Honored in Death With an Elegy — Lydia Butler

B. 23 Feb 1629 in Ashford, England
M.  9 May 1647 in Dorchester, Massachusetts
Husband: John Minot
D. 25 Jan 1667 in Dorchester, Massachusetts

There wouldn’t be much of a story to tell of Lydia Butler, except for a piece of paper that has survived for centuries. It was a tribute printed by her loved ones after her death, and gives a little glimpse into the world where she lived.

Lydia was born on February 23, 1629 in Ashford, England, a village in Kent, to Nicholas Butler and Joyce Baker. She was only 8-years-old when her family migrated to the Massachusetts colony seeking a new life where they were free to practice their religion. The ship that brought them was the Hercules and sailed in June of 1637; on board were Lydia, her parents, three siblings, and five family servants.

The Butlers settled in Dorchester, where on May 19, 1647, Lydia married John Minot. The couple had five healthy children born between 1648 and 1665. Then with her sixth pregnancy, something went wrong, and on January 24, 1667, the baby died at birth. Lydia never recovered and she died the following day.

During the second half of the 17th century, Puritans began printing tributes to the deceased on sheets of paper called broadsides. This was a way to honor the dead and offer a lasting remembrance to mourners. Usually they were created for important men, but sometimes for beloved women, like Lydia. They became almost an art form, with poems written especially for the person who died, and wood-cut illustrations to decorate the page.

Source: Massachusetts Historical Society

Lydia’s elegy broadside was one of the finest examples from that time. The page had a bold headline, “Upon the DEATH of the Virtuous and Religious Mrs. Lydia Minot,” with an epitaph and three poems about her, each with a title that was an anagram of her name. The third poem also had the letters of her name beginning each line of the poem. Across the top was an illustration with various symbols of death: hourglass with wings, skull and crossbones, and pick and shovel. There was even a crudely drawn funeral procession. The illustration was a boilerplate image, not unique to Lydia’s elegy.

After Lydia’s death, her husband John remarried, but he died in August of 1669. In John’s will, their only daughter, Martha, was bequeathed Lydia’s clothes as a remembrance of her mother.

Children:
1. John Minot — B. 22 Jan 1648; D. 26 Jan 1690, Dorchester, Massachusetts; M. Elizabeth Breck (?-1691), 11 Mar 1670

2. James Minot — B. 14 Sep 1653, Dorchester, Massachusetts; D. 20 Sep 1735, Concord, Massachusetts; M. Rebecca Wheeler (~1666-1734), about 1684, Concord, Massachusetts

3. Martha Minot — B. 22 Sep 1657, Dorchester, Massachusetts; D. 23 Nov 1678

4. Stephen Minot — B. 10 Aug 1662, Dorchester, Massachusetts; D. Nov 1732, Boston, Massachusetts; M. Mercy Clark, 1 Dec 1686

5. Samuel Minot — B. 3 Jul 1665, Dorchester, Massachusetts; D. about 1707, Concord, Massachusetts; M. Hannah Jones

6. Baby Minot — B. 24 Jan 1667, Dorchester, Massachusetts; D. 24 Jan 1667, Dorchester, Massachusetts

Sources:
Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire, Vol. 2, Lewis Publishing Company, 1908
Colonial Families of the United States of America, Nelson Osgood Roades, 1917
WikiTree

Husband Dies in Battle — Anne-Antoinette De Liercourt

B. about 1632 in Beauvais, Picardie, France
M. (1) 2 Feb 1651 in Trois-Rivières, New France
Husband: Blaise Juillet dit Avignon
M. (2) 30 Jun 1660 in Montreal, New France
Husband: Hugues Picard dit Lafortune
D. 30 Sep 1707 in Montreal, New France

A woman on the frontier in early colonial America lived a hard life, made more difficult when she became widowed. Anne-Antoinette De Liercourt lost her husband in Montreal to a conflict with the Iroquois. 

Antoinette was from Beuavais, France, born there in about 1632 to Phillipe De Liercourt and Jeanne Patin (or Palin). Nothing is known of Antoinette’s early years, or how she came to New France.

The first appearance of Antoinette in records was as a 17-year-old bride in a Trois-Rivières marriage contract dated February 2, 1651. Her new husband was Blaise Juillet dit Avignon, a 40-year-old “peat worker” who had arrived from France in 1644. The couple settled in Montreal soon after, which at the time was a small, remote settlement of about 50 people. They had a daughter born there in December, and by the end of 1658, they had three more children.

During the earliest years of Montreal, Iroquois aggression was a constant threat, and in 1660, there was word that the tribe planned to invade the colony. The Montreal garrison commander, Adam Dollard des Ormeaux, organized a force to try to surprise the Iroquois before they could attack. The group consisted of 44 Huron warriors and about 20 French men, one of whom was Antoinette’s husband Blaise. While the other men were single, only Blaise had a wife and children; one historian described his involvement as deserting his family to go on a “foolish escapade.” On April 19th, as the group set out in canoes, they came upon a small band of Iroquois and engaged them in a fight. The canoe Blaise shared with another man capsized and both drowned in the river.

Blaise’s body was brought back to Montreal and was buried along with two other casualties. After the funeral, Dollard continued on his mission against the Iroquois. A battle took place in May at a place called Long Sault; the French were outnumbered by more than ten to one, and all of the Montreal men were killed, including Dollard. But the Iroquois lost many men, too, and scrapped any plans to invade Montreal. Dollard would be honored for generations to come as a great hero of French Canada. 

Plaque honoring Adam Dollard at the Battle of Long Sault.

At age 28, Antoinette was in need of a husband who could support her and her four children, so just three months later, she got married again. Her wedding took place in Montreal on June 30, 1660 to Hugues Picard dit Lafortune, who was working as a carpenter for the Sulpician mission in Montreal. There may have been a family connection between the two; some researchers have shown that Antoinette’s older sister was married to a brother of Hugues back in France. Hugues adopted Antoinette’s children, and the couple went on to have five more, born between 1661 and 1672.

During the next few years, Antoinette testified at several trials in Montreal. In July 1673, she was questioned in a case between two men regarding some stolen beaver pelts. Later that year, she was on the witness stand in a sensational trial between two women where one accused the other of having been a criminal back in France; a doctor was ordered to examine the accused for signs that she had been whipped or branded for a previous offense. A third trial in 1681 was a case of two or more men involved in a brawl. It’s curious that a woman raising nine children was a witness in all of these trials, and gives an impression that her testimony had to do with the daily interaction between the wives of the community.

Antoinette made out her will on May 19, 1702, and she died on September 30, 1707 in Montreal. Her husband Hugues outlived her by only a couple of months, dying on December 22nd. She was a direct ancestor of Dan Aykroyd, Pierre Trudeau and Justin Trudeau.

Children (by Blaise Juillet):
1. Mathurine Juillet — B. 31 Dec 1651, Montreal, New France; D. 6 Mar 1723, Montreal New France; M. Urbain Baudreau (1633-1695), 20 Oct 1664, Montreal New France

2. Marie Juillet — B. 25 Nov 1653, Montreal New France; D. 29 Sep 1736, Montreal New France; M. Pierre Lecuyer (1634-1705), 23 Jul 1670, Montreal New France

3. Charles Juillet — B. 17 May 1656, Montreal New France; D. 5 Jul 1690, Montreal New France; M. Catherine Saintard (1653-?), 4 Dec 1679, Montreal New France

4. Louis Juillet — B. 11 Oct 1658, Montreal New France; D. 5 May 1736, Montreal New France; M. Catherine Celle (1666-1743), 25 Jan 1683, Montreal New France

Children (by Jacques-Hugues Picard):
1. Michelle-Anne Picard — B. 6 Jul 1661, Montreal, New France; D. 15 Apr 1710, Montreal, New France; M. Mathieu Gervais (1646-1728), 31 Aug 1676, Montreal, New France

2. Marie-Anne Picard — B. 3 Nov 1663, Montreal, New France; D. 4 Feb 1697, Laprairie, New France; M. Charles Diel (1652-1725), 31 Aug 1676, Montreal, New France

3. Marie-Marguerite Picard — B. Feb 1666, Montreal, New France; D. 18 Jan 1727, Lachine, New France; M. Jean Paré (1653-1734), 20 Oct 1681, Montreal, New France

4. Jean-Gabriel Picard — B. 17 Jun 1669, Montreal, New France; D. 26 Mar 1723, Lachine, New France; M. Marie-Madeleine Rapin, 9 Jan 1696, Lachine, New France

5. Jacques Picard — B. 27 Feb 1672, Montreal, New France; D. 22 Jan 1735, Longue-Pointe, New France; M. Marie-Anne Lefebvre, 28 Oct 1697, Montreal, New France

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

Before the King’s Daughters: The Filles à Marier, 1634-1662, Peter Gagné, 2002WikiTree
Histoire Populaire du Québec, Jacques Lacoursière, 1995-1997
Famous Kin (website) 

A Settler of Old Kaskaskia — Joseph Turpin

B. 21 Jun 1696 in Montreal, New France
M. 7 Nov 1731 in New Orleans, New France
Wife: Hypolite Chauvin de La Frénière
D. about 1750 in Kaskaskia, New France

There are only a few records that detail the life of Joseph Turpin, but the time and place he lived give him a story worth telling. Joseph was born into a fur trading family in Montreal on June 21, 1696. His parents were Alexandre Turpin and Marie-Charlotte Beauvais, and he had 7 siblings and 6 half-siblings. Joseph’s mother died when he was 4-years-old, and afterwards, he was raised by a step-mother. His father, who was a Montreal merchant, died before Joseph was age 14.

Joseph's older brother Louis was living at the Illinois trading post of Kaskaskia by 1719, and younger brother Jacques died in Kaskaskia in 1723, so it’s highly likely that Joseph was also there around this time. Kaskaskia was a French settlement on the Mississippi River that began about 1700 when fur traders settled in an Indian village and married women of the tribe. The Jesuits established a mission, and both natives and French cultivated the land. The settlement grew as mixed-race children came of age, and a few French women migrated from Canada. A census taken in June 1723 showed that there were 64 French habitants, 42 French laborers, 28 married women, and 17 children. 

Map of Kaskaskia.

What was Joseph’s occupation in Kaskaskia? Early on, it’s hard to say, but the village had an important connection with New Orleans, supplying the gulf coast with farm products and pelts, and some men operated the trading route back and forth on the Mississippi. The fact Joseph appeared in New Orleans in 1731 suggests that he may have been involved in the transport of goods down the river. On November 7th of that year, he took a wife, Hypolite Chauvin de La Frénière, a half-Indigenous girl born to a slave and an important Louisiana plantation owner; she was only 13-years-old, so it was probably an arranged marriage.

Joseph returned to Kaskaskia with his young bride. The records of most of the baptisms of the village are unfortunately lost, but we do know that the couple had at least two children, a daughter born in about 1732 and a son in about 1750. In 1742, Joseph received a grant of land next to his brother Louis, who was by then one of the wealthiest men in town. The land was described as being on a hill on the opposite side of the Kaskaskia River, with 2 arpents of frontage and 40 arpents deep, suggesting that Joseph had become a farmer. The following year, on August 2nd, Joseph was granted another tract by Governor de Bienville of Louisiana that was “12 arpents square.”

It’s not known exactly when Joseph died, but his wife Hypolite remarried in Kaskaskia on March 19, 1750, so it must have been at least a month before that date. It was later said that his son was born posthumously, but this is uncertain.

The village of Kaskaskia went through many changes after Joseph's death. Within a couple generations, it evolved from a French trading post into a frontier town run by Americans. An 1844 flood caused the relocation of Kaskaskia to a site several miles inland. In 1881, the ruins of the original settlement were finished off when the Mississippi River changed its course in another flood, and the land Joseph had owned ended up under water. Old Kaskaskia doesn’t exist on today’s maps.

Children:
1. Marie-Madeleine Turpin — B. about 1732, Kaskaskia, New France; D. after 1810, Natchitoches, Louisiana Territory; M. (1) Pierre Texier dit LaVigne (1728-1770), 12 Jan 1751, Kaskaksia, New France; (2) Antoine Cusson, 1774, Kaskaskia, Illinois Territory; (3) Joseph Auger, about 1778

2. François Turpin — B. (probably) about 1750, Kaskaskia, New France; D. 1 Oct 1809, Vincennes, Indiana Territory; M. Marie-Josephe Levron dit Metayer, about 1777, (probably) Post Vincennes, Illinois Territory

Sources:
The Family of Nicolas Chauvin de La Freniere, Sadie Greening Sparks, 18 Oct 2000, sadiesparks.com
Race, Sex and Social Order in Early New Orleans, Jennifer M. Spear, 2010
Kaskaskia Under the French Regime, Natalia Maree Belting, 1948
The History of Kaskaskia, Illinois, in a Family History Context (website) 
Kaskaskia, Illinois (Wikipedia article)

Supplier to the Fur Trade — Pierre Perthuis dit Lalime

B. 18 Feb 1645 in Amboise, Touraine, France
M. (1) 10 Dec 1668 in Montreal, New France
Wife: Claude Damise
M. (2) 13 Feb 1707 in Montreal, New France
Wife: Françoise Moisan
D. 16 Apr 1708 in Montreal, New France

During the late 17th century, Montreal was a center of the fur trade business, and Pierre Perthuis dit Lalime seized upon the opportunity to make a living there as a merchant and supplier. He was born on February 18, 1645 to Sylvain Perthuis and Mathurine Racicot in Amboise, Touraine, France. It’s known that Pierre had at least one older brother and one younger sister, and that his father was a merchant, which perhaps rubbed off him a bit.

By age 20, Pierre joined the military, which was organizing an effort to send about 1,000 soldiers to New France. The force was divided into 12 companies and Pierre found himself in the one headed by the leader of the entire regiment, Henri de Chastelard de Salières. Soldiers often acquired nicknames, and Pierre was known as “Lalime,” although it’s not clear why. The men were stationed at Fort Barraux between Grenoble and Chambery before leaving for New France. The Saliéres company boarded the ship L'Aigle d'Or which departed La Rochelle on May 13, 1665; the ship was barely seaworthy, and made it to Quebec on August 19th after a journey of over three months.

Soon after their arrival, Pierre’s company was sent into Iroquois country where the soldiers constructed a wooden palisade called Fort Sainte-Therese, one of three such forts along the Richeleau River. Then they went to Montreal, and were based there until the soldiers’ terms of service were up in 1668. Many chose to return to France, but Pierre and others decided to stay. On December 10th, he married Claude Damise, one of the Filles du Roi who had arrived that year. The couple settled in Montreal, and Pierre became a fur trading merchant.

By the late 1660s, Montreal had a marketplace of men who supplied expeditions to the trading posts around the Great Lakes. Those venturing out west needed merchandise to trade with the Indians, as well as provisions for their trips. And on their return, they had to have someone who would buy their pelts for export back to France. It was said that Pierre was successful partly because he had a network of relatives and contacts in France who helped him. Over his life he built up a decent amount of wealth; he was described as a “bourgeois merchant,” and as being in "the second stratum of merchant-outfitters.”

17-century fur trade market in Montreal.

Pierre and his wife Claude started their family with the birth of a daughter in 1670, which was followed by two more children within a couple of years, one of whom died young. In about 1675, they moved to the new settlement of Pointe-aux-Trembles located to the north of Montreal. While Pierre was away on a trip, Claude became pregnant by another man, giving birth to a baby boy in March of 1676. How Pierre reacted to this isn’t known, but the child was adopted by another couple far away in Beauport. A year later, Pierre and Claude resumed having children together, eventually totaling 12, with the last one born in 1691.

Pierre’s name turned up in several court cases, some where he was owed money as a merchant. In one court record dated July 1694, he sued a man based in Quebec City named Jean Jung who was supplying goods from his father in France. The complaint stated that some of the barrels that were delivered by Jung were only half full and Pierre demanded a settlement. In 1686, Pierre testified in a scandalous murder trial. Jean Aubuchon was a Montreal merchant who was found dead in his bed. His wife accused her lover, Jacques Paillerault, of killing her husband. Pierre was one of many colleagues who testified at the trial; it took 3 years, but the man was acquitted.

On October 6, 1705, Pierre’s wife Claude died, and he remarried to a woman named François Moisan on February 13, 1707 in Montreal. Their time together was short because Pierre passed away April 16th of the following year. The value of his estate was about 50,000 livres, a substantial amount of money. Pierre was an ancestor of Alex Trebek, Ricky Gervais and Tyrone Power.

Children (all by Claude Damise):
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 Perthius — B. Dec 1673, Montreal, New France; M. Nicolas Deroche (1652-1737), 22 Nov 1688, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France

4. Élisabeth Perthius — 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. 1708, Deerfield, Massachusetts

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

12. Pierre Perthuis — B. 19 May 1691, 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

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

Habitants and Merchants in Seventeenth-Century Montreal, Louise Dechêne, 1993WikiTree
Bibliotheque et Archives nationales, Quebec (website)

A First Settler of Billerica, Massachusetts — Henry Jefts

B. about 1605 in England
M. (1) 13 Sep 1647 in Woburn, Massachusetts
Wife: Ann Stowers
M. (2) 21 May 1649 in Woburn, Massachusetts
Wife: Hannah Births
M. (3) 3 Oct 1666 in Billerica, Massachusetts
Wife: Mary _______
M. (4) 5 May 1681 in Billerica, Massachusetts
Wife: Mary _______
D. 24 May 1700 in Billerica, Massachusetts

Henry Jefts was one of the founders of a town in colonial New England by virtue of being among the first to live there. He was born in England in about 1605, but all information on his parents and background is unproven.

Henry first appeared in records with a September 13, 1647 marriage to Ann Stowers in Woburn, Massachusetts, so he arrived in America sometime before that date, likely during the 1630s. Henry’s wife Ann seems to have died within a couple of years, and he married a woman named Hannah Births on May 21, 1649, also in Woburn. The only other person known to have the name “Births” was a woman who married another settler in Woburn named George Farley, and it’s likely the two were sisters. It’s been said they were from Sweden, though there’s nothing to document that. By 1653, Henry and Hannah had two children, and that year, they moved to a new settlement.

The early 1650s were a time when the Massachusetts colony was establishing new towns. A large tract of land that had been granted to Governor Thomas Dudley in the 1630s was made available for purchase in smaller tracts, and Henry became one of the new property owners. His land included 113 ares of upland and 12 acres of meadow, and he soon moved his family there. Several other families set up homes nearby and the place became known as Billerica. Henry’s baby daughter died there in May of 1653, and it was the first event in Billerica’s vital records. Early in 1655, another daughter was born who was noted as the first female birth in the town.

Vital records of Henry’s family.

At a 1660 Billerica town meeting where some of the first civil appointments were made, Henry was chosen as surveyor along with Jonathan Danforth. He was later mentioned on November 5, 1663 as being assigned to lay out some common land that was owed to a few settlers; the other two men on the committee were Jonathan Danforth and his wife’s brother-in-law, George Farley. In another civic duty, Henry donated 300 bricks for the chimney on the new minister’s house in 1664.

Henry’s second wife Hannah died on September 15, 1662, and it wasn’t until October 3, 1666 that he remarried, this time to a widow, Mary Bird. By now he was nearing 60 years of age and the couple had no children. In May 1665, Henry was granted 4 acres of land at a place called Indian Hill, north of Indian Field. It was also said that during these years he and his wife moved to a place in Billerica “west of Long Street.”

On April 1, 1679, Henry’s third wife died and two years later, on May 5, 1681, he married again to another widow, Mary Baker. Henry wrote a will dated March 4, 1692. In it, he left property to his children, with specifications about his two daughters and their children, ordering that the property not be sold until the oldest grandchild was 14-years-old. Sadly both his daughter Joanna and her oldest daughter Mary were killed in an Indian attack later that year, along with Joanna’s baby son.

Henry lived a very long life and passed away at age 94 on May 24, 1700. His wife Mary survived him by three years; both were buried at the Old South Burying Ground in Billerica.

Children (all by Hannah Births):
1. John Jefts — B. 11 May 1651, Woburn, Massachusetts; D. 28 Sep 1712, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. Lydia Fish (?-1712), 6 Apr 1688, Billerica, Massachusetts

2. Hannah Jefts — B. about 1653, Massachusetts; D. May 1653, Billerica, Massachusetts

3. Hannah Jefts — B. 4 Feb 1655, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 21 Jan 1730, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; M. Andrew Spaulding (1652-1718), 30 Apr 1674, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

4. Joanna Jefts — B. 24 May 1656, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 1 Aug 1692, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. (1) John Dunkin (?-1690); (2) Benjamin Dutton, 1691

5. Henry Jefts — B. 21 Mar 1659, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 20 May 1738, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. (1) Mary Baldwin (1663-1703), 13 Apr 1681; (2) Hannah Hill (1667-1713), 9 Nov 1704

Sources:
History of Billerica, Massachusetts With a Genealogical Register, Henry Allen Hazen, 1883
WikiTree

In the Wilds of New France — Louis Plichon dit St-Louis

B. 1719 in Amiens, Somme, Picardie, France
M. 6 Nov 1747 in Montreal, New France
Wife: Marie-Therese Pimpare
D. after 23 Feb 1768 in (probably) Windsor, Canada

During the 17th and 18th centuries, when men came from France to make a new life in Canada, they had to be courageous, resourceful, and tough. That was very true for a man like Louis Plichon dit St-Louis.

Louis was born in 1719 in Amiens, France to Charles Plichon and Marie Coquerel. His childhood circumstance are unknown, but he was only 15-years-old when he joined the French military. At some point, he was assigned to help defend New France, and was shipped there. Louis’ post was in Montreal, then a thriving town primarily doing business in the fur trade. It had a population of 4,200 in 1740, with another 18,000 people living in the surrounding area. By that time, the military was focused on defending against the British, who were threatening to take over, but during Louis’ first few years in New France, there wasn’t much action.

Sometime during 1743, Louis needed some medical treatment; the details of his condition weren’t recorded. He tried to get help from a Montreal doctor, Charles Feltz, who was well-known for his remedies, but for some reason, Louis was turned away. So he decided to venture into the woods looking for wild roots to make his own medicine. After finding what he needed, Louis made a fire and boiled the roots near where he found them. All this took some time, and as he made his way back to town, he encountered a black woman picking berries, who asked for his help to cross the St. Lawrence river so she could get home. After Louis did so, a storm came up with heavy rain and wind, and this prevented him from making the return trip across the river.

By now Louis didn’t know how to get back to his post. For the next three days, he wandered the shoreline across from Montreal. Eventually, he ended up in the settlement of Châteauguay, where at first, someone stole his gun, then a settler gave him food and fresh clothes. But Louis was also in trouble for leaving his post without permission, and the authorities soon arrested him. He was brought to trial for desertion, a serious offense that could have meant a stiff sentence. The only thing that saved him was that he had been underage at his enlistment, making his service invalid, and he was therefore not legally bound to military rules. He was released back into his military unit.

Record of 1743 case against Louis.

By 1747, Louis was serving in the company of Louis de La Corne, a Montreal man who was a fur trader as well as a military man. After taking charge of an attack in Acadia, La Corne led a force of men against raiding Iroquois in June of 1747 on Lake St. Louis. It’s likely that Louis was part of this effort, and possibly it’s where he got the nickname “St-Louis,” but this is speculation.

Sometime before the June 1747 mission, Louis had a relationship with a woman who lived in the Montreal area, Marie-Therese Pimpare. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son at the end of September, who was baptized on October 1st at Montreal. About a month later, on November 6th, Louis married Therese at the same church.

Louis was an active soldier until at least January 1749; that month, he and his wife had a daughter born in Montreal, who died soon after. Then his service ended and he made the decision to go west. There was an offer made in Detroit to encourage French settlers to set up farms there; anyone who agreed to it would be given land, supplies and rations in return for a commitment to grow crops. Louis arrived with his family on July 26th and received a tract on the south shore of the Detroit River.

A ledger book was kept for all of the new settlers and Louis was listed as the first entry. Specifically he received two “roebucks for meat,” 2 pounds of flour, a hoe, an axe, a scythe, a plow, 2 augers, a sow, a cow, an ox, 7 chickens, 80 roofing nails, 4 lbs. of gunpowder and 6 lbs. of lead. It was required that he return the cow and the ox, or pay for them, and he was given 20 bushels of wheat and 1 bushel of corn that had to be repaid. Louis’ ration allotment was increased by one in 1750 when wife Therese’s brother came to stay with them. It was also noted in the ledger that his cow was replaced on June 5, 1755 after it had been killed by Hurons.

View from the south shore of the Detroit River.

Louis and Therese’s family grew during the years on the Detroit River. A son was born to them on November 26, 1749 who is considered to be the first white child born in what is now Essex County, Ontario. There were at least six more children, with the youngest known born in 1764 or 1765. It isn’t known when Louis died. A census taken of the inhabitants of the south shore of Detroit on January 23, 1768 lists a family headed by “St Louis,” and there were eight children in the household, so that was likely him. There are no further mentions of Louis after that date.

Children:
1. Louis Plichon — B. 1 Oct 1747, Montreal, New France

2. Marie-Louise Plichon — B. 11 Jan 1749, Montreal, New France; D. 26 Jan 1749, Montreal, New France

3. François Plichon — B. 26 Nov 1749, Detroit, New France

4. Joseph-Marie Plichon — B. 6 Nov 1751, Detroit, New France

5. Marie-Joseph Plichon — B. 20 Dec 1753, Detroit, New France; D. 26 Dec 1753, Detroit, New France

6. Catherine Plichon — B. 6 Jan 1755, Detroit, New France

7. Pierre Plichon — B. 15 Apr 1757, Detroit, New France; D. 13 Sep 1758, Detroit, New France

8. Marie-Françoise Plichon — B. about Apr 1759, Detroit, New France; D. 26 Jan 1837, Vincennes, Indiana; M. Nicolas Baillargeon (1740-1803), 24 Jul 1778, Post Vincennes, Illinois Territory

9. Charles Plichon — B. before 23 Sep 1765, Sandwich, Quebec

Sources:
WikiTree
Genealogy of the French Families of the Detroit River Region, 1701-1936, Christian Dennison, 1987
People of the American Frontier: The Coming of the American Revolution, Walter Scott Dunn, 2005
“Edward Ciccotte Ledger, 1749-1752,” Michigan’s Habitant Heritage, Vol. 29, #3, 2008
“La Corne, Louis,” Dictionary of Canadian Biography 
Punir La Désertion en Nouvelle-France: Justice, Pouvoir et Institution Militaire de 1742 à 1761, Nicolas Fournier, 2013
The Windsor border region, Canada’s southernmost frontier, Ernest J. Lajeunesse, 1960

Early Montreal Barrel Maker — Pierre Perras

B. about Aug 1616 in La Rochelle, France
M. 26 Jan 1660 in Montreal, New France
Wife: Marie-Denise Lemaitre
D. 30 Apr 1684 in La Prairie, New France

During the prime of his life, Pierre Perras took his barrel-making skills from France to America. He was born in La Rochelle in 1616, and baptized there on August 21st. His parents were Pierre Perras and Jeanne L’Asnier, and he had at least two sisters. The details of Pierre’s childhood and early adult years are unknown, but as a man who lived in an active port city, he must have supplied his barrels to town merchants. 

Barrel-making in the 17th-century.

Pierre decided to move to New France in the 1650s, likely recruited by someone looking for new settlers with valuable trade skills. He arrived in Montreal, first appearing on his own marriage contract on January 10, 1660. The wedding took place two weeks later on the 26th; his bride was Marie-Denise Lemaitre, a woman trained as a midwife who worked in Montreal’s hospital. There was a 20-year difference in their ages, with Pierre being 43 and Denise about 23. They started a family with a son born in October of that year. The family would grow to a total of ten children, with the youngest born in 1674; only two children died as infants.

After living about 10 years in Montreal, Pierre acquired land in La Prairie, a new settlement on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. He continued making barrels, but also cultivated the land, and by 1681 had a farm of 40 arpents. During the settlement’s earliest years, Pierre and his neighbors had to travel a long ways to get to church, so on September 22, 1675, he donated a building on his land to hold services. The make-shift church was said to be 25’ by 20’ and had a thatched roof. It was said that in 1691, the building was taken apart and reconstructed in a safer location within a palisade.

Pierre died on April 30, 1684 at the age of 67. His wife Denise remarried after his death, and she was brutally killed by Iroquois in 1691. Pierre was an ancestor of Pierre Trudeau, Justin Trudeau and Madonna.

Children:
1. Pierre Perras — B. 31 Oct 1660, Montreal, New France; D. 23 Aug 1687, Montreal, New France

2. Jacques Perras — B. 24 Apr 1663, Montreal, New France; D. 25 Mar 1688, La Prairie, New France

3. Marguerite Perras — B. 27 Dec 1665, Montreal, New France; D. 15 May 1708, Montreal, New France; M. (1) Pierre Poupart (~1650-1699), 11 Aug 1682, La Prairie, New France; (2) Jospeh-Marie Demers (1658-1728), 20 Sep 1699, La Prairie, New France

4. Marie Perras — B. 27 Dec 1665, Montreal, New France; D. 3 Jan 1666, Montreal, New France

5. Catherine Perras — B. 24 Feb 1667, Montreal, New France; D. 16 Mar 1667, Montreal, New France

6. Jean Perras — B. 28 Aug 1668, Montreal, New France; D. 13 Oct 1736, La Prairie, New France; M. (1) Marguerite Tetu (1679-1699), 7 Jun 1698, La Prairie, New France; (2) Marie-Madeleine Roy (1684-1726), 25 Oct 1701, La Prairie, New France

7. Catherine Perras — B. 9 Jun 1670, Montreal, New France; D. 7 Jan 1750, Longueuil, New France; M. Eustache Demers (1661-1707), 21 Apr 1688, La Prairie, New France

8. Marie-Jeanne Perras — B. 10 Jul 1671, La Prairie, New France; D. 30 Oct 1718, La Prairie, New France; M. (1) Claude Faye (~1662-1708), 25 Oct 1688, La Prairie, New France; (2) Pierre Voisin (~1678-1721), 23 Dec 1709, La Prairie, New France

9. Marie Perras — B. 2 Feb 1673, La Prairie, New France; D. 9 May 1736, La Prairie, New France; M. Antoine Boyer (1671-1747), 4 Feb 1690, La Prairie, New France

10. Pierre Perras — B. 24 Jun 1674, La Prairie, New France; D. 1 Aug 1699, La Prairie, New France; M. Marie-Marguerite Diel (1678-1715), 18 Nov 1696, La Prairie, New France

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

WikiTreeMinnesota Eh? A Foley/Perras Family History, Gerald Foley

New France Wife of Unknown Origins — Marie Godard

B. about 1640
M. 29 Sep 1654 in Beauport, New France
Husband: Toussaint Giroux
D. 21 Nov 1684 in Beauport, New France

Marie Godard was a woman living during the 17th century in New France, but there’s an odd absence of information about where exactly she came from. Census records taken when Marie was an adult suggested she was born between about 1638 and 1641. She first appeared in her marriage document of September 29, 1654. On that day, she was married to Toussaint Giroux at the home of Robert Giffard, seigneur of Beauport.

Both Marie and her new husband were servants of Giffard, who was an important man in the colony; he had first come to New France in the 1620s as a surgeon, and during the 1630s and 1640s, played a role in recruiting settlers from France. It’s likely that Marie was pregnant when she married Toussaint because the birth of their first child followed only seven months later. As servants working in the same household, this sort of relationship was certainly possible, and may have been the reason they got married.

The man who officiated at Marie’s wedding was Father Paul Ragueneau, who just a few years earlier, headed a Jesuit mission in Huron country. During the 1640s, the mission was destroyed in a series of brutal attacks by the Iroquois. It was said that only a small number of the Hurons escaped death or captivity, and Father Ragueneau eventually brought the survivors back to Quebec. Could Marie have been an orphaned girl among these Huron? Possibly, but this is only speculation. It’s interesting, though, that while her husband was illiterate, she was able to sign her name on the marriage document. Native American girls who fell into the care of the French were typically given an education during their conversion to Catholicism. Of course, she may have also been educated as a girl in France.

Father Paul Ragueneau.

Whatever the case, Marie and her new husband continued to be servants to Sieur Giffard, living in a small outbuilding on his property. On April 30, 1655, she gave birth to a baby boy in the house of Giffard, who delivered the child, but unfortunately the baby died a week later. In 1656 and 1658, Marie had two more sons born at Giffard’s house; the baby who was born in 1658 was baptized in the house at three weeks old. Marie and Toussaint went on to have 9 more children together, with the youngest born in about 1679.

In October 1658, Toussaint bought his own plot of land in Beauport, and built a small house that the family moved into. The land was expanded with a second purchase in 1665, but when Sieur Giffard died two years later, his son became the new landlord and reduced the Giroux family concession to a single arpent because they had been behind in paying the rent. It took a few years, but the family was eventually able to acquire enough farmland again to support themselves.

Marie died at Beauport on November 21, 1684. An unusual note was added in her death record that she had lived “a good life.” Husband Toussaint remarried a couple of years later, but it wasn’t a happy relationship, and when he died in 1715, he was buried next to his first wife Marie. She had many descendants, two of whom were Robert Goulet and Madonna.

Burial record of Marie Godard.

Children:
1. Charles Giroux — B. 30 Apr 1655, Beauport, New France; D. 7 May 1655, Beauport, New France

2. Raphael Giroux — B. 21 Jul 1656, Beauport, New France; D. 10 Feb 1715, Beauport, New France; M. Marie-Madeleine Vachon (1664-1715), 26 Nov 1681, Beauport, New France

3. Charles Giroux — B. 10 Aug 1658, Beauport, New France; D. 23 Dec 1708, Beauport, New France

4. Toussaint Giroux — B. 2 May 1660, Beauport, New France; D. 7 Jul 1660, Beauport, New France

5. Michel Giroux — B. 13 Jun 1661, Beauport, New France; D. 6 Aug 1715, Beauport, New France; M. Marie-Therese Prévost (1665-1743), 18 Aug 1683, Beauport, New France

6. Toussaint Giroux — B. 21 Oct 1663, Beauport, New France; D. 10 Nov 1663, Beauport, New France

7. Jean Giroux — B. 26 Oct 1664, Beauport, New France; D. 16 Jan 1732, Beauport, New France; M. (1) Marie Dauphin (1673-1685), 8 Feb 1685, Beauport, New France; (2) Suzanne Bélanger (1665-1707), 12 Feb 1686, Beauport, New France  (3) Marie-Charlotte Grenier (1666-1736), 27 Feb 1707, Beauport, New France

8. Marie-Anne Giroux — B. 28 Dec 1666, Beauport, New France; D. 9 Jun 1711, Charlesbourg, New France;  M. Jean-Baptiste Prévost (1662-1737), 18 Aug 1683, Beauport, New France

9. Jean-Baptiste Giroux — B. about Dec 1668, Beauport, New France; D. before 1681

10. Marie-Madeleine Giroux — B. 29 Dec 1669, Beauport, New France; M. (1) Pierre Choret (1655-1701), 21 Jan 1686, Beauport, New France; (2) Maurice Rhéaume (1666-1709), 10 Jan 1705, Charlesbourg, New France

11. Toussaint Giroux — B. 1 Mar 1672, Beauport, New France; D. 25 Feb 1750, Beauport, New France; M. Marie-Therese Dauphin (1674-1732), 15 Nov 1690, Beauport, New France

12. Monique Giroux — B. about 1679, Beauport, New France; D. 1 Mar 1725, Quebec City, New France; M. Noel Vachon dit Pamerlaux (1669-1699), 24 Oct 1695, Beauport, New France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
Before the King’s Daughters: The Filles à Marier, 1634-1662, Peter Gagné, 2002
Toussaint Giroux—Marie Godard, Seventh Great Grandparents, Warren Gereaux, 2000
“Ragueneau, Paul,” Dictionary of Canadian Biography

Survivor of Staten Island Indian Attack — Reynier Arentsen

B. about 1641 in Hengelo, Netherlands
M. (1) New Netherland
Wife: Annetje Hermans
M. (2) 1666
Wife: Jannetje Aukes Van Nuys
D. after 17 Sep 1721

Settlers in colonial America faced many hardships, some of which were conflicts between settlers and Indigenous people. Reynier Arentsen was about 13-years-old when his family were victims in a forgotten conflict, and they were forced to start over in another place.  

Reynier was born in about 1641 in Hengelo, Netherlands to Arent Theunissen Van Henglen and Tryntie Reynders; he had at least one brother and one sister. In about 1653, the family migrated to the New Netherland colony, and decided to join a group of settlers on Staten Island. The settlement had only recently been inhabited by the Dutch, and was somewhat remote, making Reynier and his family vulnerable on their farm.

Two years later, a settler in New Jersey shot a Native American woman who was stealing his peaches, and this incident gave name to what was known as the Peach Tree War. The Indians were said to take revenge for this killing by attacking places all around the New Netherland colony, although the raid was caused by other events as well. On the night of September 15, 1655, a group of warriors invaded the Staten Island settlement, burning the houses and brutally killing about 23 people, one of whom was believed to be Reynier’s father. The other 67 settlers were taken prisoner, including Reynier, his mother and his two siblings.

17th-century Indian village in region where Reynier was taken prisoner. 

Reynier’s family was held prisoner for about a month until negotiations were conducted for their release. There was little to return to in Staten Island, and eventually they moved to the safety of New Amsterdam. In November 1658, Reynier was living in Manhattan with his siblings, and mother, who had remarried. It was said that Reynier was doing “all kinds of construction work.”

During the 1660s, Reynier married a woman named Annetje Hermans, who gave him a son, then died. He took a second wife, Jannetje Aukes Van Nuys, in 1666. They had 11 children born between about 1667 and 1696. On March 28, 1670, Reynier bought a farm in Flatbush of 25 morgens (roughly 50 acres) and he moved his family there. He spent the rest of his life in that area, serving as church deacon from 1682 to 1684, and named as an elder in 1711.

Reynier last appeared in records on September 17, 1721 as a witness to a baptism. It isn’t known when he and his wife died.

Children by Annetje Hermans:
1. Aernout Reyniersen — B. before 1666, (probably) New York

Children by Jannetje Aukes Van Nuys:

1. Tryntie Reyniersen — B. about 1667, New York; D. 1691; M. Nicholas Thomasse Van Dyck, 20 Apr 1689

2. Helena Reyniersen — B. about 1669, New York; D. 1716; M. Charles Fonteyn, 29 Aug 1691, Flatbush, New York

3. Aucke Reyniersen Van Henglen — B. before 1671, (probably) Flatbush, New York; D. 20 Jan 1740, Somerset County, New Jersey; M. Ida Vonk (1677-1738), Long Island, New York

4. Marytie Reyniersen — B. about Jul 1672, Flatlands, New York; D. 1744, Somerville, New Jersey; M. Joris Van Nest (1676-?)

5. Hendrick Reyniersen — B. about 1674, New York; D. 1739; M. Margaret

6. Barbara Reyniersen — B. before 26 Dec 1679, Flatbush, New York; D. before 6 Sep 1685

7. Adriantje Reyniersen — B. before 12 Mar 1682, New York;  M. Jan Probasco (~1680-1749), about 1702

8. Gertruyd Reyniersen — B. before 27 Jun 1684, New York; D. (probably) young

9. Barbara Reyniersen — B. before 6 Sep 1685, New York; M. Isaac Van Dyke (?-~1727)

10. Theunis Reyniersen — B. before 8 Aug 1689, Flatbush, New York; D. before 29 Mar 1696

11. Theunis Reyniersen — B. before 29 Mar 1696, Brooklyn, New York; M. Magrietje Valentyne, 26 Oct 1716, Flatbush, New York

Sources:
“Notes on the Rynearson (Van Hengel) Family,” Somerset County Quarterly, Vol. 5., Edward Kinsey Voorhees, 1916
Dutch Colonial Manuscripts, Volume 12 & 13, 2003
WikiTree

Left in Debt by her Husband — Jacquette Fournier

B. 9 Apr 1659 in Quebec City, New France
M. 5 Jun 1673 in Quebec City, New France
Husband: Jean Proulx
D. 22 Jan 1736 in Montmagny, New France

In the prime of her life, Jacquette Fournier found herself without a husband and owing a large amount of money to another woman. She was born on April 9, 1659 in Quebec City to Guillaume Fournier and Marie-Françoise Hébert. Jacquette’s family was among the earliest settlers of Quebec; her grandmother was Hèléne Desportes and her great-grandfather was Louis Hébert. 

Jacquette’s baptismal record.

Jacquette grew up in a household crowded with 15 children, and perhaps this is why she was married at age 14. Her husband was French immigrant Jean Proulx, a 27-year-old man who had arrived in the colony as an indentured servant. After he completed his service contract and was looking to establish himself, Jean had dealings with members of Jacquette’s family. In 1671, he sold some property to her father, and this may have been when he met her. They were married in Quebec City on June 5, 1673.

It was two years before Jacquette became pregnant with her first child; often young brides continued to live in their childhood home before sharing a bed with their husband, but it’s not known if this was the case for her. The couple produced a large family, and by 1701, Jacquette had given birth to 14 children, only two of whom died young. The family lived in the town of Montmagny, which was located on the southern shore of the St. Lawrence River, downriver from Quebec.

Jacquette’s husband Jean died on February 28, 1703, deeply in debt. In 1701, the widow of a merchant, Marie-Anne Fortin, had claimed Jean had owed 700 livres to her late husband, who was a merchant. It isn’t known whether their transaction was for goods or property, but it was a massive amount of money for Jacquette to conjure up. She was forced to sell half of her farm in order to pay the debt, and afterwards, she and her younger children moved into the household of her son Pierre.

Years later, on July 13, 1722, Jacquette formalized an arrangement turning her property over to sons Pierre and Joseph. The land was to be shared by both sons, and Joseph would take in his mother as well as receiving her farm possessions, including a horse, an ox, a cow, 25 chickens, 3 sheep and other items. Jacquette died on January 22, 1736 in Montmagny. After her death, son Joseph paid to have 36 masses said in her honor. Jacquette was an ancestor of Jack Kerouac and Nathan Fillion.

Children:
1. Denis Proulx — B. 24 Apr 1676, Montmagny, New France; D. 12 Dec 1749, Montmagny, New France; M. Marie-Anne Gagné (1674-1751), 17 Nov 1699, Cap-St-Ignace, New France

2. Jean-Baptiste Proulx — B. Oct 1677, Montmagny, New France; D. 20 Apr 1756; M. Louise Rousseau (1682-1759), 14 Jun 1701, Montmagny, New France

3. Louise Proulx — B. 29 Aug 1679, Montmagny, New France; D. 1745, Montmagny, New France; M. Pierre Gagné dit Bellevance (1670-1748), 22 Jun 1700, Montmagny, New France

4. Pierre Proulx — B. 8 Jun 1681, Montmagny, New France; D. 10 May 1757, Montmagny, New France; M. Agathe Destroismaisons dit Picard (1691-1730), 8 Jun 1711, Montmagny, New France

5. Marie-Anne Proulx — B. 1 Sep 1683, Montmagny, New France; D. 1 Jun 1756, Montmagny, New France; M. Jacques Thibault (1678-1755), Montmagny, New France

6. Marie-Barbe Proulx — B. 25 Mar 1685, Riviere-Ouelle, New France; D. 17 Mar 1765, St-Pierre-de-la-Riviére-du-Sud, Quebec; M. Louis Isabel, 11 Aug 1704, Montmagny, New France

7. Thomas Proulx — B. 27 Aug 1686, Montmagny, New France; D. 9 Jun 1753, Montmagny, New France; M. Marie-Catherine Caron (1695-1744), 5 Nov 1714, Montmagny, New France

8. Angélique Proulx — B. 12 Aug 1688, Montmagny, New France; D. 27 Jan 1763, New France; Jean-François Thibault (1675-1760), 12 Nov 1705, Montmagny, New France

9. Joseph Proulx — B. 18 Sep 1690, Montmagny, New France; D. 3 Nov 1693, Montmagny, New France

10. Catherine Proulx — B. 12 Jul 1692, Montmagny, New France; 13 Jul 1692, Montmagny, New France

11. Anne Proulx — B. 17 Sep 1693, Montmagny, New France; D. 6 Dec 1749, Montmagny, New France; M. Henri Ruel (1690-1747), 30 Oct 1720, Montmagny, New France

12. Louis Proulx — B. 3 Apr 1696, Montmagny, New France; D. 6 Oct 1748, Montmagny, New France; M. Marie Dufresne (1706-1780), 23 Oct 1730, St-Laurent, Ile d’Orleans, New France

13. Joseph Proulx — B. 27 Apr 1698, Montmagny, New France; D. 14 Jun 1767, Montmagny, Quebec; M. (1) Theodore-Dorothee Bouchard (1708-1734), 20 Feb 1729, New France; (2) Angelique Laberge (1718-1777), 19 Nov 1736, Montmagny, New France

14. Françoise Proulx — B. 8 Dec 1701, Montmagny, New France; D. 11 Jun 1775, Montmagny, Quebec; M. Alexandre Gagné (1705-1790), 24 Oct 1729, Montmagny, New France

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

Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990

Find-a-Grave.com

FamousKin.com

Life Cut Short in a Smallpox Epidemic — John Larkin

B. 1 Oct 1640 in Charlestown, Massachusetts
M. 9 Nov 1664 in Charlestown, Massachusetts
Wife: Joanna Hale
D. 17 Feb 1678 in Charlestown, Massachusetts

John Larkin was the victim of one of the smallpox epidemics that struck New England during colonial times. He was the oldest of Edward and Joanna Larkin’s seven children, born in Charlestown, Massachusetts on October 1, 1640. John’s father was a wheel maker who taught his trade to his son, but died when John was only 12-years-old.

Edward Larkin left a will stating that John would receive a “double portion” of his estate at age 21. After receiving his inheritance, John set up his own household and got married. His bride was 18-year-old Joanna Hale and the wedding took place on November 9, 1664 in Charlestown. Between 1669 and 1677, they had six children, with two dying as infants.

Marriage record of John and Joanna Larkin.

The year John’s youngest child was born, there was an outbreak of smallpox in the Boston area. It’s believed that the disease was brought over on a ship from England, then spread rapidly. By the end of 1677, great numbers of people were dying in Boston and other towns. Authorities struggled with how to deal with the crisis; the General Court issued orders for days of prayer, and a minister in Boston distributed a pamphlet telling people how to best treat smallpox patients.

John came down with the disease at about the end of January 1678. His first symptoms may have included headaches, body aches, chills, fever, nausea and delirium. This was followed by a rash that turned into pimples and blisters. As the disease took its toll on his body, the internal organs were likely affected and this would have lead to his death. On February 7th, he was at a point in his illness that he made out a will providing for his young wife and his four children, who were all under age 11. John died on February 17th at the age of 37. The number of fatalities from the Boston smallpox epidemic of 1677-78 was estimated to be around 750, with 91 deaths in Charlestown alone.

Years after John’s death, his grandson had a claim to fame, at least as part of a legend. Samuel Larkin, the son of John’s son Edward, was said to have owned the horse that Paul Revere rode on his famous 1775 ride. The story goes that the horse was “borrowed” and never returned to its owner. 

Paul Revere on Samuel Larkin’s horse.

Children:
1. Edward Larkin — B. 22 Feb 1669, Charlestown, Massachusetts; D. Sep 1738, Charlestown, Massachusetts; M. Mary Walker (1670-1734)

2. John Larkin — B. 26 Dec 1670, Charlestown, Massachusetts; D. 28 Apr 1698

3. Joanna Larkin — B. 13 May 1673, Charlestown, Massachusetts; D. 3 Jun 1673, Charlestown, Massachusetts

4. Robert Larkin — B. 24 Jun 1674, Charlestown, Massachusetts; D. 1 Aug 1675, Charlestown, Massachusetts

5. Joanna Larkin — B. 8 Mar 1676, Charlestown, Massachusetts; D. 12 May 1716, Beverly, Massachusetts; M. (1) Joshua Dodge; (2) John Thorndike (1675-1760), 20 Apr 1696, Beverly, Massachusetts

6. Sarah Larkin — B. 27 Nov 1677, Charlestown, Massachusetts; D. 23 Dec 1755, Southborough, Massachusetts; M. David Fay (1679-1738), 1 May 1699, Marlborough, Massachusetts

Sources:
The Will of Edward Larkin, 1651
“Tracing Smallpox Through Burying Grounds,” Historic Burying Grounds Initiative Newsletter, Vol. 4, Spring 2015
Encyclopedia of Plague and Pestilence, George C. Kohn, 2007
Paine Ancestry: the Family of Robert Treat Paine, Sarah Cushing Pine, Charles Henry Pope, 1912
John Larkin (Deacon of Charlestown) (Wikipedia article)
WikiTree
Find-A-Grave

A Planter in the North Carolina Woods — John Davis

B. (probably) 1760s in (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina
M.  22 Feb 1787 in Rowan County, North Carolina
Wife: Elizabeth Bryan
D. 1821 in (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina

The people who farmed the backwoods of North Carolina during the 18th century left behind few records. For someone like John Davis, his story is told in his will.

John was likely born in Rowan County, North Carolina, the place where he lived as an adult. The date of his birth is unknown, and is estimated to be during the 1760s. John’s parents were unidentified in records and it’s not known if he had siblings, but he could sign his name on documents, so he had at least a little education. John first appeared on a marriage bond dated February 22, 1787 filed in Rowan County. His bride was Elizabeth Bryan, daughter of another Rowan County settler, John Bryan.

John and Elizabeth had at least seven children, with the youngest born about 1806. His son Samuel was known to have received no formal schooling, and presumably that was the case for all of John’s children. The farm John owned wasn’t likely from an original grant, and he added an additional field to it at some point. In his will, he described its boundaries using specific trees as markers—a black oak, a white oak and a large hickory. Son Samuel later described his childhood home as being located “in the wilds” of North Carolina. In 1810, John owned three slaves; it’s likely they were used as laborers on his farm.

On May 31, 1821, John made out his will. He was “weak of body,” and probably in the final stages of an illness because his signature was very shaky. His wife Elizabeth and their children were bequeathed his land and possessions. One detail that he spelled out concerned a young slave named Joseph, who was to be hired out for six months, with the wages he earned being paid to support Elizabeth. The will was proved in August, just a couple of months after John wrote it, meaning he must have died in June or July. 

John Davis’ will.

Children:
1. James Davis — B. 12 Nov 1789, Rowan County, North Carolina; 10 Feb 1840, Jersey County, Illinois; M. Elizabeth Morrow (1786-1851), 23 Nov 1814, Rowan County, North Carolina

2. John M. Davis — B. 25 Jul 1791, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 31 Jan 1864, Jersey County, Illinois; M. Jane Luckey (1796-1889), 14 Jul 1817, Rowan County, North Carolina

3. William Davis — B. (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina

4. Elizabeth Davis — B. (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina

5. Sarah Davis — B. (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina; M. Mr. Madden

6. Samuel Davis — B. 8 Jul 1798, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 22 May 1888, Jersey County, Illinois; M. Mary Clifford (1798-1875), 31 Jul 1823, Rowan County, North Carolina

7. Joseph Davis — B. about 1806, Rowan County, North Carolina; M. Rebecca Little (~1804-?), 28 Dec 1824, Rowan County, North Carolina

Sources:
North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979, FamilySearch.org
Will of John Davis, 1821
1810 US Census
Find-A-Grave.com

Five Brothers who Helped Found a Town — Jacob Parker

B. about Nov 1626 in Great Burstead, England
M. about 1651 in (probably) Massachusetts
Wife: Sarah _______
D. 7 Jan 1669 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts

Jacob Parker was one of five brothers who were among the earliest settlers of Chelmsford, Massachusetts. The Parker brothers came from Great Burstead, England, where Jacob was born in 1626 to John and Anne Parker (he was baptized on November 19th). Great Burstead was a small village just south of the town Billericay in southern Essex County. Along with older brothers James, John, Abraham and Joseph, there was an older sister, Anne, and a younger brother, Joshua, who likely died young. Jacob and his brothers received some sort of education, at least enough so that they were literate.

It’s not known when Jacob arrived in America, but it’s thought to have been around 1650, and a couple of his brothers were already living in Massachusetts for several years. Jacob married a woman named Sarah; her last name is unknown and it’s not known if they were married before or after Jacob migrated. Between 1652 and 1667, they had nine children, all of whom lived to adulthood.

During the early 1650s, the Massachusetts colony was spreading inland, and several new towns were formed northwest of Boston. The process involved groups of men who purchased and divided up large tracts of unsettled land, who then requested to be given township status. Jacob and his brothers joined a group of 29 men who petitioned to form the town that became Chelmsford. The effort was successful and it’s thought that the Parker brothers were to first ones to settle there. Jacob’s daughter Sarah, born in January 1654, was only the second child born in Chelmsford.

For the next 15 years, Jacob was involved in many early activities to establish the town. In 1658, he became the first town clerk, helping to keep the records of land ownership and other official business. He was also a selectman starting in 1662. Of his brothers, only Abraham stayed in Chelmsford, with the other three moving to towns nearby. 

1668 Chelmsford town record written by Jacob.

Jacob died on January 7, 1669 at the age of 42. His wife Sarah remarried in 1675. Jacob was the 3G grandfather of Franklin Pierce.

Children:
1. Jacob Parker — B. May 1652, Massachusetts; D. 31 Oct 1694, Malden, Massachusetts; M. Joanna Call (1659-1737), about 1676, Malden, Massachusetts

2. Sarah Parker — B. 14 Jan 1654, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; D. 26 Sep 1739, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; M. Nathaniel Howard (1640-1709)

3. Ruth Parker — B. about 1655, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; D. 18 Sep 1719, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; Pelatiah Adams (1646-1725), about 1673, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

4. Thomas Parker — B. 28 Mar 1656, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; D. 8 May 1698, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; M. Mary Fletcher (1658-1714), 21 Oct 1678, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

5. Tabitha Parker — B. 26 Feb 1658, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; D. 31 Jan 1742, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; M. Stephen Peirce (1651-1733), 18 Nov 1676, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

6. Rebecca Parker — B. 29 May 1661, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; D. 25 Mar 1754, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. (1) Jonathan Danforth (1659-1711), 27 Jun 1682, Billerica, Massachusetts; (2) Joseph Foster (1650-1721), 1718, Massachusetts

7. Benjamin Parker — B. 8 Aug 1663, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; D. 14 Apr 1742, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; M. Sarah Howard (1667-1741), 14 Jan 1691

8. Rachel Parker — B. 9 Mar 1665, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; M. John Floyd

9. Mary Parker — B. 8 Sep 1667, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; D. 6 Jan 1763; M. Thomas Waite (1660-1742)

Sources:
History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, Wilson Waters, 1917
“The English Origin and Ancestry of The PARKER Brothers of Massachusetts and Their Probate Aunt, Sarah Parker, Wife of Edward Converse,” NEHGS Register, Vol. 153, 1999
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