M. 18 Jul 1724 in Montreal, New France2
Wife: Marie-Louise Bourg
D. 16 May 1777 in Montreal, New France3
During the years following the initial phase of the French colony in Canada, migration from France slowed to a trickle. No one was actively recruiting new people to settle there, so most of the fresh inhabitants were from a single source: the French military. And this was the case with Charles Pimparé dit Tourganeau, who came to America in the early 18th century.
Charles was born in Tours, France on April 6, 1696 to Pierre Pimparé and Anne Chaquenau.1 He was likely their first child, although Pierre had been married before and may have had other children. The Pimparé family lived in the St-Symphorien district, now a part of the larger city of Tours. It’s easy to imagine that Charles had an apprenticeship to learn the trade of weaving, which he took up later in life.4 When Charles came of age, he became a soldier, and found himself being shipped to Canada. This would change the course of his life.
The first known record of Charles was in Montreal on July 18, 1724, when he married Marie-Louise Bourg, a native of Charlesbourg, New France.2 It would appear that Marie-Louise was pregnant when they married because their first child was born a couple of months later.5 They went on to have a total of 15 children, six of whom died young.
At the time of his marriage, Charles was serving in the company of Constant le Marchand de Lignery.1 Lignery was involved in several campaigns of the Fox Wars as an effort to keep French control of fur trading in the Great Lakes area. It isn’t known how much Charles was present on these campaigns, but it’s almost certain that he saw some of the action. Lignery’s expeditions against the Meskwaki tribe (also called the Foxes) took place in the years 1716, 1722 and 1728. The fighting involved attacks on fortified native villages in present-day Wisconsin.6
At some point, Charles left the service and settled in Laval on Île Jésus,7 just north of Montreal. Along with farming, he also became a weaver during this time.4 Charles seems to have kept a low profile, only appearing in records as a witness in a couple of court cases. In October 1729, he testified at the trial of a man accused of killing three pigs belonging to another man.8 And in September 1745, he again testified in a trial of a man accused of “having made and distributed false navy orders.”4
October 1729 testimony showing Charles' signature.
Charles lived a long life in his adopted home, and he passed away in Montreal on May 16, 1777 at the age of 81.3 His wife Marie-Louise died two years later on October 6, 1779.9 There is a street today in Laval, Quebec called Rue Charles Pimpare. This may have been the area where he lived.
Children:
1. Marie-Louise Pimparé — B. 15 Sep 1724, New France;5 D. 10 Jan 1735, (probably) Île Jesus, New France10
2. Marie-Thérèse Pimparé — B. 17 Nov 1725, (probably) Île Jesus, New France;11 M. Louis Plichon (1719-?), 6 Nov 1747, Montreal, New France12
3. Charles Pimparé — B. 18 May 1727, (probably) Île Jesus, New France;13 D. 16 Aug 1728 (probably) Île Jesus, New France14
4. Charles Pimparé — B. 17 Oct 1728, (probably) Île Jesus, New France;15 D. 22 Apr 1730 (probably) Île Jesus, New France16
5. Jean-Baptiste Pimparé — B. 3 Feb 1731, (probably) Île Jesus, New France;17 D. 1 Apr 1808, Montreal Quebec;18 M. Jeanne Langevin dit Lacroix (1734-?), 7 Jan 1755, Montreal, New France19
6. Joseph-Amable Pimparé — B. 25 Oct 1732, Île Jesus, New France;20 D. 19 May 1808, St-Benoit, Quebec;21 M. Marie-Madeleine Langevin dit Lacroix (1735-?), 25 Nov 1754, Montreal, New France22
7. Jean-Augustin Pimparé — B. 5 Jul 1734, (probably) Île Jesus, New France;23 M. Marie-Charlotte Goulet, 24 Sep 1769, Lachenaie, Quebec24
8. Marie-Louise Pimparé — B. 15 Jul 1735, (probably) Île Jesus, New France;25 M. Denis-Joseph Mailly dit Couture (~1729-?), 4 Nov 1755, Montreal, New France26
9. Louis Pimparé — B. 18 Aug 1737, (probably) Île Jesus, New France;27 D. 8 Sep 1808, St-Martin, Quebec;28 M. (1) Marie-Thomas Boulard, 27 Aug 1764, Montreal, Quebec;29 (2) Marie-Louise Lavergne, 15 Oct 1781, Montreal, Quebec30
10. Marie-Françoise Pimparé — B. 24 May 1739, (probably) Île Jesus, New France;31 M. Basile Marois (1698-?), 4 Oct 1756, Fort Detroit, New France32
11. Baby Pimparé — B. 4 Oct 1740, (probably) Île Jesus, New France;33 D. 4 Oct 1740, (probably) Île Jesus, New France33
12. Marie-Anne Pimparé — B. 9 Dec 1741, (probably) Île Jesus, New France;34 M. Pierre Jacome, 21 Feb 1757, Montreal, Quebec35
13. Charles Pimparé —B. 8 May 1744, (probably) Île Jesus, New France;36 D. 25 May 1744, (probably) Île Jesus, New France37
14. Marie-Françoise Pimparé — B. 13 Apr 1746, (probably) Île Jesus, New France;38 D. 29 Apr 1746, (probably) Île Jesus, New France39
15. Marie-Charlotte Pimparé — B. 17 Nov 1747, (probably) Île Jesus, New France40
Sources:
1 Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Charles Pimparé Tourangeau
2 Marriage record of Charles Pimparé and Marie-Louise Bourg, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3 Burial record of Charles Pimparé, Q.C.P.R.
4 Trial agains Michel Senneville de Bussy, 5 Sep 1745, BAnQ
5 Baptismal record of Marie-Louise Pimparé (older), Q.C.P.R.
6 Constant le Marchand de Lignery (Wikipedia article)
7 Baptismal record of Joseph-Amable Pimparé, Q.C.P.R.
8 Trial between Charles Dazé and Athanase Gravel, 9 Oct 1729, BAnQ
9 Burial record of Marie-Louise Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
10 Baptismal record of Marie-Louise Pimparé (younger), Q.C.P.R.
11 Baptismal record of Marie-Therese Pimparé, Q.C.P.R.
12 Marriage record of Louis Plichon and Marie-Therese Pimparé, Q.C.P.R.
13 Baptismal record of Charles Pimparé (older), Q.C.P.R.
14 Burial record of Charles Pimparé (older), Q.C.P.R.
15 Baptismal record of Charles Pimparé (younger), Q.C.P.R.
16 Burial record of Charles Pimparé (younger), Q.C.P.R.
17 Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Pimparé, Q.C.P.R.
18 Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Pimparé, Q.C.P.R.
19 Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Pimparé and Jeanne Langevin dit Lacroix, Q.C.P.R.
20 Baptismal record of Joseph-Amable Pimparé, Q.C.P.R.
21 Burial record of Joseph-Amable Pimparé, Q.C.P.R.
22 Marriage record of Joseph-Amable Pimparé and Marie-Madeleine Langevin dit Lacroix, Q.C.P.R.
23 Baptismal record of Jean-Augustin Pimparé, Q.C.P.R.
24 Marriage record of Jean-Augustin Pimparé and Marie-Charlotte Goulet, Q.C.P.R.
25 Baptismal record of Marie-Louise Pimparé (younger), Q.C.P.R.
26 Marriage record of Denis-Joseph Mailly dit Couture and Marie-Louise Pimparé, Q.C.P.R.
27 Baptismal record of Louis Pimparé, Q.C.P.R.
28 Burial record of Louis Pimparé, Q.C.P.R.
29 Marriage record of Louis Pimparé and Marie-Thomas Boulard, Q.C.P.R.
30 Marriage record of Louis Pimparé and Marie-Louise Lavergne, Q.C.P.R.
31 Baptismal record of Marie-Françoise Pimparé (older), Q.C.P.R.
32 Marriage record of Basile Marois and Marie-Françoise Pimparé, Q.C.P.R.
33 Burial record of Baby Pimparé, Q.C.P.R.
34 Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Pimparé, Q.C.P.R.
35 Marriage record of Pierre Jacome and Marie-Anne Pimparé, Q.C.P.R.
36 Baptismal record of Charles Pimparé (younger), Q.C.P.R.
37 Burial record of Charles Pimparé (younger), Q.C.P.R.
38 Baptismal record of Marie-Françoise Pimparé (younger), Q.C.P.R.
39 Burial record of Marie-Françoise Pimparé (younger), Q.C.P.R.
40 Baptismal record of Marie-Charlotte Pimparé, Q.C.P.R.
