Myth Busting: Episode Four

Myth Busting: Episode Four

For this episode of “Myth Busting,” I’ll be discussing erroneous claims made in online trees concerning the “Benoit” family of early Acadia.

My “short and sweet” response to the claim made in online trees that “Marie Chaussegros,” wife of “Martin Benoit” was of First Nations descent, is that she was from France. I am fully aware that “Benoit” is a Mi’kmaq surname in some parts of Canada however; these lineages had individuals of First Nations descent marry into this surname later on.

Proof of Marie Chaussegros’ “French” origins can be found in a document that we’re already touched upon, “The Acadians of Belle Isle and the Lost Registers of Acadia” (see Public Archives Canada’s “Microfilm C-7202” (“France: Archives départmenentales d'Île-et-Villaine (Rennes)”)). As we know, this document is a series of depositions given post-Deportation in France by “Acadians” who settled there/were shipped there during the Deportation and intended to only trace those families of European/French roots.

It is in “The Acadians of Belle Isle and the Lost Registers of Acadia” that we find the declaration that the “Benoit” family (including Marie Chaussegros) were from France. An example of this is that one deposition claims that “Martin Benoist” and “Marie Chaussegros” were “tous deux du France, Etablis Et mort audit Port Royal” (“both from France, Established And died at the said Port Royal”.

I will also point out that according to results from the “Acadian AmerIndian Ancestry” DNA project (see https://www.familytreedna.com/public/AcadianAmerIndian?iframe=mtresults). MtDNA testing of Marie Chaussegros’ modern day female descendants has produced a haplogroup of “K1c1d,” which is “European” in origin.

A third thing that I will note, is that contrary to claims found on the internet, “Chaussegros” is NOT a corruption of the historical Mi’kmaq surname “Chegau”/“Chego.” Evidence of this can be found in the “Dictionary of Canadian Biography” biographical article about the French officer involved in Acadia/New France in the 1700s named “Lieutenant Gaspard-Joseph Chaussegros de Léry” (see http://www.biographi.ca/fr/bio/chaussegros_de_lery_gaspard_joseph_1721_1797_4F.html?fbclid=IwAR0afj1g9VWSIrjR6n-51WSWuIQ8lu04fYWgM46PUiaJX00qkOohdqLauFw). So, “Chaussegros”was a perfectly “French” surname.

I will however, note that as stated-above, there are certain braches of the “Benoit” family that have become Mi’kmaq over time, one being that descending from “François Benoit” and “Anne l’Official.” Anne was the daughter of “Henry l’Official” and of “Isabelle Chegau” (a Mi’kmaq woman). François and Anne had their marriage revalidated at Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon on July 20, 1791.

According to the “Acadian AmerIndian Ancestry” DNA project (see https://www.familytreedna.com/public/AcadianAmerIndian?iframe=mtresults). MtDNA testing of “Élisabeth Shégoné (Isabelle Chégo)’s” modern day direct female descendants has produced an MtDNA haplogroup of “B4'5,” which is “Native American” in origin.

In conclusion, the situation surrounding the origins of the “Benoit” family is rather complex, but serves as an excellent example of how in many cases we cannot rely on surnames alone to determine if one has Indigenous ancestry. The only way to be certain is to actually do the genealogical work and see.