Jean Baptiste PITRE

1711 - 1758  (47 years)

• Name	Jean Baptiste PITRE  [1]
  Birth	1711	Port Royal, Annapolis, , Nova Scotia, Canada   [1]
  Gender	Male
  _UID	33BC8B227F05433DB1CAF6B1D2108F356888
  Residence	1734	Grand-Pré, Kings, Nova Scotia, Canada   [1]
  Residence	1737	Beaubassin, Cumberland, New Brunswick, Canada   [1]
  Death	9 Jun 1758	Quebec, , Québec, Canada   [1]
  	Cause: during the smallpox epidemic in Quebec City
  Person ID	I23788	Ryeland Family Tree
  Last Modified	19 Mar 2026

  
  

  Father	François PITRE, Dit Nordest,   b. Abt 1682, Port Royal, Annapolis, , Nova Scotia, Canada d. 6 Dec 1725 (Age 43 years)
  Mother	Anne PRÉJEAN, Le Breton,   b. 1687   d. Yes, date unknown
  Marriage	27 Jul 1705	Port Royal, Annapolis, , Nova Scotia, Canada   [1]
  Family ID	F7314	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Cécile BOUDREAU,   b. 1714, Port Royal, Annapolis, , Nova Scotia, Canada d. 13 Jan 1811, Nicolet, , Québec, Canada (Age 97 years)
  Marriage	28 Oct 1733	Port Royal, Annapolis, , Nova Scotia, Canada   [1]
  Children	1. Marie Josephe Agathe PITRE,   b. 1734, Grand-Pré, Kings, Nova Scotia, Canada d. Yes, date unknown   2. Michel PITRE,   b. 2 Oct 1735, Grand-Pré, Kings, Nova Scotia, Canada d. 1808, Pisiquit, Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada (Age 72 years)   3. Charles Modeste PITRE,   b. 21 Dec 1737, Beaubassin, Cumberland, New Brunswick, Canada d. Abt 1769 (Age 31 years)   4. Marguerite Anastasie PITRE,   b. 10 Dec 1739, Beaubassin, Cumberland, New Brunswick, Canada d. Yes, date unknown   5. Marie Louise PITRE,   b. 1740, Beaubassin, Cumberland, New Brunswick, Canada d. Yes, date unknown   6. Rosalie PITRE,   b. 8 Apr 1742, Beaubassin, Cumberland, New Brunswick, Canada d. Yes, date unknown   7. Anne PITRE,   b. 15 Feb 1744, Beaubassin, Cumberland, New Brunswick, Canada d. 12 Jun 1758, Québec, Canada (Age 14 years)   8. Joseph PITRE,   b. 30 Jan 1746, Beaubassin, Cumberland, New Brunswick, Canada d. 5 May 1823, Nicolet, , Québec, Canada (Age 77 years)   9. François Mathurin PITRE,   b. 21 Dec 1747, Beaubassin, Cumberland, New Brunswick, Canada d. 14 Jan 1830 (Age 82 years)   10. Jean Baptiste PITRE,   b. 25 Mar 1750, Beaubassin, Cumberland, New Brunswick, Canada d. 8 May 1758, Québec, Canada (Age 8 years)   11. Isidore PITRE,   b. 30 Jul 1754, Beaubassin, Cumberland, New Brunswick, Canada d. 21 Dec 1758, Québec, Canada (Age 4 years)
  Family ID	F7311	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	27 Nov 2014

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 1711 - Port Royal, Annapolis, , Nova Scotia, Canada Marriage - 28 Oct 1733 - Port Royal, Annapolis, , Nova Scotia, Canada Residence - 1734 - Grand-Pré, Kings, Nova Scotia, Canada Residence - 1737 - Beaubassin, Cumberland, New Brunswick, Canada Death - Cause: during the smallpox epidemic in Quebec City - 9 Jun 1758 - Quebec, , Québec, Canada  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  Son of François dit Nordest Pitre and Anne Préjean le Breton, Jean-Baptiste was born in 1711 in Port-Royal. He was only 14 when he lost his father. He was married on October 28, 1733 to the nineteen year old Cécile Boudreaux. Although this marriage took place in Port-Royal, the following year the young couple lived in the Parish of Saint-Charles des Mines in Grand-Pré. It is there that their son Michel is born in 1735. By 1737, their young family is living in Beaubassin. The fact that Jean-Baptiste & Cécile moved farther inland with their families was a symptom of the times they were living in Acadia. The Acadian population was growing fast much to the concern of the British authorities, Acadians were forced to find new areas to settle. By the end of the 17th century, new settlements developed in Les Mines (Grand Pré) and later in Beaubassin. Like Jean-Baptiste's father, many acadians had taken the oath of allegeance to the King of England between 1719 and 1730. Because of this oath and the fact that they lived under British Authority, the Neutral Acadians were no longer trusted by France. Also at that time in history, Britain distrusted all catholics and felt that Acadians could ally themselves with France in a conflict. This left our ancestors in the precarious position of being mistrusted by both political powers. From 1749 to 1755, the increase of English settlers in Nova Scotia added tensions for the Acadians. The native Micmacs who conducted raids on the British settlements, were said to have close links with the Acadians. England wanted Nova Scotia as their territory because of its strategic military location. The Governor of Massachusetts coveted this area for its access to Québec and the French Fortress of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island. Louisbourg was the commercial and administrative centre of the French Colonies in Acadia at the time. These would become the decisive factors in the eventual Deportation Order. Source: Centre Acadien, Université Sainte-Anne, N.S. Escape from Deportation Acadians in the areas of Memramcook, Chipoudy, and Petitcodiac rivers were hearing rumors of deportation in August of 1755 and on the advice of their Missionnary L'Abbé François Le Guerne, hundreds took refuge in the woods of what is now part of New Brunswick. They were forced to remain hidden in the forest as the British authorities had put a price on their heads. Some of these Acadians were successful in reaching their destinations but many died along the way from starvation & exhaustion. Jean-Baptiste Pitre and his family were among 200 Acadian families from the areas of Memramcook, Chipoudy, and Petitcodiac rivers who had followed this advice and hid in the forest. They were fortunate that Charles Deschamps de Boishébert, a captain in the French colonial regular troops, was nearby. Accompanied by a group of natives, the 125 French soldiers surprised about 200 English soldiers who were about to set fire to the 250 houses in Petitcoudiac. Both L'Abbé Le Guerne and Lieutenant Boishébert are credited for having ensured the survival of the Acadians. The acadians foresaw the second phase of the expulsion of 1758 and Jean-Baptiste Pitre's family accompanied others up the coast to Miramichi in 1757. Exhaustion and lack of provisions took its toll on the Acadians and many died of starvation. As a result, several decided to follow Boishébert's troops recalled to Québec for the winter of 1757-58. Unfortunately, the circumstances in Québec City were not much better. The war had brought on a lack of supplies and famine, the Acadian refugees became an extra burden and were fed cod and rotten meat. It is said that these unfortunate living conditions caused the death of many Acadians. There are approximately 1,500 Acadian refugees when the City is hit by a smallpox epidemic. Already weakened by their journey, hundreds succumbed to this illness. Jean-Baptiste Pitre and his family were among this ill-fated group and on June 9th, 1758, our ancestor passed away in Quebec at the age of 47. Source: Dictionary of Canadian Biographies, Vol. V, 1801-1820 The following are some of our ancestor Jean Baptiste Pitre's relatives who were deported, disappeared or died with their families during the deportation years of 1755 to 1763. * Charles-Modeste Pitre (son) His family is found later in Louisiana * Antoine Pitre, (Brother) died sometime between 1755 and 1763 * Marie-Josephe Pitre, (Sister) & Family deported to South Carolina * Joseph Pitre (Cousin) (of Claude & Anne Henry) deported alone on the ship Endeavour to South Carolina. His wife escaped to Quebec where many descendants are alive today. * Françoise Pitre & Family (Cousin) deported to Europe * Angélique Pitre & Family (Cousin) deported to Europe , died in France on August. 24, 1757 * Marie-Marguerite Pitre, (Cousin) & Family deported to Europe , died in France on December 28, 1758 * Jean Pitre, (Cousin) & Family deported to Europe , died at sea during the crossing in 1758 * Joseph Pitre (Cousin) (of Jean & Françoise Babin) & Family deported to Europe , died at sea during the crossing in 1758 * Michel Pitre (Cousin)(of Jean & Françoise Babin) & Family, deported to Europe , died at sea during the crossing around December 13, 1758 * Madeleine Pitre (Cousin) & Family deported to Europe , died at sea on the Duke William, during the crossing to France * Cécile Pitre (Cousin) & Family deported to Europe , died at sea on La Violet, during the crossing to France * Germain (Cousin) dit Germain-Jean Pitre, died in Le Mirebalais, St-Domingue, West Indies on October 20, 1764 * Amand Pitre (Cousin) & family deported to Europe on list of passagers to Louisiana in 1785 * Claude Pitre (Cousin) & family deported to Europe to England, died in Sauzon, France on March 7, 1775. His family later emigrated to Louisiana in 1785 * Jean Pitre (Cousin) & Family deported to Europe , on list of passager to Louisiana in 1785 * Jean (dit Jean Marc) Pitre (Cousin) died at Fort Edward in Nova Scotia, July/August 1762 * Marie Pitre (Cousin) & Family, deported to France, died at sea during the crossing to France [1]

  
  

• Sources

  [S481] The PITRE Family History by Diane Pitre Werner, (http://www.geocities.com/pitre_family/index.html).