Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, July 29, 1997

Detailed Instructions came with First Acadians

by Jim Bradshaw

April 17, 1765. from Charles Philippe ,Aubry, royal and military chevalier of the order of St, Louis, King's Commandant of the province of Louisiana and Denis-Nicolas foucault, (commandant Ordonateur of the same province.

We have ordered Sr, Andry to leave this city (New Orleans) with the Acadian families and go to the district of the Attakapas, and in agreement with them choose the most suitable site for the settlement of a village where these new colonists wish to be reunited.

It is extremely important to house a salubrious place and avoid the miasma of stagnant water and marshes. If at all possible, it would be desirable to build the said village along a navigable river, checking carefully the high-water level so that inundations can be avoided.

The surrounding area within a radius of at least a league should be properly evaluated with regard to its fertility. Soil that is mineral, sandy, or not well-drained should be avoided as much as possible.

Sr. Andry will keep a record of forest which exist in the area. He will note whether there is rock and of what type and also whether springs exist and carefully examine the water.

We are relying on Sr. Andry's judgment to choose land that win present all the advantages and the least inconveniences.

Whatever said above notwithstanding, he will make his choice in concert with the said Acadians. However, Sr. Andry's decision will always overrule in case of contrary opinions. Furthermore, we bid Sr. Beausoleil (Joseph Broussard) and all the Acadians to defer to the judgment of Sr. Andry whom we know to be zealous and talented. We are ordering all the said Acadians to assist him in whatever capacity they can, and we are forbidding them to oppose any of his actions.

Sr. Andry's decision relative to the shape of the village whether round, octagonal or square will be determined by the configuration of the land. He will take special care that each farmer will cultivate his land as closely as possible to the center of the village. Whatever shape is to be given to the village, it must be laid out as uniformly as possible with a large square of one hundred fathoms in diameter in the center and four or eight large streets ten fathoms wide. There should be approximately twelve fathoms between the bank of the river and the inhabited areas. The tracts of land of the said village will be eighty fathoms squares, each of these tracts capable of being divided into four lots. These lots will be distributed to one, two, or three families proportionately to the number of children in each family. This should be done so that when the children marry they will have the satisfaction of being close to their father and mother.

Sr. Andry will designate, on the square at a distance of twelve fathoms from the river, a place to locate the parochial church, the rectory, the yard and the garden. The area specified for this purpose should be of a size befitting the dignity and needs of the pastor. The cemetery will be approximately forty fathoms from the public square but beyond the village limits. On the other side of the square, directly opposite the church, on the upper bank, parallel to the river at a distance of the twelve fathoms from the said river, he (Andry) will leave a vacant lot sufficiently large, marked by a series of stakes. This will be for the commandant's lodging, whenever in the future the king will deem it necessary to name one. When these two principal places have been marked off, Sr. Beausoleil, as chief of the locality, will be able to choose a piece of land which in his estimate would be most suitable for him and his family to settle. In fact he will be given a parcel of land proportionally larger by one half than the ones given to other individuals. The other two eldest and most esteemed heads of family will be granted the same choice and if God were to dispose of the named Beausoleil, considering their virtues and their wisdom, they would be in a position to replace him. Each of these men would receive a fourth more than their allotted land and always in proportion to the number of their children. To the extent that this is possible it is our intention that each family should receive sufficiency of land in order to create a convenient and useful settlement whereby each and everyone should be able to keep an eye on poultry yard, the slaves he may later acquire, the cattle, barns, cow sheds, stables, and vegetable garden around the place.

Beyond the precincts of the village, and around it within at least a one-hundred fathom radius, an area should be left vacant to serve as common grazing land for milking cows and other small cattle. Under no circumstances can anyone encroach upon this common land. (By and by the inhabitants will be able to mark and set out the boundaries by way of two good ditches, one inside and one outside the common land.)

The arable land which will start beyond the common land will be distributed as follows: For a man and his wife a parcel of land with a surface area of twenty arpents. If they have children, as many parcels of land as they have children will be added to the twenty arpents, that is to say, a surface area of twelve arpents for each male child and six arpents of surface area for each daughter. These combined pieces of land rounded off as best as possible will constitute a family tract and this should apply to all the others. Sr. Beausoleil as leader will have a surface area of thirty arpents, and the other two persons considered for their qualifications will have only a surface area of twenty-five arpents, all this independently of their children's share. If within the precincts of these lands or in the neighboring area there are forests to be exploited, they should be equally distributed. We appeal to the spirit of justice and prudence of Sr. Beausoleil and the other people considered to distribute the land wisely and equitably, in agreement and in the presence of Sr. Andry. It is understood, however, that the wooded area allotted to each individual will be over and above the number of arpents earmarked for cultivation. It will also be advisable to build large communication roads of five or six fathoms between tracts.

In the event that the land site would not allow Sr. Andry to carry out our instructions to the letter, knowing his zeal and his talents, we trust him implicitly and approve all changes he is likely to make.

Sr. Andry will prepare a detailed plan of the said village at the scale of two inches for one hundred fathoms. He will keep an accurate record of the families to be settled as well as of the land allotted to them in the village and in the country. He will be particularly careful that each and everyone is well acquainted with the respective land apportionment. In order to prevent later difficulties and discord, he will maintain a page in his register for each individual which will be signed by Srs. Andry, Beausoleil, the two people considered and the landowner. This way everyone will know that systematic order will safeguard each grantee.

Since very little is known about the location of the lakes, rivers, bayous and the land which are included in the western area of the king's territories, we bid Sr. Andry to investigate them as well as possible and to draw a map of the areas he will cover. Since he will not have the necessary means nor the time to draw up a geometric map of the territory, he will merely do it with the aid of a compass and by estimating distances. He will start these proceedings by leaving the right bank of the river, traveling as slowly as is necessary, estimating distances with the naked eye and observing the currents of the wind, keeping an accurate record of all the things he will deem interesting during this voyage.

Upon arrival at the location intended for the settlement of the Acadian families, he will take whatever time is necessary to formulate plans and draw up maps of the residential and farming areas as well as of the surrounding territory. He will also establish a meridian line for the said village which he will verify on different days by means of two or three different operations. This will be done for the purpose of checking these findings against the compass and all variations or deviations noted.

He will do his best to acquaint himself with the shortest and most convenient routes to go back and forth from New Orleans to this settlement. He will take a note of the land elevation of the proposed settlement and its surroundings as well as of water content of the river along which they (Acadians) will settle. Upon completion of all these proceedings concerning every aspect of the village settlement, it would be most desirable to have Sr. Beausoleil appoint two intelligent young men to accompany Sr. Andry and with him become acquainted with the above river. If for some reason this plan could not be carried out, Sr. Andry will along the river all the way to the sea, taking notes and making observations. It will be advisable when he reaches the sea to plan to remain there long enough to acquaint himself with the exact geometric outline of the port of the bay or cove formed by the mouth of the river. We consider that such information is most essential to the colony.

If at all possible he will attempt to determine whether a sandbar exists off the coast and at what distance and what depth. If the sandbar is not too distant, he will find it easy to place a buoy of branches or noticeable objects, and measure the distance accurately from a base on the banks in order to have its tri-geometric distance.

After having recorded all essential data and observations which could afford valuable information concerning the mouth of the river, he will return by way of the shortest and most convenient road which would lead to the river.

We have already informed the court of the planned departure and mission of Sr. Andry and have not neglected to acquaint the court with the officer's merit, talents and zeal. Upon his return we will dispatch to the minister an accurate journal containing all his operations and we have no doubt that he will discharge his duties in a manner reputable and worthy of the importance of the mission entrusted to his care.

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