M. about 1645 in (probably) Trois-Riviéres, New France2
Wife: Jeanne Aunois
D. about 1668 in Trois-Riviéres, New France3
People who lived in New France during its earliest years were under a nearly constant threat from the Iroquois. And for those who lived upriver from Quebec City, the odds of being met with violence were much greater. For Pierre Lefebvre, this meant being captured and held for months, not knowing if he would survive.
Pierre was born in the town of Sceaux, France to Pierre Lefebvre and Jeanne Cutiloup on October 20, 1623.1 After he came of age, he migrated to America, first appearing in records on April 11, 1643 as a trial witness at Trois-Riviéres.4 This would be where Pierre made his home, and on August 15, 1644, he received a grant of land from the governor. Sometime in the next couple years, he married a woman named Jeanne Aunois,2 and they had seven children born between 1647 and 1661.
Location of Trois-Rivières.
During the 1640s, Trois-Riviéres was on the frontier of New France. Located at the mouth of the Saint-Maurice River on the north shore of the St. Lawrence, the settlement was quite a distance west of Quebec City. The French needed places like this to expand the fur trade, but being so remote came with the tension of being outnumbered by Canada's indigenous tribes. They had a good relationship with the Hurons and others, but not with the Iroquois.
On July 14, 1648, Pierre was among some French and Hurons who were attacked by Iroquois while guarding cattle on the outskirts of Trois-Riviéres. Others rushed to their aid, but the attackers had already killed two men, and taken others prisoner, including Pierre. The frightened captives were led away, and Pierre was held for three months; his then-pregnant wife must have thought him dead. But in October, he returned home accompanied by one of the Iroquois. It isn't known why Pierre was released.4
1666 illustration showing an Iroquois with an Indigenous captive.
As time went on, more settlements developed along the St. Lawrence,4 and Trois-Rivières became a somewhat safer place. Pierre acquired several pieces of land in the area, including a tiny island at the mouth of the Saint-Maurice River only one-acre in size. In 1647, he was granted a large tract of land on the southern shore of the St. Lawrence, but the location was too remote to safely develop it at the time. A couple of years later, in 1650, Pierre acquired a lot in Trois-Riviéres with a house;4 it’s believed that he rented it out to tenants, and by the 1660s, the house had fallen into ruin.4 Pierre also owned land in Cap-de-la-Madeleine which he bought in 1656,4 and this may have been his family home.
After Pierre’s experience with the Iroquois, he appeared to show caution in dealing with them. He joined an effort to build a stockade around Trois-Rivières,5 and in 1652, when others went out seeking to confront the Iroquois, he chose to stay behind in town.5 Pierre was sometimes mentioned in Trois-Riviéres records involving civil matters. He was said to have served as “mayor” in 1658 and 1660,4 then in 1663, he was the church warden.4 The following year, he was on a panel of three men arbitrating a dispute between a priest and a habitant. And he was one of the people who helped build the church.4
In 1666, Pierre was given another piece of land in Cap-de-la-Madeleine by the Jesuits,4 but he only lived about another two years. He died in about 1668 while only in his 40s.3 His wife Jeanne remarried on October 12, 1670,4 and passed away in 1697.6 They were ancestors of Justin Bieber, Ricky Gervais and Emeril Lagasse.7
Children:
1. Jacques Lefebvre – B. 12 Jan 1647, Trois-Riviéres, New France;8 D. 19 Feb 1720, Baie-du-Febvre, New France;9 M. Marie Beaudry dit Lamarche (1650-1734), Trois-Riviéres, New France10
2. Marie-Catherine Lefebvre — B. 4 Dec 1648, Trois-Riviéres, New France;11 D. 30 Nov 1705, Batiscan, New France;12 M. Antoine Trottier (1640-1706), 2 Sep 1663, Cap-de-la-Madeleine, New France13
3. Élisabeth Lefebvre — B. 15 May 1651, Trois-Riviéres, New France;14 D. 30 Sep 1687, Batiscan, New France;15 M. (1) Felix Thunay dit Dufresne (1633-1683), 28 Dec 1665, Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec;16 (2) Jean Collet (1637-1699), 13 Jan 1687, Batiscan, New France17
4. Michel Lefebvre – B. 3 Mar 1654, Trois-Riviéres, New France;18 D. 21 Oct 1708, Trois-Riviéres, New France;19 M. Catherine-Marie Trottier (1669-1723), 3 Nov 1683, Champlain, New France20
5. Ignace Lefebvre — B. 3 Apr 1656, Trois-Riviéres, New France;21 D. 27 Mar 1740, Trois-Riviéres, New France;22 M. Marie Trottier (1667-1740), Champlain, New France23
6. Ange Lefebvre — B. 19 Sep 1658, Trois-Riviéres, New France;24 D. 25 Dec 1735, Becancour, New France;25 M. (1) Marie-Madeleine Cusson (1659-1720), about 1680, Champlain, New France;26 (2) Genevieve Guillet (1665-1741), 22 May 1724, Becancour, New France27
7. Pierre Lefebvre – B. 30 Sep 1661, Trois-Riviéres, New France;28 D. 3 Oct 1745, Trois-Riviéres, New France;29 M. Marie-Louise Daniau (1691-1764), 3 Sep 1731, Nicolet, New France30
Sources:
1 WikiTree listing of Pierre Lefebvre
2 Généalogie du Québec et d'Amérique française listing of Pierre Lefebvre
3 Testimony of witnesses against Jeanne Aunois (Pierre’s widow), January 1, 1669, BAnQ
4 Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1988
5 “The French Connection – Part 8 – Trois Riviers and Pierre Lefebvre,” Lighten up Brighten up (blog), 13 Aug 2014
6 Burial record of Jeanne Aunois, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
7 FamousKin listing of Pierre Lefebvre
8 Baptismal record of Jacques Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
9 Burial record of Jacques Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
10 Marriage record of Jacques Lefebvre and Marie Beaudry dit Lamarche, Q.C.P.R.
11 Baptismal record of Marie-Catherine Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
12 Burial record of Marie-Catherine Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
13 Marriage record of Antoine Trottier and Marie-Catherine Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
14 Baptismal record of Élisabeth Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
15 Burial record of Élisabeth Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
16 Marriage record of Felix Thunay dit Dufresne and Élisabeth Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
17 Marriage record of Jean Collett and Élisabeth Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
18 Baptismal record of Michel Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
19 Burial record of Michel Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
20 Marriage record of Michel Lefebvre and Catherine-Marie Trottier, Q.C.P.R.
21 Baptismal record of Ignace Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
22 Burial record of Ignace Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
23 Marriage record of Ignace Lefebvre and Marie Trottier, Q.C.P.R.
24 Baptismal record of Ange Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
25 Burial record of Ange Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
26 Marriage record of Ange Lefebvre and Marie-Madeleine Cusson, Q.C.P.R.
27 Marriage record of Ange Lefebvre and Genevieve Guillet, Q.C.P.R.
28 Baptismal record of Pierre Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
29 Burial record of Pierre Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
30 Marriage record of Pierre Lefebvre and Marie-Louise Daniau, Q.C.P.R.
