M. 31 Dec 1657 in France
Wife: Marie Blanquet
D. about 1680 in (probably) France
Jean Leclerc was an early settler of Île d'Orléans, New France who returned to his home country and died there while in the prime of life. He was born in Dieppe, Normandy in August 1635, and was baptized on August 24th. His parents were Jean Leclerc and Perette Brunell, and they were known to have had four children. On December 31, 1657, Jean married Marie Blanquet, and in 1659, she gave birth to a son, Pierre.
It’s believed that soon after, Jean took his wife and child to settle in New France. His father-in-law, Adrien Blanquet, may have come with them, or had moved there already. Jean and Adrien acquired land together on August 10, 1662 with land grants in Saint-Pierre on the Île d'Orléans. The French were interested in having young men like Jean make their homes on the island to help support and populate New France. Jean and Marie added to the population by having eight more children, born between 1660 and 1674.
Marker indicating location of Jean's land in St-Pierre. (Source: Robert Johnson)
Everything seemed to be going well for Jean and his family. By 1678, he had land in Cap-Saint-Ignace with 8 arpents of river frontage. In addition to farming, he worked as a boot maker. Then in about 1679 or 1680, he returned to France. It was noted on the marriage contract of his daughter Anne that her father was absent. A year later, his wife is listed in a census record as a widow, and since there is no record of his death in New France, it’s believed that he died in his home country, or possibly at sea. His wife remained a widow for the rest of her life, dying in 1709. They were the ancestors of Ricky Gervais and Emeril Lagasse.
Children:
1. Pierre Leclerc — B. 27 Jan 1659, Normandy, France; D. 25 Jan 1736, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France; M. Élisabeth-Isabelle Rondeau (1670-1746), 7 Feb 1690, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France
2. Marguerite Leclerc — B. 26 Dec 1660, New France; D. 8 May 1729, Île d’Orleans, New France; M. Clément Ruelle (1654-1709), 22 Nov 1677, Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France
3. Jean Leclerc — B. 20 Mar 1663, Château-Richer, New France; D. 8 Dec 1699,
4. Anne Leclerc — B. 17 Sep 1664, Château-Richer, New FranceSt-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France; M. Jacques Bouffard (1654-?), 5 Mar 1680, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France
5. Nicole-Marie Leclerc — B. 27 Apr 1666, Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France; D. 18 May 1668, New France
6. Jean-Charles Leclerc — B. 5 May 1668, Château-Richer, New France; D. 30 Sep 1749, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France; M. Marguerite Baucher, 5 Mar 1696, Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France
7. Adrien Leclerc — B. 23 Oct 1670, Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France; D. 31 Jan 1746, Charlesbourg, New France; M. Geneviéve Paridis (1679-1772), 9 Nov 1694, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France
8. Marie-Madeleine Leclerc — B.9 Jul 1672, Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France; D. 24 Oct 1702, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France; M. René Pelletier (1659-1713), 5 Nov 1691, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France
9. Martin Leclerc — B. 27 Mar 1674, Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France; D. 7 Mar 1703, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France
Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
Association des Familles Leclerc
