Monday, December 30, 2019

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.



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.