Acadian Village, Mount Carmel, P.E. I.

Mount Carmel Church, P. E. I.

The ancestors of the Acadians in the Parish of St-Philippe and St-Jacques came from Acadie. The first French settlement on the island was begun at Port-Lajoie (now Charlottetown) in 1720

In 1728, the first census of the Ile St-Jean was taken at Malpec, there were then three families. The village of Malpec was situated along the coast of the Bay of Malpec on what is today Lot 13. The Acadians gave the name of Pointe-aux-Vieux to the area. The English called it Village Cove, and later,Low Point.

Peace between the English and the French lasted until 1744.

The first permanent Acadian settlement after the Deportation was created by a few families at Rustico in 1761 and at Malpeque. Rustico managed to progress, although slowly, without much interference from the English. But at Malpeque it was a different story. In that area the abusive behavior of the English toward the Acadians became a major problem which forced the Acadians to leave their land.

A few families left Malpeque in 1812 to settle on Lot 14, where they established the parishes of Egmond Bay and Mount-Carmel.

According to tradition, the trip was made by canoe or pirogue. They left Bedeque Bay and followed the coastline to Mont-Carmel where many settled. Others continued on to Egmont Bay.

Toward 1770, a dozen or so Acadian families left Prince Edward Island to establish themselves in New Brunswick.

They went to join the numerous other Acadians who had found refuge in the wooded regions of Cocagne, Bouctouche, Richibouctou and Miramichi in present day New Brunswick. In 1772, seven of the first Acadians who settled in Cocagne received legal title to their land. Among them were Pierre, Francois and Joseph Arsenault.

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