M. (1) before 1665 in France1
Husband: Paul Houdan
M. (2) 15 Nov 1665 in Beauport, New France2
Husband: Étienne Dauphin
M. (3) 10 Aug 1694 in Beauport, New France3
Husband: Pierre Chaignon
D. 9 Feb 1729 in Quebec City, New France4
From the records of early New France, we know that Marie-Charlotte Morin once had an encounter with a man that turned violent, an incident which left her needing medical treatment.
Charlotte was born in Paris to François Morin and Charlotte Roulant in about 1646.1 Nothing else is known of her family. While still a teen, Charlotte married a man named Paul Houdan, who soon left her widowed.1 In order to get a fresh start, she signed up in 1665 to become a Fille du Roi,1 an arrangement where the French Crown paid women to migrate to New France in exchange for a promise to take a husband there.
Soon after her ship landed in Quebec City, Charlotte made a match with a man named Étienne Dauphin, and on November 15, 1665, they got married in Beauport.2 Neither of them could sign their names. Some have said that Étienne was a soldier in the Carignan Regiment, but this can’t be true if he was free to get married that year. Charlotte and Étienne settled at Beauport and had eight children born between 1666 and 1682.
Soon after her ship landed in Quebec City, Charlotte made a match with a man named Étienne Dauphin, and on November 15, 1665, they got married in Beauport.2 Neither of them could sign their names. Some have said that Étienne was a soldier in the Carignan Regiment, but this can’t be true if he was free to get married that year. Charlotte and Étienne settled at Beauport and had eight children born between 1666 and 1682.
Charlotte's marriage to Étienne.
Court records show that in 1688, Charlotte “got into a dispute” with their landlord, Jean de Rainville.1 There was some physical violence inflicted on Charlotte by the man, and she was beaten badly enough that she had to go to Quebec City for treatment, staying with Abel Sagot dit LaForge. The dispute likely involved the lease agreement between Étienne and de Rainville, which had been set up by de Rainville’s father. The matter was settled out of court with de Rainville paying Étienne 135 livres for “the land he had already sown,” and also footing the bill for Charlotte’s medical expenses from the beating.
Étienne died after a short illness at Hôtel-Dieu in Quebec City on August 31, 1693.5 Charlotte married a third husband, Pierre Chaignon on August 10, 1694;3 they had no children, and he died November 19, 1708.6 Charlotte lived to the advanced age of 83, and she died on February 9, 1729 at Hôtel-Dieu.4 She was buried the following day. Charlotte was the ancestor of Tom Bergeron.
Children (all by Étienne Dauphin):
1. René Dauphin — B. about Oct 1666, Beauport, New France;7 D. 13 Mar 1742, Quebec City, New France;8 M. Susanne Gignard (1667-1736), 22 Apr 1686, Beauport, New France9
2. Marie Dauphin — B. about Feb 1668, Beauport, New France;10 D. 29 Sep 1685, Beauport, New France;11 M. Jean Giroux (1664-1733), 19 Feb 1685, Beauport, New France12
3. Étienne Dauphin — B. about Jan 1670, Beauport, New France;13 D. 19 Apr 1691, Quebec City, New France14
4. Michel Dauphin — B. about Dec 1671, Beauport, New France;15 D. before 1681, Montmorency, New France16
5. Marie Dauphin — B. about Oct 1673, Beauport, New France17
6. Marie-Therese Dauphin — B. 8 Sep 1674, Beauport, New France;18 D. May 1732, Beauport, New France;19 M. Toussaint Giroux (1672-1750), 15 Nov 1690, Beauport, New France20
7. Jean Dauphin — B. about 1678, (probably) Montmorency, New France;16 D. 24 Nov 1714, Montmorency, New France;21 M. Jeanne-Ursule Gelly Laverdure (1683-?), 14 Jul 1701, New France22
8. Marie-Catherine Dauphin — B. Dec 1682, Beauport, New France;23 D. Dec 1682, Beauport, New France24
Sources:
1 King’s Daughters and Founding Mothers: the Filles du Roi, 1663-1672, Peter J. Gagné, 2001
2 Marriage record of Étienne Dauphin and Marie-Charlotte Morin, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3 Marriage record of Pierre Chaignon and Marie-Charlotte Morin, Q.C.P.R.
4 Burial record of Marie-Charlotte Morin, Q.C.P.R.
5 Burial record of Étienne Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
6 Burial record of Pierre Chaignon, Q.C.P.R.
7 Baptismal record of René Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
8 Burial record of René Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
9 Marriage record of René Dauphin and Susanne Gignard, Q.C.P.R.
10 Baptismal record of Marie Dauphin (older), Q.C.P.R.
11 Burial record of Marie Dauphin (older), Q.C.P.R.
12 Marriage record of Jean Giroux and Marie Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
13 Baptismal record of Étienne Dauphin (younger), Q.C.P.R.
14 Burial record of Étienne Dauphin (younger), Q.C.P.R.
15 Baptismal record of Michel Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
16 Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
17 Baptismal record of Marie Dauphin (younger), Q.C.P.R.
18 Baptismal record of Marie-Therese Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
19 Burial record of Marie-Therese Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
20 Marriage record of Toussaint Giroux and Marie-Therese Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
21 Burial record of Jean Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
22 Marriage record of Jean Dauphin and Jeanne-Ursule Gelly, Q.C.P.R.
23 Baptismal record of Marie-Catherine Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
24 Burial record of Marie-Catherine Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
