Claude Petitpas

Born about 1624 in France, Claude Petitpas, as a young adult, became uneasy with his life in the homeland. The turmoil of war and uncertainty of everyday life pushed him to a new adventure - sailing to Acadia and beginning anew. He had some basic farming skills and had learned some rudiments of business probably from his grandfather who is thought to have been a merchant. Arriving in Acadia about 1645 with some business experience, Claude was appointed shortly afterwards as Notary Royal to the tribunal at Port-Royal (the greffier or clerk of court) and given the title Claude Petitpas, Sieur de LaFleur. He continued as greffier the rest of his life. Here he recorded all the legal business of the government at Port-Royal. About 1658 he married Catherine Bugaret and they had 13 children - 5 daughters and 8 sons. They raised their family in Port-Royal, but several of their offspring left the "easy" life of Port-Royal for the more adventurous life of the wilderness and moved to distant Merliguèche. Claude Petitpas is the progenitor of the Petitpas family in Acadia and all Petitpas in North America, which includes the surnames Petitpas, Pettipas, Petipas, Petitpa, Petit Pas, Pitts and other variations, descend from Claude Petitpas and Catherine Bugaret.