| Thomas Cormier is an Acadian. Join: Acadians Project Discuss: ACADIA |
Contents |
NOTICE: this profile is protected by the Acadian Project because he is the patriarch of the Cormier Acadian family. Please contact the Acadian Project before making any substantive changes. Thanks for helping make WikiTree the best site for accurate information.
One of the largest Acadian families[1] stems from one pioneer named Thomas Cormier[2].
Thomas Cormier was born in France around 1636 to parents Robert Cormier and Marie Péraud.[3]
In 1644, Thomas' father Robert, who was a masters ship carpenter at La Rochelle France, signed a contract to take the family to Fort St-Pierre, l'ile du Cap-Breton, Acadia, arriving on the ship Le Petit Saint Pierre.[2][3][4] His father had agreed to work there for three years. It is not known what happened to Thomas' parents or brother Jean after they arrived in St-Pierre. Around 1668 Thomas married Marie Madeleine Girouard, daughter of François Girouard and Jeanne Aucoin.[3] In 1671, 35 year old Thomas was living in Port-Royal, Acadia with Marie and their first child.[3][5][6] Like his father, he was a carpenter.
In the 1670's, the available farmland at Port-Royal was diminishing and some Acadians established new villages such as at Beaubassin.[7] Thomas and Marie Madeleine were among the first settlers of Beaubassin. Around 1679 Thomas claimed the large marsh area in the second loop of the River of the Planks (Rivière des Planches), building a home on the southern flank, which was exposed to the north wind. Within the year, Thomas abandoned this site and started a new settlement on the reverse and southern side of the Ouescoque heights (Amherst Point, NS)[8]
In March 1682, the seigneur of Beaubassin Michel Le Neuf de La Vallière sent summons to eleven inhabitants of Beaubassin to appear before the Sovereign Council of Quebec for having refused to accept concession contracts. These inhabitants were: Pierre Morin, Guyon Chiasson, Michel Poirier, Roger Kessy, Claude Dugas, Germain et Guillaume Bourgeois. Germain Girouard, Jean-Aubin Migneaux, Jacques Belou and Thomas Cormier. [9] However, his attempt to impose seigneurial dues such as the corvée (obligatory labour) was soon contested by the settlers who won their case in court. [10][11]
Thomas and Marie Madeleine gave depositions during the trial of Jean Campagna from Beaubassin, accused of sorcery. The trial took place in 1684 and 1685.[12][13]
In 1686, at Chiqnitou dit Beaubassin, Thomas Cormier, aged 55, was living with his wife, Magdelaine (sic) GIROUARD, aged 37, and their 9 (sic) children: Magdeleine (sic), aged 18, Francois, aged 16, Marie (sic), aged 12, Alexis, aged 14, Germain, aged 10, Pierre, aged 8, Angelique (sic), aged 4, Marie and Jeanne twins (sic) aged 1. The family owned 4 guns and was living on 40 arpents of cultivable land with 30 cattle, 10 sheep, and 15 hogs. See "Research Notes".[14]
By 1688, Thomas and Marie Madeleine had 10 children: Marie Madeleine, François, Anne, Alexis, Germain, Pierre, Claire, twins Marie and Agnès, and Jeanne.[3] Their daughter Anne had married Michel Hache dit Gallant (an agent of the Sieur) and started her own family. A census two years earlier indicated that Thomas and Madeleine had 40 arpents of cultivated land, 30 cattle, 10 sheep, and 15 hogs.[14]Thomas was one of the most prosperous settlers.[15]
Around 1687 there was a dispute between the Poiriers and the Cormiers over the reclamation by Toussaint Doucet and wife Marie Poirier of the south bank border of the Great Ouescoque marsh. This dispute was resolved eventually with the intermarriage of Cormiers with Poiriers.[8]
Thomas died before 1693.[16] He left a profound legacy. His 17 married grandsons and their offspring would generate one of the largest Acadian families. [1] His 6 daughters and 25 granddaughters married into other large Acadian families including the LeBlanc, Arsenau, Haché-Gallant, Boudrot, Richard, Doucet, Landry, Poirier, Comeau, Chiasson, Theriot, Bourg, Cyr, Hébert, Thibodeau, Bourgeois, Dupuis, and Babin.[3]
Une des plus grandes familles acadiennes a débuté avec un pionnier, Thomas Cormier. [1] Thomas est né vers 1636 en France, le fils de Robert Cormier et de Marie Péraud.[3] Son père était maître charpentier de navire à La Rochelle, France. En 1644, la famille s’est engagée à prendre le navire Le Petit Saint-Pierre, afin de venir travailler au fort Saint-Pierre, Acadie (St Peter's, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada). "C'est ainsi que l'histoire de la famille Cormier en Amérique débute."[2]
Le sort de la famille de Thomas est inconnue, mais en 1671, il vivait à Port-Royal, Acadie (Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia).[5] Comme son père, il était charpentier. Vers 1668, Thomas a épousé Marie Madeleine Girouard, fille de François Girouard et de Jeanne Aucoin.[3]
Vers 1670, les terres cultivables commençant à manquer, certains Acadiens quittent la région de Port-Royal pour fonder de nouveaux villages.[7] Thomas et Marie Madeleine figuraient parmi les premiers colons de Beaubassin[2] Leur ferme etait située à Ouescoque (Pointe Amherst).[8]
En mars 1682, le seigneur de Beaubassin Michel Le Neuf de La Vallière assigne onze censitaires de Beaubassin à comparaître devant le Conseil souverain de Québec pour avoir refusé d'accepter des contrats de concession. Ces habitants sont: Pierre Morin, Guyon Chiasson, Michel Poirier, Roger Kessy, Claude Dugas, Germain et Guillaume Bourgeois, Germain Giroir, Jean-Aubin Migneaux, Jacques Belou et Thomas Cormier. [9] Cependant, sa tentative d'imposer des droits seigneuriaux comme la corvée fut bientôt contestée par les colons qui obtinrent gain de cause devant les tribunaux. [10][11]
Entre 1670 et 1688 environ, Thomas et Marie Madeleine ont eu 10 enfants: Marie Madeleine, François, Anne, Alexis, Germain, Pierre, Claire, les jumeaux Marie and Agnès, et la benjamine Jeanne. Leur fille Anne avait épousé Michel Haché dit Gallant (un agent du sieur). Le recensement indique que Thomas et Madeleine avaient 40 arpents de terres cultivées (environ 34 hectares), 30 bovins, 10 moutons et 15 porcs. Thomas était l'un des colons les plus prospères.[15]
Vers 1687 il y avait un différend entre les Poiriers et les Cormiers sur la remise en état par Toussaint Doucet et sa femme Marie Poirier de la frontière de la Grande Ouescoque marais de la rive sud. Ce différend a été réglé par la suite avec les mariages entre Cormiers avec Poiriers.[8]
Thomas est mort avant 1693.[3] Les 17 petit-fils de Thomas qui se sont mariés ont eut des grandes familles qui ont assuré que le nom Cormier est aujourd'hui un des plus commun en Acadie[1]. Ses 6 filles et 25 petites-filles se marieront dans d’autres grande familles acadiennes, y compris LeBlanc, Arsenau, Haché-Gallant, Boudrot, Richard, Doucet, Landry, Poirier, Comeau, Chiasson, Theriot, Bourg, Cyr, Hébert, Thibodeau, Bourgeois, Dupuis, and Babin.[3]
Date of Birth. Some family trees list Thomas' date of birth as 8 Jan 1636 in La Rochelle, France. No evidence has been produced to support this specific date. The year 1636 is estimated based on the Acadian census.
In the original 1686 census at Chiqnitou dit Beaubassin, Marie Madeleine Girouard was listed as Magdelaine Girouer. Marie Madeleine (daughter) was listed as Magdelaine and transcribed as Magdeleine. Marie Anne was listed as just Marie. Claire was listed as Angelique. Marie and Jeanne were listed as twins when the twins were actually Agnes and Marie. Agnes was not listed at all even though she was listed in the 1693 census. Jeanne was not a twin. The 1686 census at Beaubassin may not have been taken until 1688 since Jeanne was born in 1688 and is listed in the 1686 census. The 1686 census lists 4 boys and 5 girls by name while White’s Recensement de Beaubassin 1686 lists 3 boys and 6 girls by number.[21]
Thomas CORMIER, carpenter, 35, wife Madeline GIROUARD 17; Child: 1 daughter 2; cattle 7, sheep 7.
at Chiqnitou dit Beaubassin: Thomas CORMIER 55, Magdelaine GIROUARD 37; children: Magdeleine 18. Francois 16, Alexis 14, Marie 12, Germain 10, Pierre 8, Angelique 4, twins Marie and Jeanne 1; 4 guns, 40 arpents, 30 cattle, 10 sheep, 15 hogs.
Madeleine GIROUARD (widow of Thomas CORMIER) 39, Alexis 16, Germain 13, Pierre 11, Claire 9, Marie 7, Agnes 7, Jeanne 5; 16 cattle, 4 sheep, 12 pigs
Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.
Thomas is 12 degrees from Emeril Lagasse, 22 degrees from Nigella Lawson, 18 degrees from Maggie Beer, 44 degrees from Mary Hunnings, 22 degrees from Joop Braakhekke, 31 degrees from Michael Chow, 22 degrees from Ree Drummond, 24 degrees from Paul Hollywood, 17 degrees from Matty Matheson, 22 degrees from Martha Stewart, 24 degrees from Danny Trejo and 26 degrees from Molly Yeh on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.