Beaubears Island
Encyclopedia
Beaubears Island is an island
at the confluence of the Northwest Miramichi
and Southwest Miramichi River
s near Miramichi, New Brunswick
. The island is most famous for being the site of an Acadian refugee camp during the French and Indian War
. The camp was under the command of leader of the Acadian resistance to the expulsion, Charles Deschamps de Boishébert et de Raffetot
. The island is named after Boishébert.
The island is home to two Canadian National Historic Sites:
The shipbuilding site occupies the eastern end of the island; the Boishébert site comprises the rest of the island, and adjacent Wilson's Point. Both sites are administered by Parks Canada
in collaboration with the Friends of Beaubears Island. The sites retain 200-year-old Eastern White Pine
s; thus the parks are significant from the perspectives of both human and natural history
.
settlement in the region, the Mi'kmaq people camped on the island.
, Charles Deschamps de Boishébert et de Raffetot
led the Acadian and Mi`kmaq resistance to the Expulsion of the Acadians. Toward this end, to help Acadians evade capture, Boishébert set up an Acadian refugee camp on the Island. The Camp was named Camp de l' Esperance. The camp lasted between 1756 - 1759.
After Louisbourg fell
on 26 July 1758, French officer Boishébert
withdrew, with the British in pursuit. Boishebert brought back a large number of Acadians from the region around Port-Toulouse (St. Peter's, Nova Scotia
) to the security of his post at Beaubears Island on the Miramichi River.
During the Ile Saint-Jean Campaign
and the St. John River Campaign
the number of Acadian refugees increased dramatically. The camp had eventually 900 French refugees. Over 200 of the refugees died at the camp. During the war, the camp was protected by a battery of French cannons at French Fort Cove
.
On September 15, 1758, Brigadier James Murray was at Miramichi and discovered that there were many Acadian refugees at a settlement about ten leagues
up the Miramichi River which had fled during the Ile Saint-Jean Campaign
. According to Murray, all of the Acadians were starving. They had sent most of their effects on to Canada and expected so to go there themselves.
Beaubears (Boishébert) Island and nearby Wilson's Point (a.k.a. Beaubears Point or the Enclosure) together form Boishébert National Historic Site of Canada.
By the end of the 19th century, the island appears to have been deserted. It was acquired by the O'Brien family in 1920 and willed to the government of Canada in 1973 following the death of Joseph Leonard O'Brien
, a former lieutenant governor of New Brunswick.
Beaubears Island Shipbuilding National Historic Site of Canada, also known as J. Leonard O'Brien Memorial, is the only known, undisturbed archaeological site associated with the national significance of the 19th century wooden shipbuilding industry in New Brunswick. In accordance with O'Brien's wishes, the island was willed to Parks Canada and remains an integral part of Canadian history as a whole.
, CHIN
, and Virtual Museum of Canada
.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
at the confluence of the Northwest Miramichi
Northwest Miramichi River
The Northwest Miramichi River is a Canadian river in New Brunswick. The Mi'kmaq referred to the river as Elmunokun, possibly meaning "a beaver hole" in reference to a deep pool in the river, just below the mouth of the Big Sevogle River, its largest tributary.The Northwest Miramichi River has its...
and Southwest Miramichi River
Southwest Miramichi River
The Southwest Miramichi River is a Canadian river in New Brunswick.The river has its origin in Carleton County, at Miramichi Lake in the Miramichi Highlands . Its two branches join near the village of Juniper, NB...
s near Miramichi, New Brunswick
Miramichi, New Brunswick
Miramichi is the largest city in northern New Brunswick, Canada. It is situated at the mouth of the Miramichi River where it enters Miramichi Bay...
. The island is most famous for being the site of an Acadian refugee camp during the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
. The camp was under the command of leader of the Acadian resistance to the expulsion, Charles Deschamps de Boishébert et de Raffetot
Charles Deschamps de Boishébert et de Raffetot
Charles Deschamps de Boishébert , was the leader of the Acadian resistance to the Expulsion of the Acadians. He settled and tried to protect Acadians refugees along the rivers of New Brunswick. Fort Boishebert is named after him...
. The island is named after Boishébert.
The island is home to two Canadian National Historic Sites:
- Beaubears Island Shipbuilding National Historic Site of Canada, J.Leonard O’BrienJoseph Leonard O'BrienJoseph Leonard O'Brien was a Canadian politician. Born in South Nelson, New Brunswick, he was a member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1925 to 1930 and was Speaker of the Assembly...
Memorial - Boishébert National Historic Site
The shipbuilding site occupies the eastern end of the island; the Boishébert site comprises the rest of the island, and adjacent Wilson's Point. Both sites are administered by Parks Canada
Parks Canada
Parks Canada , also known as the Parks Canada Agency , is an agency of the Government of Canada mandated to protect and present nationally significant natural and cultural heritage, and foster public understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative...
in collaboration with the Friends of Beaubears Island. The sites retain 200-year-old Eastern White Pine
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
s; thus the parks are significant from the perspectives of both human and natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
.
History
Prior to AcadianAcadian
The Acadians are the descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia . Acadia was a colony of New France...
settlement in the region, the Mi'kmaq people camped on the island.
Boishébert and the Acadians
During the French and Indian WarFrench and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, Charles Deschamps de Boishébert et de Raffetot
Charles Deschamps de Boishébert et de Raffetot
Charles Deschamps de Boishébert , was the leader of the Acadian resistance to the Expulsion of the Acadians. He settled and tried to protect Acadians refugees along the rivers of New Brunswick. Fort Boishebert is named after him...
led the Acadian and Mi`kmaq resistance to the Expulsion of the Acadians. Toward this end, to help Acadians evade capture, Boishébert set up an Acadian refugee camp on the Island. The Camp was named Camp de l' Esperance. The camp lasted between 1756 - 1759.
After Louisbourg fell
Siege of Louisbourg (1758)
The Siege of Louisbourg was a pivotal battle of the Seven Years' War in 1758 which ended the French colonial era in Atlantic Canada and led directly to the loss of Quebec in 1759 and the remainder of French North America the following year.-Background:The British government realized that with the...
on 26 July 1758, French officer Boishébert
Charles Deschamps de Boishébert et de Raffetot
Charles Deschamps de Boishébert , was the leader of the Acadian resistance to the Expulsion of the Acadians. He settled and tried to protect Acadians refugees along the rivers of New Brunswick. Fort Boishebert is named after him...
withdrew, with the British in pursuit. Boishebert brought back a large number of Acadians from the region around Port-Toulouse (St. Peter's, Nova Scotia
St. Peter's, Nova Scotia
St. Peter's is a small incorporated village located on Cape Breton Island in Richmond County, Nova Scotia, Canada....
) to the security of his post at Beaubears Island on the Miramichi River.
During the Ile Saint-Jean Campaign
Ile Saint-Jean Campaign
The Ile Saint-Jean Campaign was a series of military operations in fall 1758, during the French and Indian War, to deport the Acadians that either lived on Ile Saint-Jean or had taken refuge there from earlier deportation operations...
and the St. John River Campaign
St. John River Campaign
The St. John River Campaign occurred during the French and Indian War when Colonel Robert Monckton led a force of 1150 British soldiers to destroy the Acadian settlements along the banks of the Saint John River until they reached the largest village of Sainte-Anne des Pays-Bas in February 1759...
the number of Acadian refugees increased dramatically. The camp had eventually 900 French refugees. Over 200 of the refugees died at the camp. During the war, the camp was protected by a battery of French cannons at French Fort Cove
French Fort Cove
The French Fort Cove is a nature park located in Miramichi, New Brunswick, between Newcastle and Nordin-Miramichi, which contains regular and advanced walking trails, canoeing, kayaking, paddle-boats, a children's playground, ice-cream shop and holds many events and activities during the summer...
.
On September 15, 1758, Brigadier James Murray was at Miramichi and discovered that there were many Acadian refugees at a settlement about ten leagues
League (unit)
A league is a unit of length . It was long common in Europe and Latin America, but it is no longer an official unit in any nation. The league originally referred to the distance a person or a horse could walk in an hour...
up the Miramichi River which had fled during the Ile Saint-Jean Campaign
Ile Saint-Jean Campaign
The Ile Saint-Jean Campaign was a series of military operations in fall 1758, during the French and Indian War, to deport the Acadians that either lived on Ile Saint-Jean or had taken refuge there from earlier deportation operations...
. According to Murray, all of the Acadians were starving. They had sent most of their effects on to Canada and expected so to go there themselves.
J. Leonard O'Brien and Shipbuilding
The first shipyard was established by James Fraser and James Thom (1790). For the first half of the eighteenth century, the Fraser shipyard was considered the most important commercial establishment in New Brunswick. The 1850s were regarded as the golden age of Miramichi shipbuilding with yards in operation from Beaubears Island. Harley continued to build ships and in 1866 launched what is believed to be the last vessel constructed at Beaubears, the barque La Plata.By the end of the 19th century, the island appears to have been deserted. It was acquired by the O'Brien family in 1920 and willed to the government of Canada in 1973 following the death of Joseph Leonard O'Brien
Joseph Leonard O'Brien
Joseph Leonard O'Brien was a Canadian politician. Born in South Nelson, New Brunswick, he was a member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1925 to 1930 and was Speaker of the Assembly...
, a former lieutenant governor of New Brunswick.
Beaubears Island Shipbuilding National Historic Site of Canada, also known as J. Leonard O'Brien Memorial, is the only known, undisturbed archaeological site associated with the national significance of the 19th century wooden shipbuilding industry in New Brunswick. In accordance with O'Brien's wishes, the island was willed to Parks Canada and remains an integral part of Canadian history as a whole.
Affiliations
The Museum is affiliated with: CMACanadian Museums Association
The Canadian Museums Association is a national organization for the promotion of museums in Canada.The Canadian Museums Association is the national organization for the advancement of the Canadian museum sector, representing Canadian museum professionals both within Canada and internationally. The...
, CHIN
Canadian Heritage Information Network
The Canadian Heritage Information Network is a Canadian government-supported organization that provides a networked interface to Canada's heritage, largely through the World Wide Web. It aims to give access to Canada's heritage for both Canadians and a worldwide audience, by supporting the...
, and Virtual Museum of Canada
Virtual Museum of Canada
The Virtual Museum of Canada is Canada's national virtual museum. With a directory of over 3,000 Canadian heritage institutions and a database of over 600 virtual exhibits, the VMC brings together Canada's museums regardless of size or geographical location.The VMC includes virtual exhibits,...
.
External links
- http://www.beaubearsisland.ca/
- Ship Building - National Historic Site