“ JEAN GUEDRY, 1735, fils de Pierre et de Marguerite Brasseau, marié, vers 1755, à Marguerite Picot, fille de Michel et d’Anne Blain. Enfants: Elizabeth, vers 1754; Joseph, 1757; Joseph, 1759; Jean-Charles, 1760; Olivier, 1764; Marguerite, 1766; Pierre, 1770; Marie-Judith, 1772; Marie-Anne, 1774; Augustin, 1775. Déportée au Massachusetts, cette famille était à Québec en 1766 et s’est établie à Saint-Jacques-de-l’Achigan vers 1767. “

Translation:
“ JEAN GUEDRY, 1735, son of Pierre and of Marguerite Brasseau, married about 1755 to Marguerite Picot, daughter of Michel and of Anne Blain. Children: Elizabeth, about 1754; Joseph, 1757; Joseph, 1759; Jean-Charles, 1760; Olivier, 1764; Marguerite, 1766; Pierre, 1770; Marie-Judith, 1772; Marie-Anne, 1774; Augustin, 1775. Deported to Massachusetts, this family was at Québec in 1766 and settled at Saint-Jacques-de-lAchigan about 1767. “5350

    ____________________

“ JEAN GUEDRY, né en 1735, fils de Pierre et de Marguerite Brasseau, marié vers 1755 à Marguerite Picot, fille de Michel et d’Anne Blin. Enfants: Elizabeth, vers 1754; Joseph, 1757; Joseph, 1759; Jean-Charles, 1760; Olivier, 1764; Marguerite, 1766; Pierre, 1770; Marie-Judith, 1772; Marie-Anne, 1774; Augustin, 1775. Cette famille, déportée au Massachusetts, en 1755, était à Québec, en 1766, et s’est établie à Saint-Jacques de L’Achigan, vers 1767. “

Translation:
“ JEAN GUEDRY, born in 1735, son of Pierre and of Marguerite Brasseau, married about 1755 to Marguerite Picot, daughter of Michel and of Anne Blin. Children: Elizabeth, about 1754; Joseph, 1757; Joseph, 1759; Jean-Charles, 1760; Olivier, 1764; Marguerite, 1766; Pierre, 1770; Marie-Judith, 1772; Marie-Anne, 1774; Augustin, 1775. This family, deported to Massachusetts in 1755, was at Québec in 1766 and settled at Saint-Jacques de L’Achigan about 1767. “5182

    ____________________

“ . . . Jean spent his first five years at Wilmington and his last six at Woburn. His move to Woburn came as a result of his intolerable conditions in Wilmington. Jean petitioned the Massachusetts Legislature on numerous occasions demanding better living conditions for himself and his family. There are to be found many of these petitions in the Massachusetts Archives, Jean’s name being given some ten times as John Labardor or Labrador. After 1763, he is found listed as John or Jean Guidry, Gaidry, Guidri or Guidrit. These petitions provide some of the best historic documentation we have of Jean’s life in Acadia and in Boston. In one petition he states:

“ John Labrador sheweth that while he lived at Maligast (Mirligueche) he was so faithful in serving and assisting all Englishmen in distress and from the cruelty of the Indians that one day in particular, having sent away out of the harbour one vessel which the Indians intended to prey on and which they forbade him at his peril, they waylaid him coming from the vessel and shot him with buckshot, several of which were log’d in his flesh and thirty odd went thro his coat which marks he now bears, having three yet in his back, but they not satisfied with that treatn’d to take his life away the first opportunity which obliged him to abandon his habitation and go live in Pisiquite”.

Because the Acadians were under state supervision, any decisions made regarding them had to be made by the State Legislature. In December 1757, Jean Guidry describes the kind of living conditions he had to bear in Wilmington:

“ . . . in ten weeks, he received nothing but a haunch of lamb and one quart of milk a day. He has no wood (December 26, 1757) because they refused to lend him an ox to haul the wood he cut. So then, he is without food or fire in a house that has no door and no roof. When it rains, they have to move their beds along a wall against the wind in order to avoid rain and snow. Once he remarked to a Councillor that they were flooded in the house: the Councillor replied that they should build a boat and float. “

Again on January 10, 1758, a petition was signed by Francis Mius, “a Nova Scotian French person placed at Tewkesbury.” It was likewise endorsed by “Lawarence Mius, placed at Methuen”, and brought forth the complaints also “of John Labrador, another placed at Wilmington - respectfully setting forth the hardships and sufferings they undergo in the present situation. “

Apparently Jean’s petitons met with some success for we find him moved to Woburn in 1760. His family continued to grow and 1763 he had 5 sons and 2 daughters. This seems amazing when you consider that over half of the Acadians in Massachusetts are reported to have died during their exile there. In 1763, when Jean and other Acadians signed a petition requesting to be sent to France, only about 1000 of the original group of Acadians, out of the 2000 deported in 1755 remained alive.

With the fall of Montreal on September 8, 1759, tbe (sic) French and Indian War was all but over. For the terms of surrender, Vaudreuil, the French Governor, had presented fifty-five articles of peace to Amherst, the King of England’s representative. On the margin of the 39th Article which stipulated that all the French must remain in Canada and not be deported, Amherst wrote, “Agreed except as regards the Acadians”. Again as a marginal note to the 54th Article, which would guarantee a safe return of officers, militiamen and Acadian prisoners in New England to their respective countries, the general scribbled, “Accepted, but with reservation to the Acadians”.

With the French and Indian War concluded, the Acadians in Boston and vicinity began to hope to leave their exile. Up to this time, France had not taken an active part in rescuing the Acadians from the American colonies but had provided, when requested, refuge to great numbers of them exiled to England, Île Royale, Île St-Jean and from the American continent. In fact, the first to arrive in Cherbourg, France was from Bosotn. However, at peace negotiations held in England, the Duke of Nivernois, Peer of France, who represented the French King, was made more fully aware of the Acadians’ plight. On his return to France he had his Secretary de la Rochette write letters to the Acadians in the English colonies in America, inviting them to come to France to be with friends and relatives. When the 1000 Acadians in Boston and Massachusetts heard of Rochette’s letter, they signed a petition asking to return to France. Note their request as itemized above.

As soon as the Lords of Trade in England learned of Nivernois’ scheme to attract the Acadians to France or to her tropical colonies, a formal protest was registered with the French Ambassador. Notwithstanding, on December 6, 1763, the French Duke wrote Choisel to keep sending boats to pick up the Acadians, particularly those in New York and Boston. He assumed the Acadians there would find a way to leave America. None went to France. Some went to Louisiana, while other like Jean returned to Canada. A few remained where they had been exiled and were finally absorbed into the surrounding population.

Although Acadians started leaving Boston as early as 1763, Jean and his family did not get permission until 1766. Missing the boats to France and Louisiana, Jean Guidry signed his name with a group of Acadians to a list of persons requesting to be transferred to St. Dominique Island in the West Indies. This petition was signed on December 1, 1764, at which time Jean signs his name “Guedrit” and states that there are ten in his family. The petition for passage to the West Indies was denied on the grounds that the Acadians were English subjects and should remain under English rule.

In 1765, Governor Murray of Canada signed a decree requesting English subjects to settle in Quebec. On January 13, 1766, several Acadians asked the Governor of Boston for permission to write to Murray to obtain his approval for their return to Canada. Permission to make that appeal was granted. Murray, in turn, promised to try to accomodate the Acadians, apparently seeing it as an advantage to have the Acadians settle where they could be an asset to Canada and the British Empire. After sending inquiries out to different parts of Quebec, Murray found several areas, mostly around Montreal, willing to welcome these exiled Acadians. On June 2, 1766, Jean signed another petition, along with 890 Acadians in the Boston area asking to be released in order to proceed with the move to Quebec. Permission was granted and on June 13, 1766, most of the Acadians left the villages they had been exiled to, determined to find their way back to their homeland. Some traveled by boat, while others walked by way of Lake Champlain. On September 8, 1766, the Quebec Gazette announced the arrival of these Acadians.

Jean and Marguerite went up the river to Montreal until some parish priest met them and led them to his parish. On October 16, 1766, M. Degneay, the Cure of l’Assomption, took in about 80 Acadians (12 or 13 families) to help them get started in their new life. Jean and Marguerite were part of this group guided by Father Degneay to the town of l’Assomption where they spent the winter in a warehouse near the church. Soon after their arrival in l’Assomption, Jean and Marguerite had their marriage blessed by the church and had the Baptism of four their children, born in exile, validated.

After spending a long winter in the warehouse, Jean and his family became the first Acadians to buy land along the grand line from St. Alexis, near Ruisseau St. Georges. This land was purchased on April 2, 1767. It had been completely paid for by 1781 and would stay in the family for over one hundred years, finally being sold by Modeste Guildry dit Labine in 1871.

Along with being one of the first Acadians to buy land, Jean was also one of the first to build a house along Ruisseau St. Georges, no doubt similar in style to that of early architecture.

The turmoil in his life all but over, Jean could finally turn his attention to raising a family and being a farmer. He and Marguerite raised eleven children in Quebec, although the oldest, Anne Marie, married Nicolas Dufault soon after their arrival in Quebec, (September 14, 1767). Four of Jean’s sons, as far as we know, (Olivier, Jean Baptiste, Charles and Mathurin) spent some time as voyageurs. Olivier eventually worked his way down the Mississippi to Louisiana to reunite with the Guidrys there. Mathurin drowned in the Lachine rapids while still young.

Jean outlived his second wife, Marguerite, and in 1799, married for the third time, Marie Angelique Marois, the widow of Pierre Milot. A death certificate dated 1802 indicates that Jean died at age 80. He is most likely buried at the old cemetery site in St. Jacques though no markers give evidence of this and the original burial ground is not clearly located.

We don’t know how the deportation and difficult times affected Jean and his family once they settled at St. Jacques. Like other refugees in other times, they more than likely talked about their experience very little, and spent the rest of their lives thinking about the future, rather than the past. There is a strong possibility that Jean’s son Olivier, sent word back to Quebec that he had found his Uncles, Jean Guidry’s brothers, in Louisiana. We can be certain in saying, however, that they never saw one another again.

Jean Guidry dit Labrador dit Labine lived a remarkable life, one full of turmoil, adventure, hardship, tragedy, courage and endurance. In death he would finally find that eternal peace that his life seemed to have very little of. He left behind him a great number of descendants and the Labine family multiplied and grew. “5353

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“ At Boston January 13, 1766.
To his Excellency Francis Bernard, governor in chief at Boston and his Majesty’s Council.

We the French Acadians, resident here, having presented a Memorial dated the 11th of last month to the Council and Court, praying them to assist us with something to maintain us this Winter and not having had any answer;

We humbly beg leave to desire your Excellency and his Majesty’s Council to have the goodness to transport us to Canada in proper vessels for us and our families with provisions to maintain us for one year, we having no means to do it ourselves. And we pray your Excellency the Governor to have the goodness to write to the Honourable James Murray, Governor and Commander General of the province of Canada, that he would be so good as to give us lands and assistance for us and our families after our arrival in Canada, according to his proclamation of the first of March, 1765. And in so doing you will oblige your most submissive servants, the subscribers.

Boston, Feb. 8, 1766. (Signed) JEAN TRAHAN.
ALEX BROC.
RENE LANDRY
ISAC GOURDEAUX.
AUGUSTIN LEBLANC.
ISIDORE GOURDAUX.
JEAN HEBERT.
JOSEPH MANZEROL.


Gentlemen of the House of Representatives.
At the beginning of this Session I sent a message to you recommending a Petition of some French Accadians to which I have received no answer. I now recommend to you another Petition of the Accadians in general, which I desire you would immediately take into your consideration.

Ever since I have been Governor of this Province I have had great compassion for this People, as every one must who has considered that it was by the exigencies of War rather than any fault of their own that they were removed from a State of ease and affluence and brought into poverty and dependence; from which in their present situation they Can see no prospects of being delivered. I have heretofore made several attempts to them settled in some manner that might make them useful Subjects of Great Britain and Comfortable to themselves but I have failed for want of ability.

You have now an opportunity at no great Expense to dispose of these People, so that instead of being a burthen to the Province and to themselves as they are like to continue, whilst they remain here, they may become a fresh accession of wealth and strength to the British Empire in America; as it is certain that their Industry only waits for property to exert itself on, without which no one will be industrious. I therefore hope you will improve this occasion; and in so doing you will unite public Spirit and Charity.

FRA. BERNARD.

Council Chamber
Feb. 13th. 1766
Upon the Petition of the Acadians as referred in Govr Bernard’s Message to the House of Representatives, on the 13th of Feb. 1766.


In the House of Representatives Feb. 18, 1766.
Resolved that the Commissary General be directed forthwith to put in Execution the Resolve of the whole Court of the 15th February last respecting said Accadians, and if they refuse to go to the Several Towns to which they were assigned by order of this Court that then the House Rent and provisions they now receive be withdrawn and that they still be deemed ans Inhabitants of the Towns to which they were originally assigned.

But in case any of them should be in such necessitous circumstances as to require immediate relief & support, they shall be relieved at the Charge of the Province till they are in circumstances to return to sd Towns to which they belong.

Sent up for Concurrence.
S. WHITE, Spk.

In Council, 20th Feb. 1766. Read and non Concurred.
A. OLIVER, Sec.


In the House of Representatives Feb. 20, 1766.

Resolved That His Excellency the Govr be desired to write to the Govr of Canada to acquaint him of the Desire of the French Accadians in this Province to go thither and to Know of him whither he is willing to Receive them as settlers in that Government & that the sum of Twenty Pounds be allowed out of the public Treasury to enable the Govr to send two of the sd French People for the Purpose aforesaid.

Sent up for Concurrence

S. WHITE, Spk.

In Council Feb. 20, 1766.
Read & Concurred.

JNO. COTTON, D. Sec.

Consented to.

FRA. BERNARD.

Extract of a Letter from Govr. Murray to Govr. Bernard dated Quebec
the 28th April 1766.

Sir, -- I received some time ago your letter of the 25th Feby. relative to the Accadians in your Province: I think it will be for the good of the British Empire in General and that of this Province in particular that these people were settled here upon the same footing with his Majesty’s New Canadian subjects, and therefore I shall not hesitate to receive them. But as they formerly refused to take the Oath of Allegiance & abjuration, and by their Petition to me, it appears they expect to be supported here at the expense of Government until they can provide for themselves. I think it necessary to enclose my answer their Petition, which I beg you will be pleased to have Communicated to them in such a way that none may plead ignorance, this will prevent future heartburnings & reproaches on either side.

To his Excellency Francis Bernard Esq. Govr. &c. also to the Gentlemen of the Council.

Sir, -- We all the inhabitant Acadians in general thank your Excellency & the Gentlemen of the Council for having the Goodness to write in our favour to his Excllency James Murray Esq. Governor at Quebec &c.; & having received an answer from his Excellency for our going to settle in Canada; but his Excellency cannot assist us in any manner with provisions upon our arrival there.

We pray your Excellency and the Gentlemen of the Council to have the goodness to regard us with the Eye of pity and to assist us with something to enable us to live for some time after our arrival there.

Our situation being extreemely poor & miserable, & their being many poor widows incumbered with young children as well as persons advanced in years who are not able to wrok for their support, is the reason of flinging ourselves upon your protection you having been always ready to assist us and there being no one but you, gentlemen who can draw us out of the abiss of trouble in which we are.

Sir, -- We are in general resolved to take the oath of fidelity, and therefore pray you would give orders to transport us to Canada as soon as shall be possible. For great part of us have not worked for some time in expectation of our being removed; & we know not what part to take unless your Excellency & the Gentlemen of the Council will assist us in Our Want & regard our poor Condition

Your most humble most obedient, submissive & faithful subjects.

ALEXIS BRO
JEAN LANDRY
JEAN TIBODO
PIERRE MIUSE
AMAN LANDRY

Boston June 2, 1766

Liste Des Noms des francois qui veulent passés au Canada.
(Translation: List of the Names of the French who want to go to Canada.)

Name No. in each family


. . . .

Jean Hebert . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Joseph Manzerolle . . . . . . . . 4
Joseph Landry . . . . . . . . .. . 7
Jean Guedry . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Joseph Hebert . . . . . . . . . . 4
Castin Tibodo . . . . . . . . . . . 5

. . . .

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 890

. . . .


Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:

According to the desire of the House last Session, I sent two Acadians, in Febry last, with letters to his Excellency Gov. Murray. One of them is since returned & has brought letters from Gov. Murray expressing his readiness to receive the Acadians if they shall be transported thither; but signifying his inability for want of a proper fund to make any provision for them upon their arrival.

The Acadians are willing to go & have given lists of those who are ready to the amount of 890 persons: They have also given in another petition praying some provisions may be made for supporting them for a little time after their arrival. All of which I lay before you that you may do herein as you shall think most proper.

FRA. BERNARD.
Council Chamber
June 9, 1766.


June, 1766.

The Comtee appointed to Examine into the State and Circumstances of the French Neutrals In the Province have attended that Service and they find that several Towns in the Province who had French Neutrals Assigned Them in the general distribution of them have for some Time past been wholly Freed from any Charges on their Account, and other Towns Remain at Considerable Charges, and further the Comtee find that agreeable to the Order of the House the Commissary General has supplyd the French with 8-10 and the Comtee also find that by Order of the Govr and Council Since August 21, 1765, the French have been supplyd with Sundreys and House Rent to the amount of £48, 15s, 8d, 2qt. And also with £20 granted by the General Court to enable two of the French to go to Canada: and that those French that have Recd the above £48, 15s, 7d, 2qr. Belong to Lenncester [Lancaster], Acton, Shrewsbury, Medford, Willmington, Worcester, Woburn, Barnstable, Hingham and Rutland.

AARON WOOD
per Order.


Mr. Otis, Col. Bowers and Mr. Sayward to draw a vote to prevent the neutrals being supplyd any further and to inquire relative to the money already advanced.

In the House of Representatives June 25, 1766.
Resolved that the sum of £48, 15, 8.2 which has been paid out of the Treasury of this Province by order of the Governor and Council for the support of sundry of the Accadians be added to the next year’s Tax of each of those Towns to which the several Persons for whose support the same money was advanced In the same proportion as the same was Paid out, and that no further sum be paid out of the Treasury for the support of any of those People without the orders of this Court.

A
Send up for concurrence.
T. CUSHING, Spk.

In Council 27 June 1766.
Read and Concurred with the amendment at A viz: cases of absolute necessity excepted.

Send down for concurrence.
A. OLIVER, Sec.

In the House of Representatives, June 27, 1766.
Read and non-concurred.
T. CUSHING, Spk.


Council June 27, 1766. Read.

The following item appears in “The Quebec Gazette” of September 1st, 1766:
“Last night came up the sloop Terrey, from Boston: She has brought with her about 40 Acadians, who, for the Benefit of their Religion, are come here to settle.”

On the 8th September, same year, “The Quebec Gazette: says:
“Thursday arriv’d here the sloop Good Intent, Samuel Harris, from Boston, with a number of Acadians, who are come here to settle.”

The Council met the same day and here is what was decided relating to these Acadians:
At the Council Chamber in the Castle of St. Louis in the City of Quebec on Monday the Eight Day of September 1766.

Present:
The Honble Hector Théo Cramahé
Adam Mabane
Thomas Mills Esqs.
Walter Murray
James Goldfrap

The Council met this Day to read a petition from a number of Acadians just arrived from the province of New England in consequence of a Letter from His Excellency Governor Murray to them dated in April in answer to a petition from the Acadians, dated 28 February 1766.

The Board are of opinion that an order should be directed to the Commissary of the King’s provisions to issue to the Acadians being the number of Ninety men, women and children provisions for one month and that an advertisement should be published acquainting the different Seigneurs in this province of the arrival of these people; that they may without Loss of time Agree with them to settle on their lands upon the best terms the Can make.

Resolved that an order be given to the Commissary accordingly vizt: that a full Ration be furnished to the men and women and half a ration to the Children.

Signed H. T. CRAMAHE


On September 15, 1766 “The Quebec Gazette” published the following “Advertisements,
Council Chambers, Quebec, 8th September 1766.
“Whereas a Number of Acadians have lately arrived from New England, with an Intention to take up Lands and Settle in this Province; His Majesty’s Council have directed this public Intimation to be made to the different Seigneurs, that they may without Loss of Time agree with these Acadians to settle the unconceded Lands in their Seigneuries. “

“N. B. One Month’s Provisions are ordered to be issued to them, from his Majesty’s Stores, for Subsistence till they Can provide themselves as aforesaid.”

“By order of the Board, J. A. POTTS, D. D. C. “ “5366

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“ No. 582

To His Excellency the Governor and Council in Boston, assembled:

The humble Petition of John Labardore shewith, that by reason of his large & helpless Family (having Eight Children) and the slackness of work he is reduced to great penury, and fears that if he stays in this place till Winter they must inevitably suffer: Therefore most earnestly begs you would grant him and family their passage to Quebec gratis where he had a Cousins House to go live in this Winter.

Your poor petitioner more especially claims your protection and favour, on account of his former services to the loyal subjects of Great Brittain in saving the lives of many of them when in imminent danger fo being destroyed by the Micmac Indians, and at the peril of his own life and all his there possessions which were pretty considerable; the truth of which several gentlemen here in Marblehead can attest if required. The last encounter he had with said Indians was on the occasion, viz.: An English vessel put into his Harbour, as he called it, which the Indians seeing sent him word that if he went on board to warn them of their danger as was his custom, they would kill him: But he said he would, and that he would suffer no murder to be committed in his place, upon which a Battle ensued between him & the savage messenger and the savage shot him with small shot whereof several remain in his body to this Day, and he obliged to fly to another part of the province to save his life, and which he submits to your wise considerations, and in hopes of you granting his request remains
Your most dutiful Servt.,

JOHN LABARDORE

BOSTON, 14th July, 1766.



No. 583

BOSTON, 23rd July, 1766.

GENTLEMEN, -- John Labardore, a French Accadian, whose Family is partly placed in your Town by the Government has applied to the Govr. & Council, desiring they may be carried to Quebec at the public Expense; but as the care of them is devolved upon you, I am by their direction to acquaint you of this their desire, & to recommend it to you, if you choose to part with them to make provision for their passage, or that you would otherwise fulfill your agreement with them. The arrears now due from you to these people would go a great way towards paying this Expense in case they should be willing to have it applied it in that manner; and there is a vessel sails for Quebec next Saturday. “5367

None

Madelaine Marguerite Guildry dit Labine
Madelaine Marguerite Guédry
Marguerite Guédry
Marguerite Guedry
Madelaine Guildry dit LaBine
Madelaine Marguerite Guidry dit Labine dit Labrador