Individual Details

Jeanne Bourg
Birth Date: c. 1653
Death Date: Before 1704

The Life of Jeanne Bourg:

An Early Acadian MatriarchEarly Years in Colonial Port-Royal (c. 1653–1672)
Jeanne Bourg was born around 1653 in the settlement of Port-Royal, Acadie (present-day Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia). She was the daughter of Antoine Bourg and Antoinette Landry, who were among the earliest French pioneer families to establish permanent roots along the Bay of Fundy.

Jeanne grew up in a bustling household with over a dozen siblings. Notably, genealogists highlight that her parents gave the name "Jeanne" to two of their daughters—an elder Jeanne (born c. 1653) and a younger sister, Jeanne (born c. 1659). While the younger sister went on to marry Pierre Comeau, the elder Jeanne remained in Port-Royal to build a life with the Belliveau family.

In the historic 1671 Census of Port-Royal—the very first official census of Acadie—Jeanne is recorded as an 18-year-old unmarried daughter living on her family's farm.

Marriage and Establishing a Household (c. 1673–1686)

Around 1673, Jeanne married Jean-Antoine Belliveau (often recorded as Jean Belliveau). Her husband was the son of Antoine Belliveau and Andrée Guyon, another pioneer family of Port-Royal.
Together, Jeanne and Jean-Antoine established a farm in Port-Royal and raised four children:

• Jean "le Jeune" (b. c. 1674)
• Madeleine (b. c. 1676)
• Charles (dit Bideau) (b. c. 1678)
• Antoine (dit Blondin) (b. c. 1680)

By the 1686 Census, the household had expanded to include Jean-Antoine's elderly parents, Antoine and Andrée. The farm comprised four arpents of cultivated land, two firearms, and livestock including 16 cattle, 12 sheep, and 12 hogs.

Later Years and Farming Along the Dauphin River (1693–1700)

Throughout the 1690s, Jeanne and her family continued to thrive as agricultural pioneers in the Annapolis Valley. Historical census returns document the expansion of their farm:

• 1693 Census: The family maintained 24 arpents of cleared land with 20 cattle, 18 sheep, and 20 pigs.
• 1698 Census: Jeanne (age 44) and Jean-Antoine were living on 19 cultivated arpents with 15 cattle, 15 sheep, and 8 hogs.
• 1700 Census: The couple held 26 arpents of farm land, 18 cattle, and 22 sheep. They were also caring for Jeanne’s niece, Anne Chiasson, who lived in their home.

Passing and Legacy (c. 1701–1704)

Jeanne Bourg died in Port-Royal between the taking of the 1700 census and late 1703 or early 1704. Her exact burial record was lost in early colonial record gaps, but her passing is marked by her husband Jean-Antoine Belliveau's second marriage to the widow Cécile Melanson in 1703/1704.

Through her sons Charles and Antoine, Jeanne Bourg became a foundational ancestor for many of the Belliveau (Béliveau) lineages across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Louisiana.

References and Sources

• White, Stephen A. (1999). Dictionnaire généalogique des familles acadiennes. Moncton, N.B.: Centre d'études acadiennes, Université de Moncton, pp. 96–98, 221.
• Library and Archives Canada. Acadian Census Records (1671, 1686, 1693, 1698, 1700 for Port-Royal), Microfilm C-2572.
• WikiTree Acadian Project Profiles:
○ WikiTree Profile for Jeanne Bourg (abt. 1653 – bef. 1704)
○ WikiTree Profile for Jeanne Bourg (abt. 1659 – bef. 1724) - Sister
• Find a Grave:
○ Find a Grave Entry for Marie Jeanne Bourg Belliveau (1653–1704)

Birth	Abt 1653	Port-Royal, Acadia, New France
Census	1671	Acadia
Marriage	1673	Port-Royal, Acadia, New France - Jean-Antoine Béliveau
Census	1686	Acadia
Death	1702	Port-Royal, Acadie (Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada)
Related2Me.ca	5 Aug 2026	https://related2me.ca/2026/08/05/jeanne-bourg-c-1653-before-1704/
Alt name		Jeanne Bourg
Reference No		A753 M241

Spouse	Jean-Antoine Béliveau (1652 - 1734)
Child	Jean Béliveau (1672 - 1707)
Child	Marguerite Bélliveau (1673 - 1733)
Child	Madeleine Béliveau (1676 - 1730)
Child	Charles Béliveau (1677 - 1717)
Child	Antoine Béliveau (1679 - 1740)

Father	Antoine Bourg (1609 - 1687)
Mother	Antoinette Anne Landry (1619 - 1686)
Sibling	François Bourg (1644 - )
Sibling	Marie Bourg (1645 - 1730)
Sibling	Jean Bourg (1646 - 1693)
Sibling	Bernard Bourg (1649 - 1714)
Sibling	Martin Bourg (1650 - )
Sibling	Renée Bourque (1655 - 1684)
Sibling	Huguette Bourg (1657 - 1687)
Sibling	Jeanne Bourg (1659 - 1724)
Sibling	Abraham Bourg (1662 - 1727)
Sibling	Marguerite Bourg (1667 - 1727)