Cape Breton as a Separate Colony . RG 11 vol 3 # 42
TRANSLATION OF THE ABOVE REFERENCED LETTER FROM:

Anastasie Bonain, widow of Pierre Poirier, to Clement Hubert - dated D'Escousse, August 15, 1808.

Monsieur Hubert
Anastasie Bonain, widow of Pierre Poirier, her late husband, living in D'Escousse
regarding the lot mesured recently by Mr. Jean Jean which has remained in the same
state for the past two years. Taking Care of 10 children -- 4 boys, the oldest of whom is
aged 12 years and the youngest 6 years and 6 girls, the oldest being 16 years and the
youngest being 2. Requests very humbly to indicate her poverty and her circumstances in
order that she be granted the time to be able to fulfil the necessary payment given the
work that her husband left her fior the support of the family. You would render a very
great service to a poor widow and orphans. It is with respect and submission that I am,
Sir.

Your very humble servant
Anastasie Poirier, widow
D'Escousse, August 15, 1808

The original French letter is very formal and I have tried to say as close to that style as possible. The main point of the letter is that the widow has been unable to pay the rent for the land that was surveyed for her husband and on which she, presumably, has been living. Because she has been a widow, presumably for 2 years, she has not been able to make any improvements to the land since she has been kept pretty busy looking after 10 young children! Since other letters are written in the same hand, I am sure that Anastasie herself did not pen this letter. I suspect it was probably written for her by Father Le,Jamtel, the priest serving all of Cape Breton at the time. He was the French priest who Came over the Island of Miquelon with numerous Acadians.