Family:Joseph Blanchard and Anne-Simphorose Hebert (1)

Saint-Suliac 1759-1772 Joseph Blanchard and his wife, Anne Hebert, were refugees who arrived in Saint-Malo from Acadia in the year 1759 on board one of the "Five Ships". They started their family in Saint-Suliac and village on the shore of the Rance river south of Saint-Malo. The first 6 children were born in Saint-Suliac, but one child, the second oldest, Marie-Anne, died in infancy at the age of 2 months. All 6 children were baptized the same day of birth. The family left Saint-Suliac in 1772, probably to follow their fellow Acadians to a settlement near Châtellerault.

Châtellerault 1772-1776 The 7th child, Elias-David was born after the family left Saint-Suliac (birth/baptism record has not been located). The family of 8 is noted as leaving Châtellerault in the 4th convoy in March 1776, headed for Nantes. The eight family members would be, Father: Joseph (age about 45), Mother: Anne-Symphorose (age about 36) and Children: Joseph-Jean-Francois (age 14), Laurent-Olivier (age 10), Marie-Madeleine (age 8), Pierre-Joseph (age 6), Louis-Suliac (age 4), Elias-David (age about 2).

Nantes 1776-1785 The family adds 3 more children while living in Nantes, only to see two die as infants. Three months after arriving in Nantes the oldest child, Joseph-Jean-Francois dies and is buried 2 June 1776 in Saint-Jacques parish in Nantes. This occurs only a week before the next child is born, Joseph-Nicolas on 9 June 1776, who also dies only 8 months later. Anne is born two years later, in 1778 and the youngest Joseph is born in 1781 but survives only 4 days. The patriarch of the family dies in December 1783. Anne-Symphorose leads the family back to the new world when Spain offers to accept the Acadians in the Spanish territory of Louisiana, a location where other Acadian refugees from the American colonies have taken up residence. The family embarks from Nantes on 12 May 1785 on board "La Bergere" headed towards New Orleans, where they arrive 4 months later on 15 August 1785. The ship's passenger lists them as the 25th family including "Anne HEBERT, widow of Joseph BLANCHARD - 47, Laurent BLANCHARD, son, woodworker - 19, Pierre BLANCHARD, son, printer - 15, Moïse BLANCHARD, son, printer - 13, Elie BLANCHARD, son, printer - 11, Marie BLANCHARD, daughter - 17, Anne BLANCHARD, daughter - 7". We see a son the same age as Louis-Suliac listed as Moïse, a "dit" name perhaps.

Ascension Parish 1785... The family settles in a part Ascension Parish along Bayou Lafourche that will become a part of the new Assumption Parish when it is established in 1793. Land claims and maps from early 19th century Louisiana records the family members on the west (right) bank of the Lafourche about a mile below present day Plattenville. Anne-Symphorose must bury one more child when Louis-Suliac passes at the age of 21 and is buried 2 May 1793, perhaps the first resident to be buried in the newly formed Assumption Parish. Anne-Symphorose herself passes later that year in September 1793. At her death Anne-Symphorose is survived by 5 of her 10 children (Laurent-Olivier, Marie-Madeleine, Pierre-Joseph, Elias-David and Anne), and 10 grandchildren.

1. ↑ Robichaux, Albert J., Jr. The Acadian Exiles in Saint-Malo, 1758-1785. (Eunice, Louisiana: Hebert Publications, 1981)
   v.1/p.71&72.

   Joseph Blanchard and Anne Hebert, his wife disembarked at St. Malo on Januaary 23, 1759 from one of the "Five Ships." They resided in the following parishes:
   St. Suliac 1759-1772

2.   Robichaux, Albert J., Jr. The Acadian Exiles in Nantes, 1775-1785. (Harvey, Louisiana: The Author, 1978)
   p.16.

   Joseph Blanchard, Anne Hébert, his wife and family of 8 persons were in the Fourth Convoy leaving Châtellerault for Nantes from March 6 to March 13, 1776. Anne Hebert, Widow of Joseph Blanchard and her 6 children: Laurent, Pierre, Moyse, Etienne, Marie and Anne were passengers (Family No. 25) aboard LA BERGERE, which departed France on May 12 1785 and arrived in Louisiana on August 15, 1785.