Pioneer Families

The colonization of New France really took off in 1632 when the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye relinquished Acadie, then a English possession, to France. The colonizing mission was entrusted to Isaac de Razilly, Lieutenant Governor of New France and Governor of Acadie. Razilly brought with him to Acadie close to 300 people, who are the ancestors of many Acadians today. Towards the end of the 17th century, the Acadian population increased – the 1670 census counted sixty families, totalling around 300 inhabitants – and given the fact that land fit for cultivation was decreasing, certain Acadians left the Port-Royal region to establish new villages. Hence, the village of Beaubassin was established in 1671, those of Grand-Pré and Pigiguit in 1680, Chipoudie in 1698, and Cobeguit and Petcoudiac the following year. The Blanchard, Boudrot, Bourgeois, Brun, Comeau, Daigle, Doucet, Gaudet, Hébert, Landry, LeBlanc, Léger, Melanson, Pitre, Saulnier, Savoie, Thériault and Thibodeau families were amongst the pioneers.
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