M. 15 Nov 1694 in Montreal, New France
Wife: Catherine Brunet
D. 16 Aug 1722 in Lachine, New France
When an Indigenous person was guilty of a crime in the colony of New France, the fear of retaliation by the person’s tribe often prevented true justice. Such was the case following the murder of Honoré Danis.
Honoré was born in Montreal on October 30, 1669 to Honoré Danis dit Tourangeau and Perrine LaPierre. His father was an early settler in Montreal and his mother was a Fille du Roi. Honoré had a twin sister named Catherine and nine other siblings. He also had two half-brothers from his father’s earlier marriage. Honoré’s father was 45-years-old when he was born, and he died in 1690.
On November 15, 1694, Honoré married Catherine Brunet, the 13-year-old daughter of a man involved in the fur trade. Brides of that age were fairly common in Montreal, but often a young girl stayed in her parents’ household for a year or two before sharing a bed with their husband. Honoré and Catherine’s first child was born in 1698, and by 1711, they had six more. The family moved to Lachine in around 1700 where Honoré made a living as a carpenter.
On November 15, 1694, Honoré married Catherine Brunet, the 13-year-old daughter of a man involved in the fur trade. Brides of that age were fairly common in Montreal, but often a young girl stayed in her parents’ household for a year or two before sharing a bed with their husband. Honoré and Catherine’s first child was born in 1698, and by 1711, they had six more. The family moved to Lachine in around 1700 where Honoré made a living as a carpenter.
There are records of three court cases involving Honoré during this time. The first was dated December 24, 1694 when he sued a man named Claude Robillard for “damage cause by a defective wheat thrasher.” The second trial happened in early 1712 with another man, Pierre Raimbault, charging Honoré with being delinquent on a payment for some land. The third court record was from June 30, 1720; he was one of three men who were each ordered to build 24 feet of a rough fence on the property of a woman referred to as “widow Danis.”
The events that took Honoré’s life began on the evening of August 14, 1722 when five Mohawks living at Sault-Saint-Louis bought some brandy from Lachine settlers. Sault-Saint-Louis was a Jesuit mission on the southern shore of the St. Lawrence River populated by Mohawks who had converted to Christianity. It was said that after the five men became intoxicated on the brandy, they got into a fight with some French residents of Lachine, and among them was Honoré, who ended up dead as a result.
Mission Sault-Saint-Louis.
The five Mohawks were arrested, but a group of tribal leaders came to the place where they were being held and demanded their release. The situation was tense, because punishing the men who killed Honoré could lead to a violent reaction from their tribe. The governor in charge agreed to let them go as long as they would “stay in their village” from then on. The governor then decided to prosecute the French settlers who had sold liquor to the Mohawks, which was against the law. Two men, three women and a 14-year-old boy were tried in court, and two of them, Charles and Angeliqué LeDuc, were found guilty and fined 500 livres.
Many years later, Honoré’s widow Catherine remarried to a man at Fort Frontenac. It isn’t known when she died.
Children:
1. Marguerite Danis — B. 23 Jan 1698, Montreal, New France; D. 10 Aug 1784, Laval, Quebec; M. Charles-François Raymond (1697-1746), 24 Nov 1721
2. Jean-Baptiste Danis — B. 7 Feb 1701, Lachine, New France; D. 14 Mar 1701, Lachine, New France
3. Marie-Catherine Danis — B. 19 May 1702, Lachine, New France; D. 21 Aug 1739, Montreal, New France; M. Jean Custeau (1699-1769), 11 Sep 1724, Montreal, New France
4. Jean-Baptiste Danis — B. 21 Apr 1704, Lachine, New France
5. Marie-Anne Danis — B. 4 Sep 1706, Lachine, New France
6. Jean-François — B. 8 Jul 1709, Lachine, New France; D. 14 Jan 1731, Montreal, New France
7. Marie-Josephe Danis — B. 1711, Lachine, New France; D. 1732, Montreal, New France; M. Jean-Baptiste Chabot (1701-1771), 23 Jan 1732, Montreal, New France
Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
L'autre Marie Morin: une femme abandonnée en Nouvelle-France 1667-1748, Marcel Myre, 2004
