Louis ALLAIN 44; Marguerite BOURG (wife) 31; Pierre 7; Marie 5; 10 cattle, 12 sheep, 8 hogs, 5 1/2 arpents, 31 fruit trees, 4 guns 1 servant,. [1698 census]

Louis first appears in the New World in 1685. He bought a share in the ship Endeavor. He bought 100 acres of land in present-day Wells, Maine - which included a house and a 1/3 share in a mill on the property. Two years later, we find him in a contract with Emmanuel LEBORGNE to build and operate a mill in Port Royal. Besides being a merchant, it seems Louis also had blacksmithing skills. He married Marugerite BOURG and they had two children, Pierre and Marie.

We know they lived in Belair (near Port Royal) for a while. The creek running through the property is still called Allain's Creek/River (located just to the south of Annapolis Royal). Louis built a sawmill, grain mill, and a store on the property. He also accumulated several ships for trading. The dock on his property could accomodate two good-sized schooners. His knowledge of the English language enabled him to trade well with the English. When Acadians and French were taken prisoner to Boston, Louis was asked to serve as an intermediary in talks. When one of his partners, Jean-Baptiste Naquin, passed away in 1706, he bought his land (located further down the river).

We find Louis in the records soon after the English captured Port Royal in 1710. The governor put Louis and his son in irons in a dungeon. He charged that they were encouraging desertion among the troops.

When he passed away, he left his wealth to his daughter Marie and her husband Nicolas GAUTHIER. Nicolas continued his father-in-law's successful business. When the land was taken from Nicolas for disloyalty in 1745, it was granted to a John Easson ... an Englishman serving in Port Royal ... provided that he keep up the mill (that Louis had built).

Louis' son Pierre moved to Grand Pre and married Marguerite LEBLANC. Pierre was hurt aboard ship on the way to France and died in Brest around 1744. Of his thirteen children, there were five boys.
   - Benjamin married Marie-Rose BUJOLD. They moved to Carleton.
  - Jean-Baptiste married Marguerite CORMIER. They were married in Becancour, moved to St-Denis-sur-Richelieu in the mid 1770s, and later moved to Saint-Ours.
  - Joseph-Antoine died at age 16 in Grand Pre.
   - Louis married Anne LEGER. They lived at Petitcodiac, escaped to Miramachi to avoid deportation, and ended up at Bouctouche.
  - Pierre married Catherine HEBERT. They were deported in 1755 to Maryland. In 1767, they sailed to Louisiana and settled at St. Gabriel.

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There was also a Pierre ALLAIN de LA MOTTE living in Mamers (in present-day Maine) in the early 1700s. We don't have a wife's name, but he had at least 3 children: Pierre, Francois, and Marie. His name appears as a witness (signature, right) on one of Loppinot's notarial documents on Nov. 11, 1705 [link]. It seems the family relocated to Louisbourg at some time.