Abraham Dugas (abt. 1616 - bef. 1700)

Born about 1616 in France

Husband of Marguerite Doucet — married about 1647 in Port-Royal, Acadie, Nouvelle-France

Descendants

Died before 1700 before about age 84 in Port-Royal, Acadie, Nouvelle-France

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Abraham Dugas is an Acadian. Join: Acadians Project Discuss: ACADIA

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Biography

Abraham Dugas migrated from France to Acadia.

Abraham Dugas is the ancestral partriarch of the Acadian Dugas family. Abraham was born around 1616 in France.^[1]

Note: Abraham's parents are not known, although one theory has been that they are Abraham Dugas and Marguerite Carsonne. They have not been connected because there is no evidence to support their inclusion. Several genealogists in the past have suggested that Abraham Dugas was a native of Toulouse.^[2][3] This claim does not seem supported by documented evidence. Stephen White suggests that Chouppes, in the diocese of Poitiers, France, could be the place of origin of the Acadian DUGAS family.^[4]

Abraham arrived in Port-Royal around 1640, where he was given the designation of Lieutenant General. He was an armorer to the king.

He married Marguerite Doucet around 1647 in Port Royal.^[1] Between about 1648 and 1667, the couple had eight children: Marie, Claude, Anne, Martin, Marguerite, Abraham, Madeleine, and Marie.^[1] Abraham owned a lot adjoining the side of the old Fort (which, according to Stephen White, was expropriated in 1701 to extend the Fort in Port-Royal). It is not clear how long the family lived there.

When their third child Anne was born in 1654, Port-Royal was captured by Robert Sedgwick, who led 300 British soldiers and volunteers.^[5]:

"The [French] soldiers at Port-Royal, who numbered about 130 … put up a brief defence against Sedgwick. Setting up an ambush between the landing site of the English troops and the fort, the Frenchmen fired on the attackers but proved no match for the experienced Roundheads. The French soon "took their heels to ye Fort." On August 16 the fort surrendered... Sedgwick granted honourable terms, allowing the defenders to march out of the fort with flags flying, drums beating, and muskets at the ready. The soldiers and employees working at the fort were offered transportation back to France and given enough pelts to cover their wages."^[6]

Although the commander of Port Royal left for France, most Acadians, including the Dugas family, remained in Acadia. They were permitted to retain their land and belongings, and they were guaranteed religious freedom.^[6] Dunn describes life in Acadia during the 16 years of nominal British rule:

"During the years of British rule, most of the Port-Royal population moved upriver away from the town. Using the agricultural practices initiated under D'Aulnay, the Acadians dyked and cultivated extensive salt marshes along the river and raised livestock. Through necessity, residents had reached an accommodation with New England traders who had become their sole source for the goods that they could not produce themselves... New England traders exchanged their goods for Acadian produce and furs... There were seventy to eighty families in the Port Royal area in 1665." ^[6]

The 1671 census of Port-Royal lists Abraham, a gunsmith age 55, living with his wife Marie Judith (sic) Doucet, 46, and their 8 children. They own 15 "arpents" of land, 19 head of cattle, and 3 sheep.^[7]

By 1671 the British had ceded Acadia to France and French settlement resumed.^[8] Abraham was involved with the rebuilding of Port Royal:

"In June 1673, men from the St. Jean Baptiste parish in the Port-Royal area met at the request of their church trustee, Abraham Dugas, to organize funding for construction of a parish church... Mass was being held in a borrowed room. The Acadians had maintained their faith throughout the long period of English rule."^[6]

In 1678 there were three children living in the Dugas household. Abraham and Marguerite own 20 head of cattle, 12 "arpents" of land and 1 gun.^[9]

In 1686, at Port Royal, the children had flown the nest, and Abraham DUGAS, aged 70, and Marguerite DOUCET, aged 50, were living on their own.^[10] Within four years, their relative peace would be shattered by King William's War (1689-1697) with France.

In May 1690, Sir William Phipps^[11] captured Port Royal, destroyed the church, plundered the settlement, and forced the inhabitants to swear an oath of allegiance to the English crown. He appointed Charles La Tourasse, a former sergeant of the French garrison, to serve as English commandant and leader of a council to keep the peace and administer justice.^[12] Phipps left Port-Royal within 12 days of arrival. Before the end of the summer, seamen from two ships looted Port-Royal and burned and looted between 28 and 35 homes and habitations including the parish church.^[6]

An English garrison was never established, possibly because the inhabitants refused to guarantee that the Indians would not attack if one was formed.^[12] Dunn describes the feelings of the residents during this unsettling time:

"Throughout this period of nominal English rule, French and English vessels anchored at Port-Royal at will, contributing to a sense of unease among the residents. New England vessels came to trade, to check on the inhabitants, and to take French prizes. When the English were not around, French privateers operated out of the port, attracting local young men as crew with the promise of plunder and outfitting the ships from local suppliers... Port-Royal residents did not always appreciate the presence of the French privateers."^[6].

In 1693, an encounter between the vessel of French privateer Pierre Masisonnat dit Baptiste and an English frigate brought further misery. English investigations into the role of the Acadians' assistance of privateer Baptiste resulted in the burning of nearly a dozen homes and three barns of unthreshed grain. At that time Abraham and Marguerite were living with their son, Claude and his family. Claude's farm was situated west of the Fort on the south side of the Dauphin (Annapolis) River.

In 1693, at Port Royal, Abraham DUGAS, aged 74, was living with his wife, Marguerite DOUCET, aged 66. Also living with him were his son, Claude, aged 44, his son's wife, Francoise BOURGEOIS, aged 34, and their 11 children: Marie, aged 17, Claude, aged 16, Francoise, aged 14, Joseph, aged 13, Marguerite, aged 11, Anne, aged 10, Jeanne, aged 9, Agnes, aged 7, Francois, aged 5, Madeleine, aged 4, and Cecile, aged 1. The family owned 4 guns and was living on 26 arpents of cultivable land with 20 cattle, 30 sheep, and 15 pigs.^[13]

Abraham may have lived long enough to witness the effects of the 1697 Treaty of Ryswick, when Acadia was restored to France with Port-Royal its capital'^[6] He died between 1693 and 1700. He was listed in the 1693 census, and his wife is listed as a widow in the 1700 Census.^[14]

Timeline

c1616 birth, in France

1632 Treaty Saint-Germain-en-Laye cedes Acadia to France; Razilly brings ~300 elite men^[15]

1636 Arrival of the first families to settle permanently^[16]

1640 arrival in Port-Royal

c1647 marriage to Marguerite Doucet in Port-Royal

c1648 birth, daughter Marie

1649 birth, son Claude

1654 birth, daughter Anne

1654 British capture Port-Royal; French settlement ceases^[5]

1656 birth, son Martin

1657 birth, daughter Marguerite

1661 birth, son Abraham

1664 birth, daughter Madeleine

1667 birth, daughter Marie

1667-70 Treaty of Breda cedes Acadia to the French; settlement resumes^[8]

1671 residence Port-Royal

1686 residence Port-Royal

1690 Phipps captures and sacks Port-Royal, coerces inhabitants' oaths of allegiance to English Crown, sets up local Peacekeeping Council and leaves within 12 days.^[11][17][12] Seamen from two ships later loot and burn between 28 and 35 homes/habitations including the parish church.^[6]”

1693 Port-Royal raid with looting and burning.^[6]

1693 residence Port-Royal

1697 Treaty of Ryswick restores Acadia to France; Port-Royal is its capital^[6]

b1700 death

Biographie

Abraham Dugas est né vers 1616 en France.^[1] Ses parents ne sont pas connus, mais une théorie est qu'ils sont Abraham Dugas et Marguerite Carsonne. Aucune source ne confirme cette théorie jusqu'à présent.

Abraham est arrivé à Port-Royal vers 1640, où il a reçu la désignation de lieutenant-général. Il était armurier au roi.^[1]

Il épousa Marguerite-Louise Doucet vers 1647.^[1] Entre 1648 et 1667 environ, le couple a eu huit enfants: Marie, Claude, Anne, Martin, Marguerite, Abraham, Madeleine, et Marie.^[1] Abraham est décédé entre 1693 et 1700 à Port-Royal.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6} White, Stephen A., Patrice Gallant, and Hector-J Hébert. Dictionnaire Généalogique Des Familles Acadiennes. Moncton, N.-B.: Centre D’études Acadiennes, Université De Moncton, 1999, Print. p. 562-564.
2. ↑ Placide Gaudet, Famille Dugas: Notes historiques sur la famille Dugas, at 1755 : l'Histoire et les histoires, Université de Moncton, article published in the newspaper L'Évangéline, 1933-05-04, p. 7, 12. http://cfml.ci.umoncton.ca/1755-html/index42c1.html?id=030105003&lang=fr&style=P&admin=false&linking=
3. ↑ Bona Arsenault, Histoire et généalogie des Acadiens: 1600-1800, (Ottawa, Editions Lemeac, 1978), vols. 2-6; p. 524 (Port Royal). (Source provided by Karen Theriot Reader at Geneanet.org Page for Abraham Dugas

   Abraham DUGAS, born in 1616, was a native of Toulouse and an armorer [gunsmith] of the King (Reference in footnote: card of Father Archange GODBOUT at the Archives of Quebec; also Mémoires de la Societe Généalogique Canadienne-Française, vol. 6, pp. 371-388). Abraham arrived in Port Royal around 1640, married around 1647 to Marguerite-Louise DOUCET [Arsenault does not mention any other marriage, nor does her sister Marie Judith], daughter of Germain dit LAVERDURE; eight children were listed.

4. ↑ Karen Theriot Reader Abraham Dugas citing Stephen A. White, DICTIONNAIRE GENEALOGIQUE DES FAMILLES ACADIENNES; 1636-1714; Moncton, New Brunswick, Centre d'Etudes Acadiennes, 1999, 2 vols.; p. 562. #1:

   He was an armorer. An explanatory note suggests that Chouppes, diocese of Poitiers, France, could be the place of origin of the Acadian DUGAS family. White cites Tanguay (vol I, p. 209) who mentioned there was a Vincent DUGAST, son of a physician named Vincent and Perrine BABIN, from Chouppes. Also N. Bujold and M. Caillebeau in Les origines françaises des premières familles acadiennes, 1979, p. 24-25, suggest that Chouppes could be the place of origin of certain Acadian families.

5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} William I. Roberts, 3rd, “SEDGWICK, ROBERT,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed November 20, 2013
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9} Dunn, Brenda. A History of Port Royal / Annapolis Royal 1605-1800. Nimbus Publishing, p 23-24(1654 Capture of Port-Royal); p25-27(the English period 1654-1670); p29 (Abraham Dugas and the parish building plans).
7. ↑ Tim Hebert; Transcription of the 1671 Acadian Census, at Port-Royal, Acadie. 1671 Census Transcribed. The original census can be found at Census microfilm C-2572 of the National Archives of Canada “Acadie Recensements 1671 – 1752” Images 3-14.

   Abraham DUGAST, gunsmith, 55, wife Marie Judith DOUCET 46; Children: Claude 19, Martin 15, Abraham 10, Marie 23, Anne 17, Margueritte 14, Magdeleine 7, Marie 5; cattle 19, sheep 3, 15 "arpents" of land.

8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} In collaboration, “MORILLON DU BOURG,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed November 20, 2013
9. ↑ Tim Hebert; 1678 Port Royal Acadian Census noting that the correlations for this census were done by Rev. Clarence J. d'Entremont, Fairhaven, Massachusetts 1678 Census

   Abraham Dugast & Marguerite Doucet, 1 boy 18 born 1660 named Abraham , 2 girls: Madeleine 15 born 1663 and Marie 12 born 1666 . 12 acres , 20 cattle, 1 gun

10. ↑ Tim Hebert; Transcription of the 1686 Acadian Census, at Port-Royal, Acadie 1686 Census Transcribed. The original census can be found at Acadian Census microfilm C-2572 of the National Archives of Canada “Acadie Recensements 1671 – 1752,” Images 15-60;

    at Port Royal: Abraham DUGAS 70, Marguerite DOUCET 50.

11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} C.P.Stacey, “PHIPS, SIR WILLIAM,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003, accessed November 20, 2013
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2} C.Bruce Fergusson,“LA TOURASSE, CHARLES,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003, accessed November 20, 2013
13. ↑ Tim Hebert; Transcription of the 1693 Acadian Census at Port-Royal, Acadie 1693 Census Transcribed. The original census can be found at Acadian Census microfilm C-2572 of the Library and Archives Canada "Acadie Recensements 1671 - 1752," Images 62-108;

    at Port Royal: Abraham DUGAS 74, Marguerite DOUCET 66, Claude 44, Francoise BOURGEOIS (his wife) 34, Marie 17, Claude 16, Francoise 14, Joseph 13, Marguerite 11, Anne 10, Jeanne 9, Agnes 7, Francois 5, Madeleine 4, Cecile 1; 20 cattle, 30 sheep, 15 hogs, 26 arpents, 4 guns. In the original 1693 census at Port Royal, Madeleine was listed as Magdelene but transcribed as Madeleine, and Cecile was listed as Cecille but transcribed as Cecile. Marie Dugas, born about 1691, would have been 2 years old in 1693, but she was missing from the 1693 census. Another Marie was listed, Marie “Catherine” Dugas, but she was born in 1674.

14. ↑ Tim Hebert; Transcription of the 1700 Acadian Census, at Port-Royal, Acadie 1700 Census Transcribed. The original census can be found at Acadian Census microfilm C-2572 of the National Archives of Canada “Acadie Recensements 1671 – 1752”, Images 167-173.

    Marguerite DOUCET, widow of Abraham DUGAST; Claude DUGAST 51; Marguerite BOURG; Claude 23; Francois 12; Joseph 2; Marguerite 18; Anne 17; Jeanne 16; Agnes 14; Madelaine 11; Cecille 8; Marguerite 3; 40 cattle, 25 sheep, 28 arpents, 3 guns.

15. ↑ George MacBeath, Biography – RAZILLY, ISAAC DE – Volume I (1000-1700) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed November 20
16. ↑ Massignon, Geneviève. "Les parlers français d'Acadie, enquête linguistique", Librairie Klincksieck, Paris, 1962, 2 tomes.
17. ↑ Biography of William Phips

See Also :

• Poidebard, William. Généalogie de la famille Dugas (1347-1895). France: Mougin-Rusand, 1895. https://www.google.com/books/edition/G%C3%A9n%C3%A9alogie_de_la_famille_Dugas_1347_18/n6DCU7sUYmAC?hl=en&gbpv=0
• "Marguerite-Louise Doucet" compilation (Broken link as of 6 June 2023)
• Find A Grave: Memorial #154344918