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*************** Our pioneer ancestor Pierre Arsenault had a grandson, Joseph Arsenault who was a French Militia Captain at Restigouche in 1759 and most likely participated in the final battle between the French and English for the possession of Canada in 1760, known as the "BATTLE of RESTIGOUCHE".
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One of the pioneers of the village of Cocagne, Francois Arsenault, a merchant and a navigator, was affluent before the Deportation. It was in his home that Joseph Gueguen, the founder of that family in Cocagne, sought refuge. The founder of the Goguen family in Acadia was Joseph Gueguen, born in Brittany in 1741. He came to Acadia in 1753 as a protege of the Abbe Manach. In 1755 he managed to reach Quebec where he studied at the seminary until 1758. Having returned to Acadia, he was imprisoned at Fort Cumberland where he married Anne Arsenault. Around 1767, Joseph became the leader of the first settlers of Cocagne in New Brunswick He had a superior education and spoke English, Micmac and Latin. In 1772, seven of the first Acadians who were settled in Cocagne received legal title to their land. Among them were Pierre, Francois and Joseph Arsenault.
******************** Pierre Arsenault, son of Jean & Anne-Marie Hebert, born in Beaubassin in 1731 was one who signed on April 4, 1765 a contract with Captain Antoine Bernard d'Hautevive. He married Anne Bergeron about 1758 and had 5 sons and 3 daughters. Pierre first settled in St. James on the Mississippi (according to the 1766 census) until 1787 when he moved to the Attakapas District, in the region of present day Carencro. Pierre's sons were Louis, Cyprien, Alexandre, Pierre & Francois. They were among the leading cattlemen and farmers in the Lafayette-Carencro area at the end of the 18th century. Pierre born in 1731, owed extensive buildings, 400 head of cattle, 15 horses and 16 slaves, and a total worth of $5,530.00 in currency which is 10 times today's value of the U. S. dollar. His last will was discovered a few years ago in the Court House Achives at St. Martinsville, Louisiana.
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