Joseph Charles LeJeune (abt. 1730 - bef. 1818)

Born about 1730 in Acadie

Ancestors

Husband of Martine Leroy — married 5 Nov 1754 in Louisbourg, Isle Royale, Acadie, Nouvelle-France

Descendants

Died before 1818 before about age 88 in Little Bras d'Or, Cape Breton Colony

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Biography

Joseph was born around 1730 as Joseph Charles LeJeune, youngest child of Germain Lejeune and Anne Trahan.

In 1752 the family lived at Baye des Espagnols, Isle Royale (present-day Cape Breton). Joseph was recorded in the census at age 22.^[1] They also appear to be in a second entry.^[2]

He married Martine Le Roy on 5 November 1754 in Louisbourg, Cap-Breton, Nouvelle-Écosse.^[3][4]

Children:

1. Marie Charlotte Lejeune 1759, Notre-Dame-de-Rochefort, France
2. Joseph LeJeune
3. Paul Jean Lejeune 1761, Rochefort, (St-Louis), France
4. Marie LeJeune 1762, Rochefort, (St-Louis), France
5. Marthe Lejeune
6. Elizabeth Lejeune
7. Francois Lejeune
8. Gabriel Lejeune

After the successful invasion of British Forces at the French Fort of Louisbourg in Nova Scotia in 1758, most if not all the family evacuated to France, La Rochelle.^{[citation needed]} They returned after peace was declared and started over again. 1763 - The war ended between the English and the French with the Treaty of Paris signed Feb 10, 1763 which gave England all of France's possessions in North America except for the two small islands of St Pierre and Miquelon off the coast of Newfoundland. Joseph and his family, along with many other Acadians, chose to return to Miquelon. In August of 1766 the French King decided there were too many families on the tiny island and limited the population to forty fishing families.

In 1767, Joseph LeJeune and his wife Martine Roy, along with their two daughters, Henriette and Marthe, son Joseph and niece Marianne Fournier ( who later married Jean Jessome and settled in Little Bras d'Or) made another sea journey, this time to Cape Breton. Marianne's mother was Martine Roy's sister, Marie Josephe Roy who had married Jean Fournier in Louisbourg. At the same time returning were Charles Roy and his brother Alexi Roy. The family began again in Little Bras d'Or where they had some relatives.

The late 1760s were hard years for the people of Cape Breton and Joseph was not a farmer by trade. He was extracted from his native land when only a young married man. He had learned the mariner's trade in exile in the coastal ports of France. In 1777, with the increase in trade at St Pierre and Miquelon, Joseph and Martine decided to return there. The 1778 census of Miquelon shows the LeJeune family: Joseph, his wife and seven children with their orphaned niece Marianne Fournier.

It was the time of the American Revolution and France sided with the Americans. England considered the two small French Islands so near the English territories a great threat. On Sep 14, 1778, the English governor of Nfld sent three frigates and an armed vessel to evacuate the islands. It was déja vu for the Acadians.

The English burned the buildings, ships and storehouses. The population did not even have time to pack clothing for the sea journey before them. Joseph, Martine and their family spent five years in exile in LaRochelle, in the province of Aunis, France.

In 1783 by the Treaty of Versailles, the American Revolution was ended and England gave Miquelon back to France. The LeJeunes, along with their daughter Marie Henriette, her husband and step-children lost no time in returning to Miquelon. They lived in Miquelon for one year when, after the death of Marie Henriette's husband, the family decided to move back home to Little Bras d'Or.

Research Notes

Joseph died about 1825 in North East Margaree, Inverness, Colony of Nova Scotia, aged about 95. ^{[citation needed]}

Death date of before 1818 research notes:

In a petition for land in 1805, Joseph LeJeune asked for Lot 5 in the French Village in Little Bras d'Or on which he was living. In his Will, dated 1806, Joseph named his youngest son Gabriel as the recipient of his land and all it's buildings. In an approved grant dated 1808, Joseph received Lot 5 for which he petitioned in 1805. In June of 1818 a grant was approved for Gabriel LeJeune for the Lot 5 land which his parents had lived on. It is believed that Gabriel had to reapply for the Lot 5 land on his father's death as the Will was dated 1806 before the land was granted to his father in 1808 thus making the Will null and void.

Other possible children list added for research purposes:

• Marcel Walter Landry page for Joseph Lejeune at Généalogie des Landry à travers le monde, accessed March 2021 (Login required)

1. Pierre Lejeune, n. 3 nov 1757, Louisbourg, Cap-Breton (could not find baptism record)
2. Charles Lejeune, b. 22 déc 1766, Miquelon, St-Pierre-et-Miquelon
3. Joseph dit Jos Le Calfat Lejeune, n. Vers 1768, Miquelon, St-Pierre-et-Miquelon
4. Radegonde dite Élisabeth Lejeune, n. 4 déc 1770, Petite-Brador, Cap-Breton
5. Alexis dit Young Lejeune, n. Vers 1773
6. Marie Anne Lejeune, n. 28 mai 1779, La Rochelle

Sources

1. ↑ Census: Apr 1752 Baye des Espagnols, , Isle Royale, Acadia. LaRoque census. Page: p. 46

   Germain LE JEUNE, ploughman, native of la Cadie, aged 50 [sic] years. Married to Marie GUÉDRY, native of la Cadie, aged 40 years. They have been in the county for 18 months, and have been given rations. They have four sons and one daughter:
   Joseph, aged 22 years;
   Chrisostome, aged 12 years;
   Germain, aged 11 years;
   Paul, aged 5 years;
   Margueritte, aged 16 years.
   One cow and one pig. The dwelling which they have improved, was given them only verbally by Messieurs DESHERBIERS and PREVOST. They have made a clearing where half a barrel of wheat could be sown; they have sown cabbage, turnips, beans and pumpkins, all of which came up in great abundance. In addition, they have made a large piece of uncultivated land of about 6 or 7 arpents in extent.

2. ↑ acadian-home 1752 Census - Île Royale page 21

   "The Baye des Espagnols

   Germain LeJeune, ploughman, native of la Cadie, aged 50.
   

   Married to Marie Guedry, native of la Cadie, aged 40 years. In this country for 18 months.
   

   Joseph, aged 22 years -
   Chrisostime, aged 12 years -
   Germain, aged 11 years -
   Paul, aged 5 years -
   Margueritte, aged 16 years
   

   The dwelling which they have improved given verbally by Messrs. Desherbiers and Prevost."

3. ↑ Karen Theriot Reader Martine citing Vacherie: St. James Parish, Louisiana. History and Genealogy, 2nd ed.y, 2nd ed. - Elton J. Oubre - Thibodaux, LA: Oubre's Books, 2002 - p. 496 - In the Chapel Royalle de Saint Louis in Louisbourg, Joseph LEJEUNE of Acadia, living at Espagnol, son of Germain & Marie TRAHANT, married Martine LeROY, also of Acadia, daughter of Charles LEROY & Marie CHANVAT (Microfilm, 80).
4. ↑ White, Stephen A. "A Closer Look at Some Records", Stephen A. White and Lucie LeBlanc Consentino for the Acadian & French Canadian Ancestral Home 2007 - Present Marriage

   Mariage de Joseph leJeune et de Martine LeRoy Ce jour cinquième Novembre mille sept cent cinquante et quatre Je soussigné, après la publication de trois bans faits au prône de la Grand-Messe les dimanches vingtième jour d’octobre, le vingt et septième et le troisième Novembre pour le futur mariage Entre Joseph leJeune originaire de l’Acadie Evêché de Québec et actuellement habitant de l’Espagnole fils legitime de germain Et de marie trahan d’une part; Et Martine LeRoy aussi originaire de Lacadie fille de Charles LeRoy et de Marie Chauvet d’autre part Et ne s’etant trouvé aucun Empêchement j’ay reçu Leur mutuel consentement de mariage de parole Et de present Et Leur ay donné la bénédiction nuptiale avec les Cérémonies ordinaires de notre mere la Ste. Eglise En presence des parents Et témoins qui ont signé avec nous dans la Chapelle Royale de St. Louis tenant lieu de paroisse à Louis-Bourg les ds. Jour Et an que dessus.

   /s/ Louis gautier

   marques de l’Epoux (X) Et de L’Epouse (X) approuvées par moy

   /s/ fr Clement Rosselin R. R. et Curé

   /s/ chorcheri

   /s/ fransois commer

   Translation:

   Marriage of Joseph Lejeune and Martine LeRoy. This day the fifth of November one thousand seven hundred fifty-four, I the undersigned, after the publication of three banns made at the sermons of the high Masses on Sundays the twentieth day of October, the twenty-seventh, and the third of November for the future marriage between Joseph Lejeune, originally from Acadia in the diocese of Québec and presently residing at Espagnole, legitimate son of Germain and Marie Trahan, on the one side; and Martine LeRoy, also originally from Acadia, daughter of Charles LeRoy and Marie Chauvet, on the other side, and there not having been found any impediment, have personally witnessed their mutual verbal consent to marriage and have given them the nuptial blessing with the usual ceremonies of our mother the Holy Church, in the presence of the relatives and witnesses who have signed with us in the Royal Chapel of St. Louis serving as the parish church at Louisbourg, on the day and year as above.

   /s/ Louis gautier

   marks of the groom (X) and the bride (X) approved by me

   /s/ Br. Clement Rosselin, R. R. and pastor

   /s/ chorcheri

   /s/ fransois commer

• Vachon, Andre-Carl. L'histoire de la famille acadienne des Lejeune dit Briard. Sainte-Adele (Quebec), Klemt editition, 2014.
• Butt, Kirk.R., Early Settlers of Bay St. George, Volume 1, Revised Fifth Edition(Oshawa, On; Boonen Books, 2013) pages 259-264
• Francis Lejeune Young Land, Bras d'or Indian Village Band Association https://web.archive.org/web/20190203184034/http://brasdorindianvillagebandassociation.yolasite.com/francis-lejeune-young-land-grant.php [webpage archived by Wayback Machine in 2019]
• Genealogical Listing of Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nations complied by Scott Garnier
• Geneanet.org. Karen Theriot Reader Family Tree. page for Joseph Lejeune
• Marcel Walter Landry, Page for Joseph Lejeune, Généalogie des Landry à travers le monde, accessed March 2022 (login required)