Bernard Bugaret - An Acadian Pioneer

by Marty Guidry

Today little evidence survives of the journeys our Acadian ancestors made when they left Europe to sail to Acadia. For Bernard Bugaret, however, an ancestor of the Guédry and Petitpas families, at least three records document his travels to Acadia from France.

About 1681 in Acadia Claude Guédry dit Grivois wed Marguerite Petitpas, widow of Martin Dugas and daughter of Claude Petitpas, Sieur de Lafleur and Catherine Bugaret. Between 1682 and 1703 Claude Guédry and Marguerite Petitpas had eleven children - nine sons and two daughters. ^{1 , 2} From these nine sons descend all the Guédry's (Guidry's, Jeddry's, Geddry's, Labine's, LaBean's and related families) in North America today.

Born in 1624, Claude Petitpas was well educated and served as syndicate (clerk of court) at Port-Royal, Acadia for many years. ^{2 , 3} About 1658 he married Catherine Burgaret, born in 1638 and the daughter of Bernard Bugaret. Between 1659 and 1682 Claude and Catherine had eight sons and five daughters. ^{2 , 3} All of the Petitpas and related families in North America descend from these eight sons. About 1690 Claude Petitpas died and his wife Catherine Bugaret married Charles La Tourasse also known as Charles Chevalier. ^{2 , 4}

Chevalier needed to obtain some information from Boston and in January 1693 he sent his wife Catherine Bugaret with a Mr. Boudrot to Boston to gather the needed information. The English authorities in New England had great confidence in and respect for Catherine Bugaret. Unfortunately, Catherine Bugaret died on the voyage to Boston. ⁴

The first Bugaret to reach Acadia was Bernard Bugaret dit St-Martin du Gueret. On at least three occasions he sailed from France to Acadia. On 1 April 1636 he sailed from LaRochelle, France on the Saint -Jehan to Acadia. ⁵ One of nine ship's carpenters to sail, he appears on the Saint-Jehan 's manifest as:

Rôle des charpentiers qui sont allés faire navire et chaloupes en la Nouvelle-France,
. . .
Bernard Bugare, aussi charpentier basque

Translation:

List of the carpenters who went to build ships and launches in New France
. . .
Bernard Bugare, also a Basque carpenter

Apparently, the carpenters including Bernard Bugaret completed their work in Acadia near the end of 1636 and sailed back to France in late 1636 or early 1637. On 15 September 1637 Bernard Bugaret signed a contract with Nicolas Denys in the presence of the notary Teuleron at LaRochelle, France. At this time Bugaret is listed as being a native of Villefranche in Gascony, France. In this document Bugaret contracts with Denys, a ship's captain, for passage for himself and ten men to sail to New France (Acadia). His return to Acadia at this time was to establish a fur hunting business for himself. This business venture can be discerned from a second contract Bugaret made less than four months later. On 14 January 1638 Bernard Bugaret, native of Villefranche-de-Queyran contracted with Barthélemi Redon dit la Borderye, native of Bordeaux and one of the ten men above.

In the contract Bugaret agreed to transport Redon toLa Hève, board him for one year, supply him with clothes, footwear, arms and munitions for the hunt and pay him 300 pounds in wages. ⁶ The year 1638 is significant because that also is the year in which Bernard's daughter Catherine Bugaret was born. Was she born in France after her father left for Acadia or was she born in Acadia while Bernard Bugaret was establishing his fur hunting enterprise? DNA testing of two direct descendants of Catherine Bugaret confirms that her parents were of European origin. ⁷ Where she was born is not known; however, no record of her mother going to Acadia has been found.

Bernard Bugaret did not remain in Acadia long for in 1648 he entered into another contract at La-Rochelle, France. On 24 March 1648, while living at du Mas in Agenois, he pledged to Emmanuel Le Borgne to sail again for New France. Bugaret was to go to La Hève in 1648 on a ship sent by Le Borgne to Governor d'Aulnay. At La Hève Burgaret would take charge of the ship at the stave-wood forest that he owned. Bugaret was to load the stavewood on the ship and transport it back to Le Borgne in France. Two-thirds of the stave- ood would belong to Le Borgne and one-third would belong to Bugaret.

At the time of signing the document, Bugaret declared that he did not know how to sign his name. ⁸ (See below for a copy of this 1648 contract as well as a transcription and a translation of it.)

Although Bernard Bugaret apparently did not remain in Acadia for an extended time, his daughter Catherine married Claude Petitpas. At what time Catherine Bugaret arrived in Acadia is not known, but, once there, she remained for the rest of her life. Interestingly, several children of Claude Petitpas and Catherine Bugaret settled in the vicinity of Merliguèche (near today's Lunenburg) rather than in Port-Royal where their parents resided. Marguerite Petitpas and her husband Claude Guédry were one of the families that settled at Merliguèche. Near Merliguèche these families lived a rather primitive life among the local Mi'kmaq people - as woodsmen, farmers and coasting pilots. Why did they choose to live near Merliguèche? Was it because their grandfather Bernard Bugaret had a concession of land near Merliguèche that they could use? Had they heard tales from their mother about this area that enticed them to it? We may never know the answer, but their ties to Bernard Bugaret and his ventures at La Hève and Merliguèche certainly played a key role in their decisions.

    

Following are the transcription and translation of this contract.

Engagé

Bugaret

a 134

Leborgne

Personnellement Establys bernard bugaret dict St-Martin demeurant au lieu du Mas en Agenois d'une part, Et noble homme Emanuel Le Borgne marchant demeurant en ceste ville d'autre part, Entre lesquelles parties ont esté faictes les conventions suivantes, c'est assavoir que ledict Sr Le Borgne a consenti par les présentes que ledict Bugaret s'embarque sure le navire que ledict sieur Le Borgne doibt envoyer la présente année a Monsieur daulnay gouverneur et lieutenant general pour le Roy de tout le païs et Coste de lacadie en la nouvelle france, Et qu'il faict charger dans Icelluy navire au lieu de la heve ou mervegue (?) au dict païs du bois merrain qu'il a dit luy apartenir duquel bois merrain qui sera aporté dans ledict navire en apartiendra les deux tiers audict sieur Le Borgne et l'autre tiers audict bugaret qui sera partagé après l'arrivée dudict navire en l'une de ces raddes sans que pour (le) tiers qui reviendra audict bugaret il soict obligé de payer aulcun fret ny avarie par clause expresse ayant delaisse audict sieur Le Borgne lesdicts deux tiers pour ledict fret et passage ce qui a esté ainsi voulu et stipulé et accepté par lesdites partyes, et a ce faire et accomplir par icelles sans venir au contraire a peyne de tous despens dommages et interest ont obligé l'une a l'autre tous leurs biens Et ont renoncé jugé et condempné etc. Faict a la rochelle en l'estude dudict notaire apres midi le vingt quatriesme jour de mars mil six cent quarante huit présents gilles Barré, Jean Bortuste clerqs demeurants en icelle, a ledict Bugaret déclaré ne savoir signer de ce requis [dans tel navire que bon luy semblera sauf et excepté]

(Extrait de la Série E, Notaires: Minutes TEULERON, notaire à La Rochelle (1646- 1648, fo 134 ro) [Archives Départementales de la Charente-Maritime].)

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Pledged

Bugaret

to 134

Leborgne

Personally Asserts bernard bugaret dit St-Martin living at the place du Mas in Agenois of one part, And nobleman Emanuel Le Borgne merchant living in this town of the other part, Between which parties have been made the following conditions, that is to inform that the said sieur Le Borgne has agreed by these presents that the said Bugaret embarks on the ship that the said sieur LeBorgne is sending the present year to Monsieur d'aulnay governor and lieutenant general for the King of all the country and Coast of Acadie in new france And that he was put in charge of the said ship at the place of la hève or mervegue at the said country of the stave-wood forest that he has said belongs to him of which stave-wood forest which would be carried in the said ship by him will belong two-thirds to the said sieur Le Borgne and the other third to the said bugaret which will be divided after the arrival of the said ship at one of the harbors unless the third that will accrue to the said bugaret he would be obliged to pay no freight nor damage by the express clause being relinquished by the said Le Borgne the said two thirds for the said freight and passage that has been thus consented and stipulated and accepted by the said partners and has made that and accomplished by them without proceeding to the contrary has labored with all of the ______ damages and interest have obliged the one to the other all their goods And have renounced, judged and condemned etc. Made at la Rochelle in the office of the said notary afternoon the twenty fourth day of march one thousand six hundred forty eight by gilles Barré, Jean Bortuste clerks residing in the said place, has the aforesaid Bugaret declared to not know how to sign of that required [in such ship as he thought fit safe and excluded]

(Extrait de la Série E, Notaires: Minutes TEULERON, notaire à La Rochelle (1646- 1648, fo 134 ro) [Archives Départementales de la Charente-Maritime].)

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(NOTE: This translation is only approximate to give the general content of the contract. If anyone can provide a more accurate and complete translation, please send it to guidryrmartin@gmail.com )