After the years of exile had ended (1755-1763) Acadians returning to the Maritimes had no land to call their own. Many of them worked the land that William DesBarres had "bought up" knowing labor to work the land would be plentiful when the Acadians returned.
Obtaining land, let alone finding it, was a challenge at best. It was of prime importance to our ancestors - enough land so that, if possible, their sons and often sons-in-law could settle on various parcels of land belonging to the head or the patriarch of the family. Often, there was a great deal of inner fighting within some family units as they strove to get the best pieces of land they could.
Firmin Leblanc along with his father Jos-Andre and others had petitioned for land early on. In a petition dated 1815, Firmin, his sons Peter (Pierre), John (Jean), Maximin, Michael (Michel) and Charles White (LeBlanc), Jr. were listed. In this petition to the President and Commander-in-Chief for the Province of New Brunswick for land, they all signed with an "X".
A 1789 deed conveyed 200 acres of land one hundred and seventy-eight of uplands and twenty-two of marshlands from Henry White (LeBlanc) to Firmin LeBlanc for 10 pounds. That land, located at Fox Creek, meant that Firmin owned and worked more than 700 acres of land.
How his land would be divided when he passed away is described in his Last Will & Testament on the Acadian Ancestral Home website. Fox Creek would become known as Village des LeBlanc/LeBlanc Village. Today is it known as Chartersville.
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As we approach the 5th anniversary of 9/11 I must admit that the event has been on my mind a great deal. One of our good neighbors Douglas Gowell was on the United Air flight that hit the second tower. Kindly say a prayer for all who died that dreadful day and for their families. Their lives have been so changed and so many of them still struggle emotionally with it all.
Until the next time,
Lucie
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