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- The following is recorded for Anselme Blanchard in The Acadian Memorial Archive (located at http://www.acadianmemorial.org/ensemble_encore2/default.htm and accessed through the Life Lines button):
Among the Acadians established by the Spanish government at St. Gabriel in 1767. extant documents indicate that he was the twenty-six-year-old head of a household that included his wife Esther and his children Jérôme and Rose. The documentation also indicates that the family owned one axe, one gun, and one trunk.
Identified by Iberville District officials as a local farmer with surplus corn during the 1770 colonial grain shortage. A 1770 list indicates that he had sixty barrels of unshucked corn. The February 7, 1770, muster roll of the Iberville District militia unit indicates that he held the rank of fusilier and that he was twenty-nine years of age. Appointed sergeant first-class of the Iberville District militia, March 1, 1770. Because he was a member of the Iberville District militia, the colonial government issued him one musket, one bayonet, and one belt, June 12, 1770.
The January 30, 1771, census of the Iberville District indicates that he was the thirty-year-old head of a household that included his eighteen-year-old wife, an unidentified six-year-old boy, an unidentified three-year-old boy, and an unidentified eight-year-old girl. He and his family owned eleven cattle, twenty hogs, and fifteen chickens. They occupied a tract of land with six arpents frontage.
The June 21, 1771, muster roll of the Iberville District militia unit indicates that he held the rank of sergeant and that he was twenty-nine years of age.
Identified in the May 10, 1772, census of the Iberville District as thirty-one-year-old head of a household that included his twenty-seven-year-old wife, an eight-year-old son, a six-year-old son, and a twelve-year-old daughter.
The March 6, 1777, census of the Iberville District indicates that he was the thirty-eight-year-old head of a household that included the following persons: his wife, 30 years old; a daughter, 13 years old; a son, 10 years old; and a son, 8 years old. He and his family owned one male slave, one female slave, twelve cows, three horses, eight hogs, eighteen chickens, and a tract of land with six arpents frontage on the Mississippi River.
On July 13, 1777, Commandant Louis Dutisné recommended Anselme Blanchard for appointment as militia lieutenant. The July 13, 1777, muster roll of the Iberville District militia unit indicates that he held the rank of lieutenant en pied (full lieutenant). On October 12, 1777, Louis Dutisné, commandant of the Iberville District, recommended Anselme Blanchard for appointment as militia lieutenant. Dutisné noted that Blanchard and Simon Richard, whom he nominated for appointment as sublieutenant, were the only literate militiamen in his district. Dutisné also indicated that their "good conduct and good moral character" also made them worthy of the proposed commissions. On December 2, 1777, Louis Judice, commandant of the Lafourche District, complained that Anselme Blanchard and Simon Leblanc were "entirely devoted to the service of the English." Named an adjutant, evidently during the Spanish campaign against Manchac and Baton Rouge, January 5, 1779. He served in the Spanish campaigns against Manchac and Fort Bute (1779) and Mobile (1780). Breveted sublieutenant of infantry, February 17, 1780. On December 12, 1780, Commandant Louis Dutisné of the Iberville District compiled a list of local settlers who had contributed cattle on credit to the government during the colonial war effort. The list indicates that Anselme (Enselme) Blanchard, acting on behalf of the government, issued receipts to Madelaine Chelatre, Jean Reine, and Amand (Amant) Melanson (Melenson).
On July 30, 1781, the Spanish crown issued a letter of appointment naming Anselme Blanchard as captain of the Valenzuela District militia. The letter reached Louisiana several months later. In a letter to Pedro Piernas, Commandant DeVerbois of the Iberville District indicates that Anselme Blanchard was a militia lieutenant who had been named acting civil commandant at the Valenzuela District, November 1, 1781.
On March 24, 1783, Blanchard sold to Michel de Verbois a tract of land which he had acquired as a land grant. This property, which included six arpents frontage on the Mississippi River, was located in the Iberville District, between the properties of Paul Chiasson and Ignace Babin. Standing on the property was a large house of sur sol construction measuring thirty-five by sixteen feet.
Appointed militia captain, February 12, 1792. His military dossier, compiled by the Spanish government on June 30, 1792, indicates that he enjoyed "robust" health. He was married, and he held the rank of militia captain. He had served in the Louisiana militia for twenty-one years, eleven months, and eleven days. He had served in the Provincial Mixed Legion for four months and nineteen days.
Identified in the 1793 census of Nueva Feliciana as a middle-aged adult living alone. The census also indicates that he manufactured 1,500 pounds of the 3,400 pounds of indigo produced by the Acadian residents at Nueva Feliciana in 1793.
On March 5, 1797, Anselme Blanchard sold to Laurent Sigur a huge tract of land with thirty-five arpents frontage on the right bank of the Mississippi River. The property, which sold for 5,000 piastres, was bounded above by the land of Honoré Breau and below by that of Joseph Athanase Landry.
His burial record indicates that he was a native of St. Charles Parish, Les Mines, Acadia. The document also indicates that he was a lieutenant in the Spanish army, and that he had formerly served as commandants of the Lafourche (actually Valenzuela) and Nueva Feliciana districts. His burial record also states that Blanchard was sixty-four years of age at the time of his death.
On February 24, 1800, Anselme Blanchard's estate was inventoried and appraised at 15,000 piastres.
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