Landry
There were two men, both named René Landry, who are credited as being the original Landrys in Acadia. To distinguish the two, one is called René l’aîné (the elder), and the other is called René le jeune (the younger). René the elder was married to Perrine Bourg and arrived in Acadia in 1640, while René the younger was married to Marie Bernard and arrived in 1659. It has been suggested that the two Renés could have been cousins, but no one knows for sure. René the younger had a larger family than René the elder with 15 children, eight of which were sons. Their names were Antoine, Claude, Jean, René, Germain, Abraham, Pierre, and Charles.
Antoine Landry, born in 1660 and the eldest of his brothers, married in 1681. His wife was Marie Thibodeau, daughter of Pierre Thibodeau and Jeanne Thériot, the ancestors of Acadia’s Thibodeaus. They had 12 children. Antoine and Claude were among the first residents of Minas (Les Mines).
Claude Landry married Marie-Catherine (Catherine) Thibodeau and had thirteen children. Claude remarried two more times, but none of his other marriages produced children.
Jean married Cécile Melanson and was counted as living in Minas in 1693. They had nine children.
René married Anne Thériot, and had 10 children.
Germain married Marie Melanson. They lived in Minas and had eleven children.
Abraham married Marie Guilbeau. In 1701, the same year as his marriage, Abraham was working as a fisherman. The two moved to Pisiguit and had ten children.
Pierre was also a fisherman, and he married Madeleine Broussard. They lived in Minas and had five children.
Charles, the youngest son, born in 1688, married Catherine-Josèphe Broussard. They had nine children and lived in Annapolis Royal. Charles was a delegate of the colonial Council. However, in 1727, Charles, along with two other delegates, refused to pledge allegiance to the new king of Britain, George II. He was imprisoned in Fort Anne, and soon fell ill. Despite his wife pleading with the colonial officials to release him so she could take care of him, they refused her request, and Charles died that same year.
There were three Landry Villages in Pisiguit before the deportation of 1755: Village Abraham Landry, which was in the area now known as Windsor Forks, Village Pierre Landry, which is now Castle Frederick Farm, and Village Pierre Germain Landry, which is between the other two villages.
Antoine Landry, born in 1660 and the eldest of his brothers, married in 1681. His wife was Marie Thibodeau, daughter of Pierre Thibodeau and Jeanne Thériot, the ancestors of Acadia’s Thibodeaus. They had 12 children. Antoine and Claude were among the first residents of Minas (Les Mines).
Claude Landry married Marie-Catherine (Catherine) Thibodeau and had thirteen children. Claude remarried two more times, but none of his other marriages produced children.
Jean married Cécile Melanson and was counted as living in Minas in 1693. They had nine children.
René married Anne Thériot, and had 10 children.
Germain married Marie Melanson. They lived in Minas and had eleven children.
Abraham married Marie Guilbeau. In 1701, the same year as his marriage, Abraham was working as a fisherman. The two moved to Pisiguit and had ten children.
Pierre was also a fisherman, and he married Madeleine Broussard. They lived in Minas and had five children.
Charles, the youngest son, born in 1688, married Catherine-Josèphe Broussard. They had nine children and lived in Annapolis Royal. Charles was a delegate of the colonial Council. However, in 1727, Charles, along with two other delegates, refused to pledge allegiance to the new king of Britain, George II. He was imprisoned in Fort Anne, and soon fell ill. Despite his wife pleading with the colonial officials to release him so she could take care of him, they refused her request, and Charles died that same year.
There were three Landry Villages in Pisiguit before the deportation of 1755: Village Abraham Landry, which was in the area now known as Windsor Forks, Village Pierre Landry, which is now Castle Frederick Farm, and Village Pierre Germain Landry, which is between the other two villages.
Mapping of Acadian Villages courtesy of the West Hants Historical Society. Location of Acadian Villages has been defined from numerous historical map sources and resources. You can also visit the West Hants Historical Society for detailed interpretive panels that discuss: Acadian Settlements in Present Day West Hants; Acadian Travel Routes; Development of Acadian Landscapes; and, Acadian Commerce.
