M. 13 Dec 1671 in Sillery, New France
Wife: Hélène Gaudry dite Bourbonniere
D. 10 Mar 1702 in Quebec City, New France
Pierre Boucher dit Desroches may have gotten his nickname from a place near where he settled: the rocky shores of the Chaudière River in New France. He was born In the settlement of Sillery on September 29, 1648 to parents François Boucher and Florence Gareman, the fourth of their eleven children. Although both of his parents had been born in France, each had migrated to America with their father. Pierre’s paternal grandfather was Marin Boucher, a New France pioneer who is estimated to have 350,000 descendants living today. His other grandfather, Pierre Gareman, was killed by Iroquois when young Pierre was about 5-years-old.
Pierre’s family lived in Cap-Rouge, where he was listed in his parents’ household in the 1666 and 1667 censuses. During the summer of 1671, he acquired land south of the St. Lawrence in Lauzon, where a few families were starting to settle. Later that year, Pierre returned to Sillery to get married; his bride Hélène Gaudry dite Bourbonniere was just 15-years-old. After their wedding on December 13th, he took her back to Lauzon, and started a family that would eventually include eleven children.
The place where Pierre lived was west of the Chaudière River, known for its river banks which were said to be “a good deal encumbered by rocks.” At some point he added the nickname “dit Desroches” likely to distinguish himself from several other New France men also named Pierre Boucher. Des roches is French for “the rocks,” so it very well might be that his name was in reference to his home. Pierre’s family was among only a handful of settlers who lived there at that time, and therefore is considered a pioneer. The local parish, called St-Nicolas, wasn’t established until 1694.
The Chaudière River near where Pierre lived.
Pierre’s last child, a daughter, was born in January 1698, but he didn’t live to see her grew up. In early 1702, he was hospitalized in Quebec City and died there on March 10th at the age of 53; his funeral was held the same day. His wife Hélène passed away in 1712.
Children:
1. Ignace Boucher — B. 25 May 1673, Lauzon, New France; D. 6 Apr 1741, St-Nicolas, New France; M. Françoise Pouillot (1675-1746), 17 Nov 1699, St-Nicolas, New France
2. Jeanne-Elisabeth Boucher — B. 29 Jul 1675, Côte de Lauzon, New France; D. 20 Jan 1703, Lauzon, New France
3. Marie-Hélène Boucher — B. 11 Aug 1678, Lauzon, New France; D. 4 Feb 1748; M. Jean-Baptiste Lemay (~1673-1731), 1700, Lévis, New France
4. Agnès Boucher — B. 14 Mar 1681, Lauzon, New France; D. after 7 Jul 1684
5. François Boucher — B. before 4 Mar 1684, Lauzon, New France; D. 23 Oct 1760, St-Vincent-de-Paul, Laval, New France; M. Therese LeMarie (~1688-1778), 28 Nov 1709, St-Nicolas, Lévis, New France
8. Jean Boucher — B. about 1686, New France; D. 23 Feb 1715, Quebec City, New France
7. Pierre Boucher — B. about 1687, New France; D. Jan 1718, St-Nicolas, Lévis, New France; M. Anne Hebert (~1697-1739), 12 Feb 1714, Grand-Pré, Acadia
8. Marguerite Boucher — B. 21 Sep 1688, Pointe-de-Lévy, New France; D. Jan 1745, l’Assomption, New France; M. Pierre Aumier (1689-1735), 2 Nov 1716, Quebec City, New France
9. Marie-Madeleine Boucher — B. 22 Jul 1692, Lauzon, New France; D. 22 Apr 1759, Ste-Croix, New France; M. (1) Jacques Desharnais (1664-1730), 1720, Ste-Croix, New France; (2) Jacques Baron (1669-1749), 16 Aug 1734, Ste-Croix, New France
10. Joseph Boucher — B. about 1692, New France; D. 5 May 1766, Ste-Croix, Quebec; M. (1) Marie-Anne Frechette (1686-1755), 28 Apr 1716, St-Nicolas, Lévis, New France; (1) Angelique Bonneau (1737-1798), 3 Apr 1758, Ste-Croix, New France
11. Françoise-Thérèse Boucher — B. 15 Jan 1698, St-Nicolas, Lévis, New France; D. 25 Mar 1703, St-Nicolas, Lévis, New France
Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
Histoire de la seigneurie de Lauzon, Volumes 1 & 2, Joseph-Edmond Roy, 1897
Marin Boucher (Wikipedia article)
A topographical description of Lower Canada, Joseph Bouchette, 1815
Children:
1. Ignace Boucher — B. 25 May 1673, Lauzon, New France; D. 6 Apr 1741, St-Nicolas, New France; M. Françoise Pouillot (1675-1746), 17 Nov 1699, St-Nicolas, New France
2. Jeanne-Elisabeth Boucher — B. 29 Jul 1675, Côte de Lauzon, New France; D. 20 Jan 1703, Lauzon, New France
3. Marie-Hélène Boucher — B. 11 Aug 1678, Lauzon, New France; D. 4 Feb 1748; M. Jean-Baptiste Lemay (~1673-1731), 1700, Lévis, New France
4. Agnès Boucher — B. 14 Mar 1681, Lauzon, New France; D. after 7 Jul 1684
5. François Boucher — B. before 4 Mar 1684, Lauzon, New France; D. 23 Oct 1760, St-Vincent-de-Paul, Laval, New France; M. Therese LeMarie (~1688-1778), 28 Nov 1709, St-Nicolas, Lévis, New France
8. Jean Boucher — B. about 1686, New France; D. 23 Feb 1715, Quebec City, New France
7. Pierre Boucher — B. about 1687, New France; D. Jan 1718, St-Nicolas, Lévis, New France; M. Anne Hebert (~1697-1739), 12 Feb 1714, Grand-Pré, Acadia
8. Marguerite Boucher — B. 21 Sep 1688, Pointe-de-Lévy, New France; D. Jan 1745, l’Assomption, New France; M. Pierre Aumier (1689-1735), 2 Nov 1716, Quebec City, New France
9. Marie-Madeleine Boucher — B. 22 Jul 1692, Lauzon, New France; D. 22 Apr 1759, Ste-Croix, New France; M. (1) Jacques Desharnais (1664-1730), 1720, Ste-Croix, New France; (2) Jacques Baron (1669-1749), 16 Aug 1734, Ste-Croix, New France
10. Joseph Boucher — B. about 1692, New France; D. 5 May 1766, Ste-Croix, Quebec; M. (1) Marie-Anne Frechette (1686-1755), 28 Apr 1716, St-Nicolas, Lévis, New France; (1) Angelique Bonneau (1737-1798), 3 Apr 1758, Ste-Croix, New France
11. Françoise-Thérèse Boucher — B. 15 Jan 1698, St-Nicolas, Lévis, New France; D. 25 Mar 1703, St-Nicolas, Lévis, New France
Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
Histoire de la seigneurie de Lauzon, Volumes 1 & 2, Joseph-Edmond Roy, 1897
Marin Boucher (Wikipedia article)
A topographical description of Lower Canada, Joseph Bouchette, 1815
