Pierre TABUTEAU, born in December 1739, was the son of Pierre, a cooper ('tonnelier') of Angeac-Charente, and of Jeanne DEBAUD. He did not marry at Angeac. No further trace of him could be found.

There was a Pierre in a list of Tabuteaus who embarked at Nantes, bound for Léogane in Saint-Domingue, with his wife and five children. There did not seem to be any connection between the two Pierres, as this one was listed as a merchant draper ('marchand drapier'). However when the record of the marriage of this second Pierre was located, he was found to be a native Angeac: his parents were Pierre, a cooper and Jeanne DEBAUD - he was the missing Pierre!

The names of his children, as recorded in the baptismal register of the parish of St Saturnin, Nantes, are: Périnne-Félicité, baptised 10 May 1772; Antoine-René, baptised 12 April 1775; Jean-Baptiste, baptised 10 December 1777; Louise-Françoise, baptised 12 June 1779; and also in Nantes but in the parish of St Similien, Jean-Marie Antoine, baptised 16 February 1783.

Pierre was 29 years old when he married Catherine MORIN and he was 48 when he left for the West Indies with his family. The baptismal records of his children list him as a cooper ('tonnelier') in 1772; as a navy cooper ('tonnelier marin') absent because he was at sea ('de voyage') in 1777; cooper ('tonnelier') at sea in 1779; and in 1783, navy cooper absent in the service of the King ('tonnelier marin'). Yet this same Pierre TABUTEAU, who left with his family from Nantes for Léogane on the Duc de Normandie on 29 septembre 1787, was listed at that time on the passenger list as a mercer ('mercer').

How are the occupations of navy cooper and mercer related? While they may seem to be unrelated, there is a logical explanation. In those days, barrels or casks, were the perfect means of transporting goods over long distances: they were strong, almost unbreakable, and secure against pilfering. Barrels were used extensively. Barrels served not only to transport liquids, such as fresh water, wines and spirits, but also solids, such as salted meats, smoked fish, grain, beans, and also all sorts of goods that were difficult to package: grape-shot, nails, knives in bulk, crockery. In short everything that was susceptible to breakage, damage or theft, could be put into barrels. Indeed it was in barrels that molasses and raw sugar came from the West-Indies.

Each ship had on board at least one cooper. He was listed as a member of the crew. He was well paid since the successful delivery of the merchandise on board depended on his professional ability to keep the barrels in good condition, open them and put them back together again.

Pierre TABUTEAU, as a 'tonnelier marin', was a very skilled craftsman. He had sailed on the high seas as is known from the records, from 1777 to 1783, and probably even longer. In 1783 he was sailing in the service of the king, probably on vessels transporting troops or personnel to the Antilles. His name may yet be found on the roll of crewmembers, somewhere in some archival document.

Pierre TABUTEAU, was therefore, familiar with the colonial traffic and knew the opportunities open to colonists, but he probably lacked the substantial capital necessary to invest to establish himself on a plantation. Jobs such as superintendent, bookkeeper, or overseer ('contre-maître') did not pay much and were not held in very high esteem.

Another way to establish oneself independently was to set up a business. Before leaving Nantes, our emigrant bought a 'pacotille', that is, he brought with him goods to be resold on arrival at a profit. This was a common procedure at the time for prospective emigrants. It was necessary to provide the colony with the articles they needed and did not produce. Fabrics of all types and varying quality were most sought after, as well as crockery and utensils, paper and stationery, pens, furniture, silk, ribbons, perfume – from useful to luxury items. A cargo of fabrics was definitely a safe and profitable investment. Catherine could be in charge of selling or otherwise disposing of the stock and Pierre could establish himself in a successful business as a cooper.

They established themselves in Bainet, a small port on the under side of the southern coast of Saint-Domingue, not far from Léogane on the upper side, the port where they had disembarked.