Melanson Family History

The Melanson Settlement

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Melanson Settlement National Historic Site of Canada

Melanson Settlement: A Rich History

The Melanson Settlement was an Acadian family settlement in the former Port-Royal area. It was located on the north shore of the Dauphin (now Annapolis) River, 6.5 kilometres down river from the town of Port-Royal (later Annapolis Royal.) Like the other Acadian settlements scattered along the river, the Melanson Settlement was an agricultural community where family members and neighbours worked co-operatively in the distinctive dykeland agriculture that was unique in colonial North America.

The houses, farm buildings and other architectural features of the settlement, as well as its orchards and upland gardens were situated on an upland terrace, overlooking the river, while its dykes and extensive fields were located on the salt marshes. Because it was on the approach to the fort at Port-Royal/Annapolis Royal, engineers recorded the Melanson Settlement on several 18th-century maps, providing an unusually detailed record for a pre-Deportation Acadian settlement.
Early Years

The settlement was founded by Charles Melanson dit La Ramée and Marie Dugas after their marriage in about 1664. The couple built their home on the edge of the upland adjacent to the St. Charles marsh and, working with the Guilbeaux, their neighbours on the other side of the marsh, built the first dyke across the extensive marsh. Before Charles Melanson's death in about 1700, the couple had 14 children. As they grew to adulthood and married, eight of the children chose to remain in the family settlement, but not all at the same time.
British Period

Under the British, the Melanson Settlement was part of a wider area sometimes known as Oak Point or Pointe aux Chesnes. Alexandre Robichaud and later Jean Melanson served as a deputy, representing the area in its dealings with the British governor and council at Annapolis Royal. The settlement on the upland grew slightly but seems to not have exceeded 10 to 12 households.

Dykeland agriculture continued at the site. A second dyke had been constructed by 1708. By 1725, the reclaimed marshland extended all the way to the river on both sides of the Melanson Settlement. Significant portions of the 17th and 18th-century Acadian dykes still survive.
By the time of the Deportation, four generations of Melansons had lived in the Melanson Settlement. Its residents were among the 1666 Acadians deported from the Annapolis Royal area in December of 1755. All of the buildings of the settlement probably were destroyed at this time.

Post-Acadian History

In 1759, the north shore of the Annapolis Basin and the Annapolis River, including the lands of the Melanson Settlement, became part of Granville Township and was granted to New England Planters. The Planter and later landowners of the former Settlement continued the cultivation of the dykelands. They built their homes along a road, away from the upland terrace that held the remains of the Acadian buildings. Over the past 250 years, the Acadian foundations have remained relatively undisturbed. - Source: here.

Acadian Culture

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"Acadian Girl."

Artist: R. Harris

Medium: Imprint of sketch

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Sign at the Melanson Family Settlement, Acadia.

Questions or comments? email: cleghornboy@juno.com

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Mt. Fuji Japan, 1953

Photograph courtesy of the

Melanson Family Foundation

Camille Melanson collection.

Camille Alfred Melanson

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Camille Alfred Melanson, loving husband and father, career soldier and devout Catholic who consecrated his entire life to Our Lady. It is my belief that my father was a mystic. We often discussed matters of prophetic significance. Even in death his life was surrounded by supernatural events:

http://www.spiritdaily.net/ndehospice.htm

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Paul Anthony Melanson being sworn into the United States Air Force
Manchester, New Hampshire.
Photo courtesy of the Melanson Family Foundation.

The Melanson Heritage

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His Excellency Archbishop Louis-Joseph Arthur Melanson -

1879-1941. Second Bishop of the Gravelbourg Diocese

from 1933 to 1937.

His Excellency Archbishop Louis-Joseph-Arthur Melanson was born in Trois-Rivières on March 25, 1879. Soon after, his family moved to New Richmond in Cascapedia Bay, New Brunswick. He studied theology in the seminairies of Rimouski and Montréal.

Arthur Melanson joined the Chatham Diocese in New Brunswick where he was ordained into priesthood by Bishop Barry on July 9, 1905. He was assigned to the Campbellton Parish as assistant priest where he dedicated his first years of ministry to the pioneers living in the forest near Colebrook and Glenlivet. Pastor of Balmoral in 1907, he was also entrusted with the care of the lumber camps. His efforts initiated a movement of colonization which succeeded in the founding of two new parishes.

In 1909, he was confided to the Campbellton Parish. In 1925, Father Melanson founded the teaching order of the Daughters of Mary of the Assumption. In 1930, he became Vicar General of the Chatham Diocese and was made Protonotary Apostolic by the Holy See. He was elected second Bishop of the Gravelbourg Diocese on November 25, 1932, and was consecrated in Chatham by the Apostolic Delegate, the Most Reverend Andrea Cassulo, on February 22, 1933.

Bishop Melanson was a firm supporter of all forms of Catholic action : youth movements, religious or lay vocations, Collège Mathieu, study groups and the Catholic Press. He was committed to the task of ensuring the survival and development of the young Church of the prairies assigned to him by the Sovereign Pontiff. His first pastoral letter, "Catholic Action; The Apostolate of the Laity in the Diocese", was published at the beginning of Lent during his first year in Gravelbourg.

Bishop Melanson founded an annual pilgrimage in honour of Mary and chose Our Lady of Auvergne Sanctuary in Ponteix. Gravelbourg's first diocesan congress on Catholic Action was held in 1935. Soon after, Bishop Melanson started a diocesan newspaper, "La Voix Catholique". The Most Reverend Arthur Melanson was promoted to Archbishop of Moncton on December 16, 1936, and was consecrated on February 22 of the following year. Archbishop Arthur Melanson died on October 23, 1941, in Moncton.

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An interesting link for French Acadians or those of you who simply wish to learn more about French Acadian history: http://francoamericanconnection.blogspot.com/2005/08/graveyard-tour-of-annapolis-royal.html

Paul

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This is the Acadian Deportation Cross in Grand Pre, Nova Scotia, with Cape Blomidon in the background.

Paul

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The individual names of men and boys deported from Grand-Pre Nova Scotia in 1755:
www.acadian-home.org/deport-list.html

Fitchburg's Early Heroes: The French Canadians and Acadians

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A History of the Cleghorn District of the City of Fitchburg, MA
ByLouis-Napoleon Miville-Deschenes: http://www.rootsweb.com/~maworces/cleghorn.htm

Paul

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Interesting trivia on Melanson descendants: http://www.gregor.ca/Acadia/Melanson/did-you-know.htm

Margaret C. Melanson explains that celebrated singer Anne Murray is a descendant of Charles Mellanson and that hockey great Jean Belliveau is as well. At her interesting website, which is loaded with Melanson trivia, she also makes mention of the fact that film star Genevieve Bujold and retired Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien are both descendants of Pierre Mellanson.

Paul Melanson

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Paul Anthony Melanson, Catholic author and apologist, June 1984.

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Paul Anthony Melanson and his sister Carole Ann,
Spangdahlem, Germany, 1966.

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Paul Anthony Melanson, a black belt in both Tae Kwon Do and Tang Soo Do, served with Air Force Intelligence in the 1980's and specialized in counterintelligence. He was also the martial arts instructor at his first duty station.

Camille "Joe" Melanson

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This is another photo of Camille "Joe" Melanson

taken at Sendai Village, Japan, a leper colony. Camille

is standing on the left. A career soldier who loved

and defended his Catholic faith, Camille would meet

with Pope Pius XII in March of 1958 - only six

months before that great Pontiff went to be with the

Lord.

In the other photo of my father taken at the Sendai

leper colony, you will notice how he is holding a

little girl by the arm and that she is excited and obviously

enjoying the attention. Everytime I look at that photo

I am reminded of what the Scripture says, "Perfect love

drives out all fear." That was my father. A loving man

who had no fear and who gave everything of himself. If I

am able to become half the man he was, I will have accomplished

something.

Paul

Korea, 1952

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Photo courtesy of the Melanson Foundation
Camille Melanson collection.

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Rita Melanson (in background) at Fatima, in June of 1988.
Francisco and Jacinta were buried in this cemetery before
their bodies were transferred to the Basilica.

Prières

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Je vous salue,
Marie Je vous salue,
Marie pleine de grâces ; le Seigneur est avec vous.
Vous êtes bénie entre toutes les femmes et Jésus, le fruit de vos entrailles, est béni.
Sainte Marie, Mère de Dieu, priez pour nous pauvres pécheurs, maintenant et à l'heure de notre mort.
Amen.

Notre Père

Notre Père qui es aux cieux,
que ton Nom soit sanctifié,
que ton règne vienne,
que ta volonté soit faite sur la terre comme au ciel.
Donne-nous aujourd'hui notre pain de ce jour.
Pardonne-nous nos offenses, comme nous pardonnons aussi à ceux qui nous ont offensés.
Et ne nous soumets pas à la tentation,
mais délivre nous du Mal.
Amen

Gloire à Dieu

Gloire à Dieu,
au plus haut des cieux,
Et paix sur la terre aux hommes qu'il aime.
Nous te louons, nous te bénissons,
nous t'adorons,
Nous te glorifions,
nous te rendons grâce,
pour ton immense gloire,
Seigneur Dieu,
Roi du ciel,
Dieu le Père tout-puissant.
Seigneur, Fils unique, Jésus Christ, Seigneur Dieu, Agneau de Dieu, le Fils du Père.
Toi qui enlèves le péché du monde,
prends pitié de nous Toi qui enlèves le péché du monde, reçois notre prière ;
Toi qui es assis à la droite du Père,
prends pitié de nous.
Car toi seul es saint,
Toi seul es Seigneur,
Toi seul es le Très-Haut, Jésus Christ,
avec le Saint-Esprit
Dans la gloire de Dieu le Père.
Amen.

Rita J. Melanson

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Rita Jeannine Marie Melanson,
Foundress of the Spiritual Children
of Saint Rita, pictured here on Third
Street in Leominster, Massachusetts
1952.

Photo courtesy of the Melanson
Foundation. Camille Melanson collection.

Rita Melanson and daughter Carole Ann

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This photo was taken at Homestead Air
Force Base (ca.1961). Courtesy of the Melanson
Foundation. Camille Melanson collection.

Korea, 1952

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North Korean women (prisoners of war) being
sent to internment camps. Many of
these women would cut their wrists and write
in blood on the train windows. Photo courtesy of
the Melanson Foundation. Camille Melanson
collection.

Korea, 1952

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Photo courtesy of the Melanson Foundation
Camille Melanson collection.

MASH Unit helping wounded, Korea 1952

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Photo courtesy of the Melanson Foundation
Camille Melanson collection.

Korea 1952

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Photo courtesy of the Melanson Foundation
Camille Melanson collection.

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Rita Melanson
Photo taken at Homestead Air Force Base
around the time of the Cuban missile crisis.

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Camille and Rita Melanson

Alice Mary Melanson

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Alice Mary Melanson (mother of Camille Melanson) is pictured here, on the right, with one of her daughters (Doris Miller) and her husband Richard. Mrs. Melanson was married to Alfred Melanson, an Acadian farmer who came to America from Shediac to find work. She was one of a group of donors who provided the monies for the building of Our Lady of the Lake Parish in the Whalom District of Leominster, Massachusetts). Alice Mary died in 1978 at the age of 81.

Memories of Korea

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Korea, 1952. Photograph taken by C.A. Melanson

Memories from Korea: 1952-1953

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Camille Melanson with friend Lyle
Korea, 1952

After serving in Korea with the U.S. Army, Camille transferred to the Air Force and remained on active duty until June of 1972. He received letters of recognition from two Presidents for his devoted and selfless consecration to the service of the United States.

The Acadian Expulsion

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The Acadian Expulsion is documented here: http://www.thecajuns.com/exileack.htm and here: http://www.landrystuff.com/achistory.htm

At a ceremony held at St. Gluvias Church in Cornwall, England, Queen Elizabeth II said that, "1755 in Acadie was an 'annus horribilus,'" and a "crime against humanity.." And, referring to the Crown's apology 250 years after the Expulsion or Deportement, Euclide Chiasson, the President of the Societe Nationale des Acadiens, said: "..lingering pain from being an unwanted and expelled people haunts Acadians to this day."

And, it is no exaggeration to say that the Acadian people, after having their land and possessions stolen by the British by order of the King, were not exactly made welcome in the United States either. In fact, a law voted on and approved by the legislature of Massachusetts on August 28, 1756, about the Acadians, stated "It is stipulated that if the previous French residents of Nova Scotia are found outside of the town limits that the legislature ordered them to live, for the first offense, they will be at the block for a period of three hours and for a second offense, will receive on their bare back, ten lashes."

Rita Jeannine Melanson

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Rita Jeannine Melanson: Foundress of the Spiritual
Children of Saint Rita: http://www.saintritachildren.com

Rita Melanson, wife of Camille Melanson, is pictured here (on the right) with her friend Arlene at Nininger Park (Fort Knox, Kentucky). Like her husband, Rita attended St. Cecilia's school in Leominster, Massachusetts (where Catholic author Robert Cormier also attended) and spent half the day studying in French and the other half in English under the Sisters of the Holy Spirit.

Camille and Rita were married in June of 1950, just two years before Camille was sent to Korea as a tank commander.

Melanson Family History

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Hello friends,

Welcome to the sister site for http://lasalettejourney.blogspot.com On these pages, the history of the Melanson Family (and most especially Camille and Rita Melanson and their family) will be presented. The name Melanson/Melancon is enshrined forever in the history of the Acadian people, a people who were persecuted for their Roman Catholic Faith and who were - in many cases - imprisoned, tortured, stripped of their land and possessions and deported from their own country.

It is our hope that these pages will shed some light on the Melanson family history and our struggle as an Acadian people to preserve our Roman Catholic Faith and Traditions as well as our cultural heritage.

Please also visit the official website of the Melanson Settlement: http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/ns/melanson/index_e.asp

Rita Jeannine Melanson
Paul Anthony Melanson

A Brief History:

The Melansons in Acadia:

Many a writer has tried to explain the origins of this family. It was generally believed that the Melansons were of Scottish origin, but this assumption was based on a historic mistake. There is no document that demonstrates that the Melansons who came to Acadia were of Scottish descent, in fact to the contrary there is proof that they were of English descent.

The two Melanson brothers, PIERRE, dit Laverdure, a stonemason, born in 1632, the spouse of Marie Marguerite Muis d'Entremont, the daughter of the Lord of Pomcoup, Philippe Mius d 'Entremont, and CHARLES, born in 1643, the husband of Marie Dugas, daughter of Armourer Abraham Dugas and Marguerite Doucet of Port Royal, arrived in Port Royal accompanied by their parents aboard the ship the Satisfaction, with Sir Thomas Temple, the new English Governor of Acadia, which arrived in 1657. During almost a century, just until the deportation of the Acadians in 1755, the settlement was the place of residence of Charles Melanson and his wife Marie Dugas, and their descendants and associates.

"The Melanson Settlement" is one of the principle Canadian archeological sites illustrating the way of rural life in Acadia in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is a mirror of the various aspects "of the daily life, their homes, material culture and their prosperity. 1755: DEPORTATION: In the Autumn of 1755, 1660 Acadians of the region of Port Royal embarked on the ships towards exile. Charles and Ambroise Melanson took refuge in Quebec, while Jean Melanson and his family were refugees in France with a group of Acadians at Cape Sable. Others were deported to Maryland and other States. The Melansons, like hundreds of other Acadians, were imprisoned in the military fortresses which were neither more or less than concentration camps. At gun point, English soldiers forced them to work for them. The Melansons were imprisoned at Forts Cumberland and Edward.

Today, this large Acadian family (the name of [MELANSON] MELANSON-MELANCON-MALANSON-MALONSON can be found in all of Canada, the United States and in France), continues to thrive. These Acadians, all descendents of PIERRE and CHARLES MELANSON, arrived in Acadia during 3 ½ centuries. The majority of Charles' descendants returned to the former Acadia, resettling in Nova Scotia and Southern New Brunswick, and in the USA in the States of Maine and Massachusetts, most continuing to spell their name Melanson, but some have changed it to Malanson and Malonson. The majority of Pierre's descendants, however, did not return, settling in Louisiana, Quebec, and Northern New Brunswick, in the Bathurst region.

It is this branch of the family that today predominately spells their name MELANCON. The only descendent of Pierre known to have returned to Nova Scotia was Charles Marie who settled in Pomquet after returning with his mother from exile in France.

Excerpted from: The Melanson Family Project
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/7961/

The above photo was taken at a leper village in Japan, 1953. Camille Melanson is on the right. He and his friend had finished their tour in Korea and were visiting children afflicted with leprosy.