Shepody, New Brunswick facts for kids
Shepody is a small, quiet community in southeastern New Brunswick, Canada. It sits right on Shepody Bay, which is part of the larger Bay of Fundy. You can find it along Route 114, between the villages of Hopewell Hill and Lower Cape.
The name Shepody, or Chipoudie in French, also refers to an older Acadian settlement from the French period. This settlement was located on both sides of the Shepody River, with its main area near what is now Hopewell Hill. Today, the community of Shepody is just a short distance west of that historic Acadian center and has about twenty people living there.
History of Shepody
After a large piece of land called Hopewell Township was divided up, more people started to settle in the area. As the communities around Hopewell grew, Shepody became its own distinct place in the early 1900s. At the same time, the original Hopewell became known as Hopewell Hill.
French Settlement
Around 1701, a man named Pierre Thibaudeau and his family, along with a friend, moved from Port Royal to Chipoudy. This started a new group of Acadian settlements there and along the Petitcodiac River. Later, Thibaudeau's friend, Guillaume Blanchard, and his two sons, also settled in Petitcodiac.
In August 1755, during a time of conflict, British soldiers were sent to places like Chipoudy, Petitcodiac, and Memramcook. Their goal was to capture the Acadians living there. However, a local missionary, Father LeGuerne, helped the Acadians hide in the woods.
Then, on August 26, Lieutenant Boishébert from Miramichi led 125 soldiers and a group of Mi'kmaq warriors. They surprised about 200 English soldiers led by Major Joseph Frye. The English had already burned the church in Chipoudy and 181 homes there, plus 250 houses in Petitcodiac.
Boishébert ordered an attack just as the English were setting fire to the church in Petitcodiac. After three hours of intense fighting, the English soldiers retreated. They left behind 50 dead and about 60 wounded. Because of this brave fight, around 200 Acadian families were able to escape being deported from their homes.
Geography of Shepody
The historic village of Shepody was located on the west side of Shepody Bay. It sat at the base of the Caledonian Hills, in an area with low-lying marshlands known as the Chipody marshes. This area was part of a larger region called Trois-Rivières (Three Rivers). The main river providing water to the area is the Chipoudy River. The old village covered the land between Mary's Point and Cap des Demoiselles, which is now in Albert County, in southeastern New Brunswick.
