M. 1676 in Port-Royal, Acadia
Wife: Agnés-Catherine Savoie
D. 23 Jun 1714 in Port-Royal, Acadia
Decades before the expulsion of 1755, English forces were brutally dealing with Acadians. During the first few years of the 18th century, an attack on Port-Royal left many farms destroyed, and François Levron dit Nantais seems to have been one of the victims.
François' origins and exact birth year are unknown, but his surname on some records indicates he may have been born in Nantes, France, and records giving his age suggest he was born between 1650 and 1653. His arrival in Acadia was believed to be after the 1671 census, and before 1676, the year he got married. His wife was Agnés-Catherine Savoie, a native of Acadia, who may have been as young as 14-years-old at the time of their marriage. Between about 1677 and about 1700, they had nine children.
After François arrived in Acadia, he seems to have spent the rest of his life in Port-Royal as a farmer. The settlement had around 500 inhabitants and was the largest town in the colony. Censuses taken between 1686 and 1700 show that François’ farm was thriving, with up to 18 sheep and 12 cattle, plus some hogs and 20 fruit trees, on 15 arpents of land. But in 1707 his farm was much smaller, with only one-half arpent of land and two cattle. That year, he and his wife had seven children living in the household.
The years between the 1700 Census and the 1707 Census were not peaceful ones in Port-Royal. There was war between France and England that spilled over into their colonies. Forces from New England attacked Acadia several times, trying to take control from the French. This culminated in some fierce fighting in 1707. The New Englanders were defeated, but it was reported that they had “wrought considerable havoc by burning down many houses, killing livestock, and uprooting grain and crops.” It's likely that one of the farms that was attacked belonged to François.
The New England forces returned in 1710 and successfully took control of Acadia, which marked the beginning of the end for the French settlers. François died on June 23, 1714, and the generations of his family that followed were pushed out of Port-Royal. with his descendants migrating to other places in New France. Some went to Ile-St-Jean (Prince Edward Island), some went to Ile-Royal (Cape Breton), and one son went to Boucherville, Quebec. Later generations would migrate to the Great Lakes region, the Illinois territory, and after being exiled from Acadia during the 1750s, New Orleans.
Children:
1. Jacques Levron — B. about 1677, Port-Royal, Acadia; D. about 1745, Port-Royal, Acadia; M. Marie-Marian Doucet (~1694-1746), 8 Jan 1710, Port-Royal, Acadia
2. Madeleine Levron — B. about 1682, Port-Royal, Acadia; M. Clement Vincent (~1674-?), 1698, Port-Royal, Acadia
3. Anne Levron — B. about 1684, Port-Royal, Acadia
4. Marie Levron — B. about 1685, Port-Royal, Acadia; D. 1 Aug 1727, Port-Royal, Acadia; M. (1) Jean Garceau (1678-~1710), 20 Nov 1703, Port-Royal, Acadia; (2) Alexandre Richard (~1686-?), 26 Dec 1711, Acadia
5. Elisabeth Levron — B. about 1690, Port-Royal, Acadia; M. (1) Michel Picot (~1685-~1711), 3 Nov 1705, Port-Royal, Acadia; (2) Yves Maucaire (~1680-?), 8 Jan 1712, Port-Royal, Acadia; (3) Etienne Comeau (~1680-1758), 29 Nov 1730, Port-Royal, Acadia
6. Joseph Levron — B. about 1691, Port-Royal, Acadia; D. about 1758, (probably) Fort Frontenac, New France; M. (1) Rose Veronneau (1700-1735), 12 Sep 1722, Boucherville, Quebec; (2) Catherine Brunet (1681-~1756), 26 Jan 1750, Fort Frontenac, New France
7. Jean-Baptiste Levron — B. about 1692, Port-Royal, Acadia; about 1755, Acadia; M. Françoise Labauve, 13 Jan 1716, Port-Royal, Acadia
8. Jeanne Levron – B. about 1694, Port-Royal, Acadia; D. 19 Jan 1751, Port-Royal, Acadia; M. Augustin Comeau (~1688-1741), 12 Feb 17, Port-Royal, Acadia
9. Pierre Levron – B. about 1696, Port-Royal, Acadia; D. Jan 1725, Acadia
Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
1678, 1686, 1693, 1687, 1700 and 1707 Acadian and Port-Royal Censuses
Acadians in Gray (website)
A Great and Noble Scheme: The Tragic Story of the Expulsion of the french Acadians from their American Homeland, John Mack Faragher, 2005
After François arrived in Acadia, he seems to have spent the rest of his life in Port-Royal as a farmer. The settlement had around 500 inhabitants and was the largest town in the colony. Censuses taken between 1686 and 1700 show that François’ farm was thriving, with up to 18 sheep and 12 cattle, plus some hogs and 20 fruit trees, on 15 arpents of land. But in 1707 his farm was much smaller, with only one-half arpent of land and two cattle. That year, he and his wife had seven children living in the household.
The years between the 1700 Census and the 1707 Census were not peaceful ones in Port-Royal. There was war between France and England that spilled over into their colonies. Forces from New England attacked Acadia several times, trying to take control from the French. This culminated in some fierce fighting in 1707. The New Englanders were defeated, but it was reported that they had “wrought considerable havoc by burning down many houses, killing livestock, and uprooting grain and crops.” It's likely that one of the farms that was attacked belonged to François.
The English destroyed the farms of French settlers in many parts of New France, especially in Acadia.
The New England forces returned in 1710 and successfully took control of Acadia, which marked the beginning of the end for the French settlers. François died on June 23, 1714, and the generations of his family that followed were pushed out of Port-Royal. with his descendants migrating to other places in New France. Some went to Ile-St-Jean (Prince Edward Island), some went to Ile-Royal (Cape Breton), and one son went to Boucherville, Quebec. Later generations would migrate to the Great Lakes region, the Illinois territory, and after being exiled from Acadia during the 1750s, New Orleans.
Children:
1. Jacques Levron — B. about 1677, Port-Royal, Acadia; D. about 1745, Port-Royal, Acadia; M. Marie-Marian Doucet (~1694-1746), 8 Jan 1710, Port-Royal, Acadia
2. Madeleine Levron — B. about 1682, Port-Royal, Acadia; M. Clement Vincent (~1674-?), 1698, Port-Royal, Acadia
3. Anne Levron — B. about 1684, Port-Royal, Acadia
4. Marie Levron — B. about 1685, Port-Royal, Acadia; D. 1 Aug 1727, Port-Royal, Acadia; M. (1) Jean Garceau (1678-~1710), 20 Nov 1703, Port-Royal, Acadia; (2) Alexandre Richard (~1686-?), 26 Dec 1711, Acadia
5. Elisabeth Levron — B. about 1690, Port-Royal, Acadia; M. (1) Michel Picot (~1685-~1711), 3 Nov 1705, Port-Royal, Acadia; (2) Yves Maucaire (~1680-?), 8 Jan 1712, Port-Royal, Acadia; (3) Etienne Comeau (~1680-1758), 29 Nov 1730, Port-Royal, Acadia
6. Joseph Levron — B. about 1691, Port-Royal, Acadia; D. about 1758, (probably) Fort Frontenac, New France; M. (1) Rose Veronneau (1700-1735), 12 Sep 1722, Boucherville, Quebec; (2) Catherine Brunet (1681-~1756), 26 Jan 1750, Fort Frontenac, New France
7. Jean-Baptiste Levron — B. about 1692, Port-Royal, Acadia; about 1755, Acadia; M. Françoise Labauve, 13 Jan 1716, Port-Royal, Acadia
8. Jeanne Levron – B. about 1694, Port-Royal, Acadia; D. 19 Jan 1751, Port-Royal, Acadia; M. Augustin Comeau (~1688-1741), 12 Feb 17, Port-Royal, Acadia
9. Pierre Levron – B. about 1696, Port-Royal, Acadia; D. Jan 1725, Acadia
Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
1678, 1686, 1693, 1687, 1700 and 1707 Acadian and Port-Royal Censuses
Acadians in Gray (website)
A Great and Noble Scheme: The Tragic Story of the Expulsion of the french Acadians from their American Homeland, John Mack Faragher, 2005
