The Godin Family originated from the parish of Saint Vorle de Chatillonne-sur-Seines, France, where on May 17/1630, was born, one Pierre Godin.

He was a carpenter like his father, took part in "la grande recrue" , by Maisonneuve in 1653, to end up coming to Villemarie (Montreal).

Montreal is where he married, the following year, Jeanne Rousseliere, native of the city of Xaintes en Saintonge, France. They lived about 20 years in Montreal.

In 1675, he built the little chapel of Lachine and the following year, sold his property to Mathurin Thibodeau, to come and build a mill on the new "seigneurie" of the Sieur de La Valliere in Beaubassin, in Acadie.

He then went to settle in Port Royal where he died. His widow, re married Pierre Martin, widow who's first wife was an Indian. Pierre Martin was a "courreur de bois" who traded with the Malecites Indians of the Saint John river.

That is probably where Pierre Godin's son, Gabriel, learnt to speak such good indian. Gabriel followed in his step father's footsteps and came to settle in Pointe Ste Anne (Fredericton, NB) around 1690. He is recognized as the founder of that village, which later became the capital of New Brunswick.

Pierre took on the name of his native city, Chatillon, and his son Gabriel, Bellefontaine. Except for two of his sons, which kept the name Bellefontaine, the other 8 sons each took on the names, Bellefontaine, Beausejour, Boisjoli, Bellefeuille, Preville, Lincour and Valcour.

According to genealogist Adrien Bergeron, the father of the Godins of Caraquet, would be Jean Rene Godin dit Valcourt, which after the village of Pointe Sainte Anne was burnt down, imigrated to Cacouna, P.Q. It would be in that locality that he married Angelique Bergeron around 1762. His son Antoine dit Ambroise, married at L'Isle Verte ten years later, Angelique's sister, Madeleine Bergeron.

In 1779, Jean Baptiste sold his property in Cacouna, to go settle with his family at Riviere Saint Jean, on the ancestral property, with his brother Antoine.

But the tranquility period was short. The arrival in large numbers of the Loyalists in 1783, caused many problems for the Acadians established on the Saint John River. They had not yet obtained the official titles for their property, the newly arrived Loyalists caused them many problems.

Finally, after many petitions, the Governor Carleton, gave them the title for their lands. From one year to the other, they passed from a majority to a minority in an Anglo-Protestant environnement. It was specially the last reason which led them to choose to exile once again. They left and went to join the Acadians (Theriault and Pinet) along the northern New Brunswick rivers.

Jean Baptiste Godin and his brother Antoine, went to establish themselves in Caraquet, NB, around 1786, west of the "Grande Grant" now the village of Bertrand. They found in this last village the so sought after tranquility, and it ended finally the search for a country. They are the ancestors of the Godins' of Maisonnette, Petit Rocher, Pokemouche, Lameque, Tracadie Neguac, and Jacquet River.