First Settler of Hartford & Middletown — John Wilcox

B. about 1620 in England
M. (1) 17 Sep 1646
Wife: Sarah Wadsworth
M. (2) 18 Jan 1650 in Hartford, Connecticut
Wife: Katherine Stoughton
M. (3) 20 Apr 1660 in Dorchester, Massachusetts
Wife: Mary Lane
M. (4) before 1672 in Middletown, Connecticut
Wife: Esther Cornwell
D. 24 May 1676 in Middletown, Connecticut

By virtue of circumstances of early New England migration, John Wilcox became one of the first settlers in two different Connecticut towns: Hartford and Middletown. 

John was born somewhere in England in about 1620 to John and Mary Wilcox, one of their three known children. Sometime during the early 1630s, the Wilcox family sailed across the Atlantic to become a part of the Puritan migration to America. After perhaps a short time in Massachusetts, they joined the followers of Reverend Thomas Hooker in carving out a new settlement on the Connecticut River that became Hartford. John was in his teens when they arrived there in 1636, and he likely helped his father build their first home.

John came of age and remained in Hartford during its earliest years. Along with being a farmer, he was said to be a “pail maker,” a trade that he learned from his father, and he seems to have worked at this occupation throughout his life. The inventory of John’s will supports this by listing 32,000 pail nails among his possessions.

On September 17, 1646, John married Sarah Wadsworth, the daughter of another Hartford settler. They had a baby girl born two years later, but shortly after the birth, Sarah died. John married a second wife, Katherine Stoughton, on January 18, 1650. During the next couple of years, they had two sons, both of whom died young. John’s father also died in 1650, leaving most of his estate to him.

By 1653, John was looking to leave Hartford for a community being started downriver. That new settlement was Middletown, and John agreed to develop a plot of land there. But something delayed him, causing the General Court to order that he build a house and occupy his land, or he would lose it. It’s known that he did follow through, and lived in Middletown by November 13, 1654, because he had a daughter born there on that date. After John and Katherine had two more children, she died, and John was a widower again. 

Map of Middletown showing where John lived.

John seems to have left Connecticut for a time, moving to Dorchester, Massachusetts, where he took a third wife, Mary Long, on April 20, 1660. They had no children together, but she had two children from previous marriages; one of the children went on to marry John’s daughter Sarah in about 1668. It’s believed that John and Mary moved back to Middletown during the early 1660s.

Over the years, John became a huge landowner in Connecticut. Besides his 4 acres in Middletown, he acquired two lots of 7 acres, a 10-acre lot, a 23-acre lot, a 133-acre lot, a 243-acre lot, a 437-acre lot, a 493-acre lot and a 600-acre lot. On September 18, 1660, John gave his land in Hartford to his daughter 12-year-old Sarah for when she came of age; in the meantime, his former father-in-law, William Wadsworth, was to take care of the property.

There was some sort of dispute between John and a man named Samuel Collins in early 1668. After Collins was insulted by John, he told people that John was a “lying fellow” and he would “prove him so in public” the following Sunday. Collins carried out his threat, and was later taken to court by John for “abuse and violence done to his person,” likely meaning that Collins physically attacked him. The court ruled in John’s favor.

In about 1671, John’s wife Mary died, and he married a fourth wife, Esther Cornwell. Esther was much younger than John or any of his previous wives, and she bore him three children. A couple months after the birth of their youngest child, John died on May 24, 1676; he was only in his 50s at the time of his death. His estate was valued at almost £410. Esther remarried in 1677 and passed away in 1733.

Record of John’s third marriage and death.

Children by Sarah Wadsworth:
1. Sarah Wilcox — B. 3 Oct 1648, Hartford, Connecticut; D. 3 Feb 1718, Hartford, Connecticut; M. (1) Thomas Long (1644-1711), about 1668, (probably) Hartford, Connecticut; (2) David Ensign (1644-1727), 3 Oct 1684, Hartford, Connecticut

Children by Katherine Stoughton:
1. John Wilcox — B. 29 Oct 1650, Connecticut; D. 1660, Middletown, Connecticut; D. young

2. Thomas Wilcox — B. & D. young

3. Mary Wilcox — B. 13 Nov 1654, Middletown, Connecticut; D. young

4. Israel Wilcox — B. 19 Jun 1656, Middletown, Connecticut; D. 20 Dec 1689, Berlin, Connecticut; M. Sarah Savage (1657-1724), 26 Mar 1678, Middletown, Connecticut

5. Samuel Wilcox — B. 9 Nov 1658, Middletown, Connecticut; D. 16 Mar 1713, Middletown, Connecticut; M. (1) Abigail Whitmore, 9 May 1683, Middletown, Connecticut; (2) Ruth Westcott,

Children by Esther Cornwell:
1. Ephraim Wilcox — B. 9 Jul 1672, Middletown, Connecticut; D. 4 Jan 1712, Middletown, Connecticut; Silence Hand (1679-~1726), about 1690

2. Esther Wilcox — B. 9 Dec 1673, Middletown, Connecticut; D. 15 Mar 1698, Middletown, Connecticut; M. Joseph Hand (1671-~1699), 10 May 1692

3. Mary Wilcox — B. 9 Mar 1676, Middletown, Connecticut

Sources:
Middletown Upper Houses: A History of the North Society of Middletown, Connecticut, Charles Collard Adams, 1908
Digest of Connecticut Probate Records, Charles William Manwaring, 1904-1906
Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut, 1636-1776, Arthur Adams, 1928
Hartford County Court Minutes, 1663-1687, 2005

Stabbed by his Prisoner — Guillaume Vanier dit LaFontaine

B. about 1645 in Honfleur, Calvados, Normandy, France
M. 5 Jul 1672 in Quebec City, New France
Wife: Madeleine Bailly
D. Aug 1687 in Montreal, New France

Guillaume Vanier dit LaFontaine once started a fight with a man who was being held in jail, and he nearly got himself killed. 

Guillaume was born in about 1645 in Honfleur, France to Pierre Vanier and Jacqueline Gaillard; his baptism was at Ste-Catherine parish, a wooden church that still survives. Guillaume’s father died in 1647 and his mother remarried. He had one sister and three half siblings. Guillaume was able to sign his name, suggesting he was at least somewhat educated.

Ste-Catherine church.

At some point after he came of age, Guillaume decided to migrate to America. The first record of him in New France was of his confirmation in the Catholic Church at Montreal on November 5, 1668. His first few years in the colony are sketchy. During the spring of 1671, he signed a contract in Quebec City to work for a notary, cutting trees, chopping wood and doing labor on a farm. The following year, Guillaume married a Fille du Roi, Madeleine Bailly, on July 5th. They settled in Charlesbourg, and had six children born between 1673 and 1687.

Along with being a farmer, Guillaume was described as being a candlemaker. On one document in 1676, he was also a carter, meaning he delivered goods by cart. But it was another occupation that gave Guillaume an interesting story: in 1679, he served as Archer de la Maréchaussée, which translates as “archer of the constabulary.” This was a group that was formed in New France by an order of Louis XIV on May 9, 1677; they were a sort of police force made up of six men who traveled far and wide to arrest people charged with crimes. The title of “archer” was archaic and didn’t literally mean they used bows and arrows. 

An Archer de la Maréchaussée in late 17th-century France.

In July 1679, Guillaume was sent out on a mission to assist a provost marshal in capturing François Quintal, a man who had been known to engage in illegal fur trading with some Indians. The arrest was made at Quintal’s house in Boucherville at 4 o’clock in the morning, and he was brought to the jail in Montreal. The following night, July 14th, Guillaume decided to look in on him. The place the prisoner was being held wasn’t like jails of today; it was more of a room for holding prisoners in the house of the jailer. When Guillaume paid his visit, he ordered wine for everyone, which was served by the jailer’s wife. Another man came by and more drinks were ordered; meanwhile, the jailer, thinking everyone was acting friendly, fell asleep in the corner of the room.

After another two rounds of drinks, the other visitor departed, and Guillaume playfully taunted Quintal, bragging about how skillfully he captured him. Quintal responded that it was the provost marshall who made the arrest and he was a fool to claim credit for it. Guillaume said words to the effect, “No, you were the fool to get captured!” This set off Quintal, and both men rose to engage in a fight. Guillaume got Quintal by the hair and they both fell to the floor. Then Quintal grabbed a knife that was within reach (it had been offered earlier so he could cut tobacco for his pipe), and he lunged at Guillaume. The stab came to his left shoulder, making quite a gash.

The jailer’s wife immediately woke up her husband, who rose to stop the fight. Guillaume lay bleeding and a doctor was called for, as well as the marshal provost, who saw to it that Quintal was put in leg irons. Guillaume was described as having lost “a large quantity of blood.” Charges were filed against Quintal and an inquest was held within the next few days. The verdict was that Quintal had to pay a fine of 170 livres for damages and medical charges. Presumably, Guillaume made a full recovery.

Guillaume wasn’t killed when he was stabbed in a fight, but eight years later, he wasn’t so lucky. The summer of 1687 saw tension between the French settlers and Iroquois around Montreal, and the army along with some militia men were called in to fight. Guillaume was involved in the engagement somehow, probably as a member of a militia. When he was returning home from the action, his own gun misfired and killed him. He was buried at Montreal on August 27, 1687. Guillaume was the ancestor of Ricky Gervais, Ron Guidry and Beyoncé.

Children:
1. Anne Vanier — B. 6 Apr 1673, Quebec City, New France; D. 6 Feb 1750, Montreal, New France; M. Julienn Leblanc (1667-1756), 9 Jan 1689, Charlesbourg, New France

2. Marie-Madeleine Vanier — B. 3 Jan 1675, Quebec City, New France; D. 10 Nov 1749, Charlesbourg, New France; M. (1) Jean-François Martel (1671-1715), 13 Feb 1695, Charlesbourg, New France; (2) Jean-François Barbeau (1684-?), 22 Oct 1718, Charlesbourg, New France

3. Nicolas Vanier — B. Jul 1677, Quebec City, New France; D. 14 Jan 1680

4. Jean-Baptiste Le Vanier — B. Jun 1681, Quebec City, New France; D. 15 Mar 1746, Montreal, New France; M. (1) Marie Hotte (1679-1711), 18 Aug 1704, Charlesbourg, New France; (2) Marie-Charlotte Chamard (1693-1777), 13 Jun 1712

5. Marie-Marguerite Vanier — B. 29 Mar 1684, Charlesbourg, New France; D. 18 Apr 1715, Charlesbourg, New France; M. Charles Boyer (1684-?), 9 Feb 1699, Charlesbourg, New France

6. Pierre-Thomas Vanier — B. 8 Jun 1687, Charlesbourg, New France; D. 20 Mar 1711, Charlesbourg, New France; M. Marie-Anne Bourbeau (1690-1731), 9 Feb 1711, Charlesbourg, New France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)

Find A Grave
WikiTree
An Analytical Index of the Archives of Montreal from 1672 to 1682, 1891
The Police in New France, Canadian Military History Gateway 
Les chirurgiens, médecins, etc., etc., de Montréal, sous le régime Français, E. Z. Massicotte
Iroquois (Wikipedia article) 

Serving his Town as Selectman — William Underwood

B. about 1616 in England
M. (1) before 1640
Wife: Sarah Pellet
M. (2) 17 Mar 1685, Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Wife: Anna Moore
D. 12 Aug 1697 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts

William Underwood was one of many New England Puritans who helped found the town where they lived, then took a leadership role during its earliest years. He was born in England in about 1616; there are no records identifying where he came from or who his parents were. One source suggests William’s birthplace was Chelmsford in Essex County, but there’s no documentation to back this up. It’s also unknown when he migrated to America and when he married his first wife, Sarah Pellet.

The earliest record of William is on the birth of his oldest child, a girl named Remembrance, on February 25, 1640 in Concord, Massachusetts. Over the next 12 years, he and his wife had five more children in Concord, with one dying as an infant. By 1654, William joined a group of settlers who moved their families to the new community that became the town of Chelmsford, and one more child was born there in 1656.

Forming a new community in colonial New England involved the cooperation of groups of men who invested money and effort into securing a grant of land. The next step was to form a town council, and William was one of the men who met on November 22, 1654 to do just that. The meeting took place at settler William Fletcher’s house and the men decided who would be selectmen for the first year, naming seven settlers, including William. Other issues decided that night were to approve a land grant for the new minister, order that the community build his house, and establish his salary.

When William’s term as selectman was up, he didn’t serve again until 1667. Then there was a lapse of one year, and he became selectman again in 1669, remaining in that role for several years. Even without the office of selectman, his name appeared on many town petitions and other documents. On May 7, 1656, he was one of seven men signing a petition to the General Court asking for an extension of the town grant they got two years earlier. This was due to much of the land being too rocky to use, limiting the size of each farm, so they needed more usable farmland.

1671 Chelmsford town record showing William as a selectman.

On May 20, 1673, William, along with two others, were appointed to lay out a road to the Merrimack River. Part of the road was to go through his own meadow. It’s not known if this order was carried out. Two years later, on December 13, 1675, he and two other men signed a letter to the General Court during King Philip’s War. The short letter described the town’s concern that some friendly Indians living among them would attract hostile Indians wanting to recruit them to their side. Towns like Chelmsford were vulnerable to attack because of their location in the north, and they didn’t want to be forgotten with so much of the major action happening in the south.

After the war, life in Chelmsford returned to normal. William’s role with the town council ended in 1682. Two years later, on November 6, 1684, William’s wife Sarah died and he remarried to a widow, Anna Kidder, the following March 17th. His health declined and he made out his will in 1693. William passed away on August 12, 1697, and was buried at the cemetery in Chelmsford. He was a 4G grandfather of Franklin Pierce.

Children (all by Sarah Pellet):
1. Remembrance Underwood — B. 25 Feb 1640, Concord, Massachusetts; D. 20 Feb 1719, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; M. Josiah Richardson (1635-1695), 6 Jun 1659, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

2. Sarah Underwood — B. 25 Jul 1641, Concord, Massachusetts; D. 1679, Watertown, Massachusetts; M. Daniel Blodgett (1631-1672), 10 Mar 1668, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

3. Priscilla Underwood — B. 16 Dec 1645, Concord, Massachusetts; D. 25 Jun 1681, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; M. Edward Spaulding (1635-1707), 6 Jul 1663, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

4. Aquilla Underwood — B. 3 May 1647, Concord, Massachusetts; D. 17 Jun 1657, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

5. Rebecca Underwood — B. 6 Apr 1650; D. 6 Feb 1651

6. Deborah Underwood — B. 12 Dec 1652, Concord, Massachusetts; D. 25 Jun 1691, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; M. Nathaniel Butterfield (1643-1719), 31 Dec 1669, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

7. Samuel Underwood — B. 4 Feb 1656, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; D. 5 Mar 1733, Litchfield, New Hampshire; M. Sarah

Sources:
The Underwood Families of America, Lucien Marcus Underwood, 1913
History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, Wilson Waters, 1917
WikiTree

Early Farmer in Ipswich, Massachusetts — Joseph Redding

B. about 1613 in (probably) England
M. before about 1634
Wife: Agnes _______
D. 19 Feb 1674 in Ipswich, Massachusetts

Joseph Redding was an early New England colonist who wasn't a leader in his community, but who seemed to focus more on taking care of his own family. Joseph’s origins are unknown. He was said to have migrated to Massachusetts in 1630 or 1631, possibly as a servant to Simon Bradstreet, one of the founders of Boston, but this isn’t proven. Some researchers have speculated that he was from Ireland, not England. The only fact that is certain about his childhood is that he never learned to read and write.

Joseph was married to a woman named Agnes (sometimes spelled Annis), and they appeared to have had only one child, a daughter named Elizabeth, who was born in about 1634. The earliest record of Joseph was on May 14, 1634 when he took the oath of allegiance in Cambridge, Massachusetts. A few years later, in 1641, he was listed as a commoner in Ipswich, where he would spend the rest of his life as a farmer.

Ipswich was a colonial New England town north of Salem that included a marshy coastline, and an inlet that made a good natural harbor. During his life, Joseph owned nine acres of marsh on Plum Island, a peninsula separated from the mainland by a small channel. He also had an acre and a half of marsh next to a creek, four acres of marsh (probably near the coast), an acre and a half at a place called “Heartbreak Hill,” and six acres of farmland with a house. On his farm, he grew barley, wheat and corn, as well as maintained livestock.



Court records in Ipswich showed several incidents involving Joseph, but nothing where he was at the center of a serious case. He failed to show up for jury duty in July 1650 and was given a small fine, but he did serve on a jury in 1655. When he was about in his mid-40s, he asked to be excused from militia training, and this was granted in 1658 as long as he paid 6 shillings and 8 pence per year; in 1664, this was reduced to 5 shillings. In 1660, Joseph, along with his son-in-law Samuel Hunt, sued a man for non-payment of a debt of “16 bushels of wheat, barley and malt.”

Also in 1660, Joseph testified at a trial for a man named John Leigh who had been damaging the livestock of other farmers if any cattle wandered onto his land. Joseph said he once owned some pasture next to Leigh’s property, and witnessed the man’s abuse. One time when Joseph confronted Leigh, he defiantly told him he would “throw the cattle in the river if he liked.” Leigh was later at odds with Joseph’s son-in-law Samuel in an incident that ironically involved Leigh’s sheep wandering onto Samuel’s property.

Joseph made out his will on December 15, 1673, and he died on February 19th of the following year. The inventory of his estate showed he was worth £351 at the time of his death. He left his entire estate to his wife Agnes, with instructions that upon her death the money would be divided between his four grandchildren. This was done on March 28, 1693, so Agnes likely died not long before that.

Joseph was an ancestor of Latter Day Saint founder Joseph Smith, and actor John Lithgow.

Children:
1. Elizabeth Redding — B. about 1634; D. 16 Feb 1707, Ipswich, Massachusetts; M. Samuel Hunt (1633-1695), 3 Jan 1657, Ipswich, Massachusetts

Sources:
The Journal of the American Irish Historical Society, Vol. 6, 1918
The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1633, Robert Charles Anderson, 1995
Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Volumes I, II, III, and VI, edited by George Francis Drew, 1912, 1913 and 1914
The Ancestry & Posterity of Joseph Smith and Emma Hale, Audentia Smith Anderson, 1926
The Probate Records of Essex County, Massachusetts, 1917
WikiTree

A Louisiana Pioneer — Nicolas Chauvin de La Frénière

B. 19 Jan 1676 in Montreal, New France
M.  Aug 1724 in (probably) New Orleans, New France
Wife: Marguerite LeSueur
D. before 15 Feb 1749 in Tchapitoulas, Louisiana, New France

Nicolas de La Frénière was a man of modest beginnings, who became the owner of a plantation with over a hundred slaves in early Louisiana. His story is one of adventure and opportunity, as he sought to make his fortune during the first few decades of the 18th century.

Nicolas was born to Pierre Chauvin and Marthe Autreuil Le H’Auteaux on January 19, 1676, the 9th child out of 12. His father was a miller who had been recruited in France two decades earlier to help populate Montreal. Nicolas likely received no education as a boy. By the time he came of age, young men in Montreal were being lured to all corners of the colonies. About 1700, a new settlement was begun on the Gulf Coast of America, and Nicolas and his brothers became a part of it.

The region near the mouth of the Mississippi was strategically important for France to secure. In 1699, an expedition led by men from New France sailed there with about 200 colonists, including Nicolas’ older brothers Jacques and Joseph. Biloxi was founded first, then within a short time, the outpost of Mobile was settled. It’s uncertain when Nicolas joined his brothers, but he was listed on a 1706 census of Mobile, and he may have been there as early as 1704. The brothers added to their surnames around this time: Nicolas became Chauvin de La Frénière, Joseph became Chauvin de Léry, and another brother, Louis, became Chauvin de Beaulieu.

The brothers worked together to amass their wealth, and each cultivated land in Mobile. In the process, they became slaveholders, enslaving large numbers of Native Americans and Africans. Joseph was identified as a merchant and Nicolas may have been one as well. His name turned up in a few records during his years at Mobile. In one, Nicolas was recommended as an “advisor” on the local council in 1713, with a comment that he had been illiterate, but had recently learned to sign his name. A record from 1717 dismissed his qualifications for another such position saying that he “does not know how to read [or] to write.” Even the governor of Louisiana, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, weighed in on Nicolas by referring to him as being one of the “scum and refuse of Canada.” But Nicolas got to serve on the council in spite of the harsh evaluations.

Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. (source: Christian Robert de Massy, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

The French colony on the Gulf Coast was wedged between Spanish colonies in present-day Florida and Texas, and the French wanted to open up trade with them. So in 1716, Nicolas and brothers Joseph and Louis joined an expedition traveling west to do just that. A group of six men left Mobile on October 16th, and it was led by Louis Juchereau de St-Denis, a man who just came back from another such trip. It was a bold journey that took them through very rugged territory to the destination of San Juan Bautista, a Spanish outpost just south of the Rio Grande. A convoy of mules carried the men’s merchandise worth about 60,000 livres.

Route of the expedition to Mexico.

The trading mission ended up being a failure. St-Denis had his goods confiscated by the Spanish, and they carted him off to prison in Mexico City. Nicolas and his brothers stored their merchandise inside a mission, and sold the goods to individuals on credit, but when they heard what happened to St-Denis, the situation looked dangerous, so they fled. Since they never collected on the credit, they lost a lot of money. It took them several months to reach home; the entire trip had taken a year.

Early the following year, Nicolas was recorded in Mobile at the baptism of a baby girl where he was the father and one of his Native American slaves was the mother. The girl was born on January 17, 1718 and given the name Hypolite. Little is known of the mother except that her name was Catherine, but because Nicolas had relations with her about nine months previous, this must have happened during his time in San Juan Bautista. The calendar suggests that Nicolas acquired Catherine there, and brought her back to Mobile while she was carrying his child.

The year 1718 saw another event important to Nicolas: the founding of New Orleans. The French had wanted to establish an outpost near the mouth of the Mississippi and they finally found a suitable location on a curve in the river, planting a settlement there that spring. The Chauvin brothers decided to move there as well, and in March of 1719, Nicolas acquired 6 acres in a place a few miles outside of the new settlement called Tchapitoulas. He would later add more land to it with a total river frontage of 8 arpents, as well a townhouse in New Orleans; both places would become his homes for the rest of his life.

Nicolas’ brothers Joseph and Louis had property next to his, and outsiders often looked at the success of the Chauvins as a whole. A Jesuit priest wrote in 1722 that the “three Canadian brothers, of the name Chauvin, who having brought nothing with them to this country but their industry, have attained to a perfection in that through the necessity of working for their subsistence. They have lost no time, and have spared themselves nothing."

Nicolas’ main livelihood was as master of his plantation; at various times the farm produced indigo and tobacco, among other crops. He also bred sheep as another source of income. The labor was carried out by his large number of slaves, by this time mostly African (at one time he owned 115 on his Tchapitoulas plantation). Without slavery, Nicholas likely wouldn't have become a wealthy man. His fortune was made because he didn’t pay wages to the people who worked for him, and as slaves, they had no choice in the arrangement.

Document dated 21 Mar 1724 with Nicolas' signature.

At the same time Nicolas was managing his plantation, he became a supplier of lumber for the construction of buildings in New Orleans. In 1727, he produced a major portion of the wood used in building the first church in the city. Many other houses and structures there were built with Nicolas’ lumber, and his brothers participated in the lumber business along with him. As merchants, they sometimes sold tools to settlers; during this time, Nicolas was recorded as having sold axes, tomahawks and other tools to those who needed them.

In 1729, Nicolas partnered with a man to open up a tavern in New Orleans. The two men paid over 1,000 livres for liquor and wine to stock their establishment. It was said to be the very first “cabaret” in the city.

At the age of 48, Nicolas finally got married. His bride was Marguerite LeSueur and the wedding was in August of 1724, probably in New Orleans. Between about 1725 and 1733, the couple had five children, with one who died as an infant. Nicolas and his family primarily lived on the plantation, but it was said that he would use his townhouse in New Orleans when he had business to conduct there.

As New Orleans grew, in 1732, King Louis XV of France ordered the governor of the colony to restore the local council as it was in Mobile in 1716. On September 2nd, the king wrote, "transmit to the new members of the Council the following: Sirs Prat, Frenière, Fazende and Massy were chosen by me … to fill the four places of Members of Council.” So Nicolas was returned to a seat in the governing body, and this time by the direct order of the king.

Nearing the end of his life, on April 25, 1746, Nicolas was appointed as captain of the militia. At 70-years-old, he was probably not given any active duty. Nicolas lived only a couple more years and died in early 1749, likely at his Tchapitoulas plantation. He left behind a legacy of raising his family to prominence in Louisiana. In 1763, Nicolas' son, also named Nicolas, was made Attorney General of the colony; he later led a rebellion during a time when Spain had control of Louisiana, and he was executed by firing squad in 1769.

The site of Nicolas’ plantation is a park located with the New Orleans city limits. It’s called Frenière Park, and a plaque honors Nicolas and his contribution to Louisiana history.

The park in Louisiana named for Nicolas.

Child by Catherine:
1. Hypolite Chauvin de La Frénière — B. 17 Jan 1718, Post Mobile, New France; D. before 15 May 1758, (probably) Opelousas Post, Louisiana, New France; M. (1) Joseph Turpin, 7 Nov 1731, New Orleans, New France; (2) Joseph de La Mirande, 19 Mar 1750, Kaskaskia, New France

Children by Marguerite LaSueur:
1. Marguerite Chauvin de La Frénière — B. about 1725, Louisiana, New France; D. 23 Sep 1759, France; M. Louis-François Le Bretton, 7 Feb 1738, Louisiana, New France

2. Marie-Anne Chauvin de La Frénière — B. about 1727, Louisiana, New France; D. 29 Oct 1731, New Orleans, New France

3. Nicolas Chauvin de La Frénière — B. 9 Apr 1728, Tchapitoulas, Louisiana, New France; D. 25 Oct 1769, New Orleans, New Spain; M. (1) Marguerite de Bellair, about 1749; (2) Marie de La Casse

4. Catherine Chauvin de La Frénière — B. 25 Mar 1731, Tchapitoulas, Louisiana, New France

5. Jean-Baptiste Alexandre Chauvin de La Frénière — B. 18 Jun 1733, Tchapitoulas, Louisiana, New France; M. Gabriel-Charlotte, Countess of Saintignon (1749-?), 6 Feb 1770, France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)

The Family of Nicolas Chauvin de La Freniere, Sadie Greening Sparks, 18 Oct 2000, sadiesparks.com“
L’Histoire des Chauvin de Montréal,” Ernest Monty, Mémoire, #XXXIV - No. 1, 1983
Sacramental records of the Roman Catholic Church of the Archdiocese of Mobile, Volume 1, Section 1, 1704-1739, Michael L. Farmer, Ann Calagaz, 2002
Old families of Louisiana, Stanley Clisby Arthur, 1931
The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 27, July 1923 - April 1924

Helping to Build a Fort — Julien Dubord dit LaFontaine

B. about 1636 in Thiviers, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France
M. after 12 Feb 1670 in Champlain, New France
Wife: Catherine Guerard
D. 12 Apr 1705 in Champlain, New France

As a soldier, Julien Dubord dit LaFontaine built a fort in New France; as an ex-soldier, he built a new life there. He was born in about 1636 in Thiviers, France, a village located in the Aquitaine region. His parents were Louis Du Bord and Catherine de la Brugiere, but nothing else is known of his family. Julien seems to have been at least somewhat educated in that he could sign his name. 

Location of Thiviers, France.

It’s likely that Julien enlisted to be a soldier during the late 1650s or early 1660s. The timing of this meant he was part of the French military when forces were needed to defend New France from Iroquois aggression. The Iroquois were not only threatening the French settlers, but also the tribes to the north who were supplying furs for trading. In 1665, the Carignan-Salières Regiment was formed, and Julien was among the about 1,200 soldiers sent to New France. They were transported on seven ships; Julien’s company was divided between two them, the Saint Sébastien and Le Justice, and it’s believed he was on the second ship. After a crossing that took 112 days, the two ships arrived in Quebec City with many of the men very sick from disease onboard.

Julien was part of the La Fouille company, which was sent upriver to establish a camp at the mouth of Rivière-du-Loup, not far from the settlement of Trois-Rivieres. This was unlike anything the soldiers experienced in France; the men had to chop down trees in raw wilderness and construct a fort. The 4 officers and 32 soldiers somehow managed to do this before winter set in. The structure was known as Fort de la Rivière-du-Loup, and no trace of it remains today.

Soldiers of the Carignan-Salières Regiment.

After serving for three years, Julien’s enlistment was up, but he decided not to return to France. He settled in the new community of Champlain, east of Trois-Riviéres, and on February 12, 1670, he agreed to a contract to marry a Fille du Roi, Catherine Guerard. Between 1671 and 1694, they had ten children. The census of 1681 listed him as a tailor with 10 arpents of land and one cow.

Julien died on April 12, 1705 at Champlain. His wife survived him by many years, passing away in 1727.

Children:
1. Pierre Dubord dit LaFontiane — B. 1671, Champlain, New France; D. 12 Nov 1756, Champlain, New France; M. Marie-Claire Rheault (~1679-1756), 9 Jan 1702, Champlain, New France

2. Maxmin Dubord dit LaFontaine — B. about 1674, Champlain, New France; D. 18 Jun 1683, Champlain, New France

3. Marie-Étiennette Dubord dit LaFontaine — B. about 1676, Champlain, New France; D. 1 Jun 1768, Berthier-en-Haut, Quebec; M. Pierre Houray (~1679-~1762), 3 Nov 1701, Champlain, New France

4. Joseph-Dominique Dubord dit LaFontiane — B. about 1679, Champlain, New France; D. 31 Jan 1759, Champlain, New France; M. Françoise Turcot (1691-1749), 22 Nov 1714, Champlain, New France

5. Charles Dubord dit Clermond — B. 16 Aug 1681, Champlain, New France; D. 30 Oct 1749, Grondines, New France; M. Marie Ripault (1693-1759), Jan 1712, Grondines, New France

6. Jean-Baptiste Dubord dit LaFontiane — B. 2 Nov 1683, Champlain, New France; D. 7 May 1764, Berthier-en-Haut, Quebec; M. Marie Aure (1688-1761), 11 Feb 1709, Champlain, New France

7. Michel-Juelien Dubord dit LaFontaine — B. 12 Jul 1689, Champlain, New France; D. 15 Dec 1687, Champlain, New France

8. Daniel Dubord dit LaFontaine — B. about 27 Oct 1688, Champlain, New France

9. Marie-Madeleine Dubord dit LaFontiane — B. 23 Mar 1692, Champlain, New France; M. Alexis Turcot (1682-1730), 12 Jan 1709, Batiscan, New France

10. Balthasar Dubord dit LaFontiane — B. 18 Dec 1694, Champlain, New France; D. 16 Sep 1765, Lavaltrie, Quebec; M. Marie-Josephe Ripault (1699-?), 30 Jan 1720, Grondines, New France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
Fort de la Rivière-du-Loup (Louiseville) (Wikipedia article) 
Navires venus en Nouvelle-France (website)
Carignan-Salières Regiment (Wikipedia article)
WikiTree

Her Son was Adopted by Iroquois — Marie-Anne Picard

B. 3 Nov 1663 in Montreal, New France
M. 31 Aug 1676 in Montreal, New France
Husband: Charles Diel
D. 4 Feb 1697 in La Prairie, New France

Marie-Anne Picard suffered a tragedy that many mothers faced in colonial American history: the capture of one of her children by Native American warriors, and in her case, the child wasn’t returned to her. 

Marie-Anne was born in Montreal on November 3, 1663 to Hugues Picard dit LaFortune and Anne-Antoinette De Leircourt, the second of their five children; there were also four half-siblings from her mother’s first marriage. Montreal was a rugged place when she was a girl, filled with fur traders and adventurers, and with hostile Indians to the south.

When Marie-Anne wasn’t yet 13-years-old, she got married to French immigrant, Charles Diel. The wedding took place in Montreal on August 31, 1676. She became pregnant the following year, giving birth to a daughter in April of 1678. Nine more children followed, with the last one born in 1695. After 1680, the family lived in La Prairie, a settlement across the St. Lawrence River from Montreal. Husband Charles found work in the fur trade, transporting goods to and from the Great Lakes, sometimes spending months away from home.

It was likely when Charles was on an expedition that some Iroquois snatched Marie-Anne’s oldest son Pierre. There’s no description of the actual incident, but it took place around 1690 to 1692, when the boy was about 8-years-old. Typically when a child of European heritage was captured by Native Americans, they would be taken into the tribe and raised by adoptive parents as one of their own. This is what happened to young Pierre, who would live the rest of his life as an Indian. He even forgot the French language, and years later, when he emerged to claim an inheritance, he needed an interpreter to communicate with his former family.

Marie-Anne’s son was taken to an Iroquois village like this.

Whatever effect the kidnapping had on Marie-Anne, we have no way of knowing, but she must have felt the loss deeply. Only a few years later, on February 4, 1697, she died at the age of 33. Her husband remarried five years later, and he died likely during the 1730s.

Children:
1. Marie-Marguerite Diel — B. 18 Apr 1678, Montreal, New France; D. 26 Jul 1715, Montreal, New France; M. (1) Pierre Perras (1674-1699), 18 Nov 1696, Laprairie, New France; (2) Julien Bariteau Lamarche (1672-1736), 13 May 1700, La Prairie, New France

2. Pierre Diel — B. 24 Nov 1680, Montreal, New France

3. Jacques Diel — B. 2 Mar 1683, La Prairie, New France; D. young

4. Marie-Anne Diel — B. 7 May 1684, La Prairie, New France; D. 9 Dec 1684, La Prairie, New France

5. Marie-Anne Diel — B. about 1685, La Prairie, New France; D. 15 May 1708; M. François Bory(1676-?), 27 Oct 1704, La Prairie, New France

6. Charles Diel — B. 5 Aug 1688, La Prairie, New France; D. 20 Jun 1734, Longueuil, New France; M. (1) Marie-Jeanne Boyer (1694-1730), 17 Feb 1716, La Prairie, New France; (2) Marguerite Robert (1683-1766), 9 Sep 1732, Boucherville, New France

7. Marguerite Diel — B. 14 Jun 1691, La Prairie, New France; D. 25 May 1763; M. Jean Lacombe, 3 Feb 1711

8. Jacques Diel — B. 2 Feb 1693, La Prairie, New France; M. Marie-Anne Crepin, 13 Jul 1715

9. Catherine Diel — B. 9 Aug 1695, La Prairie, New France; D. 10 Aug 1695, La Prairie, New France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
Charles Diel, Our First Canadian Ancestor (website)
A Drifting Cowboy (website) 

Affair on a Trip to France — Marie-Therese Viel

B. Apr 1650 in Rouen, France
M. 26 Oct 1671 in Quebec City, New France
Husband: Étienne Boyer dit LaFontaine
D. after Jul 1710 in France

A wide variety of women migrated to New France as the Filles du Roi, and some, like Marie-Therese Viel, were colorful characters. 

Therese was born in Rouen, France, to Charles Viel and Marguerite Lechavallier. She was baptized on April 4, 1650 at the parish of Saint-Cande-le-Viel, the second of nine children in her family. Evidence shows that Therese may have had an education as a girl since it's known that she could sign her name.

At about age 20, Therese agreed to a contract to move to New France, with a promise that she would marry a settler in return for her passage and dowry. The ship she arrived on was the Saint Jean-Baptiste, which sailed from France in late June 1671. Along with 120 women onboard, there were also 100 men, 50 sheep, and 10 donkeys, plus “draperies and blankets and many other things for human use.” After arriving in Quebec City on August 15th, Therese joined other Filles du Roi staying at a place where men could visit to court them. Two months later, she married a former Carignan-Salières Regiment soldier, Étienne Boyer dit LaFontaine, with the wedding taking place at Notre-Dame church on October 26, 1671.

During the next few years, Therese gave birth to three sons, of which two died young. Then in 1676, Therese went on a trip back to France; it’s not known exactly why she did, but only that she stayed for a time in La Rochelle, a port city where ships sailed to and from America, and while living there, she became pregnant.

Therese claimed that the father of her child was the result of an affair with Médard Chouart des Groseilliers, a fur trader and explorer who was also visiting France that year. He was over 30 years her senior, and had risen to importance in New France by exploring areas deep into the continent in what is now Canada. For a time, he worked for England and was considered partly responsible for the founding of the Hudson’s Bay Company.

When Therese returned to Quebec, her husband Étienne was not pleased to find that she was carrying someone else’s child. At first, he refused to take her back, but likely she begged him for forgiveness, blaming the man who made her pregnant. She gave birth to a baby girl on January 14, 1677. Later that year, Étienne sued Chouart des Groseilliers charging that he was responsible for the child. The suit asked for 150 livres for support of the child and 500 livres in additional damages.

The case was heard in August, with the details of Therese’s affair aired in public. She admitted that she had been with Chouart des Groseilliers several times while in La Rochelle, identifying the house where he was staying and the people he was with. He defended himself by saying he had only seen Therese from a distance on the street, and that a number of men she had been with may have been the father of the child, implying that she led a wild life in La Rochelle.

La Rochelle in the 17th century.

The court believed Therese’s story, and ruled that Chouart des Groseilliers had to pay 200 livres to Étienne. It was also ordered that Étienne would adopt the child and raise it as his own. Therese resumed her marriage, and had ten more children with her husband, one of whom died at birth

One day in August 1699, Therese had a confrontation with another woman, Madeleine Bailly, that took place on a road near her home. Earlier that year, Bailly's daughter had married Therese's son Charles. The history between the two women went back to being Filles du Roi on the same ship in 1671. Plus they had something else in common: they each had given birth to an out-of-wedlock child. Words were exchanged between the two regarding each other's character, and when Therese went too far with an insult, Bailly ripped the hat off her head, and ruined it. In court, it was ordered that Bailly had to replace the hat, and both women needed to stop saying bad things to each other.

Record of court case between Therese and Madeleine Bailly.

Therese’s husband died on October 3, 1700, and she seems to have been left with several underaged children. It’s believed that she moved back to France not long after his funeral, and it's likely she took most of her children with her; only one son who was under her care at that time turned up in New France records as an adult, and he may have stayed behind for some reason. It isn’t known when and where Therese died. She was the ancestor of Ricky Gervais.

Children by Étienne Boyer dit LaFontaine:
1. Réne-Louis Boyer — B. 9 Sep 1672, New France; D. 11 Sep 1672, New France

2. Hugues Boyer — B. 7 Sep 1673, New France; D. young

3. Charles Boyer — B. about 1675, New France; D. 18 Mar 1727, Chambly, New France; M. (1) Marie-Marguerite Vanier (1684-1715), 9 Feb 1699, Charlesbourg, New France; (2) Marie-Madeleine Vivier (1688-1729), 19 Aug 1715, Charlesbourg, New France

4. Jean-Louis Boyer — B. 31 Dec 1678, New France; D. about 1705; M. Marie-Renée Chrétien, 9 Feb 1699, New France

5. Jean-Étienne Boyer — B. 10 Aug 1680, Quebec City, New France; D. 21 Apr 1750, Lachine, New France; M. Barbe Lemoureux (1685-1770), about 1707, Ste-Anne-Bellevue, New France

6. François Boyer — B. Mar 1681, L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France

7. Jacques Boyer — B. 18 Apr 1683, L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France

8. Louis Boyer — B. 7 Jun 1684, L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France; D. Jun 1684, L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France

9. Élisabeth Boyer — B. 10 Jul 1685, New France

10. Pierre-Augustin Boyer — B. 28 Aug 1686, New France

11. Jean-Baptiste Boyer — B. about 1688; D. 23 Oct 1750, Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré, New France; M. Marie-Madeleine Bonnier Lapierre (1693-1785), 28 Jul 1710, New France

12. Jean-François Boyer — B. 12 Jun 1690, New France

13. Pierre Boyer — B. 24 May 1691, L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France

Out-of-wedlock child by Médard Chouart des Groseilliers:
1. Jeanne-Élisabeth Boyer — B. 14 Jan 1677, Quebec City, New France; D. about 1702; M. Benoit Duhaut (1675-?), Nov 1696, New France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)

King’s Daughters and Founding Mothers—1663-1673, Peter Gagne, 2000Les Filles du Roi en Nouvelle-France, Silvio Dumas, 1972
Prévôté de Québec, transcription des volumes 9 et 10 (registres civils), 14 janvier 1676 au 14 décembre 1677, Longueuil
Médard Chouart des Groseilliers (Wikipedia article)
Navires venus en Nouvelle-France (website)

Pushed From a Canoe — Jacques Bigras dit Fauvel

B. 14 Sep 1696 in Montreal, New France
M. 13 Apr 1722 in Montreal, New France
Wife: Angélique Clement
D. 4 Feb 1751 in Detroit, New France

The story of Jacques Bigras dit Fauvel includes a colorful detail that likely reflected a brash personality — while working in the fur trade, he made someone mad enough to shove him out of the canoe he was in.

Jacques Bigras was born on September 14, 1696 in Montreal, the oldest son of fur trader, François Bigras dit Fauvel, and his wife, Marie Brunet. He grew up in a household that would have 13 children. No doubt Jacques’ father got him started in the fur trading business. By 1713, François Bigras’ days of going on expeditions were behind him, but he was very active in hiring others to go out west. This was around the time Jacques likely went on his first trip as a voyageur, committing to a long journey by canoe to an outpost far from home. A typical fur trading expedition left Montreal in late spring and returned in autumn. Jacques' work required him to paddle many miles a day, often for 18 hours, carrying the boats and goods across land if the water wasn’t navigable. He probably wasn't very tall, because large men didn’t easily fit into a canoe, but he was strong, and perhaps had a sense of adventure.

One of Jacques’ earliest known expeditions was to Fort Detroit in 1717. At the time, he lived in Lachine, but his contract signing took place in Montreal where the company that hired him was based. The agreement specified he was to bring 100 livres worth of merchandise with him, and he was forbidden to pocket any of the profits. Jacques was promised to be paid upon returning to Montreal with a canoe of pelts.

After several years of presumably making many trips on the Great Lakes, the time came for Jacques to find a wife and start a family, so on April 13, 1722, he married Angélique Clement in Montreal. The couple settled in Pointe-Claire, not far from Lachine. It was a good place for coming and going on fur trading expeditions because of its location on the St. Lawrence River west of Montreal. Jacques and Angélique had their first child with the birth of a daughter in 1723. They had a total of 14 children, with the last one born in 1749. Sadly, the three oldest and the youngest died as infants.

Jacques' signature.

Jacques continued to work as a voyageur during the prime of his life. In 1727 and 1736, he was hired for trips to Michilimackinac, an outpost at the place where Lake Huron meets Lake Michigan. His other known trips took him to Detroit, a journey he must have become very familiar with. Jacques’ contracts showed he earned 190 livres in 1739, 160 livres in 1740 and 190 livres in 1741; in 1739, he also received 20 livres worth of tobacco.

The contract Jacques agreed to in 1742 was somewhat different because it also included his son Pascal, who was almost 16-years-old. The agreement stated they would go to Detroit together in one canoe, with Jacques as one of the men steering it. The salary for both of them was lumped together as 280 livres, some of which would be paid in merchandise and some in money. And it was specified that they would each receive two articles of clothing for the trip: a pair of mitasses and a codpiece. Mitasses were tube-like leggings made of skins, a style worn by Indians, which suggests this was how Jacques typically dressed on the trips he made.

Unfortunately, the expedition didn’t go as planned. On June 24th, as the voyageurs were paddling toward the Great Lakes, the man leading Jacques’ canoe, Joseph Ducharme, gave an order that Jacques refused to follow. So Ducharme got mad and pushed Jacques out of the canoe, badly injuring his leg. This forced the canoe to return to Montreal, and Jacques went home with his son. Sadly, young Pascal died just a couple of weeks later, and was buried in Pointe-Claire on July 7th. Then Jacques took Ducharme to court seeking 300 livres in damages. He ended up being awarded only 24 livres, to be paid to him by Ducharme. 

Court record concerning Jacques' injury.

The injury Jacques suffered in the canoe incident seems to have ended his fur trading career. At almost age 50, he was also probably getting too old for the rigorous work of a voyageur. In 1750, he gave it up for good, but not the frontier-life, because he decided to move his entire family to Detroit. Property was being offered to those who would commit to cultivating the land; included in the deal were free tools and rations. Jacques arrived on August 9th with his wife Angélique and their surviving children. At first, Jacques was given a plot on the north side of the river, but he asked for land on the south shore, and it was granted.

Jacques didn’t live to make a career as a farmer; he died on February 4, 1751, before the first crops could be planted. It was reported that his widow, Angélique, was financially abandoned by their sons. In 1752, she married another man, Antoine Brizard, who agreed to pay off the debts that Jacques left behind.

Children:
1. Marie-Therese Bigras — B. 16 Feb 1723, Pointe-Claire, New France; D. 18 Feb 1723, Pointe-Claire, New France

2. Marie-Joseph Bigras — B. 1 Apr 1724, Pointe-Claire, New France; D. 3 Apr 1724, Pointe-Claire, New France

3. Baby girl Bigras — B. 24 May 1725, Pointe-Claire, New France; D. 24 May 1725, Pointe-Claire, New France

4. Jean-Pascal Bigras — B. 2 Jul 1726, Pointe-Claire, New France; D. 7 Jul 1742, Pointe-Claire, New France

5. Louis Bigras — B. 23 Sep 1728, Pointe-Claire, New France; D. 30 Nov 1747, Pointe-Claire, New France

6. Jacques Phillippe Bigras — B. 4 Dec 1730, Pointe-Claire, New France; D. 28 Apr 1790, Ste-Genevieve, Pierrefonds, Quebec; M. Marguerite Libersan (1746-1814), 21 Feb 1764, Ste-Genevieve, Pierrefonds, Quebec

7. Joseph-Marie Bigras — B. 1 Aug 1732, Pointe-Claire, New France

8. Joseph-Amable Bigras — B. 9 Mar 1734, Pointe-Claire, New France; M. Charlotte Dufour (1739-?), 18 Apr 1755, Detroit, New France

9. Marie-Josephte Bigras — B. 22 Apr 1736, Pointe-Claire, New France; M. Jacques Tavernier (1736-?), 9 Jan 1751, Detroit, New France

10 Marie-Angelique Bigras — B. 15 Oct 1737, Pointe-Claire, New France; M. François Leduc (1737-?), 3 Feb 1754, Detroit, New France

11. Marie-Charlotte Bigras — B. 5 Sep 1739, Pointe-Claire, New France; M. Jean-Baptiste-Amable Drouillard (1731-1788), 25 Feb 1754, Detroit, New France

12. Marie-Françoise-Rosalie Bigras — B. 11 Jul 1741, Pointe-Claire, New France; M. Jean-Baptiste Ravellette, 25 Sep 1758, Detroit, New France

13. Jean Baptiste Bigras — B. 19 Jan 1744, Pointe-Claire, New France; D. 13 May 1822, St-Benoît, Quebec; M. (1) Marie-Louise Brunet dite Letang (1749-?), 22 Jan 1776, Pointe-Claire, Quebec; (2) Madeleine Meloche, 23 Aug 1783, Assumption, Ontario; (3) Catherine Sansoucy (1772-?), 4 Jun 1810, St-Eustache, Quebec

14. Eustache Bigras — B. 4 May 1749, Pointe-Claire, New France; S. 11 Jun 1749, Pointe-Claire, New France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
François Bigras (Wikipedia article)
Dictionnaire biographique des Ancêtres québécois, Michel Langlois
Bigras, François, l’ancêtre (website)
Montreal Notarial Records, Canadian Archives Manuscripts
Online Database of Voyageur Contracts
BAnQ (website)

A Child With Another Man — Claude Damise

B. about 1643 in Paris, France
M. 10 Dec 1668 in Montreal, New France
Husband: Pierre Perthuis dit Lalime
D. 6 Oct 1705 in Montreal, New France

Claude Damise was a 17th-century woman, who lived at a Paris orphanage, then moved to Montreal when it was little more than a fur trade outpost. Given the rough circumstances she must have had, perhaps it’s not surprising that she had a child with a man while she was married to someone else.

Claude was born in Paris in about 1643 to Étienne Damisé and Geneviève Pioche. Her family lived in the parish of St-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet and were likely poor. It’s known that Claude had a younger brother named Jean. 

After their father died and their mother remarried, both siblings were sent to Pitié-Salpêtrière, a Paris gunpowder factory that had been recently turned into a hospital. Run by nuns, Pitié-Salpêtrière took in orphaned and unwanted children, putting them to work under miserable conditions. It also served as a sort of women’s prison for prostitutes and beggars, treating misbehavior as a disease, and offering no timetable for release. It’s uncertain exactly what Claude’s status was, but she was there as early as 1665, and didn’t leave until 1668 when she sailed to America as a Fille du Roi.

Pitié-Salpêtrière in about 1660.

Claude arrived in Quebec aboard the ship La Nouvelle France on July 3, 1668, along with about 80 other women. She was among a group of prospective brides who were transported to Montreal, and there she was housed at Maison Saint-Gabriel, a place run by nuns that took in single women. Men came there seeking wives, and on December 10th, Claude married Pierre Perthuis dit Lalime, a former Carignan soldier who had decided to stay in New France.

During this time, Montreal was becoming a center for the fur trade, a town where expeditions to the West were organized, and where a marketplace of merchants did their business. Pierre became a successful merchant who sometimes traveled to outposts, and Claude was probably often left to raise their children alone. Their first child was born in 1670, followed by two more, one of whom died young.

Then in 1675, while Pierre was presumably away, Claude became pregnant by another man. His name was Jean Paradis, and he had migrated from France with his parents and maternal grandparents as a boy. It’s unknown what brought the two together or if their relationship was consensual; Jean was unmarried at the time and a few years younger than Claude. The baby, a boy, was born on March 3, 1676 and baptized at Pointe-aux-Trembles. Claude gave her son to a childless couple in Beauport to raise, and he was adopted by them.

Baptismal record of Claude's out-of-wedlock child.

In 1678, Claude resumed having children with her husband by giving birth to a daughter; she had seven more by 1688. There is some confusion whether or not they had another child in 1691, a son named Pierre since they already had a child by that name born in 1686. The family moved to Pointe-aux-Trembles by 1684. Pierre continued to thrive in the fur trading business and was said to be “in the second stratum of merchant-outfitters.”

Claude died on October 6, 1705 at Montreal. Her husband Pierre survived her, passing away in 1708. Among their descendants were Ricky Gervais, Tyrone Power and Alex Trebek.

Children by Pierre Perthuis:
1. Catherine Perthuis — B. Jan 1670, Montreal, New France; D. 17 Feb 1736, Riviére-des-Prairies, New France; M. Pierre Maguet (1663-1725), 7 Jan 1686, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France

2. Jean Perthuis — B. Feb 1672, Montreal, New France; D. (probably) young

3. Jeanne Perthuis — B. Dec 1673, Montreal, New France; M. Nicolas Deroche (1652-1737), 22 Nov 1688, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France

4. Élisabeth Perthuis — B. 7 Feb 1677, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France; D. 23 Apr 1703, Montreal, New France; M. Claude Caron (1672-1759), 20 Jun 1695, Montreal, New France

5. Marie Perthuis — B. 8 Sep 1678, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France; D. 23 Dec 1766, Chateauguay, Quebec; M. Vital Caron (1673-1745), 24 Jan 1698, Montreal, New France

6. Geneviéve Perthuis — B. 17 Oct 1680, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France; D. 28 Aug 1774, Montreal, Quebec; M. (1) Urbain Gervaise (1673-1713), 19 Mar 1701, Montreal, New France; (2) Louis Renaud (1683-?), 5 Apr 1717, Lachine, New France

7. Marguerite Perthuis — B. 23 Jul 1682, Montreal, New France; D. 11 Mar 1703, Montreal, New France

8. Angélique Perthuis — B. 1 Jan 1684, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France; D. 25 Apr 1755, Montreal, New France; M. Louis Lefebvre dit Duchouquet (~1672-1741), 28 Sep 1700, Montreal, New France

9. Anne-Françoise Perthuis — B. 26 Jan 1685, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France; D. 31 Jan 1685, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France

10. Pierre Perthuis — B. 16 Apr 1686, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France; D. 6 Dec 1758, Pointe-Coupée, Louisiana, New France; M. (1) Angélique Caron (1690-1715), 24 Jan 1713, New France; (2) Catherine Mallet

11. François Perthuis — B. 1 Oct 1688, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France

Out-of-wedlock child by Jean Paradis:
1. Andre Paradis — B. 3 Mar 1676, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France; D. 11 Oct 1745, Beauport, New France; M. Marguerite Ménard, 7 Jan 1697, Beauport, New France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
King’s Daughters and Founding Mothers—1663-1673, Peter Gagne, 2000
The Pietié-Saltpêtriére Hospital, Atlas Obscura 
Habitants and Merchants in Seventeenth-Century Montreal, Louise Dechêne, 1993

Settler & Leader in a New Colonial Town — David Ashley

B. 3 Jun 1642 in Springfield, Massachusetts
M. 24 Nov 1663 in New Haven, Connecticut
Wife: Hannah Glover
D. 8 Dec 1718 in Westfield, Massachusetts

In 17th-century New England, new settlements were popping up as the Puritan population grew larger. One major area for development was on the Connecticut River in what is now Massachusetts, and David Ashley was a founding settler of the town of Westfield. 

David was born in nearby Springfield on June 3, 1642 to parents Robert and Mary Ashley, the oldest child of seven. David had a twin sister who died at birth; he also had two half-brothers from his mother’s first marriage. As a boy, he learned to read and write; his mother likely taught him because his father is known to have been illiterate. His parents ran a tavern in Springfield, exposing young David to the civic business of the town, which was another sort of education.

When David was 21, he married Hannah Glover of New Haven, Connecticut; the wedding took place in the bride’s hometown on November 24, 1663. The couple had eleven children born between 1664 and 1685. Only one of the children died as an infant, a baby girl whose twin sister survived.

David’s life may have been shaped by his father’s 1663 purchase of Indian land at a place near Springfield called Woronoco. David moved to Woronoco a few years later, presumably taking the plot his father owned, as a group of men from places nearby organized the area into the town of Westfield. As was typical in a new settlement, land was allotted to each household, with everyone getting several lots comprising meadows and farmland. On June 30, 1669, another purchase was made from the Indians, paying them £40 for a vast amount of land, and David was mentioned as a recipient along with seven others who were settlers there. 

Map showing towns along the Connecticut River.

As an original settler in Westfield, David took on several civic roles, most notably in 1678 as the first town clerk, a position that was called “Clerk of the Writs.” He was reappointed several more times during his life, and was made town treasurer in 1694. In April 1671, he hosted the newly arrived minister for about 5 days until more suitable lodging was available. David also contributed to the community by helping to build two mills: one for grinding corn in 1669, and one for sawing wood in 1685. In frontier towns like Westfield, mills were vital for making the settlers self-sufficient.

David played an important role in the defense of Westfield during King Philip’s War. Being on the frontier of New England, towns in eastern Massachusetts were vulnerable to attack by Indians camped to the west. Springfield was invaded in October 1675, with 60 houses burned to the ground. Westfield leaders met to decide how to deal with the threat, and David was appointed along with another man, Thomas Gunn, to organize a plan of defense. In order to maintain their farms during the time of war, the settlers plowed only a cluster of fields, and working together, they shared the crops among each other. That way they would be less isolated as they worked in their fields.

Back in Boston, the General Court, Massachusetts governing body, ordered that towns like Westfield evacuate. But the settlers petitioned that they be allowed to stay. David and two others drafted a letter to the General Court in Boston dated April 3, 1676, telling the Court that they needed to tend to their crops, and that they had a plan to use their own fort for protection. The war lasted several more months and the people of Westfield made it through.

David continued to serve his community for many years. He died in Westfield on December 8, 1718, leaving an estate to his family amounting to over £270. His wife Hannah died in 1722. Their graves were said to be among the oldest in the town cemetery. David was the ancestor of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, J.P. Morgan and Clint Eastwood.

David Ashley's grave. (Source: Find-a-Grave)

Children:
1. Samuel Ashley — B. 26 Oct 1664; D. about 1761; M. Sarah Kellogg (~1666-~1729), 27 Apr 1686, Westfield, Massachusetts

2. David Ashley — B. 10 Mar 1666, Westfield, Massachusetts; D. 7 Aug 1744, Westfield, Massachusetts; M. Mary Dewey (1668-1757), 11 Jul 1688, Westfield, Massachusetts

3. John Ashley — B. 27 Jun 1669, Westfield, Massachusetts; D. 16 Apr 1759, Westfield, Massachusetts; M. (1) Sarah Dewey (1672-1708), 8 Sep 1692, Westfield, Massachusetts; (2) Mary Whiting (1672-1735), 20 Jan 1709, Westfield, Massachusetts

4. Joseph Ashley — B. 1671, Springfield, Massachusetts; D. 25 Feb 1705, Plymouth County, Massachusetts; M. Abigail Dewey (1682-1747), 12 Apr 1699, Westfield, Massachusetts

5. Sarah Ashley — B. 19 Sep 1673, Westfield, Massachusetts; 1704, Westfield, Massachusetts; M. Thomas Ingersoll (1668-1732), 22 Jul 1692

6. Mary Ashley — B. 26 Dec 1675, Massachusetts; D. 26 Dec 1675, Massachusetts

7. Hannah Ashley — B. 26 Dec 1675, Massachusetts; D. 3 Dec 1752, Sheffield, Massachusetts; M. Nathaniel Eggleston (1666-1714), 13 Sep 1694, Windsor, Connecticut

8. Jonathan Ashley — B. 21 Jun 1678, Westfield, Massachusetts; D. 18 Sep 1749, Westfield, Massachusetts; M. Abigail Stebbins (1683-1752), abt 1699, Springfield, Massachusetts

9. Abigail Ashley — B. 24 Apr 1681, Springfield, Massachusetts; D. 11 Apr 1723, Farmington, Connecticut; M. Nathaniel Lewis (1676-1752)

10. Mary Ashley — B. 3 Mar 1682, Springfield, Massachusetts; D. 7 Sep 1769, Westfield, Massachusetts; M. (1) John Webb, 1701, Hampden County, Massachusetts; (2) Benjamin Stebbins (1687-1733), 21 Dec 1709

11. Rebecca Ashley — B. 30 May 1685, Westfield, Massachusetts; D. about 1785; M. Samuel Dewey (1670-1734), about 1712, Westfield, Massachusetts

Sources:
The Ashley Genealogy, A History of the Descendants of Robert Ashley of Springfield, Massachusetts, Francis Bacon Trowerbridge, 1896
Westfield and Its Historic Influences, 1669-1919, Vol. 1, John Hoyt Lockwood, 1922
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