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.
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)
Histoire Populaire du Québec, Jacques Lacoursière, 1995-1997
Famous Kin (website)
