More notes on the Mellanson family - this time a spy

This follows when a Scot is not a Scot and John Laverdure the pirate.

Pierre Melançon is considered to be one of the founders of Grand-Pré in Acadia. He lived to be 90 years old. He was commander of the militia at Mines (the village that preceded Grand-Pré).

His brother Charles Mellanson was a british agent who spied upon the French. Three of the letters he wrote to the Lieutenant -Governor of Massachussets detailing French defenses can be found in the Massachussets archives. His homestead is now The Melanson Settlement National Historic Site of Canada which was opened officially on August 3rd, 2004.

Charles Mellanson's eldest daughter, Marie was sent to Boston to be with her grandmother Priscilla. There Mary took the Laverdure family name. Priscilla wrote up an inventory of her goods when she married Captain Wright. In her will, she left these to her grand daughter. Captain Wright refused to give these to Mary who had to sue to gain possession. She later married well known merchant and privateer David Basset who is widely believed to have been murdered on board his ship in 1724. Charles Mellanson's granddaughter, Elisabeth (Basset) Waterman was fittingly Benedict Arnold's stepgrandmother.