The Seigneury of Chipody. A Chapter of the History of Albert County.

Newspaper
Year
1886
Month
8
Day
5
Article Title
The Seigneury of Chipody. A Chapter of the History of Albert County.
Author
----
Page Number
2
Article Type
Language
Article Contents
The Seigneury of Chipody. A CHAPTER OT THE HISTORY OF ALBERT COUNTY. (Continued) The two settlements at Hopewell Hill and Petitcodiac were (1700) composed entirely of the sterner sex, and wives were a prime necessity. These were halcyon days in Acadia, for single maids. The census of 1693 shows not a single unmarried woman between the ages of thirty-one and forty in all Acadia, only four unmarried women between twenty and thirty, and only seventeen unmarried ones between the ages of sixteen and twenty. About twenty percent were married before they reached the age of sixteen years, and scarcely any remained unmarried at twenty. Against the contention that that much maligned and injured class, "single females of uncertain age," did not exist in this Arcadian land, is quoted the example of Marie Sale, a single lady living at Port Royal in 1686, aged then 86 years! It would perhaps be taxing even the gallantry of the sons of Acadia to assume they were lacking in devotion to the other sex in not recognizing the ancient charms this venerable female once possessed. It appears, however, she came to settle in Acadia at an age past the three score and ten, when most persons' minds are settling towards their heavenly home. Thibaudeau had taken with him to Chipoudy his wife, Jeanne Terriau, who had borne him eleven children, and who was still vigorous, and presided with one of his daughters over his household; but this was sort of a summer vacation; in the autumn they set out to return to Port Royal, and it was necessary now for some of the young men to obtain help-meets, if the project colonization was to succeed. Fortunately, that event need not long postponed, for several had already intimated they had arranged matters to be consummated the coming winter, and counted upon returning to Port Royal with the miller. The latter satisfied he had his people well established, and on the road to prosperity, longed himself to return to attend to his business affairs. At the beginning of winter he set sail, leaving three of his sons, Pierre, Michel and Charles, with six hired men and one of the Pitre at Hopewell Hill. He found nothing new had occurred at Port Royal; the difficulties stirred up by M. de Villieu were still pending—the decision of the Royal Government had not arrived. Des Gouttins confirmed his father-in-law in his hopes. The latter's sales of his furs aided him efficiently in repaying his disbursements at Chipoudy. One is perhaps astonished to find so little trade in a small district gave satisfactory returns, where De Monts, Poutrincourt, D'Aulnay and Le Borgne and many others had found in traffic only a moderate profit, and often ruinous losses, although they enjoyed a monopoly of the whole country. But it may be stated that the Acadians lived for the most part upon the products of his own labor, and that Thibaudeau's operations were conducted in a manner least expensive and most productive to himself. On his return, Thibeaudeau reoccupied his mill at Pree-Ronde. In the spring of 1701 he forwarded a vessel load of supplies to Chipoudy. Andre and Jacques Martin and Jean Pitre, who had completed the matrimonial business that took them to Port Royal, embarked also with their brides. The arrival of this party at Hopewell Hill was the occasion of great rejoicings. Jacques Martin, who had married a daughter of Jean Francois Brossard, had been accompanied by his father in-law and mother in-law, who wished to note for themselves the character of the country; they were so well satisfied with their observations that he marked out a lot of 300 arponts of land, which they rented under the ordinary conditions with a reserve that Thibaudeau was confirmed in his seigneury. As the timber had the year before been prewired for log houses, each family was soon installed in its own home, and the spring's work went merrily on. It was the same at Petitcoudiack: Blanchard had commenced his clearings the year before and built his houses; he returned there now with all the supplies necessary. Three of his nephews, who had always accompanied him in his expeditions, Antoine, Germain and Guillaume, sons of his brother-in law, Pierre Gaudet, junior, decided to remain with him, and Gaudet himself was persuaded to follow with his whole family. Blanchard and his people worked zealously and successfully during the summer, and in the fall they had a large clearing made, good crops and granary, and barns well stored. That year he left his property in charge of his two sons and his son-in-law Oliver Daigle; he had no longer fears from the isolation of his settlement since Thibaudeau's establishment was regularly formed. In the seigneury of Chipoudy the people were arranged as follows : Two of the sons of Thibaudeau in the fraternal manor-house with hired men; Jean Pitre, Andre Martin and Jacques Martin each in his own house, and with the latter his mother-in-law, who had wished to pass the winter with her daughter recently accouche—the first European birth in Albert County. (To be Continued)