The Seigneury of Chipody. A Chapter in the History of Albert County. (Continued)

Newspaper
Year
1886
Month
9
Day
9
Article Title
The Seigneury of Chipody. A Chapter in the History of Albert County. (Continued)
Author
---
Page Number
2
Article Type
Language
Article Contents
The Seigneury of Chipody. A CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF ALBERT COUNTY. (Continued.) During the summer of 1702 the people of the two settlements of Chipoudy and Petitcodiak [Petitcodiac] visited often; on Sundays the young wives, on the arms of their husbands, loitered around the green dykes, and in the evenings gathered at the home of Mother Brossard, whose green old age and voluble spirits gave an inspiration to the scene; her daughter, as full of vivacity as she, but still filled with maidenly reserve, received the attentions of the grave Thibaudeau, a young man of handsome presence, but whose natural seriousness gave to his tenderness a dignified melancholy. At the end of these evenings the young men of Chipoudy lit big torches of resin and reconducted the Petitcodiak people to their river, singing old songs of la belle France, but they did not separate without the aged Thibaudeau had presided at evening prayer and given them his patriarchal benediction. The season went on and Thibaudeau sailed for Port Royale. He had foreseen a war between England and France, and had purchased in Boston, as well as from some vessels that arrived from France, utensils, iron, powder, stuffs, and merchandize for trading purposes for his seigneury, in case the war might interrupt communication. He placed the most valuable in his storehouses, but he had taken the pains during his last visit to construct in the midst of a forest which crowned the highlands, two leagues from the river, behind a little creek that protected it, a strong building of heavy timbers, when they could store merchandize in case of alarm. In that vessel also returned Pierre Pitre, who had been married at Port Royale, an habitant, Germain Savoye, accompanied by two of his sons. Savoye had been long tempted to follow the fortunes of Thibaudeau. He came to visit the country and was charmed with it. He picked out the lands where he wished, later, to settle his children; but circumstances opposed a realization of this hope, and it was not until eight or ten years after that this family was able to settle in this locality, where its descendants were afterwards to increase in great numbers. One can imagine how cordially these new comers were received and feasted. In 1702 the hay harvest was made the occasion of a fete in honor of Thibaudeau; when all was cut and ready to be stored the last waggon, drawn by four oxen, was ornamented with flowers and leaves; the old miller still vigorous, notwithstanding his seventy-four years, raised himself on top with his wife and his future daughter-in-law, while all the young people followed in procession, which was led by Brossard and Savoye. The cortege thus arrived at the manor laughing, singing and frolicking; they were received at the door by Madame Brossard, who after gaily giving her guests the compliments of the occasion, led them to the feast which was laid out on the grass. A few days after the little vessel was ready to sail, and Thibaudeau embarked with his wife, his son Pierre, the Brossards, his future daughter-in-law, and Savage, for Port Royale, where they arrived at the beginning of August, 1702. The first news that met their ears, on going on shore, was that war had been declared between France and England. This hastened their preparations, and in a month the young Thibaudeau and his lady love were married and had set sail for Chipoudy. Old Brossard and his wife, who had just married their eldest son, joined them, and they left, carrying a thousand good wishes from the old town of Port Royale, all the people of whom were their personal friends. These marriages had wafted about Port Royale an atmosphere of good will, of which Monsieur de Villieu profitted, to make Thibaudeau and Blanchard offers of compromise, which they would have been wise to accept. He promised in the name of Monsieur De Valliere to agree to their first proposals, that is to say, to recognize them as proprietors, not only of the lands which they had cleared, but also of the rivers and valleys, which they claimed, if they would admit DeValliere as their Seigneur. A rumour had been afloat that the King's Council had confirmed the pioneers in their possessions, and Monsieur de Villieu sought to "hedge;" this arrangement was for the most part reasonable, while it confirmed the settlers in the ownership of the territories, leaving La Valliere the title of Seigneur—still a very uncertain expectation. But Thibaudeau, who was perhaps a little elevated by the important part he was playing, allowed himself to be governed by motives of vanity, rather than sound reason, refused the compromise and carried with him Godet and Blanchard. It was not until the twentieth of March, 1703, that the Council of State confirmed these settlers their possessions at Chipoudy and Peticoudiak, but with this menacing reserve: "Without judging anything of the seigneurial rights claimed by M. de La Valliere." The news of this judgment gave little joy to Thibaudeau, but his son-in-law, Des Gouttins, the Commissioner of Marine, felt strongly that the decision decided nothing. He resolved therefore, and with pressing persistency, that the seigneurial titles of Chipoudy and Petitcoudiak should be given to Thibaudeau and Blanchard. He was able to forward this demand at once, for notwithstanding the war that raged between France and England, communication was still uninterrupted in the Bay of Fundy; in fact, a letter of Des Gouttins shows that constant communication was kept up till the following spring between the head of the Bay and Port Royale. (To be Continued.)