Did you know that you could be descendent of an Indian Chief called Madockawando? Well three of his daughters (indian princess) were the wives of Jean Vincent D'Abbadie de St Castin. Mister Castin only married one of the wives in the catholic faith. If you have some LeBorgne , some Robichauds, some Breaus, Or Roy, somewhere along your lines, follow their lines and you just might come to Jean Vincent D'Abbadie and one of his wives. The reason I started my blog this way, is because I am reading a book called A Land of Discord Always,given to me by my friend Maria. Here is an exhert about Jean Vincent D'Abbadie de St Castin. The book talks about the missionaries and then it contiues to say "but the best known ,the most storied was not a priest. He was a soldier Jean Vincent D'Abbadie de St.Castin. Second son of a nobleman of the old province of Bern on the slopes of the Pyrenees,he had come to America as a teenager to seek a fortune blocked at home by the iron law of primogeniture. Serving at Fort Pentagouet in 1674,he was the officer who carried the news of Chambly's defeat,and Frontenac had sent him back to Penobscot with orders to stay and win the Indians to France's side.In the same year that his brother died childless and he became after all the third baron de St Caston,young Jean Vincent began a new life as leader and counsellor of the Abenaquis.The rivers and forests of Maine it seemed had more allure than a chateau and estate in Bearn. Too there was a woman, she was the daughter of an important sagamore named Madockawando and his marriage may have earned St Castin Sagamore Status He did in any event aquire an influence far beyond what might have been expected of the ex officer ostensibly just a fur buyer who in 1677 built a post near the ruins of Fort Pentagoet .The town that now occupies the site of the old french fort has his name anglicized to Castine.
The following is a poem by Longfellow of St Castin;
Full of a young man's joy to be
Abroard in the world ,alone and free
Full of adventures and wonderful scenes
Of hunting the deer through forests vast
In the royal grant of Peter du Gast
Of nights in the tents of the Tarrantides
Of Madockawando the indian chief,
And his daughters glorious as queens
And beautiful beyond belief
And soft are the tones of their native tongue
The words are not spoken, they are sung.

And the book goes on about St Castin. There are also lots of stories on line worth reading, about him and about Madockawando. It is amazing what one will find while tracing their families, and just to say, we are who we are no matter what and we should be proud of ourselves and of all our ancestors because without them, we would not be on this earth today. There are many skeletons in some of our closets, many were buried and may never be found, nevertheless, be proud of who you are and make your children and grandchildren proud of you.
Thank you for stopping by, it is always a pleasure seeing you. Also to remind you about our Christmas Toy Drive, if you can knit why don't you knit some mittens or socks for our Christmas Toy Drive, I am sure mittens would be appreciated on a cold winter night to some little boy or girl. If you want to send a toy, or gift certificat for the toy drive, go to www.acadian-roots.com click on Christmas Toys and follow instructions.
Thank you and Have a great day
Aline