Pierre Arseneau (abt. 1650 - bef. 1714)

Born about 1650 in France

Husband of Marguerite Dugas — married about 1675 in Port-Royal, Acadie, Nouvelle-France [uncertain]

Husband of Marie Guérin — married about 1685 in Port Royal, Acadie, Nouvelle-France

Descendants

Died before 1714 before about age 64 in Beaubassin, Acadie, Colony of Nova Scotia [uncertain]

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Biography

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Pierre Arseneau migrated from France to Acadia.

One of the largest Acadian families stems from one pioneer,^[1] Pierre Arsenau, born around 1646^[2] or 1650^[3] in France.^[2] According to Stephen A. White, his parents are not known and his place of birth isn't known beyond France.^[3]

He embarked from Rochefort on l'Oranger^[4] He likely arrived at Port-Royal Acadia (Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada) shortly after the Census of 1671.^[5]

He was a coastal pilot.^{[6][7][8][9][10]}

Around 1672, Pierre collaborated with Jacques Bourgeois to found the colony "Bourgeois," which became Beaubassin (Amherst, NS).^[11][4]

Pierre had two wives.^[6]

Pierre (24) married Marguerite Dugas (17) (born about 1657 in Port-Royal, Acadie, Nouvelle-France; daughter of Abraham Dugas and Marguerite Doucet) in 1675 in Port-Royal, Acadie. Their known children were:

1. Pierre Arseneau (abt. 1676–aft. 1735) .
2. Abraham Arseneau (abt. 1678–bef. 1760)

On Sept 26, 1683, Pierre made a deposition against James Taylor of Boston that he came and stole from him and others from Port Royal^[12]

Marguerite died and around 1685-1687.

Pierre (34) married Marie Guérin (22) (born about 1662 in Port-Royal, Acadie; daughter of François Guérin and Anne Blanchard) in 1685 in Port Royal, Acadie.^[3][13] Their known children were:

1. Charles Arseneau (abt. 1690–bef. 1740) .
2. Jacques Arseneau (abt. 1692–abt. 1745) .
3. François Arseneau (abt. 1694–1757) .
4. Anne Arseneau (abt. 1697–bef. 1700) .
5. Claude Arseneau (abt. 1699–abt. 1750) .
6. Augustin Arseneau (abt. 1700– ) .
7. Abraham Arseneau (abt. 1702–abt. 1754)

In 1686, at Port Royal, Pierre ARSENAULT, aged 40 [sic], was living with his second wife, Marie GUERIN, aged 24, and 2 children from his first marriage to Marguerite Dugas: Pierre, aged 10, and Abraham, aged 8. The family also had property in Chiqnitou dit Beaubassin. There they owned 1 gun, 30 arpents of cultivable land with 8 cattle, 4 sheep and 8 hogs.^[14]

A few years after their marriage, they moved to Beaubassin and their first two children had arrived.^[15] Still in Beaubassin, more children, including their only daughter Anne, were born.^[16] Unfortunately, by 1700 their only daughter Anne, had died and appears on no further censuses.^[17] Soon, the two boys from his first wife were grown and had left home, and the family is complete.^[18][19][20]

During the time Pierre and Marie were raising their family, England and France were at war twice: 1687-1697 War of the League of Augsburg (King William’s War); and, 1702-1713 War of the Spanish Succession (Queen Anne’s War).^[21][22] During that time, the family would have witnessed the effects of two English raids at Beaubassin by Benjamin Church:

In 1696, Church's raid lasted 9 days. Once the English ships were seen, the inhabitants fled, carrying their more valuable possessions. Church recorded that the settlers’ ”cattle sheep, hogs, and dogs” were left ”lying dead about their houses, chopped and hacked with hatches". The church and some of the houses were also burnt.^[21]. The second raid took place in 1702: "The Acadians were in arms and an indecisive skirmish ensued. After the Acadians retreated into the woods, Church and his men found that the inhabitants had removed as much of their household and farm goods as possible. Church set the buildings on fire... and killed about 100 cattle before leaving to return to Boston."^[21]

They must have worked hard to recover their losses because by 1707 they had animals on their land again.^[20]

Then by 1714 the five youngest boys were at home and Marie was a widow.^[23][3] He possibly died in 1710.^[11]

Timeline

c1650 birth

c1675 marriage to Marguerite Dugas

c1676 birth, son Pierre

c1678 birth, son Abraham

c1685 marriage to Maire Guérin

1686 residence, Port-Royal

c1687 moves to Beaubassin^[11]

1687 War of the League of Augsburg (King William’s War) starts between England and France^[21]

c1690 birth, son Charles

c1692 birth, son Jacques

1690 Phipps captures and sacks Port-Royal, coerces inhabitants' oaths of allegiance to English Crown, sets up local Peacekeeping Council and leaves within 12 days.^[24][25][26] Seamen from two ships later loot and burn between 28 and 35 homes/habitations including the parish church.^[22]

1693 residence, Beaubassin

c1694 birth, son François

1696 Benjamin Church raids Beaubassin. Once the English ships were seen, the inhabitants fled, carrying their more valuable possessions. The church was burned and animals were slaughtered.^[21]

1697 Treaty of Ryswick restores Acadia to France; Port-Royal is its capital.^[22]

c1697 birth, daughter Anne

1698 residence, Beaubassin

c1699 birth, son Claude (dit Ambroise)

c1700 residence, Beaubassin

c1701 birth, son Augustin

c1702 birth, son Abraham (dit le Petit Abram)

1702 War of the Spanish Succession (Queen Anne’s War) starts between England and France.^[22]

1704: Church raids Beaubassin again. The church was burned and animals were slaughtered.^[21]

c1710 death at Beaubassin^[11] or before 1714^[3]

Biographie

Pierre Arsenau est né vers 1646^[2] ou 1650^[3] en France.^[2]. Selon Stephen A. White, son lieu d'origine n'est pas connu.^[3][2] Son arrivé a Port-Royal semble être après le recensement de 1671. Il était un pilote côtier.^[6]

Vers 1672, Pierre collabora avec Jacques Bourgeois pour fonder la colonie Bourgeois, qui devint Beaubassin.^[11]

Pierre s'est marié deux fois.^[6] Il épousa Marguerite Dugas, fille de Abraham Dugas et de Marguerite Doucet, vers 1675. Le couple a eu deux fils: Pierre (n. vers 1676) et Abraham (n. vers 1678).^[3]

Le 26 sept 1683, Pierre a fait une déposition contre James Taylor de Boston qui était venu le voler ainsi que quelques autres de Port Royal.^[12]

Vers 1685, Pierre a convolé avec Marie Guérin, fille de François Guérin et d'Anne Blanchard, qui lui a donné six autres fils (Charles, Jacques, François, Claude (dit Ambroise), Augustin, et Abraham ) et une fille (Anne).^[3]

Pierre est mort avant 1714.^[3]

Research Notes

Birth and yDNA: Savard has his birth at about 1646^[2] presumably because it is consistent with the 1671 Census where he is 40 years of age. Stephen White uses 1650^[3] presumably because it is consistent with the later census of 1693, 1698, and 1700. We have put the date as 1646 to conform with Savard and to avoid confusion when searching the FTDNA site, which lists y-DNA results of Pierre Arsenault b. 1646 here.

Parents: Pierre's parents are unknown. Some believe Abraham and Marguerite Doucet are his parents, but evidence supporting this has not been found.

2nd Marriage. Minor discrepancy. Stephen White's DGFA p 23 lists marriage 'before 1686' (presumably because they are together in the 1686 census), but, his 37 familles paper lists it as 'around 1685'.

Sources

1. ↑ Geneviève Massignon, "Les parlers français d'Acadie, enquête linguistique" (Paris: Librairie Klincksieck, 1962) p. 42.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} Savard, Denis. "Dictionnaire généalogique des familles Arsenault ", Sainte-Foy, Québec : Editions MultiMondes, 2000, p. 628.
3. ↑ ^{3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10} White, Stephen A., Patrice Gallant, and Hector-J Hébert. Dictionnaire Généalogique Des Familles Acadiennes. Moncton, N.-B.: Centre D'études Acadiennes, Université De Moncton, 1999, Print, pp.23-24

   Pierre ARSENEAU , born around 1650, a pilot, married 1st around 1675 to Marguerite DUGAS, daughter of Abraham & Marguerite DOUCET; two children. He married 2nd before the census of 1686 to Marie GUÉRIN, daughter of Francois & Anne BLANCHARD; seven children.

4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Title: BMS & NMD de Sauzon 1617 - 1901.

   PIERRE ARSENAULT, born in France in 1646, arrived in Acadie in the spring of 1671 aboard the ship l'Oranger, which had raised anchor from La Rochelle, France. He was brought over from France by Jacques Bourgeois, and became his ship's pilot for his coastal trade. Pierre worked right alongside Jacques in founding "Bourgeois Colony," which became Beaubassin, now Amherst, Nova Scotia.

5. ↑ Tim Hebert; Transcription of the 1671 Acadian Census, at Port-Royal, Acadie. 1671 Census Transcribed. The original census can be found at Census microfilm C-2572 of the National Archives of Canada “Acadie Recensements 1671 – 1752,” Images 3-14;

   Not listed, apparently not arrived yet.

6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3} White, Stephen A. La généalogie des trente-sept familles hôtesses des Retrouvailles 94, online articles, Les Cahiers de la Société historique acadienne, vol. 25, nos 2 et 3 (1994), Arsenault p. 1

   Pierre ARSENAULT, coastal pilot, married 1st around 1675 to Marguerite DUGAS, daughter of Abraham & Marguerite DOUCET; two sons. He married DOUCET; two sons. He married 2nd around 1685 to 2nd around 1685 to Marie GUÉRIN, daughter of Francois & Anne BLANCHARD ; six sons & one daughter.

7. ↑ IMMIGRATION: ACADIAN GENEALOGY EXCHANGE, vol. 2, no. 9, p . 4.

   Pierre ARSENAULT was almost certainly one of the 60 persons sent by Rochefort to Acadia in 1671. ...This surname was also prevalent in the Poitou and Charentes regions of France.

8. ↑ Bona Arsenault, History of the Acadians: 1605-1881, English translation (Ottawa, Lemeac, 1978) p. 47.

   Pierre ARSENAULT (ARCENEAUX) arrived in 1671 with the first contingent of French settlers since the English occupation of 1654; he became pilot for Jacques BOURGEOIS in his coastal trade.

9. ↑ Paul Arsenault, "The ARSENAULT Family and its Origins," in Le Reveil Acadien, vol. 12, no. 4 (Nov 1996) p. 80.

   Pierre ARSENAULT was born in France around 1650, arrived at Port-Royal around 1671. He worked as a boat pilot for doctor Jacques BOURGEOIS. He married twice, and settled in 1686 as seigneur of a concession at Beaubassin.

10. ↑ Robert C. West, AN ATLAS OF LOUISIANA SURNAMES OF FRENCH AND SPANISH ORIGIN; 1600-1981; (Baton Rouge, LA: La. State Univ., 1986) p. 17.

    Pierre ARSENAULT arrived in Port Royal, Acadia from France in 1671. He helped establish a settlement there at Beaubassin (Footnote: Arsenault, HISTOIRE ET GENEALOGIE). Though most Louisiana families with the name descend from him, there was also a Michel ARSENAULT married to Marie-Anne ANDRÉ, a native of Cap de Madeleine near Quebec, living on the German Coast (St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana) at least by 1752.

11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4} Arsenault, Bona. "Histoire et généalogie des Acadiens", Le Conseil de la vie française en Amerique, Québec, 1965, p. 525.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} Déposition de sept 1683, France, Archives du Ministère des Affaires Étrangères, Correspondance politique Angleterre, 1683-1685, MG 5, A 1, vol. 151 Folios 108r
13. ↑ "Marriage registers of Madawaska," in ACADIAN GENEALOGY EXCHANGE; vol. XXX, no. 1 (May 2001); p. 34. Pierre ARSENEAULT & Marie GUERIN married 1687.
14. ↑ Tim Hebert; Transcription of the 1686 Acadian Census, at Port-Royal, Acadie 1686 Census Transcribed. The original census can be found at Acadian Census microfilm C-2572 of the National Archives of Canada “Acadie Recensements 1671 – 1752,” Images 15-60;

    at Port-Royal: Pierre ARSENAULT 40, Marie GUERIN 24; children: Pierre 10, Abraham 8.

    and

    at Chiqnitou dit Beaubassin: ARSENAULT who resides in Port Royal owns in the seigneurie of Beaubassin: 1 gun, 30 arpents, 8 cattle, 4 sheep and 6 hogs. In the 1686 censuses at Port Royal and Chiqnitou dit Beaubassin, Arseneau was listed as Arsenault.

15. ↑ Tim Hebert; Transcription of the 1693 Acadian Census, at Port-Royal, Acadie 1693 Census Transcribed. The original census can be found at Acadian Census microfilm C-2572 of the National Archives of Canada “Acadie Recensements 1671 – 1752,” Images 62-108;

    at Beaubassin: Pierre ARSENAULT 43, Marie GUERIN his wife 30, Pierre 16, Abraham 14, Charles 3, Jacques 1; 14 cattle, 10 sheep, 5 hogs, 8 arpents, 2 guns.

16. ↑ Tim Hebert; Transcription of the 1698 Acadian Census, at Port-Royal, Acadie 1698 Census Transcribed. The original census can be found at Acadian Census microfilm C-2572 of the National Archives of Canada “Acadie Recensements 1671 – 1752”, Images 110-150

    at Beaubassin: Pierre ARSENAU 48; Marie GUERIN (wife) 36; Abraham 20; Charles 9; Jacques 7; Francois 4; Anne 1; 12 cattle, 6 sheep, 5 hogs, 21 arpents, 2 guns.

17. ↑ Tim Hebert; Transcription of the 1700 Acadian Census, at Port-Royal, Acadie 1700 Census Transcribed. The original census can be found at Acadian Census microfilm C-2572 of the National Archives of Canada “Acadie Recensements 1671 – 1752,” Images 151-173;

    at Beaubassin: Piere AARSONNEAU [Arseneau] 50; Marie GUERIN (wife) 38; Abraham 22; Charles 11; Jacques 8; François 6; Claude 1; 16 cattle, 13 sheep, 12 hogs, 24 arpents, 4 guns.

18. ↑ Tim Hebert; Transcription of the 1701 Acadian Census, at Port-Royal, Acadie 1701 Census Transcription. The original census can be found at Acadian Census microfilm C-2572 of the National Archives of Canada “Acadie Recensements 1671 – 1752,” Images 174-211;

    at Beaubassin: Pierre ARSENEAU, his wife, 6 boys, 12 arpents, 20 cattle, 15 sheep, 12 hogs, 5 guns.

19. ↑ Tim Hebert; Transcription of the 1703 Acadian Census, at Port-Royal, Acadie 1703 Census Transcription. The original census can be found at Acadian Census microfilm C-2572 of the National Archives of Canada “Acadie Recensements 1671 – 1752,” Images 212-220;

    at Beaubassin: Pierre ARSENEAU, his wife, 6 boys, 2 arms bearers.

20. ↑ ^{20.0 20.1} Tim Hebert; Transcription of the 1707 Acadian Census, at Port-Royal, Acadie 1707 Census Transcription. The original census can be found at Acadian Census microfilm C-2572 of the National Archives of Canada “Acadie Recensements 1671 – 1752,” Images 221-237;

    at Beaubassin: Pierre ARSENAULT and Marie GUERIN 2 boys 14 or older, 4 younger boys; 8 arpents, 16 cattle, 16 sheep, 12 hogs.

21. ↑ ^{21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5} Griffiths, Naomi E.S., From migrant to Acadian: a North-American border people, 1604-1755 (Montreal, Québec: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2005) pp.147-151 (King William’s War); p.164 (1696 Church raid of Beaubassin); p. 208 (1704 Church’s Raid on Beaubassin)); pp. 267-268 (oaths of allegiance)
22. ↑ ^{22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3} Dunn, Brenda. A History of Port Royal / Annapolis Royal 1605-1800. Nimbus Publishing, p44-45 (1697 Treaty of Ryswick); p52-53(1702 Queen Anne’s War); p82-85(1710 Siege of PR).
23. ↑ Tim Hebert; Transcription of the 1714 Acadian Census, at Port-Royal, Acadie 1714 Census Transcription. The original census can be found at Acadian Census microfilm C-2572 of the National Archives of Canada “Acadie Recensements 1671 – 1752,” Images 239-261;

    at Beaubassin: The Widow ARSENEAU; Children: Jacques, Francois, Claude, Abraham, Augustin.

24. ↑ C.P.Stacey, “PHIPS, SIR WILLIAM,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1 (Toronto: University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003) accessed November 20, 2013
25. ↑ Biography of William Phipps
26. ↑ C.Bruce Fergusson,“LA TOURASSE, CHARLES,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1, (University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003) accessed November 20, 2013

See also:

• The Genealogy of the Thirty-seven Host Families of Homecoming 94
• BIRTH-NAME-IMMIGRATION-MARRIAGES-CHILDREN-RESIDENCES: Bona Arsenault, HISTOIRE ET GENEALOGIE DES ACADIENS; 1625-1810 ; Ottawa, Editions Lemeac, 1978, 6 vols.; p. 393 (Port Roya l) & pp. 827-828 (Beaubassin); own copy.

  Name spelled ARSENAULT (also ARCENEAUX and many variants mentioned in footnote), born 1646, arrived in Acadia from France in 1671, married 1st around 1675 to Marguerite DUGAS of Port Royal; two children. He married 2nd around 1689 [sic] to Marie GUERIN of Port Royal; seven children listed. Pierre collaborated closely with Jacques BOURGEOIS in the foundation of the colony Bourgeois, which became Beaubassin, where he settled around 1687 with his family. Long footnotes discuss another Canadian branch of the ARSENAULTs, and the variant name spellings. Pierre died at Beaubassin around 1710.

• FAMILY-NAME: Raymond Douville, "Une branche canadienne des familles Arseneault," in MEMOIRES DE LA SOCIETE GENEALOGI QUE CANADIENNE-FRANCAISE, vol. 3, no. 4 (Jun 1949), pp. 222 -224. Discusses a Canadian line, begun by Francois ARSENEAULT who apparently arrived in 1664 or 1665, with his wife Suzanne LECOMPTE, who died after having given birth to a son Michel on 24 Dec 1666. Michel married on 24 Nov 1689 at Cape Madeleine to Marie-Magdeleine LEBLANC, daughter of Nicolas & Magdeleine LABRIE. [Are these families related?]
• RESIDENCES: LE REVEIL ACADIEN; vol. XIII, no. 2 (May 1997) ; p. 50. Followup information from F. Rene' PERRON of LES A MITIE'S ACADIENNES. A document he found in the National Archives of Paris (Reference: Minutier Central des Notaires parisiens; Notaire Michel de Beauvais (XCVI-46); Date: 12 Jun 1646). It concerns the cutting of wood in the forest of Closse', a de'pendant of Bonne'table, one of the fiefs of the Comtesse of Soissons, Anne de MONTAFFIE', the widow of Charles de Bourbon, viceroy of New France at his death in 1612. She had died in 1644. On second page: "Michel LARSONNEAU Sieur des Challongieres, one of the adjudicary associate s of these woods, absent at the redaction of this act, an d respresented by Denis COURTIN Sieur de la Trolandiere." L es Challongieres is at Challonges, a village annexed from t he actual commune of Seyssel on the Rhone, and from the district of St-Julien-dGe'ne'vois. Among the heirs of the Comtesse was Prince Thomas de SAVOYE de Carignan.
• Dictionnaire genealogiquee des familles Arsenault by Denis J. Savard