of the parish of St. Martin d' Harse, diocese of Sainte, and damoiselle Anne Melanson, daughter of Sieur Peter Melanson and damoiselle Marguerite Mius,[1] of Port Royal. In faith of which I have signed with the married persons and the witnesses, named below, this same day and year as above.
Anne Melanson.
Bugeauld,
Philippa Melanson,
Fr. Felix Pain, Recollet,
Chaplain of Fort Royal in Acadia.
This Marie Anne Jacau married at Louisbourg Pierre Benoist, lieutenant of infantry ; and on the 22nd of September, 1758, they had a daughter baptized to them under the name of Anne, at Port de la Joye, He St. Jean. This child had for god-mother "Jeanne d'Entremont, wife of Sieur Dupont du Chambon, chevalier of the military order, and lieutenant of the King in the Isle St. Jean."
Jeanne d'Entremont, god-mother of Anne Benoist, was daughter of Jacques d'Entremont," Sieur de Pobomkou," and of Anne de St. Etienne de La Tour. Jeanne's father was a brother to Marie Marguerite Mius d'Entremont, wife of Pierre Melanson, Sieur de la Verdure. It follows, therefore, that Mme. Thomas Jacau and Mme. Dupont du Charbon were cousins germain.
Jeanne d'Entremont was married at Port Royal February 11, 1709, to Louis Dupont, Sieur du Chambon, lieutenant in a garrison company at Port Royal." Jeanne, his first child, was born at the capital of Acadie, January 26, 1710, and was baptized the same day.
I find in the registers of Port de la Joie, under date of December 18, 1737, the baptismal entry of "Louis Maxier, lawful son of Jean Baptiste Maxier, called la Douceur, a soldier in Monsieur Laplaigne's company, and of Marie Poirier; born this day. God-father: Sieur Louis Dupont, called Vergor, sub-lieutenant in Laplaigne's company." The god-mother signed herself "Duchambon de Vergor." Louis Dupont, called Vergor, who signed himself "Duchambon de Vergor," is no other than the too famous Vergor, who delivered Fort Beausejour to Monckton June 16, 1755. He was the eldest son of Louis Dupont Duchambon and of Jeanne d'Entremont. He must have been born at Plaisance, Newfoundland, in 1712. Jacau de Piedmont and he were, therefore, second cousins.
We have already seen that Marie Anne Jacau, born July 25, 1706, had for god-mother Madame de la Boularderie, who signed the register as "Magdelaine Melanson."
Madame de la Boularderie was a sister to Madame Thomas Jacau. She married at Port Royal, November 29, 1702, "Sieur Louis Simon de St. Aubin Le Poupet, Chevalier de la Boularderie, midshipman of the King, Captain of a Company maintained by His Majesty in this province, son of Messire Antoine LePoupet, Esq., Sieur of St. Aubin, formerly councillor of the King and advocate before the Council, and of Demoiselle Jaqueline Arnoulet, of the parish of St. Germain the Elder in Paris."
Of this marriage Antoine de la Boularderie LePoupet was born at Port Royal August 23, 1705. He was the Chevalier de la Boularderie after whom an island in Cape Breton was named, its previous name being Verderonee. The register of his mother's baptism reads thus:
Having gone this year of grace, 1684, this 25th day of June, to Riviere des Mines, I baptized, conditionally, according to the rite of Holy Church, Magdeleine Melanson, born March 13, of this same year, 1684, of the lawful marriage of Pierre Melanson, Sieur de la Verdure, and of Marguerite Mius ; having for god-father Etienne Hebert, and for god-mother Magdeleine Mius, her maternal aunt, who called her Magdeleine.
(Signed)Br. Claude Moiroeau,
Unworthy Recollect.
The maiden name of the wife of Chevalier Antoine LePoupet de la Boularderie was Eleanor Baugny. Chevalier de Drucour, commandant at Louisbourg, writing to M. de Surlaville (then in France), under date of October 22, 1754, says:
Madame de la Boularderie has just dined with us; she informed us that she was fuddled in your company to the point of seeing eight wax-lights in place of one; we did not push matters so far.
In an unpublished document, dated at Rochefort in 1763, and entitled, "State of the Families of M.M. the Officers of Ile Royale," I find the following remark regarding Antoine LePoupet de la Boularderie and his family:
His wife and he are known as a shiftless couple. Their children are good fellows and regular in paying when they can; and all of them have nothing in the world but the salaries which the King has apportioned to them. The father lives, I know not how, in Paris, and can give no help whatever to his family, so that his wife is in the greatest distress.
At this time the Chevalier de la Boularderie was a "half-pay captain," and his salary was sixty livres a month. His debts amounted to 500 livres; his wife's to 600.
We should have remarked that the mothers of Jacau Fiedmond and of Antoine LePoupet de la Boularderie were sisters. Another of their relatives, François Dupont du Vivier, captain of a company, is the same who, under orders from Du Quesnel, left Louisbourg in the month of July, 1744, to take possession of Port Royal. We know how abortive was the siege of Annapolis in September, 1744, through the fault of the Sieur de Gannes. François Dupont du Vivier, Jacau de Fiedmend and Antoine LePoupet de la Boularderie were second cousins. Du Vivier's father was also named François Dupont du Vivier. He married at Port Royal, January 12, 1705, "Marie Mius de Pobomkou, daughter of Jacques Mius, Seigneur de Pobomkou, and of Anne de St. Etienne de la Tour." At this date Du Vivier was "midshipman and captain of infantry in Acadia." Three months later, April 25, 1705, Mme. Dupont du Vivier was brought to bed of a son who was baptized the same day under the name of François, like his father. The child had for god-father his uncle Charles de St. Etienne de La Tour, and for god-mother Madame De Goutin, wife of the lieutenant-governor of the province.
Beamish Murdock says that this child was a girl, but he is mistaken; as an examination of the register of Port Royal, deposited in the provincial archives at Halifax, will at once show. There can be no doubt that the child was a boy, the same who, in 1744, conducted, with one of his brothers, the blockade of Annapolis. His god-father, Charles Etienne de la Tour, was interred at Louisbourg, August 11, 1731, "aged about 72 years." The entry of his burial says that he was "Chevalier de St. Louis, captain of a marine detachment in garrison at Louisbourg." Born in 1664, he was the youngest son of the celebrated Charles de St. Etienne de la Tour and of Jeanne Motin. In 1704, or 1705, he married in France Angeleque Lanseau, who survived him. He left several children. As to Jeanne Thibodeau, wife of Matthieu De Goutin, and god-mother to the young François Dupont du Vivier. She was interred at Louisbourg, April 8, 1741. She was an Acadian, a native of Port Royal, and died at the age of 72 years. François Dupont Du Vivier, sr., and Louis Dupont du Chambon, Vergor's father, were brothers, and they each wedded a daughter of Jacques Mius d'Entretnont and of Anne de St. Etienne de la Tour. It follows, therefore, that François Dupont du Vivier, jr., and Louis de Vergor du Chambon were double first cousins.
The former was intrepid and brave; the latter showed himself pusillanimous—not to say more—at the siege of Beausejour. Certain French-Canadian writers charge him with having betrayed Quebec to the English in 1759; but, in view of the following memorandum, this accusation does not appear to be well founded:
Captain Vergor, Chevalier of St. Louis, was dangerously wounded during the English attack of September 13 (capture of Quebec), and is to all appearances disabled for service by his wound. I have the honor to ask for him and for the three preceding (Captains DeLesignan, de la Corne and de Repentigny, Chevaliers of St. Louis) a pension of 400 livres.[2]
DeVergor remained at Quebec until the month of October, 1761. He then embarked for France on the packetboat "Le Molineux," and arrived at Havre January 1, 1762. He was "mediocre in every respect, and rich," we are told in another roster of officers prepared in 1762. He had profited by the counsel which his friend Bigot gave him when he took the command of Fort Beausejour in 1753. "Profit," Bigot wrote him, "profit my dear Vergor, by your place; clip and cut—you have every chance—so that you may be able to join me soon in France and purchase an estate near me."
The notorious Thomas Pichon, writing from Beausejour to M. de Surlaville, under date of November 12, 1754, says:
I have now been living for a year at Fort Beausejour; M. de la Martiniere, who commanded here, left me idle, as did also M. de Vergor, his successor, who was also charged with the functions of commander. The former, although always bed-ridden, carried off more than eighty thousand livres; the latter, without knowing even how to read, will bear away still more. M. Bigot gave him for clerk a former soldier, and had just given him advice on what he calls his small affairs. Both have made me revise and correct their letters, those in particular which they considered of importance.[3]
He had several brothers; and I have the marriage certificates of some of them. As to his own, I have not met it, and I know not whether he was married or not.
After this long digression which treats of the relatives of Jacau de Fiedmont, let us return to his own family.
The second child, issue of Thomas Jacau and of Anne Melanson, was a boy, born May 1, 1708, and baptized the same day. He was named Daniel, and had for god-father "M. de Subercase, chevalier of the military order of St. Louis, and governor of the province;" and for god-mother "Madame Jeanne Jamier, lieutenante[4] du Roi." The baptismal ceremony was performed by Br. Patrick René, superior of the mission and vicar-general." He, also, wrote "Jacob" in place of "Jacau."
The third and last child, born and baptized at Port Royal, was Joseph. He was born January 30, 1710, and was baptized the next day by Brother Justinian Durand, Recollect missionary. His god-father was "Monsieur de Renon, company-lieutenant of a naval detachment at Fort Royal;" and his god-mother, "Madame Elizabeth Melanson,[5] wife of Rene LeBlanc.
Father Justinian Durand also wrote "Jacob" for "Jacau, just as Fathers Felix Pain and Patrick René had done.
I find on the registers of Port Royal, under date of April 18, 1730, the burial entry of—
"Jean Baptiste Jacob, son of Jacques [sic for Thomas], the gunner residing at Louisbourg, in the Isle Royale, and of Anne Melanson, died the 16th of the same month, in the house of François Boudrot, habitant and sailor of this parish, aged about sixteen years."(Signed)R. C. DeBreslay,
Cure.
It is under date of June 27, 1705, that I find for the first time the signature of Thomas Jacau, the gunner of the register. The occasion was the marriage of Jean François Villate, sergeant in Du Vivier's company, to "Dame Marguerite de St. Etienne de la Tour, widow of deceased Sieur Mius Pleimarets, partly of this parish."
It is a singular coincidence that four different missionaries of Port Royal should spell his name Jacob. The fact shows us that in the eighteenth century b, preceded by a vowel at the end of a word, was mute. The manner of writing proper names of persons was at that time purely phonetic; so that Jacob was pronounced Jaco.
Mathieu DeGourtin, "councillor of the King, lieutenant-general for civil and criminal affairs in Acadie,"—the same who acted as god-father to the daughter of the master gunner at Fort Royal—had also his own way of spelling Jacau: he wrote it Jacqot. Writing to the Compte de Pontchartrain, under date of December 23, 1707, of the siege of Fort Royal, which the New Englanders had attempted in the month of August of that year, he says:
Sieur Jacqot, master gunner, served the guns very efficiently, all the shells he fired being well aimed. He received due praise for his work. His house was set on fire while he was occupied in this duty, and he viewed its destruction with unimpassioned gaze, the service of the King being dearer to him at the moment than his own private interests or those of his family a fact which I did not fail to note. Moreover, I am a witness of his bravery and firmness.
I have already given the names of the brave gunner's three children who first saw the light at Port Royal. A fourth must have been born in 1712; and I believe I am not departing from the truth when I say that this child was Louis Thomas, better known as Jacau de Fiedmond.
Jean Baptiste, who died at Port Royal April 16, 1730,—a seaman under François Boudrot—was born in 1714. We have already seen that Françoise, born at Port Dauphin, Isle Royale, probably between 1726 and 1730, espoused at Louisbourg, May 19, 1750, Antoine Rodrigue, ship-owner. These are the only children of Thomas Jacau to my knowledge; yet he must have had six or seven others who were born in Cape Breton.
In all probability, having left Port Royal, after the surrender of the fort in the autumn of 1710, Thomas Jacau went with his family to Plaisance, in Newfoundland. There, in my opinion, Louis Thomas was born in 1712. In the following year the garrison of Plaisance was transferred to Louisburg, and Jacau must have returned with them. If we had in this country a copy of the registers of Plaisance and Isle Royale, which are in the Ministry of Marine, at Paris, we should find in them, no doubt, the baptismal and marriage entries of several of Thomas Jacau and Anne Melanson's children.
- ↑ Marie Marguerite Mius was the daugher of Philip Mius, Sieur d' Entreniont, baron of Pobomkou, and of Madeleine Elie.
Peter Mellanson, Sieur of la Verdure, her husband, was one of the first colonists of Mines, where he held the grade of captain of militia. It was there, and not at Port Royal, he lived. The chaplain of the fort is evidently in error in assigning Port Royal as his place of residence. Likewise, it was at Grand Pre that Anne, wife of Thomas Jacau, was born. - ↑ Extract from an unpublished document entitled: "List of the officers of the detached naval troops in Canada, which I have the honor to propose to Mgr. de Berryer, from which to fill by title of grace the vacant places in the last troops."—"Done at Paris, January 7, 1761. (Signed) Vaudreiul."
- ↑ Pichon is here guilty of falsehood; for, not only did Vergor know how to read, but he knew how to write also, since he signed his name at different times on the registers of Port de la Joie and of Louisbourg. At one time he would sign "Vergor du Chambon," at another "Du Chambon de Vergor." We have already seen that his baptismal name was Louis.
- ↑ Wife of Simon de Bonaventure, "captain of a frigate and lieutenant of the King in the province of Acadie."
- ↑ She was sister to Madame Thomas Jacau. Her first husband was Sieur Allain Bugeauld, official notary at Mines. July 30, 1707, she took for second husband Rene LeBlanc, who later was notary at the same place. He is the Rene LeBlanc of Longfellow's "Evangeline." He took to wife in second marriage. November 26, 1720, Marguerite Thebeau, who bore him twenty children. He died at Philadelphia.