M. 28 Nov 1680 in Beauport, New France2
Wife: Marie-Madeleine Baugis
D. 27 Nov 1716 in Beauport, New France3
Jacques Ménard dit Deslauriers followed the same course as many soldiers who became a settlers in New France. When his service was over, he acquired a farm along the St. Lawrence and raised a large family, but the difference in his story was that he waited well over a decade before he got married. Jacques began life in Brittany, France, born there to parents Jean and Marie-Louise Ménard.1 Later documents indicated he was from a place called “St-Sabin du bourg des Marchis,” an area outside the city of Nantes, but it’s uncertain if this was his birthplace, or a place where he lived.
When Jacques was about 20-years-old, he became part of the Carignan-Salières Regiment, a massive military force sent to New France to secure the colony against Iroquois aggression. He was in the company led by Captain Duprat, which boarded the ship Saint-Sebastien on May 24, 1665,4 along with three other companies. After a long, difficult crossing, the ship arrived at Quebec City on September 12th,4 with some of the men very sick. Jacques seemed to remain healthy, though, and joined others in receiving the sacrament of confirmation on September 21st.5 A couple of weeks later on October 2nd, his company took small boats up the St. Lawrence to a place in the wilderness along the Richelieu River, where they helped build a fort called Ste-Therese.6
Map showing location of forts built along the Richelieu River in 1665. (Source: BAnQ)
Jacques’ company stayed at Fort Ste-Therese that winter, but Captain Duprat died, and was replaced by the unit’s second in command, Captain de Portes.6 For the next couple of years, the men were stationed there, then in 1668, the regiment was disbanded. Each soldier was given a choice to return to France, or remain in New France as a settler. Like many, Jacques chose to stay, but his exact whereabouts for the next seven years is a mystery. It wasn’t until 1675 that he was recorded as a godfather on a baptism in the settlement of Beauport.7 It’s likely that he had moved there soon after his military service ended, but this isn’t verified.
It wasn’t until 1680 that Jacques finally decided to take a wife. As was often the case with men in New France, his bride was much younger than he was. Her name was Marie-Madeleine Baugis, a 17-year-old girl who had been born out-of-wedlock,8 and took the name of the stepfather who raised her. Michel Baugis was generous to the newlyweds, offering them a place to live in the village of St-Michel-de-Beauport, and 200 livres worth of “old clothes, furniture, and animals.” This was written into the marriage contract dated November 28th,5 which both Jacques and Marie-Madeleine were able to sign, showing that they were both literate. Their wedding was held the following day.3
Jacques and Marie-Madeleine spent the rest of their married life in Beauport raising a large family; their ten children were born between 1681 and 1702, with one who died young9 and another at age 18.10 Other than a renewal of the farm lease on May 10, 1686,5 there is little documentation of Jacques during that time. He was noted as being a patient at Hôtel-Dieu in Quebec City for nine days starting on July 2, 1693.11
On November 27, 1716, Jacques died at Beauport.3 Although the parish record said he was 78 when he died, other records would indicate that he was really about 72.1 An inventory was taken of his estate, and at the end of his life, he seemed to live in a broken down house.5 The home was 18’ by 16’ with a straw roof, but the clay chimney was “threatening ruin” and was given no value on the probate inventory. Jacques' wife Marie-Madeleine lived as a widow many years, passing away in 1743.12
Children:
1. Marguerite Ménard — B. 8 Nov 1681, Beauport, New France;13 D. 25 Dec 1761, Beauport, New France;14 M. Andre Paradis (1676-1745), 7 Jan 1697, Beauport, New France15
2. Jean Ménard — B. 3 May 1684, Beauport, New France;16 D. 15 Dec 1770, Beauport, Quebec;17 M. Françoise Vachon (1689-1749), 11 Jan 1712, Beauport, New France18
3. Marie-Anne Ménard — B. 18 Apr 1686, Beauport, New France;19 D. 20 Jul 1770, Beauport, Quebec;20 M. Nöel Dupras (1681-1743), 4 Jun 1715, Beauport, New France21
4. Jacques Ménard — B. 23 Sep 1688, Beauport, New France;22 D. 12 May 1754, Quebec City, New France;23 M. Angelique Deslisle (1696-1769), 13 Feb 1719, Quebec City, New France24
5. René Ménard — B. 16 Nov 1690, Beauport, New France;25 D. before 3 Mar 1697, (probably) Beauport, New France9
6. Pierre Ménard — B. 27 Dec 1691, Beauport, New France;26 D. 4 Aug 1766, Lauzon, Quebec;27 M. Therese Giroux (1694-1774), 8 Nov 1717, Beauport, New France28
7. Michel Ménard — B. 20 Jun 1694, Beauport, New France;29 M. Madeleine Papillion (1705-1771), 26 Aug 1723, Neuville, New France30
8. René Ménard — B. 3 Mar 1697, Beauport, New France;9 D. 26 Jan 1715, Beauport, New France10
9. Madeleine Ménard — B. 30 Apr 1699, Beauport, New France;31 D. 18 May 1743, St-Joseph-de-Beauce, Quebec;32 M. Nöel Maheu (1690-?), 8 Nov 1717, Beauport, New France33
10. Charles Ménard — B. 16 Aug 1702, Beauport, New France;34 D. 30 Jul 1769, Quebec City, Quebec;35 M. Genevieve Belanger (1709-1782), 5 Nov 1736, Beauport, New France36
Sources:
1 Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
2 Marriage record of Jacques Ménard dit Deslauriers and Marie-Madeleine Baugis, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3 Burial record of Jacques Ménard dit Deslauriers, Q.C.P.R.
4 Navires venus en Nouvelle France (website)
5 Our French-Canadian Ancestors, V. 19, pp. 173-182, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
6 Compagnie Duprat, Migrations.fr (website)
7 Baptismal record of Claude-Philiberte Chrétien, Q.C.P.R.
8 Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Royer, Q.C.P.R.
9 Baptismal record of René Ménard (younger), Q.C.P.R.
10 Burial record of René Ménard (younger), Q.C.P.R.
11 Registre journalier des malades de l'Hotel-Dieu de Quebec, p. 190, 2005
12 Burial record of Marie-Madeleine Baugis, Q.C.P.R.
13 Baptismal record of Marguerite Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
14 Burial record of Marguerite Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
15 Marriage record of André Paradis and Marguerite Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
16 Baptismal record of Jean Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
17 Burial record of Jean Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
18 Marriage record of Jean Ménard and Françoise Vachon, Q.C.P.R.
19 Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
20 Burial record of Marie-Anne Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
21 Marriage record of Nöel Dupras and Marie-Anne Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
22 Baptismal record of Jacques Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
23 Burial record of Jacques Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
24 Marriage record of Jacques Ménard and Angelique Deslisle, Q.C.P.R.
25 Baptismal record of René Ménard (older), Q.C.P.R.
26 Baptismal record of Pierre Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
27 Burial record of Pierre Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
28 Marriage record of Pierre Ménard and Therese Giroux, Q.C.P.R.
29 Baptismal record of Michel Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
30 Marriage record of Michel Ménard and Madeleine Papillion, Q.C.P.R.
31 Baptismal record of Madeleine Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
32 Burial record of Madeleine Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
33 Marriage record of Nöel Maheu and Madeleine Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
34 Baptismal record of Charles Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
35 Burial record of Charles Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
36 Marriage record of Charles Ménard and Genevieve Belanger, Q.C.P.R.
