M. 24 Nov 1667 in Quebec City, New France2
Husband: Pierre Bouvier
D. 31 Oct 1677 in Neuville, New France3
When young women were recruited to migrate to New France during the 1660s, geography played an important part in who was chosen. And many were from northern France, including Catherine Ballié.
Catherine was born in about 1642 to Guillaume Ballié and Adrienne Tassé who lived in the coastal town of St-Étienne-de-Fecamp.1 Nothing else is known of her family other than the fact her father died before she migrated to America. St-Étienne-de-Fecamp was located on the English Channel, west of Dieppe, and it was centered around the fishing industry, known for its smoked herring and cod. So Catherine must have been at least somewhat familiar with seeing ships before she boarded one in June of 1667.4
Location of the town where Catherine was born.
The Filles du Roi program had been going on for four years and was seen to be a success. That year, the man who supervised the effort, Jean Talon, sought to bring over about 100 prospective brides. France had an abundant amount of women seeking a secure future, which meant that recruiters didn’t have to search the entire country. Instead they signed up the women in Paris, which had a high concentration of them, and also the region around the port cities, one of which was Dieppe. Catherine’s ship, Le St-Louis, transported 80 Filles du Roi, and about two-thirds of them were from places in Normandy.4
The voyage took over three months, landing at Quebec City on September 25th.4 It had been a rough time for Catherine and her shipmates, who complained of ill-treatment from the crew, accusing them of doling out their food in small amounts.4 Many arrived sick and needed hospitalization before joining the process of finding a husband. It isn’t known if Catherine was one of the patients, but if she was, she recovered in time to get married on November 24th.2 Her husband was Pierre Bouvier, who was a metalworker from Rouen. Since neither of them had families to attend their wedding, it was witnessed by two officials, one of whom was Germain Morin, the son of Nöel Morin and Hèléne Desportes, who was the first ordained priest born in New France.
The couple settled in Quebec City, and the following year Catherine gave birth to a daughter.5 Four more children were born by October of 1675, but sadly, Catherine didn’t live to see any of them grow up. After the family moved to the community of Neuville, she died on October 31, 1677.3 Pierre remarried a few months later, and he died in 1690.6
Children:
1. Marie Bouvier — B. 20 Sep 1668, Quebec City, New France;5 D. 28 Apr 1711, Ste-Foy, New France;7 M. Pierre-Jacques Custeau (1663-1711), Quebec City, New France8
2. Charles Bouvier — B. 8 Feb 1671, Quebec City, New France;9 D. 23 Jun 1712, Quebec City, New France;10 M. Marie-Catherine Renaud (1671-1723), 27 Feb 1696, Quebec City, New France11
3. Jeanne-Thèrese Bouvier — B. 29 Jul 1673, Quebec City, New France;12 D. 28 Nov 1729, Lotbinière, New France;13 M. Jean-Baptiste Barabé (1671-1729), 1693, New France14
4. Catherine Bouvier — B. 1674, New France;15 D. Before 1681, New France16
5. Pierre Bouvier — B. 12 Oct 1675, Quebec City, New France;17 D. 16 Mar 1715, Quebec City, New France;18 M. Marie Meunier (1685-1743), 30 Jan 1702, Beaupré, New France19
Sources:
1 King’s Daughters and Founding Mothers—1663-1673, Peter Gagne, 2000
2 Marriage record of Pierre Bouvier and Catherine Ballié, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3 Burial record of Catherine Ballié, Q.C.P.R.
4 Navires venus en Nouvelle-France (website)
5 Baptismal record of Marie Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
6 Burial record of Pierre Bouvier (older), Q.C.P.R.
7 Burial record of Marie Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
8 Marriage record of Pierre-Jacques Custeau and Marie Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
9 Baptismal record of Charles Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
10 Burial record of Charles Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
11 Marriage record of Charles Bouvier and Marie-Catherine Renaud, Q.C.P.R.
12 Baptismal record of Jeanne-Thèrese Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
13 Burial record of Jeanne-Thèrese Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
14 Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Barabé and Jeanne-Thèrese Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
15 Baptismal record of Catherine Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
16 Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
17 Baptismal record of Pierre Bouvier (younger), Q.C.P.R.
18 Burial record of Pierre Bouvier (younger), Q.C.P.R.
19 Marriage record of Pierre Bouvier and Marie Meunier, Q.C.P.R.
