M. 19 Oct 1661 in Quebec City, New France
Husband: Michel Baugis
D. 5 Mar 1721 in Beauport, New France
The records don’t seem to tell the whole story of Madeleine Dubois, who came to the colony of New France on her own, then got pregnant by a man she met after arrival. What caused her to leave France? And why did she have a baby with a man she didn’t marry?
Madeleine was born in La Rochelle, France in about 1640 to Isaac Dubois and Anne Richer. Isaac was a "master wool comber." She had at least two sisters, neither of whom came to America. In 1661, Madeleine traveled on her own to New France, offering herself as a marriageable woman. It’s likely that she was recruited by someone looking to populate the colony; this was a couple of years before the Filles du Roi migration began. Madeleine probably had some challenges in life because this was such a drastic step for a French woman — to leave behind her family, her homeland, and civilization for an unknown future.
Not long after landing at Quebec, she seems to have gotten involved with a man named Jean Royer, and this led to a pregnancy. There is no way of knowing if this was a consensual relationship, but there is no information that it wasn’t. For some reason, her condition didn’t result in a trip to the altar with Royer, and Madeleine decided to marry someone else. Royer went on to marry another woman, Marie Targer, who arrived in New France two years later. He would have seven children with his wife, but died in 1675 at the age of 40.
The man Madeleine did marry was Michel Baugis, and their wedding took place at his home in Beauport on October 19th. Madeleine gave birth to the baby fathered by Royer on February 7, 1662, but the child took the name of her step-father, Baugis. Michel and Madeleine went on to have six children of their own born between 1663 and 1679. They settled in Beauport and were listed in the 1681 census as having "30 arpents of land under cultivation."
Record of Madeleine's marriage to Michel Baugis.
A curious lawsuit appeared in the court records of New France naming Madeleine as being accused of slander. Her insults had been supposedly directed at a woman named Marie Leblanc. The ruling went against Madeleine, and she was forced to “ask forgiveness” of Leblanc. Another accusation in the records claimed that the apology wasn’t strong enough, but this charge was dismissed.
In 1711, Madeleine and her husband Michel drew up a document that signed their property over to a grandson in return for having him care for them in their old age. Michel died on November 26, 1717 and Madeleine passed away March 5, 1721. She was the ancestor of Dan Aykroyd and Mark Wahlberg.
Child by Jean Royer:
1. Marie-Madeleine Baugis — B. 7 Feb 1662, Quebec City, New France; D. 23 Mar 1743, Beauport, New France; M. Jacques Menard dit Deslauriers (~1638-1716), 28 Nov 1680, Beauport, New France
Children by Michel Baugis:
1. Jean Baugis — B. 10 Aug 1663, Quebec City, New France; D. 17 Oct 1720, Beauport, New France; M. Jeanne-Thérèrse Parent (1673-1767), 11 Jan 1689, Beauport, New France
2. Marguerite Baugis — B. 11 Jul 1666, Beauport, New France; D. 22 Apr 1737, Beauport, New France; M. Pierre Parent (1660-1715), 23 Nov 1683, Beauport, New France
3. Marie-Anne Baugis — B. 27 Feb 1669, Beauport, New France; D. 23 Jan 1748, Beauport, New France; M. Pierre Choret (1662-1736), 21 Jan 1686, Beauport, New France
4. Louise Baugis — B. 22 Nov 1672, Beauport, New France; D. 8 Dec 1672, Beauport, New France
5. Jeanne-Marie Baugis — B. about 1675, (probably) Beauport, New France; D. 22 Nov 1760, Quebec City, New France; M. François Langlois (1673-1748), 17 Sep 1696, Beauport, New France
6. Michel Baugis — B. about 1679, Beauport, New France; D. 14 May 1756, Lachine, New France; M. (1) Angélique Senard (1683-1703), 9 Nov 1699, Beauport New France; (2) Marie Miville (1665-1726), 2 Jun 1704, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France; (3) Marguerite Perrier (~1677-1755), 2 Dec 1726, Lachine, New France
Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
Before the King's Daughters: The Filles à Marier, 1634-1662, Peter J. Gagné, 2002
Fichier Origine for Madeleine Dubois
Godbout — Racicot / LeBeauf — LaHaye (website)
