B. 1 Jul 1629 in Saint Coulomb, France
M. 23 Oct 1662 in Montreal, New France
Wife: Marie-Anne Hardy
D. before 8 Feb 1710 in Montreal, New France
Although he lived in a place centered around the fur trade, Pierre Mallet chose to make a living by farming. Pierre was born on July 1, 1629 in the village of Saint Coulomb, France, located in Brittany. His parents were Jean Mallet and Guillemette Ruellan. Records showed that Pierre had three older brothers and two older sisters, but none are known to have migrated to America.
Sometime during the 1650s, Pierre decided to move to New France, settling in Montreal, which at that time was a frontier settlement. He first appeared there as a witness to a wedding on March 6, 1660, so it’s likely that he had arrived at least several months earlier. While Montreal was the hub of the fur trade, Pierre chose to make a living in agriculture. He may have been a farmer before he left France, but this is speculation.
In the summer of 1662, Pierre signed a contract to marry Marie-Anne Hardy, a woman who had been recruited in France as a prospective bride for a Montreal settler. The contract was dated July, but the wedding didn’t take place until October 26th. In the meantime, Pierre acquired a lot with a house in Montreal, as well as a small farm that had 1 arpent of river frontage. The following year, the couple had their first child, and by 1676, they had five more.
During the prime of his life, Pierre bought and sold several tracts of farmland in the Montreal area. Some of the property was quite large, including 100 arpents of land which he sold at Lake Sainte-Louis in December 1676. He seemed to have success as a farmer and in 1681 he was recorded on the census as having 10 cattle and 10 arpents under cultivation. Pierre was 52-years-old at the time.
By the mid-1690s, Pierre’s wife Marie-Anne was said to have “taken over the business,” likely meaning she was handing family transactions as his health declined. All four of their sons became involved in the fur trade making expeditions out west; one of them, Jean, was hired as a voyageur in 1694 and was not listed in any records after that date.
It isn’t known when Pierre died. Marie-Anne was named on a legal document dated February 8, 1710 in regards to his funeral expenses, so he must have passed away before that. She survived him by many years and died in 1726.
Children:
1. Geneviève Mallet — B. 2 Oct 1663, Montreal, New France; D. 9 Apr 1703, Montreal, New France; M. Jean Legras (1656-1715), 8 Nov 1677, Montreal, New France
2. Anne-Marie Mallet — B. 20 Feb 1666, Montreal, New France; D. 22 May 1759, Montreal, New France; M. (1) Louis Ducharme (1660-1691), 27 Nov 1681, Montreal, New France; (2) Louis Prejean (?-1727), 18 Jan 1697, Montreal, New France
3. René Mallet — B. 24 Feb 1668, Montreal, New France; D. 24 Oct 1716, Montreal, New France; M. Marie Lecuyer (1671-1755), 17 Oct 1689, Montreal, New France
4. Jean Mallet — B. 16 Apr 1670, Montreal, New France
5. Louis Mallet — B. 8 Feb 1673, Montreal, New France; D. 18 Jul 1717, Detroit, New France; M. Marie-Jeanne Brunet (1677-1761), 29 Oct 1697, Lachine, New France
6. Pierre Mallet — B. 16 Feb 1676, Montreal, New France; D. about Feb 1738, Detroit, New France; M. Marie-Madeleine Thunay dite Dufresne (~1673-1738), 9 Jan 1698, Montreal, New France
Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
WikiTree
