M. (1) 7 Oct 1686 in Beauport, New France
Wife: Anne Binet
M. (2) 3 Aug 1699 in Quebec City, New France
Wife: Marie-Françoise Chaqueneau
D. 28 Mar 1712 in Quebec City, New France
Jean Bouron once worked at a place where nuns took care of the sick, and he would later become a patient there himself. He was born in about 1642 in the parish of Saint-Hilaire-sur-l'Autize, near La Rochelle, France; his parents were Hilaire Bouron and Hèléne Souchet. Nothing is known of Jean’s early years until he arrived in New France in about 1677.
Jean was very likely an indentured servant, a man who contracted to perform work for several years in exchange for passage to America. Such workers were looking for an opportunity in life that they couldn’t acquire back in France. Jean was already in his thirties when he migrated. One of his employers in Quebec was Jean Thibierge, who hired him on October 16, 1679; it’s unknown what sort of work he did for him, but typically male servants worked on farms, or performed other sorts of physical labor.
By 1681, Jean was working at Hôtel-Dieu de Quebec, the hospital run by Augustin nuns in Quebec City. The census that year listed him as one of 24 “servants” who made their home at the facility; they ranged in age from 24 to 81, and all but two of them were men. Hôtel-Dieu was founded in 1640, and provided medical care and treatment for anyone who needed it. During the time Jean worked there, the hospital had one room for men and one room for women, each arranged with two rows of beds. The men who were servants helped the nuns in whatever way they were needed, probably doing such things as lifting patients, handling supplies and maintaining the building.
It isn’t known how long Jean worked at Hôtel-Dieu, and by 1686, he was living in the settlement of Beauport, just downriver from Quebec. On October 7th of that year, he married Anne Binet, who at age 18 had already been widowed. It was noted on their marriage record that neither Jean or Anne could sign their names. Between 1687 and 1696, the couple had six children, but sadly, four died as infants.
Records showed that both Jean and Anne sought treatment at Hôtel-Dieu several times. Both were there in early 1690, then Anne in June 1692, and Jean in July 1695 and April 1696. It isn’t specified what they were treated for or if they had a length of stay at the hospital. Anne died in Charlesbourg on August 3, 1698. Exactly one year later, Jean married another widow, Marie-Françoise Chaqueneau; they had no children together.
Jean’s second wife died at Charlesbourg on May 16, 1708, and his oldest son, Michel passed away the following year at age 21. Only his youngest son, Antoine-Joseph, outlived Jean, who died on March 28, 1712 at Hôtel-Dieu in Quebec. Jean was the ancestor of Ricky Gervais.
Children (all by Anne Binet):
1. Michel Bouron — B. 23 Dec 1687, Beauport, New France; D. 20 Feb 1709, Beauport, New France; M. Marie-Madeleine Vivier (1688-1729), 5 Nov 1708, Charlesbourg, New France
2. Catherine Bouron — B. Nov 1689, (probably) Beauport, New France; D. Nov 1689, (probably) Beauport, New France
3. Marie-Madeleine Bouron — B. Mar 1691, (probably) Beauport, New France; D. Sep 1691, (probably) Beauport, New France
4. Pierre-Joseph Bouron — B. Aug 1693, (probably) Beauport, New France; D. Dec 1693, (probably) Beauport, New France
5. Marie-Anne Bouron — B. Nov 1694, (probably) Charlesbourg, New France; D. Nov 1694, (probably) Charlesbourg, New France
6. Antoine-Joseph Bouron — B. 18 Mar 1696, Charlesbourg, New France; D. before Jul 1742, New France; M. Marie-Josephe Boyer (1704-1742), 2 Jan 1722, St-Laurent, Montreal, New France
Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
WikiTree
