Roma, Jean-Pierre (1734,1750) (Entrepreneur and proprietor). Letters and reports to the Minister of the Marine: 1734: 19 September. Sommaire du pro/er de l’entreprise de la Compagnie de l’is/e Saint Jean. [PAC, AC, C“B, Vol. 16, fols. 166-167v and 173-76.] 1750: 11 March to 14 May. [PAC, AC, CHB, Vol. 29, fols. 370-376v]

Jean-Pierre Roma (fl. 7775-5 7) spent almost all of the fourteen years from 7732 to 1746 on lie Saint-Jean, mostly based at Trois Rivieres (at the present Brudene/l Point), the headquarters of the Company of the East of lle Saint- Jean, of which he was at first one of four partners, and from 7 737 the sole proprietor. The company had been given a proprietorial grant of all of the lands fronting the three rivers now known as the Montague, the Brudene/l and the Cardigan. Roma thus knew intimately not only the Brudenel/ area but much of the island east of Port La-Joie. In 7734, as part of the evidence submitted to the government during a dispute with his partners in France, he prepared a detailed statement on all of the ’works’ that he had carried out for the company at Brudene/l and St. Peters (where the company had a fishing base), and of his road-making (real/y trails) in the eastern part of the island. Although it includes very detailed descriptions of the various procedures associated with forest clearance, unfortunately there are only a few references to particular tree species or specific areas. After the burning of the Brudenel/ settlement by forces from New England in 7745, he left the island for Quebec in 1746, where he stayed for three years before leaving for the West Indies in 7749, where he hoped to build up capital to enable him to re-estab/ish his settlement at Trois Rivieres. It was from there that in 1750 he submitted a detailed proposal for the development of lie Sain t- Jean which contains among many other things the most complete list of tree species to survive from the French period. However his plan was not accepted by the French government and he was never to see the island again.

REFERENCES:

Clark, A. H. (1959) Three Centuries and the Island. University of Toronto Press. p. 27.

Coleman, Margaret. (1974) Roma, Jean-Pierre. Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Ill: 566-67.

Harvey, D. C. (1926) The French Regime in Prince Edward Island. Yale University Press. pp. 73-93.

Maclean, Jill. (1977) Jean Pierre Home of the Company of the East of Isle St. Jean. P.E.|. Heritage Foundation.

1734: 19 September

Sommaire du Projet de l’entreprise de la Compagnie de l’lsle Saint Jean.

P' 0' 9e proposition accessoire épargner la moitié du prix de la matiere des planches me W09 8 at an les faisant scier dans les pinieres des trois rivieres par des attelies de scie qu'on

Three R/vers. , engage pour | hyver [fol. 166]

La 9e propo. a eté remplie par le sciage de planches qu’il a fait faire l’hyver dernier. (fol. 167v] [PAC, AC, C”B, Vol. 16, fols. 166-167v]

Travaux de l'Etablissement de la Compagnie de l'lsle St. Jean depuis le 18 juin 1732 jusqu'au 18 aoust 1734.

Forest clearance Travaux: Défriché le Cap dans une longueur de 1700. pieds sur une largeur (la plus at ’the point" grande) de 1200. pieds.

Facons: Couper les arbres, les ebrancher, consommer les branches par le feu, choisir les arbres qui pouvoient étre de quelque utilite’, les transporter en lieu convenable par des passages extremement embarassés, diviser le reste, en transporter les parties, ou pour en conserver cequi étoit bon a bruler dans la maison ou pour consommer sur le champ cequi faisoit trop d’embaras et a l’effet aussy de se donner de la place.

lfol. 173]

86