Baking Bread and Having Babies — Marguerite Ténard

B. about 1633 in Milly-la-Fôret, Île d’France, France¹
M. 23 Nov 1666 in Montreal, New France¹
Husband: Charles Boyer
D. after 16 Feb 1678 in (probably) La Prairie, New France²

The women of 17th century France who signed up for a new life in America often faced a hard existence. This was true for Marguerite Ténard, who was born south of Paris in the village of Milly-la-Fôret in about 1633. Her parents were named Barthélemy Ténard and Jeanne Govin, but nothing else is known of her childhood or family.

Marguerite was 33-years-old when she was recruited as a Fille du Roi in 1666,³ somewhat old for a first-time bride. Details are sketchy regarding ships transporting that year’s group of women to New France, and no significant reference to the migration has survived in journals, documents or letters. By using New France marriage records from the fall of 1666, 25 likely Filles du Roi have been identified, and Marguerite was one of them.

After arriving at Quebec City, Marguerite was apparently sent to Montreal for the courtship process, and on November 23rd, she married Charles Boyer,¹ a man who worked at the hospital there. Nine months after her wedding, Marguerite gave birth to her first child. She had five more children by 1678, two of whom died young.

In about 1671, Marguerite’s husband Charles moved the family to La Prairie,⁴ a seigneury on the south shore of the St. Lawrence near Montreal. Over the next several years, they worked hard as they farmed various concessions of land. The lease they agreed to in 1675 required more than growing crops and tending animals.⁵ Among other work defined in the contract, Marguerite was to provide 12 pounds of bread each week for a nearby Jesuit mission. This must have taken an enormous effort to fulfill, especially with young children and a husband to look after.

Women in New France baked bread in outdoor ovens like this one.

Not long after the birth of her last child, Marguerite died, probably in about March of 1678.² Charles remarried in October of that year,⁶ and lived until 1703.⁷

Children:
1. Marie Boyer — B. 24 Aug 1667, Montreal, New France;⁸ D. 10 Oct 1749, Yamaska, New France;⁹ M. André Forand (1643-1721), 30 Dec 1684, La Prairie, New France¹⁰

2. Joseph Boyer — B. 7 Jan 1669, Montreal, New France;¹¹ D. about 1670, New France¹²

3. Antoine Boyer — B. 10 Apr 1671, La Prairie, New France;⁴ D. 27 Mar 1747, La Prairie, New France;¹³ M. (1) Marie Perras (1673-1736), 4 Feb 1692, La Prairie, New France;¹⁴ (2) Catherine Surprenant (1686-1762), 9 Sep 1737, La Prairie, New France¹⁵

4. Jean-Baptiste Boyer — B. 17 Aug 1673, La Prairie, New France;¹⁶ D. 1734;¹⁷ M. Anne Caillé (1675-1717), 10 Feb 1698, La Prairie, New France¹⁸

5. Marguerite Boyer — B. 5 Jul 1675, La Prairie, New France;¹⁹ D. 17 Nov 1708, Montreal, New France;²⁰ M. (1) Claude Guichard (~1664-?), 7 Nov 1689, La Prairie, New France;²¹ (2) Jean Bonnet (~1669-?), 4 Oct 1694, Montreal, New France²²

6. Louise Boyer — B. 16 Feb 1678, La Prairie, New France;² D. before 1681, New France¹²

Sources:
1    Marriage record of Charles Boyer and Marguerite Ténard, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Baptismal record of Louise Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
3    Navires venus en Nouvelle-France (website)
4    Baptismal record of Antoine Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
5    A Drifting Cowboy (blog)  
6    Marriage record of Charles Boyer and Louise Therese Lebreuil, Q.C.P.R.
7    Burial record of Charles Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
8    Baptismal record of Marie Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
9    Burial record of Marie Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
10  Marriage record of André Forand and Marie Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
11  Baptismal record of Joseph Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
12  Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
13  Burial record of Antoine Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of Antoine Boyer and Marie Perras, Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of Antoine Boyer and Catherine Suprenant, Q.C.P.R.
16  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
17  WikiTree listing for Jean Baptiste Boyer  
18  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Boyer and Anne Caillé, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Marguerite Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
20  Burial record of Marguerite Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
21  Marriage record of Claude Guichard and Marguerite Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
22  Marriage record of Jean Bonnet and Marguerite Boyer, Q.C.P.R.