Davids of New France

Jean Jacques David


Fortress of Louisbourg, Île Royale, Nouvelle France



1724

Jean Jacques David dit Saint Michel, 3rd son and 5th child of Jean Pierre David and Marie Magdelaine Monmellian was born on 19 June 1724 at Louisbourg and baptized on that same day. His godparents were Jacques Badeau, captain of the ship, and Marie Magdelaine's sister, Genevieve Monmellian. Fre Claude Sanquer, Superior Cure and Vicar General precided at the baptism. Witnesses attending Jean Jacques' baptism were Francois La Cher and Louis Le Page.





Baptism Record of Jean Jacques David - 19 June 1724

Very little is known of Jean Jacques' life for only 2 primary source records have been uncovered which list his name. These include his baptism record in 1724 and the Louisbourg 1749-1750 Census. His name is also listed within 2 Fortress of Louisbourg secondary source abstract documents, a Family Reconstitution File and a Historical Memoranda of his father, Jean Pierre David. In addition, the Louisbourg 1724, 1726 and 1734 Census records indirectly indicate his presence in Louisbourg for those years. From these records we can determined that Jean Jacques was alive and still living with his family in Louisbourg at the age of 26 in 1750.


1724 to 1735

The Louisbourg 1724 Census

Jean Jacques' presence in Louisbourg is indirectly recorded in the Louisbourg 1724 Census which lists his father, Jean David dit Saint Michel of Nantes, a blacksmith, a wife, Marie Magdelaine Monmellian, 3 sons under 15, Pierre, Michel and Jean Jacques and 2 daughters, Magdeleine and Marie Josephe.


Louisbourg 1724 Census


The Birth of Jean Baptiste

By 1725, the family of Jean and Marie continued to prosper and grow with the birth of another son and Jean Jacques' 3rd brother, Jean Baptiste on 22 July 1725.


The Louisbourg 1726 Census

In addition, the Louisbourg 1726 Census which also indirectly includes Jean Jacques continues to coincide with the Louisbourg 1724 Census with the addition of Jean Jacques' brother, Jean Baptiste David, to Jean Pierre and Marie Magdelaine's family in 1725.


Louisbourg 1726 Census


The Births of Francois, Francoise Charlotte, Etienne Thomas and Louis

Between the Louisbourg Census of 1726 and 1734, the births of 4 more children blessed the David dit Saint Michel household, Francois on 16 June 1727, Francoise Charlotte on 10 April 1729, Etienne Thomas on 21 December 1730 and Louis on 02 September 1732.

Unfortunately, along with this joy came much sorrow. For during this period, Jean and Marie tragically buried 3 of their children with the deaths of their 1st son, Pierre, on 30 January 1730 at the age of 11 years, their 1st daughter, Magdeleine, on 09 February 1733 at the age of 12 years and Etienne Thomas on 01 April 1733 at the infant age of 2 years.


The Louisbourg Census of 1734

The Louisbourg 1734 Census seems to account for all surviving family members at that time. It also lists Jean David dit Saint Michel of Nantes, a blacksmith, his wife, Marie Magdelaine Monmellian, 4 sons under 15, Jean Jacques, Jean Baptiste, Francois and Louis, and 2 daughters, Marie Josephe and Francoise Charlotte. In 1734, their 2nd son, Michel would have been at least 15 years of age or older and for that reason was possibly not included in this census.


Louisbourg 1734 Census



1735 to 1745

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

The last 5 of Jean Jacques' siblings to be born at Louisbourg were Claude Thomas born on 20 December 1735, 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. The "possibly 6" son referred to was probably Michel who married Genevieve Hebert on 20 January 1744 in Grand-Pré, Acadie and was probably living there with his wife. eric



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 their 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 3 new additions to the family, Joseph, Jacob and Anne Bernard.

During this period between 1745 and 1748, it is unclear where 5 of Jean Pierre and Marie Magdelaine's children may have spent these years. It is highly likely that Michel, having just been married in 1744, was living in Grand -Pré, Acadie with his new wife, Genevieve Hebert. However, the whereabouts of Marie Josephe, Francois, Jacques Andre and Jeanne Angelique during this period are unknown. The Fortress of Louisbourg Archives Family Reconstitution File based on the Louisbourg 1749-1750 Census indicates that these 5 children were not living with Jean Pierre and Marie Magdelaine after they were repatriated to Louisbourg in 1748 from their exile.

No records of the David family's life between 1745 and 1748 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

Their exile from Louisbourg did not deter Jean Pierre and Marie Magdelaine 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 1751

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 and an orphan. These included 2 new sons, Joseph and Jacobs, who apparently were born during the 4 years of their exile, and an orphan by the name of Anne Bernard. According to the Louisbourg Census of 1749-1750, it appears that the other (7) children returning to Louisbourg from exile were Jean Jacques, Jean Baptiste, Louis, Claude Thomas, Francoise Charlotte, Jeanne Olive and Marie Magdeleine.


The Louisbourg 1749-1750 Census

Census 1749-1750
Louisbourg 1749-1750 Census


After the Louisbourg 1749-1750 Census, no further record of Jean Jacques' life has yet been uncovered.




Other Compiled Abstracts

Jean Jacques' 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.

 



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