General Notes

SOURCES: LDS FHL Ancestal File #   (familysearch.org)
AWTP:
"Legar Family Genealogy" Bonnie Gayle Cecelia Tomlin nee Leger boandbg@@comcast.net (REF: Stephen White's, "Dictionnaire Genealogique Des Familles Acadiennes", vol 2)  Credit to this source for generously providing the narrative below (exerpts):

"REF: "Attakapas Gazette" vol VI, # l. In 1752 he was among the 3 Broussard families living at Petcoudiac, with his wife, 8 boys and 2 girls. Only 8 childrens names are known.
He later moved inland to a place now called Stoney Creek on the Petit Codian River near the present Moncton, and still later they moved father upstream to a place they called "Village des Beausoleil" (now Boundry Creek). It was there that they were living in 1755 when the order of expulsion of the Acadians was issued. He was One of the eight Acadians who signed a contract in New Orleans before Garic, Notary, dated April 3 1765, with Antoine Bernard D'Autrive, former Captain of Infantry, to settle in the Attakapas District to raise cattle on shares. It was upon Governor Vaudreuil's recommendation to the Spanish Governor of Louisiana that Joseph was made a commandant.

REF: "Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser", June 20, 1994
(part of) "War makes heroes of Acadian brothers". By Alice Ferguson
The brothers Brossard dit Beausoleil, Alexandre and Joseph. As leaders of the
Acadian resistance, they remained in Acadia until after the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1763. The Brossards--whose family name was later changed to Broussard - were known for their courage, their marksmanship, and their contagious cheerfulness (hence the nickname for Joseph, " Beasoleil," referring to a smile as bright as the sun). Bona Arsenault's History of the Acadians notes that Joseph Brossard, born in Port Royal, founded the Boundary Creek Settlement with his brother Alexandre in 1740. He later became "a legendary figure both in the Maritimes and in Louisiana."
Along with other families whose homesteads had been burned and pillaged, Joseph and Alexandre fled into the woods with their familes. Joseph, a sharpshooter and militia captain, "took a heavy toll of English soldiers sent into the area to capture refugees," Arsenault wrote. His shooting skills became legendary in the region, and his reputed prowess followed him to the bayou country of Louisiana a few years later. But as good a shot as he was, Joseph could only protect so many families. In other regions of Acadia, the refugees were dealt with harshly by English soldiers and by Mother Nature. More than 600 of those who were hiding in the Miramichi River area died of starvation and a "horrible contagion" in the winter of 1757. French missionary Francois LeGuerne wrote that they attempted to survive by "eating the leather of shoes, carrion, and some even the excrement of animals." There was nothing the Brossards could do to feed or warm them. The English had also begun offering rewards for the scalps of Indians in the area. "A number of English soldiers confused Indian and Acadian scalps," Arsenault wrote. "They had the excuse that officially, all Acadians had been deported from Nova Scotia."
Between the lack of food, the threat of scalping, and the continued English assaults against the last few Acadian strongholds, the resistance gradually began to lose its vigor. Even Joseph and Alexandre Brossard could hardly hold out hope when they learned of the fall of Louisbourg in 1758.
The final blow for Joseph came when they heard that Quebec had finally fallen, in 1759.
"He lost all hope since the refugees who were with him had no food, or other essentials left, and winter was fast approaching" Arsenault recorded. In final desperation, Joseph and Alexandre, along with Jean Basque, Simon Martin, Jean Bourg and Michel Bourg led their followers to Fort Cumberland. They hoped to cut a deal with the English, "rather than die of hunger," Arsenault wrote. Instead, they were imprisoned at Halifax until the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1763. That signing marked the begining of the last great wave of Acadian refugees to leave Nova Scotia. Most of them, including the Brossards, were headed for Louisiana. Arsenault wrote that their journey resumed in 1764, when Joseph Broussard's name appeared on the registry of a ship bound for the West Indies. "Stricken by a plague and unable to bear the tropical climate, they did not stay. 'Ihey soon headed for the Attakapas region of Louisiana..." Arsenault recorded. The Broussard's arrival was marked in Louisiana records too, by New Orleans Commissioner Nicolas Foucault: "A few days ago, 193 Acadians arrived in Louisiana from Santo Domingo. Since they were extremely indigent, we assured them of the help they need between now and until such time as they are able to choose land in the Opelousas region." Foucault made another entry in his records about two months later, of the arrival of 200 more Acadians. Arsenault believed the Broussard party was among these groups of refugees, since Joseph's name appeared on a contract dated April 4, 1765: "A retired army captain, Antoine Bernard d'Hauterive, agreed to supply them with cattle for breeding purposes," Arsenault wrote." The signatures included those of Pierre Arcenaud, Joseph Broussard, Jean-Baptiste Broussard, Victor Broussard, Jean Dugas, Joseph Guillebeau and Olivier Tibaudau. From Part 4--Tragically, he did not live to see the cattle-based prosperity that was to follow for his people. Arsenault reported that, after so long a journey and so many battles, Joseph Broussard finally fell victim to one of the many plagues that swept through the camps of the Acadian refugees. He died on October 20, 1765, and was buried at what is now the site of the Town of Broussard.
Joseph was made-Capitain Commandant des Acadiens des Attakapas

It is believed that Joseph had an illegitimate child. These are the minutes
from his trial: Then was Read a Petition from Mary D'Aigre Wife to James Gonsile against Beausoleil (alias Joseph Brosard) for Committing fornication with her Daughter Mary who being brought to bed of a Daughter had laid the Same to the Said Brosard, and he Refusing the Child Mentainance and Denying himself to be the father Prayed Releif The Said Brosard being come to Ans.r in his Own Defence, Replyed that he was very Innocent And not the father having Never had any Carnall Deallings with her
The Midwife being put to her Oath Declared That the Said Mary Daughter to the Said Mary D'Aiger Did Declare when She was in her most Violent Pains That the Said Joseph Brosard was the Real father of her Said Child The Governor with the Advice of the Board Ordered That the Said Brosard Should Pay to the Mother of Said Child for its Mentainance three Shillings and Ninepence every Week Until that the Child Arrive to the Age of Eight Years Old, And that he Shall Immediately Give good Security for his
performing the Same, or go to Prison Untill that he Shall find Such Security Abram Bourg one of the Deputees and William Bourgeway Inhabitant Engaged themselves each in An hundred pounds Security for the Said Joseph Brosards punctuall Complyance And Due Observation Said orders to be by them punctually Paid Upon the first Complaint [151] Complaint of his the Said Joseph Brosards not Obying or his Refusing to pay the Above Ordered Weekly Allowance of three shillings And Ninepence for the Childs Mentainance as Afore Said At a Council held at the Honourable L.t Governor John Doucett's house in his
Majestys Garrison of Annapolis Royall on Thursday the 12th of May 1726.------The trial comes from the Minutes of H. M. Council, 1720-1742 from the Nova Scotia Archives Volume 3. It was also printed in the Feb. 1998 edition of Le Reveil Acadien, the "Memoires de la Societe genealogique canadienne francaise", Volume 1. On page 759 of the Dictionnaire, Marie Daigre is listed as the spouse of Jacques Gouzil. They had 4 children. She also had an illegitimate child for Louis Blin, page 157. Marie Daigre was the daughter of Olivier and Marie Gaudet."