List of Banished from Our Home characters

Angélique pictured on the cover

All of the characters that appear in Sharon Stewart's Banished from Our Home. Some of the characters also appear in the short story, "The Keepsake Box."

Main characters

Angélique Richard

Main article: Angélique Richard

Angélique Richard (1743 — 1830) was an Acadian who lived with her family in Grand-Pré. Her parents were Madeleine and Michel Richard. She had seven siblings, Catherine, Victor, Claude, Cécile "Belle", Zachary, Marie-Josèphe, and Josèph-Marie. Angélique was impulsive, headstrong, and disliked chores. She was often annoyed at Cécile and called her "Sausage" instead of "Belle." As Angélique matured, she and Belle became close. In 1755, her family were among the Acadians forcibly deported by the British. Angélique, her mother, and five of her siblings ended up in Baltimore, Maryland, where they were eventually reunited with her father. There Angélique obtained employment to help support her family.

Supporting characters

Catherine Richard

Catherine Le Blanc (née Richard) was Angélique's older sister, and the eldest daughter of Madeleine and Michel. Angélique was fond of Catherine since she was not "prickly" like their mother and did not tattle like their sister Cécile "Belle". Catherine's wedding to Basile Le Blanc was delayed after his grandmother died in late 1754. They were married in late May 1755. By August, she was expecting her first child. When the British arrived, Basile and the other men were locked away. Later, when the Acadians were deported, Catherine was unsure whether to go with her family or her in-laws. She ultimately went with the Le Blancs' in hopes of reuniting with Basile. Her family never found out what came of her.

Cécile Richard

Cécile Richard (1744 - December 13, 1755), nicknamed Belle, was Angélique's younger sister. She was described by Angélique as the "prettiest maid in all of Grand-Pré," being "small and fine-boned" with "flax-flower blue" eyes. Angélique was jealous of Cécile's looks and took to calling her "Sausage," which their mother scolded her for. Another point of contention for Angélique was that Cécile was better at chores and other tasks, such as sewing. After their father left for Halifax, Angélique began treating Cécile nicer and the two gradually became closer. While aboard the ship Leynord, Cécile suddenly fell ill. Her health never approved and she passed away shortly after they reached Annapolis, Maryland.

Claude Richard

Claude Richard (born c. 1739) was Angélique's older brother whom loved being on the water. During the summer, Claude often worked on French or British fishing boats. In September 1755, Claude and the other men were locked in the church and later on ships by British soldiers. Claude, whom had been "gentle and peaceful," became "full of hate." He eventually ran away with some others and hid in the forest, but Angélique found Claude and her words later convinced him to give himself up. He was then reunited with most of his family aboard the Leynord. In Baltimore, he worked on the docks to support his family. Some years later, the family started a new farm north of Grand-Pré. Claude never married.

Jean-Baptiste Melanson

Jean-Baptiste Melanson (c. 1739 — 1829) was the older brother of Jehanne Melanson. He danced with Angélique at Catherine's wedding, which he later said was when he fell in love with her. Angélique described him as "very good looking," but she was not open to him due to her dislike of his sister. While on the ship Leynord, he became friendly with Angélique and Claude. The Melansons went with the Richards to Baltimore. After the war, the families travelled back to Acadia, but their lands were already occupied. They then settled near each other somewhere north. Some years later, Jean-Baptiste and Angélique were married. They had six children, including a daughter named Cécile. He died a year before Angélique.

Jehanne Melanson

Jehanne Daigle (née Melanson) was the daughter of Madame and Monsieur Melanson, and younger sister of Jean-Baptiste. Her family were among the first to settle in Grand-Pré, which she took great pride in. Jehanne and Angélique great disliked each other with the latter saying they were "like cat and dog." Her family and Angélique's were deported on the same ship, the Leynord. Due to the close quarters, the two girls became somewhat friendlier to each other. In Baltimore, Jehanne and Angélique shook hands on New Years' Day and promised to "better friends." Later on, she ran a laundry with her mother and Madeleine. After settling far north of Acadia, Jehanne married François Daigle and had children.

Madeleine and Michel Richard

Madeleine ("Maman;" died 1770) and Michel Richard ("Papa;" died 1775) were the parents of Catherine, Victor, Claude, Angélique, Cècile, Zachary, Marie-Josèphe, and Josèph-Marie. Madeleine was headstrong but still a kind mother. Michel was steadfast about never leaving their farm. He was one of the Acadians to sign a petition for Governor Lawrence, which resulted in his imprisonment in Halifax. After being deported, Madeleine and the children ended up in Baltimore where Michel later found them. He found work as a carpenter, while she opened a laundry with Jehanne and her mother. The family later resettled north of their former lands. Madeleine died in 1770 and Michel followed in 1775.

Victor Richard

Victor Richard was Angélique's older brother. He was described as being handsome, earning the admiration of many girls. Unlike his father, Victor believed that the Acadians should fight the British. He left to join Beausoleil Broussard in May 1755. The following July, Victor returned to check on his family before saying goodbye. Victor and Beausoleil were captured by the British in 1758 and imprisoned until the end of the war. After being released, Victor searched for his family and found them two years later on their new farm up the St. John River. He and Claude worked on the farm during the summer and as lumberjacks in the winter. Victor never married, though he long "remained the despair of single ladies."

Zachary Richard

Zachary Richard (born c. 1745) was the son of Madeleine and Michel. He was a carefree and slightly mischievous child, who liked to play jokes that would occasionally end badly. He exasperated Angélique for acting like everything was an "adventure" since he did not realize the danger ahead. In September 1755, he locked up with the other men in Grand-Pré and later on a ship. Zachary was eventually reunited with his mother and sisters, Angélique and Cécile, on the ship Leynord. Angélique remarked that he was "much changed," being quieter and less apt to mischief. In Baltimore, he worked odd jobs to his family. After the war, Zachary and the rest of his family started a new farm somewhere north of their old lands.

Minor characters

• Alphonse and Pierre Terriot, two brothers who attended the wedding of Catherine Richard and Basile Le Blanc.
• André Le Blanc was the brother of Basile. He acted as a witness at his brother's wedding. Angélique Richard suspected that he had a crush on her due to the attention he paid her. She started being friendly to him after he helped out on her family's farm.
• Anselme ("Grand-père") was Angélique's grandfather and the husband of "Mémère." He passed away when Angélique was young.
• Andrew Stygar, a man whom helped some of the Acadians settle in Baltimore. He persuaded the town council to allow the Acadians to use an abandoned house. Andrew later helped Angélique obtain employment as a scullery maid for Master Hardcastle.
• Basile Le Blanc was the husband of Catherine, and the brother of André. Angélique described him as a "nice fellow." He was locked up along with the other Acadian men when the British arrived. Presumably, Basile was later reunited with his wife and family.
• Beausoleil Broussard was an Acadian rebel who fought against the British. He persuaded Victor to fight with his men. Beausoleil was captured by the British in 1758. After the war, he was released and left for Louisiana.
• Bernard Daigle, called Bernard à Mathurin, was a distant relative of Madeleine Richard. He fled after Fort Beauséjour fell and visited the Richards' in secret on his way to Pigiguit.
• Blaise Terriot, a young boy whom had an "apple war" with Josèph-Marie and Marie-Josèphe Richard.
• Bonhomme Gris, a rat aboard the Leynord whom Josèph-Marie and Marie-Josèphe treated like a pet. They wanted to bring him to Maryland, but Angélique convinced them that the ship was his home.
• Cécile Richard ("Tante") was the wife of Paul Richard and the mother of Geneviève. Her family was deported to Oxford, Maryland. They moved to Louisiana after the war.
• Père Chauvreulx, the kindly priest of the church in Grand-Pré. His congregation was deeply saddened when he was taken away by British soldiers.
• Master Finnerty was the mean-spirited husband of Mistress Finnerty. He was angry at his wife for taking in the Richards and complained about it endlessly.
• Mistress Finnerty was a kind-hearted woman living with her husband in Annapolis. She took in the Richard family, which her husband was not to happy about. Mistress Finnerty became close to Angélique and treated her like a daughter. She was saddened when the family left for Baltimore.
• Geneviève Richard ("Cousine;" born c. 1742) was the daughter of Paul and Cécile. She was Angélique's favorite cousin. Her family ended up in Oxford during the deportation. Geneviève's father decided to go to Louisiana after the war. She was able to reunite with Angélique before their departure.
• Madame Granger was the mother of Louis. When the Acadians were being deported, Angélique asked her about her family but she did not know which ship they were on.
• Griffon was Angélique's loyal dog whom followed her everywhere she went. He attempted to follow Angélique onto the ship, when the British forced the Acadians to leave. She made him turn back to the shore. Angélique often thought of him afterwards and hoped that he was with Jeremy Witherspoon.
• Master Hardcastle was a friend of Andrew Stygar. At Andrew's recommendation, he hired Angélique as a scullery maid in his home.
• Father Howard, a priest in Annapolis whom read the funeral rites for Cécile.
• Jean Robichaud, a resident of Grand-Pré who played the violin at Catherine's wedding.
• Jeremy Witherspoon (born c. 1741) was a drummer boy with the British Army. His mother was an Acadian who married a British soldier. After his parents' deaths, his father's regiment took Jeremy in. He also served as an interpreter since he spoke both French and English. In 1754, he befriended Angélique when the regiment was stationed near Grand-Pré. They were reunited the following year and Jeremy gave her warnings about the plans of British. He later helped Angélique locate the ship that her family was on, when the Acadians were forcibly deported.
• Josèph-Marie and Marie-Josèphe Richard were the younger twin siblings of Angélique who referred to them as "Les Terreurs." Their nickname stemmed from their penchant for getting into trouble. Despite the upheaval of being deported, Angélique commented that they "as lively as ever." In Baltimore, the twins were nearly taken away when their mother was accused of neglect after they were seen begging on the street. Several years after resettling north of Grand-Pré, Marie-Josèphe married and lived on the family farm.
• Julie Hébert, a girl who had a one-sided crush on Victor. She was disappointed when he left.
• La Gloire was the Richards sow whom was often fed whatever the family was unable to eat. When the British forced the Acadians to leave, Angélique left the door to La Gloire's pen open.
• Governor Lawrence was the British governor of Nova Scotia, where Acadia was located. He made several decrees that lead to the Expulsion of the Acadians.
• Abbé Le Loutre, a man whom was helping fight against the British.
• Louis Granger, a boy whom Geneviève Richard had a crush on.
• Marie-Anne Le Blanc, Marie Terriot, and Marguerite Gaudet, girls whom names start with "M." Angélique guessed them as being the one Claude liked, but his answer was his boat Madeleine.
• Marie-Blanche and Marie-Madeleine Richard were Pierre Richard's daughters whom were friends with Cécile. Angélique described them as being "just as silly as [Cécile]."
• Mathurin Daigle was the father of Bernard à Mathurin.
• Madame and Monsieur Melanson were the parents of Jean-Baptiste and Jehanne Melanson. They were friends and neighbors of the Richards, though Monsieur Melanson did not speak to Michel for a few weeks after a quarrel. The families became closer while aboard the Leynord and later shared a room in the Acadians' home in Baltimore. After the war, the Melansons resettled north of Grand-Pré with the Richards.
• "Mémère" (died October 28, 1755) was Madeleine's mother who was described as being a "bit deaf." Her grandmother immigrated from France to Acadia. Mémère's husband, Anselme, died several years prior to her. After being forced to leave Grand-Pré, Mémère was never quite the same. She died on the ship, the Leynord, and was buried at sea.
• Colonel Murray, the commander of Fort Edward. When the Acadians sent a petition to Governor Lawrence, Colonel Murray sent word that they were to report to Halifax.
• Pâquerette was a milk cow owned by the Richards. She was usually milked by Angélique or Cécile. Before being forced to leave, Angélique freed Pâquerette and her calf.
• Paul Richard ("Oncle") was the brother of Michel. He was married to Cécile and had a daughter, Geneviève. He and his family were deported to Oxford. After the war, Michel and Paul discussed the future. He decided to take his family to Louisiana and said goodbye to Michel.
• Pierre Richard ("Oncle") was Michel's brother, and the father of Marie-Blanche and Marie-Madeleine. He lived near his brothers' in Grand-Pré.
• Perle was Michel's beloved horse whom he always fed sweet hay.
• Reine (died July 10, 1755), a cow owned by the Richards. One day, she got stuck in the mud and broke her leg when Zachary tried scaring her into freeing herself. Claude then had to put her down.
• René and Madame Le Blanc, the parents of Basile and André. He was an influential man in his community.
• Sergent, a male goose owned by the Richards in Grand-Pré. Angélique plucked one of his feathers to use as a quill, despite his "nasty temper."
• Simon Terriot, a relative of Blaise. He woken up when an apple core hit his dead during Blaise's "apple war," which made him angry.
• Susanna (born c. 1743) was a housemaid employed by Andrew Stygar.
• Father Wentworth was a priest in Baltimore whom blessed the Acadians' chapel and performed Christmas mass for them.
• Colonel Winslow, a British Army officer in charge of removing the Acadians from their land. Angélique described him as a "plump fellow."

Epilogue characters

• Cécile "Belle" Melanson was the first daughter of Angélique Richard and Jean-Baptiste Melanson. She was named after her aunt and had also inherited her blue eyes.
• François Daigle was the husband of Jehanne Melanson. He was a distant relative of Madeleine Richard.