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Noblesse. From his position in the Council, d'Amours was naturally an influential personage, and, like many a modern public man, he used his power to promote the fortunes of his sons. They all received large grants of land in Acadia, and they all resided on the St. John River where they had very extensive possessions. Louis d'Amours, who assumed the territorial name of Sieur des Chauffours had a grant of the Richibucto and Buctouche Rivers, but he afterwards became possessed of the Jemseg seigniory which had been granted to Joibert. Rene d'Amours, Sieur de Clignacourt, in 1684, obtained a grant of land on the River St. John from Medoctec to the Longue Sault, two leagues in depth on each side. In the same year Mathieu d'Amours, Sieur de Freneuse, was granted the land along the River St. John between Gemesick and Nachouc, two leagues deep on each side of the river. In 1695 Bernard d'Amours, Sieur de Plenne received a grant of the Kennebecasis River "with a league and a half on each side of the said river, by two leagues in depth, and the islands and islets adjucent." Six years earlier the same territory had been granted to Pierre Chesnet, Sieur du Breuil, a resident of Port Royal, but this grant seems to have lapsed because the conditions as to settlement had not been complied with. At all events Bernard d'Amours got the territory which du Breuil had possessed and the latter did not come to this side of the Bay of Fundy.

The four brothers d'Amours may be properly regarded as the first settlers on the River St. John who were not officers of the government. Governor Villebon found them here when he came to Acadia in 1690, and he appears to have conceived a strong prejudice against them. Writing to the minister in Paris in 1695 he complains of the brothers d'Amours, whom he calls soi disants genteil hommes. He says,—"They are four