Person:Michel Forest (1)

The lineage of Michel Forest has been debated for many years. The principal issue is whether or not Michel Forest of Acadia is the grandson of Jesse de Forest of New York. The two articles noted here present the two different views. John DuLong continues to track research on the Forest/de Forest lineage and a summary may be found at his Forest Family Origins web site.

DNA studies have the potential to resolve the issue, but more samples are required. For now, the Huguenot lineage should be used with caution.

Acadian Genealogy Exchange, vol. XXVI, nos. 2-3 (Apr-Jul 1997), pp. 66-67 [paged internally as 3-4 of "The Ancestors of the Forest, Foret, and De Forest of America."] Argues that Michel, married to Marie HEBERT, was the son of Crispin-Gerrard-Jean-Melchior III, on back to a Jaspard (Gaspard), married around 1471, a citizen of Landrecies, in French Flanders.

John DuLong, "The Origins of the Acadian Michel Forest," in Acadian Genealogy Exchange, vol. XVII, no.4 (Oct 1998), pp. 103-121. A long, well documented rebuttal to the connection between Michel FOREST and the Huguenot de FOREST family who lived in the Netherlands, reaching back to Gaspard de FOREST, who in 1450 was living in Avesnes, French Flanders.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Nova Scotia, Canada. Recensements d'Acadie (1671 - 1752)
   pg. 4.

   Recensement 1671, Port Royal, Acadie
   "Laboureur - MICHEL DE FOREST agé de trente trois ans, sa femme Marie Hebert agée de ving ans, Leurs enfans 3 - Michel agé de 4 ans, Pierre deux ans et demy, René un an, Leurs terres en Labour deux arpans. Leurs bestes a Cornes dousce, et deux brebis."

   CENSUS: 1671 Port Royal, Acadia, age 33, name Michel De Forest, living with wife Marie HEBERT, age 20, and their 3 children. He is a Laborer, with 2 arpents of worked land, 12 cattle and 2 sheep.Karen Theriot Reader

2.   Arsenault, Bona. Histoire et généalogie des Acadiens. (Quebec: Le Conseil de la Vie française en Amérique, 1965)
   p. 544.

   Ottawa, Editions Lemeac, 1978, 6 vols.; p. 544 (Port Royal); (A footnote states that the family FOREST has been traced back to the year 1383 in a book by Vincent de Lerins, Histoire de la Famille Forest. Jesse de FOREST, grandfather of Michel, led an important group of Protestant Huguenots who settled at New Amsterdam in 1623.) Michel de FOREST was born in 1638, son of Henri de FOREST from Avesnes in French Flanders. Michel arrived in Acadia around 1659, married 1st around 1666 to Marie HEBERT, daughter of Etienne & Marie GAUDET; six children are listed. He married 2nd around 1686 to Jacqueline BENOIT, daughter of Martin & Marie CHAUSSEGROS from Pisiguit [she was only 13 at the time]; one daughter is listed for this marriage. Michel had obtained a considerable concession extending over a mile in depth, to a dozen miles to the east of the fort of Port Royal.

3.   Jehn, Janet B, and Bona Arsenault. Corrections & additions to Arsenault's Histoire et généalogie des Acadiens. (Covington, Kentucky: J.B. Jehn, 1988)
   p. 7 reference to p. 544.

   Two references have disputed that Michel was the son of Henri. Leo G. Cyr, Madawaskan Heritage, p. 107: Michel was born 18 Jun 1637 at Leyden, Holland, and received the name of Gereyt at baptism, His parents were Crispin de FOREST, a Walloon (and cousin of Henri de FOREST), & Marguerite BORNSTRE (BORNSTRA), a Dutch. Michel's grandparents were Gerard de FOREST & Esther de LAGRANGE. When Michel married Marie HEBERT, he apparently became Roman Catholic, and took the name of Michel. [See rest of long article.]

4.   Arsenault, Bona. Histoire et généalogie des Acadiens. (Quebec: Le Conseil de la Vie française en Amérique, 1965)
   p. 1330.

   (Pisiguit, wife's entry), says he was from Port Royal, no parents listed. Was this the father, and she married the son? There is a 35-year difference in ages.

5.   CENSUS: 1686, Port Royal, Acadia, age 47, name Michael, living with [second] wife Jaqueline BENOIST, age 13, plus his six children, aged 9 to 19. Four of the sons are the same age or older than the stepmother. Name is spelled Michel DEFOREST. They have 1 gun, 5 arpens worked land, 8 cattle and 4 pigs.