ACADIAN-CAJUN Genealogy & History: Pisiguit

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Pisiguit

As the settlement in the Minas Basin grew, it spread eastward around the bay towards the Avon River. The settlement that grew up around the river became known as Pisiguit / Pisiquid / Pisiguid. It became so large that it was viewed as separate from Grand Pre. In 1714, there were 351 people (in 56 families) there. The darkened green oval shows the location of the Pisiquit settlement.

By the mid-1700s, there were about 1400 people there. Based on Charles Morris' Judge Morris' Remarks Concerning the Removal of the Acadians (N.S.H.S 1881), there were about 800 on the left bank (today's Falmouth-Hantsport area), about 100 on the right bank & Kennetcook River, and about 500 on the St. Croix River and today's Windsor area. [Clark, 217]
But the area lost its population rather quickly. Pisiquit was the Acadian settlement closest to Halifax ... the newly forming English settlement. When the English needed someone to blame for Indian attacks, or when they needed Acadians for road labor, the first place they went to was Pisiguit. When English pressure began intensifying in the 1750s, the Pisiguit Acadians packed up and left, heading mainly towars the isthmus.

Pisiquid had two parishes: La Sainte Famille & L'Assomption. At first, Pisiquid had only one parish (Ste. Famille), founded on Aug. 8, 1698. But the people living on the other side of the river wanted their own church; crossing the river wasn't the easiest thing to do. So the bishop at Quebec issued an edict to create the second parish of Notre Dame de l'Assomption on June 28, 1722.

They were ministered to by a single priest, who preached at each church on alternate Sundays. In the mid 1990s, a work crew was excavating the ground to begin construction and located the cemetery of La Sainte Famille. Construction plans ceased and funds are being raised to preserve the site.
NOTE: The Dictionnaire notes that L’Assomption was at Pisiquid west, and Ste. Famille was at Pisiquid east, but the Ste. Famille cemetery was found on the west side of the river???

Archaeological Discovery - Ste. Famille Cemetery

     In summer 1996, a work crew was excavating the ground to begin construction on Gabriel Road in the Mountain View Subdivision near Falmouth, Nova Scotia. After finding bones in the soil, David Christianson of the Nova Scotia Museum was called to come out to the site.    He found a couple of skeletons and over 2 dozen graves. The graves were identified by clay caps which were about a foot under the surface. The graves were five feet deeper. Wrought-iron square nails and fragments of wood dated the graves to the 18th century. A King George III halfpenny and ceramic button from the 1700s were also found. The discover of the graves placed the area under the provincial Special Places Protection Act. Though the uncovered graves were scheduled to be studied, those not disturbed would be left in place. It is estimated that the site may contain over 300 graves.
     Construction plans ceased and a committee was formed to take care of the situation. Lot #7, which containes about 70% cemetery site was soon purchased. The committee also borrowed money to purchase the remainder of the cemetery on lot #6. The Ste. Famille church is thought to have been located on the site of lot #8, which is covered by a house.
     The skeletal remains that were found have been put into storage until they can be reburied.
     Peter Landry's site has pictures of the area.

Pisiguit LINKS
• West Hants Historical Society They run a museum in Windsor, N. S. which includes a genealogy room. Check out their Acadian material. • Documents Relating to the Sainte Famille Cemetery • Discovery and Verification • Parish of Sainte-Famille Original Residents • The Committee for the Preservation of the Ste.-Famille Cemetery (currently blank) • Committee Activities • The Acadian Coverlet - an afghan being sold to help fund the Ste. Famille Cemetery project • Windsor • La pariosse de La Sainte-Famille (at blupete.com)
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