Accused of a Criminal Scheme — Nicolas Daudelin

B. about 1635 in Rouen, France¹
M. 22 Oct 1665, Château-Richer, New France²
Wife: Anne Girard
D. 24 Aug 1699 in La Pérade, New France¹

During the middle of his life, Nicolas Daudelin seemed to be involved in plotting to steal a vast amount of money from an important man in New France. Nicolas had sketchy beginnings, said to be born in about 1635 in Rouen, France to parents Jacques Daudelin and Jeanne Lépine.² He first turned up in Canada in a record dated January 21, 1665 working as farm laborer for Jean Migneault and Charles Cloutier, two early settlers of Beauport.³ The standard length of an engaged servant’s contract was three years, and this seemed to have been his final year of service, so Nicolas likely arrived from France in about 1663.

In the fall of 1665, Nicolas sought out a bride from that year’s shipload of Filles du Roi. He chose Anne Girard, who at age 35 was unusually old for a woman still single. Their marriage contract was signed on October 21st, and the wedding took place the next day at Château-Richer.² The witnesses were Zacharie and Jean Cloutier, brothers of Charles, further establishing his connection to that family. Nicolas and Anne had their first two children in 1667, a set of twins. Two years later, another set of twins were born. Despite the encouragement by authorities to have large families, Nicolas only fathered these four children; perhaps Anne’s age was a factor in this.

The event that gives an impression that Nicolas wasn’t a lawful man happened in 1675.⁴ In June of that year, a trial took place at Quebec involving him and two others, Mathurin Tessier and Antoine Gaboury. The three were all accused of planning to make themselves rich by poaching goods from remote outposts. The idea was that they would travel into present-day New York, and on the way, pillage “the establishment of Charles Bazire,” a wealthy merchant who operated a post at the Rivière-du-Loup.⁵ They calculated that each participant in the crime would get 20,000 livres, an enormous sum of money. Nicolas had two farm laborers who worked for him also in on the plot, and it was these two who seemed to blow his cover, along with another settler invited to join them named Jean Briere.

Map showing location of Rivière-du-Loup.

When the accused men were brought to court, each of them denied it, pointing the finger at each other. Tessier claimed Nicolas was the ring leader, saying that he had cooked the whole thing up. Meanwhile, Briere testified that Tessier and Gaboury were to blame for talking Nicolas into their scheme. The records don’t reveal the outcome of the trial, but afterwards, Nicolas seems to have resumed his life as a farmer. The 1681 census showed that he had 37 arpents under cultivation and 19 cattle, both of which were signs of success.⁶ Soon after, the family relocated to the seigneury of La Pérade, located upriver from Quebec City.

Nicolas died at La Pérade on August 25, 1699. His wife Anne survived him and passed away in 1710.⁷ They were ancestors of Leo Durocher.

Children:
1. Marie-Anne Daudelin – B. 28 Apr 1667, Château-Richer, New France;⁸ D. 1 Jul 1733, Vercheres, New France;⁹ M. René Provost (~1652-1734), 9 Jan 1684, Ste-Anne-de-la-Pérade, New France¹⁰

2. Réne Daudelin – B. 28 Apr 1667, Château-Richer, New France;¹² D. 11 May 1719, Varennes, New France;¹³ M. (1) Marguerite Collette (1669-1703), 7 Jan 1687, Batiscan, New France;¹⁴ (2) Marie-Madeleine Abirou (1680-1736), 1 Dec 1703, Varennes, New France¹⁵

3. Madeleine Daudelin — B. 11 May 1669, Château-Richer, New France;¹⁶ D. 26 Apr 1750, Varennes, New France;¹⁷ M. (1) Jean-Baptiste Rougeau (1649-1718), 8 Feb 1684, La Pérade, New France;¹⁸ (2) Antoine Berthelet (1675-1755), 30 Jun 1732, Montreal, New France¹⁹

4. Marie Daudelin — B. 11 May 1669, Château-Richer, New France¹⁶

Sources:

1    Burial record of Nicolas Daudelin, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org

2    Marriage record of Nicolas Daudelin and Anne Girard, Q.C.P.R. 

3   Court order involving Jean Migneault Chastillon and Nicolas Daudelin, BAnQ 

4    Criminal case against Nicolas Daudelin, Mathurin Tessier and Antoine Gaboury, BAnQ 

5    Charles Bazire (Wikipedia article) 

6    1681 Census of New France

7    Burial record of Anne Girard, Q.C.P.R. 

8    Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Daudelin, Q.C.P.R. 

9    Burial record of Marie-Anne Daudelin, Q.C.P.R. 

10  Marriage record of René Provost and Marie-Anne Daudelin, Q.C.P.R. 

11  Baptismal record of René Daudelin, Q.C.P.R. 

12 Burial record of René Daudelin, Q.C.P.R. 

13  Burial record of René Daudelin, Q.C.P.R.

14  Marriage record of René Daudelin and Marguerite Collet, Q.C.P.R. 

15  Marriage record of René Daudelin and Marie-Madeleine Abirou, Q.C.P.R.

16  Baptismal record of Madeleine and Marie Daudelin, Q.C.P.R. 

17  Burial record of Madeleine Daudelin, Q.C.P.R. 

18  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Rougeau and Madeleine Daudelin, Q.C.P.R. 

19  Marriage record of Antoine Berthelet and Madeleine Daudelin, Q.C.P.R. 

Escorting Filles du Roi — Catherine-Françoise Desnaguets

B. about 1621 in Paris, France¹
M. after 21 Mar 1646 in Paris, France²
Husband: Pierre Petit
D. before 10 Sep 1691 in (probably) Paris, France³

Catherine-Françoise Desnaguets had an unusual story for a woman of New France: her travels and status led her to become a chaperone on a voyage of young women to the colony. She was thought to be born in Paris in about 1621;¹ her parents were said to be Bonaventure Desnaguets (also spelled Desnaguetz or Desnoyers) and Anne des Gautiers.² It’s known that Catherine-Françoise had three brothers and a sister.⁴ Her father had an important job as “Ingénieur du roi pour l'artillerie en France” which translates as “artillery engineer for the king of France.”⁵ He died in March of 1642 and was buried at St. Paul church;⁶ Catherine-Françoise’s mother passed away in September of 1644.⁶

View of Paris when Catherine-Françoise was born.

On March 21, 1646, Catherine-Françoise appeared in records on a contract of marriage.² The man she agreed to marry was Pierre Petit, who was also from Paris. The document indicated that Catherine-Françoise had been living at “the house of the poor orphans of Saint-Joseph on Saint-Dominique street in Saint-Germain-des-Prés.” Given her background and age at her parents’ deaths, she wasn’t likely there as an orphan, but had a different role, perhaps as a teacher. Catherine-Françoise brought 300 livres in dowry, and was said to be vouched for by the woman who headed the orphanage, plus “several notables.” The record of the actual wedding is missing, but it probably happened soon after the contract signing.

A short time later, Catherine-Françoise left France with Pierre to sail to Canada. They landed at Quebec City by May 21st, when Pierre was granted a seigneury in a remote area upriver;⁷ it isn’t believed they ever moved there. Catherine-Françoise gave birth to their first child the following year,⁸ then they settled in Beauport. A second child was born in January of 1650,⁹ who seems to have died young. That May, their farm was invaded by a band of Iroquois, who slaughtered a man who worked for them, and kidnapped their firstborn child, 3-year-old Joseph. The boy was never returned, and was thought to be killed by the Indians at their camp near present-day Albany, New York.⁷

It’s easy to imagine that the hardships Catherine-Françoise and Pierre suffered led to their return to France, and in about the fall of 1651, they were back in Paris.⁷ A daughter was born soon after,⁷ but they once again moved to the colony by 1653, settling first on Île d’Orleans, then in Quebec City.⁷ Catherine-Françoise gave birth to two more sons, with the younger one born in April 1660.^10,11 During this period, she appeared in a court record as handling a matter about the family’s property while Pierre was away from home.⁷ In the case dated August 26, 1659, Catherine-Françoise charged a neighbor with encroaching on their land with a structure he had built. The dispute was settled with a compromise, and the neighbor gave them a portion of his property to compensate for the amount taken up by the building.

In late 1660, the family moved back to France, and seemed to have stayed there for the next few years.⁷ Pierre might have made some trips to the colony, leaving Catherine-Françoise to manage things alone in Paris.⁷ It’s likely that her dealings around this time led to her participation in bringing women to Canada.¹² During the 1660s, the officials in France made a concentrated effort to boost the population of New France by encouraging marriageable women to relocate there. The young brides later became known as the Filles du Roi, or Daughters of the King, and they arrived in the colony by the shipload. Part of the logistics of transporting the women required having a female to escort them, and in 1667, this task fell to Catherine-Françoise. At the time, she had three underaged children, and it isn’t known who may have looked after them while she took on this job.

On June 2nd, Catherine-Françoise brought women who had been recruited in Paris to the port city of Dieppe, estimated to be a group of about twenty. Among that year’s Filles du Roi were several who were from middle- and upper-class families. After they arrived at Dieppe two weeks later, some were unhappy with the way things were going and petitioned authorities about their “ill treatment.” They complained that they were deprived of food that Catherine-Françoise had promised they would get from the men operating the ship. In addition, they accused their chaperone of stealing their clothes.⁷

Unfortunately, no record has survived saying if Catherine-Françoise was found guilty of the accusations. Perhaps the issue of stolen clothing was that some of the women brought too much baggage, but this is speculation.¹² Catherine-Françoise and her group of prospective brides boarded the ship Le St-Louis, along with sixty or so women from Normandy. The crossing was a difficult one that took almost three months, and many of the women were sick when they arrived at Quebec City on September 25th.⁷

Jean Talon, the man responsible for the Filles du Roi program, later wrote about the mismanaged voyage in a letter dated October 27th.⁷ While sticking up for the ship’s company and crew, he said this about Catherine-Françoise: “It would be my feeling about the people of their sex and their quality having a wise and authorized escort to make them give the necessary things.” Later he mentioned that there were "fifteen or twenty [women] who are said to be of fairly good birth… which has not prevented that they have not been very ill-treated by their escort who has robbed them of half of their clothes.”

The style of dresses Catherine-Françoise was accused of "stealing."

Needless to say, Catherine-Françoise made no more trips as a Filles du Roi chaperone. The women she brought over for the most part did find husbands, including Catherine Ballié, Marie Blanchard, Catherine Bourgeois, and Catherine Vieillot.¹² Back in New France, Catherine-Françoise reunited with her husband Pierre, but by May 1669, they had returned once again to Paris, making their home in the Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois parish.⁷ Pierre later went back to Canada, but it’s believed that Catherine-Françoise did not, and she died at an unknown date, likely in Paris. Among her descendants are Ricky Gervais and Matt LeBlanc.

Children:
1. Joseph Petit — B. 12 Jul 1647, Quebec City, New France;⁸ D. (probably) May 1650, Fort Orange, New Netherland⁷

2. Marie Petit — B. 30 Jan 1650, (probably) Beauport, New France⁹

3. Anne-Charlotte Petit — B. about 1652, (probably) Paris, France;⁷ D. 2 Mar 1736, St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, New France;¹³ M. (1) Joachim Martin (~1636-1690), 16 Jun 1669, Quebec City New France;¹⁴ (2) Antoine Juchereau (1640-1699), 10 Sep 1691, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France;³ (3) Jean-Paul Maheu (1649-1708), 11 Jun 1703, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France¹⁵

4. René-Jacques Petit — B. 16 Jan 1657, Quebec City, New France¹⁰

5. Louis-Alexandre Petit — B. 6 Apr 1660, Quebec City, New France;¹¹ D. before 20 Nov 1738, Varennes, New France;¹⁶ M. Marie-Anne Messier (1665-1751), 8 Jan 1721, Varennes, New France¹⁷

Sources:
1    Estimated age based on ages of siblings and likely age at marriage, Fichier origine
2    Marriage contract of Pierre Petit and Catherine-Françoise Desnaguets, Fichier origine
3    Marriage record of Antoine Juchereau and Anne-Charlotte Petit, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org 
4    Baptismal records of St-Paul church, Paris, Fichier origine
5    Occupation of father in Catherine-Françoise’ profile in Fichier origine
6    Burial records of St-Paul church, Paris, Fichier origine
7    Un Martin en Amérique: Joachim Martin, né à Aytré, 1636-1690, Marcel Martin, 1997
8    Baptismal record of Joseph Petit, Q.C.P.R. 
9    Baptismal record of Marie Petit, Q.C.P.R.
10  Baptismal record of René-Jacques Petit, Q.C.P.R.
11  Baptismal record of Louis-Alexandre Petit, Q.C.P.R.
12  “Catherine-Françoise Desnaguez: Accompagnatice des Filles du Roi,” Robert Berube  
13  Burial record of Anne-Charlotte Petit, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of Joachim Martin and Anne-Charlotte Petit, Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of Jean-Paul Maheu and Anne-Charlotte Petit, Q.C.P.R.
16  Burial record of Louis-Alexandre Petit, Q.C.P.R.
17  Marriage record of Louis-Alexandre Petit and Marie-Anne Messier, Q.C.P.R.

Common Name in Early Massachusetts — William Baker

B. about 1658 in (probably) Concord, Massachusetts¹
M. 5 May 1681 in Concord, Massachusetts²
Wife: Elizabeth Dutton
D. 8 Jun 1702 in Concord, Massachusetts³

The ancestors of people who trace back to Puritan New England are often shadowy because they had a common first and last name. For William Baker, there’s only certainty about where he lived, when he married and when he died — and the many descendants he produced. Sloppy research has led to mixing him up with another man by the same name, William Baker born on October 19, 1655 in Ipswich, but that was definitely a different man.

The William Baker of this biography was born sometime during 1650s, likely in Concord, Massachusetts.¹ His parents were William and Mary Baker who lived in Concord by 1656. William Sr. was missing from a list of Concord residents dated March 6, 1654,⁴ and this has led some to jump to the conclusion that he must have migrated from England between the two dates. But this is highly unlikely since Puritans pretty much stopped leaving England during the 1650s; the persecution against them took a break while the Cromwells were in power. More plausible is that William Sr. was elsewhere in Massachusetts in March 1654, or he was left off the list by mistake. As for his origins in England, he’s impossible to trace because of his name.

After William came of age, he got married to a woman named Elizabeth Dutton, with the wedding taking place on May 5, 1681 in Concord.² William and Elizabeth had seven children between 1682 and 1696, two of whom died as infants. All of these births were noted in Concord records, which don’t offer up many more details of the family.

The period of time when William was farming his land and raising his family was fairly uneventful in that part of Massachusetts. King Philip’s War had ended Indian aggression there, and the 1680s and 1690s were peaceful in Concord. William seems to have kept a low profile; a 1689 list of freemen in the town (those eligible to vote on local issues) do not include his name. Likewise, his name doesn’t appear in town histories, and he probably had little to do with civic matters in the community.

When William’s wife Elizabeth died on April 7, 1698,⁵ four children were still underage, and this is likely the reason he remarried. There is some confusion, though, over whether he had one or two more wives. Some think he had a brief marriage with a woman named Sarah; a town record stated, “Sarah the wife of William Baker died September 1, 1699.” Other researchers say that William married a woman named Abigail Ballard, but there’s no record of that marriage either. William passed away at Concord on June 8, 1702.³

Old Burying Ground in Concord where William was likely buried. (Source: Find-a-Grave)

Children:
1. Mary Baker — B. 28 Mar 1682, Concord, Massachusetts;⁶ M. Thomas Whitney (1681-1747), 26 Jul 1704, Concord, Massachusetts⁷

2. Elizabeth Baker — B. 15 Sep 1684, Concord, Massachusetts;⁸ D. 23 Jan 1757, Concord, Massachusetts;⁹ M. (1) John Woolly, 29 Nov 1711, Concord, Massachusetts;¹⁰ (2) Joseph Stow, 16 Jul 1719, Concord, Massachusetts¹¹

3. Susannah Baker — B. 25 Aug 1686, Concord, Massachusetts;¹² D. 5 Jun 1748, Plainfield, Connecticut;¹³ M. Samuel Spaulding (1686-1749), 22 Oct 1705, Concord, Massachusetts¹⁴

4. Thomas Baker — B. 25 Jun 1689, Concord, Massachusetts;¹⁵ D. 9 Dec 1690, Concord, Massachusetts¹⁶

5. John Baker — B. 6 May 1692, Concord, Massachusetts;¹⁷ D. 3 Aug 1692, Concord, Massachusetts¹⁸

6. Sarah Baker — B. 15 Aug 1693, Concord, Massachusetts;¹⁹ D. 16 Feb 1743, Concord, Massachusetts;²⁰ M. Nathaniel Bell (1692-1749), 31 May 1711, Concord, Massachusetts²¹

7. Joseph Baker — B. 8 Jan 1696, Concord, Massachusetts;²² D. 3 Sep 1761, Littleton, Massachusetts;²³ M. Alice Jefts (1691-?), 11 Dec 1716, Concord, Massachusetts²⁴

Sources:
1    Estimated birth data based on age at marriage and place of marriage
2    Marriage record of William Baker and Elizabeth Dutton, Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
3    Death record of William Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
4    The History of Concord, Massachusetts, Volume 1, Alfred Sereno Hudson, 1904
5    Death record of Elizabeth (Dutton) Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
6    Birth record of Mary Baker, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1635-1850, 1891
7    WikiTree listing for Mary Baker  
8    Birth record of Elizabeth Baker, C., M., M., B., M., & D.
9    Find-a-Grave listing for Elizabeth Stowe  
10  Marriage record of John Woolly and Elizabeth Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
11  Marriage record of Joseph Stow and Elizabeth Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
12  Birth record of Susannah Baker, C., M., M., B., M., & D.
13  WikiTree listing for Susannah (Baker) Spaulding  
14  Marriage record of Samuel Spaulding and Susannah Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
15  Birth record of Thomas Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
16 FamilySearch listing of Thomas Baker 
17 Birth record of John Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
18  Death record of John Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
19  Birth record of Sarah Baker, C., M., M., B., M., & D.
20  WikiTree listing for Sarah (Baker) Ball  
21  Marriage record of Nathaniel Bell and Sarah Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
22  Birth record of Joseph Baker, C., M., M., B., M., & D.
23  Death record of Joseph Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
24  Marriage of Joseph Baker and Alice Jefts, M. T. C., V. & T. R.

A Soldier and Father of 16 — Charles Dubord dit Clermond

B. 16 Aug 1681 in Champlain, New France¹
M. Jan 1712 in Grondines, New France²
Wife: Marie Ripault
D. 29 Oct 1749 in Grondines, New France³

Charles Dubord dit Clermond served in his local militia as he operated a farm and raised a large family. He was born on August 16, 1681 in Champlain, New France to Julien Dubord dit LaFontaine and Catherine Guerard, the fifth of their ten children.¹ Charles’ father had been a Carignan-Salières Regiment soldier and his mother was a Fille du Roi, a pairing that was common to many settlers along the St. Lawrence. The couple settled in the seigneury of Champlain, a remote farming community to the east of Trois-Rivières, and this is where Charles grew up.

Charles didn’t get married until he was 30-years-old, and given his later rank as a military officer, he likely spent at least some of his 20s as a soldier.⁴ There was a need for young men to defend the colony against English aggression, especially during Queen Anne’s War (1702-1713). If Charles did serve during this time, it was likely as part of a militia, but records are sketchy about individual soldiers.

Near the end of this conflict, in January of 1712, Charles married Marie Ripault at her hometown of Grondines.² The newlyweds set up a farm at or near the seigneury of Sorel, with their first child born by the end of the year.⁵ Sorel was on the south shore of the St. Lawrence just west of Lac St-Pierre; it’s also thought they lived on Île-aux-Castors,⁶ one of a series of islands where the river turns into the lake. Perhaps the place was too remote because after two more children were born, the family returned to Grondines.⁷ There were eventually a total of sixteen children in the family, with the last one born in 1738.⁸

A document dated January 14, 1727 showed that Charles had been appointed ensign in the Grondines militia.⁴ The record concerned a dispute with the seigneur over where the habitants could graze their cattle. The matter had to be settled by the Intendant of New France, Claude-Thomas Dupuy, and Charles was ordered to keep his cows clear of the seigneur’s land.

Record showing dispute involving Charles reviewed by Intendant Dupuy. (Source: BAnQ)

By the end of his life, Charles had risen to the rank of lieutenant of the militia.⁹ He died at the age of 68 on October 29, 1749, and was buried in Grondines.³ Some of his children were still underage, and his wife Marie had a legal guardian assigned to them in 1754.⁹ She passed away in 1759.¹⁰

Children:
1. Charles Clermond dit Dubord — B. 8 Oct 1712, Sorel, New France;⁵ M. Marie-Anne LePelle (1717-1759), 7 Jan 1744, Champlain, New France¹¹

2. Pierre Clermond dit Dubord — B. 31 Oct 1713, Sorel, New France;¹²

3. Louis Clermond Dubord — B. about 1715, (probably) Île-Aux-Castors, New France;⁶ D. about Jan 1793, (probably) Northwest Territory;⁶ M. Marie-Louise Bouron (1726-?), 5 Oct 1744, Detroit, New France¹³

4. Michel Dubord — B. 18 Dec 1716, Grondines, New France⁷

5. Marie-Josephe Dubord — B. 16 Nov 1718, Grondines, New France;¹⁴ D. 17 Apr 1748, Grondines, New France¹⁵

6. Joseph Clermond dit Dubord — B. 21 Feb 1721, Grondines, New France;¹⁶ M. Madeleine Guyon (1710-?), 6 Oct 1760, Grondines, New France¹⁷

7. Marie-Madeleine Clermond Dubord — B. 10 Apr 1722, Grondines, New France;¹⁸ D. 4 Jan 1768, Grondines, Quebec;¹⁹ M. Antoine Lecuyer (1710-1786), 12 Nov 1741, Grondines, New France²⁰

8. Marie-Angelique Dubord — B. 20 Sep 1724, Grondines, New France;²¹ D. 14 Oct 1724, Grondines, New France²²

9. Antoine Dubord dit Clermond — B. 27 Sep 1725, Grondines, New France;²³ M. (1) Marie-Anne Biguet (1730-1758), 5 Sep 1751, Ste-Anne-de-la-Perade, New France;²⁴ (2) Marie-Louise Hamelin (1734-1802), 25 Jul 1758²⁵

10. Marie-Anne Dubord — B. 25 Aug 1727, Grondines, New France;²⁶ D. 11 Jan 1748, Grondines, New France²⁷

11. François Dubord dit Clermond — B. 15 Dec 1729, Grondines, New France;²⁸ M. Josephte Baribeau (1739-1774), 7 Feb 1757, Ste-Anne-de-la-Perade, New France²⁹

12. René Dubord — B. 3 May 1731, Grondines, New France;³⁰ D. 16 Dec 1755, La Perade, New France³¹

13. Jean-Baptiste Dubord — B. 12 Apr 1733, Grondines, New France;³² D. 12 Apr 1733, Grondines, New France³³

14. Nicolas Dubord — B. 4 May 1734, Grondines, New France³⁴

15. Alexis Lafontaine Clermond — B. 18 May 1736, Grondines, New France³⁵

16. Marie-Charlotte Dubord — B. 11 Jul 1738, La Perade, New France⁸

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Charles Dubord dit Clermond, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org 
2    Marriage record of Charles Dubord dit Clermond and Marie Ripault, Q.C.P.R.
3    Burial record of Charles Dubord dit Clermond, Q.C.P.R.
4    Seigneur of Grondines vs. Charles Dubord court record, January 14, 1727, BAnQ
5    Baptismal record of Charles Dubord dit Clermond (younger), Q.C.P.R.
6    WikiTree listing for Louis Clermont (1715-1793) 
7    Baptismal record of Michel Dubord, Q.C.P.R.
8    Baptismal record of Marie-Charlotte Dubord, Q.C.P.R.
9    Guardianship of the minor children of the late Charles Dubord, August 3, 1754, BAnQ
10  Burial record of Marie Ripault, Q.C.P.R.
11  Marriage record of Charles Dubord dit Clermond and Marie-Anne LePelle, Q.C.P.R.
12  Baptismal record of Pierre Dubord dit Clermond, Q.C.P.R.
13  Genealogy of the French Families of the Detroit River Region, Christian Dennison, 1987
14  Baptismal record of Marie-Josephe Dubord, Q.C.P.R.
15  Burial record of Marie-Josephe Dubord, Q.C.P.R.
16 Baptismal record of Joseph Dubord dit Clermond, Q.C.P.R.
17  Dictionnaire généalogique des familles, Vol. 3, Cyprien Tanguay, 1887
18  Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Dubord Clermond, Q.C.P.R.
19  Burial record of Marie-Madeleine Dubord Clermond, Q.C.P.R.
20  Marriage record of Marie-Madeleine Dubord Clermond and Antoine Lecuyer, Q.C.P.R.
21  Baptismal record of Marie-Angelique Dubord, Q.C.P.R.
22  Burial record of Marie-Angelique Dubord, Q.C.P.R.
23  Baptismal record of Antoine Dubord dit Clermond, Q.C.P.R.
24  Marriage record of Antoine Dubord dit Clermond and Marie-Anne Biquet, Q.C.P.R.
25  Marriage record of Antoine Dubord dit Clermond and Marie-Louise Hamelint, Q.C.P.R.
26  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Dubord, Q.C.P.R.
27  Burial record of Marie-Anne Dubord, Q.C.P.R.
28  Baptismal record of François Dubord dit Clermond, Q.C.P.R.
29  Marriage record of François Dubord dit Clermond and Josephte Baribeau, Q.C.P.R.
30  Baptismal record of René Dubord, Q.C.P.R.
31  Burial record of René Dubord, Q.C.P.R.
32  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Dubord, Q.C.P.R.
33  Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Dubord, Q.C.P.R.
34  Baptismal record of Nicolas Dubord, Q.C.P.R.
35  Baptismal record of Alexis Lafontaine Dubord, Q.C.P.R.

13-Years-Old During Siege of Quebec — Jacques Dubois

B. 22 Apr 1746 in Pointe-de-Lévy, New France¹
M. 28 Jul 1766 in St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec²
Wife: Marie-Charlotte Dussault
D. 21 May 1827 in Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec³

Jacques Dubois was still a child during the time when the colony of New France gave way to English control. His entire life was spent in Pointe-de-Lévy, where he was born on April 22, 1746.¹ Jacques’ parents were Jacques Dubois and Marie-Marguerite Menard; his father had two previous wives and was almost 50-years-old when young Jacques was born. There were three older half-sisters from his father’s first two marriages, and one younger full-blooded sister, so Jacques was the only boy in the family.

During the mid-18th century, many farms in Pointe-de-Lévy were inland, and Jacques grew up along the Etchemin River that emptied into the St. Lawrence.⁴ The people there formed a small community, but all made use of the St-Joseph parish, which was close to the river. Just across the water was Quebec City, and when English warships arrived in the summer of 1759, they set up camp on the south shore as a main staging area for their invasion. Jacques at age 13 was too young to fight against them, and likely joined his family finding shelter further inland. When it was safe to return to their farm several months later, it’s easy to imagine that Jacques did much of the work along with his now elderly father to restore their farm.

After coming of age, Jacques got married.² His bride was Marie-Charlotte Dussault, who was of another family of Pointe-de Lévy. Their wedding took place at St-Joseph church on July 28, 1766, and was attended by their families and friends. Their first child was born within a year,⁵ and they had a total of thirteen by 1789, of whom seven died young (the last child may have been stillborn).⁶ March of 1781 was a sad time when Jacques' father and Charlotte’s father died five days apart; both were buried in the St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy cemetery.^7,8

In spite of the hardships of being a farmer in Quebec, Jacques lived a long life. He was noted on the 1825 census of Lower Canada living next to his youngest son Ignace.⁹ Jacques died two years later on May 21, 1827.³ Charlotte survived him, and passed away in 1831 at the age of 90.¹⁰

Jacques Dubois listed on 1825 Lower Canada census.

Children:
1. Charlotte Dubois — B. 4 Jun 1767, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;⁵ D. 21 Sep 1805, Beaumont, Quebec;¹¹ M. Alexis Paquet (1762-1835), 19 Nov 1787, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec¹²

2. Marie-Genevieve Dubois — B. about 1768, (probably) Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;¹³ D. 16 Oct 1792, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;^13,14 M. François Cantin (1759-1833), 5 Sep 1791, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec¹⁴

3. Jacques Dubois — B. 15 Jan 1769, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;¹⁵ D. 15 Jun 1783, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec¹⁶

4. Marie-Angelique — B. 15 Jan 1770, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;¹⁷ D. 5 Mar 1791, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec¹⁸

5. Marie-Louise Dubois — B. 22 Sep 1771, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;¹⁹ D. 16 Feb 1846, St-Nicolas, Quebec;²⁰ M. Etienne Lambert (1775-1861), 6 Aug 1795, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec²¹

6. Michel Dubois — B. 21 Aug 1774, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;²² D. 12 Aug 1809, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;²³ M. Marie-Joseph Fournier (1777-1856), 4 Jul 1796, St-Etienne-de-Beaumont, Quebec²⁴

7. Joseph Dubois — B. 14 May 1776, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;²⁵ D. 23 May 1776, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec²⁶

8. Catherine Dubois — B. 19 May 1777, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;²⁷ D. 20 May 1777, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec²⁸

9. Marie-Anne Dubois — B. 27 May 1778, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;²⁹ D. 15 Jan 1821, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;³⁰ M. Etienne Cantin (1772-1826), St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec³¹

10. Ignace Dubois — B. 5 May 1781, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;³² D. 1 Sep 1842, St-Jean-Chrysostome, Quebec;³³ M. Anastasie Cantin (1785-1847), 21 Jan 1805, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec³⁴

11. Marie-Agnes Dubois — B. 28 Apr 1783, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;³⁵ D. 9 Apr 1791, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec³⁶

12. Marie-Euphrosine Dubois — B. 5 May 1786, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;³⁷ D. 15 May 1786, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec³⁸

13. Baby Dubois — B. 14 Jan 1789, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;⁶ D. 14 Jan 1789, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec⁶

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Jacques Dubois, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Jacques Dubois and Marie-Charlotte Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
3    Burial record of Jacques Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
4    Histoire de la Seigneurie de Lauzon, Volume 2, Joseph-Edmond Roy, 1898
5    Baptismal record of Charlotte Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
6    Baptismal and burial record of Baby Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
7    Burial record of Jacques Dubois (older), Q.C.P.R.
8    Burial record of Joseph-Marie Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
9    1825 Census of Lower Canada, Ancestry.com
10  Burial record of Marie-Charlotte Dusault, Q.C.P.R.
11  Burial record of Charlotte Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
12  Marriage record of Alex Paquet and Charlotte Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
13  Burial record of Marie-Genevieve Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of François Cantin and Marie-Genevieve Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
15  Baptismal record of Jacques Dubois (younger), Q.C.P.R.
16  Burial record of Jacques Dubois (younger), Q.C.P.R.
17  Baptismal record of Marie-Angelique Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
18  Burial record of Marie-Angelique Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Marie-Louise Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
20  Burial record of Marie-Louise Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
21  Marriage record of Etienne Lambert and Marie-Louise Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
22  Baptismal record of Michel Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
23  Burial record of Michel Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
24  Marriage record of Michel Dubois and Marie-Joseph Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal record of Joseph Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
26  Burial record of Joseph Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
27  Baptismal record of Catherine Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
28  Burial record of Catherine Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
29  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
30  Burial record of Marie-Anne Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
31  Marriage record of Etienne Cantin and Marie-Anne Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
32  Baptismal record of Ignace Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
33  Burial record of Ignace Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
34  Marriage record of Ignace Dubois and Anastasie Cantin, Q.C.P.R.
35  Baptismal record of Marie-Agnes Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
36  Burial record of Marie-Agnes Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
37  Baptismal record of Marie-Euphrosine Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
38  Burial record of Marie-Euphrosine Dubois, Q.C.P.R.

Of a Colonial Military Family — Mary Dakin

B. 28 Aug 1741 in Sudbury, Massachusetts¹
M. 1 Apr 1761 in Sudbury, Massachusetts²
Husband: Timothy Baker
D. after 7 Mar 1786 in (probably) Massachusetts³

Mary Dakin was touched by the wars of 18th-century America involving the men around her. She was born in Sudbury, Massachusetts on August 28, 1741, the second youngest child of Samuel Dakin and Mercy Minot.¹ Mary’s father was a military man, appointed as ensign in the Sudbury militia in 1745.⁴ By the time she was in her teens, her father took on a greater role as a captain who led 48 men during the French and Indian War.⁴ His service took him away from the family, and sadly, he was killed in an attack at a fort in New York on July 20, 1758.⁴

In the aftermath of Mary’s father’s death, she was documented in his probate records.⁵ Mary was 16-years-old and still underage, so she was assigned a guardian of her choosing. On a document dated September 16, 1758, it states “I have chosen Captain Stephen Hosmer of Concord to be my guardian,” followed by her name and mark. Captain Hosmer was also assigned to her younger sister Hannah; like their father, he served as an officer in the French and Indian War.

Document showing Mary's choice of guardian.

Mary was left 30 pounds in her father’s will to be given to her upon marriage, or when she turned 21, whichever came first.⁵ The same offer went to her sisters Dorothy and Hannah, but not to two other sisters who were married and had received money from him already. The girls would also receive a cow only if they got married. The five sisters were to divide up half of their father’s household goods, and would receive the other half if their mother remarried, or at the time of her death.⁶ Mercy Dakin didn’t remarry and passed away 35 years later, so this second provision was probably never applied.

A few years after Mary’s father’s death, she found a husband in Timothy Baker, and they got married on January 15, 1761 in Sudbury.² Timothy had also served as a soldier, and was one of the New England men who helped send French families in Acadia into exile.⁷ It’s also been said that he served in the American Revolution, but this isn’t certain. It is known that two of Mary’s brothers, Oliver and Samuel, enlisted as Minutemen in spite of being in their 40s.⁴

Mary gave birth to ten children from 1762 to 1786;^8,3 interestingly, her first six were girls and last four were boys. Little else is known of her life, and she appeared on no records after the birth of her youngest child. Mary’s husband Timothy died on April 14, 1810.⁹ The legacy of the military experience of the men in her life lived beyond Mary, and at least one great-grandson, Minot Kittredge, served in the Civil War, becoming wounded at Gettysburg in 1863.¹⁰

Children:
1. Mary Baker — B. 23 May 1762, Littleton, Massachusetts;⁸ D. 16 Sep 1828, Mont Vernon, New Hampshire;¹¹ M. Josiah Kittredge (1762-1850)¹¹

2. Hannah Baker — B. 21 Jan 1764, Littleton, Massachusetts;¹² D. 16 Feb 1825, Marlborough, New Hampshire;¹³ M. Levi Whitcomb (1763-1827), 4 Dec 1786, Templeton, Massachusetts¹⁴

3. Nancy Baker — B. 29 Sep 1766, Littleton, Massachusetts;¹⁵ M. John Farnsworth (1765-?), 29 Dec 1789, Groton, Massachusetts¹⁶

4. Beulah Baker — B. 15 Nov 1768, Littleton, Massachusetts;¹⁷ D. 15 Apr 1827, Nelson, New Hampshire;¹⁸ M. Joshua Kittredge (1761-1834), 10 Jun 1796, Packersfield, New Hampshire¹⁸

5. Alice Baker — B. 1 Oct 1770, Littleton, Massachusetts;¹⁹ D. 13 Aug 1858, Whitefield, New Hampshire;²⁰ M. Israel Abbott (1771-1840), 1 May 1791, Packersfield, New Hampshire²¹

6. Lydia Baker — B. 28 Jun 1773, Littleton, Massachusetts;²² D. 5 Jul 1854, Sudbury, Massachusetts;²³ M. Joshua Blodgett (~1771-?)²⁴

7. Samuel Dakin Baker — B. 20 Sep 1775, Littleton, Massachusetts;²⁵ D. 18 Jul 1844, Bradford, Vermont;²⁶ M. Sarah Prince (1777-1858)²⁷

8. Abel Baker — B. 16 Jun 1778, Littleton, Massachusetts;²⁸ D. 16 Aug 1867, Roxbury, Massachusetts;²⁹ M. Sarah Reed (1790-1867), 3 Dec 1807, Cambridge, Massachusetts³⁰

9. Stephen Baker — B. 15 Oct 1781, Littleton, Massachusetts;³¹ D. 12 Feb 1858, Randolph, Massachusetts;³² M. Eliza _______³³

10. Timothy Minot Baker — B. 7 Mar 1786, Littleton, Massachusetts;³ D. after 7 Jun 1860;³⁴ M. Elizabeth Wright (1785-1857), 29 Jan 1811, Medford, Massachusetts³⁵

Sources:
1    Birth record of Mary Dakin, Massachusetts Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001
2    Marriage record of Timothy Baker and Mary Dakin, M.V. & T.R.
3    Birth record of Timothy Minot Baker, M.V. & T.R.
4    History of Sudbury, Massachusetts, 1638-1889, Alfred Sereno Hudson, 1889
5    Probate Records 1648-1924 (Middlesex County, Massachusetts)
6    Concord, Massachusetts Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1893
7    An Historical Sketch of the Town of Littleton, Herbert Joseph Harwood, 1890, pg. 14
8    Birth record of Mary Baker, M.V. & T.R.
9    Death record of Timothy Baker, M.V. & T.R.
10  Letter from Samuel Farrington Kittredge to Sophia Kittredge French, September 12, 1893
11  Mary Kittredge memorial, Findagrave.com 
12  Birth record of Hannah Baker, M.V. & T.R.
13  Hannah Whitcomb memorial, Findagrave.com 
14  Marriage record of Levi Whitcomb and Hannah Baker, M.V. & T.R.
15  Birth record of Nancy Baker, M.V. & T.R.
16  Marriage record of John Farnsworth and Nancy Baker, M.V. & T.R.
17  Birth record of Beulah Baker, M.V. & T.R.
18  Beulah Kittredge memorial, Findagrave.com 
19  Birth record of Alice Baker, M.V. & T.R.
20  Death record of Alice Abbott, New Hampshire Death Records, 1654-1947
21  Marriage record of Israel Abbott and Alice Baker, N.H. Marriage Records, 1720-1920
22  Birth record of Lydia Baker, M.V. & T.R.
23  Death record of Lydia L_____, Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915
24  Death record of Lovie Blodgett Brown (June 7, 1905), Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915
25  Birth record of Samuel Dakin Baker, M.V. & T.R.
26  Death record of Samuel Dakin Baker, Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954
27  Samuel Dakin Baker memorial, Findagrave.com  
28  Birth record of Abel Baker, M.V. & T.R.
29  Death notice of Abel Baker, The Boston Herald, August 17, 1867
30  Marriage record of Abel Baker and Sarah Reed, M.V. & T.R.
31  Birth record of Stephen Baker, M.V. & T.R.
32  Stephen Baker obit, The Trumpet and Universality Magazine, February 27, 1858
33  Death record of Minot Baker (July 24, 1862), Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915
34  1860 U.S. Census for Timothy Baker
35  Marriage record of Timothy Baker and Elizabeth Wright, M.V. & T.R.

Wed to Son-in-Law's Brother — Marie-Catherine Prezeau

B. 1 Apr 1679 in Lachine, New France¹
M. (1) 19 Apr 1702 in Montreal, New France²
Husband: Pierre Clement dit La Rivière
M. (2) 3 Feb 1728 in Pointe-Claire, New France³
Husband: Alexis Bigras
D. 1 Sep 1763 in Pointe-Claire, New France⁴

Among the twists and turns in the life of Marie-Catherine Prezeau was that she chose a much younger man as her second husband, and he was by extension, her relative. She was born on April 1, 1679 in Lachine, New France, to Michel Prezeau and Marie Chansy, the second of their six children.¹ Catherine’s childhood was filled with tragedy, with the early deaths of three of her siblings. Then at age 10, the family were victims of the Lachine massacre. Early in the morning of August 5, 1689, a band of Iroquois entered the community, invading homes, and slaughtering people. Both of Catherine’s parents are believed to have died that day, along with her 4-year-old sister, Madeleine.⁵ Somehow, though, Catherine and another sister, Marguerite, escaped harm.

For the next 12 years, Catherine’s whereabouts are uncertain; either another family or an extended family member likely took her in. On April 19, 1702, she got married at Notre-Dame-de-Montreal to Pierre Clement dit La Rivière,² a man from France who probably came to the colony as a soldier. Catherine seems to have had a baby boy who was born the year before her wedding, but it’s uncertain if Pierre was the father or not. Nine more children were born to Catherine between 1703 and 1722, three of whom seemed to have died young.^6,7

Catherine’s family eventually settled in Pointe-Claire, where her husband Pierre died on October 11, 1725.⁸ She managed to get by for a few years without a man to support her, until remarrying on February 3, 1728.³ Her new husband, Alexis Bigras, was 26 years younger than she was. More unusual than that, he was the younger brother of the man who had married her daughter Angelique in 1722.⁹ The couple had no children together, perhaps because Alexis spent time away from home on fur trade expeditions; he signed up for trips to the Great Lakes area at least once while married to Catherine.¹⁰

Catherine lived a long life, passing away in Pointe-Claire on September 1, 1763.⁴ Alexis survived her by many years, and died in 1791.¹¹ Catherine was the ancestor of Liza Minelli.

Church at Pointe-Claire built in 1750.

Child by uncertain father:
1. Bernard Clement — B. about 1701, New France;¹² D. 11 Apr 1791, Vaudreuil, Quebec;¹² M. (1) Marie Messaguier (1696-1750), 8 Jan 1721, Lachine, New France;¹³ (2) Ursule Lalande (1715-1799), 17 Aug 1750, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France¹⁴

Children by Pierre Clement dit La Rivière:
1. Marie-Louise Clement — B. 17 Mar 1703, Montreal, New France;⁷ D. 21 Nov 1784, Pointe-Claire, Quebec;¹⁵ M. Raymond Labrosse (1695-?), 9 May 1724, Pointe-Claire, New France¹⁶

2. Angelique Clement — B. 18 Nov 1705, Lachine, New France;¹⁷ D.23 Aug 1784, Detroit, Northwest Territory;¹⁸ M. (1) Jacques Bigras dit Fauvel (1696-1751), 13 Apr 1722;¹⁰ (2) Jean Brisard (~1705-?), 7 May 1752, Detroit, New France¹⁹

3. Antoine Clement — B. 6 Feb 1708, Lachine, New France;²⁰ D. 2 May 1774, Pointe-Claire, Quebec;²¹ M. Marie-Anne Bourdon (1712-1782), 21 Apr 1727, Pointe-Claire, New France²²

4. Pierre Clement — B. 13 Dec 1710, Lachine, New France;²³ D. (probably) young

5. Marie-Joseph Clement — B. about 1712, New France;²⁴ M. Jean-Baptiste Gemme (1711-?), 6 Apr 1728, Pointe-Claire, New France²⁴

6. Marie-Charlotte Clement — B. 24 Aug 1717, Pointe-Claire, New France;²⁵ D. 15 Mar 1795, Montreal, Quebec;²⁶ M. Joseph Proulx (1718-?), 10 Feb 1738, Pointe-Claire, New France²⁷

7. Marie-Madeleine Clement — B. 1 Dec 1719, Pointe-Claire, New France;²⁸ D. 7 Dec 1719, Pointe-Claire, New France²⁹

8. Thomas Clement — B. 1 Dec 1719, Pointe-Claire, New France;³⁰ D. (probably) young

9. Jean-Baptiste Clement — B. 19 May 1722, Pointe-Claire, New France;⁸ D. 24 Mar 1799, Pointe-Claire, Quebec;³¹ M. Monique Pilon (1725-1804), 26 Feb 1743, Pointe-Claire, New France³²

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Marie-Catherine Prezeau, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org 
2    Marriage record of Pierre Clement dit La Rivière and Marie-Catherine Prezeau, Q.C.P.R.
3    Marriage record of Alexis Bigras and Marie-Catherine Prezeau, Q.C.P.R.
4    Burial record of Marie-Catherine Prezeau, Q.C.P.R.
5    L’autre Marie Morin: une femme abandonnée en Nouvelle-France, Marcel Myre, 2004 
6    Baptismal record of Marie-Louise Clement, Q.C.P.R.
7    Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Clement, Q.C.P.R.
8    Burial record of Pierre Clement dit La Rivière, Q.C.P.R.
9    Marriage record of Jacques Bigras and Angelique Clement, Q.C.P.R.
10  Voyageur Database, La Société historique de Saint-Boniface 
11  Burial record of Alexis Bigras, Q.C.P.R.
12  Burial record of Bernard Clement, Q.C.P.R.
13  Marriage record of Bernard Chambly and Marie Messaguier, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of Bernard Clement and Ursule Lalande, Q.C.P.R.
15  Burial record of Marie-Louise Clement, Q.C.P.R.
16  Marriage record of Raymond Labrosse and Marie-Louise Clement, Q.C.P.R.
17  Baptismal record of Angelique Clement, Q.C.P.R.
18  WikiTree entry for Angelique Clement  
19  Marriage record of Jean Brisard and Angelique Clement, Q.C.P.R.
20  Baptismal record of Antoine Clement, Q.C.P.R.
21  Burial record of Antoine Clement, Q.C.P.R.
22  Marriage record of Antoine Clement and Marie-Anne Bourdon, Q.C.P.R.
23  Baptismal record of Pierre Clement, Q.C.P.R.
24  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Gemme and Marie-Joseph Clement, Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal record of Marie-Charlotte Clement, Q.C.P.R.
26  Burial record of Marie-Charlotte Clement, Q.C.P.R.
27  Marriage record of Joseph Proulx and Marie-Charlotte Clement, Q.C.P.R.
28  Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Clement, Q.C.P.R.
29  Burial record of Marie-Madeleine Clement, Q.C.P.R.
30  Baptismal record of Thomas Clement, Q.C.P.R.
31  Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Clement, Q.C.P.R.
32  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Clement and Monique Pilon, Q.C.P.R.

Litigious Widow of New France — Jeanne Aunois

B. about 1626 in (probably) France¹
M. about 1646 in (probably) Trois-Riviéres, New France²
Husband: Pierre Lefebvre
D. 12 Feb 1697 in Trois-Riviéres, New France³

After Jeanne Aunois lost her husband, she became a regular figure at court cases in her community. Jeanne was one of the early settlers of Trois-Riviéres, New France, first appearing in records there during the late 1640s, but her origins are shrouded in mystery. One possibility is that she was a single woman from France who was recruited to marry a man among those living in the colony. Years before the Filles du Roi, there were a few hundred French women that signed up for such an adventure, and it’s quite likely Jeanne was one of them.

But some researchers believe Jeanne wasn’t French at all; instead, they say she was Native American. The evidence cited for this is largely circumstantial, pointing to the lack of any documentation naming a birthplace in France, plus the fact that her name varied from record to record. Also given as evidence is that in one baptism for a Native American child in 1649,⁴ she served as the godmother; the record is said to describe her as being Native American, but DNA evidence doesn't back that up.⁵

Whatever the story is regarding Jeanne’s background, the truth will likely never be proven. What we do know is that in about 1646, she married Pierre Lefebvre, a man from Paris who had settled in Trois-Riviéres (she was about 20-years-old²). Their marriage record is lost, so they first appeared in records as a couple at the baptism of their firstborn child, Jacques, on January 12, 1647.² Over the next 13 years, six more children were born. Life was challenging during the early years of the colony, and during the summer of 1648, Jeanne’s husband was captured by the Iroquois. For three long months, Jeanne had no idea if he was still alive, but he managed to return home in October.⁶

During the 1650s and 1660s, Pierre became a prominent man in the community. He acquired several tracts of land in and around Trois-Riviéres, among them a farm in Cap-de-la-Madeleine where he moved the family. But in about 1668, he died,⁷ leaving Jeanne to manage her own financial affairs. For the next few decades, her name appeared in many disputes that were settled in court. The amount of cases leaves an impression that she may have had a disagreeable nature. The earliest record of litigation actually happened a few years before Pierre died; in 1660, Jeanne was sued by a man accusing her of keeping an object (a bag?) that belonged to him, and she was ordered to return it.⁸

At least two court cases involving Jeanne took place in 1669. The first was on January 1st, and the record identifies her as a widow, establishing that Pierre had died by the end of 1668. Jeanne was charged with beating, or threatening to beat, a 20-year-old man who lived in Cap-de-la-Madeleine,⁷ an idea that seems curious since she was almost age 50 at the time. Later that year in November, Jeanne was charged with owing another man payment of over 138 livres, and she failed to appear in court.⁹ In 1673, Jeanne became the plaintiff in a case against a man who she said failed to deliver some wood that she apparently purchased.¹⁰ And in a case in 1679, she had a dispute with a seigneur over the ownership of two moose skins.¹¹

It’s likely that Jeanne had a lot of financial trouble in her life as a widow. Between 1680 and 1685, her name appeared in court records at least eight times, mostly involving claims of non-payment regarding her farm, and often her son Ange helped represent her. One case on November 9, 1680 was regarding the debt of 138 livres from 11 years earlier, which she still hadn’t paid; she was a no-show that day at court.¹² Another record dated August 23, 1683 showed that Jeanne owed the enormous sums of 717 livres and 850 livres, and the court demanded that she pay those debts.¹³ On a couple of occasions, she sued others for money she claimed they owed her, but they were for much smaller amounts.

1693 record for case involving Jeanne and her sons, Michel and Ignace.

During her final few years, she was back in court two more times, once in 1693¹⁴ and once in 1696;¹⁵ both of these cases involved her sons. Jeanne died at Trois-Riviéres on February 12, 1697. She would leave many descendants, among whom are Justin Bieber and Ricky Gervais.¹⁶

Children:
1. Jacques Lefebvre – B. 12 Jan 1647, Trois-Riviéres, New France;² D. 19 Feb 1720, Baie-du-Febvre, New France;¹⁷ M. Marie Beaudry dit Lamarche (1650-1734), 11 Nov 1670, Trois-Riviéres, New France¹⁸

2. Marie-Catherine Lefebvre — B. 4 Dec 1648, Trois-Riviéres, New France;¹⁹ D. 30 Nov 1705, Batiscon, New France;²⁰ M. Antoine Trottier (1640-1706), 2 Sep 1663, Cap-de-la-Madeleine, New France²¹

3. Élisabeth Lefebvre — B. 15 May 1651, Trois-Riviéres, New France;²² D. 30 Sep 1687, Batiscan, New France;²³ M. (1) Felix Thunay dit Dufresne (1633-1683), 28 Dec 1665, Cap-de-la-Madeleine, New France;²⁴ (2) Jean Collet (1637-1699), 13 Jan 1687, Batiscan, New France²⁵

4. Michel Lefebvre – B. 3 Mar 1654, Trois-Riviéres, New France;²⁶ D. 21 Oct 1708, Trois-Riviéres, New France;²⁷ M. Catherine-Marie Trottier (1669-1723), 3 Nov 1683, Champlain, New France²⁸

5. Ignace Lefebvre — B. 3 Apr 1656, Trois-Riviéres, New France;²⁹ D. 27 Mar 1740, Trois-Riviéres, New France;³⁰ M. Marie Trottier (1667-1740), Champlain, New France³¹

6. Ange Lefebvre — B. 19 Sep 1658, Trois-Riviéres, New France;³² D. 25 Dec 1735, Becancour, New France;³³ M. (1) Marie-Madeleine Cusson (1659-1720), about 1680, Champlain, New France;³⁴ (2) Genevieve Guillet (1665-1741), 22 May 1724, Becancour, New France³⁵

7. Pierre Lefebvre – B. 30 Sep 1661, Trois-Riviéres, New France;³⁶ D. 3 Oct 1745, Trois-Riviéres, New France;³⁷ M. Marie-Louise Daniau (1691-1764), 3 Sep 1731, Nicolet, New France³⁸

Sources:
1    Recensements de 1667 and 1681 en Nouvelle-France
2    Baptismal record of Jacques Lefebvre, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org 
3    Burial record of Jeanne Aunois, Q.C.P.R.
4    Baptismal record of Baby Perrine, August 24, 1651, Q.C.P.R. 
5    WikiTree discussion about Jeanne’s mtDNA 
6    Relation de la Nouvelle-France en 1648
7    Testimony of witnesses against Jeanne Aunois, January 1, 1669, BAnQ
8    Court case of Pierre Dizy dit Monplaisir vs. Jeanne Aunois, August 14, 1666, BAnQ
9    Court case of Jean Vinsonneau vs. Jeanne Aunois, November 16, 1669, BAnQ
10  Court case of Jeanne Aunois vs. Pierre Poupardeau, November 13, 1673, BAnQ
11  Court case of Jeanne Aunois vs. Jean Crevier, January 6, 1679, BAnQ
12  Court case of Jean Vinsonneau vs. Jeanne Aunois, November 9, 1680, BAnQ
13  Court case of Charles Aubert dit Lachesnaye vs. Jeanne Aunois, August 3, 1683, BAnQ
14  Court case of Jeanne Aunois vs. Michel and Ignace Lefebvre, May 25, 1693, BAnQ
15  Declaration following the seizure of land of Ange Lefebvre, July 9, 1696, BAnQ
16  FamousKin.com  
17  Burial record of Jacques Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
18  Marriage record of Jacques Lefebvre and Marie Beaudry dit Lamarche, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Marie-Catherine Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
20  Burial record of Marie-Catherine Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
21  Marriage record of Antoine Trottier and Marie-Catherine Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
22  Baptismal record of Élisabeth Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
23  Burial record of Élisabeth Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
24  Marriage record of Felix Thunay dit Dufresne and Élisabeth Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
25  Marriage record of Jean Collett and Élisabeth Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
26 Baptismal record of Michel Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
27  Burial record of Michel Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
28  Marriage record of Michel Lefebvre and Catherine-Marie Trottier, Q.C.P.R.
29  Baptismal record of Ignace Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
30  Burial record of Ignace Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
31  Marriage record of Ignace Lefebvre and Marie Trottier, Q.C.P.R.
32  Baptismal record of Ange Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
33  Burial record of Ange Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
34  Marriage record of Ange Lefebvre and Marie-Madeleine Cusson, Q.C.P.R.
35  Marriage record of Ange Lefebvre and Genevieve Guillet, Q.C.P.R.
36  Baptismal record of Pierre Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
37  Burial record of Pierre Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.
38  Marriage record of Pierre Lefebvre and Marie-Louise Daniau, Q.C.P.R.