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.
