Taking Advantage of Wife’s Inheritance — Roch Ripault

B. about 1660 in Poitiers, Poitou, France¹
M. (1) 6 Feb 1689 in Cap-Santé, New France²
Wife: Marie-Anne Aubert
M. (2) 15 Nov 1713 in Neuville, New France³
Wife: Louise Constantineau
D. 14 May 1715 in Grondines, New France¹

In colonial times, women had to defer to their husband’s wishes when it came to matters of property ownership, and this fact played out in the story of Roch Ripault. He came from Poitiers, France, a city that dated back to Roman times. Roch was said to be born there in about 1660 to Pierre Ripault and Marie Duval,^1,2 but this is all that is known about his family.

Roch was a late-comer to New France, arriving sometime during the 1680s; perhaps he was a soldier who decided to settle there. He first appeared in records in the parish of Cap-Santé, a community on the north shore of the St. Lawrence between Quebec City and Trois-Rivières. On February 6, 1689, Roch married Marie-Anne Aubert, the daughter of the seigneur of Grondines, Jacques Aubert.² After their wedding, the couple settled near Marie-Anne’s family. Between 1690 and 1702, they had six children, though there may have been others; the parish register of St-Charles-de-Grondines has pages that are crumbled or missing.

In 1694, Marie-Anne’s father decided to return to France, so he signed over his rights as seigneur to two family members.⁴ Marie-Anne’s mother, who oddly didn’t move to France with him, was awarded half of the title. The other half was given to Louis Hamelin, who was married to Marie-Anne’s oldest sister. After Marie-Anne’s mother died in February 1697,⁵ her half of the seigneury (and the land that came with it) went to her three daughters, which meant Roch was now partners with Louis Hamelin and his younger brother, François, who was married to Marie-Anne's other sister. Presumably because Roch needed money, he decided to sell some of the land to Louis Hamelin. It became evident a few years later that Marie-Anne was against the deal; she appeared before the notary of Ste-Anne-de-la-Pérade on July 23, 1704, claiming Roch had used “force, beatings, ill-treatment, and excess of speech” presumably to get her signature on the sale.⁶

Record of Marie-Anne's deposition against Roch. (Source: BAnQ)

The records don’t offer Roch’s side of the story regarding the incident, but for a woman to bring a case against her husband gives credibility to the fact that she wasn’t lying. If it’s true, Roch seems to have had an abusive relationship with his wife, and took advantage of her to make money off of her inheritance. Meanwhile, in 1706, Roch’s father-in-law Aubert returned from France wanting his seigneury back.⁴ The authorities ruled that he could share the title with Roch and the Hamelin brothers. This meant the small community of Grondines now had four landlords, but Roch was firmly at the bottom of the totem pole.

Things got sorted out as the four men died off. First was father-in-law Aubert, whose life came to an end in June 1710.⁷ Marie-Anne died on August 29, 1712,⁸ and Roch remarried to a woman named Louise Constantineau on November 15, 1713.³ Then he himself passed away at Grondines on May 14, 1715.¹ The Hamelin brothers Louis and François died in 1718 and 1725.^9,10

The seigneury of Grondines passed down through the lines of the Hamelin family. A lasting remembrance of the times when Roch lived there is in a building that survives today. It’s Moulin à vent de Grondines, the oldest windmill in Quebec,¹¹ which stands on the property once owned jointly by Roch and his wife’s family.

Children (all by Marie-Anne Aubert):
1. Jacques Ripault — B. 2 Oct 1690, (probably) Grondines, New France;¹² D. 7 May 1772, Grondines, Quebec;¹³ M. Marie-Françoise Delome (~1695-1760), 27 Apr 1716, Deschambault, New France¹⁴

2. Marie Ripault — B. 10 Nov 1693, Grondines, New France;¹⁵ D. 25 Mar 1759, Grondines, New France;¹⁶ M. Charles Dubord dit Clermond (1681-1749), Jan 1712, Grondines, New France¹⁷

3. François-Xavier Ripault — B. 30 Nov 1695, Grondines, New France¹⁸

4. Marie-Antoinette Ripault — B. 27 Apr 1697, Grondines, New France;¹⁹ D. 30 Mar 1754, Neuville, New France;²⁰ M. François Vandal (1682-1742), 10 Feb 1716, Grondines, New France²¹

5. Marie-Josephe Ripault — B. 4 Feb 1699, Grondines, New France;²² M. Balthazar Dubord (1694-1765), 30 Jan 1720, Grondines, New France²³

6. Madeleine Ripault — B. 31 Oct 1702, Grondines, New France;²⁴ D. 17 Oct 1707, Grondines, New France²⁵

Sources:
1    Burial record of Roch Ripault, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org 
2    Marriage record of Roch Ripault and Marie-Anne Aubert, Q.C.P.R. 
3    Marriage record of Roch Ripault and Louise Constantineau, Q.C.P.R.
4    Hamelins of the Grondines (website)  
5    Burial record of Antoinette Meunier, Q.C.P.R.
6    Testimony of Marie-Anne Aubert against Roch Ripault, 23 Jul 1704, BAnQ  
7    Burial record of Jacques Aubert, Q.C.P.R.
8    Burial record of Marie-Anne Aubert, Q.C.P.R.
9    Burial record of Louis Hamelin, Q.C.P.R.
10  Burial record of François Hamelin, Q.C.P.R.
11  Moulin à vent de Grondines (Wikipedia article)  
12  Baptismal record of Jacques Ripault, Q.C.P.R.
13  Burial record of Jacques Ripault, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of Jacques Ripault and Marie-Françoise Delome, Q.C.P.R.
15  Baptismal record of Marie Ripault, Q.C.P.R.
16  Burial record of Marie Ripault, Q.C.P.R.
17  Marriage record of Charles Dubord and Marie Ripault, Q.C.P.R.
18  Baptismal record of François-Xavier Ripault, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Marie-Antoinette Ripault, Q.C.P.R.
20  Burial record of Marie-Antoinette Ripault, Q.C.P.R.
21  Marriage record of François Vandal and Marie-Antoinette Ripault, Q.C.P.R.
22  Baptismal record of Marie-Josephe Ripault, Q.C.P.R.
23  Marriage record of Balthazar Dubord and Marie-Josephe Ripault, Q.C.P.R.
24  Baptismal record of Madeleine Ripault, Q.C.P.R.
25  Burial record of Madeleine Ripault, Q.C.P.R.

Abandoned by Husband in France — Thomine Chastel

B. about 1600 in Autheuil, Perche, France¹
M. (1) 13 Jun 1630 in La Ventrouze, Perche, France¹
Husband: Jean Bigot
M. (2) 3 Feb 1632 in La Ventrouze, Perche, France¹
Husband: Mathurin Fourreau
D. after 1667 in (probably) New France²

Thomine Chastel did a remarkable thing for a woman of the 17th century: she left her home in France, taking two teenaged children across the Atlantic to begin a new life in America.

It was the location of where Thomine lived, and connection to key people, that gave her an opportunity to escape a bad situation. In the heart of northwest France is the region known as Perche, and this is where Thomine was born in about 1600.¹ She was the daughter of a man named Benoît Chastel; her mother’s name is unknown. Thomine grew up in the village of Autheuil, which was also the hometown of Robert Giffard, who later was one of the first settlers of New France. At about age 30, she found a husband in a tailor named Jean Bigot. They were married on June 13, 1630 at Ste-Madeleine church in the nearby town of La Ventrouze;¹ the rustic 15th-century chapel stills stands today in almost original condition. 

Inside Ste-Madeleine church in La Ventrouze, France. (Source: Unozoe / CC BY-SA)

Thomine and Jean settled at La Ventrouze, and a daughter was born about a year later.¹ Then in late 1631, when she was pregnant with their second child, Jean died.¹ During those times, a woman with a baby and another on the way had few options when she lost her husband, and Thomine had to get remarried as soon as possible. So on February 3, 1632, her second wedding took place with Mathurin Foureau, a merchant who was a widower.¹

Thomine gave birth to a son later that year,¹ but her second husband didn’t turn out to be a good match. They had no children together, and by 1638, he left her to fend for herself with her young daughter and son.¹ Thomine struggled, unable to provide for her children while being prevented from marrying someone else. In May 1642, she brought her situation to the attention of authorities, asking permission to sell whatever she jointly owned with her husband to a family member named Gilles Chastel.¹ The items were described as "everything and such a right that she has in a ruined barn,” which paints a picture of her poverty. The amount she received in the sale was just 12 livres.

As things got even worse for Thomine, a man stepped in who offered her a way out. Nöel Juchereau was a member of the Company of One Hundred Associates, the group of French men who managed the colony in Canada. During the 1640s, Juchereau was recruiting families in Perche to move there. He was someone Thomine knew, as evidenced by the fact he was a witness to her 1632 wedding. On March 16, 1646, she made arrangements to rent out her farm to Gilles Chastel for 4 livres per year,¹ then sometime afterwards, boarded a ship along with her children bound for New France. The exact date of her arrival is uncertain, but it’s thought that she sailed on La Marguerite, which arrived at Quebec on August 6, 1647.¹

Thomine’s daughter, now age 16, got married to a settler a short time later on September 19th,³ but sadly, her son passed away on September 24, 1648.⁴ Thomine likely lived under the roof of her married daughter in Quebec; she couldn’t marry a settler because she was still tied to Mathurin Foureau. In 1656, she was one of several who received the Scapular of Mont-Carmel, and she was confirmed at Notre-Dame-de-Quebec on August 10, 1659.¹ The last record of Thomine was at age 67, enumerated in the 1667 census in the household of her daughter’s family in Cap-Rouge.² There is no burial record for Thomine, and her date of death is unknown. Among her descendants is Leo Durocher.

Children:
1. Françoise Bigot — B. about 17 May 1631, La Ventrouze, Perche, France;¹ D. 8 Aug 1706, St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, New France;⁵ M. (1) Charles Guillebourg (1609-1658), 19 Sep 1647, Quebec City, New France;³ M. (2) Denis Briere (~1631-1711), 8 May 1658, Quebec City, New France⁶

2. Jean Bigot — B. about 1632, (probably) La Ventrouze, Perche, France;¹ D. 24 Sep 1648, Quebec City, New France⁴

Sources:
1    Voyage dans le temps avec Pierette (website)  
2    Recensement de 1667 en Nouvelle-France
3    Marriage record of Charles Guillbourg and Françoise Bigot, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
4    Burial record of Jean Bigot, Q.C.P.R.
5    Burial record of Françoise Bigot, Q.C.P.R.
6    Marriage record of Denis Briere and Françoise Bigot, Q.C.P.R.

The Legacy of a Puritan Woman — Martha Stooke

B. about 1597 in Essex, England¹
M. 6 Sep 1623 in Epping, Essex, England²
Husband: George Minot
D. 23 Dec 1657 in Dorchester, Massachusetts¹

Martha Stooke was part of a mass migration of people, who left their homes in England, bringing their traditions and beliefs to the Massachusetts colony. Like many Puritans who settled in New England, Martha was from Essex, born in about 1597.¹ Nothing is known of her family; her last name sometimes appeared in records as “Stocke.” On September 6, 1623, she married George Minot in the village of Epping,² and afterwards settled in Saffron Walden.

Martha gave birth to at least three sons in Saffron Walden (one of whom died young),^1,3 before boarding a ship bound for America in about 1630. Some researchers have claimed that she and her family arrived on the Mary and John, but this doesn’t appear to be true. The passengers of that ship founded the town of Dorchester (now a part of Boston), where the Minot family settled, but most of those people were from Dorset, a long distance from Essex, so Martha's family was likely on a different ship.

As George became one of Dorchester’s town leaders, Martha gave birth to two more sons in 1631 and 1635.¹ Years later, in the late 19th century, a male line descendant claimed to be the owner of the cradle Martha used when her sons were young.⁴ If it’s true, this is a remarkable item of early Americana. The cradle is of a simple design, a paneled box made of oak, mounted on two rockers, with round knobs on each corner and a short hood. A photo of it appeared in an 1893 book which showed two people representing Martha and George admiring a baby. The cradle is said to be in the collection of the Old State House in Boston.

Martha's cradle as shown in an 1893 book.

The house where Martha raised her boys was also preserved for generations. The year the home was built is unknown, but may have been as early as 1640. It had two stories and an attic, and was said to have been solidly-built, with an exterior of brick walls covered by wood.⁴ Sadly, the house burned to the ground in 1874, and only survives today in a quaint illustration and photograph.

The house in Dorchester where Martha and her family lived.

Perhaps the greatest legacy of Martha was her contribution to a political activity organized by women. The one thing females had exclusive authority over during colonial times was childbirth. In 1649, malpractice charges were brought against a Dorchester midwife named Alice Tilly, and women like Martha came forward to defend her. As Tilly was locked up in jail, a series of petitions were circulated in the Boston area that were written and signed by women, with no men involved. Martha’s signature appeared on two of the petitions, one in May 1649, and the other in May 1650. Their action worked, and Tilly was eventually released and allowed to continue her practice.⁵

Martha passed way on December 23, 1657 at the age of about 60,¹ and her husband George died in 1671.¹

Children:
1. George Minot – B. 11 Jul 1624, Saffron Walden, England;³ D. about 19 May 1626, Saffron Walden, England³

2. John Minot – B. 2 Apr 1626, Saffron Walden, England;¹ D. 12 Aug 1669, Dorchester, Massachusetts;¹ M. (1) Lydia Butler (~1629-1667), 19 May 1647;¹ (2) Mary Dassett (1630-~1677)¹

3. James Minot – B. 31 Dec 1628, Saffron Walden, England;¹ D. 30 Mar 1676, Dorchester, Massachusetts;¹ M. (1) Hannah Stoughton (1637-1670), 9 Dec 1653;¹ (2) Hephzibah Corlett (1650-1691), 21 May 1673, Cambridge, Massachusetts¹

4. Stephen Minot – B. 2 May 1631, (probably) Dorchester, Massachusetts;¹ D. 16 Feb 1672, Dorchester, Massachusetts;¹ M. Truecross Davenport (1634-1692), 10 Nov 1654¹

5. Samuel Minot – B. 18 Dec 1635, Dorchester, Massachusetts; D. 18 Dec 1690, Dorchester, Massachusetts;¹ M. Hannah Howard (1643-?), 23 Jun 1670¹

Sources:
1     “Minot Family,” Lemuel Shattuck, Esq., The New England Historical & Genealogical Register, Vol. I, 1847
2    England Marriages, 1538-1973, FamilySearch.org
3    WikiTree listing for George Minott (1624-1626)  
4    Good Old Dorchester: A Narrative History of the Town, 1630-1893, William Dana Orcutt, 1893
5    “The Ablest Midwife That Wee Knowe in the Land: Mistress Alice Tilly and the Women of Boston and Dorchester,” Mary Beth Norton, The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 55. No. 1, Jan 1998

Two Colorful Sisters — Suzanne Émond

B. 1 Jan 1668 in St-François, Île d’Orleans, New France¹
M. 25 May 1691 in St-François, Île d’Orleans, New France²
Husband: Jean Pruneau
D. before 10 Dec 1715 in (probably) Berthier-en-Bas, New France³

There was a strain of independence in the women of Suzanne Émond’s family, although she seemed to take on a more normal role of wife and mother. Suzanne was born on New Year’s Day of 1668 on a farm in St-François, Île d’Orleans.¹ Her parents, René Émond and Marie LaFaye, had come to New France just a few years earlier. Perhaps her mother was the first to show a sense of adventure by being among the first group of Filles du Roi, recruited to give up her life in France to marry a stranger in America. Suzanne was the third of ten children, of whom four seemed to have died young.

In about 1691, a young man from France came into Suzanne’s life. His name was Jean Pruneau, and they were married on May 25th at the church in St-François.² Little is known about Jean’s background except for that he came from Limoges, and he seems to have arrived in New France as an engaged servant sometime during the late 1680s.⁴ After their wedding, they settled in St-François for a couple of years, and Suzanne gave birth to two children.^5,6 Then Jean saw opportunity across the river on the south shore of the St-Lawrence; they acquired a farm at Berthier-en-Bas, a place that was far from any church. Between about 1697 and 1708, Suzanne had seven more children, although at least two of them died as infants.

Marriage record of Jean and Suzanne. (Source: FamilySearch.org)

During the time Suzanne was keeping a home and raising a family, two of her sisters were involved in quite different activities. In 1696, younger sister Anne ran off to Quebec City at age 16, getting into mischief that landed her in jail.⁷ She disguised herself as a male and made false claims that she had knowledge of an imminent attack by the Iroquois; after Anne was put on trial for lying to authorities, she was sentenced to a public whipping. The story of Suzanne’s other sister, Marie-Madeleine, took place two years later in Montreal. She was a married woman who was arrested for running what seemed to have been a prostitute ring.⁸ Marie-Madeleine had also given birth to an out-of-wedlock child conceived while her husband was away on a fur trading expedition in 1688.⁹

Suzanne showed none of the wildness of her two sisters, but she always kept a close relationship with her family. On February 27, 1713, she witnessed the marriage contract of Marie-Madeleine’s daughter, who was getting married in Berthier-en-Bas.¹⁰ The bride’s mother had passed away years earlier, and the document seems to suggest that Suzanne had taken in the young girl.

Just a couple of years later, Suzanne died; there’s no burial record in the parish records, but her husband was noted as a widow on December 10, 1715, when an inventory of the family’s estate was taken.³ This was standard procedure in New France when one spouse died, so that in case of remarriage, the inheritance of their children only included what was owned by their parents when they were a couple. Suzanne’s husband Jean didn’t remarry, and he was last known to be living was at their daughter Marie’s wedding in 1724.¹¹

Children:
1. René Pruneau — B. 11 May 1692, St-François, Île d’Orleans, New France;⁵ M. (1) Madeleine Dumont (~1696-1718), 10 Feb 1716, St-Michel-de-Bellechasse, New France;¹² (2) Anne Leroux (1694-1757), 24 Nov 1721, Charlesbourg, New France¹³

2. Catherine Pruneau — B. 10 Jan 1694, St-François, Île d’Orleans, New France;⁶ M. (1) André Patri (1682-1741), 18 Nov 1711, Berthier-en-Bas, New France;¹⁴ (2) Joseph Forgues (~1698-1751), 19 Oct 1744, New France;¹⁵ (3) Jacques Morand (1687-1756), 4 Oct 1752, St-Charles, New France;¹⁶ (4) Joseph Jahan (1698-1773), 21 May 1764, St-Michel-de-Bellechasse, Quebec¹⁷

3. Jean Pruneau — B. about 1697, New France;¹⁸ M. Geneviève Boutin (1697-1771), 10 May 1723, New France¹⁹

4. Élisabeth Pruneau — B. 24 Feb 1699, Berthier-en-Bas, New France;²⁰ D. 2 Mar 1699, Berthier-en-Bas, New France²¹

5. Pierre Pruneau — B. 8 Aug 1700, Berthier-en-Bas, New France²²

6. Michel Pruneau — B. Sep 1702, Berthier-en-Bas, New France;²³ D. 10 Mar 1703, Berthier-en-Bas, New France²⁴

7. Marie Pruneau — B. 9 Jan 1704, Berthier-en-Bas, New France;²⁵ M. François Lachambre (1702-?), 9 Oct 1724, Quebec City, New France¹¹

8. Geneviève Pruneau — B. 8 July 1706, Berthier-en-Bas, New France; D. after 8 May 1742;²⁶ M. Olivier Sautier, 19 Nov 1724 in Louisbourg, Acadia²⁷

9. Marie-Madeleine Pruneau — B. 20 Jun 1708, Berthier-en-Bas, New France;²⁸ M. (1) Jean-Baptiste Cassé (1705-?), 31 July 1731, Detroit, New France;²⁹ (2) Vital Caron (1700-1747), 20 July 1735, Detroit, New France²⁹

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Suzanne Émond, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Jean Pruneau and Suzanne Émond, Q.C.P.R.
3    Inventaire Des Greffes Des Notaires du Régime Français, XXII, Abel Michon, 1979, p. 21
4    Inventaire Des Greffes Des Notaires du Régime Français, IV, Gilles Rageot, 1979, p. 143
5    Baptismal record of René Pruneau, Q.C.P.R.
6    Baptismal record of Catherine Pruneau, Q.C.P.R.
7    Trial and testimony of Anne Émond, June 1696, BAnQ  
8    Trial between Marie-Madeleine Émond and Robert Reaume, 1698, BAnQ  
9    Baptismal and burial record of Mare-Catherine Émond, Q.C.P.R.
10  Marriage record of René Patry and Charlotte Dupuis, Q.C.P.R.
11  Marriage record of François Lachambre and Marie Pruneau, Q.C.P.R.
12  Marriage record of René Pruneau and Madeleine Dumont, Q.C.P.R.
13  Marriage record of René Pruneau and Anne Leroux, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of André Patri and Catherine Pruneau, Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of Joseph Forgues and Catherine Pruneau, Q.C.P.R.
16  Marriage record of Jacques Morand and Catherine Pruneau, Q.C.P.R.
17  Marriage record of Joseph Jahan and Catherine Pruneau, Q.C.P.R.
18  Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing for Jean Pruneau  
19  Marriage record of Jean Pruneau and Geneviève Boutin, Q.C.P.R.
20  Baptismal record of Élisabeth Pruneau, Q.C.P.R.
21  Burial record of Élisabeth Pruneau, Q.C.P.R.
22  Baptismal record of Pierre Pruneau, Q.C.P.R.
23  Baptismal record of Michel Pruneau, Q.C.P.R.
24  Burial record of Michel Pruneau, Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal record of Marie Pruneau, Q.C.P.R.
26  Baptismal record of Geneviève Pruneau, Q.C.P.R.
27  WikiTree listing of Suzanne Émond 
28  Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Pruneau, Q.C.P.R.
29  Genealogy of the French Families of the Detroit River Region, Christian Denissen, 1987

Disappeared on a Trip to England — Joseph Long

B. about 1600 in (possibly) Broadmayne, Dorset, England¹
M. about 1636 in (probably) Dorchester, Massachusetts²
Wife: Mary Lane
D. before 22 May 1651 in (probably) England³

When someone crossed the Atlantic during the 17th century, the loved ones left behind never knew if they would see them again. And in the case of New England settler Joseph Long, who took a trip from Boston to London in about 1650, his story ended in a mystery.

There’s unproven information about Joseph’s origins, but plenty of circumstantial evidence of his probable identity. Many researchers believe he was born about 1600 into the Longe family who lived in Devon County, England.¹ On January 28, 1611, a Joseph Longe married Elizabeth Hill, and it’s said that this was Joseph’s father.⁴ Joseph was later known to have a half-brother William, and a child by that name was born to this couple in 1616.¹

Joseph’s supposed father was a “gentleman” who “held land at Broadmayne.”¹ The location of Broadmayne is significant because it was only a few miles from Dorchester, England, which would supply much of the population of Dorchester, Massachusetts, the place where Joseph would one day live. In 1624, Longe was one of the investors in the Dorchester Company, an attempt to establish a fishing settlement in New England.¹ The plan ultimately failed, but this gives further evidence of his connection to Joseph.

St. Martin's Church in Broadmayne, Dorset.

Joseph first appeared in Dorchester, Massachusetts in about 1638.² He married a woman named Mary Lane, and they had two sons born during the early 1640s.⁵ Then in about 1650, Joseph’s father died back in England, leaving an estate that required Joseph’s presence in order to collect an inheritance of £60.⁶ This was a hardship because Joseph was “not in good health.” But he had to go, so he said goodbye to his wife Mary, and sailed back across the Atlantic. He arrived in London, and wrote to Mary on the day before he was to have a meeting about the estate.⁶

This was the last anyone heard from him. What happened to Joseph? It’s possible that whatever sickness he had became worse, and he died from it shortly after writing the letter. Or he may have succumbed to his illness on the voyage back to America. The distance between England and Massachusetts made solving his disappearance a challenge for his wife. After a period of time, she went to the authorities to have Joseph legally declared dead, which was done in a ruling on May 22, 1651.³ Mary went on to have two more husbands before she passed away in Connecticut in 1671.⁷

Children:
1. Joseph Long — B. 1640s, (probably) Dorchester, Massachusetts;⁵ D. 26 Aug 1676, Dorchester, Massachusetts;⁸ M. Mary, 3 Dec 1661⁸

2. Thomas Long — B. 1644, Dorchester, Massachusetts;⁵ D. Nov 1711, Windsor, Connecticut; M. (1) Sarah Wilcox (1648-1718), about 1666, (probably) Hartford, Connecticut;⁸ (2) Sarah Elmer (1664-1741), before 1688, (probably) Connecticut⁸

Sources:
1    Dorchester & Fordington (website)  
2    The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Robert Charles Anderson, 1999
3    Records of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay in New England, p. 232
4    Marriage record of Joseph Longe and Elizabeth Hill, 28 Jan 1611, Colyton Church, Devon, England
5    Probate records of Joseph Farnsworth, 2 Jan 1659,
6    Massachusetts Archives, Book 9, p. 16
7    Probate records of Mary (Lane) Wilcox, 7 Sep 1671
8    Long Family Genealogy (website) 

A Brother With the Same Name — Pierre Chouinard

B. 20 Apr 1695 in (probably) La Carnardière, New France¹
M. 14 Feb 1724 in St-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, New France²
Wife: Ursule Martin
D. 19 Jun 1767 in L’Islet, Quebec³

In very large colonial families, baby names were sometimes repeated, resulting in two siblings having the same name. This is what happened in the case of Pierre Chouinard and his younger brother. Pierre was born on April 20, 1695 to Jacques Chouinard and Louise Jean, who lived in La Carnardière, New France.¹ He was their first child, the oldest of what would be 16. Pierre’s baptism was recorded in the parish records of Notre-Dame-de-Quebec, although it isn’t clear if the event took place there. His godfather was his mother’s brother Pierre Jean, and this may have been where he got his name (his maternal grandfather was also named Pierre).

While Pierre was still an infant, his family left the north shore of the St. Lawrence and moved to Île-aux-Oies, a small island out in the river.⁴ Here he would spend the first few years of his life. Life must have been very harsh, especially in the winter. Île-aux-Oies had only a handful of farms and no church; in order to attend services, people would have to take a boat to the south shore. Pierre’s mother gave birth to four sons during this time, and the first two infants died young. It was the fourth of these boys, born in 1702, who was named Pierre.⁵ There is no explanation for why their parents used the same name twice. In many later records, the terms l’Ainé and le cadet were added to their names, which translates as “oldest boy” and “the younger.”⁶

Document showing both brothers named Pierre.

When Pierre was about 9-years-old, his family moved to the south shore community of L’Islet.⁷ His grandparents also settled there, although it isn’t clear who was leading the way. The Chouinard home became crowded as Pierre’s mother had one child after another; a year after the youngest was born in 1720,⁸ Pierre’s father died, and it’s thought he drowned at sea.⁴ It was another four years before Pierre got married, and during this time he and his brothers likely ran their mother’s farm. His bride was Ursule Martin, the daughter of a boat master who lived in one of the south shore communities; their wedding took place on February 14, 1724 in St-Anne-de-la-Pocatière.²

Pierre and Ursule raised a large family while farming along the south shore of the St. Lawrence; between November of 1724 and about 1745, they had 12 children, of whom 3 died as infants. Meanwhile his family lived nearby. His mother in her widowhood sought to arrange for her security in old age, and on February 10, 1727, she signed over her property to Pierre’s younger siblings in return for the use of the family home.⁹ At the same time, she specified that Pierre would have 60 masses said after her death, which meant he would need to pay the church a sum of money when the time came. She died in 1750.¹⁰

There is some indication that Pierre struggled to make a living on his farm. A document dated February 21, 1731 listed 12 men of his community who were delinquent on paying their annual rent, as the seigneury system of New France required them to do.¹¹ Pierre was one of those named, along with his brother Pierre, his mother, and his elderly grandfather. The reality was that many along the St. Lawrence were only maintaining a subsistent life, getting by from year to year.

In 1755, with war looming in New France, Pierre seemed to have reached a point where he could no longer support his family. On February 19th of that year, the courts appointed a guardian for his minor children, an event that usually followed the death of a parent.⁶ In this case both Pierre and Ursule lived for many more years. So why was this done? It isn’t clear, but the guardian chosen was his younger brother Pierre. Perhaps the elder Pierre had become physically disabled in some way; the document signing took place in his house surrounded by his family. It was likely a sad event for all of them.

Pierre lived through the 1759 invasion by England, which destroyed many houses and farms in his community; it’s easy to speculate that his home was one of them. Somehow, he survived another eight years, passing away on June 19, 1767.³ Ursule lived into her late 80s, and died in 1792.¹²

Children:
1. Marie-Louise Chouinard — B. 9 Nov 1724, L’Islet, New France;¹³ D. 29 Dec 1801, St-Michel-de-Perce, Quebec;¹⁴ M. (1) Jean-Baptiste Labbe (1727-?), after 11 Feb 1749, New France;¹⁵ (2) Louis Bourget (~1734-?), 23 Feb 1757, L’Islet, New France¹⁶

2. Pierre Chouinard — B. 12 Dec 1725, L’Islet, New France;¹⁷ D. 27 Jan 1804, L’Islet-sur-Mer, Quebec;¹⁸ M. (1) Madeleine Morin (~1732-1796), 1 Feb 1749, Montmagny, New France;¹⁹ (2) Angelique Bechard (1733-1810), 28 Oct 1799, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec²⁰

3. Baby Chouinard — B. 18 May 1727, L’Islet, New France;²¹ D. 18 May 1727, L’Islet, New France²²

4. Louis-Marie Chouinard — B. 6 Jun 1728, L’Islet, New France;²³ D. 6 Jun 1784, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;²⁴ M. (1) Marie-Barbe Rondeau (~1725-1768), after 21 Jan 1753, New France;²⁵ (2) Françoise Pelletier (1751-?), 25 Nov 1771, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec²⁶

5. Marie-Thérèrse Chouinard — B. 27 Mar 1730, L’Islet, New France;²⁷ D. 19 Oct 1732, L’Islet, New France²⁸

6. Jean-François Chouinard — B. 10 Feb 1732, L’Islet, New France;²⁹ D. 29 Oct 1807, Kamouraska, Quebec;³⁰ M. Marguerite Morin (~1735-1816), 18 Feb 1754, St-François-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud, New France³¹

7. Marie-Ursule Chouinard — B. 25 Feb 1734, L’Islet, New France;³² D. before 23 Nov 1761, New France;³³ M. Nicolas-Antoine Ducros (1727-1776), 14 Feb 1752, L’Islet, New France³⁴

8. Louis-Gabriel Chouinard — B. 4 Feb 1736, L’Islet, New France;³⁵ D. 13 Mar 1820, Rimouski, Quebec;³⁶ M. (1) Françoise Leclerc (1743-?), 8 Nov 1762, L’Islet, New France;³⁷ (2) Françoise Toussaint (1742-1828), 8 Feb 1768, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec³⁸

9. Julien Chouinard — B. 30 Dec 1738, L’Islet, New France³⁹

10. Charles Chouinard — B. 24 Nov 1740, L’Islet, New France;⁴⁰ M. Agathe Desrosiers (1740-1835), 24 Nov 1768, L’Islet, Quebec⁴¹

11. Genevieve Chouinard — B. about 1743, New France;⁴² M. (1) Jacques Collin (~1722-1792), 8 Nov 1760, New France;⁴³ (2) Pascal Gagnon (1759-?), 25 Nov 1793, Kamouraska, Quebec;⁴⁴ (3) Benjamin Boucher (1737-?), 26 Sep 1803, St-André, Kamouraksa, Quebec⁴⁵

12. Thérèrse-Reine Chouinard — B. about 1745, New France;⁴⁶ D. 22 Jan 1835, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;⁴⁷ M. (1) Louis Toussaint (1735-1787), 30 Jan 1764, L’Islet, Quebec;⁴⁸ (2) Vincent Consigny (1756-1795), 27 Oct 1788, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;⁴⁹ (3) Germain Hudon (1754-1805), 27 Apr 1797, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec⁵⁰

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Pierre Chouinard, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Pierre Chouinard and Ursule Martin, Q.C.P.R.
3    Burial record of Pierre Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
4    Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
5    Baptismal record of Pierre Chouinard (Pierre’s brother), Q.C.P.R.
6    Court record appointing guardians for Pierre Chouinard’s children, 19 Feb 1755, BAnQ  
7    Baptismal record of Louise Chouinard (Pierre’s sister), Q.P.C.R.
8    Baptismal record of Charles Chouinard (Pierre’s youngest brother), Q.C.P.R.
9    Document signing over property from Louise Jean to Pierre Chouinard, 10 Feb 1727, BAnQ 
10  Burial record of Louise Jean, Q.C.P.R.
11  Document showing Pierre Chouinard was delinquent on rent, 21 Feb 1731, BAnQ  
12  Burial record of Ursule Martin, Q.C.P.R.
13  Baptismal record of Marie-Louise Chouinard, Q.P.C.R.
14  Burial record of Marie-Louise Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Labbe and Marie-Louise Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
16  Marriage record of Louis Bourget and Marie-Louise Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
17  Baptismal record of Pierre Chouinard (the son), Q.P.C.R.
18  Burial record of Pierre Chouinard (the son), Q.C.P.R.
19  Marriage record of Pierre Chouinard (the son) and Madeleine Morin, Q.C.P.R.
20  Marriage record of Pierre Chouinard (the son) and Angelique Bechard, Q.C.P.R.
21  Baptismal record of Baby Chouinard, Q.P.C.R.
22  Burial record of Baby Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
23  Baptismal record of Louis-Marie Chouinard, Q.P.C.R.
24  Burial record of Louis-Marie Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
25  Marriage record of Louis-Marie Chouinard and Marie-Barbe Rondeau, Q.C.P.R.
26  Marriage record of Louis-Marie Chouinard and Françoise Pelletier, Q.C.P.R.
27  Baptismal record of Marie-Thérèrse Chouinard, Q.P.C.R.
28  Burial record of Marie-Thérèrse Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
29  Baptismal record of Jean-François Chouinard, Q.P.C.R.
30  Burial record of Jean-François Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
31  Marriage record of Jean-François Chouinard and Marguerite Morin, Q.C.P.R.
32  Baptismal record of Marie-Ursule Chouinard, Q.P.C.R.
33  Marriage record of Nicolas-Antoine Ducros and Marie-Josephte Fortin, Q.C.P.R.
34  Marriage record of Nicolas-Antoine Ducros and Marie-Ursule Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
35  Baptismal record of Louis-Gabriel Chouinard, Q.P.C.R.
36  Burial record of Louis-Gabriel Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
37  Marriage record of Louis-Gabriel Chouinard and Françoise Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
38  Marriage record of Louis-Gabriel Chouinard and Françoise Toussaint, Q.C.P.R.
39  Baptismal record of Julien Chouinard, Q.P.C.R.
40  Baptismal record of Charles Chouinard, Q.P.C.R.
41  Marriage record of Charles Chouinard and Agathe Desrosiers, Q.C.P.R.
42  Genevieve Chouinard listing on Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française 
43  Marriage record of Jacques Collin and Genevieve Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
44  Marriage record of Pascal Gagnon and Genevieve Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
45  Marriage record of Benjamin Boucher and Genevieve Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
46  Baptismal record of Thérèrse-Reine Chouinard, Q.P.C.R.
47  Burial record of Thérèrse-Reine Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
48  Marriage record of Louis Toussaint and Thérèrse-Reine Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
49  Marriage record of Vincent Consigny and Thérèrse-Reine Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
50  Marriage record of Germain Hudon and Thérèrse-Reine Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.

Adopted By Her Step-Father — Marie-Madeleine Baugis

B. 7 Feb 1662 in Beauport, New France¹
M. 28 Nov 1680 in Beauport, New France²
Husband: Jacques Menard dit Deslauriers
D. Mar 1743 in Beauport, New France³

Because parish records in New France were honest about out-of-wedlock births, we know that the man who raised Marie-Madeleine Baugis wasn’t her biological father. Madeleine was born in the seigneury of Beauport on February 7, 1662 to a woman named Madeleine Dubois, who had only recently been married to Michel Baugis.¹ However, Madeleine’s baptismal record gave a different name for her father: Jean Royer. In fact, her full name as written in the margin was “Marie-Madeleine Royer.”

Record of Marie-Madeleine's baptism in 1662.

What was the story of this situation? Madeleine’s mother had arrived from France, probably in the previous year, seeking a man to marry,⁴ and had an encounter with Royer which resulted in pregnancy. Then she chose to marry Baugis instead,⁵ who must have known she was pregnant and accepted the arrangement. There’s no indication that Royer attended his daughter’s baptism, or that Madeleine had any contact with him in her life. He later married another woman,⁶ and moved to Île d’Orleans;⁷ after fathering seven more children, he died in 1676.⁸

The baptism was the only time Madeleine was recorded with the name Royer, and thereafter, she took her step-father’s name.² It wasn’t long before the Baugis household grew with the birth of more children, and by about 1679, Madeleine had six half-siblings. It’s likely that Michel Baugis treated her as his oldest child, and her marriage record named him as her father. On November 28, 1680, Madeleine married Jacques Menard dit Deslauriers, a soldier-turned-settler.² Baugis was very generous towards the newlyweds, providing a house for them to live, and many of the supplies they needed to get started.⁹

Madeleine spent the rest of her life in the community where she was born. With husband Jacques, she had ten children born between 1681 and 1702,^10,11 two of whom died young. Jacques died at age 72 on November 27, 1716, and sadly, the inventory of his estate indicated that their house was in poor condition.⁹ Madeleine lived for many years as a widow, likely cared for by those of her children who continued to live in Beauport. She passed away in March of 1743.³

Children:
1. Marguerite Ménard — B. 8 Nov 1681, Beauport, New France;¹⁰ D. 25 Dec 1761, Beauport, New France;¹³ M. Andre Paradis (1676-1745), 7 Jan 1697, Beauport, New France¹⁴

2. Jean Ménard — B. 3 May 1684, Beauport, New France;¹⁵ D. 15 Dec 1770, Beauport, Quebec;¹⁶ M. Françoise Vachon (1689-1749), 11 Jan 1712, Beauport, New France¹⁷

3. Marie-Anne Ménard — B. 18 Apr 1686, Beauport, New France;¹⁸ D. 20 Jul 1770, Beauport, Quebec;¹⁹ M. Nöel Dupras (1681-1743), 4 Jun 1715, Beauport, New France²⁰

4. Jacques Ménard — B. 23 Sep 1688, Beauport, New France;²¹ D. 12 May 1754, Quebec City, New France;²² M. Angelique Deslisle (1696-1769), 13 Feb 1719, Quebec City, New France²³

5. René Ménard — B. 16 Nov 1690, Beauport, New France;²⁴ D. before 3 Mar 1697, (probably) Beauport, New France²⁵

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;²⁵ D. 26 Jan 1715, Beauport, New France³¹

9. Madeleine Ménard — B. 30 Apr 1699, Beauport, New France;³² D. 18 May 1743, St-Joseph-de-Beauce, Quebec;³³ M. Nöel Maheu (1690-?), 8 Nov 1717, Beauport, New France³⁴

10. Charles Ménard — B. 16 Aug 1702, Beauport, New France;¹¹ D. 30 Jul 1769, Quebec City, Quebec;³⁵ M. Genevieve Belanger (1709-1782), 5 Nov 1736, Beauport, New France³⁶

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Royer, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Jacques Ménard dit Deslauriers and Marie-Madeleine Baugis, Q.C.P.R.
3    Burial record of Marie-Madeleine Baugis, Q.C.P.R.
4    Before the King’s Daughters: The Filles à Marier, page 118, Peter Gagne, 2002
5    Marriage record of Michel Baugis and Madeleine Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
6    Marriage record of Jean Royer and Marie Targer, Q.C.P.R.
7    King’s Daughters and Founding Mothers—1663-1673, page 529, Peter Gagne, 2000
8    Burial record of Jean Royer, Q.C.P.R.
9    Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
10  Baptismal record of Marguerite Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
11  Baptismal record of Charles Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
12  Burial record of Jacques Ménard dit Deslauriers, Q.C.P.R.
13  Burial record of Marguerite Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of André Paradis and Marguerite Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
15  Baptismal record of Jean Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
16  Burial record of Jean Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
17  Marriage record of Jean Ménard and Françoise Vachon, Q.C.P.R.
18  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
19  Burial record of Marie-Anne Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
20  Marriage record of Nöel Dupras and Marie-Anne Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
21  Baptismal record of Jacques Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
22  Burial record of Jacques Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
23  Marriage record of Jacques Ménard and Angelique Deslisle, Q.C.P.R.
24  Baptismal record of René Ménard (older), Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal record of René Ménard (younger), 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  Burial record of René Ménard (younger), Q.C.P.R.
32  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
33  Burial record of Madeleine Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
34  Marriage record of Nöel Maheu and Madeleine 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.

Miller on the Connecticut Coast — Francis Bushnell

B. before 8 Jan 1609 in (probably) Horsham, Sussex, England¹
M. (1) 27 Jun 1631 in Horsham, Sussex, England²
Wife: Mary Grombridge
M. (2) before 1660 in (probably) Guilford, Connecticut³
Wife: Grace Wells
D. 4 Dec 1681 in Saybrook, Connecticut⁴

When New England colonists formed their first settlements, it was essential to have a grist mill for grinding their grain. Along with a mill, each community needed someone with the skill to run it, and Francis Bushnell was such a man.

Francis came from the town of Horsham in Sussex, England, baptized at the church there on January 8, 1609.¹ He was the second oldest child of Francis Bushnell and Ferris Quenelll; they would have eight more children, but Francis’ mother died while delivering her last child in February 1628.⁵ On June 27, 1631, Francis married Mary Grombridge,² and over the next couple of years, they had two daughters, one of whom one died young.

The year 1635 was a turning point in the lives of the Bushnell family, with Francis and his four surviving brothers each moving to New England.⁵ It’s easy to imagine they came to this decision together, joining the Puritan migration that left England in large numbers during that decade. Francis, along with wife Mary and 1-year-old Elizabeth, sailed aboard the Planter, which left in April.⁴ Two of his brothers were on the same ship, including Richard, who was about age 14; it’s believed that both became part of Francis’ household when they got settled in the colony.⁵ The other two brothers arrived on different ships.⁵

Records show that Francis first lived in Salem,⁵ and during this time, he and his wife had two more daughters. On February 8, 1637, Francis was granted 24 acres of land at a place outside of Salem called Muddy River.⁵ He was said to be a carpenter, a valuable skill for living in a wilderness because a man often had to build his own house. His time in Massachusetts lasted just a couple of years, and after Francis’ father migrated to the coastal Connecticut town of Guilford, he moved his family there as well.⁵ By about 1647, four more children were born, completing the family.⁵ (There are no birth or baptism records of the children born in New England, and what is shown in the list below is a rough estimate of their birth years.)

When the man who operated Guilford’s mill died in May 1648, Francis was asked to take his place.⁶ The survival of an early colonial town depended on the crops they could grow, so a mill was a vital part of the community. Powered by rushing water in a stream that emptied into the Atlantic, the Guilford mill turned corn into cornmeal, a staple in the New England diet. Francis accepted the role of miller on the condition he could be exempted from militia duty, and the town leaders agreed to it.⁵ He was nearly 40-years-old at this time.

How a grain mill works.

Francis lived in Guilford for about another dozen years. He never became a freeman, which meant he failed to take an oath of loyalty to the town; his name was on a list of eight Guilford men without that status.⁶ In the fall of 1648, his wife Mary was taken to court over letting their hogs get into a neighbor’s property and causing considerable damage.⁵ She died sometime in the next 12 years, and Francis married a second wife named Grace Wells.³ In 1658, he was appointed by the Connecticut General Court to inspect a mill and dam in New Haven, and report if there needed to be any repairs.⁵ The General Court received his findings on February 28th, and noted that they would take his advice on suggested improvements.

Not long after that date, Francis moved to the nearby town of Saybrook, located at the mouth of the Connecticut River, where he had acquired 200 acres about a decade earlier.⁵ Francis was said to have built the first corn mill on Oyster River, and afterwards he was given a farm in return for keeping the mill for the people of Saybrook.⁶ He was said to be one of the leaders in Saybrook, and a deacon in the church.⁷ Most New England communities sought to formalize land ownership with the indigenous people who considered it theirs. On a document dated July 4, 1665, the leader of the Mohegan tribe confirmed a huge grant of land to Saybrook; he referred to the six men who signed it as “my loving friends,” one of whom was Francis.⁵

At some point, Francis likely retired as miller. He spent the rest of his years in Saybrook, and died there on December 4, 1681.⁴ Francis was a direct ancestor of a signer of the U.S. constitution, William Samuel Johnson, and of billionaire Warren Buffet.⁸

Children (all by Mary Grombridge):
1. Mary Bushnell — B. before 20 Apr 1632, Horsham, Sussex, England;⁹ D. before 17 Jun 1634, Horsham, Sussex, England¹⁰

2. Elizabeth Bushnell — B. before 2 Feb 1634, Horsham, Sussex, England;¹¹ D. 26 Apr 1672, Guilford, Connecticut;¹² M. William Johnson (~1630-1702), 2 Jul 1651, Guilford, Connecticut⁵

3. Martha Bushnell — B. about 1637, (probably) Salem, Massachusetts;⁵ D. (possibly) about 1705, Connecticut;¹³ M. Jonathan Smith (1635-1711), 1 Jan 1664, Connecticut⁵

4. Sarah Bushnell — B. about 1639, (probably) Salem, Massachusetts;⁵ D. before 14 Jan 1689;⁵ M. Joseph Ingham (?-1710), 20 Jun 1655, Connecticut⁵

5. John Bushnell — B. about 1641, (probably) Guilford, Connecticut;⁵ D. Jun 1686, Saybrook, Connecticut;¹⁴ M. Sarah Scranton (1645-1695), 15 May 1665, Connecticut¹⁵

6. Mary Bushnell — B. about 1643, (probably) Guilford, Connecticut;⁵ D. about 1727, Connecticut;⁵ M. Samuel Jones (?-1704), 1666, Guilford, Connecticut⁵

7. Hannah Bushnell — B. about 1645, (probably) Guilford, Connecticut;⁵ M. Stephen Hosmer (1645-1693), about 1668, Connecticut⁵

8. Samuel Bushnell — B. about 1647, (probably) Connecticut;⁵ D. 14 Dec 1699, Saybrook, Connecticut;⁵ M. (1) (probably) Susannah (?-1683), Connecticut;⁵ (2) Ruth Sanford (1659-?), 17 Apr 1684, Connecticut⁵

Sources:
1    Christening of Francis Bushnell, England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, FamilySearch.org  
2    Marriage of Francis Bushnell and Mary Grombridge, England, Sussex, Parish Registers, FamilySearch.org  
3    New England Marriages Prior to 1700, page 125, Clarence Almon Torrey, 1985
4    The Great Migration, Robert Charles Anderson, 1999, page 511 

5    Bushnell Family Genealogy, George Eleazer Bushnell, 1954, pages 25-32  
6    The history of Guilford, Connecticut, from its first settlement in 1639, Ralph Dunning Smith,
7    Manual of the Congregational Church of Old Saybrook, Conn., Charles A. Kirtland, 1888
8    Famous Kin (website)  
9    Christening of Mary Bushnell, Sussex, England, Parish Registers, (1538-1910), FamilySearch.org  
10  Burial of Mary Bushnell, Sussex, England, Parish Registers, (1538-1910), FamilySearch.org
11  Christening of Elizabeth Bushnell, Sussex, England, Parish Registers, (1538-1910), FamilySearch.org 
12  Find-a-Grave listing for Elizabeth (Bushnell) Johnson  
13  WikiTree listing for Martha Bushnell  
14  Find-a-Grave listing for John Bushnell  
15  A Genealogical Register of the Descendants of John Scranton of Guilford, Conn., 1855, page 16

Montreal Blacksmith’s Wife — Jeanne Ducorps dite Leduc

B. about 1649 in France¹
M. before 1671 in New France²
Husband: Martin Massé
D. 19 Dec 1727 in Montreal, New France³

Jeanne Ducorps dite Leduc was a woman of early Montreal who had sketchy beginnings in France. She was born in about 1649,¹ but her parents and place of birth are unknown.

It’s believed that Jeanne arrived in New France at the age of 17 on a ship of Filles du Roi, a fact that can’t be confirmed because no record of her marriage survives. In the 1667 census, she was said to be living at the Congregation of Notre-Dame of Montreal, with her name listed as "Jeanne de Carts."⁴ This was a place that had begun in 1653 as a “women’s religious order dedicated to education.” During the 1660s, it was also used to house young women arriving from France as prospective brides, which may have been the reason Jeanne was there, if she is the woman listed on the census.

1667 census listing for Congregation of Notre-Dame in Montreal.

The earliest known parish record identifying Jeanne was the baptism of a baby girl at Sorel, New France in March 1673.⁵ Jeanne was the mother of the child and the father was Martin Massé; since they were later shown to have an older child, their marriage must have taken place before about 1671.² Sorel was a remote seigneury on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, located between Trois-Rivières and Montreal. Within a few years, Jeanne and Martin had moved back to Montreal, where he made a living as an edge tool maker, a sort of blacksmith.¹ Jeanne gave birth to six more children between 1676 and 1687; of her eight children, four of them died young.

By virtue of living in Montreal, three of her four surviving children had connections with the fur trade in the Great Lakes area, with several descendants ending up in Detroit.⁶ Oldest son Michel was married in Detroit in 1705 when he worked as a voyageur,⁷ but later made his home in Montreal.⁸ Jeanne became a widow when husband Martin passed away in May 1714.⁹ She lived several more years, and died on December 19, 1727.³

Jeanne has one very well-known descendant: Hillary Rodham Clinton.¹⁰ In fact, she was her direct female line ancestor, which gave Jeanne a bit of fame many years after her death. She was also the ancestor of Ricky Gervais.

Children:
1. Michel Massé — B. about 1671, New France;¹ D. 21 Jun 1730, Montreal, New France;⁸ M. Marguerite Couc dite LaFleur (1664-?), 1705, Detroit, New France⁷

2. Marie Massé — B. 19 Mar 1673, Sorel, New France;⁵ D. 18 Feb 1736, Montreal, New France;¹¹ M. Jean-Baptiste Pothier (1671-1732), 24 Sep 1696, Montreal, New France¹²

3. André Massé — B. 30 May 1676, Montreal, New France;¹³ D. before 1681¹⁴

4. Marie-Jeanne Massé — B. 25 Apr 1677, Montreal, New France;¹⁵ D. 5 Sep 1764, Detroit, New France;¹⁶ M. Michel Campeau (1667-1737), 7 Jan 1696, Montreal, New France¹⁷

5. Martin Massé — B. 26 Jun 1679, Montreal, New France;¹⁸ D. 7 Oct 1692, Montreal, New France¹⁹

6. Marie-Françoise Massé — B. 2 Aug 1682, Montreal, New France;²⁰ D. 4 Aug 1682, Montreal, New France²¹

7. Marie-Anne Massé — B. 7 Dec 1684, Montreal, New France;²² D. 23 Sep 1721, Montreal, New France;²³ M. (1) Guillaume Maillot (1680-1718), 16 Jan 1704, Montreal, New France;²⁴ (2) Pierre Courault (1696-1779), 26 Sep 1718, Montreal, New France²⁵

8. Catherine Massé — B. 16 Dec 1687, Montreal, New France;²⁶ D. 11 Jun 1699, Montreal, New France²⁷

Sources:
1    King’s Daughters and Founding Mothers—1663-1673, Peter Gagne, 2000
2    Estimated marriage year based on estimated birth year of oldest child, Michel Massé
3    Burial record of Jeanne Ducorps dite Leduc, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
4    Recensement de 1667 en Nouvelle-France
5    Baptismal record of Marie Massé, Q.C.P.R.
6    Migrations.com listing for Jeanne Ducorps dite Leduc  
7    Généalogie du Québec et d'Amérique français listing for Michel Massé  
8    Burial record of Michel Massé, Q.C.P.R.
9    Burial record of Martin Massé, Q.C.P.R.
10  FamousKin.com  
11  Burial record of Marie Massé, Q.C.P.R.
12  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Pothier and Marie Massé, Q.C.P.R.
13  Baptismal record of André Massé, Q.C.P.R.
14  Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
15  Baptismal record of Marie-Jeanne Massé, Q.C.P.R.
16  Find-A-Grave listing of Marie Jeanne Masse Campeau  
17  Marriage record of Michel Campeau and Marie-Jeanne Massé, Q.C.P.R.
18  Baptismal record of Martin Massé (younger), Q.C.P.R.
19  Burial record of Martin Massé (younger), Q.C.P.R.
20  Baptismal record of Marie-Françoise Massé, Q.C.P.R.
21  Burial record of Marie-Françoise Massé, Q.C.P.R.
22  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Massé, Q.C.P.R.
23  Burial record of Marie-AnneMassé, Q.C.P.R.
24  Marriage record of Guillaume Maillot and Marie-Anne Massé, Q.C.P.R
25  Marriage record of Pierre Courault and Marie-Anne Massé, Q.C.P.R
26  Baptismal record of Catherine Massé, Q.C.P.R.
27  Burial record of Catherine Massé, Q.C.P.R.