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Subject: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] The Plight of my Acadian ancestors in Louisiana
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2003 11:53:37 EST

On October 28, 1755, after being held prisoners "under house arrest" for 5
to 6 weeks, Firmin Landry and his first wife, Françoise Thibodeau, along with
their first two children Joseph Landry bn 1750 and Saturin Landry, bn 1755,
were led from Fort Edward to boats at the foot of the hill, to be embarked aboard
the ship Ranger anchored in the Minas Basin.

Firmin and his family were sent to Maryland, where they remained in exile
until 1766-67 before coming to Louisiana.

Firmin established at the Attakapas (St. Martinville) and when he died in
1801 (34 years later) he had accuired quite an estate even at todays standards.
1801 -
Entry # 231 -
Firmin Landry -
On the fourth day of February, 1801, I Don Migel Bernado Barriere, curate of
Saint Martin, Church of the juristiction of the Attakapas district submitted
to the grave in the field (sto) the church cemetery of said church, the body of
Firmin Landry, adult of the age of Sixty and ten and six years; the son of
Alexandre and - - - - -, native of Acadia, and husband of Theotiste Thibodau.
Because he died suddenly, he did not make testament and did not receive the last
rites (Sacrament) of the church.

signed: Migel Bernado Barriere, curate



Inventory of Firmin Landry (SMOA 20?63) was opened March 1801.

SUCCESSION OF FIRMIN LANDRY

The inventory of the items in Firmin Landry's estate is found in the St.
Martin courthouse Original Acts Book 20, no. 63 and was opened 23 March 1801. The
documents are all in French. Following is an English translation:
Today, March 23, 1801, I Charles deBlanc, Capt of the Army, Civil and
Military Commander of Attakapas and its dependencies, Adjutant, Notary Public and
writer ______ .
Having been informed of the death of FIRMIN LANDRY which occured after
last February 2, I was transported to his place to proceed with the Inventory.
To __ the rights of THEOTISTE THIBODAUX, wife of the deceased, that of the
major children and minors, descending from the three marriages namely JOSEPH
LANDRY, deceased, leaving ten children; Helene, deceased, leaving one child, who
are heirs through representation of their father and mother of the first
marriage; Anne Gaudin, widow of RenT Broussard, today wife of Noble Wilkins,
legitimate daughter of the surviving widow; and of the second marriage FRANCOISE,
HUBERT, HELENE, ROSALIE, VALENTINE, ALEXANDRE, AGNES, and MARGUERITE LANDRY all
heirs to equal portions of the estate of deceased FIRMIN LANDRY and THEOTISTE
THIBODAUX.
HUBERT LANDRY was elected as tutor (guardian) for the minors who were
ROSALIE, VALENTINE, ALEXANDRE, AGNES, and MARGUERITE .........


INVENTORY:

Thirty arpents of land on each side of Vermilion Bayou at Grand Pointe, each
heir receiving two arpents on each side.
Four arpents on the east side of Bayou Teche (this would be the place at Lake
Fausse Pointe)
(A few items found in 23 pages .....)
Value
(piastres)
They found a bad house, a store house & enclosed yard 50.00
Five work oxen 70.00
Seven beeves and bulls of 2 yrs. 35.00
Three small bulls of one year 9.00
Eleven gentled cows 110.00
One horse (carriage) 60.00
Two carriage horses 80.00
One horse of 3 yrs. 50.00
Two mares of 2 yrs. & their "followers" 40.00
One "potre" & one filly 20.00
One bad wagon, three old axes & one master key 21.00
One service gun 10.00
One sye 2.00
One devil chain & a bad millstone 6.00
Six (bolts oe peices) printed cotton 12.4
A pasol of pink silk 6.4
One peice Royal ? 25.00
One peice of Muslin 14.00
One pair of shoes 2.6
One peice of Bretagne 3.00
Six handkerchiefs 3.00
One gun 30.00
One quart of salt 3.5
A shovel, an axe, & a knife 7.6
Four pounds of powder & 25 pounds of lead 8.5?1/2

_________________
Estimation of total inventory: 1,106 Piastres 3 bits


Firmin's son Joseph also my ancestor married Marie-Anne Melancon and also
established in the same area. When he died, he too had accquired a sizeable
estate.

SUCCESSION OF JOSEPH LANDRY

The following abstract is taken from St. Martin Parish Courthouse records, OA
19?142: "..... 10th day of month of September of the year 1800, Louis Charles
deBlanc, Captain of the Armies, Commandant of Civil & Military of the Post of
the Attakapas and dependancies.... at the request of Marie Melancon, widow of
Joseph Landry, to wed second to Thomas Pare .... (go) to her residence on the
Bayou Vermilion .... process of inventory, estinmate of the estate entered to
.... Marie Melanton and the late JOSEPH LANDRY his wife for the preservation
of the rights of the children: AGRICOLE, 20 yrs; Marie Magdelaine, 18 yrs.;
ROSALIE; ANASTAZIE; CIRILE; JOSEPH DENIS; PANTALEON; SERAPHIE; MAXIMIEN;
DORALISE; minors of legitimate birth of marriage .... HUBERT LANDRY, uncle, is name
"curator" of the minors .....

".....from the inventory of goods and property:
Thirty arpents on Bayou Vermilion on which you will find a house "in bad
state" .... by FIRMIN LANDRY....
Six arpents on Bayou Piraud (?) in front of Pierre Dugat ...
Five arpents on "Partie Orientale" on Vermilion and one arpent situated
between Armant Landry and Olivier Landry ...
a negro named Antoine 50 years old
25 cows with calves
28 cows without calves and bulls of 2 yrs.
5 bulls
22 bulls
1 pairs of work oxen
13 young bulls of 3 yrs.
9 young bulls
4 gentled horses and one young mare
2 old wagons
3 wash pots
3 beds with bedding
a buggy "in bad state"
an old pirogue
an old rifle


This is what I meant by the Acadian exiles who eventually settled in Louisina
were able to thrive, probably better than their cousins that established in
the Canadian Maritimes


Don

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