The Sampson Family


The Samson Family
of
L'Ardoise, Cape Breton

by Patrick B. Burke & Mary Sampson LeBlanc
  

The story below is a blend of my own and that of one written and shared by Charles A Samson, a resident of Los Angeles, California, and Mary (Sampson) LeBlanc of Halifax, Nova Scotia, whose "SAMSON" roots are found buried deeply in Île Madame, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

Below is a copy of a photo of a plaque. The photo was sent to Charles from the Mayor's office at St. Gatien-des-Bois, France. This plaque, as viewed by Al Samson of Louisdale, Cape Breton, on a recent visit to the Church, is affixed to an inside wall of the church [to the right side of the main doors] at St. Gatien-des-Bois where Gabriel4 and Jacques4 SAMSON were baptised. Al Samson, is kin to my wife, Marilyn and family. The plaque was affixed to the Church wall, in January, of 1997, by citizens of the village, on behalf of Samson families, from across the United States and Canada, in honor of Gabriel4 and Jacques4, who are believed to be the forefathers of the vast majority of the Sampson/Samson[s] of North America.
English translation: "In 1665, the brothers Gabriel and Jacques Samson, born in St. Gatien-des-Bois, and baptized in this church in 1643 & 1647, left to settle in New France, and are the origin of many descendants living today in Canada and the United States."

The year was 1665, and having decided to make their mark in life, the two brothers Gabriel4 and Jacques4 Samson, left France for the New World. Gabriel4 and Jacques4 were born in St. Gatien-des-Bois, Normandy, France, in 1643 and 1647, respectively, and it is documented that they resided at Lauzon, Quebec. Gabriel'4s fourth son, who was also named Gabriel5, for reasons now lost to time, grew to manhood and settled in Port Royal, Annapolis, Nova Scotia and is the progenitor of our Acadian family. On 07 Apr. 1704, Gabriel5 married Jeanne MARTIN, of Port Royal. Jeanne born about 1676 at Port Royal was the daughter of Barnabe and Jeanne [Pelletret] Martin. Not too long after their marriage, in a 1704 raid on Acadia, by New Englanders, both Gabriel5 Samson and his wife Jeanne were captured and taken as hostages to Boston, Massachusetts.

Jeanne, as life would have it, was pregnant with the couple's first child. This child, a girl, whom the couple named Madeleine6, was born on 09 Jan 1705, in Boston. Their captivity lasted one year, and early in 1706, Gabriel5 and Jeanne were returned by the British, to Port Royal.

Wars between England and France, and raids by New Englanders, and waring French nobility, made life at Port Royal hazardous, to say the least. Finally, in 1710, Port Royal was captured by the British. Never again would France gain control of mainland Nova Scotia. In fact, the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 ceded the bulk of Acadia to the British.

Around the years 1720/1721, Gabriel5 and his family were once again on the move. This time, the move was to Port Toulouse, known today as St. Peters, on Île Royale. This move is believed to have been made in order to escape swearing the oath of allegiance to the British Crown. The oath of allegiance was being demanded by the then Governor, Colonel Richard Philipps, of Nova Scotia. You see, the Island of Cape Breton was, at that time, still under French rule. At Port Toulouse, Gabriel5 earned his living by the building and navigating of coastal vessels, called "Coasters", around the Port Toulouse area. Gabriel5 and Jeanne had, in total, eleven children, prior to Jeanne's death in 1728.

  • Madeleine6 born 09 Jan 1705
  • Michel6 born 12 Jul 1706
  • Jeanne6 born 01 July 1708
  • Louise6 born 01 July 1708
  • Mathieu6 born 14 Aug 1709
  • Twin girls born and died 1711/1
  • Marie-Madeleine6 born 17 Jun 1713
  • Marguerite6-Louise born 10 July 1715
  • Charles6 born 01 Oct 1717
  • Jeanne6 born 22 Oct 1719

I have hi-lighted Mathieu6 because he is the progenitor of our L'Ardoise "SAMSON" line, and the first Samson recorded as having taken up land at L'Ardoise. This information can be found among records at the Nicolas Denys' museum, in St. Peters. The following was taken from a history of the area written by Fr. Lesions, a Roman Catholic Missionary. He was a priest of that era, the year being 1747.

"The good times at Port Toulouse were not destined to last."

In the year of 1745, the Samson families, which were headed by our Gabriel5, and his sons Michel6, Mathieu6 and Charles6. They, along with numerous other French Acadian families, had been forced to flee Port Toulouse. Earlier, in March of 1744, war had been declared between France and Great Britain. In December of that same year, the troops at Louisbourg had mutinied.

"The safety of the French-Acadian settlers on Île Royale was, once again, in great peril."

In 1745, an invasion force, of troops made up of New Englanders, and British Regulars, ransacked and burned Port Toulouse, while on its way to Fortress Louisbourg. The civilian population of Port Toulouse, to avoid death and/or deportation, were forced to seek the safety of the dense woodlands of Cape Breton. The first siege of Fortress Louisbourg was begun. As we now know, Fortress Louisbourg was captured by the New Englanders, who then deported the majority of the French colonists they had captured. The New Englanders occupied Fortress Louisbourg for the next four years.

"Our Gabriel5 Samson died circa 1757 (Source: Stephen A. White)".

In 1748, the war of the Austrian Succession ended with the signing of the "Treaty of  Aix-La-Chapelle". At this time Île Royale was returned to France. In 1749, Fortress Louisbourg was occupied by the French, and those Acadians in hiding returned to their lands. Michel6, Mathieu6 and Charles6 Samson, and their families, were among this group. For the most part, all was calm for the next six years, with the families of Port Toulouse, as they engaged in the fishing industry. Fate, though, was not kind to our Acadian cousins. In 1755, they were forced once more by war, the 7 year Indian-American War, to take to the woods of Cape Breton, and hiding.

In 1755, fearing our Acadian cousins would take the side of France, the British decided to deport all Acadians from main land Nova Scotia. The French residents of Île Royale feared for their lives, especially after the fall of Louisbourg, in 1758. Their fear was not unfounded, for a second deportation did take place in the Fall of 1758. Our French Acadian Samson family was not spared during these tragic events, for those captured were deported to France, in the Fall of 1758, some aboard the infamous ship, "La Reine d'Espagne".

"Many of our Acadian cousins did not survive the journey to France."


THE EXPULSION OF THE FRENCH AT LOUISBOURG AND OUR ACADIAN COUSINS AFTER THE FALL OF LOUISBOURG, IN 1758, AND ITS EFFECT ON OUR SAMSON FAMILY LINE.

THE SECOND SEIGE OF LOUISBOURG 1758 -England and France returned to war in 1756, with the beginning of the Seven Years War (1756-1763). Since 1713, Louisbourg had been standing to guard the entrance to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and therefore the heartland of New France. During the Seven Years War, the French of Cape Breton greatly feared another attack on Louisbourg. In June, 1758, Admiral Boscawen’s British squadron entered the Baie de Gabarus, with 22 men-of-war, 18 frigates, one fire-ship, and 154 transports carrying 19,000 men. The French knew their position was precarious, but decided to put up a prolonged resistance, to save Quebec. The siege began, and the French resisted for a period of seven weeks. Finally, on July 26, 1758, Louisbourg surrendered. One of the terms of the capitulation was found in article two, which stated,

“The inhabitants of Isle Royale and Isle St. Jean were to be returned to France.”


This one stipulation had profound effects on the inhabitants of both islands, and it was especially devastating to the Samson family. Following is an account of the effects of this deportation on the Samson family of Port Toulouse.

EFFECTS OF THE DEPORTATION, OF THE FRENCH, AFTER THE FALL OF LOUISBOURG IN 1758, ON OUR SAMSON FAMILY LINE.

Gabriel Samson (1682-1757) and Jeanne Martin (1676-1728) had a large family of eleven children. Daughters Louise and Jeanne born in 1708, at Port Royal, had died in 1708. Gabriel and Jeanne were also dead by the time of the deportation, as were their twin daughters born in 1711/12, at Port Royal. Daughter Marguerite Louise and husband Jean Lelarge were in France, since the Fall of Louisbourg, in 1745; Marie-Magdeleine, another Louisbourg daughter, was dead by 1750. The final Louisbourg daughter, Anne-Magdeleine, was probably deported to France in 1758. Only four children remained, one daughter, Jeanne, and three sons, Michel, Mathieu, and Charles. Of these three sons, Michel (1706-1764), Mathieu (1709-), and Charles (1717-1764), only two, Michel and Mathieu left descendants.

This then is the story of the effects of the fall of Louisbourg, on the Samson family line.


MICHEL SAMSON
Michel, the eldest son of Gabriel, was born and baptized at Port Royal on 12 July 1706, and died 22 April 1764. He lived at St. Peter’s in 1727. He was married about 1729, in Port Toulouse, to Anne “Jeanne” Testard dit Paris, born on 19 April 1713, in Port Royal. She died 22 April 1764. She was the daughter of Francois Testard and Marie Doiron. Michel and many members of his family were taken prisoner, following the fall of Louisbourg in 1758. A number of them were deported to France. Many were transported aboard the ship “La Reine d’Espagne”. We are not certain that Michel and Jeanne were passengers aboard “La Reine d’Espagne”. 

JEANNE (SAMSON) PREJEAN
Michael’s daughter, Jeanne/Anne (Samson) Prejean, was born about 1730, at St. Peters. Jeanne died during the crossing to France, in 1758, aboard the ship “La Reine d’Espagne”. She was the second wife of Nicholas Prejean, born about 1704. Nicholas was a carpenter and pilot. He was the son of Jean-Baptiste Prejean and Marguerite Savoie. One of their other children, Charles, died during the crossing to France, in 1758.

NICHOLAS PREJEAN, and sons Jean-Baptiste, s/o Nicholas and his second wife, Anne Samson, and Gabriel, s/o Nicholas Prejean and his first wife, Marguerite Broussard, disembarked at St. Malo, on November 17, 1758, from the ship “La Reine d’Espagne”. This family resided in the following parishes: St. Malo 1758-1759 and St. Servan 1760-1772. Gabriel Prejean was born about 1751, and died on November 23, 1758, at the age of eight years. Notes about Jeanne/Anne (Samson) Prejean, Nicholas Prejean, and children are from “The Acadian Exiles in Saint-Malo” by Albert Robichaux..
JEAN-BAPTISTE PREJEAN, was born about 1754, and in 1762 he was eight years of age and was at the hospital between April 9, 1762 and April 28, 1762.Nicholas Prejean was not alive when a second census of Acadians was taken in France in 1772. He died at Laudivtion on March 31, 1765. Notes about Jean-Baptiste Prejean and Nicholas Prejean are from “The Acadians in France, 1762-1776" by Milton P. Rieder, Jr. and Norma Gaudet Rieder, 1967.

JEAN-AMAND SAMSON
Michel’s son, Jean-Amand Samson, was born about 1735 in St. Peter’s and died at St. Malo, France, on March 30, 1759. Jean-Amand’s wife, Marie Josephe Bricettet, disembarked from the ship “La Reine d’Espagne” at St. Malo, France, on November 17, 1758, where, five days later on November 22, 1758, she died. Two of Jean-Amand’s children died during the crossing: three- year-old Jean-Pierre Samson, born in 1756, at St. Peter’s and one- year-old Michel Samson, born at St. Peters in 1757. 
Jean-Amand Samson was born about 1735 and died on March 30, 1759 at the age of 25 years. He was married about 1755 to Marie-Josephe Bricette, born about 1737 on Ile Royale, d/o Gervais Bricette and Marie L’Esperance, and died on November 22, 1758 at the hospital in St. Malo.

Children of Jean-Amand Samson and Marie-Josephe Bricette:        
  • Jean Samson was born about 1756 and died during the crossing to France in 1758

  • Michel Samson was born about 1758 and died during the crossing to France in 1758.

  • Jean-Amand Samson and Marie-Josephe Bricette, his wife, disembarked at St. Malo on November 17, 1758 from the “La Reine d’Espagne”.

Notes are taken from “The Acadian Exiles in Saint-Malo” by Albert Robichaux Jean-Amand Samson is 24 years old and living on Rue des Bouchers. He is a navigator, tall and strong. He is at the hospital between November 18, and December 4, 1759. He is at the hospital on January 30, 1759 ,and died March 31, 1759.

Notes on Jean-Amand Samson are taken from “The Acadians in France, Vol. III, Arachives of the Port of Saint Servan”, Metaire, LA, by Milton P. Rieder, Jr. and Norma Gaudet Rieder, 1973.

FABIEN SAMSON
Fabien Samson, a son of Michel, was born about 1741 in St. Peter’s and disembarked at St. Malo on November 17, 1758 from the ship “La Reine d’Espagne”. He resided in the parish of St. Malo from 1758 to 1760. In 1760, Fabien Samson embarked on the ship, Le Hardy, and was taken prisoner by the English on June 18, 1760. No additional information is available after this date regarding the fate of Fabien.Notes on Fabian are taken from “The Acadian Exiles in Saint-Malo” by Albert Robichaux. Fabien Samson is a farmhand, 18 years of age and living on Rue des Bouchers, St. Malo. He is a navigator, tall and strong. He is at the hospital from November 18, 1758 until December 4, 1759. He returned to the hospital on February 13, 1759. He was a navigator on the “Muny”. He embarked on the “Muny” on July 18, 1759 and returned from sea on January 1, 1760. He reembarked on the corsair (Privateer) “Hardy” on March 19, 1760.Notes on Fabien Samson from “The Acadians in France, Vol. III, Arachives of the Port of Servan”, Metaire, LA, 1973 by Milton P. Rieder Jr. and Norma Gaudet Rieder. 

GRANDCHILDREN OF MICHEL SAMSON AND JEANNE TESTARD
Two of Michel and Jeanne’s grandchildren Madeleine (Martel) and Louis (Martel) died coming back from France on April 22, 1764. These are the children of Jeanette Samson, who was born in St. Peter’s about 1737 and who married Joseph Martel, born about 1735, s/o Jean-Baptiste Martel and Marie-Josephe Poujet. Note the parents of Madeleine and Louis did not die going to France in 1758 or coming home from France in April 1764. They either survived the sinking of a ship called “LeNeptune” or were aboard another ship on the return voyage. They settled on Isle Madame and had more children there.Notes on Jeanette Samson and Joseph Martel and their children are from “Charles Samson”Note: the fact that the children died coming back from France is from Jeanne Belford and records on St. Pierre & Miquelon.

CHARLES SAMSON
Michel’s brother, Charles Samson, was born on October 1, 1717 at Port Royal and died in 1758. He married about 1752 at St. Peter’s to Marie Prejean (Samson) (1736-1758) d/o Nicholas Prejean and Marguerite Broussard, his first wife. Charles, his wife and two children were deported to France in 1758 aboard the ship “La Reine d’Espagne”. The two children of Charles and Marie are, four-year-old, Pierre Samson, who was born in 1754 and one year old, Marguerite Samson, who was born in 1757. During the crossing to France, Charles Samson died, along with his son Pierre Samson and daughter Marguerite Samson. Marie Prejean (Samson), his widow, disembarked at St. Malo on November 17, 1758 from the ship, “La Reine d’Espagne”, and resided with her father Nicolas Prejean, until she died on March 12, 1759 at the hospital at the age of 21 years in St. Malo France.Notes on Charles Samson and his family are from “The Acadian Exiles in Saint-Malo” by Albert Robichaux 

JEANNE (SAMSON) PINET
Jeanne (Samson) Pinet, sister of Michel, was born on October 22, 1719 in Port Royal and died in 1758 during cross to France. She was married to Charles Pinet, about 1750. They had three children: Jean Pinet who was born about 1751 and died February 17, 1763, Jeannette Pinet who died at sea during the crossing to France in 1758, and Marie Pinet who also died at sea during the crossing to France, in 1758. Charles Pinet was born about 1725 and died during the crossing to France, in 1758.
Jean Pinet s/o Charles Pinet and Jeanne Samson disembarked as an orphan at St. Malo on November 17, 1758 from “La Reine d’Espagne”. He resided with Mademoiselle Delien on the Rue St. Sauveur after disembarking. He resided in the following parishes: St. Malo, 1758 to 1760 and St. Servan 1760 to 1763. He died February 17, 1763. Notes on Jeanne (Samson) Pinet and her family are taken from “The Acadian Exiles in Saint-Malo” by Albert Robichaux Jean Pinet: 10 years, son of Charles Pinet was at the hospital from April 26, 1762 until May 10, 1762 and from September 5, 1762 until September 9, 1762.

Notes on Jean Pinet are taken from “The Acadians in France, 1762-1776" by Milton P. Rieder, Jr. and Norma Gaudet Rieder, 1967.Michel Senior and the rest of the Samson family spent the years from November 1758 to April 1764 in France. After the Treaty of Paris on February 10, 1763, all Acadians were allowed to return to North America. Michel and the members of his family crossed the ocean once again. They all boarded the ship, “LeNeptune”, and while it was making its way back to North America, in the spring of 1764, it sank off the coast of Newfoundland and almost every member of the family drowned in the cold waters of the North Atlantic. The family was buried at St. Pierre & Miquelon on April 22, 1764.

Among the casualties were: Michel himself (1706-1764), his wife, Anne “Jeanne” Testard dit Paris (1713-1764), Michel’s daughter, Judith, born in St. Peters in 1744; his daughter Marie Josephe, born in St. Peter’s in 1749 and, finally, Michel’s son, Louis, born in St. Peter’s in 1753. Fabien, shows up a few years later, as one of those who perished during the sinking of the ship “Le Neptune”. He was buried on the Isle of St. Pierre on April 22, 1764. Also the two grandchildren Madeleine Martel and Louis Martel died coming back from France on April 22, 1764.

.
Following is a chart of the results of the deportation on the Samson family members.

SAMSON FAMILY DEPORTATION OF 1758 AND RETURN IN 1764

NAME AGE SHIP DIED DURING CROSSING DIED IN FRANCE  DIED ON RETURN TRIP HOME
Jeanne (Samson) Prejean  28 Queen of Spain X    
Charles Prejean 4 Queen of Spain X    
Jean-Amand Samson 23 Queen of Spain   X  
Marie-Josephe Bricette 21 Queen of Spain   X  
Jean Pierre Samson 3 Queen of Spain X    
Michel Samson 1 Queen of Spain X    
Fabien Samson 17 Le Neptune     X
Charles Samson 41 Queen of Spain X    
Marie Prejean 22 Queen of Spain   X  
Pierre Samson 4 Queen of Spain X    
Marguerite Samson 1 Queen of Spain X    
Jeanne (Samson) Pinet 39 Queen of Spain X    
Charles Pinet 33 Queen of Spain X    
Jean Pinet 7 Queen of Spain   X  
Jeanette Pinet ? Queen of Spain X    
Marie Pinet ? Queen of Spain X    
Jeanette (Samson) Martel 21       Survived
Joseph Martel 23       Survived
Madeleine Martel ? Le Neptune     X
Louis Martel ? Le Neptune     X
Michel Samson 52 Le Neptune     X
Jeanne (Testard) Samson 45 Le Neptune     X
Judith Samson 14 Le Neptune     X
Marie-Josephe Samson 9 Le Neptune     X
Louis Samson 5 Le Neptune     X
Ages based on date of deportation, 1758.

 

MATHIEU6 SAMSON
Mathieu6, the second eldest son of Gabriel5, was born on 13 July 1709, at Port Royal. He lived at St. Peters, in 1727, and in Beaubassin (Amherst), in 1747. He was married, in 1734, at Port Toulouse (St. Peter's), Marguerite POUJET, (1709-1746). Mathieu6escaped deportation in 1758, but on two different occasions, he and several members of his family had to live a nomadic existence, in order to avoid deportation, or death. The first excursion into hiding, as written above, occurred in 1745, when New England and British troops sacked and burned Port Toulouse. The civilian population, to avoid death, were forced to seek the safety of the dense woodlands of Cape Breton.

The Samson family's home, along with many others, was without doubt burned, to the ground. Their livelihood in fishing was gone, and so, the family lived as nomads, to survive. The second excursion into hiding occured in 1758, with the loss of Fortress Louisbourg. Again, Mathieu6 et al were forced into hiding. It appears that one of Michel6and Jeanne Samson's sons also escaped deportation; As stated earlier,  Michel7 Jr., who was born in 1739, and who was married to Madeleine Martel, in 1761, is believed to have lived a nomadic life with his uncle, Mathieu6 Samson, during the years 1758-1763.

After the Treaty of Paris, in 1763, the Acadian population that was still alive came out of hiding. The family of Mathieu6 Samson settled at L'Ardoise, along with all of Mathieu6's sons, except for Jean6-Baptiste, who was one of the original settlers of River Bourgeois, Nova Scotia. From the petitions of land grants presented by several of the Acadians of L'Ardoise (PSN Calender of Cape Breton Land Papers), it appears that the Samsons and several families allied to them settled at L'Ardoise, in 1765. The family of Mathieu6 Samson and Marguerite Poujet appear in the missionary records of 1771, of Abby Bailly, as living in L'Ardoise.

Source: History of Acadian Samsons by Charles Samson, December 1997.
His sources: Stephen A. White, " Histoire et Genealogy des Acadiens" Bona Arsenault;
and  "The Acadian Exiles in Saint-Malo" by Albert Robichaux.

Following is a list of those Samsons recorded in Fr. Charles Francois Bailly's Register, for the area then known as L'Ardoise Havre. The spelling used is that as transcribed by those charged with doing so at the University of Moncton, New Brunswick, under the direction of  Mr. Steven White.

  • Jeanne8 Sampson

  • Gertrude8 Sampson

  • Charles8 Sampson

  • Pierre7 Sampson

  • Charlotte8 Sampson

  • Cecile8 Sampson

  • Francois7 Sampson

  • Bruno7 Sampson

  • Louise8 Sampson

  • Lyduvine8 Sampson

  • Matthieu8 Sampson

  • Genevieve8 Sampson

  • Jean7 Sampson

  • Magloire8 Sampson

  • Michel7 Sampson

  • Gabriel7 Sampson

  • Ambroise8 Sampson

  • Urbain8 Sampson

  • Justinien8Sampson

  • Cyprien8 Sampson 

  • Pierre8 Xavier Sampson

  • Michel7 Sampson

The following link will take you to the Samson/Sampson family members on Charles Samson's website.

  Samson Family Homepage

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Revised: Saturday, December 16, 2017
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