Francois Mius

In 1756 approximately 32 French families from Cape Sable, Nova Scotia, were deported to Salem, MA. Petitions were written by the overseers in Salem requesting that the Acadiens be relocated in inland towns.  The residents of Salem were concerned that the French would take their fishing boats and escape. The Francois Mius family was one of the unfortunates sent to Tewskbury, MA, where they received scant attention from the Overseers of that town.   On Nov. 18, 1756, Francois Mius presented to the General Court the following petition:

"The petition of Francois Muise humbly sheweth that your petitioner formerly an inhabitant of Cap Sables in Nova Scotia, a part of that country always friendly to ye English, and ready particularly to relieve the Fisherman, who frequently experienced their Protection and Hospitality, was placed, after he was brought to New England, at Salem with his Family, being twelve persons in all, where he abode 9 months and by the favour of the People and their own works, were comfortably subsisted.

But that after 9 months, The Government thought fit to remove them to a Town call'd Tewskbury, where they suffered much, it being a small poor Town, very little work to be found, and for the little they do there is hardly any Payt to be got, so that though they are able and willing to work, they lose the Advantage. They are lodged in the most miserable house in the world, all the timber rotten, not one square of glass in the house, no chimney but a few stones pil'd up to the height of about six feet, and then a hole open thro the top so that they are smoked to Death; add to this, that at every blast of wind they expect the House to be down upon their Heads, and think it a miracle that it has stood so long.

Your Petitioner prays your Excellency and Honours to consider the miserable condition he must be in during the Winter in such a Situation, and to order him some Relief, He prays particularly that your Excellency and honours would be pleased to remand him to Salem from whence he was removed where he lived comfortably and inoffensively and where He and his Family can find the Means of supporting themselves by their Labour & industry, with little expence to the public and your Petitioner shall ever pray. "

(The French Acadiens in  "Essex County by George Francis Dow, page296-297)