Jean Biencourt

The Acadian colonists’ allies, the native Mi'kmaq nation, have kept careful watch over the Acadians’ possessions.

When the former Lieutenant Governor, Jean de Biencourt de Poutrincourt et de Saint-Just, returns in 1610, he finds Port Royal just as it was left.

Champlain has in the meantime established a colony in present day Quebec City.

Jean de Biencourt de Poutrincourt et de Saint-Just arrives in Acadia on June 1, 1610, with another group of settlers, including his nineteen-year old son Charles de Biencourt de Saint-Just, and the Huguenots Claude de Saint-Étienne de la Tour, and his fourteen-year old son, Charles de Saint-Étienne de la Tour, and another Catholic priest, named Flesch.

Flesch begins baptizing the Mi'kmaq, including their chief, Membertou, in late June 1610.

The ship, now captained by the young Biencourt, immediately returns to France to secure more supplies.

Charles Biencourt had arrived in France on August 21, 1610, but has been held up until January 1611.

With the financial help of Marquis de Guercheville, the Jesuit Father Biard has been able to become part owner of the ship and its cargo bound for Acadia, securing himself passage.

This was unacceptable to Baron Poutrincourt's backers, who are Huguenot channel merchants.

The merchants were eventually bought out, however, and Biencourt had been obliged to take the Jesuits along.

The group which had remained in Acadia during the winter of 1610-1611 numbered twenty-four, and all survive.

Biencourt in May had arrived to Port-Royal aboard the Grace de Dieu (Grace of God) with the supplies and the Jesuits.

This time, the elder Biencourt returns to France in July for more supplies and to trade goods.

Charles de Biencourt becomes the governor in charge of twenty-two others.