Davids of New France

Claude Thomas David

Fortress of Louisbourg, Île Royale, Nouvelle France



1735

Claude Thomas David, the 8th son and 11th child of Jean Pierre David and Marie Magdelaine Monmellian, was born on 20 December 1735 at Louisbourg and baptised the following day, 21 December 1735 . His godfather was his older brother, Michel David, and his godmother was Marie Therese Perrin. Fre Isidore Caulet, RR, presided at the baptism for the Abbot. Witnesses attending the baptism were Dreville and Marie Josephe Lemoiniere.


Baptism Record of Claude Thomas David - 20 December 1735

 

Very little is known of Claude Thomas' life story between 1735 and 1763. His name is listed in only 2 primary source records, including, his baptism record in 1735 and the Louisbourg Census of 1749 to 1750. He served his country as a seaman by profession in one of the Louisbourg marine regiments and was captured, along with his 2 brothers Louis and Jacques Andre by the British during one of the conflicts which lead up to the 2nd siege of the Fortress of Louisbourg in 1758. As prisoners of war, they were transported by the British first to Bristol, England in 1759, and later to Southampton on May 14, 1763. They were then transported to France on May 26, 1763 on the frigate La Dorthee. No further record has been uncovered of Claude Thomas' life after 1763.



1735 to 1745

The Births of Jacques Andre, Jeanne Olive, Marie Magdeleine and Jeanne Angelique

The last 4 of Claude Thomas' siblings to be born at Louisbourg were Jacques Andre born on 30 November 1737, Jeanne Olive born on 10 July 1739, Marie Magdeleine born on 16 January 1741 and Jeanne Angelique born on 21 December 1743.


The David Family in 1744

According to the Fortress of Louisbourg Historical Memoranda Series 1964 to Present H F 25 1989 titled Jean Pierre David dit Saint Michel: Blacksmith authored by Eric Krause of Krause House Info-Research Solutions, Jean Pierre and Marie Magdelaine were still living at Louisbourg in 1744 along with their surviving children of " 5 boys for certain, possibly 6 and 5 girls." These children would probably have included their sons Jean Jacques, Jean Baptiste, Francois, Louis, Claude Thomas and Jacques Andre and their daughters Marie Josephe, Francoise Charlotte, Jeanne Olive, Marie Magdeleine and Jeanne Angelique. Michel, their oldest surviving son, had married Genevieve Hebert on 20 January 1744 in Grand-Pré, Acadie and was probably living there with his wife in 1744. This memoranda also states "In 1749, David returned to Louisbourg with 9 children and an orphan. Additional sons and daughters were: Joseph, Joseph and Anne Bernard (orphan)". However, it is believed that the Louisbourg 1749 - 1750 Census may have been misinterpreted and that Anne Bernard was not part of this family.



France, Acadie or Quebec


1745 to 1748

The 1st Siege of the Fortress of Louisbourg in 1745

After the 1st siege and capture of the Fortress of Louisbourg on 16 June 1745 by British forces commanded by Sir William Pepperell during the War of the Austrian Succession, it is believed that Jean Pierre, Marie Magdelaine and their children left Louisbourg but it is not known if they were deported to France by the British with most of the other Louisbourg French-Acadian inhabitants or escaped to Acadie or one of the Quebec, Nouvelle France communities along the St. Lawrence River.


Capture of Louisbourg by British in 1745, German Engraving


The Whereabouts of Jean and Marie's Children

Since it is recorded that there were 11 surviving children in 1744 at Louisbourg prior to the families deportation or escape from the Fortress in 1745, it is not known for certain which children accompanied Jean Pierre and Marie Magdelaine from Louisbourg since only 7 are recorded in the Louisbourg 1749-1750 Census along with the 2 new additions to the family, Joseph and Jacob.

During this period between 1745 and 1749, it is unclear where 4 of Jean Pierre and Marie Magdelaine's children may have spent these years or if any had parished while in exile. It is highly likely that Michel was living in Grand-Pré, Acadie with his new wife, Genevieve. However, the whereabouts of Marie Josephe, Francois, Jacques Andre and Jeanne Angelique during this period are unknown. The Louisbourg 1749-1750 Census indicates that these 4 children were not living with Jean Pierre and Marie Magdelaine after they were repatriated to Louisbourg in 1749 from their exile. From later discovered source documents, we do know that Marie Josephe survived until 1758 and Jacques Andre was still living in 1763. As for Francois and Jeanne Angelique, how their life stories unfolded remains a mystery.

No records of the David family's life between 1745 and 1749 has been yet uncovered after the 1st siege of the Fortress at Louisbourg by the British in 1745. The records of their lives pick up once again with the Louisbourg 1749-1750 Census and the marriage of Marie Josephe to Jean Paul Pouilly on 1 June 1751 at Louisbourg.


David Children Born in Exile

During their exile from Louisbourg, Jean Pierre and Marie Magdelaine were not deterred from continuing to grow their family. For when the family returned to the Fortress in 1749, as mentioned above, they did so with 2 new boys, Joseph and Jacob.



Fortress of Louisbourg, Île Royale, Nouvelle France



1748 to 1750

In 1748, the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, which ended the War of the Austrian Succession, restored Louisbourg to France in return for the British trading post at Madras in India. The New England forces left Louisbourg, taking with them the famous Louisbourg Cross which had hung in the Fortress chapel. This cross was only rediscovered in the Harvard University archives in the latter half of the 20th century and is now on long-term loan to the Louisbourg historic site.


The Davids are Repatriated to Louisbourg

After Jean Pierre and Marie Magdelaine returned to Louisbourg in 1749, they did so with 9 children. According to the Louisbourg Census of 1749-1750, it appears that these 9 children living at home included Joseph, Jean Jacques, Jean Baptiste, Louis, Claude Thomas, Jacob, Francoise Charlotte, Jeanne Olive and Marie Magdeleine.


The Louisbourg 1749-1750 Census


Louisbourg 1749 - 1750 Census


Bristol, England


1755 to 1763

 

 

Southhampton, England


1763

 

Saint Malo, France


1763 to 1765



Other Compiled Abstracts

Claude Thomas' documented presence in Louisbourg is recorded in a Family Reconstitution File of his father, Jean Pierre David, which is archived at the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site of Canada. This Family Reconstitution File was abstracted and compiled from original source documents archived at the Archives of Canadian and the Archives Nationale.

Further documented evidence which notates Claude Thomas in Louisbourg during this period has been extracted and compiled from original source documents into the Fortress of Louisbourg Historical Memoranda Series 1964 to Present H F 25 1989 titled Jean Pierre David dit Saint Michel: Blacksmith authored by Eric Krause of Krause House Info-Research Solutions.

 


Other Recorded Events

None
 


Spouse

Unknown
 


Children

Unknown
 


History of Updates

The following chronological history of updates document the changes that have been made to this ancestorial life story and the date those changes were made by the author.


Copyright © 2009-2021 Davids of New France. All rights reserved.
Earl Joseph David, New Orleans, Louisiana 70125

Last Update: 1/14/21