Committed to the Poorhouse — Julia ______

B. about 1810 in County Mayo, Ireland
M. before 1834 in (probably) County Mayo, Ireland
Husband: Lawrence McGuire
D. after 1880 in (probably) Sullivan County, New York

Julia McGuire was a victim of the times in which she lived and the drinking of her husband. She was born in County Mayo, Ireland in about 1810 to a very poor family whose name is unknown. Her father was a farmer and likely an alcoholic; her mother was said to be intemperate. She had no education, and reportedly, no siblings.

During the early 1830s, Julia married Lawrence McGuire, a peasant farmer. On Christmas Day of 1834, she gave birth to a son, and by 1850, had three more children. With large gaps in their ages, it’s possible that she had other babies who didn’t survive. County Mayo was one of the hardest hit areas of Ireland during the potato famine; it was estimated that about 90% of the people there depended on the potato crop for their food and livelihood. By 1851, Julia and her family were unable to continue living there, and like many others around them, fled to the United States. The record of their immigration hasn’t been found.

Julia’s family settled in the town of Thompson, in Sullivan County, New York. There they acquired a small farm, which was valued at $300 in 1860. One-by-one, the children moved out, until by 1875, it was just Julia and Lawrence living there alone. Their income that year was almost non-existent; the farm only produced about 20 bushels of potatoes, and they didn’t own any farm animals.

There was evidence that Lawrence was a major cause of their poverty due to his addiction to alcohol. Julia reached a point at age 65 where she could no longer work, and the decision was made to move out on Lawrence. She refused to impose on any of her married children, saying that they barely had enough money to live on themselves. With nobody else to support her, she had no choice but to go into the county poorhouse where she was admitted on November 11, 1875; it was a place she had previously stayed for one month at an unknown time. 

Record of Julia’s admission to Sullivan County Poorhouse.

One of the buildings of the Sullivan County Poorhouse.

The Sullivan County Poorhouse was an institution that was part shelter for the poor and part insane asylum. It had an adjoining farm where inmates who were physically able worked to harvest hay, wheat and other products to help pay the expenses of the facility. During the years Julia lived in the poorhouse, it held roughly 100 residents. Needless to say, the accommodations were rough; in January 1879, it was reported that one of the residents froze to death for lack of heat.

Julia spent at least five years at the poorhouse. The 1880 census showed that her time there had taken a toll because she had become one of the people described as “insane.” Given her age, she probably suffered from some form of dementia or Alzheimer’s. Meanwhile, Lawrence continued to live alone on his farm. Both of them likely died within a few years of that date.

Children:
1. Patrick McGuire — B. 25 Dec 1834, (probably) County Mayo, Ireland; D. 1 Apr 1882, Washington Lake, Minnesota; M. (1) Bridget Tuffy, before 1857, (probably) Sullivan County, New York; (2) Mary Toole (1846-1904), 7 Jan 1867, Henderson, Minnesota

2. Bridget McGuire — B. about 1836, (probably) County Mayo, Ireland; after 11 Nov 1875

3. Michael McGuire — B. about 1842, (probably) County Mayo, Ireland; after 11 Nov 1875

4. Catherine McGuire — B. about 1850, (probably) County Mayo, Ireland; after 11 Nov 1875

Sources:
1860, 1870, and 1880 U.S. Censuses in New York
1855 New York State census
1875 Sullivan County, New York poorhouse records
Marriage certificate of Patrick McGuire and Mary Toole, Henderson, Minnesota, 7 Jan 1867
Death certificate of Patrick McGuire, Washington Lake, Minnesota, 1 Apr 1882
Port Jervis Evening Gazette, January 25, 1879 and September 26, 1884

Working From the Age of Eight — François Dubois

B. 12 Nov 1668 in Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France
M. 18 Jan 1695 in Quebec City, New France
Wife: Marie Guay
D. 27 Feb 1714 in Quebec City, New France

When François Dubois was still a young child, his step-father sent him to live with a neighbor as his servant. François was born on November 12, 1668 in Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, the oldest son of Jacques Dubois and Catherine Vieillot. His father was a Carignan-Saliéres Regiment soldier and his mother was a Fille du Roi. The couple saw the birth of three more children, one of whom died as an infant. Then in March 1675, Jacques died suddenly. François’ mother, who was pregnant, remarried almost immediately; her child was born that October.

View towards Quebec City on Île d’Orleans.

Young François now fell under the care of his new step-father, Pierre Guenet, who also had the responsibility of supporting the three younger children. Guenet was a recent immigrant who was about 10 years younger than François’ mother; he worked as a mason and fisherman, as well as a farmer, but still struggled financially. So in 1677, he found a way to relieve a small part of his burden by hiring out François to another Île d’Orleans farmer named Gilles Gautreau. The contract dated January 24th stated that “for a period of five years beginning on February 1, 1677 François will be taken care of and treated humanely for the work ordered by Gilles, and his salary will be his clothing at the end of the five-year contract.”

François was just 8-years old when his contract began. Presumably he performed chores on a farm, but the details aren’t documented. The man he worked for, Gautreau, had two young children at the time of the contract with a third along the way. The following year, he moved his family to Cap-St-Ignace on the south shore of the St. Lawrence, and this seems to have terminated the contract. So François step-father found a new arrangement for him working for Gabriel Gosselin, one of the largest landowners on Île d’Orleans. François served Gosselin for about the next three years, enumerated among his household in the 1681 census.

A few years later at age 15, François was again hired out as a servant, this time to a doctor in Quebec City named Timothée Roussel. The doctor worked at Hôtel-Dieu, and he was described as often being “sharp-tempered.” One source stated that François had been “suffering from a great pain in his right leg for two years,” which suggests an injury of some sort. Perhaps treatment he received for his leg led to the service contract with the doctor.

By 1687, François’ was living among his family again, and for a time, he joined his step-father to work as a mason. On July 20th, they contracted for a project working for two men, presumably to help construct a building. The job paid them 78 livres, with François getting 28 livres as his share.

In July 1693, François was a few months from his 25th birthday, an age when he was due to get some land that his father left him in his will. But another man was using the land as part of his farm (his step-father had made that arrangement back in 1680), so François sued to get the man to vacate it. He won his case and took possession of the property. Eighteen months later, he married Marie Guay, a 20-year-old woman from Lauzon; the wedding took place on January 18, 1695 at Notre-Dame in Quebec City. 

1693 court document showing François being declared of legal age.

Little is known about François’ married life. He and his wife had nine children born between 1696 and 1712, with at least five who died young. François died at Hôtel-Dieu in Quebec City on February 27, 1714; why he was in the hospital is a mystery. Wife Marie outlived him by many years, dying in 1747.

Children:
1. François Dubois — B. 10 May 1696, St-Pierre, Île d'Orleans, New France; D. 7 Jun 1696, St-Pierre, Île d'Orleans, New France

2.  Jacques Dubois — B. 14 Jun 1697, Beaumont, New France; D. 22 Mar 1781, Quebec; M. (1) Marie-Madeleine Desevre (1699-?), 8 Aug 1717, New France; (2) Marie-Thérèse Migneron (1697-1742), 11 Nov 1720, St-Foy, New France; (3) Marie-Marguerite Menard (1718-1788), 30 Jun 1744, Beauport, New France

2. François Dubois — B. 1698, New France; D. about 1 May 1732, Rivière-aux-Etchemins, New France; M. Marie-Angélique Cadoret (1701-?), 27 Jul 1723, Pointe-de-Lévy, New France

4. Pierre Dubois — B. 26 May 1699, Beaumont, New France; D. 6 Feb 1703, Beaumont, New France

5. Jaen Dubois — B. 24 Jun 1701, Beaumont, New France; D. 19 Feb 1703, Beaumont, New France

6. Marie-Anne Dubois — B. 1705, New France; D. 20 Jul 1733, Levis, New France; M. François Boulet (1707-?), 29 Oct 1732, Levis, New France

7. Marie-Catherine Dubois — B. 15 Jun 1708, Lauzon, New France; D. 12 Aug 1711, Lauzon, New France

8. Joseph Dubois — B. 16 Jun 1710, Beaumont, New France; D. 12 Aug 1711, Beaumont, New France

9. Louis Dubois — B. 25 Apr 1712, Lauzon, New France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)

Dictionnaire généalogique des familles canadiennes depuis la fondation de la colonie jusqu'à nos jours, Cyprien Tanguay, 1890

Quebec, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1997
King’s Daughters and Founding Mothers—1663-1673, Peter Gagne, 2000
Dictionary of Canadian Biography (website)
WikiTree

Farmer in Early Montreal — Pierre Mallet

B. 1 Jul 1629 in Saint Coulomb, France
M. 23 Oct 1662 in Montreal, New France
Wife: Marie-Anne Hardy
D. before 8 Feb 1710 in Montreal, New France

Although he lived in a place centered around the fur trade, Pierre Mallet chose to make a living by farming. Pierre was born on July 1, 1629 in the village of Saint Coulomb, France, located in Brittany. His parents were Jean Mallet and Guillemette Ruellan. Records showed that Pierre had three older brothers and two older sisters, but none are known to have migrated to America.

Saint-Colomban church in Saint-Coulomb. (source: Rundvald, via Wikimedia Commons)

Sometime during the 1650s, Pierre decided to move to New France, settling in Montreal, which at that time was a frontier settlement. He first appeared there as a witness to a wedding on March 6, 1660, so it’s likely that he had arrived at least several months earlier. While Montreal was the hub of the fur trade, Pierre chose to make a living in agriculture. He may have been a farmer before he left France, but this is speculation.

In the summer of 1662, Pierre signed a contract to marry Marie-Anne Hardy, a woman who had been recruited in France as a prospective bride for a Montreal settler. The contract was dated July, but the wedding didn’t take place until October 26th. In the meantime, Pierre acquired a lot with a house in Montreal, as well as a small farm that had 1 arpent of river frontage. The following year, the couple had their first child, and by 1676, they had five more.

During the prime of his life, Pierre bought and sold several tracts of farmland in the Montreal area. Some of the property was quite large, including 100 arpents of land which he sold at Lake Sainte-Louis in December 1676. He seemed to have success as a farmer and in 1681 he was recorded on the census as having 10 cattle and 10 arpents under cultivation. Pierre was 52-years-old at the time.

By the mid-1690s, Pierre’s wife Marie-Anne was said to have “taken over the business,” likely meaning she was handing family transactions as his health declined. All four of their sons became involved in the fur trade making expeditions out west; one of them, Jean, was hired as a voyageur in 1694 and was not listed in any records after that date.

It isn’t known when Pierre died. Marie-Anne was named on a legal document dated February 8, 1710 in regards to his funeral expenses, so he must have passed away before that. She survived him by many years and died in 1726.

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

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

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

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

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

6. Pierre Mallet — B. 16 Feb 1676, Montreal, New France; D. about Feb 1738, Detroit, New France; M. Marie-Madeleine Thunay (~1673-1738), 9 Jan 1698, Montreal, New France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
WikiTree

Selling Off Land to Pay Expenses — Joseph Crosby

B. 5 Jul 1669 in Billerica, Massachusetts
M. 4 Aug 1691 in Billerica, Massachusetts
Wife: Sarah French
D. before 1759 in (probably) Massachusetts

Joseph Crosby became the owner of vast amounts of land as a member of one of the founding families of Billerica, Massachusetts. And this land became a means of support during his later years.

Joseph was born in Billerica on July 5, 1669 to Simon Crosby and Rachel Brackett. He was the fourth of nine children. His father built the log house where Joseph was born, and ran a tavern there. Throughout his childhood, Joseph’s home was often used by town leaders to discuss business, and during King Philip’s War, a few soldiers were billeted there. In 1678, a larger house replaced the original cabin, and the Crosby family’s inn remained in business for many years.

One day in June 1683, Joseph was out working with his older brother Thomas when they became witnesses to an altercation involving their father. A neighbor named Thomas Richardson was the aggressor, and later the two brothers appeared in court to testify to what they saw:

As we were together roaming homewards from the sawmill, and coming by Thomas Richardson’s field, we saw our father and Thomas Richardson together, and we saw Thomas Richardson lay hands on our father, and struck at him with his feet. And threw our father down and kept him down for some time. And saw Thomas Richardson hold up his hand against our father while he was down. We were not near enough to understand any words that were said at first, but afterwards we heard Thomas Richardson calling our father to fight, and _____ his fist at him. Sometime after this, as we were at work in one field, some of Thomas Richardson’s hogs came into the field, and all of them unyoked and one of them un____ed. And we set the dog upon them to scare the, and Thomas Richardson came up to us with a long ____ behind him. while he came right to us. Then he left it up at us and threatened us, i.e. …”

The court records unfortunately don't reveal the outcome of this case; it’s easy to imagine that there was another side to the story from the viewpoint of Mr. Richardson. 

Witnesses to a fight. (AI-generated image)

After Joseph came of age, he married a woman from another of Billerica’s founding families, Sarah French. Their wedding took place on August 4, 1691. She brought property into the marriage which she inherited from her father, William French, who had been an old man when Sarah was born, and had died ten years earlier. The newlyweds had their first child in September 1692, and would have eleven more by 1713. Only the youngest seems to have died as a child.

Along with farming his land, Joseph supplemented his income as a tailor. He didn’t seem to hold any civic offices, though, except for an assignment as a constable in 1696. It’s thought that he served in that role to relieve his aging father from the duty, or perhaps to offer protection to the area around his home. Joseph’s father helped him to build his house on property he gave him next to his own. In 1712, Joseph was granted a place in the Billerica meetinghouse to build his pew “behind the women’s seats.” It was common for New England men to be responsible for their bench at Sunday services, and this is where he must have sat from then on.

Joseph Crosby’s signature.

At some point during his adult years, Joseph seems to have decided to use his land as a source of income. Between 1708 and 1728, he appeared as the seller in 16 Billerica land transactions. The amounts of land he sold at a time varied, but typically was about 20 acres. Only in 1723 was he shown to have purchased land, and it was in the town of Lancaster, not Billerica. In addition to the acreage Joseph got from his father, the land came from grants by the town when they divided new tracts among its citizens. He sold most of his land by the time he reached old age.

Joseph’s wife Sarah died in July of 1727, leaving him a widower at age 58. A few years later, with most of his land gone, he formally asked that his children support him by petitioning the court to order it. The document dated August 31, 1736 stated that he was “unable to support himself by business of any sort.”  It’s thought that in his old age he may have had a physical disability that caused him to seek the help of his children. The petition was never tried in court and was likely settled by the family outside of court.

It’s uncertain what became of Joseph after the date of the petition. There is some speculation that he went to live in the household of one of his married children, possibly in another town. Joseph died sometime between about 1737 and 1759.

Children:
1. Joseph Crosby — B. 3 Sep 1692, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. about 1744, Worcester, Massachusetts; M. Hannah Maynard (1694-?), 21 Apr 1714, Marlborough, Massachusetts

2. Sarah Crosby — B. 12 Jun 1694, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. (1) Thomas Hunt (1689-1709), 22 Jul 1709, Providence, Rhode Island; (2) Ephraim Abbott (1682-1748), 6 Jan 1716, Andover, Massachusetts; (3) John Dane (1692-1763), 1 Aug 1749

3. Rachel Crosby — B. 18 Apr 1695, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 18 Jan 1757, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. (1) Samuel Stearns (1693-1730), 1719, Billerica, Massachusetts; (2) Thomas Wyman (1687-1760)

4. William Crosby — B. 13 Feb 1698, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 1 Jan 1754, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. Hannah Ross (1702-1756), 1720, Billerica, Massachusetts

5. Mary Crosby — B. 12 Jan 1700, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 1738, Dedham, Massachusetts; M. Eleazer Ellis (1692-1745)

6. Thomas Crosby — B. 12 Oct 1701, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 7 Dec 1745; M. Hannah Parker (1692-1729)

7. David Crosby — B. 27 Mar 1703, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 1750, Middletown, Connecticut; M. Sarah Foster (~1709-~1751)

8. Prudence Crosby — B. 11 May 1705, Billerica, Massachusetts; 26 Oct 1750, Needham, Massachusetts; M. Jeremiah Fisher (1701-~1766), 20 Jan 1725, Needham, Massachusetts

9. Hannah Crosby — B. 9 Mar 1707, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. (1) John Peploe (~1707-?); (2) Samuel Watts

10. Deborah Crosby — B. 23 Jul 1709, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. Nov 1759, Litchfield, New Hampshire; M. Peter Russell (1700-1759), 21 Mar 1727, Andover, Massachusetts

11. Robert Crosby — B. 20 Jul 1711, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 10 Sep 1743, Townsend, Massachusetts; M. Mehitable Chandler (1709-1768)

12. Peletiah Crosby — B. 5 Nov 1713, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. (probably) young

Sources:
Simon Crosby the Emigrant: His English Ancestry and Some of His American Descendants, Eleanor Francis Crosby, 1914
WikiTree
Find A Grave

Leaving Debt to His Kids — René Maillot dit Laviolette

B. between 1637 and 1644 in Castet-Arrouy, France
M. after 28 Oct 1671 in (probably) Sillery, New France
Wife: Marie Chapacou
D. between 1715 and 1722 in (probably) Deschallions, New France

René Maillot dit Laviolette went to New France as a soldier, deciding to make his life there, but he struggled to accumulate any wealth. He was born in Castet-Aurroy, located in the southern part of France. His parents were René Maillot and Catherine Berger; everything else about his origins is sketchy, including his birth year which was sometime between 1637 and 1644.

During the 1660s, René joined the military, and found himself among the Carignan-Saliéres Regiment that was sent to the French colony in America. He was a member of the company led by Captain Duprat, which boarded the St-Sebastien at La Rochelle on May 24, 1665. The ship was crowded with soldiers, and the trip took several months, arriving at Quebec on September 12th. One week later, René received the Scapular of Mount Carmel in a ceremony at Quebec City (a scapular is a pair of small squares of cloth worn around the neck under a shirt). On October 2nd, the soldiers traveled west to the Richelieu River on a mission to build several forts; René’s company helped construct Fort Ste-Thérèse, then were assigned to stay there. Captain Duprat died over the winter and was replaced by a Captain de Portes.

Example of a scapular.

René likely served three years in the region around the Richelieu River, then in 1668, became one of many soldiers who not decided to return to France when the regiment disbanded. He seems to have moved as far west as Varennes in 1669 where he appeared on a record of a land sale. René next showed up back in Quebec, signing a marriage contract on October 28, 1671. His bride was a 13-year-old girl named Marie Chapacou, whose family had a farm at Côte Saint-Michel de Sillery. The record of their wedding is lost, but it likely took place within a few months of the contract.

René and Marie settled in Grondines, located on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River between Quebec City and Trois-Rivières. They had 11 children born between about 1673 and 1695, with only one who seems to have died young. The 1681 census showed that they had only 5 arpents of cleared land and two cattle. In 1698, René sold his property in Grondines and moved to the newer settlement of Deschallions, which was near Grondines on the south shore of the St. Lawrence. The land he acquired in 1701 had 4 arpents of river frontage.

It isn’t known exactly when René died. He was known to be living at the time of his son François’ marriage on December 30, 1715, and he was deceased by his daughter Genevieve’s marriage on October 26, 1722. His wife Marie passed away in 1733. The knowledge that he died in debt came from a report several years later; on February 27, 1742, his nine surviving children gave up “all the rights coming to them by [their father’s] legacy” in order to pay the money that he owed others at the time of his death. It was declared that the church in Deschallions would receive title to René’s estate in return for unpaid rent.

Children:
1. Marie-Rose Maillot — B. about 1673, Grondines, New France; D. before 1700, New France; M. Raymond Chaine (1658-?)

2. Pierre-René Maillot — B. about 1675, Grondines, New France; M. Françoise-Marguerite Gauron (1683-?), 2 Feb 1702, Deschallions, New France

3. Marie-Simone Maillot — B. 1677, Grondines, New France; D. 25 Jan 1746, Ste-Anne-de-la-Pérade, New France; François Guibault

4. Jean Maillot — B. abt 1679, Grondines, New France

5. Guillaume Maillot — B. 31 Dec 1680, Grondines, New France; D. 20 Apr 1718, Montreal, New France; M. Marie-Anne Masse (1684-1721), 16 Jan 1704, Montreal, New France

6. Marie-Louise Maillot — B. about 1684, Grondines, New France; D. 19 Feb 1713, Château-Richer, New France; M. Pierre Matteau (1677-1741), 10 May 1706, Château-Richer, New France

7. Louis Maillot — B. 4 Jan 1689, Grondines, New France; D. 30 Nov 1760, Deschaillons, New France; M. Madeleine Houy (~1698-1763)

8. Jacques Maillot — B. about 1691, (probably) Grondines, New France; D. 24 Oct 1753, Lotbinière, New France; M. Angelique Houy (1696-1753)

9. Geneviève Maillot — B. 12 Jun 1692, Grondines, New France; D. before 26 Nov 1733, New France; M. Antoine Godard (1698-1754), 26 Oct 1722, Château-Richer, New France

10. François Maillot — B. 15 Jan 1695, Grondines, New France; D. 8 Dec 1758, St-Pierre-les-Becquets, New France; M. Marie-Charlotte Gauron (1689-1769), 30 Dec 1715, New France

11. Marie-Anne Maillot — B. 15 Jan 1695, Grondines, New France; D. 10 Feb 1747, Ste-Anne-de-la-Pérade, New France; M. Antoine Thibault (1690-?)

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
WikiTree

Accidental Bigamist — Pierre Piché dit Lamusette

B. about 18 Aug 1632 in Faye-la-Vineuze, France
M. (1) before 1661 in France
Wife: Marie Lefebvre
M. (2) 25 Nov 1665 in Quebec City, New France
Wife: Catherine Durand
D. 31 Oct 1713 in St-Sulpice, New France

For several years of his life, Pierre Piché had more than one wife, and he was unaware of it. Pierre came from the small village of Faye-la-Vineuze, France, born there about August 18, 1632 to Pierre Piché and Anne Pinot. After he became an adult, he married a woman named Marie Lefebvre, although the date and place of the wedding are unknown. It's also unknown whether or not they had any children together.

In about 1662, Pierre decided to make a new life in America, migrating alone with the intention of bringing his wife over once he was established. But just three months after he landed in Quebec, a letter arrived from his brother Louis in France saying that Marie had died. For the next three years, Pierre remained unmarried as he worked as a hat maker. Then in 1665, he decided to find a bride among the Filles du Roi who arrived in Quebec that September. His effort was a success, and on November 25th, Pierre married Catherine Durand, a 16-year-old girl from Paris.

The couple started their family with the birth of a son in October 1666. The following year, Pierre acquired land in St-Michel, where they added two more children by the end of 1670. But the following year, Pierre received the upsetting news that his first wife was still alive back in France. Not knowing what to do, he turned to the leader of the Church in Quebec, Bishop François de Laval. The bishop was soon leaving for France on business and told Pierre he would try to find the truth about Marie. Later that year, word arrived from Bishop Laval that she was indeed living.

Bishop François de Laval.

On the advice of the bishop, Pierre did the only thing he could do: he left Catherine and the three children, and boarded a ship for France. He reunited with Marie, and together they made plans to return to Quebec, but during the passage, she died. This left him free to resume his marriage with Catherine, which the Church formally validated on September 9, 1673. Two days later, the legitimacy of their three children was recognized as well. Everyone must have breathed a sigh of relief.

After the awkward situation of Pierre’s unintentional bigamy, he and Catherine moved away from Quebec City to the settlement of Neuville. Over the next few years, they had five more children, with the youngest born in 1691 when Pierre was 59-years-old. The family moved to Boucherville in 1701, and to St-Sulpice in 1708, both places being in the Montreal area. Pierre died at St-Sulpice on October 31, 1713. Catherine outlived him by many years, passing away in 1732. Pierre was the ancestor of Emeril Lagasse.

Children (all by Catherine Durand):
1. Jean-Baptiste Piché — B. 24 Oct 1666, Quebec City, New France; M. Marie-Anne Dolbec (1682-1732), 30 Aug 1700, Saint-Augustin, New France

2. Adrien Piché — B. 4 Nov 1668, Quebec City, New France; D. 2 Jul 1739, Cap Santé, Portneuf, New France; M. Élisabeth Léveillé (1676-1738), 22 Nov 1694, Neuville, New France

3. Marie-Madeleine Piché — B. 15 Nov 1670, Quebec City, New France

4. Pierre Pichét — B. 11 Jun 1674, Neuville, New France; D. 12 Aug 1712, Portneuf, New France; M. Marie-Anne Sylvestre (1678-1729), 14 Nov 1697, Neuville, New France

5. Catherine Piché — B. 21 Dec 1677, Neuville, New France; M. Antoine Bordeleau (1673-1758), 5 Mar 1696, Neuville, New France

6. François Piché — B. 1 Oct 1681, Neuville, New France; D. 1 Jul 1706, Boucherville, New France

7. Ignace-Joseph Piché — B. 19 Oct 1685, Neuville, New France; D. 11 Feb 1771, Sainte-Sulpice, Quebec; M. Marie-Anne Émery dite Coderre (1692-1737), 16 Jun 1717, Contrecoeur, New France

8. Louis Piché — B. 12 Sep 1691, Neuville, New France; M. Françoise Gélineau, 11 Jan 1712, Saint-Sulpice, New France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
King’s Daughters and Founding Mothers—1663-1673, Peter Gagne, 2000
WikiTree

Minister’s Son Who Served His Town — Oliver Whiting

B.  8 Nov 1665 in Billerica, Massachusetts
M. 22 Jan 1690 Billerica, Massachusetts
Wife Anna Danforth
D. 22 Dec 1736 in Billerica, Massachusetts

Oliver Whiting’s father and grandfather were early ministers in Puritan New England, and while he didn’t become a member of the clergy, he did choose a lifetime of service to his community.

Oliver was born on November 8, 1665 to Samuel Whiting and Dorcas Chester of Billerica, Massachusetts, the fourth of their eleven children. Samuel was the first preacher in Billerica and one of the town’s leaders, responsible for the religious instruction of the children who lived there. When Oliver was 10-years-old, the family’s house was used as a garrison in King Philip’s War. A strong sense of civic duty likely rubbed off on Oliver.

Schooled by his father. (AI-generated image)

After Oliver came of age, he joined the Billerica militia, and was promoted to ensign in 1689. A year later, the militia participated in the invasion of Quebec, but it isn’t known if Oliver was a part of that mission, which was a defeat for New England. On January 22, 1690, Oliver married Anna Danforth, the daughter of Jonathan Danforth, a surveyor and leader in Billerica. The couple had their first child the following year, and by 1712, had a total of nine children, with only one dying young.

As a married man, Oliver took a place among the town’s leaders. He served as a selectman off and on between 1692 and 1733, for a total of 20 years. Oliver was also Billerica’s representative to the General Court in Boston for the years 1719, 1720 and 1728, and for a time was a justice of the peace. Perhaps his most prominent civic role was as Billerica’s town clerk during the years 1705-1711, and 1714-1723. It was said that Volume II of Billerica land grants was written almost entirely in “the good handwriting” of Oliver. This covered a period of time from 1704 to 1723.

Town meeting notes showing Oliver appointed as town clerk and selectman.

Oliver died at Billerica on December 22, 1736, and his widow Anna passed away in 1737. They were 6G grandparents of actress Bette Davis.

Children:
1. Oliver Whiting — B. 29 Mar 1691, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. (1) Elizabeth Brown (1694-1732), 28 Mar 1721, Billerica, Massachusetts; (2) Mary, 4 Jun 1735,  Billerica, Massachusetts

2. Dorcas Whiting — B. 21 Mar 1693, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 23 Dec 1765, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. Joshua Abbott (1685-1769), 2 Mar 1721, Billerica, Massachusetts

3. Mary Whiting — B. 4 May 1695, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. Benjamin Wellington, 21 Oct 1731, Lexington, Massachusetts

4. John Whiting — B. 11 Nov 1697, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 17 Dec 1697, Billerica, Massachusetts

5. John Whiting — B. 14 Oct 1699, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 8 Aug 1775, Tewksbury, Massachusetts; M. (1) Sarah Hunt (1709-1745), 9 Mar 1726, Billerica, Massachusetts; (2) Anne Frye (1709-?), 22 Feb 1747, Tewksbury, Massachusetts

6. Samuel Whiting — B. 6 Sep 1702, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 4 Nov 1772,  Billerica, Massachusetts; M. (1) Deborah Hill (1705-1745), 8 May 1729, Billerica, Massachusetts; (2) Elizabeth, 2 May 1749, Billerica, Massachusetts

7. Anna Whiting — B. 15 Apr 1705, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 26 Mar 1749, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. William Stickney (1705-1781), Jun 1729, Billerica, Massachusetts

8. Eleazar Whiting — B. 25 Jul 1707, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 1780, (probably) Temple, New Hampshire

9. Benjamin Whiting — B. 12 Feb 1712, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 14 Feb 1738, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. Dorothy Crosby (1712-1793), Billerica, Massachusetts

Sources:
History of Billerica, Massachusetts, With a Genealogical Register, Henry Allen Hazen, 1883
WikiTree
Find-A-Grave
Famous Kin (website)