Germain Doucet, Sieur de La Verdure (born around 1595 near Couperans en Brye, most likely

Coubron Coubron () is a commune in the Seine-Saint-Denis department, in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Population Heraldry Transport Coubron is served by no station of the Paris Métro, RER, or suburba ...

northeast of Paris, France) was a French commander in the French colony of

Acadia Acadia (french: link=no, Acadie) was a colony of New France in northeastern North America which included parts of what are now the Maritime provinces, the Gaspé Peninsula and Maine to the Kennebec River. During much of the 17th and early ...

. Doucet's career began when he entered into an association with

Charles de Menou d'Aulnay Charles de Menou d'Aulnay (''de Charnisay'') (–1650) was a French pioneer of European settlement in North America and Governor of Acadia (1635–1650). Biography D'Aulnay was a member of the French nobility who was at various times a sea capt ...

, noted seaman, captain, and future governor of

. In 1632, he arrived in

with the governor

Isaac de Razilly Isaac de Razilly (1587 – 1635) was a member of the French nobility appointed a knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem at the age of 18. He was born at the Château d'Oiseaumelle in the Province of Touraine, France. A member of the French ...

. He served as master of arms of

Fort Pentagouet Fort Pentagouët (Fort Pentagoet, Fort Castine, Fort Penobscot, Fort Saint-Pierre) was a French fort established in present-day Castine, Maine, which was the capital of Acadia (1670–1674). It is the oldest permanent settlement in New England. I ...

(now

Castine, Maine Castine ( ) is a town in Hancock County in eastern Maine.; John Faragher. ''Great and Nobel Scheme''. 2005. p. 68. The population was 1,320 at the 2020 census. Castine is the home of Maine Maritime Academy, a four-year institution that graduate ...

) as a major. After the death of d'Aulnay in 1650, Doucet became commandant serving at the French fort of Port Royal (now

Annapolis Royal Annapolis Royal, formerly known as Port Royal, is a town located in the western part of Annapolis County, Nova Scotia, Canada. Today's Annapolis Royal is the second French settlement known by the same name and should not be confused with the n ...

). Under

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Robert Sedgwick Major General Robert Sedgwick (c. 1611 – 1656) was an English colonist, born 1611 in Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, and baptised on 6 May 1613. Biography He was the son of William Sedgwick of London, and brother of English priest William Sed ...

, the English captured the fort on 15 August 1654. Under the terms of the surrender, Doucet was forced to leave

for good, and returned to France. Both his son Pierre, and his daughter Marguerite stayed behind, however. Another daughter whose name is uncertain also stayed in Acadia and married Pierre Lejeune. A fourth child was seemingly adopted by him, a boy born probably among the Abenaki and baptized around 1641 in Acadia, also named Germain. Pierre married, in 1660, Henriette Pelletret, by whom he had issue. Marguerite married Abraham Dugas.Acadian Genealogy Homepage The name of Germain's wife is uncertain, although some genealogists suggest she may have been Marie Bourgeois.

References

Acadian people Acadian history French Army officers 1595 births Year of death unknown People from Seine-Saint-Denis People from Castine, Maine Emigrants from France to Acadia {{France-mil-bio-stub