Father of Fur Traders and Adventurers — Pierre Chauvin

B. 17 May 1635 in St-Vion, Sarthe, France¹
M. 16 Sep 1658 in Montreal, New France²
Wife: Marie-Marthe Autreuil
D. 4 Aug 1699 in Montreal, New France³

There may be something genetic behind the desire to be out on the frontier, because Pierre Chauvin had a multitude of sons who went to remote places. Perhaps it was a macho thing, or even a competitiveness among brothers, but it's possible that their attitude originated from their immigrant father Pierre.

Pierre was born on May 17, 1635 in St-Vion, Sarthe, France to René Chauvin and Catherine Avard De Solsne.¹ Little is known about his beginnings, except for that he learned to operate a mill,⁴ and because of this skill, he was recruited to migrate to New France. On April 4, 1653, he agreed to a contract to spend five years helping to settle the new town of Montreal as a part of an effort called Le Grand Recrue.⁵ Besides being a miller, he must have been healthy and strong, because he was expected to work clearing the wilderness to develop the settlement.

Monument depicting the arrival of Montreal settlers in 1653.

Pierre and about 100 other French men, along with a few French women, landed at Montreal on November 16th.⁵ The following year, he received a grant of land where he built his home.⁶ On September 16, 1658, he took a wife, Marie-Marthe Autreuil.² They had their first child, a daughter, in 1662,⁷ followed by eleven more born over the next 22 years. Two died young and another died at age 15, but the rest went on to lead full lives.

Pierre’s house was constructed of logs and had two stories; his property, land and possessions were said to be worth about 4,000 livres,⁸ a decent amount of wealth. Near the end of his life, Pierre made out his will from a hospital bed in Montreal.⁸ In the will, which was dated July 28, 1699, he bequeathed a horse to his son Jacques, and the offspring of that horse to son Louis as soon as it was born. His death came on August 4th of that year;³ his wife survived him and handled his estate before moving to Saint-François on the Île Jesus, where she died in 1714.⁹ Pierre was the ancestor of Tyrone Power.

Even while Pierre was still alive, his children started venturing out west. Oldest son Gilles was a fur trader who was on several rugged expeditions into Illinois country during the 1680s and 1690s.⁸ Sons Jacques, Joseph, and Nicolas all settled in Mobile (present-day Alabama), and later in Louisiana.⁶ The three went on an expedition to Texas in 1716.¹⁰ Son Joseph was said to be killed by Indians at Natchez in 1732.¹¹ Besides Pierre’s sons, his daughter Michelle married a man who took her to the Illinois country, but sadly she was killed by Indians at Kaskaskia along with her husband and three of their children.¹¹

A possible nickname

There is confusion about whether or not Pierre acquired the nickname “Le Grand Pierre.” The name had a bit of flair to it, suggesting Pierre had a status among his peers. But one source has claimed this was a different man who had the name "Pierre Cauvin," so this may not be a part of his story at all.⁶

Children:
1. Marie-Marthe Chauvin — B. 17 Jan 1662, Montreal, New France;⁷ D. 11 Feb 1728, Maskinongé, New France;¹² M. (1) Nicolas Baron dit Lupien (1645-1697), 16 Nov 1676, Montreal, New France;¹³ (2) Jean-Baptiste Fleury (1684-1768), 29 Apr 1706, Trois-Riviéres, New France¹⁴

2. Jean Chauvin — B. about 1664, Montreal, New France;¹⁵ D. before 1667, (probably) Montreal, New France¹⁶

3. Pierre Chauvin — B. Nov 1663, Montreal, New France;¹⁶ D. young¹¹

4. Barbe-Therese Chauvin — B. 18 Oct 1665, Montreal, New France;¹⁷ D. 19 Feb 1732, Montreal, New France;¹⁸ M. Ignace Hubert dit LaCroix (1656-?), 20 May 1687, Boucherville, New France¹⁹

5. Gilles Chauvin — B. 1 Jun 1665, Montreal, New France;²⁰ M. (1) Marie-Madeleine Cabazier (1674-1699), 21 Jan 1697, Montreal, New France;²¹ (2) Angelique Guyon (1683-1731), 24 Nov 1700, Montreal, New France²²

6. Michelle Chauvin — B. 21 May 1670, Montreal, New France;²³ D. 22 Jun 1722, Kaskaksia, New France;²⁴ M. Jacques Nepveu (1663-1722), 24 Oct 1695, Montreal, New France²⁵

7. Jacques Chauvin — B. 17 May 1672, Montreal, New France;²⁶ D. 1729, Louisiana;²⁷ M. Marie-Anne LaVergne, Post Mobile, New France²⁷

8. Joseph Chauvin de Léry — B. Apr 1674, Montreal, New France;²⁸ D. 19 Aug 1732, Natchez, Louisiana;²⁹ M. (1) Hypolite Mercier, 1709, Fort Louis, Post Mobile, Louisiana;²⁹ (2) Françiose-Laurence LeBlanc (~1713-1763), 27 May 1726, New Orleans, Louisiana²⁹

9. Nicolas Chauvin de LaFreniere — B. 19 Jan 1676, Montreal, New France;³⁰ D. 24 Jul 1749, New Orleans, Louisiana;³¹ M. Marguerite LaSueur (1699-?), Aug 1724³²

10. Louis Chauvin de Beaulieu — B. 17 Feb 1678, Montreal, New France;³³ D. 30 Jan 1730, Metairie, Louisiana;³⁴ M. Charlotte Orbanne Durel³⁴

11. Paul Chauvin dit Montpasir — B. 20 Feb 1680, Montreal, New France;³⁵ D. 4 Aug 1699, Montreal, New France³⁶

12. Jean-Baptiste Chauvin — B. 13 Jun 1684, Montreal, New France³⁷

Sources:
1    Généalogie du Québec et d'Amérique française listing of Pierre Chauvin
2    Marriage record of Pierre Chauvin and Marthe Autreuil Le H’Autreaux, Quebec, Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Burial record of Pierre Chauvin, Q., C. P. R.
4    Fichier origine listing of Pierre Chauvin
5    “Le Grande Recrue de 1653,” Louisiana Lineage (website)
6    WikiTree listing of Pierre Chauvin
7    Baptismal record of Marie-Marthe Chauvin, Q., C. P. R.
8    Dictionnaire Biographique desAncêtres Québécois, Vol. 1, p. 415
9    Burial record of Marthe Autreuil Le H’Autreaux, Q., C. P. R.
10  “The Chauvin Brothers: Early Colonists of Louisiana,” Gary B. Mills, Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association, Vol. 15, No. 2 (Spring, 1974), p. 123-124
11  The Family of Pierre Chauvin & Wife Marthe Autreuil Le H’Autreaux, Sadie Greening Sparks, 18 Oct 2000
12  Burial record of Marie-Marthe Chauvin, Q., C. P. R.
13  Marriage record of Nicolas Baron dit Lupien and Marie-Marthe Chauvin, Q., C. P. R.
14  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Fleury and Marie-Marthe Chauvin, Q., C. P. R.
15  Recensement de 1666 en Nouvelle-France
16  Recensement de 1667 en Nouvelle-France
17  Baptismal record of Barbe-Therese Chauvin, Q., C. P. R.
18  Burial record of Barbe-Therese Chauvin, Q., C. P. R.
19  Marriage record of Ignace Hubert dit LaCroix and Marie-Marthe Chauvin, Q., C. P. R.
20  Baptismal record of Gilles Chauvin, Q., C. P. R.
21  Marriage record of Gilles Chauvin and Marie-Madeleine Cabazier, Q., C. P. R.
22  Marriage record of Gilles Chauvin and Angelique Guyon, Q., C. P. R.
23  Baptismal record of Michelle Chauvin, Q., C. P. R.
24  Généalogie du Québec et d'Amérique française listing of Michelle Chauvin
25  Marriage record of Jacques Nepveu and Michelle Chauvin, Q., C. P. R.
26  Baptismal record of Jacques Chauvin, Q., C. P. R.
27  Généalogie du Québec et d'Amérique française listing of Jacques Chauvin
28  Baptismal record of Joseph Chauvin, Q., C. P. R.
29  Généalogie du Québec et d'Amérique française listing of Joseph Chauvin Delery
30  Baptismal record of Nicolas Chauvin, Q., C. P. R.
31  Find-a-Grave listing of Nicolas Chauvin de la Freniere
32  Généalogie du Québec et d'Amérique française listing of Nicolas Chauvin de Lafreniere
33  Baptismal record of Louis Chauvin, Q., C. P. R.
34  Find-a-Grave listing of Louis Chauvin de Beaulieu
35  Baptismal record of Louis Chauvin, Q., C. P. R.
36  Burial record of Louis Chauvin, Q., C. P. R.
37  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Chauvin, Q., C. P. R.