De Morillon du Bourg: Nov 1668
One of our questions is if Pierre could have been onboard the ship DuBourg sailed on to deliver the news to Thomas Temple that he had to give back Acadia.
So: what do we know of this guy?
His letters from Boston were written to the French Ambassador in England: Colbert
and
to the Compagnies des Indes Occidental
He was clearly employed by the Compagnies it would seem:
and the trip to Boston was just one stop along the way to St. Christophers and the islands.
He was clearly deputized to represent the French King:
but probably was not a courtier but a staffer of the Compagnies:
thus the need to tell him where he was and what was going on.
It is likely too it was their ship and not a royal frigate.
There seems to be evidence this same Du Bourg sailed on the Justice out of Le Havre in 1669 with the Compagnies to Africa and died there.
We can speculate thats likely where he was based: Le Havre and equally probable thats where he sailed from in 1668
as well
A good checking of Compangies records might yield proof.
Clearly Du Bourg didnt want to get into any tussle with Temple:
he went first to Acadia to meet Le Borgne...travels around with him to see the place and only then goes to Boston.
He obviously had no military support with him as he wants to get out of there fast fearing Temple would lock him up.
This has all the indicators of a guy just doing his job on the French Kings orders who bails at the first sign of difficulty without really wanting it to show.
There is no indication he left a single person behind:
in fact: he feared Temples reaction so much: he told Le Borgne to back off and get out till things were sorted.
Its unlikely he left any other representatives in Acadia that may have been on board: it was a dangerous time.
Nor is it likely he transported engagees on Le Borgnes behalf
but: its not impossible:
If he did do this:
the records would be likely in Le Havre notary records of the time and the persons likely came out of the Le Havre and not La Rochelle.
Certainly Le Borgne himself was already in the New World: having been held prisoner in Boston for years.
The ship that Du Bourg sailed on: is likely the only ship that entered Acadia in 1668 that wasnt covert.
In fact Temple was very angry that Du Bourg went to Acadia first......
But Le Borgne insists he arranged for 20 engages to arrive in 1668/69: and this is very likely the only ship they could have possibly arrived on.
Thus it would seem: instead of looking for two ships arriving in 1668: we would only look for one and probably the property of the merchants of Le Havre and the Occidental company
Unfortunately the last name Sirre: spelled this way:is not associated with Le Havre or Rouen or Brittany......
So far no records have come to light suggesting persons were transported and left behind in 1668
but: I dont believe anyone had a place to look.
I suggest that place is Le Havre: and it may well explain a few unknown Acadian origins.
the name Morillon: is an actual French name: (with a few various spellings including Maurillon) belonging to the region of Savoy.....its a town name and a family name..
Sieur de Morillon: should be some kind of indication that he came from that town or region or his family did....all references to this last name are primarily Protestant: which is consistent with most of the French merchants trading abroad.
and there are many persons of this family surname existing in the 1600s: primarily right of France: along the Alps
although this family name is certainly found in Paris itself during this time frame.
One thing is key and as yet undiscovered:
he wrote that he would go and see the King as soon as he returned from this trip.....after the second leg to the islands.
One could only hope that he did do that and that a report or record was made and still exists in the French archives.
This would be in 1669
Back in Acadia: Temple though writes that he sent an English armoured ship and two of his own to Port Royal to destroy the place and put it back to the way it was when he got it
but he also said he was taking provisions, armour etc
and complained that the Acadians still owed him 700 pounds?
stirling?
That puts a lot of men from New England into Acadia:
certainly we know they were stationed at now St. John
He clearly did it: as he didnt go with them:
he didnt know the results at the time he wrote about it
Did all of these men leave?
or did they contribute to the population?
So what that leaves us with is 20 men via Le Borgne somehow and 12 men of Denys potentially to add to the original Acadians as a matter of known history.
As a prisoner: how would Le Borgne be able to communicate with France to arrange for engagees?
He must have been released in 1667......and perhaps had an opportunity to get back to France at least once.....
He certainly was in Acadia in 1668 when Du Bourg arrived:
we can only conclude that these men arrived prior to Nov 1668 but not before the Treat of Breda in 1667.........but there is no way Temple could have known or agreed to further French colonization.....so it must have been done on the sly
For Le Borgne to believe he could support these men for 3 years:
he had to feel he had resources to do it.........
because Acadia was broke.......
How did he get these men in?
Where are the notary agreements?
Was he fibbing:?
There is also the possibility he drew from the French living in New England already:
but then: they would know Acadia was bereft: so who would go?
Bottom line:
If 20 men came via Le Borgne they are likely out of La Rochelle: his family power base: and arrived in late 1667 or early 1668
if they came via Du Bourg: they came in late 1668 out of most likely Le Havre
More Replies:
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Re: De Morillon du Bourg: Nov 1668
v. suzanne sears 8/30/11