Teenaged French-Canadian Pioneer — François Boucher

B. before 22 Nov 1617 in Saint-Langis, Perche, France¹
M. 3 Sep 1641 in Quebec City, New France²
Wife: Florence Gareman
D. before 2 May 1678 in (probably) Cap-Rouge, New France³

François Boucher wasn’t yet an adult when he was part of one of the earliest migrations to New France. He was born in Saint-Langis, France, a village of Perche, baptized there on November 22, 1617.¹ François’ parents were Marin Boucher and Julienne Baril, and it’s believed that he was their only child who survived to adulthood. The house where François grew up still stands; it's a small cottage that adjoins several other dwellings.

House where François was born. (Source: WikiTree)

When François was about age 10, his mother died,⁴ and his father Marin remarried, giving him two half-brothers by 1633. Then Marin was approached by a man named Robert Giffard, who asked him if he’d like to leave France for an opportunity in America.⁵ Marin not only said yes, he decided to bring 17-year-old François with him. The two of them boarded a ship in April 1634, and by summer, they were established in the fledgling colony of Quebec.⁵ Things must have worked out for them because the following year, the rest of the family joined them,⁶ and four more half-siblings were born in their new home in Beauport.

On September 3, 1641, François got married to Florence Gareman,² the daughter of a settler living upriver from Quebec City in a place called Cap-Rouge. For the first few years of their marriage, they lived near François’ father, and had three children born there. But in about 1648, they moved to the area where Florence’s father had a farm.⁷ François was said to have acquired a concession in Sillery,⁸ and it was here that most of his children were born. By 1664, the family was complete with the births of nine more children.

François’ father-in-law had his life come to a terrible end in June 1653 when he was captured, tortured and killed by Iroquois warriors.⁷ This demonstrated the terror all of the settlers were under on the frontier of the colony. Florence’s young brother was also captured, and he was kept by the Indians for years.⁷ The murdered man’s land passed to his three sons-in-law, which included François; the three of them sold the concession and each took a third of the payment.⁹

By 1667, François had a farm with 25 arpents under cultivation and 7 head of cattle.¹⁰ He died sometime between the dates July 28, 1673 and May 2, 1678,³ but there is no record of his burial. His wife Florence survived him; she died by November 1689.¹¹ François was the ancestor of Leo Durocher.

Children:
1. Jean Boucher — B. 1 May 1643, Beauport, New France;¹² D. before 1666, New France¹³

2. Benôit Boucher — B. about 1644, New France;¹⁴ D. 9 Jan 1703, Sillery, New France¹⁴

3. Elisabeth Boucher — B. 19 Mar 1646, Quebec City, New France;¹⁵ D. 24 Sep 1685, Quebec City, New France;¹⁶ M. Denis Guyon (1631-1685), 21 Oct 1659, Quebec City, New France¹⁷

4. Pierre Boucher dit Desroches— B. 29 Sep 1648, Sillery, New France;⁸ D. 10 Mar 1702, Quebec City, New France;¹⁸ M. Hélène Gaudry dite Bourbonnière (1656-1712), 13 Dec 1671, New France¹⁹

5. Marin Boucher — B. 16 Dec 1650, Sillery, New France;²⁰ D. before 1666, New France¹³

6. Marie Boucher — B. 30 Oct 1652, Sillery, New France;²¹ D. 16 Dec 1713, Montreal, New France;²² M. Antoine Chaudillon (1641-1707), 26 May 1672, St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, New France²³

7. Florence Boucher — B. 5 Oct 1654, Sillery, New France;²⁴ D. about 1667, New France^10,13

8. Baby Boucher — B. 5 Oct 1654, Sillery, New France;²⁵ D. 5 Oct 1654, Sillery, New France²⁵

9. Charles Boucher — B. 4 Apr 1658, Sillery, New France;²⁶ D. 10 Aug 1728, Berthier-en-haut, New France;²⁷ M. Marguerite-Agnes Pelletier (~1666-?), 7 May 1685, Sorel, New France²⁸

10. Denis Boucher dit Desrosiers — B. 6 Apr 1660, Sillery, New France;²⁹ D. 17 Nov 1723, St-Antoine-de-Tilly, New France;³⁰ M. Jeanne Miville (1671-1744), 21 Nov 1689, Quebec City, New France¹¹

11. Michel Boucher — B. 30 Apr 1661, Sillery, New France;³¹ D. 1713, Neuville, New France;³² M. (1) Marie-Madeleine Huot (1670-1699), 26 Nov 1695, New France;³³ (2) Genevieve Amiot (1683-1717), 19 Apr 1700, St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, New France³⁴

12. Marie-Françoise Boucher — B. 6 Apr 1664, Sillery, New France;³⁵ D. 9 Apr 1704, Charlesbourg, New France;³⁶ M. Nicolas Thibault (1663-1727), 23 Jul 1686, Château-Richer, New France³⁷

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of François Boucher, Archives départmentales de l’Orne
2    Marriage record of François Boucher and Florence Gareman, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Inventaire des greffes des Notaires du Régime français, V. 4, p. 44, Roy, Antoine, 1943
4    Burial record of Julienne Baril, Archives départmentales de l’Orne
5    Our French-Canadian Ancestors, V. 4, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
6    Marin Boucher (Wikipedia article) 
7    Histoire de la seigneurie de Lauzon, Vol. 1 & 2, Joseph-Edmond Roy, 1897
8    Baptismal record of Pierre Boucher dit Desroches, Q.C.P.R.
9    Notarial record regarding property in Quebec City, 23 Nov 1667, BAnQ  
10  Recensement de 1667 en Nouvelle-France
11  Marriage record of Denis Boucher dit Desrosiers and Jeanne Miville, Q.C.P.R.
12  Baptismal record of Jean Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
13  Recensement de 1666 en Nouvelle-France
14  Burial record of Benôit Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
15  Baptismal record of Elisabeth Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
16  Burial record of Elisabeth Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
17  Marriage record of Denis Guyon and Elisabeth Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
18  Burial record of Pierre Boucher dit Desroches, Q.C.P.R.
19  Marriage record of Pierre Boucher dit Desroches and Hélène Gaudry, Q.C.P.R.
20  Baptismal record of Marin Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
21  Baptismal record of Marie Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
22  Burial record of Marie Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
23  Marriage record of Antoine Chaudillon and Marie Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
24  Baptismal record of Florence Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal and burial record of Baby Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
26  Baptismal record of Charles Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
27  Burial record of Charles Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
28  Marriage record of Charles Boucher and Marguerite-Agnes Pelletier, Q.C.P.R.
29  Baptismal record of Denis Boucher dit Desrosiers, Q.C.P.R.
30  Burial record of Denis Boucher dit Desrosiers, Q.C.P.R.
31  Baptismal record of Michel Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
32  Burial record of Michel Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
33  Marriage record of Michel Boucher and Marie-Madeleine Huot, Q.C.P.R.
34  Marriage record of Michel Boucher and Genevieve Amiot, Q.C.P.R.
35  Baptismal record of Marie-Françoise Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
36  Burial record of Marie-Françoise Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
37  Marriage record of Nicolas Thibault and Marie-Françoise Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

Family Patriarch From Paris — René Provost

B. about 1652 in Paris, France¹
M. 9 Jan 1684 in La-Pérade, New France¹
Wife: Marie-Anne Daudelin
D. 31 May 1735 in Varennes, New France²

René Provost was a man from Paris who founded a family in America. He was from the 10th Arrondissement, presumably born there in about 1652.¹ His parents were Nicolas Provost (also spelled Prevost) and Anne St. Amand, who attended St-Laurent parish. René had enough schooling that he could at least sign his name,³ but nothing else is known of his early years.

René's signature, 1705.

The first time René showed up in records was in his marriage on January 9, 1684.¹ He probably arrived in New France a year or two before that date since he was not listed in the 1681 census.⁴ His bride was 17-year-old Marie-Anne Daudelin, the daughter of a settler who lived in La-Pérade, the seigneury where the wedding took place. Why René migrated isn’t known; most settlers who came from France arrived a decade or two earlier. It was common for those who migrated after 1680 to have been soldiers, but there’s no evidence that he ever served in the military.

René settled with his new wife in nearby Batiscan, where his first two children were likely born. Then the family moved to the Montreal area; it’s believed that they made their home in Varennes after René acquired a concession of land on October 1, 1688.⁵ Eight more children were born there, with the youngest one in 1706.⁶ Of the ten total children, three (and possibly four) died young.

René was widowed on July 1, 1733 when his wife Marie-Anne passed away.⁷ He died on May 31, 1735, and was buried the following day at Ste-Anne parish in Varennes.² René’s surviving children all seemed to have stayed in Varennes or neighboring Boucherville. Today a small suburban street in Varennes bears his name. René was the ancestor of Leo Durocher.



Children:
1. Marie-Anne Provost — B. about 1685, (probably) Batiscan, New France;⁸ D. 17 Nov 1716, Varennes, New France;⁹ M. Jean-Baptiste Renaud dit Deslauriers (1689-1750), 26 Nov 1705, Varennes, New France¹⁰

2. Pierre Provost — B. 6 Sep 1687, Batiscan, New France;¹¹ D. 16 Mar 1759, Varennes, New France;¹² M. Marie-Anne Chaudillon (1691-1761), 5 Apr 1712, Varennes, New France¹³

3. Michelle Provost — B. 30 Apr 1690, (probably) Varennes, New France¹⁴; D. 30 Jul 1699, Varennes, New France¹⁵

4. Angelique Provost — B. about 1692, (probably) Varennes;¹⁶ D. 25 Jan 1746, Boucherville, New France;¹⁷ M. Louis Robert (1694-1764), 15 Nov 1715, Varennes, New France¹⁸

5. François Provost — B. 30 Sep 1694, Varennes, New France;¹⁹ D. 22 Apr 1723, Varennes, New France;²⁰ M. Marguerite Bourdon (1695-1775), 27 Apr 1716, Boucherville, New France²¹

6. Anne-Marguerite Provost — B. 13 Apr 1697, Varennes, New France;²² D. 30 Apr 1703, Varennes, New France²³

7. Charlotte-Elisabeth Provost — B. 2 Sep 1700, Varennes, New France²⁴; D. 25 Oct 1776, Varennes, Quebec;²⁵ M. Christophe Mongeau (1696-1762), 21 Apr 1721, Varennes, New France²⁶

8. Françoise Provost — B. 6 Dec 1702, Varennes, New France²⁷

9. René Provost — B. 27 Apr 1705, Varennes, New France;²⁸ D. 20 Dec 1705, Varennes, New France³

10. René Provost — B. 1 Jul 1706, Varennes, New France;⁶ D. 5 Mar 1784, Varennes, Quebec;²⁹ M. Marguerite Brunel (1710-1774), 7 Feb 1731, Varennes, New France³⁰

Sources:
1    Marriage record of René Provost and Marie-Anne Daudelin, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Burial record of René Provost, Q.C.P.R.
3    Burial record of René Provost (younger), Q.C.P.R.
4    Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
5    Inventory of goods at the death of Marie-Anne Daudelin
6    Baptismal record of René Provost (youngest), Q.C.P.R.
7    Burial record of Marie-Anne Daudelin, Q.C.P.R.
8    Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Provost, Q.C.P.R.
9    Burial record of Marie-Anne Provost, Q.C.P.R.
10  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Renaud and Marie-Anne Provost, Q.C.P.R.
11  Baptismal record of Pierre Provost, Q.C.P.R.
12  Burial record of Pierre Provost, Q.C.P.R.
13  Marriage record of Pierre Provost and Marie-Anne Chaudillon, Q.C.P.R.
14  Baptismal record of Michelle Provost, Q.C.P.R.
15  Burial record of Michelle Provost, Q.C.P.R.
16  Baptismal record of Angelique Provost, Q.C.P.R.
17  Burial record of Angelique Provost, Q.C.P.R.
18  Marriage record of Louis Robert and Angelique Provost, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of François Provost, Q.C.P.R.
20  Burial record of François Provost, Q.C.P.R.
21  Marriage record of François Provost and Marguerite Bourdon, Q.C.P.R.
22  Baptismal record of Anne-Marguerite Provost, Q.C.P.R.
23  Burial record of Anne-Marguerite Provost, Q.C.P.R.
24  Baptismal record of Charlotte-Elisabeth Provost, Q.C.P.R.
25  Burial record of Charlotte-Elisabeth Provost, Q.C.P.R.
26  Marriage record of Christophe Mongeau and Charlotte-Elisabeth Provost, Q.C.P.R.
27  Baptismal record of Françoise Provost, Q.C.P.R.
28  Baptismal record of René Provost (younger), Q.C.P.R.
29  Burial record of René Provost (youngest), Q.C.P.R.
30  Marriage record of René Provost and Marguerite Brunel, Q.C.P.R.

A Pedigree to Ancient Times — Margaret Wyatt

B. before 8 Mar 1595 in Braunton, England¹
M. 2 Feb 1627 in Braunton, England¹
Husband: Matthew Allyn
D. 12 Sep 1675 in Windsor, Connecticut²

Among the people who sought a religious haven in Puritan New England, there were a handful who had long traceable pedigrees going back for centuries, and Margaret Wyatt was such a person. Margaret’s life began in Braunton, England, a village near the northeast coast of Devon, where she was baptized on March 8, 1595.¹ Her parents were John Wyatt and Frances Chichester, and she had two brothers and three sisters. Her father was described as a “gentleman,” an indication of his status,³ but he died when she was about 3-years-old.³

On February 2, 1627, Margaret married Matthew Allyn,¹ who may have been ten years younger than she was. They continued to live in Braunton, having three children, one of whom likely died as an infant. Devon was one of the regions of England which had a large following of Puritans, and Margaret and her husband were among them. While the majority of people who joined the migration to America were of what we would consider middle class (yeomen, merchants, artisans, etc.), a few Puritans were from a wealthier class. For such people, the strength of their religious beliefs outweighed any sort of comforts they would have by remaining in England. So in about 1632, Margaret, Matthew and their children boarded a ship to become a part of the Puritan colony.⁴

After arriving in Massachusetts, Margaret and Matthew settled in Cambridge, where they became among the largest landowners in the area,⁴ and a son was born around this time. Matthew served as a representative to the General Court in Boston,⁴ but he had disagreements with community leaders. In 1636, the family joined a group led by Reverend Thomas Hooker who formed a new settlement on the Connecticut River called Hartford.⁴

Margaret and Matthew made their home in Hartford for the next few years, as he took a leadership role there. Then Matthew had a falling out with Reverend Hooker, and the family ended up relocating to the town of Windsor.⁴ This was where they spent the rest of their lives. Matthew died on February 1, 1671,⁴ and Margaret passed away on September 12, 1675.²

Margaret’s Family Tree
The lines of Margaret’s pedigree that trace back into antiquity are through her mother, Frances Chichester. Frances was born into minor nobility, but in a family of 19 children, inheritance becomes splintered, explaining why she didn't marry a nobleman. From here, going back in time, family connections can be pieced together through probate records, and Frances has lines on both sides showing over 20 generations.⁵ Some ancestors connect to monarchs who include John I (of Magna Carta fame), Henry I of England, William the Conqueror, Alfred the Great, Robert I of France, and Charlemagne.

A page of Margaret's pedigree. (Source: WikiTree)

Beyond the Saxon kings and Norman princes are threads of genealogy that go even further. Through intermarriage of nobility, some lines go back into German, Irish, or other nationalities in Europe. They include people who lived over a thousand years ago, and in a couple of extreme cases, the lines trace to almost the year 1 AD. That’s about 60 generations back from Margaret.

Are these ancestors really Margaret’s? There’s no way to be certain because many of the links are assumptions, and all it takes is for one assumption to be wrong for the chain to be broken. The farther back in time you go, the more doubtful the accuracy is. Still, it’s fun to think about — it demonstrates the idea that we are all descended from thousands of people who lived during the Dark Ages and beyond.

Margaret’s family tree also has very impressive descendants, including Agatha Christie, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and three First Ladies: Ellen Wilson, Bess Truman and Nancy Reagan.⁶

Children:
1. Mary Allyn – B. before 20 Jan1628, Braunton, England;¹ D. 29 Jul 1689, Windsor, Connecticut;² M. Benjamin Newberry (~1624-1689), 11 Jun 1646, Windsor, Connecticut²

2. John Allyn – B. before 24 Feb 1631, Braunton, England;¹ D. Nov 1696, Hartford, Connecticut;² M. (1) Ann Smith (~1635-~1669), 19 Nov 1651, Springfield, Massachusetts;⁴ (2) Hannah Lamberton⁴

3. Thomas Allyn – B. about 1633, (probably) Massachusetts;⁴ D. 14 Feb 1696, Windsor, Connecticut;⁷ M. Abigail Warham (?-1680), 21 Oct 1658, Hartford, Connecticut⁶

Sources:
1    "Allyn and Wyatt Families of Braunton, Devon,” Douglas Richardson, The American Genealogist, V. 57
2    Connecticut Vital Records to 1870, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, 1928
3    Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700, Frederick Lewis Weis, 2004
4    The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633, Robert Charles Anderson, 1995
5    WikiTree pedigree for Frances Chichester  
6    FamousKin.com (website)  
7    The History and Genealogies of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut, page 521, Henry Reed Stiles,1863

Eight Sons to Pass Along His Name — Thomas Peirce

B. about 1615 in Norwich, England¹
M. about 1639 in Charlestown, Massachusetts²
Wife: Elizabeth Cole
D. 6 Nov 1683 in Woburn, Massachusetts³

Thomas Peirce left a legacy of many descendants who carried his name, some of whom were famous. He was born in roughly 1615 in Norwich, England to Thomas and Elizabeth Peirce, one of at least 8 children.¹ This area of England was home to many Puritans, and the Peirce family (also spelled Pierce or Pearce) were part of the Great Migration to New England during the 1630s. It isn’t known exactly when they arrived, but it was certainly by 1635, when their names first appeared in records there.⁴ They settled in Charlestown, Massachusetts, where Thomas was admitted to the church.⁴

Within the next few years, Thomas got married to the daughter of another Charlestown settler. His bride was Elizabeth Cole, and their marriage took place in about 1639.² Between 1643 and about 1662, they had twelve children, of which ten were sons. Two boys died as infants, but the others went on to give him many grandchildren (his two daughters did as well).

By 1643, Thomas moved to the new settlement of Woburn,⁵ one of many towns that were springing up as the colony's population grew. As with all men in all Puritan communities, Thomas performed civic duties. He served in the town council as selectman in 1660 through 1662, and in 1664 and 1670, and he was chosen as “commissioner of the rate.”⁵ Thomas was also elected to be sergeant of the militia in October 1663;⁵ after this date, he was often referred to as Sergeant Thomas Pierce in town records.

Two notes in the Woburn town records gave specific projects Thomas was involved with. In 1668, he was member of a committee selected to oversee the division of some common land in Woburn. For his work, he received 37 acres of “make meadow or swamp land.”⁵ And on November 1, 1671, he was chosen for a 4-man committee to oversee the building of a meetinghouse.⁵ The existing structure had been in use since Woburn was first settled, and it was already showing signs of age. The new one that Thomas was involved with was ready for use in the fall of 1672.

Thomas' signature, date unknown.

Because Thomas’ father lived until 1665 and had the same name, it’s sometimes confusing to sort out who did what. In 1652, a Thomas Peirce of Woburn charged a man named Samuel Eldred with letting his hogs do damage to his property. It isn’t clear if this was Thomas or his father, or what exactly was damaged. The case was withdrawn before it came to trial.

At about the end of 1678, Thomas' name was on a list of people who contracted small pox.⁵ The disease had spread all over the colony after someone who was infected arrived on a ship in July 1677.⁶ On January 6, 1679, Woburn authorities ordered quarantining in order to stop the further spread of the epidemic.⁵ It may be that Thomas' son Thomas was actually the one who had small pox, but regardless of who it was, they recovered from the disease.

Thomas died at Woburn on November 6, 1683.³ Elizabeth survived for a few more years, passing away in 1688.³ Their descendants included governor of New Hampshire, Benjamin Pierce, President Franklin Pierce, Barbara (Pierce) Bush, George W. Bush, Jeb Bush and James Spader.⁷

Children:
1. Thomas Peirce — B. about 1640, (possibly) Woburn, Massachusetts;⁸ D. 8 Dec 1717, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ M. Rachel Bacon (1652-?), 25 Mar 1680, Woburn, Massachusetts³

2. John Peirce — B. 7 Mar 1643, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ D. 25 Mar 1720, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ M. Deborah Converse (1647-?), 1 Jul 1663, Woburn, Massachusetts³

3. Elizabeth Peirce — B. 25 Dec 1646, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ M. (1) Thomas Whittmore (1645-1670), 9 Nov 1666, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ (2) Hopestill Foster (1648-1679), 15 Oct 1670, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ (3) Nathaniel Pierce (1655-1692), 23 Mar 1680, Woburn, Massachusetts³

4. Joseph Peirce — B. 22 Sep 1648, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ D. 1649, Woburn, Massachusetts³

5. Joseph Peirce — B. 13 Aug 1649, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ D. 21 Nov 1716, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ M. Mary Richardson, 24 Jun 1681, Woburn, Massachusetts³

6. Stephen Peirce — B. 16 Jul 1651, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ D. 10 Jun 1733, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;⁹ M. Tabitha Parker (1658-1742), 18 Nov 1676, Chelmsford, Massachusetts¹⁰

7. Samuel Peirce — B. 20 Feb 1654, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ D. 27 Oct 1655, Woburn, Massachusetts³

8. Samuel Peirce — B. 7 Apr 1656, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ D. 5 Jul 1721, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ M. Lydia Bacon (1655-1717), 9 Dec 1680, Woburn, Massachusetts³

9. William Peirce — B. 7 Mar 1658, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ D. 22 Aug 1720, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ M. (1) Abigail Warren (~1660-?); (2) Abigail Sommers (~1658-~1726), 8 Apr 1690³

10. James Peirce — B. 7 May 1659, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ D. 20 Jan 1741, Woburn, Massachusetts³

11. Abigail Pierce — B. 20 Nov 1660, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ D. about 9 Sep 1719, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ M. George Reed (1660-1756), 18 Feb 1685, Woburn, Massachusetts³

12. Benjamin Peirce — B. about 1662, Woburn, Massachusetts;¹¹ D. 25 Sep 1739, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ M. Mary Reed, 10 Oct 1688, Charlestown, Massachusetts¹²

Sources:
1    Estimated birth year based on his mother’s reported age in Thomas Peirce Sr.’s probate record; she was too young for him to be born earlier than about 1615
2    The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633, Robert Charles Anderson, 1995
3    Transcript of Woburn Town Records of Births, Marriages & Deaths, 1641-1843, Family search.org
4    Pierce Genealogy, Frederic Beech Pierce, 1882
5    History of Woburn, Samuel Sewall, 1868
6    “The Story of Smallpox in Massachusetts,” Massachusetts Medical Society (website)  
7    Famous Kin (website)

8    Birth is missing from Woburn town records which begin in 1641
9    Births, marriages, deaths, 1673-1770, Chelmsford, Massachusetts, FamilySearch.org
10  Town Records of the Town of Chelmsford [Massachusetts], 1650-1730, FamilySearch.org
11  Estimated birth year based on marriage date
12  Woburn Records of Births, Deaths and Marriages, from 1640 to 1873, Part III, p. 209, Edward F. Johnson, 1891

Indian Captive After Husband Killed — Tryntie Reynders

B. about 1621 in Hengelo, Netherlands^1,2
M. (1) before 1640 in (probably) Hengelo, Netherlands^1,3
Husband: Arent Theunissen Van Henglen
M. (2) 25 May 1656 in New Netherland¹
Husband: Severyn Laurenszen
D. before 5 Aug 1671 in New York¹

Tryntie Reynders was a woman who settled in New Netherland with her husband, and faced terrible hardships because of it. But she found a way to survive, keeping her children safe, and passing her bloodline on to thousands of descendants.

Tryntie (also spelled Tryntje) was born in Hengelo, Netherlands in about 1621.^1,2 Nothing is known of her family; surnames were patronymic in most Netherlands families, and “Reynders” was taken from the first name of her father. After she came of age, she married Arent Theunissen Van Henglen, who was also from Hengelo.^1,3 Between about 1641 and 1652, she had at least three children.

Shortly after the birth of her youngest child, Arent decided the family would find a new life in America. Once in New Amsterdam, they joined a group who were establishing a community on Staten Island.¹ For a time, the family enjoyed a peaceful life on their farm, but it came to an abrupt end in a conflict called the Peach Tree War. This was a fight between the Dutch and the Swedish who colonized in the region first. The Swedes enlisted local tribes who could help them fight, and after the Dutch took several of their forts in 1655, Susquehannock warriors retaliated against Dutch civilians on September 15th.

One of the places they hit was where Tryntie lived. A total of 23 people were killed at the Staten Island settlement, including her husband Arent.^1,4 Typically, in a raid such as this, people were slaughtered in their homes with tomahawks, and it’s likely Tryntie was there to witness whatever was done to her husband. She and all three of her children were then captured and taken back to the Susquehannock camp where they were held as prisoners.⁵ There were over 60 people with her, each living in fear of what would happen next. But luckily, after a month in captivity, their release was negotiated by the man who had run the settlement on Staten Island, Captain Adrian Post.⁶

With her husband dead and her home destroyed, Tryntie and her children sought refuge in Manhattan with many other victims of the massacre.⁵ Needing a husband to support her, she married a man named Severyn Laurenszen on May 25, 1656.¹ Severyn was from Denmark, and had come to New Amsterdam as a mercenary soldier.⁷

New Amsterdam when Tryntje lived there.

Tryntie was by now about age 45, and she had no children with her second husband. It must have been a struggle to make ends meet, which may have led to Severyn being charged with theft in early 1658. A trial on April 12th resulted in him being found him guilty, and his sentence was to be “stripped of arms and publicly flogged and branded.”⁷ He escaped jail before this was done, and on May 28th, he was pardoned and “permitted to live on Long Island,”⁷ which meant he and Tryntie moved to either present-day Queens or Brooklyn.

Since Severyn no longer had a place in the military, he needed a new livelihood, and in about 1660, he decided to go into business with another man running a tavern.⁷ Once again, Tryntie moved, this time to a road on the outskirts of New Amsterdam which became known as The Bowery. Several taverns lined the road, so it must have attracted a somewhat lawless element. Severyn was cited more than once for such violations as “selling liquor during divine service,” and for allowing people in his tavern “to play nine pins” on Sunday.⁷

Tryntie’s ordeal on Staten Island resurfaced in November 1661. Former colony leader Captain Post sued Severyn for money he thought was owed regarding Tryntie’s release back in 1656. To counter that, Tryntie came forward in court with a claim that Captain Post actually owed her a larger amount of money.^7,8 The authorities referred the case to Thomas Hall and Fredrick Lubbersen to settle the issue, but there’s no further record of what happened next.

It isn’t known exactly when Tryntie died. She and Severyn made a joint will in about May 1662,⁸ and she didn’t appear in any records after that. He married a second wife on August 5, 1671,¹ so her death must have been between those two dates.

Children (all by Arent Theunissen Van Henglen):
1. Reynier Arentsen Van Henglen — B. about 1641,(probably)Hengelo, Netherlands; D. after 17 Sep 1721;¹ M. (1) Annetje Hermans, New Netherland; (2) Jannetije Aukes Van Nuys, 1666¹

2. Maritje Arents Van Henglen — B. (probably) Hengelo, Netherlands; M. Jan Jansen Langestraat, 2 Nov 1659, New Netherland¹

3. Hendrick Arentsen Van Henglen — B. about 1652,  (probably) Hengelo, Netherlands; D. about 16 Jun 1689, New York;¹ M. Catherine Hardenbroeck, 25 Oct 1684, New York¹

Sources:
1    “Notes on the Rynearson (Van Hengel) Family,” Somerset County Quarterly, Vol. 5., Edward Kinsey Voorhees, 1916
2    Birth year estimate based on approximate ages of children
3    Marriage year estimate based on approximate ages of children
4    Since we know Arent’s wife and children were captives in the 1655 raid on Staten Island, and that Arent wasn’t among them, it’s safe to conclude that he was killed
5    Documents Relative to the Colonial History of N.Y., Vol XIII, page 74, 1881
6    Documents Relative to the Colonial History of N.Y., Vol XIII, pages 45-48, 1881
7    Scandinavian Immigrants in New York, 1630-1674, John Oluf Evjen, 1916
8    Yearbook of the Holland Society of New York, 1900

Married to a Cheating Wife — Étienne Boyer dit Lafontaine

B. about 1636 in LaFontaine-Milon, Angers, France¹
M. 26 Oct 1671 in Quebec City, New France²
Wife: Marie-Therese Viel
D. 3 Oct 1700 in Quebec City, New France³

When men in New France made matches with the Filles du Roi, not every bride turned out to be virtuous, and such was the case for Étienne Boyer dit Lafontaine. He was born in about 1636 in Lafontaine-Milon, a village in Angers, France.¹ Étienne’s parents were Claude Boyer and Sébastienne Raveneau, and he was one of at least six children. His father was a butcher, but died when Étienne was a baby;¹ then his mother, a brother and a sister all died in 1639.

After Étienne came of age, he enlisted in the military, and was part of the Carignan-Salières Regiment that was sent to protect New France in 1665.¹ On May 24th of that year, he boarded the ship Saint-Sebastien, and after a crossing that took months, he landed at Quebec City on September 12th.⁴ Soon after, his company led by La Fouille made their way to the mouth of the Rivière-du-Loup on Lac Saint-Pierre, where they spent the winter.⁴ Étienne helped build a fort, and presumably he was stationed there for some of his service. At the end of three years, Étienne’s term was up, and he became one of about 400 soldiers who decided to make their civilian life in the colony.

After being released from service, Étienne seems to have lived in the Quebec City area. In the fall of 1671, he decided to seek a wife from the Filles du Roi who had just arrived from France. A 20-year-old woman named Marie-Therese Viel must have caught his eye, and on October 20th, a contract of marriage was signed.⁵ The wedding took place at Notre-Dame-de-Quebec on the 26th,² and Therese was soon pregnant. Three sons were born between 1672 and 1675, but sadly only the third one survived.

Etienne and Marie-Therese's marriage contract. (Source: BAnQ)

By this time, Étienne had acquired a concession in a place located north and west of Quebec City. (His land was on a bend in the Charles River, which was said to be the site of Maison O'Neill, a landmark house that was built in about 1860.⁶) In early 1676, a matter came up that had Therese making a trip back to France;⁴ such journeys were rare among colonists, and more unusual for a woman to travel alone. Étienne stayed behind with their very young son and waited for her return.

When Therese came home months later, she was quite pregnant.⁴ Étienne was said to have refused to take her back,⁴ and it’s easy to imagine he was angry and embarrassed over it. Her claim was that she got seduced by a powerful man, Médard Chouart des Groseilliers, a French-Canadian fur trader who was also visiting France when he came into contact with her in La Rochelle.⁴ By the time Therese gave birth to her illegitimate baby on January 14, 1677,⁷ Étienne chose to believe her story and they got back together.⁴ Later that year, he tried to sue Chouart des Groseilliers, who denied being the baby’s father, but the court decided in Étienne’s favor. The plaintiff had to pay him 200 livres; the only stipulation on Étienne’s part was that he was ordered to raise the child.⁴

After that, Étienne resumed normal relations with Therese. Together, they had ten more children, with the youngest born in 1691.⁸ The following year, Étienne was said to have sold his concession.⁶ The family seems to have moved to the Charlesbourg area because Therese was involved in an incident there with another woman in 1699.⁹

Étienne died on October 3, 1700 at Hôtel-Dieu in Quebec City.³ His widow Therese seems to have been left with a number of underaged children of which only one showed up in later records of New France. She herself was thought to have moved back to France; it’s very possible that many, or all, of the younger children went with her. Étienne and Therese were the ancestors of Ricky Gervais.

Children:
1. Réne-Louis Boyer — B. 9 Sep 1672, New France;¹⁰ D. 11 Sep 1672, New France¹¹

2. Hugues Boyer — B. 7 Sep 1673, New France¹²

3. Charles Boyer — B. about 1675, New France;¹³ D. 18 Mar 1727, Chambly, New France;¹³ M. (1) Marie-Marguerite Vanier (1684-1715), 9 Feb 1699, Charlesbourg, New France;¹⁴ (2) Marie-Madeleine Vivier (1688-1729), 19 Aug 1715, Charlesbourg, New France¹⁵

4. Jean-Louis Boyer — B. 31 Dec 1678, New France;¹⁶ M. Marie-Renée Chrétien, 9 Feb 1699, New France¹⁷

5. Jean-Étienne Boyer — B. 10 Aug 1680, Quebec City, New France;¹⁸ D. 21 Apr 1750, Lachine, New France;¹⁹ M. Barbe Lemoureux (1685-1770), about 1707, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France²⁰

6. François Boyer — B. Mar 1681, L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France²¹

7. Jacques Boyer — B. 18 Apr 1683, L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France²²

8. Louis Boyer — B. 7 Jun 1684, L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France;²³ D. Jun 1684, L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France²⁴

9. Élisabeth Boyer — B. 10 Jul 1685, (probably) L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France²⁵

10. Pierre-Augustin Boyer — B. 28 Aug 1686, (probably) L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France²⁶

11. Jean-Baptiste Boyer — B. about 1688, (probably) L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France;²⁷ D. 23 Oct 1750, Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré, New France;²⁷ M. Marie-Madeleine Bonnier Lapierre (1693-1785), 28 Jul 1710, New France²⁸

12. Jean-François Boyer — B. 12 Jun 1690, (probably) L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France²⁹

13. Pierre Boyer — B. 24 May 1691, L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France⁸

Sources:
1    Fichier Origine listing for Étienne Boyer dit Lafontaine  
2    Marriage record of Étienne Boyer dit Lafontaine and Marie-Therese Viel, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Burial record of Étienne Boyer dit Lafontaine, Q.C.P.R.
4    Compagnie La Fouille, Migrations.fr (website)  
5    Marriage contract of Étienne Boyer dit Lafontaine and Marie-Therese Viel, BAnQ
6    Ville de Québec l’accent d’Amerique (website) 
7    Baptismal record of Jeanne-Élisabeth Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
8    Baptismal record of Pierre Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
9    Court record of incident between Mare-Therese Viel and Madeleine Bailly, BAnQ  
10  Baptismal record of René-Louis Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
11  Burial record of René-Louis Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
12  Baptismal record of Hugues Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
13  Burial record of Charles Boyer dit LaFontaine, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of Charles Boyer dit LaFontaine and Marie-Marguerite Vanier, Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of Charles Boyer dit LaFontaine and Marie-Madeleine Vivier, Q.C.P.R.
16  Baptismal record of Jean-Louis Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
17  Marriage record of Jean-Louis Boyer and Marie-Renée Chrétien, Q.C.P.R.
18  Baptismal record of Jean-Étienne Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
19  Burial record of Jean-Étienne Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
20  Marriage record of Jean-Étienne Boyer and Barbe Lemoureux, Q.C.P.R.
21  Baptismal record of François Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
22  Baptismal record of Jacques Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
23  Baptismal record of Louis Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
24  Burial record of Louis Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal record of Élisabeth Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
26  Baptismal record of Pierre Augustin Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
27  Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
28  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Boyer and Marie-Madeleine Bonnier Lapierre, Q.C.P.R.
29  Baptismal record of Jean-François Boyer, Q.C.P.R.

Midwife Who Baptized Babies — Marie-Françoise Hébert

B. 23 Jan 1638 in Quebec City, New France¹
M. 20 Nov 1651 in Quebec City, New France²
Husband: Guillaume Fournier
D. 16 Mar 1716 in Montmagny, New France³

Marie-Françoise Hébert held significant status for a woman in 17th century New France, including having the ability to administer baptisms. She was born at Quebec City on January 23, 1638 to Guillaume Hébert and Hélène Desportes,¹ both of whom had parents who were among the colony’s earliest pioneers. Her mother was thought to be the first European born in all of Canada, and was just 17-years-old at Françoise’s birth. She had an older brother, and a younger sister who likely died as an infant. Françoise’s father died when she was very young, then her mother remarried and produced 12 half-siblings.

Françoise lived with her family in the Upper Town of Quebec,⁴ likely growing up in the same house where she was born. Ursuline nuns ran a school nearby, which she probably attended for a time.⁴ As the oldest daughter in a large family, Françoise would have helped her mother take care of her younger brothers and sisters, especially as they became numerous.

Françoise’s childhood came to an end on November 20, 1651 when she got married at age 13.² Her husband was a newcomer to the colony named Guillaume Fournier, and he was in his thirties. It wasn’t uncommon for girls that young to to become brides because there was a shortage of women in the colony. Françoise lived in Charlesbourg early in her marriage, though most of her children were said to be born in Quebec City.⁴ The first baby came in November 1653, surviving only a month.^5,6 She would have 15 children in all; three more died as infants, including the last two, and one of these may have been stillborn.

By the time Françoise gave birth to her next to last child in 1679,⁷ her family was living in the south shore community of Montmagny, where Guillaume had become the seigneur. Montmagny was off the beaten path and Françoise had to adapt to life on the frontier. Since it was a new settlement, there was no church there during the first few years, and until one was ready in December 1685, services were held in Françoise’ house⁸

It was during this part of her life that Françoise appears to have taken on the role of midwife. During colonial times, childbirth was rarely attended by doctors; instead, women taught each other basic procedures to assist in the delivery of babies. Along with having given birth 15 times, Françoise was likely present at many of her mother’s deliveries. In fact, her mother had also served as midwife for her community, and it’s easy to imagine Françoise may have assisted her. She was formally recognized as a midwife in a vote taken by the women of Montmagny on November 21, 1703.⁸

It’s been said that in some instances, Françoise performed baptisms on infants where she was attending a birth. The sacrament would be ideally administered by a priest, but in case the baby was about to die, someone else could have the authority to do it. One record dated September 4, 1702 showed that Françoise baptized the unnamed child of her son Joseph, and her signature was included in the parish register record.⁹

1702 baptism performed by Françoise. (Source: FamilySearch.org)

Françoise’s husband Guillaume died in 1699,¹⁰ and she herself passed away at Montmagny on March 16, 1716.³ She was the direct ancestor of Celine Dion, Jim Carrey, Ricky Gervais, Chloë Sevigny, and Bridget Fonda.¹¹

Children:
1. Gilles Fournier — B. 26 Nov 1653, Quebec City, New France;⁵ D. 31 Dec 1653, Quebec City, New France⁶

2. Marie-Anne Fournier — B. 5 May 1655, Quebec City, New France;¹² D. 13 Nov 1717, St-Pierre-de-la-Riviére-du-Sud, New France;¹³ M. Pierre Blanchet (1646-1709), 17 Feb 1670, Quebec City, New France¹⁴

3. Agathe Fournier — B. 9 Apr 1657, Quebec City, New France;¹⁵ D. 8 Jun 1743, Lauzon, New France;¹⁶ M. Louis Gesseron (1642-1712), 28 Sep 1671, Quebec City, New France¹⁷

4. Jacquette Fournier — B. 9 Apr 1659, Quebec City, New France;¹⁸ D. 22 Jan 1736, Montmagny, New France;¹⁹ M. Jean Proulx (1646-1703), 5 Jun 1673, Quebec City, New France²⁰

5. Joseph Fournier — B. 12 Jul 1661, Quebec City, New France;²¹ D. 9 Dec 1741, Montmagny, New France;²² M. Barbe Girard (1667-1737), 25 Jun 1684, Quebec City, New France²³

6. Marie-Madeleine Fournier – B. 17 Jul 1663, Quebec City, New France;²⁴ D. 8 Oct 1664, Quebec City, New France²⁵

7. Jean Fournier — B. 18 Mar 1665, Quebec City, New France;²⁶ D. 17 Sep 1735, Cap-de-la-Madeleine, New France;²⁷ M. Marie-Jeanne Roy (1664-1751), 2 Jun 1686, Cap-St-Ignace, New France²⁸

8. Simon Fournier — B. 20 Apr 1667, Quebec City, New France;²⁹ D. 8 Dec 1749, St-Pierre-de-la-Riviére-du-Sud, New France;³⁰ M. Anne-Catherine Rousseau (1668-1749), 12 Nov 1691, St-Pierre, Île ‘d Orleans, New France³¹

9. Pierre Fournier— B. 23 Apr 1669, Quebec City, New France;³² D. 22 Aug 1750, Montmagny, New France;³³ M. Marie Isabelle (1675-1754), 24 Nov 1695, St-Thomas, Montmagny, New France³⁴

10. Françoise Fournier— B. 30 Apr 1671, Quebec City, New France;³⁵ D. 15 Jul 1734, Montmagny, New France;³⁶ M. Jacques Boulay (1664-1738), 21 Apr 1686, St-Thomas, Montmagny, New France³⁷

11. Louis Fournier — B. 20 Apr 1673, Quebec City, New France;³⁸ D. 17 Jun 1721, Montmagny, New France;³⁹ M. Marie-Jeanne Caron (1678-1724), 19 Nov 1696, Cap-St-Ignace, New France⁴⁰

12. Madeleine Fournier — B. 3 Aug 1675, Quebec City, New France;⁴¹ M. Pierre Laporte (~1675-1757), 2 May 1707, St-François-de-Sales, New France⁴²

13. Charles Fournier — B. 20 Jun 1677, Quebec City, New France;⁴³ D. 9 Sep 1739, Montmagny, New France;⁴⁴ M. Elisabeth-Agnes Bouchard (1677-1758), 13 Jul 1699, Cap-St-Ignace, New France⁴⁵

14. Baby Fournier — B. 2 Aug 1679, Montmagny, New France;⁷ D. 2 Aug 1679, Montmagny, New France⁷

15. Jacques Fournier — B. 17 Aug 1680, Montmagny, New France;⁴⁶ D. 17 Apr 1681, Montmagny, New France⁴⁷

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Marie-Françoise Hebert, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Guillaume Fournier and Marie-Françoise Hebert, Q.C.P.R.
3    Burial record of Marie-Françoise Hebert, Q.C.P.R.
4    Hélène’s World: Hélène Desportes of Seventeenth Century Quebec, Susan McNelley, 2014
5    Baptismal record of Gilles Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
6    Burial record of Gilles Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
7    Burial record of Baby Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
8    L’Association des Fournier d’Amerique (website)  
9    Baptismal record of unnamed son of Joseph Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
10  Burial record of Guillaume Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
11  FamousKin.com (website)  
12  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
13  Burial record of Marie-Anne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of Pierre Blanchet and Marie-Anne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
15  Baptismal record of Agathe Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
16  Burial record of Agathe Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
17  Marriage record of Louis Gesseron and Agathe Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
18  Baptismal record of Jacquette Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
19  Burial record of Jacquette Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
20  Marriage record of Jean Proulx and Jacquette Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
21  Baptismal record of Joseph Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
22  Burial record of Joseph Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
23  Marriage record of Joseph Fournier and Barbe Girard, Q.C.P.R.
24  Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
25  Burial record of Marie-Madeleine Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
26  Baptismal record of Jean Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
27  Burial record of Jean Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
28  Marriage record of Jean Fournier and Marie-Jeanne Roy, Q.C.P.R.
29  Baptismal record of Simon Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
30  Burial record of Simon Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
31  Marriage record of Simon Fournier and Anne-Catherine Rousseau, Q.C.P.R.
32  Baptismal record of Pierre Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
33  Burial record of Pierre Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
34  Marriage record of Pierre Fournier and Marie Isabelle, Q.C.P.R.
35  Baptismal record of Françoise Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
36  Burial record of Françiose Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
37  Marriage record of Jacques Boulay and Françoise Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
38  Baptismal record of Louis Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
39  Burial record of Louis Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
40  Marriage record of Louis Fournier and Marie-Jeanne Caron, Q.C.P.R.
41  Baptismal record of Madeleine Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
42  Burial record of Madeleine Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
43  Baptismal record of Charles Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
44  Burial record of Charles Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
45  Marriage record of Charles Fournier and Elisabeth-Agnes Bouchard, Q.C.P.R.
46  Baptismal record of Jacques Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
47  Burial record of Jacques Fournier, Q.C.P.R.

Honoring the Land That He Farmed — Jacques Fournier

B. 24 May 1684 in Charlesbourg, New France¹
M. 27 Nov 1708 in Beaumont, New France²
Wife: Marie-Françoise Blanchon
D. 4 Jan 1767 in Beaumont, New France³

Jacques Fournier is remembered today with a small plaque at the site of his 18th century home. He was born on May 24, 1684 in Charlesbourg, New France to Nicolas-Michel Fournier and Marie Hubert,¹ who was a Fille du Roi. Jacques was identified with the name Georges on his baptism, but this was the only place that name appeared and it can be assumed to be a mistake. He had five older siblings, and not long after the birth of a younger sister, his father died.⁴ Life must have been a struggle for the next few years, and Jacques’ mother remarried to a French soldier in 1691.⁵ At the end of that year, his mother and step-father moved back to France, leaving behind all but the youngest child.⁶ So at the age of 7, Jacques found himself in the care of his older siblings.

By 1707, Jacques had moved from the north shore of the St. Lawrence to the more recently settled south shore. On December 27th of that year, a document mentioned a piece of property adjoining his in the seigneury of Beaumont.⁷ About a year later, on November 27, 1708, Jacques married Marie-Françoise Blanchon, the 18-year-old daughter of a Beaumont settler. They had 15 children together, with the youngest born in 1735.⁸ Of their ten children who married and raised families, all but one stayed in the south shore area.

Jacques was in his old age at the time England took over New France, and his community was caught in the middle of it. In June of 1759, British forces landed at Beaumont, taking position at St-Etienne, the church Jacques attended. While camped there, it was said that some soldiers invaded homes and took “household furniture and clothing” at will. The English posted a notice to Beaumont’s residents on the church door, declaring that the colony was now theirs (this was months before the battle at the Plains of Abraham). A local legend says that the people ripped up the notice, which led to the English trying to burn the church down, and divine intervention snuffed out the flames.⁹

Whether or not Jacques was directly involved in any of these events isn’t known; more likely was that he sought shelter somewhere inland until the siege ended. Jacques lived another eight years and died at Beaumont on January 4, 1767. His wife Marie-Françoise passed away the following year in April.¹⁰

Today there is a plaque honoring Jacques, his brother Jean and his parents located on the land where he lived in Beaumont. His original house is long gone and the so are the outbuildings, but this is where he plowed his fields and raised his children. Jacques is the 9G grandfather of Justin Bieber.¹¹

Plaque honoring Fournier family. (Source: Culture et Communications Québec)

Location of the plaque in Beaumont, Quebec.

Children:
1. François Fournier — B. 28 Sep 1709, Beaumont, New France;¹² D. (probably) young

2. Jacques Fournier — B. 4 Jan 1711, Beaumont, New France;¹³ D. 16 Aug 1779, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;¹⁴ M. (1) Elisabeth Roy (1727-1747), 10 Jan 1746, Beaumont, New France;¹⁵ (2) Catherine Turgeon (1729-1765), 16 Jun 1749, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, New France¹⁶

3. Marie-Josephe Fournier — B. 7 Jan 1713, Beaumont, New France;¹⁷ D. 29 Mar 1733, Quebec City, New France¹⁸

4. Jean-Baptiste Fournier — B. 14 Apr 1715, Beaumont, New France;¹⁹ D. 11 Apr 1796, St-Charles, Bellechasse, Quebec;²⁰ M. Marie Gosselin (1722-1796), 22 Oct 1742, St-Etienne-de-Beaumont, New France²¹

5. Genevieve Fournier — B. 2 Jan 1717, Beaumont, New France;²² D. 26 Nov 1811, Beaumont, Quebec;²³ M. Joseph Couture (1712-1779), 22 Jan 1736, Beaumont, New France²⁴

6. Marie Fournier — B. 16 Aug 1718, Beaumont, New France;²⁵ D. 21 Apr 1808, Beaumont, Quebec;²⁶ M. Jacques Turgeon (1708-1783), 2 Jul 1742, Beaumont, New France²⁷

7. Joseph Fournier — B. 16 Mar 1720, Beaumont, New France;²⁸ D. 14 Oct 1738, Beaumont, New France²⁹

8. Étienne Fournier — B. 29 Nov 1721, Beaumont, New France;³⁰ D. 19 Apr 1774, Beaumont, Quebec;³¹ M. Josephte Paquet (1719-1790), 27 Oct 1766, St-Michel, Bellechasse, Quebec³²

9. Andre Fournier — B. 30 Oct 1723, Beaumont, New France;³³ D. 1 Apr 1724, Beaumont, New France³⁴

10. Antoine Fournier — B. 3 Mar 1725, Beaumont, New France;³⁵ D. 4 Mar 1799, Beaumont, Quebec;³⁶ M. (1) Françoise Guay (1734-1769), 2 Feb 1751, Beaumont, New France;³⁷ (2) Charlotte Labrecque (~1745-1820), 27 Nov 1770, St-Michel, Bellechasse, Quebec³⁸

11. Marie-Louise Fournier — B. 18 Sep 1727, Beaumont, New France;³⁹ D. 16 Aug 1730, Beaumont, New France⁴⁰

12. Augustin Fournier — B. 10 Feb 1729, Beaumont, New France;⁴¹ D. 15 Mar 1817, Beaumont, Quebec;⁴² M. Marie Bouthillette (1731-1804), 20 Oct 1749, L’Ange-Gardien, New France⁴³

13. Marie-Anne Fournier — B. 11 Jan 1731, Beaumont, New France;⁴⁴ D. 29 Sep 1807, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec;⁴⁵ M. Joseph Turgeon (1723-?), 7 Apr 1750, Beaumont, New France⁴⁶

14. Charles Fournier — B. 29 Jan 1733, Beaumont, New France;⁴⁷ D. 31 Oct 1819, Boucherville, Quebec;⁴⁸ M. (1) Marguerite Gareau (1730-1783), 24 Sep 1753, Montreal, New France;⁴⁹ (2) Elisabeth Bouvet (1745-1810), 19 Apr 1784, Montreal, Quebec⁵⁰

15. Alexandre Fournier — B. 26 Feb 1735, Beaumont, New France;⁸ D. 5 Jan 1826, Beaumont, Quebec;⁵¹ M. Charlotte Turgeon (1738-1799), 14 Sep 1761, Lauzon, New France⁵²

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Jacques Fournier, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Jacques Fournier and Marie-Françoise Blanchon, Q.C.P.R.
3    Burial record of Jacques Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
4    Burial record of Nicolas-Michel Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
5    Marriage record of Jean Gachet and Marie Hubert, Q.C.P.R.
6    Culture et Communications Québec (website)  
7    Act of concession for land of Jacques’ neighbor, BAnQ   
8    Baptismal record of Alexandre Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
9    Beaumont (Québec) (Wikipedia article)  
10  Burial record of Marie-Françoise Blanchon, Q.C.P.R.
11  Famous Kin (website)  
12  Baptismal record of François Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
13  Baptismal record of Jacques Fournier (younger), Q.C.P.R.
14  Burial record of Jacques Fournier (younger), Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of Jacques Fournier (younger) and Elisabeth Roy, Q.C.P.R.
16  Marriage record of Jacques Fournier (younger) and Catherine Turgeon, Q.C.P.R.
17  Baptismal record of Marie-Josephe Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
18  Burial record of Marie-Josephe Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
20  Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
21  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Fournier and Marie Gosselin, Q.C.P.R.
22  Baptismal record of Genevieve Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
23  Burial record of Genevieve Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
24  Marriage record of Joseph Couture and Genevieve Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal record of Marie Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
26  Burial record of Marie Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
27  Marriage record of Jacques Turgeon and Marie Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
28  Baptismal record of Joseph Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
29  Burial record of Joseph Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
30  Baptismal record of Étienne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
31  Burial record of Étienne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
32  Marriage record of Étienne Fournier and Josephte Paquet, Q.C.P.R.
33  Baptismal record of Andre Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
34  Burial record of Andre Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
35  Baptismal record of Antoine Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
36  Burial record of Antoine Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
37  Marriage record of Antoine Fournier and Françoise Guay, Q.C.P.R.
38  Marriage record of Antoine Fournier and Charlotte Labrecque, Q.C.P.R.
39  Baptismal record of Marie-Louise Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
40  Burial record of Marie-Louise Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
41  Baptismal record of Augustin Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
42  Burial record of Augustin Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
43  Marriage record of Augustin Fournier and Marie Bouthillette, Q.C.P.R.
44  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
45  Burial record of Marie-Anne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
46  Marriage record of Joseph Turgeon and Marie-Anne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
47  Baptismal record of Charles Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
48  Burial record of Charles Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
49  Marriage record of Charles Fournier and Marguerite Gareau, Q.C.P.R.
50  Marriage record of Charles Fournier and Elisabeth Bouvet, Q.C.P.R.
51  Burial record of Alexandre Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
52  Marriage record of Alexandre Fournier and Charlotte Turgeon, Q.C.P.R.