Michel Forest (abt. 1667 - bef. 1731)

Born about 1667 in Port-Royal, Acadie, Nouvelle-France

Ancestors

Husband of Marie Petitpas — married 1689 in Port-Royal, Acadie, Nouvelle-France

Husband of Marie Celestin — married 29 Oct 1709 in Grand Pre, Acadie, Nouvelle-France

Descendants

Died before 2 Jul 1731 before about age 64 in Pisiguit, Acadie, Colony of Nova Scotia [uncertain]

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Biography

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Michel Forest was born about 1667 in Port-Royal, Acadie, Nouvelle-France, son of Michel Gereyt (Forest) De Forest (abt. 1637–abt. 1691) and Marie Hebert (abt. 1651–abt. 1677).

He was 4 years old in 1671.^[1] Seven years later, his mother was dead, and Michel was the oldest boy at age 12 in the household.^[2]. It must have been awkward when his father remarried and Michel, at age 19, was in the home with his 13-year-old wife, Jacqueline Benoist.^[3]

In 1686, at Port Royal, Michel, aged 19, was living with his father, Michel DEFOREST [sic], aged 47, and his stepmother, Jacqueline BENOIST [sic], aged 13, and his five siblings: Pierre, aged 18, Rene, aged 16, Gabriel [recte Gabrielle], aged 13, Marie, aged 11, and Jean-Baptiste, aged 9. The family owned 1 gun and was living on 5 arpents of cultivable land with 8 sheep and 4 hogs.^[3]

Michel (21) married Marie Petitpas (19) (born about May 1669 in Port-Royal, Nouvelle France; daughter of Claude Petitpas and Catherine Bugaret) in 1689 in Port-Royal.^[4][5] Their known children were:

1. Michel Forest (abt. 1690– ) .
2. François Forest (abt. 1692– ) .
3. Marie Josèphe Forest (abt. 1695–bef. 1738) .
4. Jean-Baptiste Michel Forest (abt. 1697– ) .
5. Unknown Forest (bef. 1701– ) .
6. Marguerite Forest (abt. 1703–abt. 1773) .
7. Unknown Forest (bef. 1707– )

They made their home in the Mines area, found there in 1693 with their first two children.^[6].

The family continued to grow with 4 boys and 1 girl by 1701. His brothers lived next door to him.^[7]

In the 1703 census at Les Mines, 2 boys, 4 girls [sic], and 3 people able to bear arms were counted. ^[8] The correct number of girls is likely 2.

In 1707, his wife is not mentioned and there are 7 children present.^[9]

Shortly thereafter, Michel (41) married Marie Celestin (19) (born about 1689 in Grand Pre, Acadie; daughter of André (Celestin) Célestin dit Bellemère and Perrine (Basil) Basile) on 29 Oct 1709 in Grand Pre, Acadie. Their known children were:

1. Jacques de Forest (abt. 1709–abt. 1787) .
2. Anne Forest (abt. 1712–1795) .
3. Unknown Forest (bef. 1714– ) .
4. Madeleine Josephe Forest (abt. 1717–abt. 1769) .
5. Brigitte Forest (1729–1771) [uncertain].

He was listed as living in Pisiguit in 1714.^[10][11][12]

Michel died before July 2, 1731, when his son Jacque was married.^[4][13]

Research Notes

In the 1703 census, 4 daughters were counted. Stephen White has indicated in his Dictionnaire p. 633 that this number is incorrect. In 1703, the unmarried girls likely in the household were: Marie-Josèphe and Marguerite.

Sources

1. ↑ 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;

   Michel De FOREST 33, wife, Marie HEBERT 20: Children: Michel 4, Pierre 2, Rene 1; cattle 12, sheep 2.

2. ↑ 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
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} 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 National Archives of Canada “Acadie Recensements 1671 – 1752,” Images 15-60;

   at Port Royal: Michel DEFOREST 47, Jacqueline BENOIST 13; children by his first wife (Marie HEBERT): Michel 19, Pierre 18, Rene 16, Gabriel 13, Marie 11, Jean-Baptiste 9; 1 gun, 5 arpents, 8 sheep, 4 hogs. In the original 1686 Census at Port Royal, Forest was listed as Deforest, Benoit was listed as Benoist, Jean Baptiste was transcribed hyphenated as Jean-Baptiste, and Gabrielle was listed as Gabriel.

4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Stephen A. White, Généalogique des Familles Acadiennes; 2 vols., Moncton, New Brunswick: Centre d'Études Acadiennes, 1999. p. 630,

   2. a. Michel n v 1667 (Rc PR 1671 4yrs, 1678 12yrs, 1686 19yrs. Rc Les Mines 1693 27yrs); m (1) about 1689 Marie Petitpas (Claude & Catherine Bugaret); m (2) Rg GP 29 oct 1708 Marie Celestin dit Bellemere (Andre & Perrine Basile); d before 2 July 1731.

   p. 1295

5. ↑ Title: Catholic Church Records, vol. 1a: Acadian Records, 1707-1748; Author: Diocese of Baton Rouge; Publication: Diocese, 1999. The Registers of St. Charles aux Mines in Acadia, from Grand Pré, carried into exile to St. Gabriel Church of Iberville, LA. :p. 72; Note: Discrepancy in year given, compared to DGFA (1708/1709):Text: Michel FORETS, resident of Pigiguit, widow of Marie PETITPAS (parents not given), married 29 Oct 1709 [sic] Marie BELLEMERE, daughter of André BELLEMERE, deceased & Perrine BASILE, living at Grand Pré. Witnesses: Jacques BELLEMERE; Pierre de FOUNAIS [sic] [signed]; Michel FORRET [groom, signed]; bride made X (SGA-1, 60). Note: Some of the text is from the 1895 transcription, due to very faint entry.
6. ↑ 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;

   Michel FOREST 27, Marie PETITPAS 24, Michel 3, Francois 1; 10 cattle, 10 sheep, 5 pigs, 4 arpents, 1 gun

7. ↑ (Note: the Tim Hebert transcription has incorrectly counted 12 cattle instead of 10) 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; Original record p. 9 of 10

   Michel FOREST, his wife, 4 boys, 1 girl, 8 arpents, 10 cattle, 17 sheep, 6 hogs.

8. ↑ 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 Library and Archives Canada “Acadie Recensements 1671 – 1752,” Images 212-220;

   Les Mines: Michel FOREST, his wife, 2 boys, 4 girls, [sic] 3 arms bearers

9. ↑ 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.

   Les Mines: Michel FOREST, 2 boys 14 or older, 3 younger boys, 1 girl 12 or older, 1 younger girl; 4 arpents. 9 cattle, 8 sheep. 2 hogs.

10. ↑ Paroisse de St. Charles des Mines, Grand Pré, Acadie, Québec Province, digital images, Héritage, Genealogy collection, Library and Archives Canada, reel C-1869, Parish Registers: Nova Scotia : C-1869, roll 1, Image 542. Marriage for Michel Forets and Marie Bellemere. 29 Oct 1709, accessed 1 Sep 2021. This register is a transcript written around 1895 of the original registers currently held at the Baton Rouge Diocese Archives in Louisiana, USA.
11. ↑ 'Diocese of Baton Rouge Catholic Church Records, Acadian Records, Revised - Registers of St. Charles Aux Mines in Acadia (Baton Rouge, LA: Diocese of Baton Rouge, 1999), vol. 1a, p. 72; Marriage to Marie Bellemere 10/29/1708. Witnesses Jacques Bellemere, Pierre de Founais, Marie Bellemere. Michel Signed his name.
12. ↑ 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 Library and Archives Canada “Acadie Recensements 1671 – 1752,” Images 239-261;

    at Pisiguit: Michel FORET and wife, 4 sons, 4 daughters.

13. ↑ 'Diocese of Baton Rouge Catholic Church Records, Acadian Records, Revised - Registers of St. Charles Aux Mines in Acadia (Baton Rouge, LA: Diocese of Baton Rouge, 1999), vol. 1a, p. 72; Marriage of son Jacque 7/2/1731

See also:

• Michel de Forest