The story of Beaubassin
IT'S NAME: The community of Acadians at the western end of what is now called the Fort Lawrence Ridge started out as Bourgeois Village or Bourgeois Settlement. The Mi'Kmaq called it Mesagoueche , the same name as the river on its northern side. These early settlers called the northern-most part of the Baie Francoise ( now the Bay of Fundy) "Beaubassin". When Michel LeNeuf,Sieur de la Valliere came from Trois River Rivière to take possession of a large tract of land in that same area, he called his seigneury " Beaubassin". It comprised the whole Chignecto region, including a good portion of what is now southern New Brunswick, reaching from Shediac to Cape Tormentine. He also named one of his sons "Beaubassin".
As the village prospered and it population grew, many satellite communities were founded by the sons and daughters of the original settlers— close to thirty according to some sources, although Parks Canada limits that number to 19. All these other communities considered Beaubassin Village as the centre or heart of the entire area.
After Valliere lost his governorship and his seigneury declined in importance, the original village became commonly referred to as "Beaubassin". Some historians use the label "Beaubassin Proper"to distinguish it from the seigneury. It is fair to say that in most histories and articles any reference to "Beaubassin" means the village and not the seigneury. However, there are references to Beaubassin which denote the entire collection of Acadian communities that existed from 1672 onward until 1755. To avoid confusion, we have officially adopted the name "Beaubassin Village", although in common parlance the "village"part is not always added.
IT'S ORIGIN: As more settlers from France arrived in the Port Royal area, more land was needed for the growing population. Jacques Bourgeois, who had landed In Port Royal in 1642 and became one of its most prominent citizens, searched for more land for his family and friends.He discovered the salt marshes at the Isthmus of Chignecto and decided to move there and create a new community. With him came two of his sons,his two sons-in-law, Pierre Sire and Germain Girouard, along with Jacques Belon, Thomas Cormier and Pierre Arseneault. More came and children were born. By 1686 there were 22 substantial dwellings with a population of 127. By this time more family names can be added: Mirande, Girour, Poitier, Quessy (or Caissie from the Irish Casey) and Morin.
Due to the conflicts between the colonists in New France and New England , Beaubassin Village was attacked twice and largely destroyed. Each time it was quickly rebuilt and continued to prosper and expand,especially after 1710 . By the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 all of mainland Acadia was awarded to the British Crown. Each time it’s church was destroyed a bigger and fancier one was
erected, dedicated to Notre Dame d'Assomption. By 1734 a bell was imported from France and installed at the Beaubassin church. That bell still exists. ( see "The Bell of Beaubassin")
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IT'S END: From 1710 to1750 the inhabitants of Beaubassin Village and its satellite communities thrived as British subjects. No French feudal overlords and no interference from the ruling authorities in Port Royal. However, the governments at Versailles and Quebec had not given up it’s desire to regain all of Acadia and make it part of New France . Through military agents and envoys, which included most of the Jesuit priests, they fomented constant rebellion and resistance to English rule. Severe military skirmishes took place in an effort to retake Port Royal, in which some Acadians were pressed to participate.
After it became clear that England was taking its Acadian territory more seriously by founding a new capital in Halifax in 1749,the leadership of New France made several moves which had a disastrous effect on Acadians in general and the Chignecto region in particular. France had decided that the land
north of the Missiquash River was never intended to be part of what the Treaty of Utrecht had awarded to England in 1713.They established a military presence near what they regarded as the boundary.At the same time, France assembled a large fleet of warships to participate in a renewed onslaught against the English at Halifax. Around the same time,further south, a large contingent of English soldiers and New England colonial militia, led General Braddock was defeated by French and Indian forces. A storm destroyed the French fleet, but the threat at Chignecto continued and grew in size.
In the spring of 1750, an expeditionary force was sent from Halifax to the Chignecto Region with a plan to rect a fort and to counter the threat from across the Missiquash River. When the French learned of the approach of the English ships and soldiers they decided to that the community of Beaubassin must not fall into the hands of the enemy. They implored and threatened for the people to leave their homes and cross the River. When they refused, the soldiers , aided by Mi'kmaw warriors led by two Jesuit priests, burned all the homes and buildings and the church. They forced them to leave with whatever they could carry with them.
When Major Lawrence arrived with 400 men he was met by the smouldering remains of the once prosperous village. That was the end of Beaubassin. He was also met by a large contingent of French soldiers and guns, stationed on the other side of the river.
Lawrence was not prepared for a battle. He with drew to Halifax, returning in the fall to build Fort Lawrence. During that time , the French soldiers and their helpers destroyed all the other 7 Acadian settlements south of the Missiquash,in what is now Northern Cumberland County.
According to the plans of Abbe LeLoutre, some families resettled in Île St. Jean and Île Royale ( the present Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton, but most of them stayed close by with relatives, hoping to be able to return to their land.
That was not to be. The struggle for North America between two colonial empires continued until the conquest of Fort Beausejour( 1755) , Louisburg(1757) and Quebec( 1759) . As part of that struggle a large percentage of the Acadian population( estimated variously between 11,000- 14,000) was deported and the rest dispossessed. That included , of course, many of the former residents of Beaubassin Village.
Why do we use the subtitle "The Heart of Acadia"above? That surely is the subject of some challenge and needs to be substantiated somewhat. The idea came from some sentences in the Introduction to Paul Surette's Atlas of the Acadian Settlement of the Beaubassin, 1660-1755.
First: "These villages then constituted the capital and heart of Acadia of those times,and all happenings there had a resonance throughout the whole country."
Second: "While pursuing my work, I became aware that the spirit of the first foundation of Mesagoueche took on an importance crucial to the understanding of the development and survival of the Acadian nation and civilization. This particular community appeared ever vigorous, confident and reliable …".
Third: "But,a more ample exposition of this justification is in order here. It can be introduced simply and strongly:without the Chignecto Acadians , particularly those of the Beaubassin, there would not now be any Acadia as such, neither in the country itself or in Louisiana ".
Paul Surette may well be quite correct. Many survivors of the deportation from Chignecto settled in New Brunswick.A prominent Monctonianof Acadian descent was heard to have stated: "half of the Acadian population of Greater Moncton can trace their ancestry to the families at Beaubassin".
Furthermore, it may not be a coincidence that the first Acadian Congress in 1881 rejected all advances from a delegation from Quebec and adopted August 15 as National Acadian Day— the same day as the feast day of Notre Dame d'Assomption, the Church at Beaubassin. Three years later, at the second Congress, Quebec's fleur de lye was rejected in favour of the star of Mary placed on the colours of France. At the same time a national hymn was chosen— Ave Marie Stella. Two more connections to "Notre Dame"of Beaubassin.
IT'S FUTURE: Beaubassin Village were never resettled. For over 200 years it’s grounds were empty,it’s history - largely ignored and certainly not publicly appreciated. In recent years all that has changed, but that is the subject of another story. See: The Revival of Beaubassin Village
PART 2
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The exact location of the historical Acadian Village of Beaubassin was always in question until a trio of individuals came to the office of MP Bill Casey one day with a large map. The map only showed Fort Lawrence Ridge, and the map showed 43 dots in the field along the Fort Lawrence Road.
Ben Griffin, Ken Sesson, and Frank Trenholm brought this map in to show Casey as they were of the opinion that the dots were the charred foundations from the Acadian Village of Beaubassin which was burned down in 1750. The map had been generated through experimental infra-red photography taken from an RCAF aircraft in the 1960s. It occurred to all of them that this was an important piece of history, and it should be investigated.
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Casey first approached the Regional Office of Parks Canada only to be told that their agenda was full and their budget exhausted. After that rejection, he approached the Government of Nova Scotia and they were quick to say “Not interested”.
Casey then went to the minister of Parks Canada, the honorable Sheila Copps who looked at the information but said that the department didn't have the resources to investigate. He then went to the honorable Paul Martin, who was the Minister of Finance at the time and asked him to give the Minister of Parks Canada the funds she would need to research the property and then buy it if appropriate. The minister listened but declined the request.
Finally, out of frustration Casey walked across the floor of the House of Commons one day and asked Prime Minister Chretien for help. He said
“Mr. Chretien ….I have a problem in my riding and I need some help.” Casey outlined the historic nature of the issue and the Prime minister said
“Come up to my office after Question Period”.
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Casey took with him a small version of the big map that showed the 43 foundations and the ridge along the Fort Lawrence Road. Mr. Chretien listened to the story and looked at the map. Suddenly he stuck out his left hand into the air and said
“Isn't Fort Beausejour right over here?” Casey was amazed that he would know this from this tiny little map. He said “Yes it is”.
Mr. Chretien then said
“Would it not make sense to”….and he crossed his arms indicating joining the two historic sites…and Casey said “Yes it would”.
Casey was startled that Prime Minister Chretien could look at that little map and suggest that Fort Beausejour was just to the West. Then he remembered that Mr. Chretien had been elected as the MP for the riding of Beausejour in a by-election when first made leader of the Liberal Party. Casey told him about his unsuccessful journey through the regional offices of Parks Canada and through various ministers and that no one seemed interested. The most important thing to him was to ascertain whether these really were foundations from the historic Acadian Village of Beaubassin... or not. If they were the foundations …then more decisions would need to be made. Mr. Chretien then said “There is a man at Parks Canada who is a friend of mine…. I think he likes me. I can never remember his name, but he has an Anglo first name and a French last name, but I'll remember his name and call you in the morning”. The following morning Casey was in his office at 8:00 o'clock when the phone rang. It was Prime Minister Chretien. Right away Mr. Chretien said “The man's name at Parks Canada is Alan Latourelle ( Anglo first name, French last name). Here's his phone number”. He gave Casey the number and told him to call. Then he hung up. This was the very first time anyone had shown an interest in examining this possible important historic site.
Casey called the number, and Mr. Latourelle answered the phone. Casey asked if he could come over to show him the documentation that had been accumulated about the site. Mr. Latourelle said “No, I will come over there”. Casey said that he would be pleased to go to his office but he would have none of it. Mr. Latourelle was in Casey’s office within fifteen minutes. By now Casey had determined that Mr. Latourelle was the President of Parks Canada. Casey launched into his presentation about the map with the foundations and Mr. Latourelle interrupted him and said “I will save you some time. We have already appointed Regional Archeologist Charles Burke to do an initial dig to see if there is anything there. He will be on site in two weeks”. Casey could not believe it. Obviously, Mr. Chretien had already encouraged Mr. Latourelle to help.
Two weeks later, Casey and his assistant Sandra Bales met archeologist Charles Burke at the site. Mr. Burke unloaded all his equipment from his van and superimposed the RCAF map on a current map and used GPS to try to determine where he might do his first dig. At one point he said “I’ll dig a small hole here because the foundation should be two feet in that direction.”
In the very first hole he found several artifacts including a smoking pipe, a hinge, a shoe sole and various other items. We were all quite surprised. Then Mr. Burke said “I’ll dig a one meter hole right here and the foundation should be nearby”.
When the hole was dug, the 250 year old foundation went right through the middle of the one-meter square hole and more artifacts were found. In the first weekend of his dig, he took back 400 artifacts. Mr. Burke said that he had never come across a sight so rich in historic artifacts. To date he and his colleagues have discovered 53 foundations and over 7,000 artifacts. They have been taken back to Parks Canada for further study. The artifacts are French, Acadian, English and indigenous. They’re all important. The site has now been deemed a National Historic Site, and the government has purchased the property. It is now protected, and Parks Canada has constructed a kiosk with display plaques leading up the path to the kiosk.
Chief Archaeologist Charles Burke followed this investigative process and took it from a farmer’s field to become a valuable historic site and then a National Historic Site which has now been purchased by the Government of Canada. He allowed local citizens to participate in the dig and encouraged others to take an interest in it. He was the perfect person for this mission. There is still a lot of property to be examined and hopefully that will continue in the future. One Lesson from this story is that a member of parliament from the opposition party could walk across the House of Commons floor and sit down with the prime minister and ask for help. Fortunately, in this case Prime Minister Chretien took an interest in the case and followed through. Fifteen years later he asked Casey “Do you know why I helped you with this project?” and Casey said “No… I don’t”. Mr. Chretien said “You are an Anglo… I know you’re an Anglo and if an Anglo is interested in this French history …then I should at least help”.
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PART 3​
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As a result of lobbying efforts by long-time Member of Parliament, Bill Casey and also by one of his successors, Scott Armstrong, Parks Canada made considerable effort to upgrade the site of the former village and fort.
Remnants of the former Trenholm farm were removed, the ground was levelled, trees were planted, a parking lot large enough to accommodate buses were established, interpretive panels were developed and installed along with paths and benches. A gazebo-type structure was erected to protect visitors from any rain and wind and in which a picnic table was placed.
The official opening of this site, now a National Historic Site, complete with a flag pole and Canadian flag was officially opened on…….by the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, Arthur Leblanc, who also unveiled a second bronze plaque to commemorate the event.
Only as a result of further lobbying by members of our Society over the last few years did the signage of this site and its promotion improve.
Our society developed a bilingual information pamphlet about Beaubassin Village and a description of our society which has been made available to four Provincial tourist bureaus around the Province.
Executive members of our Society have attended recent consultation meetings with the staff of Parks Canada at which the concerns and hopes of our Society for Beaubassin and other sites of interest in our County have been successfully expanded.
At a Board of Directors meeting in July of 2023 a Plan for Beaubassin was formally adopted. It was shared with officials of Parks Canada in October of 2023. It has also been made available to our Members of the Legislature of Nova Scotia. Our Member of Parliament and I were part of a presentation to the Council of the Town of Amherst and the Municipality of the County of Cumberland.
A copy of the plan : follows
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OUR PLAN FOR BEAUBASSIN VILLAGE
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Without going through the long and significant history of Beaubassin Village, it is fair to say that it represents the "HEART" of Acadia in many respects. For example , the village's church was dedicated to the feast day of the assumption of Mary, the mother of Jesus( Notre Dame d'Assumption). This day was adopted by the first Acadian Congress as the national holiday or feast day for all of Acadia and is observed by Acadians all over the world. The star of Mary( Stella Maris) was incorporated into the flag of France to make the Acadian Flag.
It was from Beaubassin Village that close to 30 other Acadian communities in the present Cumberland and Westmoreland Counties came to be .Together they made up close to one-third of all Acadians in 1750.
There is no former Acadian community of any size anywhere in former Acadia where so many home foundations can be identified and so many artifacts have been found .
It has been stated that of all the millions of people who can trace their ancestry to ancient Acadia( approximately 3million in Quebec alone) , at least 4million of them can identify Beaubassin Village and it’s satellite communities as their roots.
We were told some years ago by a lawyer in Moncton, Michael Cyr( "Sire" at Beaubassin) that half the population of Moncton can trace its ancestry to Beaubassin.
It is a most supportable proposition that much, much more can and should be done to commemorate this place as a historic site of national significance. Much more that what has been done to date. We can well remember the day not long ago when there was only a cairn and a plaque about Fort Lawrence— and a "No Trespassing" sign.
This is what we propose can and should be done, in whatever order is feasible in the shortest period of time.
- Identify all of the foundations of the former Acadian dwellings as they existed at the time of their destruction in 1750. Acadian author and researcher Paul Surette, late of Moncton, has been able to associate family names with most if not all of these foundations. Each can be shown
- with an interpretive plaque explaining as much of that family's history as can be found. A road and paths from some central point ( the church) should be built to all of these locations. If a Cormier or Bourgeois or an
Arseneault comes to visit, they have a special place to pay their respects to the distant ancestors who are responsible for their existence.
- Re-build the village Church on its original location, next to the village graveyard, which was identified many years ago when the railway was built.
- Re-build one typical habitation: House, barn, shed,garden, orchard. Reconstructions at the Acadian Village can be used as a guide, along with input from experts at the University of Moncton. This will show how the people lived and worked at that time.
- Build an interpretive centre. The "memorial" to Beaubassin Village described above cannot possibly tell the whole story. There is a need for exhibits, panels, artifacts. The explanation of the history through documentaries, videos and lectures. This place deserves a visitor centre similar to what is in Grand Pre. This Centre can also be used to explain the history of the Chignecto Marine Railway. A significant local history , with its route and western terminus nearby. This centre can also tell the story of the earliest people in the area. The Isthmus of Chignecto and it natural resources was an important part of the history of the Mi'kmaq.
- In addition, this Centre can tell the story of the "EddyRebellion". As part of the American War of Independence, serious attempts were made to add the colony of Nova Scotia( including the present New Brunswick ) as one of the rebelling colonies. When a three-part attack on Fort Cumberland (the present Fort Beausejour) failed in 1776 , Nova Scotia was spared to become part of the new United States.
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Directions to the Beaubassin National Historic Site
Please note that 1226 Fort Lawrence Road , Fort Lawrence Nova Scotia is located across the road from the parking lot of the Historic Site, because it has no civic address of its own.
The Bell of Beaubassin
By 1734, the village of Beaubassin was prosperous enough to acquire a bell for its church. This Acadian community was founded by Jacques Bourgeois and settled by members of his family and friends in 1672. It was first known as Bourgeois Settlement, as well as by Mesagoueche, the name given to it by the Mi'kmaq, who frequented the Isthmus of Chignecto . As its population grew, new settlements and villages were established all along the uplands which skirted the various marshes in the area. According to some sources, as many as 30 satellite communities existed and thrived by 1750, but the first village remained as its heart. It was here where the first church was built in 1686. After this church was destroyed as part of an English raid, it was replaced by a new and larger church in 1723, dedicated to "NOTRE-DAME D' ASSUMPTION". To this church the new bell came from Rochefort , France, weighing no less than 250 pounds , 18 inches high and 21 inches at its largest diameter. This bell summoned the
faithful from near and far for mass and special occasions for only 16 years. In 1750 the church was destroyed by French soldiers and Mi'kmaw warriors under the control of the priests . The bell was taken across the Missiquash River, along with all the village inhabitants, and installed at a new church at Fort Beausejour. There it rang for five years until the fort fell to the forces of Colonel Monkton and the militia from Massachusetts. For many years after that it hung in St, Mark' Anglican Church in nearby Mount Whatley. When the new museum was built in the 1930' at Fort Cumberland, now re-named Fort Beausejour, the bell was placed there on display. It is one of the hopes and goals of the Cumberland Acadian Society to have the"Bell of Beaubassin " returned to its original site. For that to happen, there first needs to be an appropriate home to house it, such as the construction of a replica church- on its original and historic location. It is noteworthy to mention that the feast day in the Catholic calendar for Notre Dame d'Assumption is August 15th. That date was chosen at the first Acadian Congress as Acadia's national holiday . At the second Congress "Stella Maris"- the star of Mary- was incorporated into the flag of France to make up the new flag for all Acadians in the Atlantic Provinces and around the world, and "Ave Marie Stella"was adopted as its national hymn. Such was and is the impact of the church and its bell of the little village of Beaubassin
Monument
ABOUT 30 YEARS AGO THE FORT LAWRENCE HERITAGE ASSOCIATON ERECTED A MONUMENT BEHIND THE PROVINCAL WELCOME CENTRE AT FORT LAWRENCE. IT IS FLANKED BY TWO CEDAR TREES, WITH AN ACADIAN FLAG FLYING IN THE EVER-PRESENT MARSH WINDS.
THE FOUR SIDES OF THE OBELISK-SHAPED MONUMENT BEAR THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
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Side One:
THE ACADIAN VILLAGE OF BEAUBASSIN ON THIS SITE WAS FOUNDED BY SETTLETS FROM PORT ROYAL AROUND 1672. UPON THE ARRIVAL OF MAJOR CHARLES LAWRENCE WITH BRITISH TROOPS IN APRIL OF 1750, THE FRENCH AUTHORITIES HAD THE VILLAGE DESTROYED IN ORDER TO FORCE THE ACADIANS TO THE FRENCH SIDE OF THE MISSAQUASH RIVER. THUS, BEAUBASSIN WAS BURNED BY INDIANS, LIKELY UNDER THE DIRECTION OF FATHER GERMAINE AND ABBE Le LOUTRE. ​​​
Side two: THE INCRIBED NAMES ARE THE LAST KNOWN RESIDENTS OF BEAUBASSIN IN 1750, TAKEN FROM THE REFUGEE LIST OF 1751, KEPT AT THE MINISTRE DES COLONIES DEPOT DES PAPIERS PUBLIC DES COLONIES IN PARIS, FRANCE. Sides Three and Four: Pierre Derairer, Françoise Arseneau, Jaques Mouton, Marguerite Kessy, Anne Bourgeois, Abraham Arseneau, Agnès Sire, Pierre Gravois, Marie-Rose Bourgeois, Marie Sire, Françoise Sire, Jaques Bourgeois, Marie Bourque, Marie Chaisson, Claude Bourgeois, Anne Blanchard, Michel Bourgeois, Marie Doucet, Marie Joanne Bourgois, Charles Heon, Jean Kessy, Marie Richard, Paul Sire, Oliver Bourgeois, Pierre Gottard, Agnès Bourgeois, Jean Moutard, Marguerite Poirier, Baptiste Bourgeois, Anne Bernard, Claude Bourgeois, Michel Poirier, Madeleine Bourgeois, François Bourel, Marguerite Doucet, Claude Tendon, Claude Poirier, Marguerite Sire, Marie Kessy, Paul Deveau, Marguerite Buote ,Vincent Deveau,Marie Buote, Claude Kessy, Annie Chaisson, Jaques Kessy, Marie Olivier, Joseph Arseneau, Anne Buote, Jean Arseneau, Brêle, Anne Sire, Marguerite Poirier.
Please note:
It is not at all certain that some of the names are spelled correctly.
Also, it not certain that this list is complete. For instance, the Cormiers are said to have come with Jacques Bourgeois or shortly after. They lived at Beaubassin for four generations. At its destruction some of the Cormiers moved to Île St. Jean and then to Île Royale, establishing themselves at Cheticamp.