Our Acadian ancestors ,were they all farmers? Did they have any trades? Well I am now reading a book called the Acadians of Nova Scotia and in the book I read the following;
Jacques Bourgeois was the only professional man in Port Royal, he was a doctor, he was listed in Port Royal with his wife Jeanne Trahan who was ten years younger than he was. So Jacques and his family was listed at the top of the social scale. Most of the heads of family were listed as laborers or ploughmen but the census also listed many specialized tradesmen. For example there were four coopers including Pierre Comeau who was 75 years of age when he married Rose Bayol 33 years younger than he was.Pierre Melanson was a tailor,Thomas Cormier was a carpenter,Mathieu Martin was a weaver,Pierre Doucet was a mason,Laurent Granger was a sailor,Guillaume Trahan and Jehan Pitre were blacksmiths and Pierre Sire and Abraham Dugast were gunsmiths.
Continuing in the book, I now am reading that the following are the founding families of Cheticamp.
Pierre Bois,
Raymond Poirier and Marie Bois
Augustin Deveau and Rose Richard
Anselme Aucoin and Rose Chiasson
Paul Chiasson and Louise Boudrot
Basile Chiasson and Adelaide Arseneaux
Jean Chiasson and Isabelle Boudrot
Joseph Gaudet and Marie Anne Richard
Pierre Aucoin and Felicite LeBlanc and later to Marie Doucet
Joseph Boudrot and Anne Chiasson
Lazarre LeBlanc and Modeste Chiasson
Joseph Deveau
Joseph Aucoin and Marie Hebert and adopted son Cyriac Roach
Gregoire Maillet and Anne LeBlanc
Also 36 families came across from Rustico on PEI to settle in Cheticamp in 1822 and another 5 families came in 1829.
So if any of the above names connect to your lines or seem familiar, maybe you can check the registers of Cheticamp Nova Scotia.
I hope this blog will help someone or make for good reading. Until next time, have a great day,
thanks for the visit.
Aline