Firmin Landry

• Sources:
  • "The First Nominal Census (1769) of Colonial Settlers in Southwest Louisiana"; compiled by Donald Joseph Arceneaux; Provincial Press, Claitor's Publishing Division, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; www.ProvincialPress.us & www.Claitors.com.
  • https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Landry-103
  • "Acadian Immigrants to Cabanocé/Cabahannocer, 1766" - http://www.acadiansingray.com
    • In report of Acadians at Oxford, Province of Maryland, Jul 1763
    • Attakapas, La Luisiana census, Dec 1769, listed as Firmen Landry, age 42
    • Attakapas, La Luisiana census, 1771, age 43
    • Attakapas, La Luisiana militia list, Jan 1773
    • Attakapas, La Luisiana census, 1774, called Fermin
    • Attakapas, La Luisiana census, 1777, age 50
    • Attakapas, La Luisiana census, 1781
    • Attakapas, La Luisiana census, 1785, called Firmin Landri

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• Notes:
  • Arrived in current day Louisiana in 1766, age 38

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The Landry clan grew over the years and spread in various parts of Acadia. Before the Great Derangement, the Landry family was established at Port Royal, Grand Pre', Beaubassin, Chipoudie, Petcoudiac, Port-Toulouse, Royal Island, Port-Lajoye, and Isle St. John. Of particular interest to the descendants of Rene Landry le Jeune, one Firmin Landry is of importance because he was the connecting factor between Acadia and Louisana. However, confusion and errors also exists around this Firmin Landry.

Bona Arcenault has made claim that Firmin was "probably" the son of Pierre Landry and Marguerite Forest in his publication "Histoire et Genealogie des Acadians" vol 6, page 2522 "Firmin Landry, born 1728 probably the son of Pierre and Marguerite Forest..." and in Vol 4 p.1406 "without doubt the son of Pierre and Marguerite....."

M.E."Mitch" Conover believes that Firmin was the son of Charles Landry and Marie Leblanc. He bases his believe on succession records in the St. Martinville Book of Original Acts whereby certain birth, baptismal and marriage certificates appear. John T. Harrell also believes that Firmin was the son of Charles and Marie. He bases his assumption on the close relationship of Marie LeBlance, widow of Charles Landry listed in the 1763 census of Oxford Maryland, placing Firmin Landry and Amant Landry among the known children of Charles Landry and Marie Leblanc. Firmin is later listed in the Attakapas census of 1777 as living next door to Amant Landry. Amant is later proven to be the son of Charles and Marie.

Many researchers believe that he was the son of Alexandre Landry and Ann Flan. This believe is based on Father Hebert's listings in his southwest Louisiana Records as follows: "Landry Firmin (Alexandre & ------, of Acadie) m. Theotiste Thiboudau....." (SM ch: v4, #231)(Hebert vol 1)

In a letter written to Dr. Donald Landry, Metairie, Louisiana, in response to a letter written about questions concerning Firmin Landry, Professor Stephen A. White states: "Regarding Firmin Landry, I am aware of the hypothesis that has recently been advanced to the effect that Firmin who married Francois Thibodeau and Theotiste Thibodeau was a son of Charles Landry and Marie Leblanc. The researchers who have reached this conclusion seem to have some reason for rejecting what appears to be recorded in Firmin's burial record at St.Martinville [SM ch: v4 #231] [4Feb. 1801 ag age 67 yrs] which according to Father Donald Hebert [Southwest Louisiana Records, vol 1, p.344] shows that Theotiste Thibodeau's husband was the son of Alexandre Landry. I do not know what their reason might be for this, and consequently I am not changed in my belief that Firmin Landry was the son of Alexandre Landry and Marguerite Blanchard. Insofar as I know, Marguerite Blanchard's husband was the only Alexandre Landry who was fathering children in Acadia around the time of Firmin Landry's birth. Please note that Alexandre Landry who married Anne Flan could not have been Firmin's father because he and Anne were only married in 1732."

To furthur support Professor White's opinion, the following is loosely translated from a Spanish document found in St. Martinville "1801-entry 231-Firmin Landry--Day four of February of the year eighteen hundred and one, I Don Miguel Berndo Barriere priest of this church of St. Martin of the juristiction of Atakapas, buried in the 5th camp of the referred church, the body of Firmin Landry adult of age sixty and days and six years, legitimate son of Alexandre Landry and of ----------, natural of the Acadia, which was married with Theotiste Thibodau, did not receive the sacrements (the last rites), for having died suddenly, did not give testament an ( ): For the record was signed by Migel Bernado Barriere, curator.

Based upon this information, the assumption must be made that Firmin was indeed the son of an Alexandre Landry. The question now is who are the parents of this Alexandre? Professor White states that Alexandre was the son of Germain Landry in this letter to B.R.Malkmus of Decatur, Alabama "Once we eliminate from consideration the Alexandre Landry who married Anne Flan, the only other Alexandre known who might have been Firmin's father was Germain's son. As it happens that Alexandre Landry's other children, including Genevieve, were all in Oxford, Maryland, in close proximity to Firmin. There is certainly a certain amount of plausability to the identification I have proposed."

Germain Landry was the son of Rene Landry and Marie Bernard. He was born in 1674 at Port Royal, Acadia. He married in 1694 Marie Melanson, the daughter of Pierre Melanson and Marie Mius d'Entremont.. Marie was born in 1673 at Grand Pre'. The family was established at St. Famillie Parish, Pisiguit. The census of 1717 shows them having 6 boys and 6 girls; Alexandre, Abraham, Germain, Paul, Pierre, Marie, Marguerite, a missing boy and a missing girl. Germain died after the census of 1714.

Now that some sort of ancestory has been established from Rene Landry to Firmin Landry, it is possible to move on with Firmin's history. He was born ca. 1728 in Pisiguit, married Francoise "Elizabeth" Thibodeau in 1752 at Pisiguit. They had issue of four children: Joseph, born 1753; Saturin, born 1755; Helene, born 1757; and Marie Madeleine, born 1759. He is remarried by 1770 to Theotiste "Sally" Thibodeaux, daughter of Charles Thibodeaux and Brigette Breaux. They have issue of ten children: Francoise (in memory of his first wife), born 1770; Hubert, 1773; Helene, 1774; Rosalie, 1776; Valentin, 1778; Marie, 1780; Alexandre, 1782; Agnes, 1784; Marguerite, 1789; and Madeleine.

Firmin was deported to Maryland in 1755 with his first wife Francoise Thibodeau and three children. Proof of that is found in the FRENCH PRESENCE IN MARYLAND, p.193 "Acadians in the 1763 census--Oxford". "Landry Firmin, Elizabeth his wife, Joseph and Saturin, Eleine and Magdeleine". In this record Francoise is called Elizabeth, but this is the only mention of her under that given name, and may simply be an error.

The Expulsion began sometime in November, 1755, when the village of Grand Pre, consisting to two parishes St. Charles at Riviere-Aux-Canards and St. Joseph at Grand Pre and little houses spread out for a mile and a half was burned to the ground. Of the 1600 people captured in that region, 178 were placed aboard the vessel Elizabeth and 242 aboard the Leopard, and were shipped to Maryland. These two vessels were joined by the Dolphin with 227 aboard and the Ranger with 323 aboard.

Not knowing what to do with them, a decision was made by the authorities, to send two of the ships to the Eastern shore and two were kept on the western side on Chesapeke Bay. After this, the Acadians were to be scattered throughout the colony, some to Oxford, which included Firmin and his family. A Maryland paper wrote at the time "Refugees, especially French Catholics without funds, found chilly reception here" and "Gruging charity cares for Acadian 'pests'. Because of the fierce winter storms, the Dolphin and the Ranger had to sail into the Boston Harbor and seek shelter for a number of days and finally reached Maryland on November 30, 1755, just as waives of Francophobia (English dislike for the French) and anti-Catholicism in the colonies had crested. Because of the dreadful overcrowding and the delay due to the storms, the ships supplies were depleted. The captain of the ships on December 8, 1755, unceremoniously dumped 181 Acadians, including Firmin and his family, on the warf, gruffly telling them he had no more provisions to give them, and as far as he was concerned, they could starve. He then sailed away leaving them amongst a population who hated everything they stood for. Rumors spread throughout the English colony of Oxford that the Catholic Acadians were plotting to stir up insurrection amongst the negro slaves, capture the colony and turn it over to the Catholic France. In the midst of all this, stood the Acadians. They were there through no fault of their own. Their only "crime" had been the refusal to take the oath of allegience to England.

The Acadians were quartered virually as prisoners, not to leave town without a written permit of the selectmen under penalty of five days in prison or ten lashes, they depended on the cold hand of the public for food, clothes, and lodging and were given some provisions. Governors of the colonies received the Acadians with varying degrees of hostility. While at Oxford, the Acadians petitioned the Maryland legislature for relief and on August 1756, at the Talbot County Court, a petition was presented "setting forth that Joseph Bujiale, Fermee and Charles Landree, French neutrals, have each three small children, the oldest of which is not over five years of age...that they cannot support their families, and can hardly get bread for themselves". The justices of the court allowed each 500 pounds of tobacco, then used as money in Maryland.

While in Maryland, the Acadians fell victim of malnutrition and disease. Between 1755 and 1763, the Acadian population in Maryland declined from 913 to 667! By the mid 1760's, the Acadians were anxious to leave Maryland and the native Marylanders were equally anxious to see them leave. In the late spring of 1765, one Landry (probably Joseph) addressed a petition to Governor Sharpe, on behalf of the Acadians in Maryland and Pennsylvania to be allowed to settle in Novia Scotia, either on the Bay of Gaspe or Chaleur. Frustrated in their attempts to resettle in Acadia, they requested settlement in Louisiana. Therefore, joined by the surviving Acadian relatives and friends in Pennsylvania, they pooled their resources, chartered ships, and made preparations to sail to Louisiana. However, it wasn't until March 1767 that departure actually took place.

The exact date that Firmin left Maryland for Louisiana is unknown. Records show him still in Maryland on January 14, 1766, when he witnessed a wedding. However, Firmin's first wife, Francoise, must have died prior to his leaving Maryland. Theotiste "Sally' Thibadeau, Firmin's second wife, must have preceeded Firmin to Louisiana because she arrived before the1766 census of the Acadian Coast in Louisiana where she is listed as the widow Godin along with her 5 year old daughter Barbe. She had been married ca. 1757 to Bonaventure Godin. The date of Firmin's marriage to Thotiste is uncertain but it was prior to 1770 because he had a daughter named Francoise, "in memory of his first wife", born October 22, 1770 and the mother is listed as Theotiste Thibodeau (SMCH: V1 p.20). Giving the announcement of Banns at the church, the time of search to make sure of their kindred, plus a nine month pregnancy, would indicate that they were married probably in mid-to-late 1769. The earliest listing found of Firmin Landry in Louisiana is in the Brand Book at St. Martinville dated 1769, "Records of Attakapas District, Louisiana 1739-1811". Bona Arcenault shows on page 1063 of "Attakapas Et Opelousas" Firman appearing in the 1769 Opelousas Brand Book. Assuming that Firmin had to have been in Louisiana early enough to have developed a need to register his brand, one could say he arrived as early as late 1766 or 1767. On June 20, 1771, he is shown to receive a land grant in the Attakapas District [Land Records of the Attakapas District by Glen R. Conrad] which would have been on the upper Bayou Vermillion, near Grand Pointe. Later he obtained a smaller tract on the Teche at Fausse Pointe near present Loreauville.

There are lists that show when many Acadians from Maryland arrived in New Orleans, but Firmin Landry is not listed on any of them. "I beleive that Firmin Landry must have brought his family to Louisiana by ship, as there was no other practical method of making the trip at that time", Professor Stephan A. White.

Firmin's son Saturin apparently remained single, but his other son Joseph settled on Bayou Vermillion and became the progenitor of what is today's Landry clan in that area.

http://www.landrystuff.com/Landrys%20of%20Acadia.htm

GEDCOM Source

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints "FamilySearch Family Tree," database, FamilySearch Name: Name: Name: (https://www.familysearch.org);;;

GEDCOM Source

accessed 12 Jun 2018), entry for Firmin Landry, person ID 9HJ2-9TY. 3

GEDCOM Source

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints "FamilySearch Family Tree," database, FamilySearch Name: Name: Name: Name: (https://www.familysearch.org);;;;

GEDCOM Source

accessed 12 Jun 2018), entry for Firmin Landry, person ID 9HJ2-9TY.

GEDCOM Source

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints "FamilySearch Family Tree," database, FamilySearch Name: Name: Name: (https://www.familysearch.org);;;

GEDCOM Source

accessed 12 Jun 2018), entry for Marie Bourgeois, person ID 9SY6-878. 3

GEDCOM Source

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints "FamilySearch Family Tree," database, FamilySearch Name: (https://www.familysearch.org);

GEDCOM Source

accessed 12 Jun 2018), entry for Firmin Landry, person ID 9HJ2-9TY. 3

GEDCOM Source

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints "FamilySearch Family Tree," database, FamilySearch Name: (https://www.familysearch.org);

GEDCOM Source

accessed 12 Jun 2018), entry for Firmin Landry, person ID 9HJ2-9TY. 3

GEDCOM Source

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints "FamilySearch Family Tree," database, FamilySearch Name: Name: Name: (https://www.familysearch.org);;;

GEDCOM Source

accessed 12 Jun 2018), entry for Firmin Landry, person ID 9HJ2-9TY. 3

GEDCOM Source

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints "FamilySearch Family Tree," database, FamilySearch Name: Name: Name: Name: (https://www.familysearch.org);;;;

GEDCOM Source

accessed 12 Jun 2018), entry for Firmin Landry, person ID 9HJ2-9TY.

GEDCOM Source

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints "FamilySearch Family Tree," database, FamilySearch Name: Name: Name: (https://www.familysearch.org);;;

GEDCOM Source

accessed 12 Jun 2018), entry for Marie Bourgeois, person ID 9SY6-878. 3

Firmin Landry, son of Alexandre Landry (native of Acadia), & Marguerite Blanchard (native of Acadia).
Born circa 1726-28; died at 76 years of age.

Alexander Landry, father of Firmin, was the son of Germain Landry (parents Rene Landry & Marie Bernard) and Marie Melancon.

Firmin married (1) Francoise Elizabeth Thibodeau in Pisiguid, Acadia.
Children:
Joseph (1753-1797)
Saturin (1755-)

Helene (1757 buried 1775) 

Marie Madeleine (1759 buried 1779).

Married (2) Theotiste Thibodeau dtr. of Charles Thibodeau & Brigette Breaux.
Children:
Francoise (1770-), Hubert (1773-), Helena (1774-), Rosalie (1776-), Valentine (1778-), Marie (1780-), Alexandre Anselm (1782-), Agnes (1784-) and Marguerite (1789-)

Firmin was exiled by the British from Pisiguit, Cobequid Acadia to Maryland in 1755, at approx. 29 years old. He was deported with his family on the sloop "Ranger" (in the report of "Acadians at Oxford, Maryland" in July 1763).
He, his wife and four children were listed on the census at Oxford, Maryland in Talbot County.
Firmin arrived in Louisiana in 1766, approximately 40 years old, a widower.

His name is recorded on the "Wall Of Names" at the Acadian Memorial in St. Martinville, Louisiana.

Firmin's death record written originally in Spanish states:
"On the fourth day of February, 1801, I Father Don Miguel Bernado Barriere, curate of St. Martin, church of the jurisdiction of the Attakapas District, submitted to the grave in the field (sto) the church cemetery of said church, the body of Firmin Landry, adult of the age of sixty and ten and six years; the son of Alexandre &