mixed-blooded origins of Saint-Castin
Further documentation proving the mixed-blooded origins of the Baron Bernard-Anselme d’Abbadie de Saint-Castin, son of the Baron Jean-Vincent d’Abbadie de Saint-Castin and his Abenaki wife, “Melctilde Niscosquoué” (also known as “La Dame Melctilde”) can be found in a letter written on November 17, 1730 and December 02, 1730 at “Fredericksfort” (“Fort Frederick” in what is now known as New Harbour in Bristol, Maine) by what appears to be Colonel David Dunbar to Sir William Popple. A transcription of this letter can be found on pages 116 to 151 of the “Public Archives Canada” record collection entitled, “Colonial Office, Nova Scotia “A” Phillips and Armstrong 1730. MG 11 N.S. “A” Vol. 19,” which can be found on “Public Archives Canada Microfilm C-9122.” The importance of this letter lies in the following excerpt from pages 125 and 126 of this transcription:
“… I have /in Obedience to His Majtys Command to endeavor that Settlement/ hired a scooner to go to Penobscot, and have wrote to a halfe Indian halfe French Baron there whose name is Casteins to write him and a Scotch Jesuit and some of the Chief Indians to come to see me, I make us doubt of their comeing upon My letter, because Casteins was as far as Georges, comeing hither, until he was there informed that I would use him ill, and take anything he had from him, this man has great influence among the Indians, and loves the English as much as he hates the Masachusets people, who once treacherously invited him on board one of their tradeing vessels at Penobscot and carried him a prisoner to Boston and there kept him a long time, where he would have perished in gaol if he had not been relieved and cloathed by Capt. Nelson, who knew his Father, & assured me was really a Frenchman of Quality, forced to Fly ffrance for killing a gentleman, & went to Canada, and being there pursued by the Kings Order he took refuge among the Indians and married one by whom he left Several Children…”
Based on this excerpt, we can conclude two things, the first, and most obvious one being that the Baron Bernard-Anselme d’Abbadie de Saint-Castin was referred to as the “halfe Indian halfe French Baron there whose name is Casteins.” This excerpt strongly suggests that Bernard-Anselme was perceived by Colonel David Dunbar not as an “Indian,” but rather his mixed-blooded ancestry was recognized by Colonel Dunbar.
The second important part of this excerpt, is that the Baron Bernard-Anselme d’Abbadie de Saint-Castin’s father (Baron Jean-Vincent d’Abbadie de Saint-Castin) was “was really a Frenchman of Quality” who had “took refuge among the Indians and married one by whom he left Several Children.” This statement strongly suggests that all of the Baron d’Abbadie de Saint-Castin’s children were with the “Indian” woman that he had married while in hiding. Therefore, as previously-stated, I believe it is very likely that that “Melctilde Niscosquoué” (also known as “La Dame Melctilde”) and “Marie Pidic8anmisk8é” whom the Baron is recorded as having children with in various historical documents that we have examined throughout this report, were likely the same woman.
To further demonstrate the significant value of what mixed-ancestry was to the “French,” I will now discuss an excerpt from October 22 and 25, 1706 letters written by Governor Daniel d'Auger de Subercase, which are properly entitled, “Extrait des lettres de l’Acadie de l’année 1706.” A transcription of this document can be found on pages 316 to 344 of the “Public Archives Canada’s” record collection entitled, “France: Archives des Colonies, Série C11D, Correspondance générale, Acadie, Volume 5, 1704 to 1706,” which can be found on “Public Archives Canada Microfilm C-11360.” The important excerpt, which appears to concern the Baron Bernard-Anselme d’Abbadie de Saint-Castin, or at least once of his brothers, can be found on pages 322 and 323 of this transcription and is as follows:
“… Il est tres important davoir toujours un homme de caractere parmy des sauvages pour veiller a leur conduitte afin de luy en donner avis le fils du Sr de St castain est tres (?) (?) cela parce que sa mere est de leur nation, et que d’ailleurs cest un jeune gentillehomme tres sage et tres capable il (?) de luy accorder son brévet d’enseigne de (?) avec les (?) et il est certain que personne de la Colonie ne gagneroit mieux son argent que luy…”
This loosely translates to:
“… It is very important to always have a man of character among the Savages to observe their conduct in order to give him notice the son of Sr de St castain is very (?) (?) this because his mother is of their Nation, and that besides he is a young gentleman very wise and very capable he (?) to grant him his ensign brevet of (?) with the (?) and it is certain that nobody in the Colony would earn his money better than him…”
Based on this excerpt, we can conclude that Governor Daniel d'Auger de Subercase perceived this mixed-blooded son of “Sr de St castain” (the Baron Jean-Vincent d’Abbadie de Saint-Castin) to be of great value to the “French,” not only because of his mixed-ancestry, but also because of his character.
