Warren Perrin - Acadian Redemption. From Beausoleil Broussard to the Queens Royal Proclamation

What people are saying about

A CADIAN R EDEMPTION :

From Beausoleil Broussard to
the Queens Royal Proclamation:

...a fascinating and most unusual book... [readers] will find the account refreshing as few histories recount the struggle against the British expulsion, and almost none follow the story of a single individual. In at least two senses, Warren Perrin has changed history into His Story.

-Robert Bridges, Cajun Times

This really is a nice little book and would make an excellent stocking stuffer for Broussard descendants... definitely an interesting read.

-Damon Veach, The Advocate Magazine

While preparing a presentation on Joseph dit Beausoleil Broussard... Perrin realized that no one had written a book on the life of this heroic Acadian. Perrin has corrected this oversight by compiling an interesting book on an Acadian freedom fighter who resisted British aggression and ultimately led his people from Acadia to a new life in Southwest Louisiana.

-Judy Riffel, le Raconteur
Le Comit des Archives de la Louisiane

From Beausoleil Broussard
to the Queen's Royal Proclamation

WARREN A. PERRIN

First EPUB Edition
May 2011

Copyright 2004 by Warren A. Perrin
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may
be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy,
recording, or any otherexcept for brief
quotations in printed reviews, without the prior
permission of the publisher.

Cover art by Lucius Fontenot. Cover design by Raymond Credeur.
All rights reserved 2004. Trademark protected, 2004.

Warren A. Perrin

Andrepont Publishing, L.L.C.
326 Cedar Grove Drive
Opelousas, Louisiana 70570
(800) 738-2500

ISBN 0-9768927-0-7 (previously ISBN 0-9704073-1-9)

Printed in the United States of America

A CADIAN R EDEMPTION:

From Beausoleil Broussard
to the Queens Royal Proclamation

If we stand tall, it is because we stand on the
shoulders of many ancestors.

- Yoruba proverb

T he genesis for this book was the first Congrs Mondial Acadien 1994. However, my decision to go forward came in 2003. I was invited by Sheila Broussard of Halifax, Nova Scotia, to make a joint presentation on August 11, 2004, during the Congrs Mondial Acadian 2004 with Alfred Silver, renowned Nova Scotian writer, on Joseph dit Beausoleil Broussard at the Broussard Family Reunion in the Village of Pomquet, Antigonish County, Nova Scotia. As I worked to prepare a draft of my talk, I realized that no one had written a book on Beausoleils life, and that there were many contradictory facts found in various articles written about him. After the Queens Royal Proclamation was signed on December 9, 2003, I decided this book could be a way of combining Acadian history with this contemporary event.

As with most books, this one required a cumulative effort of many individuals and groups who responded to my frequent pleas for assistance, including Chris Segura, Ryan Brasseaux, Dr. John Mack Faragher, Donald Arceneaux, George Bentley, Shane K. Broussard, Jason Theriot, Earlene Broussard, Maurice Basque, Zachary Richard, Louise McKinney, James Louviere, Brenda Comeaux Trahan, Dr. Carl A. Brasseaux, Sam Broussard, Don Louis Broussard, and Meera Sundram. My deepest thanks go to each of you.

This project was funded in part by the Acadian Heritage and Cultural Foundation, a non-profit corporation that operates the Acadian Museum of Erath. My heartfelt appreciation goes to all members and board of directors, cultural representatives and volunteers, especially Director Kermit Bouillion, Ron Miguez, head of museum operations, Clement Bourgeois, Jr., Simon Broussard, J. N. Broussard, Terry Perrin, and Russell Gary.

The museum patrons who have served on the board are J. Weldon Granger, Esquire; Dr. Carl Brasseaux, Director of Center for Louisiana Studies, University of Louisiana at Lafayette; Dr. James H. Dormon, former Head, History Department, University of Louisiana at Lafayette (retired); U. S. Senator John Breaux; Paul Hardy, Lt. Governor of Louisiana, (retired); Michel Doucet, Dean of Law School, Universit de Moncton; Fernard deVarennes, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia; Senator Gerald Comeau, Senate of Canada; Honorable Melinda Schwegmann, former Lt. Gov. of Louisiana; Richard Dubois, Gulf Coast Bank; Claudette Lacour, Erath 4th of July Association; U. S. Senator George Mitchell, Maine (retired); Jimmy C. Newman; Rev. Patrick Primeaux, Ph.D., St. Johns University; Leon David Ortemond; George Dupuis, Jr., Mayor of Erath; Judge Charles L. Porter, 16th Judicial District Court; D. L. Menard; Earl Broussard and Stephen Granger.

Thanks to the museums Deputy Patrons: Dr. Math Allain, University of Louisiana at Lafayette; Dr. Barry Ancelet, former head of Department of Modern Languages, University of Louisiana at Lafayette; Trent Angers, Editor, Acadiana Profile; Senator Allen Bares (retired); Alton Broussard, II; Father Wayne Duet, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church; Dr. Phillip F. Dur, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, (retired); Judge J. Burton Foret, Court of Appeals (retired); Russell R. Gaspard, Vermilion Parish Clerk of Court (retired); Raymond LaLonde, Louisiana House of Representatives (retired); Belva LeBlanc; Cecil Picard, Louisiana Superintendent of Education; Father Joseph Henry Stemmann; Una Broussard Evans, Vermilion Historical Society; Pete Bergeron, KRVS Radio, University of Louisiana at Lafayette; Philippe Gustin, Le Centre International de Lafayette; Daniel Broussard, Vermilion Parish Assessor, (retired); Yvon Fontaine, former Dean of the University of Moncton, Canada, (retired); Gerard Johnson; A. J. LeBlanc, Lafayette; Robert Vincent; Carey LeBlanc; Earlene Broussard; Mark Poch, President of the Vermilion Parish Policy Jury; Allen Simon; Lynn Breaux; Gladys Romero; Dr. Shane K. Bernard; Marla LeBlanc Doolin; and Whitney Lynn Broussard, Chairman, Historical Collections.

My sincere thanks to the Executive Committee: Tom Angers, Esquire; Ned Arceneaux, Professor Christopher Blakesley, Louisiana State University Law Center; Leonce and Emilia Blanchard, Canada; Professor Leon Theriault, Universit de Moncton; Sam Theriot, former Vermilion Parish Clerk of Court; Jim Bradshaw; Charles E. Broussard; John C. Broussard, Acadian activist; Professor Jacques Henry, University of Louisiana at Lafayette; Thomas E. Guilbeau, Esquire; Marc W. Judice, Esquire; Ron Guidry; Dr. Gary Marotta, State University of New York at Buffalo; Ray Mouton, Jr., Esquire; John L. Olivier, Esquire; Glen Pitre; Philip Parent, Esquire, Maine; Virgil C. Reid; Christopher Rose; Gerard Sellers; Michel Tauriac; Mike Thibodeaux; Dudley J. Young and Tommy LeBlanc.

The following were very helpful, including Gale Luquette, Shane Landry, Judge Durwood Conque, Judge Herman Clause, Judge Rick Michot, Judge Byron Hebert and George Sfeir.

The following, now deceased, were very supportive during their lifetimes: Judge Cleveland J. Frug; Howard E. Crosby, Canadian House of Commons; Marcus Broussard III; Frederick M. delaHoussaye; Wilfred Doucette; Judge Bennett Gautreaux; Monsignor Jules O. Daigle, M.A., S.T.L.; Ren Babineau,