Boat Master on the St. Lawrence — Jean-François Dussault

B. 4 Jan 1668 in Quebec City, New France¹
M. 8 Jan 1692 in St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-de-Lévy, New France²
Wife: Marie-Madeleine Bourassa
D. before 22 Apr 1719 in New France³

At a time when many New France settlers were farmers, Jean-François Dussault made a living operating a small boat along the St. Lawrence River. Jean-François was born in Quebec City on January 4, 1668.¹ Perhaps sailing was in his blood because his father was Elie Dussault, a sailor from La Rochelle, and his mother, Madeleine-Euphrosine Nicolet, was the daughter of early Canada explorer, Jean Nicolet. The other quarter of his heritage was from his Native American grandmother, who was of the Nippissing tribe.

Jean-François grew up in the Lower Town of Quebec City, in a house on a small lot that bordered an alley on one side and the river on the other. His father had become a boat master,⁴ and it’s easy to imagine that Jean-François got a taste of that life early on. Sadly, though, his father died by the time he was 12-years-old; without a burial record, it’s likely he drowned while working on the river. His mother seems to have sold the house in July of 1681,⁴ and since the property was part of her first marriage, half of the profit went to Jean-François’ older half-sister. It isn’t known how his mother supported the family from that point, and she herself passed away in 1689.⁵

Without having grown up on a farm, taking up his father’s profession must have been a natural choice for Jean-François. During the 1690s, Quebec City was a lively port that thrived on the transport of goods up and down the St. Lawrence. One document dated August 27, 1692 suggests that he may have been in business with his younger brother Charles, although they seemed to have been in trouble with the law.⁶ The record is of a legal action against the two brothers, along with three other men also known to be boat masters. One man was found not guilty of the charges, but the rest were heavily fined, including Jean-François and Charles. The record is unclear as to what law they violated; it likely had to do with their work on the river.

Quebec City in about 1700.

By this time, Jean-François had moved to the other side of the river, and he had taken a wife. On January 4, 1692, he married Marie-Madeleine Bourassa at St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-de-Lévy,² and they settled there near her family. Jean-François continued to work on his boat, a fact noted in a record of a survey of his farm in July 1708.⁷ Living at Pointe-de-Lévy must have been a good location since it was directly across the water from Quebec City. Jean-François’ first child was born in 1693,⁸ and by 1715, the family grew to have twelve children, with five who are believed to have died young.

Jean-François was about 51-years-old when he died, but his date of death is unknown. He probably met the same fate as his father, and drowned while working on the river. His wife was described as a widow in a document on April 22, 1719;³ it was concerning the inheritance of their children, and suggests that he died not long before that date. Marie-Madeleine, having been left with several young children, quickly remarried about a month later. She and her second husband moved upriver to St-Antoine-de-Tilly where she passed away in 1742.⁹

Children:
1. Marie-Anne Dussault — B. 5 Jan 1693, Pointe-de-Lévy, New France;⁸ D. before 2 Sep 1696, (probably) Pointe-de-Lévy, New France¹⁰

2. Pierre Dussault — B. 17 Oct 1694, Pointe-de-Lévy, New France;¹¹ D. 5 Mar 1783, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;¹² M. Genevieve Huard (~1694-1776), 7 Jun 1720, New France¹³

3. Marie-Anne Dussault — B. before 2 Sep 1696, (probably) Pointe-de-Lévy, New France;¹⁰ M. Pierre Thiboutot (1687-1749), 11 Oct 1717, Pointe-de-Lévy, New France¹⁴

4. Marguerite Dussault — B. 15 Jan 1699, Pointe-de-Lévy, New France;¹⁵ D. 26 Feb 1744, Quebec City, New France;¹⁶ M. Joseph Bergeron (1699-1772), 6 Sep 1722, St-Antoine-de-Tilly, New France¹⁷

5. Jean-Baptiste Dussault — B. 5 Nov 1700, Pointe-de-Lévy, New France;¹⁸ D. 23 Nov 1700, Pointe-de-Lévy, New France¹⁹

6. Madeleine Dussault — B. 24 Nov 1701, Pointe-de-Lévy, New France²⁰

7. Jean Dussault — B. about 5 Nov 1704, (probably) Pointe-de-Lévy, New France;²¹ D. 13 Oct 1750, Pointe-de-Lévy, New France;²² M. Angelique Huard (~1705-1757), 30 Dec 1728, Pointe-de-Lévy, New France²³

8. François Dussault — B. about 1706, (probably) Pointe-de-Lévy, New France;²⁴ D. 6 Sep 1741, St-Antoine-de-Tilly, New France;²⁵ M. Marie-Louise Bergeron (1704-1785), 2 May 1729, St-Antoine-de-Tilly, New France²⁶

9. Ignace Dussault — B. 12 Apr 1709, Pointe-de-Lévy, New France;²⁷ D. 29 Aug 1711, Pointe-de-Lévy, New France²⁸

10. Jean-Joseph Dussault — B. 27 Oct 1711, (probably) Pointe-de-Lévy, New France;²⁹ D. 15 Mar 1781, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;³⁰ M. Françoise-Charlotte Boucher (1715-1787), 18 Jun 1736, St-Nicolas, New France³¹

11. Marie-Josephe Dussault — B. 22 Oct 1714, Pointe-de-Lévy, New France;³² D. 29 Oct 1714, Pointe-de-Lévy, New France³³

12. André Dussault — B. 1715, (probably) Pointe-de-Lévy, New France;³⁴ D. 24 Jul 1733, St-Antoine-De-Tilly, New France³⁴

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Jean-François Dussault, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Jean-François Dussault and Marie-Madeleine Bourassa, Q.C.P.R.
3    Guardianship of the minors of the late Jean Dussault, April 19, 1722, BAnQ
4    Property sale contract of Madeleine Nicolet, July 27, 1681, BAnQ  
5    Burial record of Madeleine-Euphrosine Nicolet, Q.C.P.R.
6    Court record of Jean Thierry and Jacques Batreau vs. Jean Dussault and others, August 27, 1692, BAnQ  
7    Land survey Jean Dussault and others, Pointe-de-Lévy, New France, July 27-28, 1708, BAnQ
8    Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Dussault (older), Q.C.P.R.
9    Burial record of Marie-Madeleine Bourassa, Q.C.P.R.
10  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Dussault (younger), Q.C.P.R.
11  Baptismal record of Pierre Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
12  Burial record of Pierre Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
13  Marriage record of Pierre Dussault and Genevieve Huard, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of Pierre Thiboutot and Marie-Anne Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
15  Baptismal record of Marguerite Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
16  Burial record of Marguerite Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
17  Marriage record of Joseph Bergeron and Marguerite Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
18  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
19  Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
20  Baptismal record of Madeleine Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
21  Estimated birth of Jean Dussault, Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française 
22  Burial record of Jean Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
23  Marriage record of Jean Dussault and Angelique Huard, Q.C.P.R.
24  Estimated birth of François Dussault, Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française  
25  Burial record of François Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
26  Marriage record of François Dussault and Marie-Louise Bergeron, Q.C.P.R.
27  Baptismal record of Ignace Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
28  Burial record of Ignace Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
29  Baptismal record of Joseph-Marie Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
30  Burial record of Joseph-Marie Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
31  Marriage record of Joseph-Marie Dussault and Françoise-Charlotte Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
32  Baptismal record of Marie-Josephe Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
33  Burial record of Marie-Josephe Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
34  Burial record of André Dussault, Q.C.P.R.

A Covenant for Founding a Community — Francis Bushnell

B. about 1580 in (probably) Thatcham, Berkshire, England¹
M. (1) 13 May 1605 in Horsham, Sussex, England²
Wife: Ferris Quenell
M. (2) 2 Jun 1629 in Horsham, Sussex, England³
Wife: Joan Kinward
D. before 13 Oct 1646 in Guilford, Connecticut¹

When Francis Bushnell sailed to New England in 1639, he joined his shipmates in signing a pledge to work as one. The document would become known as the Guilford Covenant, a rare written agreement for the establishment of a colonial community.

Francis spent his early life in southern England, born in about 1580, possibly in the village of Thatcham in Berkshire;¹ his parents are unknown. He first turned up in records at his marriage to a woman named Ferris Quenell on May 13, 1605.² Their wedding took place in Horsham, which is located in Sussex, and the couple settled there. Between 1606 and 1628, they had 11 children. Four of the children died young, including the final child who died along with Ferris within days of its birth.¹ Francis married a second wife, Joan Kinward, on June 2, 1629,³ but she passed away about two years later, buried at the church on June 21, 1631.¹

Puritanism was widespread across England, and Francis’ family were followers of that set of beliefs. All five of his surviving sons decided to leave England for the colonies in America, sailing to Massachusetts in 1635.¹ Francis stayed behind — it isn’t known what his circumstances were — but four years later, he made the move as well. He brought his youngest two children with him, daughters 18-year-old Rebecca and 14-year-old Sarah, and they boarded the ship St. John in the late spring of 1639.¹

The Bushnells were part of a small group of families led by a minister, Reverend Henry Whitfield. Their destination was the south coast of Connecticut, and unlike some Puritan migrations, they would be forming a new community right from the start. The leaders gathered onboard the ship to draft a contract, and when they were about 10 days into the voyage, it was agreed to by all of the men, 25 in total.⁴ Their names appeared on the document in order of rank of seniority and leadership, and Francis was the third one. It was a simple statement that committed everyone to collectively work for the the community as a whole:⁴

We whose names are herein written, intending by God's gracious permission, to plant ourselves in New England, and if it may be in the southerly part, about [Quinnipiac], we do faithfully promise each for ourselves and families and those that belong to us, that we will, the Lord assisting us, sit down and join ourselves together in one entire plantation and to be helpful to the other in any common work, according to every man's ability and as need shall require, and we promise not to desert or leave each other on the plantation but with the consent of the rest, or the greater part of the company, who have entered into this engagement. As for our gathering together into a church way and the choice officers and members to be joined together in that way, we do refer ourselves until such time as it shall please God to settle us in our plantation. In witness whereof we subscribe our hands, this first day of June 1639.

The Guilford Covenant.

The contract was initially called the Plantation Covenant, but it later took the name of the settlers’ new town, Guilford. After they arrived on the coast of Connecticut, Francis and the others divided up the land into tracts, built their houses, and formed their community. One of Francis’ sons, Francis, came down from Massachusetts to join him, and built a house next door.¹ The younger Francis also likely did some of the labor for his father, who was now about 60-years-old.

Francis lived in Guilford, Connecticut for just a few more years; he died there in 1646, with his will probated on October 13th.¹ As an early settler of New England, he had many notable descendants: William Samuel Johnson (signer of the U.S. Constitution), John Foster Dulles, Thomas Dewey, Mamie Eisenhower, Jill Biden, Adlai Stevenson, Bill Weld, Warren Buffet, Margaret Hamilton, and Jordana Brewster.⁵

The covenant Francis was a part of was also notable. It’s been said that “in terms of early colonial documents of this kind, there are only the Mayflower Compact and the Guilford Covenant.”²⁴ The original parchment is kept at the Massachusetts Historical Society, and in June 2014, a large granite tablet with the Covenant inscribed on it was dedicated at a park in Guilford.

The Guilford Covenant monument .

Children (all by Ferris Quenell):
1. Edmond Bushnell — B. before 27 Apr 1606, Horsham, Sussex, England;⁶ D. 28 Mar 1636, Medford, Massachusetts;⁷ M. Martha Hallor, 16 May 1627, Horsham, Sussex, England⁸

2. Francis Bushnell — B. before 8 Jan 1609, Horsham, Sussex, England;⁹ D. 4 Dec 1681, Saybrook, Connecticut;¹⁰ M. (1) Mary Grombridge (~1606-?), 27 Jun 1631, Horsham, Sussex, England;¹¹ (2) Grace Wells, before 1660, (probably) Guilford, Connecticut¹

3. William Bushnell — B. before 3 Feb 1611, Horsham, Sussex, England;¹² D. 12 Dec 1683, Saybrook, Connecticut;¹ M. Rebecca Chapman, about 1643, Saybrook, Connecticut¹

4. Stephen Bushnell — B. before Jan 1613, Horsham, Sussex, England;¹³ D. before 12 Mar 1625, Horsham, Sussex, England¹⁴

5. John Bushnell — B. before 23 Apr 1615, Horsham, Sussex, England;¹⁵ D. 5 Aug 1667, Boston, Massachusetts;¹⁰ M. Jane _____, about 1650¹⁰

6. Thomas Bushnell — B. before 31 Aug 1617, Horsham, Sussex, England;¹⁶ D. before 16 Sep 1617, Horsham, Sussex, England¹⁷

7. Mary Bushnell — B. before 25 Dec 1618, Horsham, Sussex, England;¹⁸ before 2 Mar 1629, Horsham, Sussex, England¹⁹

8. Rebecca Bushnell — B. before 15 Apr 1621, Horsham, Sussex, England;²⁰ D. before 11 Feb 1647, Guilford, Connecticut;¹ M. John Lord (~1625-?), about 1646, (probably) Connecticut¹

9. Richard Bushnell — B. before 20 Apr 1623, Horsham, Sussex, England;²¹ D. before 17 Jul 1660, (probably) Connecticut;¹ M. Mary Marvin (1628-1713), 11 Oct 1648, Hartford, Connecticut¹

10. Sarah Bushnell — B. before 20 Nov 1625, Horsham, Sussex, England;²² D. 1 Nov 1693, Halstead, Kent, England;¹ M. John Hoadley (1616-1668), 14 Jul 1642, Guilford, Connecticut¹

11. Elizabeth Bushnell — B. before 5 Mar 1628, Horsham, Sussex, England;²³ D. 10 Mar 1628, Horsham, Sussex, England²³

Sources:
1    Bushnell Family Genealogy, George Eleazer Bushnell, 1945
2    Marriage record of Francis Bushnell and Ferris Quenell, Sussex, England Parish Records, 1538-1910, FamilySearch.org
3    Marriage record of Francis Bushnell and Joan Kinward, E.P.R.
4    Plantation Covenant (Wikipedia article)  
5    Francis Bushnell listing in FamousKin.com  
6    Christening record of Edmund Bushnell, E.P.R.
7    Find-A-Grave listing for Edmund Bushnell  
8    Marriage record of Edmund Bushnell and Mary Hallor, E.P.R.
9    Christening record of Francis Bushnell (younger), E.P.R.
10  The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Robert Charles Anderson, 1999
11  Marriage record of Francis Bushnell and Mary Grombridge, E.P.R.
12  Christening record of William Bushnell, E.P.R.
13  Christening record of Stephen Bushnell, E.P.R.
14  Burial record of Stephen Bushnell, E.P.R.
15  Christening record of John Bushnell, E.P.R.
16  Christening record of Thomas Bushnell, E.P.R.
17  Burial record of Thomas Bushnell, E.P.R.
18  Christening record of Mary Bushnell, E.P.R.
19  Burial record of Mary Bushnell, E.P.R.
20  Christening record of Rebecca Bushnell, E.P.R.
21  Christening record of Richard Bushnell, E.P.R.
22  Christening record of Sarah Bushnell, E.P.R.
23  Christening and death record of Elizabeth Bushnell, E.P.R.

24  “375-Year-Old ‘Guilford Covenant’ Returns To Town,” Erik Hesselberg, Hartford Courant, June 8, 2014

On Both Sides of the Wabash — Joseph Gaile

B. 18 Nov 1788 in Vincennes, Northwest Territory¹
M. before 18 Oct 1818 in (probably) Vincennes, Indiana²
Wife: Archange Baillargeon
D. May 1835 in Lawrence County, Illinois³

The story of Joseph Gaille is like that of many of the Creoles in early 19th century Vincennes, Indiana: his time was divided between two sides of the Wabash River. Joseph was born in Vincennes on November 18, 1788 to Charles Diel and Elizabeth Clermond Dubord,¹ the sixth of their ten children; only three of the children are known to have survived childhood. Although Joseph’s family name was “Diel,” for some reason, it evolved in a way that wasn’t quite phonetic; after 1800, it appeared as Gaile or Guile, in several variations of spelling. Joseph came from a long line of fur traders, but those days were long over, and he spent his childhood on a small farm, likely on the outskirts of Vincennes.

When war broke out with England in 1812, many young men in Vincennes joined the fight, and Joseph was one of them. While there may have been a spirit of patriotism with their enlistments, it’s likely that many signed up for the money. Records show that Joseph served two stints in the war. During his first enlistment from August 13th to November 18th of 1812, he was a private in the 1st Regiment of the Indiana Militia.⁴ On September 12th, Joseph’s unit arrived as reinforcements to a siege at Fort Harrison, a stockade at the site of present-day Terre-Haute.⁵ It isn’t known if he saw any action, but the enemy retreated soon after. Joseph was later noted as being AWOL along with 9 other men in his company;⁴ it isn’t known if he faced discipline for it, or simply got docked some of his pay. Early the following year, he signed up again in the same regiment, this time for two months starting on February 15th.⁴

Following the war, Joseph got married, but the date of his wedding is unknown. His wife was Archange Baillargeon, who had recently been widowed, and she brought two young children into the marriage. Joseph and Archange first appeared in records as a couple on the baptism of their first child, dated October 18, 1818.² The baby was noted as having been born on March 10th, so it’s likely they had been married at least 9 months before that date. Between 1822 and 1835, six more children are known to have been born to them. It’s interesting that all of their children’s baptisms took place at St. Francis-Xavier Church in Vincennes, but each child was several months old. It suggests that the family probably lived a long distance from the church, and it’s known that during some of that time, they were across the Wabash River in Illinois.

During the early 19th century, French families from Vincennes began setting up small farms in Edwards County, Illinois (which became Lawrence County in 1821); they tended to stick together in their new communities, but kept their ties to Vincennes. As proof that Joseph was there, he was listed on the 1820 census residing in Edwards County with his wife and three small children.⁶ There was also an 1821 receipt from a man named John Small which showed that Joseph helped build a dam on the Embarras River by supplying some lumber for it.⁷

Map of the region where Joseph lived. St. Francisville was a French community first settled in about 1810.

Receipt for Joseph's lumber that was supplied for John Small's dam at Smallville.

By 1827, the family seems to have moved back to the Indiana side of the Wabash.² But later, Joseph was back in Lawrence County, where he died in May 1835;³ Archange passed away in 1849.⁸ Although their children ended up primarily in Vincennes, they continued to move over the years back and forth across the Wabash, a connection of the two communities which lasted all the way into the 20th century.

Children:
1. Marie Gaile — B. 10 Mar 1818, (probably) Edwards County, Illinois;² D. 29 Jul 1879, St. Francisville, Illinois;⁹ M. Amable Grimard (1812-1904), 12 Feb 1838, Vincennes, Indiana¹⁰

2. Henry Gaile — B. 29 Aug 1822, (probably) Lawrence County, Illinois;¹¹ D. before 1860, (probably) Vincennes, Indiana;¹² M. Elizabeth Dauphin (~1826-?), 24 Oct 1842, Vincennes, Indiana¹³

3. Susanne Gaile — B. 26 Mar 1827, Vincennes, Indiana;¹⁴ D. 29 Oct 1869, St. Francisville, Illinois;¹⁵ M. (1) François Louis Ravellette (1819-1863), 23 May 1842, Vincennes, Indiana; ¹⁶(2) Charles Moyse (1821-1878), 22 Oct 1866, St. Francisville, Illinois¹⁷

4. Elizabeth Gaile — B. 14 Jul 1824, Vincennes, Indiana;¹⁸ M. William Chapard (1820-?), 19 Feb 1844, Vincennes, Indiana¹⁹

5. Charles Gaile — B. 21 Jul 1829, Vincennes, Indiana²⁰

6. Barbe Gaile — B. 21 Jul 1829, Vincennes, Indiana;²¹ D. after 19 Nov 1850, (probably) Vincennes, Indiana;²² M. Jean Baptiste Chapard (1823-?), 12 Nov 1849, Vincennes, Indiana²³

7. Marcelline Gaile — B. 23 Feb 1835, (probably) Lawrence County, Illinois²⁴

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Joseph Diel, Indiana Births and Christenings, 1773-1933, FamilySearch.org
2    St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church Records: Baptisms 1749-1838, Barbara Schull Wolfe, 1999
3    Indiana Deaths and Burials, 1750-1993, FamilySearch.org
4    Muster, pay and receipt rolls of Indiana territory volunteers or militia of the period of the War of 1812  
5    Fort Harrison, Indiana (Wikipedia article) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Harrison,_Indiana
6    1820 U.S. Census
7    Receipt for the work Joseph Gaile did for John Small, 1 Aug 1821
8    Indiana Diels Descended from Philippe Diel and Marie Anquetin (website)
9    Find-A-Grave listing for Marie Guielle Greemore  
10  Marriage record of Amable Grimard and Marie Gaile, Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992, FarmilySearch.org
11  Baptismal record of Andre [Henry] Guile Indiana Births and Christenings, 1773-1933, FamilySearch.org
12  1860 U.S. Census
13  Marriage record of Andre [Henry] Guile and Elizabeth Dauphin, Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992, FarmilySearch.org
14  Baptismal record of Susanne Guile, Indiana Births and Christenings, 1773-1933, FamilySearch.org
15  Burial record of Susanne Guelle, Diocese of Belleville, Illinois Catholic Parish Records, 1729-1956, FamilySearch
16  Marriage record of François Louis Ravallette and Susanne Guile, Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992, FarmilySearch.org
17  Marriage record of Charles Moyse and Susanne Guile, Diocese of Belleville, Illinois Catholic Parish Records, 1729-1956, FamilySearch
18  Baptismal record of Elizabeth Guaile, Indiana Births and Christenings, 1773-1933, FamilySearch.org
19  Marriage record of William Chappart and Elizabeth Guaile, Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992, FarmilySearch.org
20  Baptismal record of Charles Guaile, Indiana Births and Christenings, 1773-1933, FamilySearch.org
21  Baptismal record of Barbe Guaile, Indiana Births and Christenings, 1773-1933, FamilySearch.org
22  Baptismal record of Marie Louise Chapard, Indiana Births and Christenings, 1773-1933, FamilySearch.org
23  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Chapard and Barbe Gauile, Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992, FarmilySearch.org
24  Baptismal record of Marcelline Gaile, Indiana Births and Christenings, 1773-1933, FamilySearch.org

Crime of Selling Brandy to Indians — Madeleine Varennes

B. about 1640 in St-Jean d’Aubrigoux, Auvergne, France^1,2
M. about 1670 in St-Jean d’Aubrigoux, Auvergne, France¹
Husband: Claude Caron
D. 18 Mar 1727 in Montreal, New France³

Madeleine Varennes was a wife and mother in New France, but late in her life, she seems to have been involved in some illegal behavior: providing alcohol to some Iroquois in exchange for goods. Madeleine was born in about 1640 in St-Jean d’Aubrigoux,¹ France, a town in the southeast province of Auvergne. Her parents were said to be Claude Varennes and Claude Riberon, but this is uncertain.

In about 1670, Madeleine married a man named Claude Caron, with their wedding taking place at St-Jean d’Aubrigoux.² It’s believed that Claude had migrated to New France a few years earlier, and returned to St-Jean d’Aubrigoux to marry Madeleine. After she gave birth to a daughter in 1671,² they moved to the colony, settling near Montreal in the seigneury of La Prairie. Eight more children were born there by 1683, of which five died young.

There is a story that Madeleine almost lost her husband Claude in January 1681 when he came down with an illness and seemed to be near death. The family was gathered to say goodbye to him, but when the priest arrived to give the last rites, he suggested that Claude pray for a cure to a devout Indian woman who had recently died. A short time later, he was miraculously recovered. Claude lived many more years, which must have been a great relief to Madeleine.⁴

In January 1701, Madeleine got into trouble with the law.⁵ In New France, as with other American colonies, selling alcohol to Indians was prohibited, and this was strictly enforced by authorities. But those on the frontier often sought ways to make easy money. Somehow Madeleine conspired with three men, led by a Montreal blacksmith named Louis Badaillac dit Laplante, to offer brandy to some Iroquois in a trade. She wasn’t the one to conduct the actual transaction, but she was part of the ring, and when they all got caught, she was brought to court. Badaillac dit Laplante was fined 200 livres, and the others had to pay 50 livres each, including Madeleine; it was a lot of money for that time, and must have taken an effort for her to pay it, if she actually did.

1701 subpoena of Madeleine to answer charges against her. (Source: BAnQ)

At some point, Madeleine and her husband moved to Montreal, where Claude died on September 18, 1708. Madeleine survived him by 20 years, passing away on March 18, 1727.³

Children:
1. Louise Caron — B. about 1671, (probably) St-Jean d’Aubrigoux, Auvergne, France;² D. 13 Apr 1703, Montreal, New France;⁶ M. Jean-Baptiste Tessier (1663-1734), 21 Apr 1688, La Prairie, New France⁷

2. Claude Caron – B. 1 Aug 1672, La Prairie, New France;⁸ D. 15 Jun 1759, Montreal, New France;⁹ M. (1) Élisabeth Perthuis (1677-1703), 20 Jun 1695, Montreal, New France;¹⁰ (2) Jeanne Boyer (1682-1762), 12 Nov 1703, Montreal, New France¹¹

3. Vital Caron – B. 11 Aug 1673, La Prairie, New France;¹² D. 20 Apr 1745, Lachine, New France;¹³ M. Marie Perthuis (1678-1766), 24 Jan 1698, Montreal, New France¹⁴

4. Madeleine Caron — B. 20 Oct 1674, La Prairie, New France;¹⁵ D. 30 Oct 1674, La Prairie, New France¹⁶

5. Jean Caron — B. 6 Oct 1675, La Prairie, New France;¹⁷ D. 12 Dec 1687, La Prairie, New France¹⁸

6. Jeanne Caron – B. 30 Nov 1677, La Prairie, New France;¹⁹ D. 16 Oct 1687, La Prairie, New France²⁰

7. Mathieu Caron – B. 12 Jul 1679, La Prairie, New France;²¹ D. 18 May 1684, La Prairie, New France²²

8. Marie Caron — B. 8 Oct 1680, La Prairie, New France;²³ D. 6 Aug 1699, Montreal, New France;²⁴ M. Urbain Gervaise (1673-1713), 1 Oct 1696, Montreal, New France²⁵

9. Catherine Caron — B. 2 Jul 1683, La Prairie, New France;²⁶ D. 18 Jan 1684, La Prairie, New France²⁷

Sources:
1    Listing of Madeleine Varennes on Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française  
2    Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
3    Burial record of Madeleine Varennes, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
4    “Kateri (Catherine) Teakwitha (Gah-deh-lee Deh-gah-quee-tah)”, Michigan’s Habitant Heritage, Vol. 33, #4, October 2012
5    Court records of case against Madeleine Varennes and others, 2 Jan 1701 to 12 Feb 1701, BAnQ
6    Burial record of Louise Caron, Q.C.P.R.
7    Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Tessier and Louise Caron, Q.C.P.R.
8    Baptismal record of Claude Caron (younger), Q.C.P.R.
9    Burial record of Claude Caron (younger), Q.C.P.R.
10  Marriage record of Claude Caron (younger) and Élisabeth Perthuis, Q.C.P.R.
11  Marriage record of Claude Caron (younger) and Jeanne Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
12  Baptismal record of Vital Caron, Q.C.P.R.
13  Burial record of Vital Caron, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of Vital Caron and Marie Perthuis, Q.C.P.R.
15  Baptismal record of Madeleine Caron, Q.C.P.R.
16  Burial record of Madeleine Caron, Q.C.P.R.
17  Baptismal record of Jean Caron, Q.C.P.R.
18  Burial record of Jean Caron, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Jeanne Caron, Q.C.P.R.
20  Burial record of Jeanne Caron, Q.C.P.R.
21  Baptismal record of Mathieu Caron, Q.C.P.R.
22  Burial record of Mathieu Caron, Q.C.P.R.
23  Baptismal record of Marie Caron, Q.C.P.R.
24  Burial record of Marie Caron, Q.C.P.R.
25  Marriage record of Urbain Gervaise and Marie Caron, Q.C.P.R.
26  Baptismal record of Catherine Caron, Q.C.P.R.
27  Burial record of Catherine Caron, Q.C.P.R.

Educated Woman of Early Montreal — Marie-Anne Hardy

B. 10 Oct 1633 in Angers, France¹
M. 23 Oct 1662 in Montreal, New France²
Husband: Pierre Mallet
D. 2 Jan 1726 in Lachine, New France³

Marie-Anne Hardy was a 17th-century woman of New France who could read and write, and showed an ability to conduct business transactions. She was born on October 10, 1633 in the city of Angers, France;¹ her parents, René Hardy and Renée Mauget, had been married six years earlier at La Trinité, a church built in the 11th century.⁴ Marie-Anne's father and grandfather were both goldsmiths, but nothing else is known of her family.⁴

La Trinité church in Angers, France, where Marie-Anne's parents were married. (Source: Chabe01 / CC BY-SA)

At some point in her late-20s, Marie-Anne was recruited to become the bride of a settler in New France (this was over a year before the first of the Filles du Roi). She agreed to a marriage contract with Pierre Mallet, a 33-year-old-farmer.⁵ The contract was signed in July 1662, and their wedding took place on October 23rd at Notre-Dame-de-Montreal. Afterward, they settled in Montreal, and Marie-Anne was soon pregnant; between 1663 and 1676, she gave birth to six children.

A story has been told involving Marie-Anne and an encounter with a man who tried to force himself on her sexually. One day in about 1667, she had run out of flour and took a quantity of wheat to the nearest grist mill. As she entered a fort where the mill was located, she was confronted by Balthazar de Flotte de La Frédière, a military officer who was acting governor of Montreal. He told Marie-Anne she could use the mill only if she gave him “favors.” She firmly refused and left, which made him so angry, he followed her home. Only the presence of her husband Pierre stopped de La Frédière from following her into the house.⁶

Marie-Anne and Pierre acquired large amounts of land over the years; they had a house in Montreal, but also tracts as large as 100 arpents outside of town.⁵ As they got older, Marie-Anne’s name was on many of the transactions, and by the 1690s, she may have been the one handling all of the family’s business. Among the records is a note she wrote to her daughter that says: "Je promet payer a Anne Mallet, ma fille, vingt aulne de toile de chanvre, pour quelques draps, nappes, et serviettes qu'elle m'a baillé, provenant de l'inventaire de défunt son mari.” In English this translates as: "I promise to pay Anne Mallet, my daughter, twenty alder of hemp cloth, for some sheets, tablecloths, and napkins that I borrowed from her, from the inventory of her late husband.”⁷

Marie-Anne's note promising to pay her daughter for some napkins.

Pierre’s health continued to decline. On February 8, 1710, Marie-Anne was involved in a legal matter over repayment of a loan for his burial, so he had died by that date.⁸ Later that year, she was also named in an action for her son René; this involved money he owed, and she stepped in to cover the debt. Marie-Anne lived a very long life; she passed away in Lachine on January 2, 1726 at the age of 92.³

Children:
1. Geneviève Mallet — B. 2 Oct 1663, Montreal, New France;⁹ D. 9 Apr 1703, Montreal, New France;¹⁰ M. Jean Legras (1656-1715), 8 Nov 1677, Montreal, New France¹¹

2. Anne-Marie Mallet — B. 20 Feb 1666, Montreal, New France;¹² D. 22 May 1759, Montreal, New France;¹³ M. (1) Louis Ducharme (1660-1691), 27 Nov 1681, Montreal, New France;¹⁴ (2) Louis Prejean (?-1727), 18 Jan 1697, Montreal, New France¹⁵

3. René Mallet — B. 24 Feb 1668, Montreal, New France;¹⁶ D. 24 Oct 1716, Montreal, New France;¹⁷ M. Marie Lecuyer (1671-1755), 17 Oct 1689, Montreal, New France¹⁸

4. Jean Mallet — B. 16 Apr 1670, Montreal, New France¹⁹

5. Louis Mallet — B. 8 Feb 1673, Montreal, New France;²⁰ D. 18 Jul 1717, Detroit, New France;²¹ M. Marie-Jeanne Brunet (1677-1761), 29 Oct 1697, Lachine, New France²²

6. Pierre Mallet — B. 16 Feb 1676, Montreal, New France;²³ D. 2 Nov 1738, Kaskaskia, New France;²⁴ M. Marie-Madeleine Thunay (~1673-1738), 9 Jan 1698, Montreal, New France²⁵

Sources:

1    Marie-Anne Hardy’s listing on Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française 
2    Marriage record of Pierre Mallet and Marie-Anne Hardy, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Burial record of Marie-Anne Hardy, Q.C.P.R.
4    René Hardy’s listing on Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française 
5    Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
6    Migrations (website) 
7    Note of Marie-Anne Hardy to her daughter Anne Mallet, 4 Oct 1696, BAnQ
8    Consignment of Marie-Anne Hardy’s property, 1710, BAnQ 
9    Baptismal record of Geneviève Mallet , Q.C.P.R.
10  Burial record of Geneviève Mallet, Q.C.P.R.
11  Marriage record of Jean Legras and Geneviève Mallet, Q.C.P.R.
12  Baptismal record of Anne-Marie Mallet, Q.C.P.R.
13  Burial record of Anne-Marie Mallet, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of Louis Ducharme and Ann-Marie Mallet, Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of Louis Prejean and Ann-Marie Mallet , Q.C.P.R.
16  Baptismal record of René Mallet, Q.C.P.R.
17  Burial record of René Mallet , Q.C.P.R.
18  Marriage record of René Mallet and Marie Lecuyer, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Jean Mallet, Q.C.P.R.
20  Baptismal record of Louis Mallet, Q.C.P.R.
21  Louis Mallet’s listing on Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française

22  Marriage record of Louis Mallet and Marie Lecuyer, Q.C.P.R.

23  Baptismal record of Pierre Mallet, Q.C.P.R.
24  “Death of Pierre Mallet, Kaskaskia, 5 a.m., 2 November 1738,” Michigan’s Habitant Heritage, Vol. 33, #4, Oct 2012, p. 186
25  Marriage record of Pierre Mallet and Marie-Madeleine Thunay, Q.C.P.R.

Taken in by a Mayflower Pilgrim — Elizabeth Cole

B. about 1619 in (probably) Great Bowden, Leicestershire, England¹
M. about 1639 in Charlestown, Massachusetts¹
Husband: Thomas Peirce
D. 5 Mar 1688 in Woburn, Massachusetts²

Although Elizabeth Cole came to America in the Winthrop Fleet, she seems to have spent the first few years living in the household of a former Mayflower passenger. Elizabeth was from Great Bowden, England, a village in Leicestershire, born there in about 1619.¹ She was the second child of Ryse Cole (also spelled Cowles) and Arrold Dunnington.

Elizabeth’s parents were followers of Puritanism, and when she was about 11-years-old, they took the drastic step of joining the migration to America.¹ In the spring of 1630, a total of about 700 people, led by John Winthrop, sailed across the Atlantic on 11 ships. They landed at Charlestown, where a small number of settlers already lived. Most of the group would then go on to found Boston, but for a few months during the summer, everyone remained at Charlestown.

In August 1630, Charlestown was visited by a doctor who had been in America for a while, and he offered to treat the sick. His name was Samuel Fuller, a man about 50 years of age, who was an unlicensed practitioner of medicine.³ He had been one of the people who fled England in about 1610 to live in Leiden, Netherlands, then joined the Pilgrims who arrived on the Mayflower in 1620. Before sailing, he took it upon himself to learn the basics of “medical knowledge” so that he could offer himself as a doctor to the new colony. His treatments were questionable by modern standards, using such things as “blood letting.”³

Fuller survived the early years of the Plymouth colony, and in 1630, he was at Charlestown to help treat the new arrivals. Elizabeth’s father must have had a respect for him, and being concerned about the rough conditions in Charlestown, asked the man to take his two oldest children into his household at Plymouth (although perhaps it was Fuller who offered it). So Elizabeth and her older brother Robert left their parents, and moved in with Fuller’s family.¹

Puritans were known for a practice called "sending out," which meant that parents would give their children over to live in another household for a period of time. It was done for various reasons, and most often to expose the children to an experience that will help them later in life.⁴ In Elizabeth and her brother's case, the arrangement seems to have lasted for three years, until Fuller died of small pox in 1633. In his will, he noted that Elizabeth had been in his care “committed to my education,” and was to be sent back to her parents in Charlestown upon his death. Interestingly, her brother was described in the same document as Fuller’s “servant.” There was also a boy from another family mentioned in the will.⁵

Samuel Fuller's 1633 will.

About six years after coming home to her family, Elizabeth married Thomas Peirce,¹ who also lived in Charlestown in his parents’ household. They settled in Woburn, a new town located inland; between 1643 and about 1662, she gave birth to 12 children, two of whom died as infants. Thomas took on a leadership role in Woburn, becoming sergeant of the militia, and having other civic posts.

Elizabeth and Thomas spent the rest of their lives in Woburn. He died first on November 6, 1683,² and she lived another few years, passing away on March 5, 1688.² Elizabeth’s large family gave her many descendants, among them were Governor Benjamin Pierce (of New Hampshire), President Franklin Pierce, Barbara (Pierce) Bush, George W. Bush, Jeb Bush and James Spader.⁶

Children:

1. Thomas Peirce — B. about 1640, (possibly) Woburn, Massachusetts;⁷ D. 8 Dec 1717, Woburn, Massachusetts;² M. Rachel Bacon (1652-?), 25 Mar 1680, Woburn, Massachusetts²

2. John Peirce — B. 7 Mar 1643, Woburn, Massachusetts;² D. 25 Mar 1720, Woburn, Massachusetts;² M. Deborah Converse (1647-?), 1 Jul 1663, Woburn, Massachusetts²

3. Elizabeth Peirce — B. 25 Dec 1646, Woburn, Massachusetts;² M. (1) Thomas Whittmore (1645-1670), 9 Nov 1666, Woburn, Massachusetts;² (2) Hopestill Foster (1648-1679), 15 Oct 1670, Woburn, Massachusetts;² (3) Nathaniel Pierce (1655-1692), 23 Mar 1680, Woburn, Massachusetts²

4. Joseph Peirce — B. 22 Sep 1648, Woburn, Massachusetts;² D. before 13 Aug 1649, Woburn, Massachusetts²

5. Joseph Peirce — B. 13 Aug 1649, Woburn, Massachusetts;² D. 21 Nov 1716, Woburn, Massachusetts;² M. Mary Richardson, 24 Jun 1681, Woburn, Massachusetts²

6. Stephen Peirce — B. 16 Jul 1651, Woburn, Massachusetts;² D. 10 Jun 1733, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;⁸ M. Tabitha Parker (1658-1742), 18 Nov 1676, Chelmsford, Massachusetts⁹

7. Samuel Peirce — B. 20 Feb 1654, Woburn, Massachusetts;² D. 27 Oct 1655, Woburn, Massachusetts²

8. Samuel Peirce — B. 7 Apr 1656, Woburn, Massachusetts;² D. 5 Jul 1721, Woburn, Massachusetts;² M. Lydia Bacon (1655-1717), 9 Dec 1680, Woburn, Massachusetts²

9. William Peirce — B. 7 Mar 1658, Woburn, Massachusetts;² D. 22 Aug 1720, Woburn, Massachusetts;² M. Abigail Sommers (~1658-~1726), 8 Apr 1690, Woburn, Massachusetts²

10. James Peirce — B. 7 May 1659, Woburn, Massachusetts;² D. 20 Jan 1741, Woburn, Massachusetts;²

11. Abigail Pierce — B. 20 Nov 1660, Woburn, Massachusetts;² D. 9 Sep 1719, Woburn, Massachusetts;² M. George Reed (1660-1756), 18 Feb 1685, Woburn, Massachusetts²

12. Benjamin Peirce — B. about 1662, (probably) Massachusetts;¹⁰ D. 25 Sep 1739, Woburn, Massachusetts;² M. Mary Reed, 10 Oct 1688, Charlestown, Massachusetts¹¹

Sources:
1    The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633, Robert Charles Anderson, 1995
2    Transcript of Woburn Town Records of Births, Marriages & Deaths, 1641-1843, Family search.org
3    Samuel Fuller (Pilgrim) (Wikipedia article)  
4    Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America, David Hackett Fischer, 1989
5    Will of Samuel Fuller, 30 Jul 1633  
6    Famous Kin (website)
7    Birth is missing from Woburn town records which begin in 1641
8    Births, marriages, deaths, 1673-1770, Chelmsford, Massachusetts, FamilySearch.org
9    Town Records of the Town of Chelmsford [Massachusetts], 1650-1730, FamilySearch.org
10  Estimated birth year based on marriage date
11  Woburn Records of Births, Deaths and Marriages, from 1640 to 1873, Part III, p. 209, Edward F. Johnson, 1891

French Girl Turned Colonial Pioneer — Florence Gareman

B. about 1628 in (probably) Bagneaux, Picardy, France¹
M. 3 Sep 1641 in Quebec City, New France²
Wife: François Boucher
D. before 21 Nov 1689 in (probably) Cap-Rouge, New France³

Very few early settlers of Canada arrived from France as families, and even fewer chose to settle in remote places, but Florence Gareman’s story is an exception. Florence was born to Pierre Gareman and Madeleine Charlot, and she was their oldest child; they were married on September 23, 1626, making her birth date sometime between 1627 and 1629.¹ They were from Bagneaux, a small village in Picardy located halfway between Paris and the Belgian border. Within a year or two of Florence’s birth, a sister was born.¹

Exactly when the Gareman family migrated to New France is unknown, but it was certainly before the end of 1639, because Florence’s younger sister was baptized in Quebec that December.⁴ By the following year, they moved upriver, to the frontier settlement of Cap-Rouge in the seigneury of Sillery. Florence didn’t stay there for very long, because on September 3, 1641, she got married.² Her husband was François Boucher, a young man who had also migrated from France with his family; their wedding took place at Notre-Dame-de-Quebec with the governor of New France, Charles de Montmagny, in attendance. Florence was no more than 15-years-old, and may have been as young as 12 — this was common in a place with so few marriageable women.

Governor Charles de Montmagny, who attended Florence's wedding.

Florence and her new husband settled near his family in Beauport, just to the east of Quebec City, and by the time she was about 20, three children were born to her. Then François acquired a concession near her parents, and in 1648, they moved to Cap-Rouge.⁵ At the time, there were only a handful of French settlers living there, and it was close to a Jesuit mission and Native American camp. Florence had nine children born there, with the last one in 1664.⁶ Raising a family in Cap-Rouge must have been challenging because of the constant threat from the Iroquois. In June 1653, this had a direct impact on Florence when her father’s farm was invaded by a band of Iroquois, who captured both her father and her 10-year-old brother Charles. Her father was killed, likely after being brutally tortured, and the boy was kept by the tribe.⁷ This must have raised the fear level in the settlers, but Florence and François continued living there.

Florence’s mother seems to have died a few years earlier, and she and her sisters inherited their parents’ land.⁸ Sometime during the 1660s, Florence and François also seemed to own a house in Quebec City. On November 23, 1667, she made an appearance before the authorities verifying the ownership of this property.⁹ It was described as being a lot 42’ by 52’ with “a substantial house in a square room and an attic.” It’s not clear from the record if they had ever lived in the house, or how their claim was settled. The family had been listed in both the 1666¹⁰ and 1667¹¹ censuses as living at Cap-Rouge.

In June 1677, an interesting event happened in Florence’s family when her long lost brother Charles turned up in Quebec City.¹² Everyone assumed he had been murdered by the Iroquois back in 1653, but he had adopted his captors’ way of life. He arrived with an Oneida wife and daughter, and they had the girl baptized, but then left the child with nuns and disappeared again. Sadly, the girl died young.

François was last known to be living in 1673,⁷ and on November 11, 1678, Florence’s name appeared on a document as a widow.¹³ In the 1681 census, she she was listed as head of her household, still at Cap-Rouge, 6 cattle and 6 arpents under cultivation;¹⁴ no doubt, her sons helped her run the farm. She herself died the marriage of her son Denis on November 21, 1689,³ but there is no burial record for her in the parish records. Florence was the ancestor of Leo Durocher.

Children:
1. Jean Boucher — B. 1 May 1643, Beauport, New France¹⁵

2. Benôit Boucher — B. about 1644, New France;¹⁰ D. 9 Jan 1703, (probably) Cap-Rouge, New France¹⁶

3. Elisabeth Boucher — B. 19 Mar 1646, Quebec City, New France;¹⁷ D. 24 Sep 1685, Quebec City, New France;¹⁸ M. Denis Guyon (1631-1685), 21 Oct 1659, Quebec City, New France¹⁹

4. Pierre Boucher dit Desroches— B. 29 Sep 1648, (probably) Cap-Rouge, New France;⁵ D. 10 Mar 1702, Quebec City, New France;²⁰ M. Hélène Gaudry dite Bourbonnière (1656-1712), 13 Dec 1671, New France²¹

5. Marin Boucher — B. 16 Dec 1650, (probably) Cap-Rouge, New France;²² D. before 1666, New France¹⁰

6. Marie Boucher — B. 30 Oct 1652, (probably) Cap-Rouge, New France;²³ D. 16 Dec 1713, Montreal, New France;²⁴ M. Antoine Chaudillon (1641-1707), 26 May 1672, St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, New France²⁵

7. Florence Boucher — B. 5 Oct 1654, (probably) Cap-Rouge, New France;²⁶ D. before 1666, New France¹⁰

8. Baby Boucher — B. 9 Oct 1654, (probably) Cap-Rouge, New France;²⁷ D. 9 Oct 1654, (probably) Cap-Rouge, New France²⁷

9. Charles Boucher — B. 4 Apr 1658, (probably) Cap-Rouge, New France;²⁸ D. 10 Aug 1728, Berthier-en-haut, New France;²⁹ M. Marguerite-Agnes Pelletier (~1666-?), 7 May 1685, Sorel, New France³⁰

10. Denis Boucher dit Desrosiers — B. 6 Apr 1660, (probably) Cap-Rouge, New France;³¹ D. 17 Nov 1723, St-Antoine-de-Tilly, New France;³² M. Jeanne Miville (1671-1744), 21 Nov 1689, Quebec City, New France³

11. Michel Boucher — B. 30 Apr 1661, (probably) Cap-Rouge, New France;³³ D. 1713, Portneuf, New France;³⁴ M. (1) Marie-Madeleine Huot (1670-1699), 26 Nov 1695, New France;³⁵ (2) Genevieve Amiot (1683-1717), 19 Apr 1700, St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, New France³⁶

12. Marie-Françoise Boucher — B. 6 Apr 1664, (probably) Cap-Rouge, New France;⁶ D. 9 Apr 1704, Charlesbourg, New France;³⁷ M. Nicolas Thibault (1663-1727), 23 Jul 1686, Château-Richer, New France³⁸

Sources:

1    Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing for Pierre Gareman 

2    Marriage record of François Boucher and Florence Gareman, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org

3    Marriage record of Denis Boucher dit Desrosiers and Jeanne Miville, Q.C.P.R.

4    Baptismal record of Marguerite Gareman, Q.C.P.R.

5    Baptismal record of Pierre Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

6    Baptismal record of Marie-Françoise Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

7    Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec, René Jette, 1983

8    Sales contract for house in Cap-Rouge, 26 Mar 1656, BAnQ  

9    Notarial record regarding property in Quebec City, 23 Nov 1667, BAnQ  

10  Recensement de 1666 en Nouvelle-France

11  Recensement de 1667 en Nouvelle-France

12  Habitants and Voyageurs: Adventures in French-Canadian and Anishinaabe Genealogy 

13  Inventaire des greffes des Notaires du Régime français, V. 4, p. 44, Roy, Antoine, 1943

14  Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France

15  Baptismal record of Jean Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

16  Burial record of Benôit Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

17  Baptismal record of Élisabeth Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

18  Burial record of Élisabeth Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

19  Marriage record of Denis Guyon and Élisabeth Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

20  Burial record of Pierre Boucher dit Desroches, Q.C.P.R.

21  Marriage record of Pierre Boucher dit Desroches and Hélène Gaudry dite Bourbonnière, Q.C.P.R.

22  Baptismal record of Marin Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

23  Baptismal record of Marie Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

24  Burial record of Marie Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

25  Marriage record of Antoine Chaudillon and Marie Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

26  Baptismal record of Florence Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

27  Baptismal and burial record of Baby Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

28  Baptismal record of Charles Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

29  Burial record of Charles Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

30  Marriage record of Charles Boucher and Marguerite-Agnes Pelletier, Q.C.P.R.

31  Baptismal record of Denis Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

32  Burial record of Denis Boucher dit Desrosiers, Q.C.P.R.

33  Baptismal record of Michel Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

34  Burial record of Michel Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

35  Marriage record of Michel Boucher and Marie-Madeleine Huot, Q.C.P.R.

36  Marriage record of Michel Boucher and Genevieve Amiot, Q.C.P.R.

37  Burial record of Marie-Françoise Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

38  Marriage record of Nicolas Thibault and Marie-Françoise Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

Fur Trader Wife and Farmer Widow — Angélique Clement

B. 18 Nov 1705 in Lachine, New France¹
M. (1) 13 Apr 1722 in Montreal, New France²
Husband: Jacques Bigras dit Fauvel
M. (2) 7 May 1752 in Detroit, New France³
Husband: Antoine (or Jean) Brizard
D. before 23 Aug 1784 in (probably) Detroit, Northwest Territory⁴

The story of Angélique Clement was shaped by the decisions of her husband, which left her in difficult circumstances after he died. Angelique was born in Lachine, New France on November 18, 1705.¹ Her parents were Pierre Clement dit La Rivière and Marie-Catherine Prezeau, and she was the second of nine children. Angélique was one generation removed from the constant threat of Iroquois aggression. Her mother had been orphaned in the Lachine massacre, and it’s believed that her father had been a soldier sent from France in the aftermath to defend New France. Angélique’s early childhood was spent in Lachine, then the family moved to Pointe-Claire, located on the north shore of Lake St-Louis.

Record of Angelique's baptism.

When Angélique was just 16-years-old, she got married. Her husband was Jacques Bigras dit Fauvel; their wedding took place in Montreal on April 13, 1722.² Jacques was a voyageur (a man who paddled canoes), and had already spent several years going on fur trading expeditions to the Great Lakes area. Angélique and Jacques settled in Point-Claire and within a few months, she was pregnant with their first child. The baby was born in February of the following year, but only lived for two days.^5,6 By the time she was 20, Angélique had two more children who also died shortly after birth; one baby was unnamed and likely stillborn.⁷ Finally, on July 2, 1726, a son was born who survived infancy; they named him Jean-Pascal.⁸

Over the next 15 or so years, Jacques went on several expeditions as a voyageur. The routine of a fur trader's wife meant saying goodbye to your husband in spring and not seeing him return until the fall. During her husband’s trips, Angélique had to maintain the farm and see to personal business, as well as take care of the home. By 1741, the family grew with the births of eight more children, making for a very crowded house. The following year, Jacques arranged to bring young Jean-Pascal with him on a trip to the west. They were to travel in the same canoe all the way to Detroit, a place Jacques had been to before.⁹ But not far into the journey, the man in charge of the canoe got mad at Jacques, and pushed him overboard, causing severe injury to his leg, and the canoe had to return to Montreal.¹⁰

Angélique must have been surprised to see her husband and son show up at home only a month after they had left. But soon after, the parish records show the burial of Jean-Pascal, who died shortly after they came back.¹¹ The injury to Jacques’ leg seems to have meant the end of his work as a voyageur. He sued the man who pushed him out of the canoe, but was only awarded 24 livres in damages.¹⁰ Meanwhile, Angélique had two more children in 1744¹² and 1749;¹³ the last one died as an infant.¹⁴

The family was financially challenged, and in 1750, they made a drastic move. Authorities in Detroit were seeking to attract settlers to set up farms there, offering free land, along with supplies and food rations on loan.³ Jacques and Angélique arrived with their nine children on August 9th and set themselves up on the south shore of the Detroit River (what is now Windsor, Ontario). But on February 4, 1751, Jacques died,¹⁵ leaving Angélique to manage on her own without her extended family nearby. Although she had sons ages 20, 18 and 16, they were said to have abandoned her within the next year, forcing her to find a new husband. On May 7, 1752, Angélique married a man from France at Ste-Anne-de-Detroit;³ his name was Antoine (or Jean) Brizard, and he agreed to pay off the debts of her first husband.

Angélique had a baby boy born in December 1753 who likely died young,¹⁶ and this was her last child. It's unknown when Angélique passed away, but she was noted as being deceased on the marriage record of her son Jean-Baptiste, dated August 23, 1784.⁴

Children by Jacques Bigras dit Fauvel:
1. Marie-Therese Bigras — B. 16 Feb 1723, Pointe-Claire, New France;⁵ D. 18 Feb 1723, Pointe-Claire, New France⁶

2. Marie-Joseph Bigras — B. 1 Apr 1724, Pointe-Claire, New France;¹⁷ D. 3 Apr 1724, Pointe-Claire, New France¹⁸

3. Baby Girl Bigras — B. 24 May 1725, Pointe-Claire, New France;⁷ D. 24 May 1725, Pointe-Claire, New France⁷

4. Jean-Pascal Bigras — B. 2 Jul 1726, Pointe-Claire, New France;⁸ D. 7 Jul 1742, Pointe-Claire, New France¹¹

5. Louis Bigras — B. 23 Sep 1728, Pointe-Claire, New France;¹⁹ D. 30 Nov 1747, Pointe-Claire, New France²⁰

6. Jacques Phillippe Bigras — B. 4 Dec 1730, Pointe-Claire, New France;²¹ D. 28 Apr 1790, Ste-Genevieve, Pierrefonds, Quebec;²² M. (1) Marie-Angelique _________, 5 Mar 1753, Pointe-Claire, New France;²³ (2) Marguerite Libersan (1746-1814), 21 Feb 1764, Ste-Genevieve, Pierrefonds, Quebec²⁴

7. Joseph-Marie Bigras — B. 1 Aug 1732, Pointe-Claire, New France²⁵

8. Joseph-Amable Bigras — B. 9 Mar 1734, Pointe-Claire, New France;²⁶ M. Charlotte Dufour (1739-?), 18 Apr 1755, Detroit, New France²⁷

9. Marie-Josephte Bigras — B. 22 Apr 1736, Pointe-Claire, New France;²⁸ D. 3 Feb 1766, Detroit, Quebec;²⁹ M. (1) Jacques Tavernier (1736-?), 9 Jan 1751, Detroit, New France;³⁰ (2) François Lebeau, 8 Jan 1752, Detroit, New France³¹

10. Marie-Angelique Bigras — B. 15 Oct 1737, Pointe-Claire, New France;³² M. François Leduc (1737-?), 3 Feb 1754, Detroit, New France³³

11. Marie-Charlotte Bigras — B. 5 Sep 1739, Pointe-Claire, New France;³⁴ M. Jean-Baptiste-Amable Drouillard (1731-1788), 25 Feb 1754, Detroit, New France³⁵

12. Marie-Françoise-Rosalie Bigras — B. 11 Jul 1741, Pointe-Claire, New France;³⁶ M. Jean-Baptiste Ravellette (1711-?), 25 Sep 1758, Detroit, New France³⁷

13. Jean-Baptiste Bigras — B. 19 Jan 1744, Pointe-Claire, New France;¹² D. 13 May 1822, St-Benoît, Quebec;³⁸ M. (1) Marie-Louise Brunet dite Letang (1749-?), 22 Jan 1776, Pointe-Claire, Quebec;³⁹ (2) Madeleine Meloche, 23 Aug 1783, Assumption, Ontario;⁴ (3) Catherine Sansoucy (1772-?), 4 Jun 1810, St-Eustache, Quebec⁴⁰

14. Eustache Bigras — B. 4 May 1749, Pointe-Claire, New France;¹³ D. 11 Jun 1749, Pointe-Claire, New France¹⁴

Children by Jean Brisard:
1. Jean Brisard — B. 4 Dec 1753, Detroit, New France¹⁶

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Angélique Clement, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Jacques Bigras dit Fauvel and Angélique Clement, Registre du fort Pontchartrain de Détroit, 1704-1800, FamilySearch.org
3    “Edward Cicotte Ledger, 1749-1752,” transcribed and annotated by Gail Moreau-DesHarnais, Michigan’s Habitant Heritage, Vol. 29, #3, July 2008
4    Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Favel dit Bigras and Madeleine Meloche, Canada, Ontario Catholic Church Records, 1760-1923, FamilySearch.org
5    Baptismal record of Marie-Therese Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
6    Burial record of Marie-Therese Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
7    Burial record of Baby Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
8    Baptismal record of Jean-Pascal Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
9    Fur trade contract of Jacques Bigras, 5 Jun 1742, Centre du patrimoine (website)  
10  Court record of trial between Jacques Bigras and Joseph Ducharme, 28 Jul 1742 to 5 May 1743, BAnQ  
11  Burial record of Jean-Pascal Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
12  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
13  Baptismal record of Eustache Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
14  Burial record of Eustache Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
15  Jacques Bigras listing on Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française  
16  Birth information comes from WikiTree and doesn’t cite an original source
17  Baptismal record of Marie-Joseph Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
18  Burial record of Marie-Joseph Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Louis Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
20  Burial record of Louis Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
21  Baptismal record of Jacques-Phillippe Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
22  Burial record of Jacques Phillippe Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
23  Marriage record of Jacques Phillippe Bigras and Marie-Angelique _______, Q.C.P.R.
24  Marriage record of Jacques Phillippe Bigras and Marguerite Libersan, Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal record of Joseph-Marie Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
26  Baptismal record of Joseph-Amable Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
27  Joseph-Amable Bigras listing on Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française  
28  Baptismal record of Marie-Josephte Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
29  Death record of Marie-Josephte Bigras, Registre du fort Pontchartrain de Détroit
30  Marie-Josephte Bigras listing on Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française  
31  Marriage record of François Lebeau and Marie-Josephte Bigras, Registre du fort Pontchartrain de Détroit
32  Baptismal record of Marie-Angelique Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
33  Marie-Angelique Bigras listing on Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française  
34  Baptismal record of Marie-Charlotte Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
35  Charlotte Bigras listing on Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française  
36  Baptismal record of Marie-Françoise-Rosalie Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
37  “French Soldiers Married in Detroit in 1758,” Gail Moreau-DesHarnais, Michigan’s Habitant Heritage, Vol. 29, #4, Oct 2008
38  Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
39  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Bigras and Marie-Louise Brunet dite Letang, Q.C.P.R.
40  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Bigras and Catherine Sansoucy, Q.C.P.R.