Michel (Richard) Richard dit Sansoucy (abt. 1630 - bef. 1689)

Born about 1630 in France

Husband of Madeleine Blanchard — married about 1656 in Port-Royal, Acadie, Nouvelle-France

Husband of Jeanne Babin — married 1683 in Port Royal, Acadie, Nouvelle-France

Descendants

Died before 1689 before about age 59 in Port-Royal, Acadie, Nouvelle-France

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Michel (Richard) Richard dit Sansoucy is an Acadian. Join: Acadians Project Discuss: ACADIA

Biography

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Michel (Richard) Richard dit Sansoucy migrated from France to Acadia.

Michel Richard was born around 1630 based on age in 1671 and 1686 censuses.^[1]in Saintonge, France. His parents are unknown and his place of birth in France is uncertain, though Bona Arsenault put forth the Saintonge location.^[2]. He undoubtedly was born in France as he was born well before the first person was born in Acadie.

Michel may have arrived in Acadia around 1652 with the expedition of Emmanuel LeBorgne & Guilbaut, or in 1651 with Sieur de Saint-Mas, representative of LeBorgne. He was a soldier in the garrison at the fort in Port-Royal (Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada).^[3]

Within two years of Michel's arrival, Port-Royal was captured by Robert Sedgwick, who led 300 British soldiers and volunteers.^[4]

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.^[5]

Although the commander of Port Royal left for France, most Acadians, including Michel Richard, remained in Acadia. They were permitted to retain their land and belongings and were guaranteed religious freedom.^[5]

Two years later, around 1656^[6] Michel (25) married Madeleine Blanchard (12) (born about 1643 in Port-Royal, Acadie; daughter of Jean Blanchard and Radegonde Lambert) in 1656 in Port-Royal, Acadie.^[1] Their children were:

1. René Richard (abt. 1657–bef. 1693) .
2. Pierre Richard (abt. 1661–aft. 1739) .
3. Catherine Richard (abt. 1663–abt. 1755) .
4. Martin Richard (aft. 1665–bef. 1748) .
5. Alexandre Richard (abt. 1668–1709) .
6. Anne Richard (1671–1745) .
7. Madeleine Elizabeth Richard (1671–1712) .
8. Marie Josephe Richard (abt. 1674–1709) .
9. Cecile Richard (abt. 1675–aft. 1731) .
10. Marguerite Richard (abt. 1677– )

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.^[5]

By the time Michel's and Madeleine's twins were born, the British had ceded Acadia to France, and French settlement resumed.^[7] The Richard family homestead was located on the south shore of the Dauphin (Port Royal) River, about 10 to 15 miles east of the Fort.^[1][8][9] In 1671^[10] 14 arpents of their land holdings were cultivated (close to 12 acres).^[11] This acreage was fairly large for the settlement. Of the 56 households reporting cultivated land, only 12 had 10 or more arpents. The family also had 15 cattle and 14 sheep. These land holdings varied between 1678 and 1686.^[12][13]

Sometime between 1678 and 1683, Madeleine died.^[14]

Michel (52) married Jeanne Babin (15) (born about 1667 in Port-Royal, Acadie, Nouvelle-France; daughter of Antoine Babin and Marie Mercier) in 1683 in Port Royal, Acadie.^[1][15] Their children were:

1. Michel Richard (abt. 1684–aft. 1746) .
2. Alexandre Richard (abt. 1686–aft. 1759)

In 1686, at Port Royal, Michel RICHARD, aged 56, was living with his second wife, Jeanne BABIN, aged 18, and their son Michel, aged 2. Also living with them were five children from his first marriage to Magdeleine [sic] BLANCHARD: Martin, aged 19, Alexandre, aged 17, Marie [recte Marie Josephe], aged 12, Cecille [sic], aged 10, and Marguerite, aged 7. The five other children (Rene, Pierre, Catherine, Anne and Magdeleine [recte Madeleine Elizabeth]) from his first marriage who are married and unnamed in the census are recorded elsewhere in the 1686 census with their spouses. The family owned 2 guns, 12 arpents of cultivated land, 16 cattle, 30 sheep and 8 hogs.^[13]

Michel died sometime between 1686 and 1689.^[1][16]

He left a profound legacy. His sons and grandsons would generate one of the largest Acadian families.^[3] His daughters and granddaughters would marry into other large Acadian families, including the LeBlanc, Arsenau, Cormier, Broussard, Doucet, Landry, Savoie, Theriot, Daigle, Thibodeau, Bourgeois, Breau, Doiron, Cassie, Dupuis, Babin, Dugas, Vincent, Forest, Granger, Bastarache, Lanoue, and Raymond families.

"The Garrison Graveyard is located within Fort Anne National Historic Site in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. Although more than 2,000 people were buried at this site, only 234 English grave markers stand today. From the early 1600s to 1755 this land served as a French and Acadian burial site. There are no grave markers or detailed information about these specific individuals."^[18]

Timeline

c1630 Birth, in France

1632 Treaty Saint-Germain-en-Laye cedes Acadia to France; Razilly brings ~300 elite men^[19]

1636 D'Aulnay brings the first French families to settle permanently^[3][5]

c1652 Arrival in Acadia

1654 British capture Port-Royal; French settlement ceases ^[4]

c1656 Marriage to Madeleine Blanchard, Port-Royal

c1657 Birth of son, René

c1662 Birth of son, Pierre

c1663 Birth of daughter, Catherine

c1665 Birth of son, Martin

c1668 Birth of son, Alexandre

1667-70 Treaty of Breda cedes Acadia to the French; settlement resumes^[7]

1671 Birth of twin daughters, Anne and Madeleine

1671 Residence, Port-Royal

c1674 Birth of daughter, Marie Josephe

c1675 Birth of daughter, Cecile

c1677 Birth of daughter, Marguerite

c1678-1683 Death of wife, Madeleine Blanchard

c1683 Marriage to Jeanne Babin

c1684 Birth of son, Michel

1686 Residence, Port-Royal

c1686 Birth of son, Alexandre

c1686-1689 Death, in Port-Royal, Acadia

Biographie

Michel Richard est né vers 1630 en France.^[1] "Nous ignorons son lieu d'origine, mais il est probable qu'il soit venu en Acadie en tant que militaire, d'où son sobriquet de Sansoucy."^[20] Ce surnom fait penser qu’il s’agit d’un soldat de la garnison du fort. Un de ses descendants croit qu’il serait venu avec l’expédition de Le Borgne et Guillebeau, en 1652.^[3]

Lorsque Port-Royal a été capturé par les Britanniques le 16 Août 1654, le commandant de Port-Royal, a quitté pour la France. Michel est resté à Port-Royal comme la plupart des Acadiens.^[5] Ils ont été autorisés à conserver leurs terres et leurs biens et ont été garantis la liberté religieuse.^[5]

Vers 1656, Michel épousa Madeleine Blanchard, fille de Jean Blanchard et de Radegonde Lambert à Port-Royal.^[1] Le couple a eu 10 enfants: René, Pierre, Catherine, Martin, Alexandre, les jumeaux Anne et Madeleine, Marie Josephe, Cecile, et Marguerite.^[1]

"Après le décès prématuré de Madeleine, Michel contracta un second mariage vers 1683 avec Jeanne Babin, une jeune fille âgée de quinze ans, dont les père et mère étaient ses voisins; Antoine Babin et Marie Mercier. Deux autres enfants [Michel, Alexandre] sont issus de cette deuxième union."^[20]

Michel est mort entre 1686 et 1689.^[16] Les petit-fils de Michel qui se sont mariés ont eut des grandes familles qui ont assuré que le nom Richard est aujourd'hui un des plus commun en Acadie.^[3] Ses filles et petites-filles se marieraient dans d’autres grande familles acadiennes, y compris LeBlanc, Arsenau, Cormier, Broussard, Doucet, Landry, Savoie, Theriot, Daigle, Thibodeau, Bourgeois, Breau, Doiron, Cassie, Dupuis, Babin, Dugas, Vincent, Forest, Granger, Bastarache, Lanoue, and Raymond.

Research Notes

Parents are unknown/unconfirmed. Andre Richard and Michelle Paullin are a frequently seen theory of Michel's parents, but there is no real evidence to support this or any other theory, due to the loss of many records from this time. No record connects him to his parents, and though there is a possible baptism record found in France, it is unknown if this is the same man. Baptism of a Michel Richard in 1630 Alleuds (Les) Saint-AubinBaptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1607-1674 B 1607-1669 (février) ; M 1652 (à l'envers) ; BMS 1670-1674 (10 janvier)], Image 32/109 (last Entry Right Hand Side)

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7} Stephen A. White, Patrice Gallant, and Hector-J Hébert, Dictionnaire Généalogique Des Familles Acadiennes, (Moncton, N.-B.: Centre D'études Acadiennes, Université De Moncton, 1999) p. 1373.

   Michel Richard dit Sansoucy (Décl BIM) n v 1630 (Rc PR 1671 41a, 1686 56a); laboureur; d (Décl BIM) PR entre 1686 & 1689.

2. ↑ Bona Arsenault, HISTOIRE ET GENEALOGIE DES ACADIENS; 1625-1810; Ottawa, Editions Lemeac, 1978, 6 vols.; p. 753 (Port Royal); own copy. Michel RICHARD dit SANSOUCY, born in 1639, originally from the Saintonge [an old province in the west part of France, now largely Charente-Inferieure. Its capital was Saintes]. Michel arrived in Acadia with the expedition of Emmanuel LE BORGNE and de GUILBAULT in 1652 or 1651; he was with sieur de Saint-Mas, representative of LE BORGNE. (Footnote cites Arsenault's own Histoire des Acadiens; and Louis Richard, in the Mémoires de la Société Généalogique Canadienne-Francoise, vol. VI, no 1 (Jan 1954).) Michel married 1st around 1656 to Madeleine BLANCHARD; ten children listed. He married 2nd around 1683 to Jeanne BABIN; two sons. Michel died around 1687; his widow married Laurent DOUCET.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4} Massignon, Geneviève. "Les parlers français d'Acadie, enquête linguistique", Librairie Klincksieck, Paris, 1962, 2 tomes. p.32 first French families in Acadia; p.44 (Richard family); p.42-68 (size of families).
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} William I. Roberts, 3rd, “SEDGWICK, ROBERT,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1 (University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003)–, accessed November 20, 2013
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5} Dunn, Brenda. A History of Port Royal / Annapolis Royal 1605-1800. Nimbus Publishing, p 23-24(1654 Capture of Port-Royal); p25-27;29 (the English period 1654-1670).
6. ↑ Based on birth of oldest child, René.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} In collaboration, “MORILLON DU BOURG,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1 (University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003)–, accessed November 20, 2013
8. ↑ 1707 homestead location of their son Alexandre Richard. In Au Coeur de l'Acadie Acadian Settlement on the Annapolis River, 1707 Map Parks Canada
9. ↑ Circa 1609 Map of Port Royal showing rivière du Dauphin. Map originally published in Canada: the Empire of the North by Agnes C. Laut
10. ↑ 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;

    Michel RICHARD, farmer, 41, his wife Madeleine BLANCHARD 28; their seven children: Rene 14, Pierre 10, Martin 6, Alexandre 3, Catherine 8, twins Anne and Magdeleine 5 weeks; cattle 15, sheep 14, 14 arpents of land.

11. ↑ Statistics Canada defines an arpent as 0.845 acres. According to Clark (Clark, Andrew Hill, Acadia: The Geography of Early Nova Scotia to 1760 (Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1968), p 87: "The arpent was a basic French unit of land measurement, both linear and areal, but its size at the time is uncertain. In length, 200 feet may be a rough equivalent for an arpent in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries; it was later standardized to 192 feet. An areal arpent may have been something less than an acre (the usual equivalent was .845 acres) although it has been given the equivalent of as much as an acre and a half in some twentieth century definitions."
12. ↑ 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

    (Michel listed twice): Michel Richard & Madeleine Blanchard / Michel Richard; 10 acres 21 cattle; 4 boys: 22 1656; 19 1659; 13 1665; 10 1668; 5 girls: 8 1670; 8 1670; 6 1672; 3 1675; 1 1677

13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} 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: Michel RICHARD 56, Jeanne BABIN 18; Children (the first 5 are probably from a previous marriage to Magdeleine BLANCHARD): Martin 19, Alexandre 17, Marie 12, Cecille 10, Marguerite 7, Michel 2, and 5 others who are married; 2 guns, 12 arpents, 16 cattle. 30 sheep, 8 hogs. In the 1686 census at Port Royal, Madeleine was listed as Magdelaine, Marie Josephe was listed as just Marie, and Cecile was listed as Cecille.

14. ↑ Based on the fact that Madeleine was still alive as of the 1678 census, and Michel remarried around 1683.
15. ↑ Based on the birth of their first child, Michel.
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1} Michel was alive in the 1686 Census. His widow Jeanne Babin married Laurent Doucet around 1689 (based on the birth of their first child, Pierre, who was three years old in the 1693 Census.
17. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (: accessed 13 September 2022), memorial page for Michel Richard dit Sansoucy (1630–1687), Find a Grave Memorial ID 141481201, citing Garrison Graveyard, Annapolis Royal, Annapolis County, Nova Scotia, Canada; Maintained by AW (contributor 47829810) Find A Grave: Memorial #141481201 Note: The commemorative plaque for Michel Richard posted in Find A Grave is possibly situated in Strathcona Park, Ottawa.
18. ↑ Mannapolis, Exploring Garrison Graveyard, accessed on 14 Sep 2022 at https://www.mapannapolis.ca/garrison-graveyard
19. ↑ George MacBeath, Biography – RAZILLY, ISAAC DE – Volume I (1000-1700) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed November 20
20. ↑ ^{20.0 20.1} White, Stephen A. La généalogie des trente-sept familles hôtesses des ""Retrouvailles 94"", Les Cahiers de la Société historique acadienne, vol. 25, nos 2 et 3 (1994). RICHARD, 37 Families

See also:

• The Genealogy of the Thirty-seven Host Families of Homecoming 94
• Karen Theriot Reader Michel Richard at Geneanet.
• Entre Richard, Michel Richard dit Sansoucy: Un pionnier de l’histoire acadienne
• Michel Richard on Nos Origines
• Michel Richard on FamilySearch Family Tree (Caution: His profile there has a lot of incorrect information.)