Some Guédrys Held Captive in Boston in 1722-1723

Under the date of 16 October 1722 in A Report of the Record Commissioners of the City of Boston, Containing the Records of Boston Selectmen, 1716 to 1736 appears an interesting entry. It states:

Octo ^r 16th
Sundry French people warned to warned to (sic) depart the Town as The Law directs brought from New Hampsh ^r by Jacob Parker viz ^t .
Gload Gedery & his wife
Phillip Gold his wife & family
Augustin Gedery his wife & family
Paul Gedery & his wife
The foregoing List Returned to the Clark of the Peace, Octo ^r the 29 ^th , 1722. ¹

Who were these people and why were they brought to New Hampshire and then to Boston, Massachusetts? The names are discernible with some ease.

"Jacob Parker" evidently was the master and pilot of the sloop Endeavour during the last half of 1722. He sailed out of Boston. ²
"Gload Gedery and his wife" are Claude Guédry and Marguerite Petitpas.
"Phillip Gold his wife & family" are Philippe Doiron, Marie-Joseph Guédry and their son Philippe Doiron (b. ca. 1722)
"Augustin Gedery his wife & family" are Augustin Guédry and Jeanne Hébert.
"Paul Gedery & his wife" are Paul Guédry and Anne-Marie Mius d'Azy

Note that the writer in Boston has translated the French "Doiron" to the English "Gold".

Although the entry mentions "Augustin Gedery his wife & family" we are not aware of any children that Augustin Guédry and Jeanne Hébert had prior to October 1722. It is possible that they had a child who may have died at an early age or possibly has not been "discovered" yet.

How they arrived in Boston is an interesting story.

In the early summer of 1722 the Indians of Maine waged a war against the English in New England. This was to retaliate against the English seizing their highest chief Joseph d'Abbadie de Saint Castin and destroying their village Nanrantsouak - even burning the church and rectory. Governor Shute of Massachusetts issued a declaration of war on 25 July 1722 - a war known by several names including The Three Years War, Rale'sWar, Lovewell's War and Governor Dummer's Indian War. The English Governor of Acadia Richard Phillips was at Canso when Governor Shute declared war. He immediately sent troops along the East Coast of Acadia including Merliguèche where he recovered English vessels and imprisoned Indians and Acadians. Among those captured by the English were Claude Guédry and Marguerite Petitpas and three of their children - Marie-Josephe Guédry, Augustin Guédry and Paul Guédry - along with their families. Perhaps the Acadians were imprisoned because of their strong ties to the Mi'kmaq - both through intermarriage and through friendships. ³

The Guédry families first were taken to New Hampshire and then to Boston where they remained in captivity until the summer or fall of 1723 ^{3 , 4} . Apparently they did not heed the warning to depart Boston immediately or, more likely, were not allowed to leave. By 26 September 1723 they had returned to Acadia. On this date Père Félix Pain baptized with church ceremonies Hélène Guédry and Marie-Josephe Guédry and registered their baptisms in the records at St. Charles aux Mines Catholic Church in Grand-Pré, Acadia. ^{4 , 5 , 6 , 7} Charles Hébert and Anne Hébert were the parrain and marraine of little Hélène while Mr. Mouton and Jeanne Douaron served as Marie-Josephe's godparents ^{4 , 5 , 6} .

Transcription:
ce vingt Sixieme du Septembre de La presente année mil sept cent vingt trios moy soussigné missionaire faisant Les fonctions curiales dans cette paroisse ay supplée Les ceremonies du Bapteme à marie josephe et heleine
le neuf du janvier
nées a Boston et qui ont este ondoye par claude guedry leur grand pere filles d'augustin guedry et de jeanne hebert legitimement conjoints marie joseph a eut pour parain msr mouton et pour maraine jeanne douaron, heleine a eut pour parain charles hebert et pour maraine anne hebert en foy de quoy jay Signé ce mesme jour et an que dessus.
pr. felix pain Recollet missionnaire
et superieur des missions de Lacadie

Translation:
This twenty-sixth of September of the present year one thousand seven hundred twenty-three I undersigned missionary having the vicarial functions in this parish have supplied the ceremonies of Baptism to Marie Josephe and Heleine
the ninth of January
born at Boston and who have been baptized privately by Claude Guedry their grandfather, daughters of Augustin Guedry and of Jeanne Hebert legitimately married. Marie Josephe had for Godfather Msr Mouton and for Godmother Jeanne Douaron. Heleine had for Godfather Charles Hebert and for Godmother Anne Hebert. In testimony whereof I have signed this same day and year as above.
Father Felix Pain Recollet Missionary
and Superior of the Missions of Acadie

While they were at Boston, the Guédry family saw the birth of three children. On 9 January 1723 Augustin Guédry and his wife had twin daughters Hélène and Marie-Josephe. They were ondoyé by their grandfather Claude Guédry. An enfant was ondoyé when there was some urgency at a birth and no priest was in the vicinity. It was done without the formal rites of baptism. Usually at the first opportunity the parents took the child to a priest who provided the formal rites of baptism and recorded the baptism in the church register. Such was the case of Hélène and Marie-Josephe when Père Félix Pain provided the formal rites of baptism for both girls on 26 September 1723 and recorded their baptisms in the Register of St. Charles aux Mines Catholic Parish at Grand-Pré, Acadia. ^{4 , 5 , 6 , 7}

In late 1722 Paul Guédry and Anne-Marie Mius d'Azy had their first child - a daughter named Judith. Although her birth was not recorded in the church register, her marriage was and from it we learn the approximate time of her birth. Since in A Report of the Record Commissioners of the City of Boston, Containing the Records of Boston Selectmen, 1716 to 1736 they are not mentioned as having a family, Paul and Anne-Marie must have had Judith shortly after arriving at Boston. On 13 November 1737 Judith Guédry (age ca. 16) married Jean Cousin (age ca. 21) and the priest recorded the marriage in the Register of St. Charles aux Mines Catholic Parish at Grand-Pré, Acadia. ^{4 , 5 , 6}