| In 1773, 57 homes were built on the Marquis
De Perusse des Cars' property near Archigny, La Puye, and St Pierre de
Maillé. About 1500 Acadians were to settle the area, but the land
proved too difficult to farm. When the opportunity to leave for Louisiana
arose, 1400 of them left for Nantes. By 1793, 73 people (in 12 families)
remained in the area. As time passed, they were assimilated into
the Poitou region ... though their Acadian roots are still felt.
In 1793 the twelve remaining families composed of 73 souls stayed in Archigny and became the owners of their 17 hectare farms. This small group of settlers merged rapidly with the Poitou population and distanced theirs links with their families who stayed in Acadia or left for Louisiana. |
Pierre HEBERT and Anne BENOIT were listed as the occupants
of house #23, though it is thought that Pierre may have been dead before
then. In 1784, Anne was still in the house, this time with
her husband Jean Baptiste HEBERT. This Jean Baptiste HEBERT was the
only male HEBERT to be head of the household in the settlement.
Next door to them, in house #24, was Francois MARTIN
and Marie Anne HEBERT. They were there in the mid 1770s, and were
still in the house in 1793.
In house #19 in 1784 there lived Francois CHARAUDEAU
and Marie HEBERT. Though not there in the mid 1770s, there were still
there in 1793.