M. (1) 8 Aug 1717 in Quebec City, New France2
Wife: Marie-Madeleine Deseve-Poitevin
M. (2) 11 Nov 1720 in Ste-Foy, New France3
Wife: Marie-Therese Migneron
M. (3) 30 Jun 1744 in Beauport, New France4
Wife: Marie-Marguerite Menard
D. 20 Mar 1781 in St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec5
Sometimes a person’s life is defined by the history during which they lived. Such is the case for Jacques Dubois, whose community was heavily affected by the events along the St. Lawrence River in Canada in 1759.
Jacques was born in the côte-du-sud (south shore) town of Beaumont on June 14, 1697.1 His parents were François Dubois and Marie Guay, and he was the oldest child of three, although there may have been other siblings who died as infants. At the time of his birth, there was no church at Beaumont and Jacques was taken up river to St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy for his baptism. Eventually the family moved near Pointe-Lévy.
On August 8, 1717, Jacques married Marie-Madeleine Deseve-Poitevin;2 the couple had one daughter, but it isn’t known where they lived, and by 1720, Madeleine passed away. Jacques took a second wife, Marie-Therese Migneron, with the wedding taking place on the north shore at Ste-Foy on November 11, 1720;3 the parish record called him Pierre instead of Jacques, but his former wife is clearly identified, so this was certainly his marriage. Soon after that, he was living in Lauzon, and two daughters were born there in 1724 and 1732.
Jacques’ second wife Therese passed away on February 11, 1742,6 and he married a third woman, Marie-Marguerite Menard on June 30, 1744.4 The wedding was in her hometown of Beauport on the north shore, then he took her back to where he lived in Lauzon. His farm was among a small group of settlers on the Etchemin River, a tributary that flowed into the St. Lawrence from the south; Jacques’ widowed mother had been identified as living there as early as 1723.7 Even today, the area isn’t very built up, and looking from above, the ribbon farms can still be seen. A road was built there in 1751, giving much-needed access to the homes along the Etchemin, and “Dubois’ house” was mentioned as being on a turn in the road.7 It was here that his youngest two children were born in 1746 and 1757.
View of where Jacques lived along the Etchemin River.
Then came the turbulent years that upended the lives of all the people living in New France. Many factors caused war to break out between France and England, and when it did, the conflict played out in North America as the French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years War. In 1754, English colonists in America outnumbered French colonists by 20 to 1, and dominated them economically. France was seeing no profit from its territory along the St. Lawrence River, and England’s naval forces ruled the seas. All of these circumstances led to French losses that allowed the English to sail into the Quebec area unopposed during the summer of 1759.
A British fleet of 8,000 men landed along the St. Lawrence on June 18, 1759, prompting many people to abandon their homes and seek shelter elsewhere. The intentions of the British invaders was to make nice with the French civilians, and at first, they did. But when they met with some resistance, their attitude changed. On July 25th, General Wolfe issued an order that his troops were free to “seize and bring in the farmers and their cattle, and to destroy and lay waste what they shall judge proper.”8 He also said to “burn every house and hut.” The execution of this order was carried out by lower level officers, and some of them didn’t hesitate to level the farms all along the south shore of the St. Lawrence.
A British fleet of 8,000 men landed along the St. Lawrence on June 18, 1759, prompting many people to abandon their homes and seek shelter elsewhere. The intentions of the British invaders was to make nice with the French civilians, and at first, they did. But when they met with some resistance, their attitude changed. On July 25th, General Wolfe issued an order that his troops were free to “seize and bring in the farmers and their cattle, and to destroy and lay waste what they shall judge proper.”8 He also said to “burn every house and hut.” The execution of this order was carried out by lower level officers, and some of them didn’t hesitate to level the farms all along the south shore of the St. Lawrence.
There are no specifics as to whether Jacques’ home was one of the burned out farms, but the Etchemin River was very close to the action, so it’s likely his place was affected. The English established a camp at Pointe-Lévy near the church where Jacques attended,9 and it became the main staging area for the attack on Quebec City, which was directly across the water. For two months, the British blasted their canons at the capital city; it was said that from September 5th to 8th, “a continual parade of troops” passed near the mouth of the Etchemin on their way to the climactic battle at the Plains of Abraham. The English captured Quebec on September 18th, but for those on the south shore, the war wasn’t over.
It took several months for the English to completely neutralize the French around Lauzon. By the time winter set in, fighting was difficult for both sides, but the English held an advantage with their sheer numbers. For a time, St-Joseph church at Pointe-Levy was controlled by a small French force,7 but in early February 1760, they abandoned the position and retreated to the Etchemin River.7 Then on February 24th, the English crossed from Quebec with a force of 3,000 soldiers, and the French force moved up the St. Lawrence to St-Antoine-de-Tilly, leaving Pointe-Lévy settlers defenseless.7 Two days later, the English set fire to their houses;7 it was said that everything that wasn’t destroyed the previous summer, was now burned, and this almost certainly included Jacques’ house. He and his family, along with the other civilians, had to find shelter nearby.
After the war was over, and the English had charge of all of Canada, Jacques and the other people returned to their farms, and presumably, they rebuilt their homes. Life eventually returned to the community and their church, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, where Jacques was noted as having a bench in 1763.10 He lived many more years, dying on March 20, 1781.5 His wife Marguerite survived him, and passed away in 1798.11
Child by Marie-Madeleine Deseve:
1. Marie-Charlotte Dubois — B. about 1720, New France;12 D. 7 Oct 1751, Lauzon, New France;12 M. Joseph Guilbault (1712-1799), 10 Jan 1741, Lauzon, New France13
Children by Marie-Therese Migneron:
1. Genevieve Dubois — B. 24 Jan 1724, Lauzon, New France;14 D. 26 Dec 1794, Quebec City, Quebec;15 M. Jean-Baptiste Roy (1713-1796), 7 Feb 1747, Lauzon, New France16
2. Angelique Dubois — B. 29 Mar 1732, Lauzon, New France;17 D. 14 May 1772, Lauzon, Quebec;18 M. Jean-Baptiste Huard (1731-1811), 9 Aug 1756, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec19
Children by Marie-Marguerite Menard:
1. Jacques Dubois — B. 22 Apr 1746, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, New France;20 D. 21 May 1827, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec;21 M. Marie-Charlotte Dussault (1712-1799), 28 Jul 1766, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec22
2. Marguerite Dubois — B. 11 Jun 1757, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, New France;23 D. 22 Jan 1817, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec;24 M. Michel-Amable Dussault (1753-1815), 4 Nov 1777, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec25
Sources:
1 Baptismal record of Jacques Dubois, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2 Marriage record of Jacques Dubois and Marie-Madeleine Deseve-Poitevin, Q.C.P.R.
3 Marriage record of Jacques Dubois and Marie-Therese Migneron, Q.C.P.R.
4 Marriage record of Jacques Dubois and Marie-Marguerite Menard, Q.C.P.R.
5 Burial record of Jacques Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
6 Burial record of Marie-Therese Migneron, Q.C.P.R.
7 Monographie: La Paroisse de St-Romuald d’Etchemin, Benjamin Demers, 1906
8 Revisiting 1759: The Conquest of Canada in Historical Perspective, Philip Alfred Buckner and John G. Reid, 2012
9 Lévis, Quebec (Wikipedia article)
10 Histoire de la Seigneurie de Lauzon, Volume 2, Joseph-Edmond Roy, 1898
11 Burial record of Marie-Marguerite Menard, Q.C.P.R.
12 Burial record of Marie-Charlotte Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
13 Marriage record of Joseph Guilbault and Marie-Charlotte Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
14 Baptismal record of Genevieve Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
15 Burial record of Genevieve Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
16 Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Roy and Genevieve Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
17 Baptismal record of Angelique Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
18 Burial record of Angelique Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
19 Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Huard and Angelique Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
20 Baptismal record of Jacques Dubois (younger), Q.C.P.R.
21 Burial record of Jacques Dubois (younger), Q.C.P.R.
22 Marriage record of Jacques Dubois and Marie-Charlotte Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
23 Baptismal record of Marguerite Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
24 Burial record of Marguerite Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
25 Marriage record of Michel-Amable Dussault and Marguerite Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
British forces on the St. Lawrence River in 1759.
It took several months for the English to completely neutralize the French around Lauzon. By the time winter set in, fighting was difficult for both sides, but the English held an advantage with their sheer numbers. For a time, St-Joseph church at Pointe-Levy was controlled by a small French force,7 but in early February 1760, they abandoned the position and retreated to the Etchemin River.7 Then on February 24th, the English crossed from Quebec with a force of 3,000 soldiers, and the French force moved up the St. Lawrence to St-Antoine-de-Tilly, leaving Pointe-Lévy settlers defenseless.7 Two days later, the English set fire to their houses;7 it was said that everything that wasn’t destroyed the previous summer, was now burned, and this almost certainly included Jacques’ house. He and his family, along with the other civilians, had to find shelter nearby.
After the war was over, and the English had charge of all of Canada, Jacques and the other people returned to their farms, and presumably, they rebuilt their homes. Life eventually returned to the community and their church, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, where Jacques was noted as having a bench in 1763.10 He lived many more years, dying on March 20, 1781.5 His wife Marguerite survived him, and passed away in 1798.11
Child by Marie-Madeleine Deseve:
1. Marie-Charlotte Dubois — B. about 1720, New France;12 D. 7 Oct 1751, Lauzon, New France;12 M. Joseph Guilbault (1712-1799), 10 Jan 1741, Lauzon, New France13
Children by Marie-Therese Migneron:
1. Genevieve Dubois — B. 24 Jan 1724, Lauzon, New France;14 D. 26 Dec 1794, Quebec City, Quebec;15 M. Jean-Baptiste Roy (1713-1796), 7 Feb 1747, Lauzon, New France16
2. Angelique Dubois — B. 29 Mar 1732, Lauzon, New France;17 D. 14 May 1772, Lauzon, Quebec;18 M. Jean-Baptiste Huard (1731-1811), 9 Aug 1756, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec19
Children by Marie-Marguerite Menard:
1. Jacques Dubois — B. 22 Apr 1746, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, New France;20 D. 21 May 1827, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec;21 M. Marie-Charlotte Dussault (1712-1799), 28 Jul 1766, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec22
2. Marguerite Dubois — B. 11 Jun 1757, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, New France;23 D. 22 Jan 1817, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec;24 M. Michel-Amable Dussault (1753-1815), 4 Nov 1777, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec25
Sources:
1 Baptismal record of Jacques Dubois, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2 Marriage record of Jacques Dubois and Marie-Madeleine Deseve-Poitevin, Q.C.P.R.
3 Marriage record of Jacques Dubois and Marie-Therese Migneron, Q.C.P.R.
4 Marriage record of Jacques Dubois and Marie-Marguerite Menard, Q.C.P.R.
5 Burial record of Jacques Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
6 Burial record of Marie-Therese Migneron, Q.C.P.R.
7 Monographie: La Paroisse de St-Romuald d’Etchemin, Benjamin Demers, 1906
8 Revisiting 1759: The Conquest of Canada in Historical Perspective, Philip Alfred Buckner and John G. Reid, 2012
9 Lévis, Quebec (Wikipedia article)
10 Histoire de la Seigneurie de Lauzon, Volume 2, Joseph-Edmond Roy, 1898
11 Burial record of Marie-Marguerite Menard, Q.C.P.R.
12 Burial record of Marie-Charlotte Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
13 Marriage record of Joseph Guilbault and Marie-Charlotte Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
14 Baptismal record of Genevieve Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
15 Burial record of Genevieve Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
16 Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Roy and Genevieve Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
17 Baptismal record of Angelique Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
18 Burial record of Angelique Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
19 Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Huard and Angelique Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
20 Baptismal record of Jacques Dubois (younger), Q.C.P.R.
21 Burial record of Jacques Dubois (younger), Q.C.P.R.
22 Marriage record of Jacques Dubois and Marie-Charlotte Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
23 Baptismal record of Marguerite Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
24 Burial record of Marguerite Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
25 Marriage record of Michel-Amable Dussault and Marguerite Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
