We see the political situation at the time of Vincent de St castin's early years in Pentagouet.

CHILDREN OF VINCENT SAINT-CASTIN & MATHILDE PIDICWANMISKWE:

One son, the second child, in 1685, BERNARD ANSELME D'ABBADIE DE SAINT-CASTIN

Their first child, CLAIRE ST-CASTIN 1671, dame Paul Meunier
(son of Jean-Joseph Meunier and Marguerite Housseau):
their son Joseph Meunier went to live to Grand Pre
their daughter Catherine Meunier (1688) was married in 1700 to Claude Boudreau
their daughter Marie Meunier(1679) was married to Rene Martin

Their third child, THERESE ST-CASTIN, 1687, dame Philippe Mius, of Pobomcoup
son of Jacques Mius & Anne St-Etienne de Latour
Therese St-Castin's sister-in-law, Anne Mius de Poubomcou got married a few months before Anselme and Charlotte, but Anne's experience is a good example for us, reflected by so many before her, especially in these chaotic years:
she was widowed seven weeks after her wedding, in September:
he was a young French officer by the name of Antoine de Saillant.
(De Saillant's life was the one of a 18th c. soldier, makes for a sad and short story; Anne was a local girl whom the young officer married on the 18th of July 1707; he died of his battle wounds on September 8th, 1707 in the Port Royal (Annapolis Royale) offensive, the battle against Colonel March. The English had 22 ships, including a two war ships (54 guns and the other, 45), 5 frigates (from 18 to 30 guns), 8 brigantines and 7 transports.
The English landed their forces (1600 besides ships' crews) on August the 22nd.
It is said, Governor Subercase did not stay behind his walls; he aggressively went out
and met the enemy with cannon at both the east and west sides of
the Annapolis River (then known as Rivière Dauphin).
During this fight Antoine de Saillant was outstanding in courage, judged by the survivors as an exceptionally brave fighter, as were also commended Subercase and the young Baron Castin)

Their fourth child, MARIE-ANASTASIE de SAINT-CASTIN, 1692, dame Alexandre LeBorgne, of Belle-Isle,
son of Alexandre and Marie Motin St-Etienne de Latour;

Their fifth surviving child, URSULE DE ST-CASTIN, 1696, dame Louis D'Amours de Chauffours,
son of Mathieu D'Amours de la Fresneuse and Louise Guyon
They had a son, Joseph D'Amours de Chauffours, 1718, from "la Riviere St-Jean" who married Genevieve Roy of Pisiguit. Joseph was held in Halifax in 1763 and we find him in Miquelon in 1767, with all his family and his Mother, Ursule, who was then 71 yrs old.

Jean-Vincent, son of Jean-Jacques d'Abbadie and Isabelle de Bearn-Bonasse, was third baron de Saint-Castin.
He arrived in Canada in 1665 and married
Marie-Mathilde Pidicwanmiskwe,
the daughter of Madockawando (or, as the French called him, Matakando)
chief of the Penobscots who died in 1698 and was
followed by his son-in-law, Vincent, as Chief of the tribe.

Vincent d'Abbadie, baron de St.Castin was Bearnese (France)
and had come to Canada as an officer in the Carignan Regiment.
Finding, like other Frenchmen, a charm in forest life, he drifted off to Acadia and learned the language and the ways of his friends, lived as an Indian with the Indians, becoming their leader after his Father-in-law.
He went with d'Iberville at the 1696 siege of Pemaquid and
as a reward the King of France granted him a land concession of two leagues along
the St.John River, in New-Brunswick, Canada.
In 1670, after a trip back to France, he established himself at Pentegoet,
near the site of the old Fort, where Castine now stands
and raised his family until his death in 1707, when his son Anselme,
who had been away for a few years, studying at the Quebec Seminary,
took over the leadership of the tribe

Yes, in those days when England and France
were at war, Vincent raided and he was raided.
In time of peace making money by trade, in times of war joining in the border forays on the side of the French.
For Pentagoet was the Southernmost station of the French,
standing on soil claimed by the English and
granted by Charles II, duke of York.
There had been a claim to the forts of Penobscot and St.John
in Acadia and Nova Scotia by the Netherland West India Company
which are in the Government Records of the Hague dated Oct.27 1678,
and with it,also, a request that they may be allowed to remain in quiet and peaceable possession thereof.
Similarly to Pentagoet's location, Pemaquid, near the Kennebec,
established in 1677, was the Northernmost post of the English;
and if there was a line between the two nations,
it was between Pentagoet and Pemaquid.
But French influence extended to the Kennebec river and there were Indian converts of the French near Pemaquid.
Vincent opened a trading post in Castine in 1687;
the town is a port of entry S Maine,
on the East side of Penobscot Bay 35 miles South of Bangor.
The region was the site of an important Penobscot village
which was early known to the Europeans; in 1613 it was the site of a Jesuit Mission and
Nicolas Marsolet an interpretor mainly to the Montagnais First Nation at Tadoussac
who could speak Dutch and who was also Charlotte's Great-Grandfather, would have travelled there during these years.
It was occupied by the British in the Revolution and also in the War of 1812

There had been several forts erected there, but still standing at the turn of the 20th c. were Fort George(1779) and Fort Madison (1811)
Vincent remained there for over 30 years, a leader in charge of Indian affairs, as far as the European community was concerned, a leader to the Abenaki tribe of Pentagoet until his son Anselme took over in 1707, a busy year for the young man if there were any.

ANSELME DE ST-CASTIN & PIERRE DE MORPAIN
Anselme de Saint-Castin was renowned for his sense of honour, strength, valliance and in June 1707 the Governor, Subercase asked him for help in fighting the army of Colonel March who had come from Boston to conquer Acadia. They came by way of land and repelled the attack.
Again, in August 1707, at the request of the Governor de Vaudreuil,
with 150 of his braves, he did the same again.

Pierre de Mospain was both a Captain in the Army of la Nouvelle-France and a Sea Captain with Le Choiseul, having worked as a buccaneer from the port of San Domingo,
and his brother-in-law, Anselme de St-Castin was the famous leader of the Penabscot
Abenaki tribe who came to the first rescue (June 1711) of the Port Royal villagers
when the English had taken Port Royal in 1710, even though, overall, his action did not prove successful.

Having learned that the English Garrison had been reduced by half, tru sickness,
deaths and desertions during the 1710-1711 winter, the Acadians of Beaubassin and
Grand Pre entreated Anselme de St-Castin to come to their help.
France and England were still at war with each other.
St.Castain, leading French and Penobscoet Abenakis (Maine) was able to win
and rout out the English in the famous BLOODY BRIDGE BATTLE.
At that point the Governor of Canada decided to send 200 soldiers
to help and the Governor of Plaisance, Terre-Neuve (Newfoundland)
agreed to send Canons and Artillery along with some ships
with Pierre de Morpain as Anselme and Pierre had made plans:
Anselme St.Castin would attack Annapolis-Royal, again coming by land,
behind ennemy lines, with French and Abenakis fighters,
while Pierre would attack with the ships.
Sadly to say, their plans went awry, for on his return voyage Pierre de Mospain's ship was sunk by the English in a three hours battle at sea.
He did not die, but was unable to come back to help Anselme.
In the meantime, the Annapolis garrison had received
English soldiers reinforcements from Boston.
Thereof, the second Port-Royal/Annapolis offensive was cancelled, the men sent by Governor Vaudreuil turned back to go home.
The 1713 Treaty would give Acadia (which the French was thought to mean Port-Royal/Annapolis) and Newfoundland to the English, but Ile-St.Jean (Prince Edward Island) and Cap-Breton would remain French.
The definition of ACADIA was not clear in the Treaty:
the French were sure it meant Nova-Scotia,
the English were sure it meant both Nova-Scotia and New-Brunswick.
It would create the future war of 1735 (the fall of Louisbourg)
and the subsequent 1755 Deportation of the French Acadian people
to Louisiana and to the Northern & Southern States.

After the 1710 fall of Port-royal/Annapolis,
the Governor de Vaudreuil granted St-Castin a Lieutnant commission in Pentagoet,
so he was at the same time, Leader of the Abenakis and
Officier in the French Army, officially posted there, as well as having had a child,
a daughter, and a few years later, around 1713, a son.

Leaving their children with Charlotte's family in Quebec,
they went twice to France, once in 1714, staying with Pierre de Mospain,
then 1717, to get his "Lettres de Noblesse" as Fourth Baron of St-Castin (contended by his uncle) confirmed by the Court,
which proved longer and more difficult than anticipated since LOUIS XIV died in 1715 and the new King, LOUIS XV had to assume his new role.

In 1720, Charlotte and Anselme had a child born in Pau, France. It was a daughter.

In 1721 he became prisonner of the English and spent 5 months in Boston.

In 1725, his tribe having been severely weakened, St-Castin negotiated a
peace treaty with the Anglo-Americans.

He probably died of the Smallpox epidemic of 1728-1729, and after his death, around 1728, his wife Charlotte returned to France where she died in 1734
and two of their daughters married Frenchmen.

After the 1710 fall of Port-royal/Annapolis, the Governor de Vaudreuil granted St-Castin a Lieutnant commission in Pentagoet, so he was at the same time, Leader of the Abenakis and Officier in the French Army, officially posted there, as well as having had a child, a daughter, Marie-Anselme dÀbbadie, dame Pierre de Bourbon, a French Nobleman, and they had six children, one, Henri de Bourbon, who received the Letters of Nobility which should have gone to her brother, Louis de St-Castin, born in 1713, who did not bother to fight for his title of fifth baron of St-Castin. Henri de Bourbon died without posterity and the title went to his sister Henriette de Bourbon’s husband Jean de Dufau de Lalongue, seigneur de St-Castin and of the Bearn Lands. Leaving their children with Charlotte's family in Quebec, Anselme and Charlotte went twice to France, once in 1714, staying with Pierre de Mospain, then 1717, to get his "Lettres de Noblesse" as Fourth Baron of St-Castin (contended by his uncle) confirmed by the Court, which proved longer and more difficult than anticipated since LOUIS XIV died in 1715 and the new King, LOUIS XV had to assume his new role. In 1720, Charlotte and Anselme had a daughter born in Pau, France, Louise d’Abadie de St-Castin, dame Bertrand de Sarthopon. In 1721 he became prisonner of the English and spent 5 months in Boston. In 1725, his tribe having been severely weakened, St-Castin negotiated a peace treaty with the Anglo-Americans. He probably died of the Smallpox epidemic of 1728-1729, and after his death, around 1728, his wife Charlotte returned to France where she died in 1734 and two of their daughters, Marie-Anselme and Louise married Frenchmen, whereas Brigitte became a nun with the Ursulines of Quebec.

>(not yet translated from FRENCH - sorry - Danielle)

Marie-Charlotte Guyon D’Amours, baronne de St-Castin, demeura fort longtemps à Pau ainsi que ses enfants. Elle soutint un procès devant le Parlement de Navarre en 1729 et décéda à Pau, le 27 Février 1734, à l’âge de 45 ans. On l’enterra, le jour suivant, dans l’ église Notre-Dame de cette ville, à l’entrée de la grande porte et dans le vestibule.

CHILDREN OF ANSELME D’ABBADIE DE ST-CASTIN & CHARLOTTE GUYON DAMOURS:

·Marie-Anselme d’Abbadie de St-Castin, née à Québec, vers 1711, qui épousa, dans l’église du Faget, d’Oloron, le 23 Juin 1730, noble Pierre de Bourbon, Avocat au Parlement de Navarre, fils de feu noble Jean de Bourbon, aussi Avocat au Parlement de Navarre, seigneur de Chotton et de Charre et de dame Marie D’Abbadie de Bastannès.

En conséquence de son mariage, Pierre de Bourbon fut admis aux Etats de Béarn, dans l’ordre de la noblesse, le 10 Juillet 1731, comme seigneur de St-Castin . Il mourut avant le 10 Avril 1768 et Marie Anselme D’Abbadie décéda dans sa maison, au Marcadet, à Oloron, le 18 Juillet 1778, à l’âge de 67 ans. De ce mariage naquirent six enfants, dont Henri de Bourbon, né à Oloron, le 29 Mai 1731, qui fut admis aux Etats le Béarn, le l0 Avril 1769, pour la terre de St-Castin, dont sa mère lui avait fait donation le 29 Mars précédent . Il mourut sans postérité, laissant pour héritière, sa sœur, Henriette de Bourbon, baronne de St-Castin, qui épousa, dans l’église de Ste-Croix, d’Oloron, le 6 Juillet 1773, messire Jean de Dufau de Lalongue, Chevalier de l’Ordre Royal et militaire de St-Louis et ancien capitaine au Régiment de Normandie, qui fut reçu aux Etats de Béarn, comme procureur de sa femme et baron de St-Castin, le 12 Janvier 1774 de cette union naquit Marie-Anselme de Dufau de Lalongue, qui épousa M.Pierre Reyau et dont descendent les familles Reyau, Lavielle, Nicolau, Coulomme, etc.

· Louis d’Abbadie de St-Castin, born in Quebec in 1713, did not claim his Letters of Nobility; he is remembered for helping the people of Beaubassin and GrandPre escape the British in 1755

· Brigitte D’Abbadie de St-Castin, qui étudia aux Ursulines de Québec et ne se maria pas à notre connaissance.

· Louise D’Abbadie de St-Castin, tenue sur les fonds de baptême, dans l’église St-Martin de Pau, le 23 Février 1716, par Brigitte D’Abbadie, sa sœur, qui épousa, le 23 Juin 1735, à Pau, Me Bertrand de Sarthopon, praticien à Accous, dans la vallée d’Aspe

The story of how Louis de St-Castin, born in 1713, helped the people of Beaubassin and GrandPre escape the British in the 1755
Great Deportation of the 7,000 Acadians, we can see that the records show one of Anselme's descendant, coming with some French and Indian men, disabling the British, one at a time, helping a few hundred villagers who had been gathered in the church prisonners, husbands, wives and children, to escape.
Indeed, 3000 souls would escape the English during 1755-1756 Deportation and of the 11,000 people who were supposed to be taken away, only 7,000 were sent to the other states, including Louisiana, or held three years (if they survived it!) in England in the prisons of Falmouth, Liverpool, Southampton and/or taken to be re-settled in Bordeaux, France.

The re-settlement was helped by the great kindness of countless French small towns who would make room for 5-10 families, as on the Island of Belle-Ile-en-Mer, off the coast of Brittany which was the personal property of Louis XV and which extended welcome to 78 Acadian families in their four villages, or the lands which were given in the Poitou in later years.

The stories of heroism (as depicted in Longfellow's novel of Evangeline) in these years were screenplays on our heart which remembers. "...Remember, so slow were the days, fraught with anxiety and insecurity and so fast were the nights gone, alone together in the warm blankets, so secure, and yet with such an early daybreak standing behind the window...
Copyrights 2002 Danielle LeMyre: St-Castin, Bridging two worlds"