Joseph-Nicolas Gautier
Encyclopedia
Joseph-Nicolas Gautier dit Bellair, (b. 1689 at Rochefort, France, d. 1752 at Port-La-Joie (Fort Amherst, P.E.I.) was a merchant trader and a leader of the Acadian militia who participated in war efforts against the British during King Georges War and Father Le Loutre’s War. In the latter war, Gautier was particularly instrumental in the Acadian Exodus
.
Gautier and his two eldest sons, Joseph and Pierre, actively supported the four assaults the French launched to win back Acadia by conquering the capital Annapolis Royal. He supplied intelligence on British defences and troop movements; transported foodstuffs, materials, munitions, and troops; and piloted French vessels along the coastal waters of the province.
in the siege. Gautier’s habitation at Bellair served as Duvivier’s headquarters during the siege of Annapolis Royal.
Gautier’s partisanship was at great personal cost; in 1744 the British seized his 40-ton vessel and its cargo, valued together at 6,000 livres, The British also put a bounty on his head.
(1745). In May 1745, he assisted Paul Marin de la Malgue
who led and 200 troops, hundreds of Mi'kmaq joined a siege against Annapolis Royal. This force was twice the size of Duvivier's expedition. During the siege the English pulled destroyed their own officers fences, houses and buildings that the attackers might be able to use. During the Siege, the British destroyed his habitation at Bellair, which had served as Duvivier’s headquarters during the siege of Annapolis Royal. As well, the British also incarerated his wife and one of his children at Annapolis Royal for ten months, “their feet in irons,”. (They escaped 10 months later in February 1746 by forcing the bars of their prison and scaling the walls of the fort.)
in the Siege of Louisbourg (1745)
.
and Jean-Baptiste-Nicolas-Roch de Ramezay* in the winter of 1746–47. After the failure of the Duc D’Anville Expedition to reach Annapolis Royal, Ramesay withdrew his forces from the siege. When Ramezay withdrew his detachment north of the Missaguash River, Gautier abandoned his remaining assets in the Annapolis region and sought refuge with his family at Beaubassin (near Amherst, N.S.).
from mainland Nova Scotia. In September 1749 he contracted to supply 16 head of live cattle to the Acadian refugees recently arrived at Port-Toulouse (St Peters, N.S.).
In 1748 Gautier and other Acadian collaborators determined to settle on Île Saint-Jean (Prince Edward Island). On Île Saint-Jean the Gautiers settled by the Rivière du Nord-Est (Hillsborough River)
, on the site of present-day Scotchfort
, close to the administrative capital of the island at Port-La-Joye
. Gautier’s influence and stature among the Acadians helped to attract even greater Acadian immigration to Île Royale and Île Saint-Jean. He transported between 200 and 300 families to Ile Ste Jean.
Gautier likely became the port Captain at Port-la-Joie. Two of his sons became assistant port captains until 1758. His death occurred on the evening of 10 April 1752 and he was buried the following day at Bellair, as he had nostalgically christened his new habitation.
At least two of his sons continued in the service of the French cause beyond 1760. Joseph-Nicolas married the daughter of Joseph LEBLANC, dit Le Maigre, another Acadian supporter of France in the 1740s; both he and his brother, Pierre, eventually settled at Miquelon.
Category:Acadian people
Acadian Exodus
The Acadian Exodus happened during Father Le Loutre’s War and involved almost half of the total Acadian population of Nova Scotia deciding to relocate to French controlled territories...
.
King Georges War
Gautier arrived at Port Royal around 1710 and became elected as a deputy by 1732. He became one of the wealthiest and prominent Acadians. Through engaging in the merchant trade, by the mid-1740s Gautier had assets valued at 85,000 livres.Gautier and his two eldest sons, Joseph and Pierre, actively supported the four assaults the French launched to win back Acadia by conquering the capital Annapolis Royal. He supplied intelligence on British defences and troop movements; transported foodstuffs, materials, munitions, and troops; and piloted French vessels along the coastal waters of the province.
Siege of Annapolis Royal (1744)
He participated in the siege that happened in July 1744 and then again in September of that year. With the latter attack, he assisted François du Pont DuvivierFrançois du Pont Duvivier
Captain François Dupont Duvivier was an Acadian-born merchant and officer of the French colonial troupes de la marine.- Early life :François Dupont Duvivier was born in Port Royal, Acadia, the eldest of the three sons of François du Pont Duvivier and Marie Mius d'Entremont de Pobomkou on April 25,...
in the siege. Gautier’s habitation at Bellair served as Duvivier’s headquarters during the siege of Annapolis Royal.
Gautier’s partisanship was at great personal cost; in 1744 the British seized his 40-ton vessel and its cargo, valued together at 6,000 livres, The British also put a bounty on his head.
Siege of Annapolis Royal (1745)
Gautier was also active in support of the French Siege of Annapolis RoyalAnnapolis Royal, Nova Scotia
Annapolis Royal is a town located in the western part of Annapolis County, Nova Scotia. Known as Port Royal until the Conquest of Acadia in 1710 by Britain, the town is the oldest continuous European settlement in North America, north of St...
(1745). In May 1745, he assisted Paul Marin de la Malgue
Paul Marin de la Malgue
Paul Marin de la Malgue was the eldest son of Charles-Paul Marin de la Malgue and Catherine Niquet. He was born in Montreal and, as many of the prominent historical figures of his time, had a military career in the colonial regular troops...
who led and 200 troops, hundreds of Mi'kmaq joined a siege against Annapolis Royal. This force was twice the size of Duvivier's expedition. During the siege the English pulled destroyed their own officers fences, houses and buildings that the attackers might be able to use. During the Siege, the British destroyed his habitation at Bellair, which had served as Duvivier’s headquarters during the siege of Annapolis Royal. As well, the British also incarerated his wife and one of his children at Annapolis Royal for ten months, “their feet in irons,”. (They escaped 10 months later in February 1746 by forcing the bars of their prison and scaling the walls of the fort.)
Siege of Louisbourg (1745)
Gautier also assisted Joseph Marin de la MalgueJoseph Marin de la Malgue
Joseph Marin de la Malgue, was the son of Charles-Paul Marin de la Malgue and continued on in the family military and exploration tradition, entering the colonial regular troops at the age of 13. He spent the next 13 years in the Michigan and Wisconsin areas including the Michilimackinac area, ...
in the Siege of Louisbourg (1745)
Siege of Louisbourg (1745)
The Siege of Louisbourg took place in 1745 when a New England colonial force aided by a British fleet captured Louisbourg, the capital of the French province of Île-Royale during the War of the Austrian Succession, known as King George's War in the British colonies.Although the Fortress of...
.
Siege of Annapolis Royal (1746)
Finally, Gautier was instrumental in assisting the Duc d'Anville ExpeditionDuc d'Anville Expedition
The Duc d'Anville Expedition was sent from France to recapture peninsular Acadia . The expedition was the largest military force ever to set sail for the New World prior to the American Revolution. The effort to take the Nova Scotian capital, Annapolis Royal was also supported on land by a force...
and Jean-Baptiste-Nicolas-Roch de Ramezay* in the winter of 1746–47. After the failure of the Duc D’Anville Expedition to reach Annapolis Royal, Ramesay withdrew his forces from the siege. When Ramezay withdrew his detachment north of the Missaguash River, Gautier abandoned his remaining assets in the Annapolis region and sought refuge with his family at Beaubassin (near Amherst, N.S.).
Father Le Loutre’s War
Gautier was also active during Father Le Loutre’s War, in particular with the Acadian ExodusAcadian Exodus
The Acadian Exodus happened during Father Le Loutre’s War and involved almost half of the total Acadian population of Nova Scotia deciding to relocate to French controlled territories...
from mainland Nova Scotia. In September 1749 he contracted to supply 16 head of live cattle to the Acadian refugees recently arrived at Port-Toulouse (St Peters, N.S.).
In 1748 Gautier and other Acadian collaborators determined to settle on Île Saint-Jean (Prince Edward Island). On Île Saint-Jean the Gautiers settled by the Rivière du Nord-Est (Hillsborough River)
Hillsborough River (Prince Edward Island)
The Hillsborough River, also known as the East River, is a Canadian river in northeastern Queens County, Prince Edward Island.-Battle at Port-la-Joye :...
, on the site of present-day Scotchfort
Scotchfort, Prince Edward Island
Scotchfort is an unincorporated Canadian rural community in northeastern Queens County, Prince Edward Island, southwest of the village of Mount Stewart....
, close to the administrative capital of the island at Port-La-Joye
Port-la-Joye–Fort Amherst
Port-la-Joye—Fort Amherst is a National Historic Site of Canada in Prince Edward Island, Canada, commemorating the location's double distinction in hosting both the oldest permanent European settlement on Ile Saint-Jean and the first military fortification on the island to be built by the British...
. Gautier’s influence and stature among the Acadians helped to attract even greater Acadian immigration to Île Royale and Île Saint-Jean. He transported between 200 and 300 families to Ile Ste Jean.
Gautier likely became the port Captain at Port-la-Joie. Two of his sons became assistant port captains until 1758. His death occurred on the evening of 10 April 1752 and he was buried the following day at Bellair, as he had nostalgically christened his new habitation.
At least two of his sons continued in the service of the French cause beyond 1760. Joseph-Nicolas married the daughter of Joseph LEBLANC, dit Le Maigre, another Acadian supporter of France in the 1740s; both he and his brother, Pierre, eventually settled at Miquelon.
External links
- Joseph-Nicolas Gautier, Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
Category:Acadian people