The Robichaud who are Richard (Part 3)

On our webpage “The Robichaud who are Richard (Part 2)” we had mentioned that y-DNA tests had confirmed that it was not Joseph Robichaud, son of Charles Robichaud and Marie Bourg, that was of the same Richard descendancy than Michel Richard dit Sansoucy, but rather Charles Robichaud himself. The new hypothesis therefore was that Michel Richard dit Sansoucy had had a child with Françoise Boudrot, wife of Étienne Robichaud.

Here is a new development concerning Charles Richard and his sister Magdeleine that we received recently.

“New insight on this subject from the Centre d’Études Acadienne:

Stephen White was already leaning on Charles dit Cadet, AND Madeleine dit Cadet, because of this nickname normally reserved for the baby of the family, when they would be the eldest.

Mr. White’s hypothesis is that Michel Richard dit Sansoucy had a younger brother “dit Cadet” who would have followed him to Acadia, and who could have had two children with Françoise Boudrot.

The welcome that Étienne Robichaud gave to the census taker in 1671 was perhaps not unrelated to this whole affair. The two children were then 7 and 8 years old..”

Following this message, I did a bit more research.

Indeed Magdeleine and Charles are named as “cadet” in the parish registers of St Jean Baptiste in Port-Royal in 1702, 1707 and 1710 (see images below). As Stephen White mentions, “cadet” usually means the youngest in the family, whereas here, Magdeleine and Charles are the eldest children of Estienne Robichaud and Françoise Boudrot. In addition, the Port-Royal census taker does indeed indicate “Estienne Robichaut, did not want to see me. He left his home and told his wife to tell me that he did not want to give a count of his cattle and land.”

Is this new hypothesis plausible?

It would indeed be possible that a younger brother of Michel would have followed him to Acadia. There are no documents from Port-Royal between 1654 (approximate year of Michel’s arrival in Port-Royal) and 1671 (year of the first Acadian census) that mentions Michel Richard dit Sansoucy. It would then be quite possible that another Richard also arrived and that he would have left later on or died before 1671.

The fact that Charles and Magdeleine are mentioned by the nickname “Cadet” could indeed be a way of differentiating Michel from his younger “cadet” brother. For example: Michel Richard and the Richard “Cadet”.

Chances are the only way to confirm this whole story will be through more Y-DNA testing. Story to follow.

Burial (1702) Transcription and translation: Charles Robicheau

This 26th of october of seventeen hundred and two passed Charles Robicheau son of Charles Cadet and was buried the same day in the cemetery of St jean baptiste by myself brother Felix Paine Recollet serving as parish priest and chaplain…

Burial (1707) Transcription and translation: Enfant de Charles Cadet

This 24 May of the year seventeen hundred and seven, I the undersigned have buried the body of a child of Charles Cadet living in witness whereof I have signed the day and year as above.

Burial (1710) transcription and translation: Magdeleine Cadet, wife of Pierre Landry

This eight day of june seventeen hundred and the I the undersigned serving as parish priest in Port Royal of Lacadie has buried with the customary ceremonies in the cemetery of the parish of Saint Jean Baptiste in said Port Royal Magdeleine Cadet aged 48 wife of Pierre Landry living in the Cape. Died of illness after receiving all of the sacraments in witness whereof I have signed these registers on the same day….

Images taken from the parish registers of St Jean Baptiste de Port-Royal located on the page An Acadian Parish Remembered on the Nova Scotia Archives website.

Association des Richard du N.-B.

Descendants et amis de Michel Richard dit Sansoucy

The Robichaud who are Richard (Part 3)