M. (1) 29 Oct 1681 in Montreal, New France2
Husband: Pierre Caillonneau
M. (2) 20 Jan 1689 in Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France3
Husband: Denis Veronneau
D. 2 Oct 1730 in Boucherville, New France4
Catherine Guertin faced a danger experienced by many settlers in 17th century Montreal — the threat of violence from Iroquois warriors. And as a young wife and mother, her home was indeed attacked.
Catherine was born in Montreal on May 26, 1664;1 she was the third of nine children born to Louis Guertin dit Le Sabotier and Élisabeth Lecamus, who had each arrived from France during the 1650s. Her mother died in July 1680 just a couple months after giving birth,5 so Catherine probably looked after her youngest siblings for a time. A year later, on October 29, 1681, she married Pierre Caillonneau,2 a man born in France who was twice her age. He brought Catherine to a seigneury on the south shore of the St. Lawrence called Contrecœur, and by September 1685, she had given birth to three children, one of whom died young.6,7,8
It was on November 9, 1687, that Catherine became a victim of an Iroquois raid.9 As her home was invaded, she and her two children found safety, but husband Pierre was killed. The attackers also set fire to the house, which was destroyed along with everything in it, leaving Catherine with only a cow and an ox which were later recovered after escaping the flames.
An Iroquois warrior.
Survival was difficult for a woman in Catherine’s situation. There was no way to support herself, so she soon found another man to marry named Denis Veronneau, a farmer living in the seigneury of Boucherville. Denis lost his first wife the same month Pierre had died, and he brought four children into the marriage. Their wedding took place on January 20, 1689;3 given that she gave birth to an infant just six months later, she was apparently pregnant at the altar.
The loss of Catherine's first husband Pierre continued to have an effect on her life. In New France, creditors could come after her for Pierre’s debts, and they did. In 1689, Catherine was sued by a merchant in Montreal named Jean Mailhot,10 who claimed Pierre had owed him 542 livres, and there were said to be others who also made smaller claims. But the only thing of value from Catherine's first marriage was the land where the house once stood. Because half of it was owned by her two children with Pierre, nothing could be sold without approval from the court. It took several years to clear this up, and Catherine was eventually awarded a victory in March 1694.11
Catherine lived for the rest of her life with Denis, dying on October 2, 1730 in Boucherville.4 He passed away four weeks later.12
Children by Pierre Caillonneau:
1. Catherine Caillonneau — B. 18 Aug 1682, Contrecœur, New France;6 D. 6 Feb 1720, Repentigny, New France;13 M. Pierre Morisseau (1677-1750), 17 Jan 1704, Boucherville, New France14
2. Pierre Caillonneau — B. 18 Oct 1683, Contrecœur, New France;7 D. 20 Apr 1685, Contrecœur, New France15
3. Louis Caillonneau — B. 8 Sep 1685, Contrecœur New France;8 M. Madeleine Fouquereau (1686-1765), 8 Jan 1714, Repentigny, New France16
Children by Denis Veronneau:
1. Pierre Veronneau — B. 17 Jul 1689, Boucherville, New France;17 D. 27 Aug 1689, Boucherville, New France18
2. Jean-Baptiste Veronneau — B. 11 Jul 1690, Boucherville, New France;19 D. 26 Aug 1690, Boucherville, New France20
3. Élisabeth Veronneau — B. 10 Aug 1691, Boucherville, New France;21 D. 4 Nov 1692, Boucherville, New France22
4. Marie-Marguerite Veronneau — B. 17 Sep 1693, Boucherville, New France;23 D. 25 Sep 1728, Contrecœur, New France;24 M. François Deguire (1684-1735), 6 Nov 1713, Boucherville, New France25
5. Jean-Baptiste Veronneau — B. 23 Dec 1695, Boucherville, New France26
6. Marie-Angelique Veronneau — B. 28 Sep 1697, Boucherville, New France;27 D. 27 Nov 1765, Boucherville, Quebec;28 M. (1) Joseph Thomas Ouilem (~1689-1743), 19 Feb 1715, New France;29 (2) Pierre Gauthier (1684-1761), 3 Aug 1750, Boucherville, New France30
7. Rose Denise Veronneau — B. 17 Jun 1700, Boucherville, New France;31 D. 27 Dec 1748, Montreal, New France;32 M. Joseph Levron dit Metayer (~1700-?), 12 Sep 1722, New France33
8. Louis Veronneau — B. 30 Mar 1703, Boucherville, New France;34 D. 24 Jun 1703, Boucherville, New France35
9. Pierre Veronneau — B. 11 Aug 1704, Boucherville, New France;36 D. 15 Aug 1773, Boucherville, Quebec;37 M. (1) Marie-Josephe Doyon (1713-?), 2 Oct 1730, Boucherville, New France;38 (2) Marie-Françoise Chevrefils (1711-1794), 13 Jan 1741, Boucherville, New France39
10. François Veronneau — B. 27 Jun 1707, Boucherville, New France;40 D. about 25 Jul 1763, New France;41 M. (1) Catherine Robin (1708-1751), 25 Feb 1732, Terrebonne, New France;42 (2) Charlotte-Marie Legros (1713-1767), 26 Apr 1757, Pointe-Claire, New France43
Sources:
1 Baptismal record of Catherine Guertin, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2 Marriage record of Pierre Caillonneau and Catherine Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
3 Marriage record of Denis Veronneau and Catherine Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
4 Burial record of Catherine Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
5 Burial record of Elisabeth Lecamus, Q.C.P.R.
6 Baptismal record of Catherine Caillonneau, Q.C.P.R.
7 Baptismal record of Pierre Caillonneau, Q.C.P.R.
8 Baptismal record of Louis Caillonneau, Q.C.P.R.
9 Letters granted to Catherine Guertin to relieve obligations involving her children, BAnQ
10 Fifth Report of the Secretary of the Province of Quebec for the Year 1890-91, p. 269
11 Authorization to Catherine Guertin to pursue her rights in regard to her first marriage, BAnQ
12 Burial record of Denis Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
13 Burial record of Catherine Caillonneau, Q.C.P.R.
14 Marriage record of Pierre Morisseau and Catherine Caillonneau, Q.C.P.R.
15 Burial record of Pierre Caillonneau, Q.C.P.R.
16 Burial record of Louis Caillonneau, Q.C.P.R.
17 Baptismal record of Pierre Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
18 Burial record of Pierre Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
19 Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Veronneau (older), Q.C.P.R.
20 Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Veronneau (older), Q.C.P.R.
21 Baptismal record of Élisabeth Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
22 Burial record of Élisabeth Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
23 Baptismal record of Marie-Marguerite Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
24 Burial record of Marie-Marguerite Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
25 Marriage record of François Deguire and Marie-Marguerite Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
26 Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Veronneau (younger), Q.C.P.R.
27 Baptismal record of Marie-Angelique Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
28 Burial record of Marie-Angelique Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
29 Marriage record of Joseph Thomas Ouilem and Marie-Angelique Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
30 Marriage record of Pierre Gauthier and Marie-Angelique Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
31 Baptismal record of Rose Denise Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
32 Burial record of Marie-Rose Denise Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
33 Marriage record of Joseph Levron dit Metayer and Rose Denise Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
34 Baptismal record of Louis Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
35 Burial record of Louis Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
36 Baptismal record of Pierre Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
37 Burial record of Pierre Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
38 Marriage record of Pierre Veronneau and Marie-Josephe Doyon, Q.C.P.R.
39 Marriage record of Pierre Veronneau and Marie-Françoise Chevrefils, Q.C.P.R.
40 Baptismal record of François Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
41 Burial record of François Veronneau, Q.C.P.R.
42 Marriage record of François Veronneau and Catherine Robin Q.C.P.R.
43 Marriage record of François Veronneau and Charlotte-Marie Legros, Q.C.P.R.
