Disputed Land Sale in His Old Age — Richard Wicom

B. about 1609 in (possibly) Rowley, England¹
M. about 1633 in England²
Wife: Ann
D. before 26 Jan 1664 in Rowley, Massachusetts³

The way land was bought and sold by the original colonists of New England was often messy, and the story of Richard Wicom illustrates this. Richard was likely born in about 1609¹ in Rowley, England, a village in Yorkshire (if he wasn't born in Rowley, he certainly lived there later on). It’s been speculated that his brother was Thomas Wickham, a man who ended up in the Connecticut colony.⁴ In about 1633, Richard married a woman known only as Ann, and they had a young son named Daniel born about two years later.

Rowley, England was one of a few places in the north that supplied many settlers to the New England colonies. This was because the vicar of Rowley's church was Reverend Ezekiel Rogers, a Puritan from Essex, which had a large population of non-conformists. It may be assumed that Reverend Rogers' influence led to Richard and his family becoming Puritans, and then to join him in migrating to America. A ship called John of London, which sailed in December 1638, carried many of the followers, but the Wicom family wasn't on the passenger list, so they might have come over on another vessel.

Reverend Rogers speaking to his followers. (AI-generated image)

The group brought by Reverend Rogers carved out a new community on the Massachusetts coast north of Ipswich, and they named it Rowley, after their home in England. Richard and Ann settled there and two more children were born, both of them boys. Richard didn’t seem to play much of a civic role in the town, and for the most part, his name only turned up in divisions of common land. Only once was he mentioned in town records as being owed money for taking care of the town’s cattle.⁵

As for receiving his share of land, this happened several times in the first 20 years of Rowley’s existence; whenever the town was granted a large tract of land, it was portioned it out to everyone settled there. This led to each man owning small plots scattered all over the area. As described in the inventory of Richard’s estate, his land included his home lot in Rowley, land on Bradford Street, land in “pollipod lots,” land in the “new plain,” one acre of meadow, 3 acres of upland and meadow at his farm, 3 acres of marshland, 107 rods of upland at his farm, 4 acres of upland in the common, and a lot referred to as “land called the village land.”⁶ It must have been difficult to make use of this many lots, and as Richard got older, it's likely most of the land laid dormant.

Map of Rowley, Massachusetts in 1639 showing Richard's house.

Richard died in Rowley and was buried on January 26, 1664,³ but his name came up in a lawsuit just a couple of months later. The case was between a man named Robert Swan who sued John Todd for stealing his corn crop.⁷ The story was that each man said they were the owner of the property, which had recently belonged to Richard. Robert Swan said he acquired it from a man named Peter Nash, who testified that he had a deed to it signed over by Richard in 1660.

But John Todd claimed he made a deal with Richard a couple of years later for the same land, explaining that Richard had told him Swan had never paid him. Todd further said that the original contract was burned, and he went back to get a new contract verifying the original sale. This happened very late in Richard’s life, and another witness said that he was so weak at that point, he didn’t know what he was signing. The final ruling was that Swan had title to the land, and Todd’s claim was rejected.

Children:
1. Daniel Wicom — B. about 1635, England;⁸ D. 15 Apr 1700, Rowley, Massachusetts;³ M. (1) Mary Smith (1642-1691), 14 Oct 1658, Rowley, Massachusetts;³ (2) Lydia Bailey (1644-1722), 11 Nov 1691, Rowley, Massachusetts³

2. Thomas Wicom — B. about 1643, Rowley, Massachusetts;⁹ D. before 6 Jul 1660, Rowley, Massachusetts³

3. John Wicom — B. about 1647, Rowley, Massachusetts;¹⁰ D. 1 Apr 1715, Rowley, Massachusetts;¹¹ M. Abigail Kimball (~1652-1693), 14 May 1673, Rowley, Massachusetts³

Sources:
1    Based on rough birth year in Richard Wicom’s Wikitree listing  
2    Estimated marriage year based on birth year of his oldest known child
3    Vital Records of Rowley, Massachusetts to the end of the year 1849, 1928
4    Genealogies and Biographies of Ancient Wethersfield, Volume 2, p.788, Sherman W. Adams and Henry R. Stiles
5    Town meeting records of Rowley, Massachusetts, 1648-1872, FamilySearch.org
6    Probate Records of Essex County, Massachusetts: 1635-1664, 1916
7    Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Volume III, 1912
8    Find-a-Grave listing for Daniel Wicom  
9    Based on rough birth year in Thomas Wicom’s Wikitree listing  
10  Early Settlers of Rowley, Massachusetts, p. 409, George Brainard Blodgette, Amos Everett Jewett, 1981
11  Find-a-Grave listing for John Wicom 

A Voyageur to Sioux Territory — Antoine-Joseph Bouron

B. 18 Mar 1696 in Charlesbourg, New France¹
M. 7 Jan 1722 in St-Laurent-de-Montreal, New France²
Wife: Marie-Josephte Boyer
D. before 2 Jul 1742 in (probably) New France³

Evidence shows that Antoine-Joseph Bouron traveled deep into North America on at least two fur trading expeditions in the 18th century. He was born on March 18, 1696 to Jean Bouron and Anne Binet of Charlesbourg, New France.¹ Antoine-Joseph was the youngest child in a family with more than its share of infant mortality; only his brother Michel was alive at his birth, and he would die at age 21.⁴ Antoine-Joseph also lost his mother when he was only 2-years-old;⁵ his father, who had remarried, passed away in 1712,⁶ leaving him pretty much on his own at age 16. Antoine-Joseph was last recorded as living in Charlesbourg on March 12, 1715 when he was treated at Hôtel-Dieu in Quebec City.⁷

At some point, Antoine-Joseph seemed to become associated with the Boyer family of Charlesbourg. His brother Michel had been briefly married to a young woman named Marie-Madeleine Vivier,⁸ and when she was widowed, she married Charles Boyer.⁹ In 1716, Boyer moved to the Montreal area, and one of his daughters, Marie-Josephte, ended up marrying Antoine-Joseph.² It isn't known if they were acquainted in Charlesbourg and he traveled there to marry her, but he may have moved west on his own initiative. The wedding took place on January 7, 1722 at St-Laurent-de-Montreal, and this is where the couple settled, raising four children born between 1724 and about 1733.

The Montreal area was the launching off place for the fur trade, and it gave men like Antoine-Joseph an opportunity to make some money. Strong, young men were needed to go on long expeditions, and more than once, he hired on to row canoes as a voyageur. Two of his contracts survive; given the gaps in the ages of his children, there were likely several more trips. The first of these contracts was signed on August 7, 1733 at Montreal.¹⁰ Antoine-Joseph would be paid 300 livres upon his return, and was supplied with a gun, tobacco, and a pair of mitasses (Indian-style leggings) in advance of the trip. The second contract came on August 29, 1735;¹⁰ this time he would be paid 500 livres for his work, in addition to another pair of mitasses and a supply of tobacco.

Receiving supplies for a trip out west. (AI-generated image)

By this time, the frontier had moved far to the west, and the locations for Antoine-Joseph’s trips were described as “Aux Sioux” and “Poste des Sioux.” This was likely beyond Lake Superior, north of what is now the state of Minnesota. It took months to travel there by canoe, and he stayed over for the winter, which must have been severe in such a place. There were 20 other men on the 1735 expedition whose contracts are known, and most of them were from areas around Montreal.¹⁰

It isn’t known when and where Antoine-Joseph died. The absence of a burial among the New France parish records raises the suspicion that he may have died out on the frontier. His death came before July 2, 1742, when his widow Marie-Josephte remarried in St-Laurent.³ She passed away later that year.¹¹ All four of his children later relocated to the Detroit area, marrying and raising families there. Antoine-Joseph was the ancestor of Ricky Gervais.

Children:
1. Charles Bouron — B. 17 Oct 1722, La Prairie, New France;¹² D. May 1798, Sandwich, Ontario;¹³ M. Marguerite Reaume (1725-1810), 7 Jan 1758, Detroit, New France¹³

2. Marie-Josephe Bouron — B. 22 Aug 1724, St-Laurent-de-Montreal, New France;¹⁴ D. 29 May 1758, Detroit, New France;¹³ M. Alexis Beienvenu dit Deslisle (1701-1763)¹³

3. Marie-Louise Bouron — B. 9 Jul 1726, St-Laurent-de-Montreal, New France;¹⁵ M. Louis Clermond Dubord (~1715-1793), 5 Oct 1744, Detroit, New France¹³

4. Marie-Madeleine Bouron — B. about 1733, New France;¹⁶ D. Mar 1799, Sandwich, Ontario;¹³ M. (1) Jean-Baptiste Putelle (1717-1752), 26 Feb 1748, Detroit, New France;¹³ (2) François Lacote dit Languedoc (1720-?), 8 Jan 1753, Detroit, New France; (3) François Morin dit Valcourt, 1760, Detroit, New France¹³

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Antoine-Joseph Bouron, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Antoine-Joseph Bouron and Marie-Josephte Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
3    Marriage record of Jean Dumouchel and Marie-Josephte Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
4    Burial record of Michel Bouron, Q.C.P.R.
5    Burial record of Anne Binet, Q.C.P.R.
6    Burial record of Jean Bouron, Q.C.P.R.
7    Registre journalier des malades de l'Hotel-Dieu de Quebec, p. 806, 2005
8    Marriage record of Michel Bouron and Marie-Madeleine Vivier, Q.C.P.R.
9    Marriage record of Charles Boyer and Marie-Madeleine Vivier, Q.C.P.R.
10  The Societé historique de Saint-Boniface, Centre du Patrimoine, online archive of voyageur contracts 
11  Burial record of Marie-Josephte Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
12  Baptismal record of Charles Bouron, Q.C.P.R. 
13  Genealogy of the French Families of the Detroit River Region, 1701-1936, p. 166, Christian Dennison, 1987
14  Baptismal record of Marie-Josephe Bouron, Q.C.P.R. 
15  Baptismal record of Marie-Louise Bouron, Q.C.P.R.
16  Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Bouron, Q.C.P.R.

French and Indian War Widow — Mercy Minot

B. 15 Apr 1702 in Concord, Massachusetts¹
M. 13 Dec 1722 in Concord, Massachusetts²
Husband: Samuel Dakin
D. 25 Jul 1793 in Sudbury, Massachusetts³

Twenty years before the American Revolution, another war was fought on American soil, and Mercy Minot’s life was forever changed by it. Mercy was born in Concord, Massachusetts on April 15, 1702 to James Minot and Rebecca Wheeler.¹ She had a twin sister named Love; the two girls were the second and third youngest in a family of ten children. James Minot was a teacher, a preacher, a militia captain and he practiced medicine;⁴ it’s likely Mercy received some education as a child.

Perhaps the happiest event in Mercy’s life happened on December 13, 1722. On that day, she and her twin sister got married in a double ceremony in Concord performed by their father, who served as a justice of the peace.² While Love married John Adams (no relation to the future president), Mercy took Samuel Dakin as her husband. The couple made their home just to the south of Concord in the town of Sudbury.⁵ Between 1725 and about 1744, Mercy gave birth eight times, with only her first child dying young.

By 1745, Samuel had taken an active role in the town’s militia, and within ten years, rose through the ranks to become a captain.⁶ When war broke out with France in 1755, he was called to lead a unit into action, and a couple of letters Samuel wrote to Mercy during this time have survived. In a letter written on September 26, 1755,⁶ he spoke of the loyalty of his troops, saying that they were “so obedient to me and so loving one to another that it makes my life exceeding comfortable and pleasant.” The fact that he would share such details of his military life gives a hint of the respect that Samuel had for Mercy.

A letter from her husband. (AI-generated image)

On June 10, 1758, Samuel sent another letter to Mercy.⁶ It was at a time when his men were on the verge of battle, and it’s clear he was considering a bad outcome. Samuel wrote, “And now my dear wife and children, I desire you would not distress yourselves about me but commit me in your prayers to God to be wholly at his disposal and I hope by his preserving providence I shall after awhile rejoice with you again in my own house; but if not I hope we shall all rejoice together in heaven which will be spiritually better."

Between the time these two letters were written, Samuel had been home for a period. Just before he returned to the scene of the war, he wrote his will. The document dated April 25, 1758 left very detailed instructions for the support of Mercy and the children.⁷ She was to have “two good cows to be well kept both winter and summer” until their youngest child was of age. At that point, Mercy would be allowed to keep only one of the cows for the rest of her life as long as she didn’t remarry. He went on to specify quantities of corn, rye, barley, cider, “good pork” and “good beef” Mercy would receive from the estate. She was also to get as much firewood as she needed periodically delivered to her. And her two sons would pay her 20 shillings a year out of the estate. The land was divided up between the two sons, but Mercy was allowed use of one room of the house and part of the cellar to store supplies.

From Samuel Dakin's will.

When the will was written it was a hypothetical scenario, but unfortunately it soon became real when Samuel was killed in action on July 20th.⁶ His estate was probated and the terms of his will were carried out. Mercy got her two cows, the best ones they owned. And presumably her children looked after her in her widowhood.

Mercy never remarried and lived a very long time in the absence of her husband. She saw her two sons become Minutemen who “answered the call” of April 19, 1775.⁸ Her surviving children provided her with many grandchildren. Mercy passed away in Sudbury on July 25, 1793 at the age of 91.³

Mercy's signature.

Children:
1. Joseph Dakin – B. 20 May 1725, Sudbury, Massachusetts;⁹ D. 22 Aug 1727, Sudbury, Massachusetts¹⁰

2. Oliver Dakin – B. 20 Mar 1727, Sudbury, Massachusetts;¹¹ D. 2 Jun 1805, Boylston, Massachusetts;¹² M. Elizabeth Keyes (1732-1805), 16 Nov 1749, Sudbury, Massachusetts¹³

3. Samuel Dakin – B. 17 May 1731, Sudbury, Massachusetts;¹⁴ D. 23 Jan 1807, Sudbury, Massachusetts;⁸ M. Mehitable Eaton (1743-1816), before 5 Jan 1766, (probably) Sudbury, Massachusetts¹⁵

4. Mercy Dakin – B. before 14 Apr 1733, Sudbury, Massachusetts;¹⁶ D. 31 May 1790, Sudbury, Massachusetts;¹⁷ M. James Puffer (1734-1814), before Nov 1759, (probably) Sudbury, Massachusetts¹⁸

5. Beulah Dakin – B. before 22 Mar 1735, Sudbury, Massachusetts;¹⁹ D. 1 Aug 1807, Lincoln, Massachusetts;²⁰ M. (1) Thomas Baker (1732-1786), 15 Jan 1755, Littleton, Massachusetts;²¹ (2) John Adams (1723-1809); 20 Feb 1794, Littleton, Massachusetts²²

6. Dorothy Dakin – B. about 1736, Sudbury, Massachusetts;²³ D. 13 Nov 1804, Concord, Massachusetts;²³ M. Amos Wood (1737-1806), 24 Feb 1763, Sudbury, Massachusetts²⁴

7. Mary Dakin – B. Aug 1741, Sudbury, Massachusetts;²⁵ D. 1828, Littleton, Massachusetts;²⁶ M. Timothy Baker (1730-1810), 20 Dec 1760, Littleton, Massachusetts²⁷

8. Hannah Dakin – B. about 1744, Sudbury, Massachusetts;²⁸ D. 28 Apr 1767, (probably) Sudbury, Massachusetts²⁸

Sources:
1    Concord Births – Massachusetts Vital Records Project (online database)  
2    Marriage record of Samuel Dakin and Mercy Minot, Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, FamilySearch.org
3    Concord Deaths – Massachusetts Vital Records Project (online database)  
4    Biographical sketches of graduates of Harvard University in Cambridge, pp. 462-464, John Langdon Sibley, 1873
5    Birth record of Joseph Dakin, Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, FamilySearch.org
6    History of Sudbury, Massachusetts, 1638-1889, Alfred Sereno Hudson, 1889
7    Probate file of Samuel Dakin, Probate Records 1648-1924 (Middlesex County, Massachusetts), FamilySearch.org
8    Find-a-Grave listing for Samuel Dakin (younger)  
9    Birth record of Joseph Dakin, M. B. and C.
10  Death date is also included on Joseph Dakin's birth record 
11  Birth record of Oliver Dakin, M. B. and C.
12  Find-a-Grave listing for Oliver Dakin  
13  Marriage record of Oliver Dakin and Betsey Keyes, Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1920
14  Birth record of Samuel Dakin (younger), M. B. and C.
15  Marriage date based on baptismal record of oldest child Samuel, M. T. C., V. and T. R.
16  Baptismal record of Mercy Dakin, M. B. and C.
17  Find-a-Grave listing for Marcy Dakin Puffer  
18  Marriage date based on baptism record of oldest child Thankful Puffer, M. T. C., V. and T. R.
19  Baptismal record of Bulah Dakin, M. B. and C.
20  Find-a-Grave listing for Beulah Dakin Adams  
21  Marriage record of Thomas Baker and Bulah Dakin, M. T. C., V. and T. R.
22  Marriage record of John Adams and Beulah Baker, M. T. C., V. and T. R.
23  Find-a-Grave listing for Dorathy Dakin Wood  
24  Marriage record of Amos Wood and Dorothy Dakin, M. T. C., V. and T. R.
25  Baptismal record of Mary Dakin, M. T. C., V. and T. R.
26  Death record of Mary Baker, M. T. C., V. and T. R.
27  Marriage record of Timothy Baker and Mary Dakin, M. T. C., V. and T. R.
28  Find-a-Grave listing for Hannah Dakin 

Migration Up the River — François Boucher dit Desroches

B. before 8 Mar 1684 in Lauzon, New France¹
M. 28 Nov 1709 in St-Nicolas-de-Lévis, New France²
Wife: Marie-Therese LeMarie
D. 23 Oct 1760 in St-Vincent-de-Paul, Laval, New France³

During the 18th century, people living along the St. Lawrence River began looking for new land to farm. Many settlers on the south shore went inland, but François Boucher dit Desroches moved his family up the river, to a place near Montreal.

François was born on March 4, 1684 to Pierre Boucher dit Desroches and Hélène Gaudry,¹ the fifth of their eleven children. He had some notable ancestors who were part of New France’s earliest years. One of his great-grandfathers was Marin Boucher, who as a settler of Quebec, knew Samuel de Champlain.⁴ On his mother’s side, he had Hélène Desportes as a great-grandmother, thought to be the first European child born in what is now Canada.

There must have been a pioneering spirit in the family because François’ father became one of the first few settlers in Lauzon, a rugged place in the 1680s. François’ birth took place before there was a church nearby, so he was baptized by a missionary priest at the house of a neighbor, Antoine Bisson. The event was recorded in the parish register of Neuville; the record is hard to read and it’s unclear how old François was at his baptism.¹ The family made their home just west of the Chaudière River, and this was where François grew up.⁵

François' baptismal record. (Source: FamilySearch.org)

François was married on November 28, 1709 to Marie-Therese LeMarie; their wedding was at St-Nicolas-de-Lévis church.² His mother was present at the wedding, but his father had passed away 7 years earlier. The young couple settled at Ste-Croix and had their first child there a year later,⁶ but unfortunately the baby died.⁷ The ten children who followed between 1713 and 1733 were all healthy, though, and would provide them many grandchildren.

During his later years, François looked to move farther up the river. The location he chose was the village of St-Vincent-de-Paul,⁸ which was north of Montreal on the island of Laval. He seems to have relocated there around 1753 as one of the town's earliest settlers. Most of his children also migrated to the Laval area; only two daughters who had married men in Lauzon stayed behind. 

Moving up the river. (AI-generated image)

François died in St-Vincent-de-Paul on October 23, 1760.³ His wife survived him by many years and passed away in 1778 at the age of 90.⁹ François was the ancestor of Leo Durocher.

Children:
1. Marie-Joseph Boucher — B. 22 Sep 1710, Ste-Croix, New France;⁶ D. 26 Sep 1710, New France⁷

2. Therese Boucher — B. 10 Mar 1713, St-Nicolas-de-Lévis, New France;¹⁰ D. 22 Nov 1797, St-Vincent-de-Paul, Laval, Quebec;¹¹ M. Clement-Urbain Bisson (1713-1783), 28 Jul 1734, Quebec City, New France¹²

3. Françoise-Charlotte Boucher — B. 10 Apr 1715, St-Nicolas-de-Lévis, New France;¹³ D. 7 Oct 1787, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe de Lévy, Quebec;¹⁴ M. Jean-Joseph Dussault (1711-1781), 18 Jun 1736, St-Nicolas-de-Lévis, New France¹⁵

4. François Boucher — B. 21 Feb 1717, St-Nicolas-de-Lévis, New France;¹⁶ D. 19 Jul 1793, St-Vincent-de-Paul, Laval, Quebec;¹⁷ M. Charlotte Lalande (1741-1808), 6 Feb 1758, Montreal, New France¹⁸

5. Marguerite-Therese Boucher — B. 12 Apr 1719, St-Antoine-de-Tilly, New France;¹⁹ D. 30 May 1772, Sault-au-Récollet, Quebec;²⁰ M. Jean-Baptiste Aubin (1719-1772), 6 Oct 1738, St-Nicolas-de-Lévis, New France²¹

6. Louise Boucher — B. 21 May 1721, St-Nicolas-de-Lévis, New France;²² D. 12 Oct 1793, Sault-au-Récollet, Quebec;²³ M. Pierre Andegrave (1726-1804) 21 Jul 1749, St-Nicolas-de-Lévis, New France²⁴

7. Joseph Boucher — B. 3 May 1723, St-Nicolas-de-Lévis, New France;²⁵ D. 3 Nov 1794, St-Vincent-de-Paul, Laval, Quebec;²⁶ M. Marie-Jeanne Chartrand (1729-1809), 8 May 1746, Rivières-des-Prairies, St-Joseph, Quebec²⁷

8. Nicolas Boucher — B. 23 May 1725, St-Nicolas-de-Lévis, New France;²⁸ D. 31 Oct 1799, St-Martin, Laval, Quebec;²⁹ M. (1) Marie-Louise Parent (1731-1784), 24 Oct 1753, Montreal, New France;⁸ (2) Catherine Beaumont (1724-1801), 8 Nov 1785, St-Martin, Laval, Quebec³⁰

9. Anne-Madeleine Boucher — B. 13 Jun 1727, St-Nicolas-de-Lévis, New France;³¹ D. 29 Jul 1818, St-Nicolas-de-Lévis, Quebec;³² M. Jean-Baptiste Ducasse (1723-?), 28 Jan 1749, St-Nicolas-de-Lévis, New France³³

10. Jean-Baptiste Boucher — B. 24 Aug 1729, St-Nicolas-de-Lévis, New France;³⁴ D. 5 Jun 1800, St-Vincent-de-Paul, Laval, Quebec;³⁵ M. (1) Marie-Elisabeth Leblanc (1738-1795), 12 Jan 1756, St-Vincent-de-Paul, Laval, New France;³⁶ (2) Agathe Clement (1742-1812), 20 Nov 1797, Ste-Therese, Terrebonne, Quebec³⁷

11. Marguerite-Marie Boucher — B. 5 Jul 1733, St-Nicolas-de-Lévis, New France;³⁸ D. 26 Feb 1812, Sault-au-Récollet, Quebec;³⁹ M. (1) François Andegrave (1735-1760), 24 Nov 1755, Laval, New France;⁴⁰ (2) François Leonard Simon (1738-1774), 24 Nov 1760, St-Vincent-de-Paul, Laval, New France⁴¹

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of François Boucher dit Desroches, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of François Boucher dit Desroches and Marie-Therese LeMarie, Q.C.P.R.
3    Burial record of François Boucher dit Desroches, Q.C.P.R.
4    Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
5    Histoire de la seigneurie de Lauzon, Volume 1, Joseph-Edmond Roy, 1897
6    Baptismal record of Marie-Joseph Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
7    Burial record of Marie-Joseph Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
8    Marriage record of Nicolas Boucher and Marie-Louise Parent, Q.C.P.R.
9    Burial record of Marie-Therese LeMarie, Q.C.P.R.
10  Baptismal record of Therese Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
11  Burial record of Therese Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
12  Marriage record of Clement-Urbain Bisson and Therese Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
13  Baptismal record of Françoise-Charlotte Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
14  Burial record of Françoise-Charlotte Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of Joseph-Marie-Dussault and Françoise-Charlotte Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
16  Baptismal record of François Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
17  Burial record of François Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
18  Marriage record of François Boucher and Charlotte Lalande, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Marguerite-Therese Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
20  Burial record of Marguerite-Therese Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
21  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Aubin and Marguerite-Therese Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
22  Baptismal record of Louise Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
23  Burial record of Louise Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
24  Marriage record of Pierre Andegrave and Louise Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal record of Joseph Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
26  Burial record of Joseph Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
27  Marriage record of Joseph Boucher and Marie-Jeanne Chartrand, Q.C.P.R.
28  Baptismal record of Nicolas Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
29  Burial record of Nicolas Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
30  Marriage record of Nicolas Boucher and Catherine Beaumont, Q.C.P.R.
31  Baptismal record of Anne-Madeleine Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
32  Burial record of Anne-Madeleine Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
33  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Ducasse and Anne-Madeleine Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
34  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
35  Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
36  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Boucher and Marie-Elisabeth Leblanc, Q.C.P.R.
37  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Boucher and Agathe Clement, Q.C.P.R.
38  Baptismal record of Marguerite-Marie Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
39  Burial record of Marguerite-Marie Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
40  Marriage record of François Andegrave and Marguerite-Marie Boucher, Q.C.P.R.
41  Marriage record of François Leonard Simon and Marguerite-Marie Boucher, Q.C.P.R.

A Fight Over His Farm Lease — Étienne Dauphin

B. about 1637 in Bonnes, Poitou, France^1,2
M. 15 Nov 1665 in Beauport, New France²
Wife: Marie Morin
D. 31 Aug 1694 in Quebec City, New France³

Étienne Dauphin was once caught in a dispute with his landlord, causing physical violence that put his wife in the hospital. Little is known of Étienne’s origins other than that he was from the village of Bonnes, France, which is in the Poitou region, and that his parents were named Étienne Dauphin and Julienne Richard. His birth year was about 1637, which is an estimate from records later in his life.^1,2

It’s impossible to say when Étienne migrated to New France, or what prompted him to do so. There’s no trace of him in records until his marriage at Beauport on November 15, 1665.² The woman Étienne married was Marie Morin, a Fille du Roi who arrived from France in the fall of 1665. Single men in the colony were being encouraged to find wives, a process made easier when they came from France by the shipload. After they were married, Marie was soon pregnant, and their first child was born in October of the following year.⁴ By the end of 1682, they had seven more, including three who died young.

Beauport was one of the oldest settlements in New France outside of Quebec City, and its founder, Robert Giffard, was a notable figure in the colony’s history. Étienne may have been recruited by Giffard directly from France, but even if he wasn’t, he certainly knew him. When Giffard died in 1668, he left the seigneury to his son Joseph.⁵ During this time, Étienne received two concessions of land from the younger Giffard, one in 1667 and one in 1672.⁶

As Étienne’s children came of age, the first to get married was his oldest daughter, Marie. The girl was just 17-years-old when she married Jean Giroux, the son of neighbor Toussaint Giroux, on February 19, 1685.⁷ But sadly Marie’s life ended just a few months later when she drowned while crossing the St-Charles River;⁸ it’s likely that the boat she was on overturned. Her body was recovered for burial at the church in Beauport on September 30th.

It was a couple of years later when another event shook up Étienne’s family. He had leased property from Paul de Rainville, a long time habitant of Beauport, on July 23, 1684.⁶ After de Rainville died in December 1686, management of the lease was taken over by his son Jean, and in 1688, some sort of dispute developed over terms of the agreement.⁹ Things erupted into physical violence, not with Étienne, but with his wife Marie. Jean de Rainville was said to have beaten her to such an extent that she needed treatment at Hôtel-Dieu in Quebec City. Étienne threatened to sue de Rainville, who then agreed to pay him 135 livres for the land he had cleared for planting, plus Marie’s medical fees from the hospital.

Getting treatment for injuries. (AI-generated image)

Étienne only lived a few years more, and passed away on August 31, 1694 at Hôtel-Dieu.³ Marie remarried about a year later, and lived to the age of 83, dying in 1729.¹⁰ Among Étienne’s descendants is Tom Bergeron.

Children:
1. René Dauphin – B. 14 Oct 1666, Beauport, New France;⁴ D. 13 Mar 1742, Quebec City, New France;¹¹ M. Susanne Gignard (1667-1736), 22 Apr 1686, Beauport, New France¹²

2. Marie Dauphin – B. 16 Feb 1668, Beauport, New France;¹³ D. 29 Sep 1685, Beauport, New France;⁸ M. Jean Giroux (1664-1733), 19 Feb 1685, Beauport, New France⁷

3. Étienne Dauphin – B. 12 Jan 1670, Beauport, New France;¹⁴ D. 19 Apr 1691, Quebec City, New France¹⁵

4. Michel Dauphin – B. 27 Dec 1671, Beauport, New France;¹⁶ D. before 1681, New France¹⁷

5. Marie Dauphin – B. 7 Oct 1673, Beauport, New France;¹⁸ before 1681, New France¹⁷

6. Marie-Therese Dauphin – B. 8 Sep 1674, Beauport, New France;¹⁹ D. May 1732, Beauport, New France;²⁰ M. Toussaint Giroux (1672-1750), 15 Nov 1690, Beauport, New France²¹

7. Jean Dauphin – B. about 1678, (probably) Montmorency, New France;²² D. 24 Nov 1714, Montmorency, New France;²² M. Jeanne-Ursule Gelly Laverdure (1683-?), 14 Jul 1701, New France²³

8. Marie-Catherine Dauphin – B. Dec 1682, Beauport, New France;²⁴ D. Dec 1682, Beauport, New France²⁵

Sources:
1    Recensement de 1667 en Nouvelle-France
2    Marriage record of Étienne Dauphin and Marie-Charlotte Morin, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Burial record of Étienne Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
4    Baptismal record of René Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
5    Marriage record of Joseph Giffard and Michelle-Thérèse Nau, Q.C.P.R.
6    Inventaire des Greffes Des Notaires du Régime Français, Pierre-Georges Roy and Antoine Roy, 1942
7    Marriage record of Jean Giroux and Marie Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
8    Burial record of Marie Dauphin (older), Q.C.P.R.
9    King's Daughters and Founding Mothers: the Filles du Roi, 1663-1672, Peter J. Gagné, 2001
10  Burial record of Marie Morin, Q.C.P.R.
11  Burial record of René Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
12  Marriage record of René Dauphin and Susanne Gignard, Q.C.P.R.
13  Baptismal record of Marie Dauphin (older), Q.C.P.R.
14  Baptismal record of Étienne Dauphin (younger), Q.C.P.R.
15  Burial record of Étienne Dauphin (younger), Q.C.P.R.
16  Baptismal record of Michel Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
17  Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
18  Baptismal record of Marie Dauphin (younger), Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Marie-Therese Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
20  Burial record of Marie-Therese Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
21  Marriage record of Toussaint Giroux and Marie-Therese Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
22  Burial record of Jean Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
23  Marriage record of Jean Dauphin and Jeanne-Ursule Gelly, Q.C.P.R.
24  Baptismal record of Marie-Catherine Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.
25  Burial record of Marie-Catherine Dauphin, Q.C.P.R.

Settling Down at Age 35 — Jacques Ménard dit Deslauriers

B. about 1644 in Brittany, France^1,2
M. 28 Nov 1680 in Beauport, New France²
Wife: Marie-Madeleine Baugis
D. 27 Nov 1716 in Beauport, New France³

Jacques Ménard dit Deslauriers followed the same course as many soldiers who became a settlers in New France. When his service was over, he acquired a farm along the St. Lawrence and raised a large family, but the difference in his story was that he waited well over a decade before he got married. Jacques began life in Brittany, France, born there to parents Jean and Marie-Louise Ménard.¹ Later documents indicated he was from a place called “St-Sabin du bourg des Marchis,” an area outside the city of Nantes, but it’s uncertain if this was his birthplace, or a place where he lived.

When Jacques was about 20-years-old, he became part of the Carignan-Salières Regiment, a massive military force sent to New France to secure the colony against Iroquois aggression. He was in the company led by Captain Duprat, which boarded the ship Saint-Sebastien on May 24, 1665,⁴ along with three other companies. After a long, difficult crossing, the ship arrived at Quebec City on September 12th,⁴ with some of the men very sick. Jacques seemed to remain healthy, though, and joined others in receiving the sacrament of confirmation on September 21st.⁵ A couple of weeks later on October 2nd, his company took small boats up the St. Lawrence to a place in the wilderness along the Richelieu River, where they helped build a fort called Ste-Therese.⁶

Map showing location of forts built along the Richelieu River in 1665. (Source: BAnQ)

Jacques’ company stayed at Fort Ste-Therese that winter, but Captain Duprat died, and was replaced by the unit’s second in command, Captain de Portes.⁶ For the next couple of years, the men were stationed there, then in 1668, the regiment was disbanded. Each soldier was given a choice to return to France, or remain in New France as a settler. Like many, Jacques chose to stay, but his exact whereabouts for the next seven years is a mystery. It wasn’t until 1675 that he was recorded as a godfather on a baptism in the settlement of Beauport.⁷ It’s likely that he had moved there soon after his military service ended, but this isn’t verified.

It wasn’t until 1680 that Jacques finally decided to take a wife. As was often the case with men in New France, his bride was much younger than he was. Her name was Marie-Madeleine Baugis, a 17-year-old girl who had been born out-of-wedlock,⁸ and took the name of the stepfather who raised her. Michel Baugis was generous to the newlyweds, offering them a place to live in the village of St-Michel-de-Beauport, and 200 livres worth of “old clothes, furniture, and animals.” This was written into the marriage contract dated November 28th,⁵ which both Jacques and Madeleine were able to sign, showing that they were both literate. Their wedding was held the following day.³

Jacques and Madeleine spent the rest of their married life in Beauport raising a large family; their ten children were born between 1681 and 1702, with one who died young⁹ and another at age 18.¹⁰ Other than a renewal of the farm lease on May 10, 1686,⁵ there is little documentation of Jacques during that time. He was noted as being a patient at Hôtel-Dieu in Quebec City for nine days starting on July 2, 1693.¹¹

Living in a broken down house. (AI-generated image)

On November 27, 1716, Jacques died at Beauport.³ Although the parish record said he was 78 when he died, other records would indicate that he was really about 72.¹ An inventory was taken of his estate, and at the end of his life, he seemed to live in a broken down house.⁵ The home was 18’ by 16’ with a straw roof, but the clay chimney was “threatening ruin” and was given no value on the probate inventory. Jacques’ wife Madeleine lived as a widow many years, passing away in 1743.¹²

Children:
1. Marguerite Ménard — B. 8 Nov 1681, Beauport, New France;¹³ D. 25 Dec 1761, Beauport, New France;¹⁴ M. Andre Paradis (1676-1745), 7 Jan 1697, Beauport, New France¹⁵

2. Jean Ménard — B. 3 May 1684, Beauport, New France;¹⁶ D. 15 Dec 1770, Beauport, Quebec;¹⁷ M. Françoise Vachon (1689-1749), 11 Jan 1712, Beauport, New France¹⁸

3. Marie-Anne Ménard — B. 18 Apr 1686, Beauport, New France;¹⁹ D. 20 Jul 1770, Beauport, Quebec;²⁰ M. Nöel Dupras (1681-1743), 4 Jun 1715, Beauport, New France²¹

4. Jacques Ménard — B. 23 Sep 1688, Beauport, New France;²² D. 12 May 1754, Quebec City, New France;²³ M. Angelique Deslisle (1696-1769), 13 Feb 1719, Quebec City, New France²⁴

5. René Ménard — B. 16 Nov 1690, Beauport, New France;²⁵ D. before 3 Mar 1697, (probably) Beauport, New France⁹

6. Pierre Ménard — B. 27 Dec 1691, Beauport, New France;²⁶ D. 4 Aug 1766, Lauzon, Quebec;²⁷ M. Therese Giroux (1694-1774), 8 Nov 1717, Beauport, New France²⁸

7. Michel Ménard — B. 20 Jun 1694, Beauport, New France;²⁹ M. Madeleine Papillion (1705-1771), 26 Aug 1723, Neuville, New France³⁰

8. René Ménard — B. 3 Mar 1697, Beauport, New France;⁹ D. 26 Jan 1715, Beauport, New France¹⁰

9. Madeleine Ménard — B. 30 Apr 1699, Beauport, New France;³¹ D. 18 May 1743, St-Joseph-de-Beauce, Quebec;³² M. Nöel Maheu (1690-?), 8 Nov 1717, Beauport, New France³³

10. Charles Ménard — B. 16 Aug 1702, Beauport, New France;³⁴ D. 30 Jul 1769, Quebec City, Quebec;³⁵ M. Genevieve Belanger (1709-1782), 5 Nov 1736, Beauport, New France³⁶

Sources:
1    Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
2    Marriage record of Jacques Ménard dit Deslauriers and Marie-Madeleine Baugis, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Burial record of Jacques Ménard dit Deslauriers, Q.C.P.R.
4    Navires venus en Nouvelle France (website)  
5    Our French-Canadian Ancestors, V. 19, pp. 173-182, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
6    Compagnie Duprat, Migrations.fr (website)  
7    Baptismal record of Claude-Philiberte Chrétien, Q.C.P.R.
8    Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Royer, Q.C.P.R.
9    Baptismal record of René Ménard (younger), Q.C.P.R.
10  Burial record of René Ménard (younger), Q.C.P.R.
11  Registre journalier des malades de l'Hotel-Dieu de Quebec, p. 190, 2005
12  Burial record of Marie-Madeleine Baugis, Q.C.P.R.
13  Baptismal record of Marguerite Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
14  Burial record of Marguerite Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of André Paradis and Marguerite Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
16  Baptismal record of Jean Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
17  Burial record of Jean Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
18  Marriage record of Jean Ménard and Françoise Vachon, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
20  Burial record of Marie-Anne Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
21  Marriage record of Nöel Dupras and Marie-Anne Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
22  Baptismal record of Jacques Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
23  Burial record of Jacques Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
24  Marriage record of Jacques Ménard and Angelique Deslisle, Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal record of René Ménard (older), Q.C.P.R.
26  Baptismal record of Pierre Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
27  Burial record of Pierre Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
28  Marriage record of Pierre Ménard and Therese Giroux, Q.C.P.R.
29  Baptismal record of Michel Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
30  Marriage record of Michel Ménard and Madeleine Papillion, Q.C.P.R.
31  Baptismal record of Madeleine Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
32  Burial record of Madeleine Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
33  Marriage record of Nöel Maheu and Madeleine Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
34  Baptismal record of Charles Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
35  Burial record of Charles Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
36  Marriage record of Charles Ménard and Genevieve Belanger, Q.C.P.R.

Son Died in American Revolution — Ebenezer Coburn

B. about 1722 in (probably) Dracut, Massachusetts¹
M. after 23 Nov 1751 in Dracut, Massachusetts²
Wife: Sarah Whiting
D. 14 Aug 1799 in Bedford, New Hampshire¹

When the spirit of rebellion came to Massachusetts in early 1775, young men volunteered to bravely confront the British army. People cheered as they marched off to fight, but some parents had sons who would never return home, and this was the case with Ebenezer Coburn.

Many of the details of Ebenezer’s life are sketchy. He was born in about 1722 to Joseph Coburn and Hannah Harwood, and was thought to be their only child.¹ The Coburns lived in Dracut, Massachusetts, so this is likely where Ebenezer’s birth took place. Their intent to marry was recorded in Dracut on November 23, 1751,² and with the birth of their first child less than six months later,³ Sarah may have been pregnant at the time they were married. By the summer of 1757, three healthy children had been born to the couple, two sons and one daughter.

In 1775, the people of Massachusetts became aware that large numbers of British soldiers were camped in Boston to keep them in line. The majority didn’t like it, and towns like Dracut organized small companies of “Minutemen,” ready to be called to service on short notice. Ebenezer was way too old to be a soldier, but sons Phineas and Leonard were of the right age, and they joined up.⁴ When the alarm was sounded on April 19th, Dracut's Minutemen gathered and headed toward the conflict. 

Sons going off to war. (AI-generated image)

After the men arrived in Boston, Phineas was one of many who enlisted in an army representing all of Massachusetts. His life truly became that of a soldier, camped out for months while waiting for further orders. He earned the rank of sergeant, but sadly he died on September 8th.⁴ Since no military action happened at that time, his death must have been from an accident or a sickness.

As his father, Ebenezer was entitled to Phineas’ bounty. Earlier that year, authorities in Massachusetts had ordered that each soldier was to receive a coat under the terms of their enlistments,⁴ with the intention that it would make them look more like a professional army. But it took months before the coats were provided, and Phineas never got his. So an effort was made to pay the value of the coat to surviving families of fallen soldiers, and on December 18, 1775, Ebenezer was designated as the recipient of such money.³

Bounty coat of the Massachusetts militia.

Meanwhile Ebenezer’s younger son Leonard, who served only 12 days in April 1775,⁴ enlisted again during 1776⁴ and 1777⁴ for different companies, serving as far away as White Plains, New York. Back in Dracut, Ebenezer did his own part for the war effort. Private citizens were making bullets for the army in their homes, and on January 12, 1776, he was appointed, along with two other men, to purchase the lead that was needed.⁴

Ebenezer moved to Bedford, New Hampshire, where he made out a will on November 3, 1796.⁵ Because his two sons were already deceased, he looked to his grandchildren as his heirs. Son Leonard had left two daughters, and he bequeathed each of them a cow. Daughter Dorothy was given a small amount of money, but her oldest son, Ebenezer French, got the rest of the estate. Ebenezer also provided for his wife Sarah the use of property and items for the rest of her life. He died almost three years later on August 14, 1799.¹ Sarah survived him for many years, and passed away in 1825.

Children:
1. Phineas Coburn — B. 2 May 1752, Dracut, Massachusetts;³ D. 8 Sep 1775, Massachusetts⁴

2. Dorothy Coburn — B. 10 Jun 1754, Dracut, Massachusetts;⁶ D. 13 Oct 1835, Bedford, New Hampshire;⁷ M. Stephen French (~1749-1832), 7 Jan 1773, Dracut, Massachusetts⁸

3. Leonard Coburn — B. 30 Jul 1757, Dracut, Massachusetts;⁹ D. 26 Apr 1785, Dracut, Massachusetts;¹⁰ M. Merab Coburn (1758-?), 30 Jan 1779¹⁰

Sources:
1    Find-a-Grave listing of Ebenezer Coburn 
2    Marriage intention of Ebenezer Colburn and Sarah Whiting, Vital Records of Dracut, Massachusetts to the Year 1850, 1907 

3    Birth record of Phineas Coburn, Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, FamilySearch.org 

4    Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War, Vol. 3, 1897

5    Will of Ebenezer Coburn, New Hampshire, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1643-1982, Ancestry.com
6    Birth record of Dorothy Coburn, M. B. and C.
7    Find-a-Grave listing for Dolly Coburn French  
8    Marriage record of Stephen French and Dolly Coburn, Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
9    Birth record of Leonard Coburn, M. B. and C.
10    Genealogy of the descendants of Edward Colburn/Coburn, George Augustus Gordon and Silas Roger Coburn, 1913