M. 30 Sep 1670 in Quebec City, New France
Wife: Marie Hubert
D. 30 Nov 1687 in Charlesbourg, New france
In 1664, a message from New France asked French authorities for some new settlers, specifying that they all be "well-chosen men, good villagers and working men.” When recruiters later filled the request, one of the men who they signed up was Nicolas-Michel Fournier.
Nicolas came from the village of Saint-Étienne de Marans, France, which was in the diocese of La Rochelle. He was born there about 1642 to parents Hugues Fournier and Jeanne Huguette. The story of Nicolas' early years is unknown, until at the age of 22, he agreed to a commitment of working for three years in America. He joined a group of about 50 men that left on the ship Noir in April 1664, and landed seven weeks later on May 25th in Quebec City. After three days sitting on the ship, the new arrivals were turned over to local officials who would assign them to those who needed workers.
An indentured servant didn’t necessarily work for the same master for the entire term of their contract, and Nicolas is known to have been hired by at least two men. One was a ship pilot named Louis Fontaine who lived in Quebec City with his wife and six young children. Nicolas was in his household in 1666, likely doing farm work or other physical labor around the house. The following year, he was doing the same for a tailor named Jacques Hédoin.
After his service contract ended, Nicolas became one of the many who stayed on in New France. It was another three years before he acquired a concession of land, choosing to live in Bourg-Royal, a section of a settlement called Charlesbourg that wasn’t far from Quebec City. The farms were laid out in a circle, and each plot was pie-shaped, a pattern that can still be seen on maps today. That same year, Nicolas courted a bride from the Filles du Roi who had arrived in July. Marie Hubert was only about 15-years-old when she married Nicolas on September 30, 1670 at the Notre-Dame church in Quebec.
Nicolas spent the rest of his life as a farmer, raising a family that would eventually grow to seven children, with one probably dying young. He bought another plot of 40 arpents in 1682, and added more land in 1684. Just two months after the birth of his youngest child, Nicolas died at age 55 on November 30, 1687. His widow Marie remarried in 1691, and shortly after, she moved back to France with her new husband and her baby daughter. But the other five surviving children stayed in New France, leaving many descendants to carry on Nicolas' bloodline and name.
Children:
1. Marie Fournier — B. about 1673, (probably) Bourg-Royal, New France; D. 26 Oct 1753, St-Joseph-de-Beauce, New France; M. (1) Pierre Grondin (1649-1729), 1696, New France; (2) Jean-Baptiste Franchegens (~1678-?), 16 Jan 1730, Lauzon, New France
Wife: Marie Hubert
D. 30 Nov 1687 in Charlesbourg, New france
In 1664, a message from New France asked French authorities for some new settlers, specifying that they all be "well-chosen men, good villagers and working men.” When recruiters later filled the request, one of the men who they signed up was Nicolas-Michel Fournier.
Nicolas came from the village of Saint-Étienne de Marans, France, which was in the diocese of La Rochelle. He was born there about 1642 to parents Hugues Fournier and Jeanne Huguette. The story of Nicolas' early years is unknown, until at the age of 22, he agreed to a commitment of working for three years in America. He joined a group of about 50 men that left on the ship Noir in April 1664, and landed seven weeks later on May 25th in Quebec City. After three days sitting on the ship, the new arrivals were turned over to local officials who would assign them to those who needed workers.
An indentured servant didn’t necessarily work for the same master for the entire term of their contract, and Nicolas is known to have been hired by at least two men. One was a ship pilot named Louis Fontaine who lived in Quebec City with his wife and six young children. Nicolas was in his household in 1666, likely doing farm work or other physical labor around the house. The following year, he was doing the same for a tailor named Jacques Hédoin.
After his service contract ended, Nicolas became one of the many who stayed on in New France. It was another three years before he acquired a concession of land, choosing to live in Bourg-Royal, a section of a settlement called Charlesbourg that wasn’t far from Quebec City. The farms were laid out in a circle, and each plot was pie-shaped, a pattern that can still be seen on maps today. That same year, Nicolas courted a bride from the Filles du Roi who had arrived in July. Marie Hubert was only about 15-years-old when she married Nicolas on September 30, 1670 at the Notre-Dame church in Quebec.
Nicolas spent the rest of his life as a farmer, raising a family that would eventually grow to seven children, with one probably dying young. He bought another plot of 40 arpents in 1682, and added more land in 1684. Just two months after the birth of his youngest child, Nicolas died at age 55 on November 30, 1687. His widow Marie remarried in 1691, and shortly after, she moved back to France with her new husband and her baby daughter. But the other five surviving children stayed in New France, leaving many descendants to carry on Nicolas' bloodline and name.
Children:
1. Marie Fournier — B. about 1673, (probably) Bourg-Royal, New France; D. 26 Oct 1753, St-Joseph-de-Beauce, New France; M. (1) Pierre Grondin (1649-1729), 1696, New France; (2) Jean-Baptiste Franchegens (~1678-?), 16 Jan 1730, Lauzon, New France
2. Michel Fournier — B. 30 Jan 1674, (probably) Bourg-Royal, New France; D. 28 Feb 1711, Charlesbourg, New France; M. Marie-Catherine Beriault (1682-1711), 5 Jun 1702, Quebec City, New France
3. Françoise-Ambroise Fournier — B. about 1677, (probably) Bourg-Royal, New France; M. (1) Pierre Lefebvre (1674-1714), 7 Nov 1697, Ste-Famille, New France; (2) Antoine Blais (1677-1734), 10 Feb 1716, La Durantaye, New France; (3) Pierre Corriveau (1678-1756), 3 Jul 1741, St-Vallier, Bellechasse, New France
4. Nicolas Fournier — B. about 1678, (probably) Bourg-Royal, New France; D. (probably) young
5. Jean Fournier — B. 11 Dec 1680, (probably) Bourg-Royal, New France; D. 17 Sep 1735, St-Michel, Bellechasse, New France; M. Madeleine Fradet (1695-1768), 23 Nov 1711, Beaumont, New France
6. Jacques Fournier — B. 24 May 1684, Charlesbourg, New France; D. 4 Jan 1767, Beaumont, Quebec; M. Marie-Françoise Blanchon (1690-1768), 27 Nov 1708, Beaumont, New France
7. Jeanne Fournier — B. 30 Sep 1687, Charlesbourg, New France; D. (probably) France
Sources:
Généálogie du Québec et d’Amérique française (website)
L’Association des Fournier d’Amerique (website)
Généalogie du Québec et d’Amérique française (website)
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