Germain Cormier (abt. 1680 - aft. 1752)

Born about 1680 in Beaubassin, Acadie, Nouvelle-France

Ancestors

Husband of Marie LeBlanc — married about 1703 in Beaubassin, Acadie, Nouvelle-France

Descendants

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Biography

Germain Cormier was born about 1680 in Beaubassin, Acadie, Nouvelle-France, son of Thomas Cormier (abt. 1636–bef. 1693) and Marie Madeleine Girouard (abt. 1654–aft. 1714).

His parents Thomas Cormier and Marie-Madeleine Girouard were among the first pioneers at Beaubassin and had a large farm at nearby Ouescoque (Amherst Point, Nova Scotia).

In 1686, at Chiqnitou dit Beaubassin, Germain, aged 10, was living with his parents, Thomas Cormier, aged 55, and Magdelaine [recte Marie Madeleine] GIROUARD, aged 37, and his 8 [sic] siblings: Magdeleine [recte Marie Madeleine], aged 18, Marie [recte Marie Anne], aged 12, Francois, aged 16, Alexis, aged 14, Pierre, aged 8, Angelique [recte Claire], aged 4, Marie and Jeanne twins [recte Agnes and Marie] aged 1. The family owned 4 guns and was living on 40 arpents of cultivable land with 30 cattle, 10 sheep, and 15 hogs.^[1]

When Germain was 16 years old, he witnessed the effects of Church's 1696 raid of Beaubassin. Once the English ships were seen, the inhabitants fled, carrying their more valuable possessions. In Beaubassin, the church was burned along with some houses and animals were slaughtered. It is not known how the family was affected at Ouescoque as it was 9 kilometers from Beaubassin.

Germain (22) married Marie LeBlanc (15) (born about 1687 in Acadie; daughter of André LeBlanc and Marie Dugas) in 1703 in Beaubassin. Their known children were:

1. Pierre Cormier (abt. 1705–aft. 1756) .
2. Marie Cormier (abt. 1706– ) .
3. Anne Marie Cormier (abt. 1707–1777) .
4. Marguerite Cormier (abt. 1713– ) .
5. Germain Cormier (abt. 1714–bef. 1746) .
6. Jean Baptiste Cormier (abt. 1716– ) .
7. Jean Cormier (abt. 1718–abt. 1719) .
8. Pierre Cormier (1720–bef. 1764) .
9. Marie Magdeleine Germaine Cormier (1722–1756) .
10. François Cormier (abt. 1724–abt. 1760) .
11. Charles Cormier (abt. 1726–1796) .
12. Michel Cormier (abt. 1728– )

Within the year, the newlyweds witnessed the effects of Church's second raid on Beaubassin. There was a skirmish and inhabitants retreated to the woods, bringing as many valuable possessions as possible. Again, the church was burned and animals were slaughtered.

The censuses between 1703 and 1750 show that Germain and Marie resided at Beaubassin where they tended their farm and raised their children, more specifically in the village of Ouescoque.^[2] After the Treaty of Utrecht, when British rule became permanent, the Cormiers, like most of their neighbours decided to stay in Beaubassin as French neutrals (promising to stay true to the King of Great Britain and to remain neutral in the event of a conflict between France and Great Britain). Beaubassin then experienced decades of relative peace and prosperity. The village was productive in raising cattle, growing grain, and trading fur with the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet. Surpluses were traded with both the English (Bay of Fundy) and the French (Baie Verte).^[3]

By 1752 they were refugees at Baie-Verte, near the border separating present-day New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. No children were counted in the household. Germain was recorded as Le vieux Jean (sic), and his wife.^[4][5]

Germain died between the censuses of 1752 and 1755.^[6] Marie managed to escape deportation and fled to Quebec with some of her children.^[2]

The children of Germain and Marie were impacted by the Grand Dérangement (Great Expulsion of the Acadians):

• Deported to South Carolina with their families: Pierre "le Grand Pierre", Jean Baptiste, Marie Madeleine and Michel
• Deported to Georgia without their families: Pierre "le Petit Pierre and François. François died in New York on his way back, trying to find his family.
• Settled in the Province of Quebec: Anne Marie, Marguerite, and Charles

Timeline

c1680 Birth in Beaubassin

1687 War of the League of Augsburg (King William’s War) starts between England and France^[7]

1696 Benjamin Church raids Beaubassin. Once the English ships were seen, the inhabitants fled, carrying their more valuable possessions. Church “…stayed nine days and in his own account …admitted 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.^[7]

1697 Treaty of Ryswick restores Acadia to France; Port-Royal is its capital^[8]

1702 War of the Spanish Succession (Queen Anne’s War) starts between England and France^[8]

c1703 Marriage to Marie LeBlanc

1704: Church raids Beaubassin again: “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 [20]and killed about 100 cattle before leaving to return to Boston” ^[7]

c1705birth, son Pierre (dit Le Grand Pierre)

c1706 birth, daughter Marie

c1707 birth, daughter Anne-Marie

a1713 birth, daughter Marguerite

1710 Siege of Port-Royal; French surrender the Fort. Port-Royal, Acadia becomes Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia’’^[8]

’’1713: Treaty of Utrecht. France cedes Acadia to England. Permanent British rule’’^[9]

b1714 birth, son Germain

1715: Delegates from Beaubassin sign a conditional oath of allegiance, promising to stay true to the King of Great Britain for as long as they stayed in Nova Scotia, and to remain neutral in the event of a conflict between France and Great Britain

1713-1744: Golden Age^[10] of Acadian Growth and Prosperity. Beaubassin is productive in raising cattle, growing grain, and trading fur with the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet. Surpluses are traded with both the English (Bay of Fundy) and the French (Baie Verte).^[3]

b1716 birth, son Jean(-Baptiste)

b1718 birth, son Jean

1720 and onward: Acadians refuse to sign an unconditional oath of allegiance. This is tolerated by the British as they lack military means to enforce the oath.^[11]

1720 birth, son Pierre (dit Le Petit Pierre)

1722 birth, daughter Marie-Madeleine (Anne)

c1724 birth, son François

c1726 birth, son Charles

c1728 birth, son Michel

1750: Beaubassin is the center of a boundry dispute between the French and English. French soldiers erect small forts along their frontier at the north bank of the Mesagoueche river (now the New Brunswick- Nova Scotia border) including one at Beauséjour ridge. When British Commander Lawrence tries to gain a foothold on the river, the priests LeLoutre and Germain burned the Beaubassin church and force the villagers to burn their houses. The British retreated but eventually established fortifications on the south side. French soldiers order the Acadian families in the southern villages to move to the north side for their protection. When no one complies, the soldiers and Mi'kmaq warriors (of the priest LeLoutre) burn the southern villages. Most burnt-out families seek refuge north of the French-English boundary in territory surrounding Le Lac (Aulac NB).

betw. 1752-1755 death

Biographie

Germain est né vers 1680.^[6] Ses parents Thomas et Marie-Madeleine Girouard figuraient parmi les premiers colons de Beaubassin (Amherst, Nouvelle Écosse)^[12] Leur ferme était située à Ouescoque (Pointe Amherst).^[13] Quand Germain avait 16 ans, il a été témoin des effets de la Raid de Beaubassin. Lorsque les navires anglais ont été vus, les habitants ont fui, emportant leurs objets de valeur. À Beaubassin, l'église et quelques maisons ont été incendiées et des animaux ont été abattus. On ne sait pas comment Ouescoque, qui était à 9 kilomètres de Beaubassin, a été affectée. Vers 1703, Germain épousa Marie LeBlanc, fille d’André LeBlanc et de Marie Dugas. En un an, les nouveaux mariés ont été témoins des effets du deuxième raid de Beaubassin. Il y a eu une escarmouche et les habitants se sont retirés dans les bois, y apportant des objets de valeur. Encore une fois, l'église a été incendiée et les animaux ont été abattus.

Entre 1705 et 1727 environ, le couple a eu 12 enfants: Pierre (dit Le Grand Pierre), Marie, Anne-Marie, Marguerite, Germain, Jean(-Baptiste), Jean, Pierre (dit Le Petit Pierre), Marie-Madeleine (Anne), François, Charles, et Michel.^[6] Dans les recensements (1703-1714), la famille est énumérée près de la mère de Germain et ses frères et sœurs , probablement à Ouescoque.

Après le traité d'Utrecht, où il y avait la domination britannique permanente, les Cormier ont décidé de demeurer à Beaubassin comme neutres français. Les habitants de Beaubassin ont connu des décennies de paix et de prospérité. Beaubassin devient la région acadienne qui élève le plus de bétail et l'une de celles qui produisent le plus de céréales. Les Acadiens de la région se livrent au commerce des fourrures avec les Mi'kmaq et les Malécite. Ils troquent leurs surplus de bêtes, de grain et de fourrures avec les marchands des camps français et britannique.^[3] Germain est mort entre 1752 et 1755.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ 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 Library and Archives Canada “Acadie Recensements 1671 – 1752,” Images 15-60;

   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. 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.

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Michael B. Melanson, Cormier Genealogy: Generations 1-7. (Dracut, Massachusetts: Lanesville Publishing, 2021) p. 77-81
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} "Zone of contention, place of growth", History, Fort Beauséjour – Fort Cumberland National Historic Site, Parks Canada, https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/nb/beausejour/culture/histoire-history/territoire-zone
4. ↑ Acadian & French Canadian Ancestral Home"; 2005 – Present, hosted by Lucie LeBlanc Consentino; 1752 Census The original census can be found at Acadian Census microfilm C-2572 of the National Archives of Canada “Acadie Recensements 1671 – 1752,” Images 277-308;

   The older Jean CORMIER and his wife.

5. ↑ Stephen A. White, Recensements de Beaubassin et des Trois Rivières de Chipoudie, de Memramcook et de Petcoudiac (1686-1755). Les Cahiers de la Société historique acadienne, vol. 50, nos 2-4, juin-décembre 2019, p. 288-289.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3} Stephen A. White, Patrice Gallant, and Hector-J Hébert. Dictionnaire Généalogique Des Familles Acadiennes. Moncton, N.-B.: Centre D'études Acadiennes, Université De Moncton, 1999, Print, p401, 408-410.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} Naomi E.S. Griffiths, From migrant to Acadian : a North-American border people, 1604-1755, Montreal (Québec), McGill-Queen's University Press, 2005, p147-151 (King William’s War); p 164 (1696 Church raid of Beaubassin); p 208 (1704 Church’s Raid on Beaubassin)
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} Brenda Dunn, 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).
9. ↑ The Neutrality: Political Context, in 1755 l'Histoire et les Histoires, University of Moncton
10. ↑ Naomie E.S. Griffiths, The Contexts of Acadian History 1686-1784.Published for the Center for Canadian Studies Mount Allison University, Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press, 1992, p61 (golden age);
11. ↑ The Neutrality: Political Context, 1755 Histoire et Les Histoires, University of Moncton
12. ↑ Stephen A. White, "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), [https://www.umoncton.ca/umcm-ceaac/files/umcm-ceaac/wf/wf/pdf/37fam-cormier.pdf CORMIER
13. ↑ Paul Surette, Atlas of the Acadian Settlement of the Beaubassin 1660 to 1755. Tintamarre and Le Lac. Tantramar Heritage Trust. 2005, p 44-45 (Ouesqoque homestead at Amherst Point).

See also:

• 1693 Acadian census at Beaubassin: 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 hogs.

• 1698 Acadian census at Beaubassin: Marie-Madeleine GIROUARD (widow of Thomas CORMIER?) 45; Germain 18; Pierre 16; Claire 14; Marie and Agnes, twins, 12; Jeanne 10; 12 cattle, 4 sheep, 8 hogs.

• 1700 Acadian census at Beaubassin: Madelaine GIROUARD, widow of François CORMIER, 47; Germain 20; Piere 18; Claire 16; Marie and Agnes (twins) 12; Jeanne 12; 17 cattle, 12 sheep, 4 hogs, 24 arpents.

• 1703 Acadian census at Beaubassin: Germain CORMIER and his wife, 1 arms bearer.

• 1707 Acadian census at Beaubassin: Germain CORMIER and Marie LEBLANC, 1 boy less than 14; 4 arpents, 9 cattle, 10 sheep, 10 hogs.

• 1714 Acadian census at Beaubassin: Germain CORMIER and Marie LeBLANC his spouse; children: Pierre, Marie, Margueritte, Anne, Germain.

• 1750-1751 Acadian census Acadian & French Canadian Ancestral Home"; 2005 – Present, hosted by Lucie LeBlanc Consentino; 1750/1751 Census 1750/1751 Census Transcribed.

  Germain CORMIERS and his wife.