Noel Doiron

Noël Doiron (Port-Royal, 1684 – December 13, 1758) was a leader of the Acadians, renown for the decisions he made during the Deportation of the Acadians. Doiron was deported on a vessel named the Duke William (1758). The sinking of the Duke William was one of the worst marine disasters in Canadian history. The captain of the Duke William, William Nichols, described Noel Doiron as the "head prisoner" on board the ship and as the "father" to all the Acadians on Ile St. Jean (present-day Prince Edward Island).

Second only to Evangeline, the most well known Acadian story of the Victorian era was that of Noel Doiron. For his "noble resignation" and self-sacrifice aboard the Duke William, Doiron was celebrated in popular print throughout the 19th century in England and America. Doiron also is the namesake of the village Noel, Nova Scotia and the surrounding communities of Noel Shore, East Noel (also known as Densmore Mills), Noel Road and North Noel Road.

Noel Doiron was born at Port Royal, Acadia but he lived most of his childhood at Pisiquid in the Parish of St. Famille (present day Falmouth, Nova Scotia).

During Queen Anne's War, Noel Doiron was taken as a prisoner of war to Boston by Colonel Benjamin Church. In February 1704, New France orchestrated a raid on Deerfield, Massachusetts. During the raid, New England prisoners were taken back to Quebec. One of the prisoners taken was John Williams. Five months later Church was sent to Acadia to retaliate for the raid and to capture prisoners to ransom the release of those taken in Quebec. In June 1704, Church came from Boston with 17 vessels and 550 men. He torched Acadian hamlets in an expedition that raided Grand Pré, Pisiguit, and Beaubassin. When Church returned to New England, he boasted that only five dwellings remained in all Acadia. He also took 45 prisoners, two of which were Noel Doiron, age 20, and his future wife Marie Henry.

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