Life and Times of
Credits
Major credit must be given to
Fr. Patrice Gallant, author of “Michel Haché-Gallant et ses descendants”,
volumes I and II, from whose works the author of this biography has liberally
quoted, making up much of the body of the article, and to Rob Ferguson, author
of “The Search for Port La Joye”, published in the Spring/Summer 1990 volume of
The Island Magazine, providing much of the "Aftermath" information.
Special thanks are extended to
Benjamin E. Achee, Jr. bachee@softdisk.com for his permission to include
information from his Achee//Gallant/Hache web page in this biography.
Introduction
This is a biography of Michel
Haché-Gallant, (1662-1737), who at the time of his death was the patriarch of a
large, extended family of Acadian colonists, and who had spent his last 17
years in the French settlement of Port La Joye (near old Fort Amherst which is
located on the southeast shore of Charlottetown harbour) on Ile Saint-Jean (now
Prince Edward Island). Beside his considerable progeny, he left behind a farm
near the colony's administrative headquarters. Eight years later
Ancestry
Little is known for certain of
Michel Haché-Gallant's ancestry. The Honorable Bona Arsenault and
A recently discovered document
in the archives in
Pierre Larché was employed by
Nicholas Denys, a persistent, if luckless entrepreneur who in 1650 had
established a trading post at St. Pierre, Ile Royale, located beside the
present day St. Peter's Canal, on Cape Breton Island. Larché had been married
to an Adrianne Langlois, born abut 1640, but he was thought to have taken a
Micmac wife when he was at
Nicholas Denys’ commercial
establishment in
It is very likely on the
occasion of this voyage that, after the death of their father, Richard Denys
would have brought Michel Larché along with his sister Madeleine, to
Trois-Rivières in
Denys’ establishment at
At Trois-Rivières in
Michel LeNeuf, Sieur de la
Vallière, Landlord and founder of Beaubassin, moved there from Trois-Rivières.
It was at Trois-Rivières on
Michel Haché’s baptismal records
still exist in
It is not known if
At Beaubassin (near the present
At the age of 15, Michel Haché
moved to Beaubassin to live on the seigneury of Michel LeNeuf de la Vallière.
Rameau de Saint-Père writes in "Une Colonie Feodole", "Among the
engaged who were brought from
In Placide Gaudet's written
notes, we can read the following concerning Michel Haché: "Michel
Haché-Gallant was born in 1662 and was brought up in Trois-Rivières by Lord
Jacques LeNeuf de la Poterie, the father of Michel LeNeuf, Lord de la Vallière
and Lord of Beaubassin." When Michel LeNeuf went to reside with his wife
and children in his manor on 'de la Vallière Island (today Long's Island),
around 1676 or 1677, he brought the young Michel Haché, who was then 15 years
old, with him, to be his servant/domestic. Very active, intelligent, he could
read and write, he was extremely attached to his master. He used to accompany
him in all his trips, whether on the land or on the sea.
It was later reported that
Michel Haché was in a certain fight, and having fought like a lion, afterwards
was given the surname of "Galant". Whether this account is accurate
is open to question, since while the name “Galland” was know in
the 1600s, while the names Haché
and Larché were not.
Around 1687, when Mr. de la
Vallière left his seineury to go and live in
The first mention of
In 1686 in the Beaubassin
census, his name was still listed as
In the autumn of 1684, in his
role as a justice agent and policeman, it was Michel Haché, 20 years old who
arrested, under M. de la Vallière's orders, Jean Campagna, who was accused of
sorcery and more particularly to have caused by his evil deeds the death of
many cattle. The proceedings were ended on
Marriage
Michel Haché‚ was married in
1690 to Anne Marie Claire Cormier, born about 1674 in
1693 Census: "Michel Haché‚
30 years old, Anne Cormier 19 years old, Michel 1-1/2 years old, Joseph 2
months. They have 13 horned animals (presumably cattle or oxen), 10 sheep, 6
pigs". In the margin reserved for the number of acres of land, it
mentioned that this was a new piece of land, indicating that Haché‚ had
recently acquired the land.
1698 Census: "Michel Haché‚
36 years old, Anne Cormier 25 years old, Michel 7 years old, Joseph 5 years
old, Marie 4 years old, Jean-Baptiste 2 years old. They have 12 horned animals,
12 sheep, 5 pigs and 13 acres worth of land".
1700 Census: "Michel Haché‚
38 years old, Anne Cormier 27 years old, Michel 9 years old, Joseph 7 years
old, Marie 6 years old, Jean-Baptiste 4 years old, Charles 2 years old".
1703 Census: "Michel Haché‚
said Galan (the first time in the censuses there is a mention of the surname.
In French the "t" in Gallant is silent), his wife, 5 boys and 2
girls".
1714 Census: "Michel Haché, Anne Cormier,: Joseph, Marie,
Jean-Baptiste, Charles, Pierre, Anne, Marguerite, Francois, Madeleine, Jacques.
Thomas Cormier's
widow resides with Michel Haché".
Michel Haché was the godfather
of Magdaleine Michelle Mercier, born and baptized
Michel Haché's family consisted
of the following children
Michel Haché, born in 1691 at
Beaubassin, married at Grand Prée on
Joseph Haché, born in 1693 at
Beaubassin, married at Port-Royal on 27 febuary 1721 to Marie Gaudet, daughter
of Pierre Gaudet and Cécile Mignault. The had nine children.
Marie Haché, born in 1694 at
Beaubassin, married at Beaubassin on
Jean-Baptiste Haché, born in
1696 at Beaubassin, married on
Pierre Haché‚ born in 1700 at
Beaubassin married in Port La Joye in 1725 to Cécile Lavergne, daughter of
Pierre Lavergne and Anne Bernon. They had nine children.
Anne Haché, born in Beaubassin
in 1702, married on
Marguerite Haché, born in
Beaubassin in 1705, married in 1725 to Pierre Jacquemin a carpenter. They had
four children. Marguerite married a second time to Robert Ango, son of Robert
Ango and Toinette Desroches. There were two children from this second marriage.
François Haché, born at
Beaubassin in 1707, married at Port La Joye on
Madeleine Haché, born at
Beaubassin in 1709, married at Port La Joye 31 January 1733 to Pierre Duval,
son of Jacques Duval and Renée Massin. They had seven children.
Jacques Haché, born at
Beaubassin in 1712, married at Port La Joye 20 June 1735 to Josephte Boudrot,
daughter of François Boudrot and Anne Landry. They had ten children.
Louise Haché, born at Beaubassin
in 1715, married
Conditions in
The little Colony of Acadia grew
from 40 inhabitants in 1640 to more than 400 in 1671 and to 1,406 by 1737. The
settlers took advantage of large areas of rich soil found along the banks of
rivers and streams.
Among the settlers were
"sauniers" who were able to exploit the salt marshes of the seaside
villages. There were others who drained the marshes by dyking. They were able
to reclaim large areas of very fertile soil from the tidal waters of the
Life in
Men made all of the rustic
furniture - tables, chairs, beds, cradles, sideboards and benches. They made
the footwear for the whole family, either the wooden shoes of their French
ancestors or Indian moccasins, which were more suitable to the cold winters.
They also made their own farm implements, such as wooden plows, hoes and carts.
A young man had to be able to make a wheel before he could consider getting
married.
Before horses and oxen were
imported, the mother had to pull the plow, while the father pushed the plow
with one hand while holding his rifle with the other. There were some hostile
natives about and packs of wolves were everywhere.
The days of toil were long. In
the evening, after a dinner meal, the mother dipped string into wax to make
candles. There was also spinning or weaving to do while the father was either
making furniture or cutting wood. The father hunted animals for meat and their
skins were used for clothing and to cover windows and floors for warmth in the
cold winters. Large families were a necessity as the children would help in the
many tasks. Close neighbors were almost non-existent.
From available descriptions, the
Acadian home was constructed of square logs joined at the corners. The roof may
have been made of birch bark, which could ward off ice and rain. The house was
not usually large and contained one main room on the ground floor with a loft
above it. There was a fireplace against one of the outside walls from which
they got heat and cooked their meals.
Family activities took place on
the ground floor where one corner was curtained off for the bed of the parents.
Children slept in the loft which was also used to store grain and other items.
Changes at Beaubassin
On
On
Port La Joye
The colonization of Ile
Saint-Jean was begun as a private venture by the Comte de St. Pierre, who had
received conditional title to the island in 1719 from the Duke of Orleans,
Regent of Louis XV. Previous attempts at settlement by Europeans had been
limited and impermanent. On
In accordance with a report
dated
By 1725, the Compagnie de lle
Saint-Jean was being assailed by its creditors in
After the failure of the Comte
de St. Pierre's venture, the remnants of his settlement were administrated by
the Crown. In 1726, a company of 25-30 men of the Compagnie de la marine was
sent from Louisbourg to protect the colony and re-establish a military post at
Port La Joye. The size of the garrison remained essentially unchanged during
the French years, and it proved little obstacle to invaders. In 1744, war broke
out between
Four years later, the Treaty of
Aix-la-Chapelle returned the colony to the French crown. Port la Joye again
became the military and administrative centre, but little of the farming
community was re-established. A number of temporary wooden structures were
built for the garrison on the site of the previous garrison. In 1755, Port La
Joye became an important port of entry to the island for Arcadians fleeing from
the mass-deportation from
Since then, 200 years of farming
have removed all traces of Port La Joye. It took an archaeological dig in 1987
to rediscover the site of Michel Haché's home.
Michel Haché-Gallant at Port La Joye
Michel Haché-Gallant was in his
late 50s when he left the fertile lands at Beaubassin to live at Port La Joye.
By that time he had been married to Anne Cormier for 30 years and had 12
children. He brought Anne and four of their children with him to Ile
Saint-Jean. Other children followed over the next eight years, establishing
their own families in the colony.
Gallant's property occupied a
long, narrow strip along the east bank of the small stream beside the garrison.
A 1734 sketch of Port La Joye shows three buildings on his land. Two of these
buildings were dwellings, with pitched roofs, a central chimney, and doors
facing the road to the garrison. The third building looked like a storehouse,
with a hipped roof, a large central door, but without windows.
Immediately upon his arrival at
Port La Joye, Gallant was appointed the harbour captain. His family was one of
the most respected in the port, as he was well educated and held an important
post.
The following extracts from
"the document concerning the French colonization of the
Haché's Certificates
"I the undersigned, Captain
of the La Joye harbour, commanding officer for the ship "La
Miscoudine", (contracted) to transport to Louisbourg in 1721, Mr. de
Beaucour, the King's Lieutenant to the Royal Island and all of the fisherman
owners of the boats and ships confiscated by Mr. de Gotteville on St-Jean Island
and other passengers totaling 33 people, certify that I have made the trip and
it did not cost anything for me nor for my crew and no costs were incurred for
the ship because we left this port with a four to five days food supply. We had
to travel for a period of nine days due to heavy winds.
Herewith signed this certificate
in La Joye harbour this
(signed) Michel Haché"
"Today, 12th August 1727,
we, Knights of the Military Order of St-Louis, Company Captain, Commanding
Officer of the St-Jean Island,.............
having transported ourselves,
accompanied by
Herewith we have signed. De
Pensens, Le Normant, Michel Haché‚ said Galan."
Extract from a letter from
Duchambon dated 2nd October 1737, from Louisbourg
"In respect for the
residents, I will do my utmost possible to bring in as many people as I can
because the actual residents of the La Joye Harbour are not worthy of mention
with the exception of the Galans family who occupy four houses. There is almost
nobody left, they have left or are leaving because they die from not having
enough to eat and I cannot think of why we have chosen this place as the
principal establishment since this is the part of the island where the land is
fruitless and where fishing is no good. If it were good, we could have many
people who could clear the land and without their help, we can't do
anything."
Michel Haché-Gallant was
apparently very practical-minded and liked clear-cut situations. The following
document seem to support this.
Obligation to pay annual pension
of 10 pounds for everyone of the children
"This 17th day of November
1736, in the presence of Father Angélique Collin, "Récolet" (a
Franciscan monk) from the province of Bretagne, missionary and Chaplain for the
King at La Joye harbour in the Saint-Jean Island, Québec bishopric, acting as
the parish priest in this city/town, since there was no Notary to pass the act
between Michel Haché and Anne Cormier his wife on the one part and his children
on the other part, hereafter named Michel Haché, Joseph Haché, Marie Haché‚
spouse of René Rassicot, Baptiste Haché, Charles Haché, Pierre Haché,
Marguerite Haché spouse of Pierre Jacquemin, François Haché, Jacques Haché, Louise
Haché spouse of Louis Belliveau, Marie-Madeleine Haché spouse of Pierre Duval,
who agree to the following: to be known that every above mentioned children
agree and are compelled to give to everyone of their parents, their father and
their mother, for the rest of their life, the sum of 10 pounds every year
effective today.
They also relinquish their
rights to the appropriation of their father's and mother's succession after
their death. The father and/or the mother are free to give their property/goods/fortune
forever to the child of their choice if they judge he/she deserve it. Herewith,
the children who know how to write have signed in the presence of Phillipe Le
Neuf, Knight, Lord de Beaubassin, ensign of a detached Navy company and in the
presence of Charles Boudrot, Ship's Captain of the Beaubassin's Lord who signed
as witnesses (signed) Michel Haché, Joseph Haché."
"Once more, Michel Haché,
his wife Anne Cormier and their children have agreed that if one of their
parents dies, the children will only have to pay half of the 10 pounds to which
they have agreed to above.
Herewith, they have signed as above: Michel Haché, Joseph Haché, Marques
de René Rassicot, Baptiste Haché, Jacques Haché, Pierre Haché, Marguerite
Haché-Jacquemin."
Michel Haché-Gallant's death
Michel Haché-Gallant died
tragically when he fell through rotting ice on the
Following is his burial
certificate from the La Joye harbour register.
"On the
Signed: Brother Angéligue
Collin"
Aftermath
After Gallant's death his widow
rented rooms to officers of the garrison and, later rented the whole house to
the family of a Lieutenant DeCoux. Anne Cormier probably moved in with one of
her children on the Northeast (Hillsborough) River when her house was rented to
Lieutenant DeCour. Her fate after the British takeover in 1745 is unknown. She
was still alive on
Archaeological Details
In 1987 and 1988, an
archaeological search for the remnants of Port la Joye was carried out by a
team from the Canadian Parks Service.
The Garrison
The team located and excavated
the site of the garrison. They found traces of temporary buildings constructed
in 1749 for the new garrison, but were unable to locate the more substantial
earlier buildings. Many items of interest, such as hand-wrought nails, musket
balls and flints, were found. Bits of beautifully decorated, fine tableware that
came from the potteries of
The Gallant Property
In searching for the the Gallant
home, a large anomaly, five meters across, was discovered through the use of a
conductivity meter. When sod was stripped from an 8 meter square area over the
anomaly, the dark outlines of a cellar and foundation trenches were evident. The
cellar had been filled with loose loam, thrown in to allow farmers to plow. A
layer of charcoal, marking the destruction of the house in 1745, separated the
remains of the French occupation, from materials later used to fill the cellar.
Within the charcoal layer a large number of hand-wrought nails were found.
There was also about 1,000 pieces of window glass.
Among items found in the cellar
were numerous fragile brass pins, probably intended for trade or tailoring.
Lead bale seals, used to seal and identify the contents of parcels were also
found. Three coins found in the cellar, were probably hoarded because of a
scarcity of hard currency in the colony. A number of tools, included an auger
bit, a chisel or caulking blade, and a saw-toothed blade, were among items
found which suggested the self-sufficiency of Arcadian settlers, such as
Gallant. There were scrap pieces of lead, copper, iron and bone which had
apparently been worked and then discarded.
Bones found in the debris of the
cellar indicate that while the families kept cattle and sheep, that more pigs
were kept. There was also evidence of domestic chickens and geese. It was
clear, too, that the house's occupants fished for cod, bass and dogfish.
While the Acadian settler is
popularly considered to have lived a meager existence, pieces of fine
earthenware that speak of economic success were found in the cellar. There also
were polychrome faience pitchers, bowls, and plates from
It was evident that the house
itself, was a two-room, wood-frame structure, at least 9 by 10 meters in size,
with a central chimney and a partial root cellar. Its wooden sill was
apparently set directly into the ground. Considerable quantities of clay were
found in broad patches around the cellar, suggesting the walls may have been
plastered with earth. There was no evidence of roofing materials, but since
salt-water marsh grasses were not available at Port La Joye, the roof was
probably planked or shingled.
Monument at Rocky Point, near
Fort Amherst, Charlottetown, PEI
The inscription on the above
monument reads “First family of the white race permanently established in
Prince Edward Island, ancestor of the Gallant families of Canada and the United
States, arriving here at Port Lajoye in 1720.”
John
Gallant
10 Febuary 1998
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