How French Are Acadians?

[Grey]

I should also point out that on a genetic level, some Acadians carry a mutation on chromosome 15 called the HEXA gene, encoding the alpha-subunit of the lysosomal enzyme beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase A. This mutation, as far as I know, has been traced back to Southern France. So they came from all over.

I honestly have no idea what any of that means.
But I get what you're saying.

[Psychonaut]

I should also point out that on a genetic level, some Acadians carry a mutation on chromosome 15 called the HEXA gene, encoding the alpha-subunit of the lysosomal enzyme beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase A. This mutation, as far as I know, has been traced back to Southern France. So they came from all over.

And then some of us (*looks at himself*) carry the R1a1 haplogroup. There's actually quite a large database of North American French DNA results.

[Grumpy Cat]

Scary how much you guys know about it.

I have a degree in Acadian Studies. Still paying off that damn student loan on a computer programmer's salary.

Just out of curiosity, I've heard conflicting stories about the Jeansonne family. Were they originally from France or England before reaching the New World?

This is something I would have to look up. As far as I know, France, but I am not 100% sure on this.

[Grumpy Cat]

Well, what do you mean by "French?" They're from France, but ethnically they would've been Franco-Flemish or something like that.

Aha. I didn't see this post on first pass of the thread. You brought up something very important here. The style of dike building that the Acadians have been renown for very closely resembles the Dutch way of building them. It is quite possible that Acadians have Dutch blood or have at least been influenced by the Dutch.

[Grey]

I have a degree in Acadian Studies. Still paying off that damn student loan on a computer programmer's salary.

I didn't know they had courses on that. Not to sound rude; I just didn't know there was enough available information for a degree program.

This is something I would have to look up. As far as I know, France, but I am not 100% sure on this.

Alright. It's nothing important; just something I've been wondering about.

[Psychonaut]

Here is some good info on the Pitre progenitor:

Jean Pitre

His name may have been Jan Pietr. Either for social acceptance or by mispronounciation, he became Jean Pitre. He was born around 1636. This pioneer would be our first Pitre ancestor to set foot on this continent and the progenitor of many Pitre, Lepitre, Pieters, Pieter, Pietre, Peters, Peter, Peete, living in Acadia, Quebec, Canada and the U.S. today.

The first trace that is found of our ancestor is in the 1671 census of Port Royal, Acadia. Jean's trade is mentioned as edge-tool making which consists in the fabrication of sharp tools and irons used by farmers.

The pioneer of the Acadian Pitre family is Flemish according to a statement made at Belle-Île-en-Mer, France after deportation by his grandson Claude Pitre.

However, in his Dictionnaire généalogique des familles acadiennes Genealogist Stephen White also cites Père Clarence d'Entremont (genealogist) who believed that it is more likely that he was English, based on An account of the Customs and Manners of the Micmakis and Maricheets where it is said that Peters, a toolsmith in England was of English origin.

Many hypotheses have been brought forth as to how Jean Pitre arrived in Acadia. It has been speculated that he arrived with the Sir ThomasTemple Expedition on May 1, 1657.
There is no list of settlers from this expedition but it coincides with Jean Pitre's arrival in Acadia.

On the other hand, Leopold Lanctot suggests that Jean Pitre first came as a pioneer to the Dutch colonies of Fort Orange (now Albany, N.Y.) or New Amsterdam (now New York, N.Y.). When the British took over those Dutch colonies Governor Temple would have recruited Dutchmen to take them to Acadia.

Another story that was told on the origins of Jean Pitre was published in The History of St. Anthony's Parish 1803-1980 which relates to the descendants of Jean Pitre in Prince Edward Island, most of which have taken the name Peters. This account would have him in Permambuco, Brazil and escaping the Dutch wars in South America by hopping a schooner up to Acadia.

Still another story would have a named Peter (maybe Jean Pitre's father) arriving during the Scottish occupancy between 1621 and 1632. This last story is found in The Acadian Miracle by DJ Leblanc who states that Peter later changed his name to Pitre and remained in Acadia after the French retook possession in 1632.

Unfortunately all of these are just theories and speculations and we really don't know how and when Jean Pitre arrived in Acadia. For all we know, he could have arrived as a child with his parents or even been born in Acadia of parents who arrived earlier since there were not many documents kept in the early 1600's.

We know that he was in Port Royal around 1665 when he married Marie Pesseley because the following year, their first child Marie was born.

In 1671, Acadia is part of France again and the population has reached 360. In this first census taken in Acadia, we find the following:

Jean PITRE

edge tool maker, 35, wife Marie Pesseley; Children: Claude 9 months and 2 daughters, Marie age 5 & Catherine age 3; cattle 1, no ploughed land.

The first census list our ancestor with his young family. At this time, he is one of the few Acadians with no farming land and would have had to concentrate on his skills as a toolsmith to provide for his family. By 1678, his family has grown and has added 2 acres of ploughed land and one more cow to help feed them.

It is through their fifth son François that our Pitre lineage is continued. François is listed in the 1686 census as being 4 years old.

1678 CENSUS
Jean Pitre & Marie Pesselet

2 acres & 2 cows

4 boys: 10 1668 Claude; 5 1673 Marc; 3 1675 (son); 1 1677 Pierre

2 girls: 14 1664 Marie; 11 1667 Catherine;

1686 CENSUS

Jean PITRE age 61; Marie PESELET age 45

Claude age 16; Marc age 12; Pierre age 9; Jean age 6; François age 4; girl (Marguerite) age 2; girl (Jeanne) 1 month

[Grumpy Cat]

I didn't know they had courses on that.

Yup. It's available at Université Sainte-Anne http://www.usainteanne.ca

The university's library and "Acadian Centre" also carry a wealth of information on all things Acadian, from genealogy to dictionaries of the various Acadian dialects (Acajonne, Chiac, etc.)

[Grey]

Looks like I've got an excuse to get back to learning French now

[Grumpy Cat]

Looks like I've got an excuse to get back to learning French now

Do it. You can take immersion programs at that university too. And it's really good, the people who go through end up speaking French better than most native French speakers.

[Grey]

I'm assuming it would be best to have studied it a good bit before doing the immersion program, right?

I'd have to wait a few years anyway before I'd be able to spend that much money on that.