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“Le Grand Derangement”

Seven members of the Hebert family were brought to, Waltham on January 25, 1756, and joined by seven more on March 22: Augustin Hebert, his wife and five children, and their spouses and children, totaling 14, and 17 year-old Samuel White.  Augustin Hebert was a native of Grand-Pre and grandson of immigrant Antoine Hebert of Touraine, France.  A description of the family was provided for the General Court, listing all members of working age and their physical state so the towns would know how many people they would have to support.  Augustin came to Waltham at the age of 61, and was listed as unfit to work, as was his wife.  His son, Peter, was 39 and healthy, but his wife was pregnant.  Peter had five children, two sons and three daughters, the youngest of whom was a toddler.  Augustin’s 19 year old grandson, John, was a deaf-mute, thus unable to work.  Samuel White was 17, and of unknown background.  He was not able to work because of an asthmatic disorder.  A more complete list was sent by Waltham selectmen Samuel Livermore, Isaac Stearns, Jonathan Sanderson, Jacob Biglow and Daniel Child to the General Court on October 1, 1757.  In addition to the people listed above, four more of August Hebert’s children were in Waltham.  Alwin Hebert was about 25 years old and married.  Mary Hebert was 23 but not healthy enough to work.  Daughters Margaret, age 21, and Margaret Josephe, age 19, were both healthy and able to work.

The Heberts were fortunate in that the family was kept together.  Many Acadian children were separated from their parents and bound out to work for Yankee families.  In April of 1756, Antoine Hebert of Waltham signed a petition, along with seven Acadian men from Chelmsford, Concord, Oxford, and Andover, to the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.  They wrote, “We have taken the liberty to present to you this request as we are concerned about our children.  The loses that we have suffered of our homes and to be brought here and our separations, the ones from the others, are nothing to compare with which troubles us at the present the taking of our children, often before our eyes.  Nature itself cannot suffer this.  If it is in our power to have our choice, we would rather choose to rend our bodies and souls than desire separation from them.  This is why we pray you for mercy’s sake and to your honours that you have the goodness to allay these cruelties.  We will not refuse in any way to work for the support of our children by these means, if this is sufficient for our families.  We pray you for mercy’s sake to consider our request.”  A reply acknowledged the petition, and noted that a committee would be commissioned  with addressing the problem and advising on procedure.  The result was a decision by the House of Representatives to give each family a house so that they might be kept together, and to require all fit persons to work to support themselves.  The overseer of the poor for each town would be responsible for assisting them in finding work.  In addition, the assent of two justices of the peace would be required before one would be bound out.

To be continued