M. 30 Jul 1686 in Lachine, New France
Wife: Anne-Jeanne Girardin
D. before 26 Feb 1729
Hubert Ranger dit Laviolette was part of a force sent to help the people of Montreal defend themselves against the Iroquois. Hubert was born in La Rochelle, France in 1661 to Pierre Ranger and Jeanne Boutin. His father drove a “merchandise wagon” for a living, likely dealing with goods that were loaded and unloaded at the docks of the coastal town. Young Hubert must have been exposed to the activity of ships leaving for America, and perhaps this had an influence on him.
During the 1680s, as French fur traders and farmers settled in and around Montreal, they faced an increasing threat from the Iroquois tribes to the south. In 1683, the habitants sent a request for rifles and swords to the authorities in France. The king instead responded by ordering that three companies of troops be sent to the colony. Most soldiers who were already enlisted declined the assignment, so new men were recruited, most of whom came from the La Rochelle region, and Hubert was one of them.
What would motivate Hubert to join such a mission? He may have been attracted by an opportunity for adventure, although he also could have simply needed an income. Whatever the reason, he boarded the ship La Tempête, which left La Rochelle on August 29, 1683. The trip took over two months, arriving at Quebec City on November 7th. Somewhere along the way, Hubert acquired the curious nickname of “Laviolette.” Records indicate that Hubert was in Quebec City at least until April 4th of the following year, when he was confirmed at the Catholic church there.
Hubert’s military force was called the Compagnes Franches de la Marine, and he was among the first of that group to be stationed in New France. Hubert was said to be in the company of Guillaume De Lorimier, one of the three companies sent to Montreal. The troops were ill-equipped; many of them had defective muskets, broken swords and inadequate clothing. The soldiers were intended for a quick mission to fight the Iroquois, but by the following year, it was obvious that it wouldn’t be that easy, and they were turned into a standing army.
Soldiers in the Montreal area had no barracks, so they were housed in private homes, and in this way, many became embedded in the habitant’s society, even working as hired labor for the settlers. Hubert was assigned to the town of Lachine and developed acquaintances there. He soon contracted to marry the 13-year-old daughter of a Lachine farmer, Anne-Jeanne Girardin. He was granted permission by the governor to get married, although it’s not clear why he needed approval. The wedding took place in Lachine on July 30, 1686.
Hubert’s activities after he got married are sketchy. He lived in Lachine during the 1690s, but before that, seems to be absent from the town, and he was not noted as being there during the August 1689 massacre. Maybe he was continuing to serve as a soldier for the rest of his enlistment and was in another town. Hubert and Anne had their first child in 1691, a daughter born in Lachine. They had eight more, with the youngest born in 1715.
Around 1700, the family relocated to Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, a settlement on the western tip of the Island of Montreal. Hubert spent the rest of his life there as a farmer, but it’s uncertain when he died. The last record of him was on his daughter Louise-Angelique’s marriage contract on November 19, 1726. His wife Anne-Jeanne was noted as a widow on February 26, 1729, so his death must have occurred before that date. Hubert was an ancestor of Alex Trebek.
Children:
1. Marie Ranger — B. 30 Jan 1691, Lachine, New France; D. 5 Feb 1691, Lachine, New France
2. Hubert Laviolette — B. 20 Jan 1694, Lachine, New France
3. Pierre Ranger — B. 16 Sep 1696, Lachine, New France; D. 5 Feb 1787, Pointe-Claire, Quebec; M. Marie-Genevieve Dubois Brisebois (1707-1784), 31 Mar 1723, New France
4. Marie-Josephe Ranger — B. 14 Sep 1698, Lachine, New France
5. Thomas Ranger — B. 26 Sep 1700, Lachine, New France; D. 11 Jun 1782, Vaudreuil, Quebec; M. Marie-Anne Tabeau (~1708-1805), 21 Nov 1725, Pointe Claire, New France
6. Joseph Ranger — B. 9 May 1704, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France; D. 14 Dec 1782, Montreal, Quebec; M. Marie-Suzanne Sauvé Laplante (1705-1784), 20 Oct 1726, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France
7. Louise-Angelique Ranger — B. about 1706, (probably) Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France; D. 10 Oct 1751, Montreal, New France; M. Pierre Sauvé LaPlante (1700-1778), 20 Oct 1726, New France
8. Paul Laviolette — B. 16 May 1710, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France; D. 16 Jul 1760, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France; M. (1) Marie-Anne Merlot, 5 May 1732, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France; (2) Marie-Angelique Roblillard (1711-1785), 29 Oct 1738, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France
9. Anne Ranger — B. 23 May 1715, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France; D. 25 May 1715, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue New France
Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
WikiTree
Compagnies Franches de la Marine (Wikipedia article)
“Les Troupes de La Marine, 1683-1713” (thesis), Christopher J. Russ, 1971
“Les Troupes de La Marine, 1683-1713” (thesis), Christopher J. Russ, 1971
