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Parents and Precise Origin Unknown. Renée Breau's parents are unknown at this time. Exact location in France of her birth and marriage also not known. Some trees and Find A Grave name Renée Breau and Marie Renaulme, but there are no sources or citations and therefore her parents and precise origin in France are considered to be unknown (as reported in the sources cited below).
Biography
Renée Breau migrated from France to Acadia.
Marie Renée Breau was born in France around 1616. She was said to be 55 at the time of the Port-Royal census of 1671. No parents were given by White.[1]
Around 1644 Renée Breau married Vincent Brun. Between 1645 and 1658 Renée gave birth to five children: Madeleine, Andrée, Françoise, Sébastien, and Marie (Sébastien). The first two children were born in La Chausée, France.[1]
The family likely arrived in Acadia after the baptism of their daughter Andrée in France, in August 1646, and before the birth of their 3rd daughter Françoise estimated in 1652, in Acadie.[2]
Recorded on the Port-Royal Census of 1671 are the following:[3]
In 1654 Port-Royal was captured by Robert Sedgwick, who led 300 British soldiers and volunteers.[5]
"The [French] soldiers at Port-Royal, who numbered about 130 … put up a brief defence against Sedgwick. Setting up an ambush between the landing site of the English troops and the fort, the Frenchmen fired on the attackers but proved no match for the experienced Roundheads. The French soon "took their heels to ye Fort." On August 16 the fort surrendered... Sedgwick granted honourable terms, allowing the defenders to march out of the fort with flags flying, drums beating, and muskets at the ready. The soldiers and employees working at the fort were offered transportation back to France and given enough pelts to cover their wages."[6]
Although the commander of Port-Royal left for France, most Acadians, including the Brun family, remained in Acadia. They were permitted to retain their land and belongings and were guaranteed religious freedom.[6] Dunn describes life in Acadia during the 16 years of nominal British rule:
"During the years of British rule, most of the Port-Royal population moved upriver away from the town. Using the agricultural practices initiated under D'Aulnay, the Acadians dyked and cultivated extensive salt marshes along the river and raised livestock. Through necessity, residents had reached an accommodation with New England traders who had become their sole source for the goods that they could not produce themselves... New England traders exchanged their goods for Acadian produce and furs... There were seventy to eighty families in the Port-Royal area in 1665."
By 1671 the British had ceded Acadia to France and French settlement resumed.[7] Around 1671[8], the family homestead had five arpents[9] under cultivation and they had 10 cattle and 4 sheep. Their farm was likely situated several miles from the fort on the north bank of the Dauphin (Annapolis River) to the east of the Belleisle Marsh.[1][10]
Sometime before the 1678 Census Renée died, likely at Port-Royal.[11]
1636 D'Aulnay brings the first French families to settle permanently[13][6]
c1644 Marriage to Vincent Brun
1645 Birth of daughter, Madeleine, in Chausée France
1646 Birth of daughter, Andrée, in Chausée France
c1653 Birth of daughter Francoise
1654 British capture Port-Royal; French settlement ceases.[14]
c1655 Birth of son Sébastien
c1658 Birth of daughter Marie (Sebastienne)
1667-70 Treaty of Breda cedes Acadia to the French; settlement resumes.[15]
1671 Residence, Port-Royal
before 1678 Death, Port-Royal
DNA
The Mothers of Acadia Maternal DNA project is conducting ongoing research to verify their origins. Stephen White reports Marie Renée Breau had a Haplogroup H13a1a4. Ongoing test results are also reported here. All descendants have consistently reported an H haplogroup, indicating European origins.
REMOVED FROM DATABASE BIRTH PLACE FIELD: (or 1609 or 1617 or 1619 or 18 Apr 1618 or 1626) Annapolis, Acadia, Canada or La Chausse, Martaize, Loudun, Vienne, Poitou-Charentes, France or Rennes, Ille-et-Vilaine, Bretagne, France
Sources
↑ 1.01.11.2 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. 270-272
Bona Arsenault, HISTOIRE ET GENEALOGIE DES ACADIENS; 1625-1810; Ottawa, Editions Lemeac, 1978, 6 vols.; p. 474 (Port Royal); own copy. Vincent BRUN , born in 1616, originally from La Chaussée (reference to Genevieve Massignon, LES PARLERS FRANCAIS D'ACADIE, vol. 1, p. 53+ as well as the journal LA SOCIETE HISTORIQUE ACADIENNE). Vincent arrived in Acadia around 1648, having married around 1644 to Renée BROT; five children listed, born from 1645 to 1659.
↑ Sulte, Benjamin. Histoire des canadiens-français, 1608-1880 : origine, histoire, religion, guerres, découvertes, colonisation, coutumes, vie domestique, sociale et politique, développement, avenir (1882). Montréal, Wilson & cie, éditeurs, 1882-1884, vol 4. p. 151 Archive.org
↑ 6.06.16.2 Dunn, Brenda. A History of Port Royal / Annapolis Royal 1605-1800. Nimbus Publishing, p 23-24(1654 Capture of Port-Royal); p25-27;29 (the English period 1654-1670)"
↑ 1707 homestead location of farms of Sebastien and Abraham Brun. In Au Coeur de l'Acadie Acadian Settlement on the Annapolis River 1707 Map Parks Canada
↑ Tim Hebert; 1678 Port Royal Acadian Census noting that the correlations for this census were done by Rev. Clarence J. d'Entremont, Fairhaven, Massachusetts.1678 Census
Vincent Brun Widower, Bastien Brun & Huguette Bourg, 1 boy age 1 born 1677;1 girl age 2 born 1676, 6 acres 8 cattle.
NOTE: Find A Grave names René Breau and Marie Renaulme as the parents of Renée Breau but there are no sources to support this claim. Her parents are unknown.Find A Grave: Memorial #140083229
DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Renée by comparing test results with other carriers of her mitochondrial DNA.
Mitochondrial DNA test-takers in the direct maternal line:
Breau-664 and Breau-4 appear to represent the same person because: Same date of birth, same husband, same daughter Françoise. She died before 1678 because Vincent was listed as a widower on a census that year.
There are no reliable sources proving the identity of her parents so they are considered to be unknown and need to be removed. Thanks!
Brot-14 and Breau-4 appear to represent the same person because: Same last name phonetic spelling. Same spouse. No dates on Brot-14 to conflict. Same daughter in proposed merge.
In the profile, the marriage to Vincent Brun took place about 1644 in France, the birth of son Andrée Brun in France on 21 Aug 1646, the birth of Françoise in Acadia about 1652, and the arrival to Acadia between 1636 and 1637.
From her husband Vincent's profile research notes, "Between 1636 and 1637, the family likely arrived in Acadia. Note: this statement hasn't been verified and is probably not correct"
With the 1636/7 statement of arrival unproven, should it be left as a research note and replaced in the bio with an estimated migration date of being after 21 Aug 1646 and before 1652?
This profile needs some TLC by somebody in the know. What is the evidence for identifying her parents? Perhaps the documentation exists, but all I see on the Internet is repeated claims without citations. Same for husband Vincent Brun.
There are no reliable sources proving the identity of her parents so they are considered to be unknown and need to be removed. Thanks!
From her husband Vincent's profile research notes, "Between 1636 and 1637, the family likely arrived in Acadia. Note: this statement hasn't been verified and is probably not correct"
With the 1636/7 statement of arrival unproven, should it be left as a research note and replaced in the bio with an estimated migration date of being after 21 Aug 1646 and before 1652?
edited by Peter Geary
Vincent at 31 & Marie Bourg at 14 1660
Born: 1646 about
Death: 19 September 1730 - Age: 84 Parish/City: Port-Royal, Acadie, Canada