ACADIAN-CAJUN Genealogy & History: The 1st Acadian in Louisiana

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The First Acadian in Louisiana
Joseph de Goutin de Ville

Though the name was mentioned before his presentation on Aug. 11 in St. Martinville, Stephen White provided a packed courtroom across from the Acadian Memorial with the story of the first Acadian in Louisiana. Though most of this report comes from his presentation (I have it on video), I've added a few details from my notes (ie. Dictionary of Canadian Boigraphy", vol II, p.257-8, by Bernard Pothier), especially about Joseph's father.

Jolene Adam (head person at the Memorial) announced that Stephen White was running late and another speaker was asked to fill in until Mr. White arrived. The room was packed, with folding chairs taking up every available space. Since Jane Bulliard had told me he was dressing up, I figured Jolene was playing along ... though I could tell some people thought she was telling the truth and were getting disappointed! Mr. White walked in ... dressed in a 1750 French costume. He introduced himself as Joseph de Goutin de Ville ... the first Acadian in Louisiana. He proceeded to tell Joseph's story in character.

     Joseph was the son of Mathieu de Goutin and Jeanne Thibodeau.   Jeanne was the daughter of the Thibodeau progenitor ... Pierre Thibodeau. Mathieu de Goutin was a lieut. general of justice for Acadia and a king's writer. Born in the 1660s in France, he travelled to Acadia in 1688 and soon married Jeanne Thibodeau. The governor of Acadia (Meneval), in speaking of the marriage, said that de Goutin married "foolishly, a peasant's daughter."
     While serving as lieut. general, he had been in charge of criminal and civil suits. His duties as king's writer included taking care of the king's goods, munitions, accounts, etc.   Such a job no doubt put him in the middle of a lot of conflict. In 1689, Meneval wrote to the French minister that de Goutin was an "undeserving, worthless character." At other times, he was also called an "unscrupulous mischief maker." De Goutin was "stubbornly convinced of his ability" and he thought himself (with his two jobs) as powerful as the governor. De Goutin was later accused by Meneval of stirring up trouble amont the Acadians, Indians, and French clergy. In speaking of the clergy, Meneval even wrote that De Goutin and his associates "degrade the lives and characters ... to the great contempt of religion." Because of all this, the French minister told de Goutin to return to France. But before that could happen, William Phips captured Port Royal. He took de Goutin as a prisoner. When he was soon released, he headed for the St. John River and then for Canada. He returned to Port Royal about 1692 and then went back to France. He got back in the good graces of the authorities and was ordered back to Acadia in 1693. Without going into too much detail, he had a mixed relationship with the succeeding governors.
     Mathieu and Jeanne had 12 children ... Alexandre (or Abraham?), Anne, Antoine, Francois Marie, Jacques, Jeanne, Joseph, Louise, Magdeleine, Marguerite, Marie Joseph, and Mathieu. Joseph was born on March 19, 1705 in Port Royal. When Port Royal was taken by the English in 1710, five year-old Joseph and his family left for Nantes, France (1711). But in 1714 they returned to Louisbourg, Ile Royale, where Mathieu worked as the king's writer.
     He passed away on Dec. 25, 1714. No doubt they received help from the Acadian part of the family. Francois Marie followed in his father's footsteps and worked as treasurer at Ile Royale. Five of Joseph's sisters married French officers.
     Time passed and on April 8, 1741, Joseph's mother, Jeanne passed away (age 72) and was buried at Louisbourg. Four years later, Louisbourg was taken by the English. Joseph had connections with a regiment who was involved in both Ile Royale and in Louisiana. So he arranged for a position in New Orleans and moved there about 1746.
     After arriving in New Orleans, Louisiana, he met and married 16 year old Marie Jeanne Caron in 1747. They had 8 children over the next 20 years. In some documents, we also find him using the name de Ville.

     Mr. White also brought up the idea that de Goutin may have had a part in encouraging the Acadians to come to Louisiana. Among the first group of 20 Acadians who came to Louisiana in 1764 were some of Joseph's relatives (Olivier Landry's family). Joseph's son eldest Jean Baptiste is listed as the godfather of one of the children of that group. Also, Joseph was cousins with the Broussard brothers who were leaders of the first 1765 group of Acadians in Louisiana. Mr. White says it is possible that Joseph wrote to them about coming to Louisiana.
   Another possible link to him comes on Oct. 28, 1768. When the 1768 Rebellion occurred, some of the Acadians stayed at the house of Denville in New Orleans (Alejandro O'Reilly and the New Orleans Rebels, David Texada, p. 88-89). Could this be the same Joseph de Goutin de Ville?
    It is estimated that Joseph passed away sometime between 1768 and 1778.

    Stephen White is to be congratulated for finding this connection. He uncovered it a couple of years ago. Thanks to him for his entertaining and informative presentation.

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