I shall tell you how my line branches into the Native American or Metis line. I never thought I had Metis blood until I recently traced my paternal line a bit further and lo and behold, I traced one line to the Penobscot people. Well that really made me curious so I have been reading a lot about the Abenaquis because I thought they were my ancestors.
The Abenaquis were a tribe that belonged to Wabanaki Comferation along with the Passamaquaddy,Maliseet,Penobscot,and later the Migmaw were in the Confederation.Wabenaki means people of the dawn.The original Wabanaki Confederation was lead by many famous Chiefs over the years up to the early 1700.The best known Chiefs were Edgermeret cousin of Madockawondo,Moxus his brother in law,Bomaseen his father in law and Madockawondo (my ancestor). The Abnaki formed an early attachment for the French, chiefly through the influence of their missionaries, and carried on an almost constant war with the English until the fall of the French power in America . These people lived mostly in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.The western Abenaqui livec in New Hampshire and Vermont areas.The eastern Abenaqui lived in Maine and the maritime Abenaqi lived near St John River and St Croix . The Abenaqui people had tempory campgrounds that they would meet at such places as Penobsot Falls,Mattawankeag.Later on many of the Abenaqui people moved into Canada and some settle in Becancourt Quebec,Sillery and St Francis near Pierville Quebec.
My ancestors were the Penobscot tribe. These people lived in villages sometimes surrounded by fences or stakes (palisades). They lived in wigwams .The wigwams were made by the men, and they would shape the trees or sapling so that the frame would be curved,which would protect their home from the harsh weather and winds.Once they framed the wigwam they would cover it with Bark or mats maybe even hides of some animals.
The Penobscot people hunted, fished and farmed.They grew corn, hunted deer,cariboo,rabbits,among other animals. Before these people made contact with the white man there may have been as many as 40000 Abenaquis.. In the 1500s the Abenaqui people were struck with two epidemics, and in 1586 they were hit with the Typhus fever, and around 1620 three separate epidemics swept New England, Maine and Canada. The Maine people lost around 75 percent of their people.I could go on and on, but I would suggest you go to a search engine such as google and search, there are so many interesting stories and history of the Abenaqui people. Now how exactly do the Abenaqui especially the Penobscot people come to be part of my ancestors? Read on and you will see.
The Penobscot people had a chief they called Madockawando.
He was born in Maine around 1630, he was the adopted son of Assaminaqua who he succeeded as Sachem of the Penobscot Indians.In 1694 a deed of Conveyance of lands with Sir William Phipps was made at Pamaquid of which Madockawando released lands on both sides of the St George River, in the province of Massachussetts.He was an important part of history of Eastern Maine because of his position as Sagamore of Penobscot.
The following was the bottom of the page of the 1693 treaty between the British Crown and the Massachussetts Bay and rivers areas;
EDGEREMETT
MADOCKAWANDO
WENOBSON of Tenconnet,
in behalf of Penobscot
BOMASEEN
NITAMEMET
*Interpreters
There were other names also.not verified).
Again if you want to read lots more stories on Madockawondo ,search the internet there is lots out there.
THE FOLLOWING IS FROM VILLEBON'S JOURNAL FOUND AT OUR ROOTS.CA" MAY 10 1695-MADOKAWANDO ARRIVED AT THE FORT DECLARING THAT HE WISHED TO SETTLEE ON THE RIVER TO PUT AN END TO MY SUSPICION OF HIM BECAUSE OF HIS PARLEYS WITH THE ENGLISH. HE REPLACED THE CHIEF WHO HAD DIED OF THE PLAGUE. I NOTIFIED ALL THE INDIANS TO BE IN READINESS TO ACT AS SOON AS WE HAD NEWS FROM FRANCE.</H5></CENTER><P>Now you have reached the part that tells you how Madockawando becomes my ancestor. Well Madockawanda had four lovely daughters, and there was this man who came from France with the Carignan-Salieres regiment by the name of Jean Vincent D'Abbadie de St Castin
This man started a fur trade in or near Penobscot, and he met Madockawando.Madockawando gave his daughters to St Castin which I will discuss next had children with these different women. But he only married one in the Catholic faith, her name was Pidianske ,but she was given the christian name of Marie Mathilde.She is the Indian Princess that I and many others descend from. Madockawando died around 1696 and his son in law St Castin became the new leader of the Penobscot Indians.<P>
Jean Vincent D’Abbadie was born around 1652,the son of Jean-Jacques and Isabeau de Bearn de Bonasse in Saint Castin.Around 1652 he became the Baron of Saint Castin.His father Jean-Jacques D’Abbadie was the Seigneur of St.Castin,of Herrere,d’Escout and d’Escou ,and the first Baron of Saint Castin.His mother Isabeau de Bearn de Bonasse was the daughter of Jacques Bearn de Bonasse and Madeleine de Laas, her family was more important than the Abbadie de St Castin. Her father was the Seigneur of Bonasse . Jean Vincent D’Abbadie was related to the Kings of France. Isabeau died of the plague leaving her son Jean Vincent orphaned at a very early age. Jean Vincent had a sister Marie born 1650 she married Jean de LaBaig, and a brother Jean-Jacques bor in 1651 the second Baron of Saint –Castin he died in 1674 without having any children.<P>The D’Abbadie of the house of Maslacq came from long lines of Lawyers and Juriste .Jean Vincent’s grandfather Bertrand D’Abbadie was the king of Navarre’s lawyer. The Bearns dit Bonasse line on the other hand were soldiers and knights and were known for their courage. So as you can see these two families were important and noble people.
In 1665 Jean Vincent left France with the Carignan-Salieres regiment to come to Canada to fight the Iroquois. After the peace treaty with the Iroquois was signed Jean Vincent returned to France.
In 1670 he returned to Canada but this time he came to Acadie with the governor Grandfontaine.The following is an exert from Villebon's Journals which you can read at ourroots.ca.(Grandfontaine entered into possiession of Pentagoet in 1670.Saint Castin erected a house and other buildings and began to trade with the Indians whose friendship he soon gained.He roamed the woods and hunted with them, learned their language had many affairs with their women,aquired great influence and was made a chief.His fur trade mostly with New Englanders was very remunecrative.He made trips to Port Royal annually to attend Mass and make confession,at the same time he gave handsome presents to the church.When Meneval became governor in 1687 he was instructed by the King to tell St.Castin to live more like a gentleman,to give up his vagabond existence and to settle down and become respectable and to renounce his promiscous habits with women.In 1688 he married Matilda daughter of Madokawando the important chief of the Penobscot,which greatly increased his influence among the Indians.He also induced French Missionaries to settle near him.His life was full of adventures owing to the frequent warfare between the French and the English.") He settled in Fort Pentagouet,along the Bagaduce River . which became the heart of the first French Abenaqui or Metis Village. Jean Vincent D’Abbadie was known to be quite a ladies man ,and he had children with his Indian women ,the daughters of Madockawonda. He had the following children with Marie Mathilde who is my ancestor.
Claire born around 1671 she married Paul Meunier around 1700,she died in Grand Pre in 1744
Another daughter (unknown) around 1695 married a ? Meuneux dit Chateauneuf.
Another unknown daughter married Philippe Meunier around 1695.
Anastasie married Alexandre LeBorgne de Belisle December 4 1707 (Port Royal Registers).They are my ancestors.
Bernard-Anselme born around 1689 married Charlotte D’Amour de Chauffours 1707 in Port Royal
Jean-Pierre born around 1692 entered the Seminary as did his brother Bernard he died 1702
Urseline born around 1696 married Louis D’Amour de Chauffours around 1715.
Joseph married after 1728 wife unknown, he died after 2 March 1751
Jean Vincent D’Abbadie had a daughter with another one of his Indian wives, their daughter was Therese who married in Port Royal Dec 4 1707 to Philippe Mius d’Entremont.
So Jean Vincent was given land on the Saint John River but he preferred staying in Pantagouet and when his father in law died Jean Vincent became the new chief of the Penobscot Indians. Jean Vincent was having some difficulties in France with his siblings so he returned to France to try and settle things but he died there in Pau in 1707 leaving his widow with a big family.
