Davids of New France

Michel David 3

Québec City, Acadie or the Fortress of Louisbourg



1719

Michel David, 2nd son and 2nd child of Jean Pierre David and Marie Magdelaine Monmellian, was born about 1719. The exact date and place of Michel's birth is unknown at this time, however, numerous abstracts tie back to his approximate birth year. As for his place of birth, Michel was born somewhere between Québec City and the Fortress of Louisbourg.

The birthplace of Michel David

It is recorded that Michel's mother, Marie Magdelaine, was born in Quebec City in 1698 and her marriage to Jean Pierre appears to have taken place sometimes after the Quebec 1716 Census which lists Marie Magdelaine as single at the age of 18 and living with her parent. How, when and where Michel's parents met is unknown but after 1716 they married and at some point moved to the Fortress of Louisbourg where they're presence is first recorded with the birth of their 2nd daughter, Marie Josephine in 1723. During the span of time between 1716 and 1723 three children were born to Jean and Marie somewhere between Quebec City and the Fortress of Louisbourg including, Michel's brother, Pierre about 1718, Michel about 1719, and their sister, Magdeleine, about 1721.

Fortress of Louisbourg, Île Royale, Nouvelle France



1719 to 1744

Michel or Etienne Michel

Research has only located one original source record in which Michel David's name appears referred to as Tienne David by the first name of Étienne (French for Stephen), and that is the baptism record from St. Louis Catholic church in New Orleans, for his son Pierre, born in 1770.


Baptism Record of Pierre David - 6 March 1770

Baptism Record Transcription   Baptism Record Translation
Pierre David et Hubert
L'an mil sept cent soixante dix le six de mars se sorisseg né ay baptist avec les ceremonies ordinaines de legese Pierre né le cinq du mesre mois un légitime marriage des Tienne David habitant et de Genevieve Hubert son epouse le parrin a eté Joseph David forgeron la marrine Marie Durrieaux en foy de quey j ay Signé. L Dagobert
Joseph David Manon Dupré		     Pierre David and Hubert
In the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy on the sixth of March there was born and baptized with the ordinary ceremonies of law Pierre born on the fifth of the month a legitimate marriage of the Tienne David inhabitant and of Genevieve Hubert his wife the godfather was Joseph David blacksmith the godmother Marie Durrieaux in faith of which I have Signed. L Dagobert
Joseph David Manon Dupré

The Birthplace of Jean Pierre David dit Saint Michel - Saint Nazaire & Nantes, Loire-Inférieure, Bretagne, France

In the three known records from the archives at Louisbourg, the four church records located from Grand Pré, and in all of the remaining records from Louisiana, Michel goes by the name, Michel David, or the Spanish name “Miguel”. So, even though the wall of names in St. Martinville, Louisiana lists Michel as Étienne Michel David, there is a good possibility that the given name in Pierre’s baptism record from New Orleans is simply erroneous. In this same record, Étienne is spelled “Estienne”, and the mother’s surname is spelled “Hubert” instead of Hébert. Spelling in those times was often a creative exercise. It should also be noted that there was a long time resident of St. Louis parish, Étienne Descuirs David who later settled in the Pointe Coupe area, and the priest could have simply confused the two parishioners.

The Louisbourg 1724 Census

Michel's presence in Louisbourg is indirectly recorded in the Louisbourg 1724 Census which lists his father, Jean David dit Saint Michel of Nantes, a blacksmith, a wife, Marie Magdelaine Monmellian, 3 sons under 15, Pierre, Michel and Jean Jacques and 2 daughters, Magdeleine and Marie Josephe.



Louisbourg 1724 Census


 



The Louisbourg 1726 Census

In addition, the Louisbourg 1726 Census which also indirectly includes Michel continues to coincide with the Louisbourg 1724 Census with the addition of Marie Josephe's brother, Jean Baptiste David, to Jean Pierre and Marie Magdelaine's family in 23 July 1725.


Louisbourg 1726 Census


The Louisbourg Census of 1734

Between the Louisbourg Census of 1726 and 1734, Jean and Marie tragically buried 3 of their children, Pierre in 1730 and Magdeleine and Etienne Thomas in 1733. During this same period, 3 new children, Francois in 1727, Francoise in 1729 and Louis in 1732, were born into their family. The Family Reconstitution File based on the Louisbourg 1734 Census seems to account for all family members at that time. It also lists Jean David dit Saint Michel of Nantes, a blacksmith, his wife, 4 sons under 15, who would have been Jean Jacques, Jean Baptiste, Francois and Louis, and 2 daughters, who would have been Marie Josephe and Francoise Charlotte. In 1734, their 2nd son, Michel would have been at least 15 years of age or older and for that reason was possibly not included in this census.


Louisbourg 1734 Census

 

Grand-Pré, Acadie



1744 to 1755

The David Family in 1744

According to Eric Krause's Memorandum HF 25 1989, Jean Pierre and Marie Magdelaine were still living at Louisbourg in 1744 along with their surviving children of "5 boys for certain, possibly 6 and 5 girls." These children would probably have included their sons Jean Jacques, Jean Baptiste, Francois, Louis, Claude Thomas and Jacques Andre and their daughters Marie Josephe, Francoise Charlotte, Jeanne Olive, Marie Magdeleine and Jeanne Angelique. The "possibly 6" son referred to was probably Michel who married Genevieve Hebert on 20 Jan 1744 in Grand-Pré, Acadie and was probably living there with his wife.

The Marriage of Michel David to Genevieve Hebert

Of all the David dit Saint Michel family life events documented herein, excluding the births of Jean Pierre and Marie Magdelaine and their marriage, had it not been for the births and marriage of Michel and Genevieve, future generations of their Louisiana David descendents would not exist today.

On 20 January 1744, at the age of 20 years, Michel David son of Jean David and Magdelaine Monmellian of Louisbourg married Genevieve Hebert daughter of Michel Hebert and the late Marguerite Gautrot. The witnesses attending the marriage were Michel Hebert, Antoine St. Germain and Rene LeBlanc.


Marriage Record of Michel David and Genevieve David - 20 January 1744

Fortress of Louisbourg, Île Royale & Grand-Pré, Acadie




1755

The Year that Perpetuated the David dit Saint Michel Family

The year of 1755 was a monumental turning point for present and future generations of the David dit Saint Michel family. For in 1755, two life events occurred that would, first, partially close the chapter of the present generation and, secondly, open the chapters and direction of future generations and descendents to come. These events were the death of the then matriarch of the family, Marie Magdelaine and the family events surrounding her 2nd son, Michel, his wife Genevieve Hebert and their family during Le Grand Dérangement.


The Michel David and Genevieve Hebert Family during Le Grand Dérangement

On 2 September 1755, British forces' Colonel John Winslow ordered all male Acadians 10 years and older at Grand-Pré, Acadie to assemble in Saint Charles-des-Mines Church in order to inform them that everyone and their families were to be deported from their home land. Winslow had a list prepared of all of the men and boys confined to the church in order to determine family names, the number of individuals detained, and if anyone was missing. Michel David's name was not on Winslow's list. he only David listed was a Jean Baptiste David, married to Marie Josette. As we know as fact, Michel and his family were deported together to Snow Hill, Maryland for eleven years. The question was, "Where was Michel when all the Grand-Pré Acadians were being rounded up"?

During one of fellow David family genealogist, Robert David's searches of the Fortress of Louisbourg archives databases, he came across the baptism record below for a Jean Michel Noel. Within this primary source record was the answer of Michel's whereabouts during the 1755 deportation of the Acadians from Acadie and the beginning of Le Grand Dérangement.


Baptism Record of Michel David's Godchild, Jean Michel Noel - 19 September 1755

Jean Michel Noel's godfather was listed as Michel David, and he was also listed as signing the church register as a witness. The date of the baptism was 19 September 1755, seventeen days after the British rounded up the Acadians at Grand-Pré. Michel was probably in Louisbourg visiting his family and getting blacksmith supplies. His mother, Marie Magdelaine, had recently died four months earlier that year in May and his sister, Marie Josephe, had given birth to her 1st daughter in June.

Michel, having received word of the planned deportations by the British of Acadian families at Grand-Pré, somehow managed to return to Grand-Pré from Louisbourg, some 300 miles away, in time to rejoin his family before the sloop Elizabeth with 242 Acadian deportees aboard sailed on the 27th of October 1755 for the east coast of Maryland.




Deportation of the Acadians at Grand-Pré - 19 September 1755



Snowhill, Maryland




1755 to 1766



New Orleans, Louisiana




1766 to 1770


Saint James Parish, Convent, Louisiana




1770 to 1802


Other Compiled Abstracts

Further documented evidence which notates Michel in Louisbourg during this period has been extracted and compiled from original source documents into the Fortress of Louisbourg Historical Memoranda Series 1964 to Present H F 25 1989 titled Jean Pierre David dit Saint Michel: Blacksmith authored by Eric Krause of Krause House Info-Research Solutions.

 



Other Recorded Events

 
 


Spouse

On 20th of January, 1744, Michel married Genevieve Hebert, born at Grand-Pré, Acadie on 21 Feb 1726 and baptized on ____________ . She was the daughter of Michel Hebert and Marguerite Gauterot. She died at St. James Parish, Louisiana and was buried on ____________.

 


Children

Michel and Genevieve were the parents of (12) know children, including (6) sons and (5) daughters:

1. Anne, a daughter born at Grand-Pré, Acadie on 02 November 1744. She died at ____________ on ____________.

2. Michel Lin, a son born at Grand-Pré, Acadie on 22 September 1746. He died at ____________ on ____________.

3. Joseph, a son born at Grand-Pré, Acadie on 07 November 1748. He died at New Orleans, Louisiana on 30 January 1773 at the age of 24 years.

4. Paul, a son born at Grand-Pré, Acadie beween 1754 and 1757. He died at Saint James Parish, Louisiana on 21 October 1815 at the age of 58 years.

5. Marie Madeleine, a daughter born at Snowhill, Maryland about 1757. She died at ____________ on 18 March 1758.

6. Jean Baptiste, a son born at Snowhill, Maryland about 1759. He died at Saint James Parish, Louisiana on 13 June 1810.

7. Claude, a son born at Snowhill, Maryland about 1761. He died at ____________ on ____________.

8. Angelique, a daughter born at Snowhill, Maryland about 1765. She died at Livingston Parish, Louisiana on 08 November 1836.

9. Jeanne, a daughter born at ___________ about 1767. She died at ____________ on ____________.

10. Pierre, a son born at New Orleans, Louisiana on 05 March 1770. He died ___________on _________.

11. Rozallie, a daughter born at Saint James Parish, Convent, Louisiana about 1772. He died ___________on _________.

12. Marie, a daughter born at Saint James Parish, Convent, Louisiana about 1774. She died at ____________ on ____________.


History of Updates

The following chronological history of updates document the changes that have been made to this ancestorial life story and the date those changes were made by the author.


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Earl Joseph David, New Orleans, Louisiana 70125

Last Update: 7/24/24