On the Land of His Wife’s First Husband — Denis Briere

B. about 1631 in Rouen, France^1,2
M. 8 May 1658 in Quebec City, New France³
Wife: Françoise Bigot
D. 24 Apr 1711 in Neuville, New France⁴

When Denis Briere got married, he was able to take over the farm that belonged to his new wife. He was born in Rouen, France in about 1631.^1,2 His parents were Denis Briere and Jacquette Perrault;³ he had at least one sibling, a sister named Anne, but nothing else is known of his family.

It’s believed that Denis migrated to New France in about 1655 by agreeing to a work contract for a period of three years.5 After his service in the colony was over, he married Françoise Bigot, a widow with three small children. The wedding took place in Notre-Dame-de-Quebec on May 8, 1658,⁵ and he moved into her home on a small farm in Sillery. The plot was very narrow at only one and a half arpents wide (about 288 feet), but it bordered the St-Lawrence River.⁵ The location was sometimes described as the seigneury of St-Michel, making it close to Quebec City.

Denis and Françoise soon began a family with the birth of a son in about 1659.^1,2 By 1674, seven more children were born, of whom five died young (some sources say there were two additional children who died as infants). Denis’ farm had 11 cattle and 20 arpents under cultivation in 1666,¹ and for a time, Denis had a young man living in the household who helped with the farm work. Françoise’s elderly mother came to live with them, as well.²

In about 1677, Denis seems to have abandoned the small farm at Sillery, moving his family upriver to the seigneury of St-Augustin-de-Desmaures.⁵ On August 22nd of that year, he acquired a grant of land with 4 arpents of river frontage by 30 arpents in depth. This was where he spent most of the rest of his life. It wasn’t until after Denis’ wife Françoise died in 1706⁶ that he sold the Sillery farm. On July 30, 1707, the seminary of Quebec bought the property for 120 livres⁵; because it had originally belonged to Françoise’s first husband, Denis’ two surviving step-daughters got a share of the profit. There was some sort of dispute over this payment that had to be settled in 1710, and the court ordered Denis to pay a sum of money to one of the step-daughters, Marguerite Guillebourg.⁵

Denis passed away on April 24, 1711 at Neuville,⁴ where he likely lived in his old age with one of his children. The land that he had farmed in Sillery remained in the possession of the seminary for many years. It was bought by a judge in 1831, and he sold it in 1848 to a group of men who turned it into a cemetery.⁵ Today the site of Denis’ first farm in America is Mount Hermon Cemetery, said to be the first suburban cemetery in the Quebec City region.⁵ Denis was the ancestor of Leo Durocher.

Mount Hermon Cemetery (Source: Cephas / CC By-SA)

Children:
1. Denis Briere — B. about 1659, (probably) Sillery, New France;^1,2 D. 20 Jun 1718, Quebec City, New France;⁷ M. Marie-Elisabeth Lemarie (1671-1751), 23 Nov 1688, Neuville, New France⁸

2. Françoise Briere — B. about 1661, (probably) Sillery, New France;^1,2 D. 8 Aug 1738, St-Nicolas, Lévis, New France;⁹ M. Michel Lemarie (~1654-1727), 27 Feb 1680, Neuville, New France¹⁰

3. Sebastien Briere — B. 28 Jan 1664, Sillery, New France;¹¹ D. 23 Dec 1664, Sillery, New France¹²

4. Etienne Briere — B. 19 Apr 1666, Sillery, New France;¹³ D. 19 Apr 1666, Sillery, New France¹³

5. Charles Briere — B. 2 Apr 1667, Sillery, New France;¹⁴ D. before 25 Apr 1671¹⁵

6. Jean-Baptiste Briere — B. 21 May 1668, Sillery, New France;¹⁶ D. 17 Oct 1745, St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, New France;¹⁷ M. Françoise Brassard (1679-1728), 23 Nov 1712, Quebec City, New France¹⁸

7. Charles Briere — B. 25 Apr 1671, Sillery, New France;¹⁵ D. (probably) young

8. Joseph Briere — B. 10 Mar 1674, Sillery, New France;¹⁹ D. (probably) young

Sources:
1    Recensement de la Nouvelle-France en 1666
2    Recensement de la Nouvelle-France en 1667
3    Marriage record of Denis Briere and Françoise Bigot, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org 
4    Burial record of Denis Briere, Q.C.P.R.
5    Voyage dans le temps avec Pierrette (website)
6    Burial record of Françoise Bigot, Q.C.P.R.
7    Burial record of Denis Briere (younger), Q.C.P.R.
8    Marriage record record of Denis Briere and Marie-Elisabeth Lemarie, Q.C.P.R.
9    Burial record of Françoise Briere, Q.C.P.R.
10  Marriage record record of Michel Lemarie and Françoise Briere, Q.C.P.R.
11  Baptismal record of Sebastien Briere, Q.C.P.R.
12  Burial record of Sebastien Briere, Q.C.P.R.
13  Baptismal and burial record of Etienne Briere, Q.C.P.R.
14  Baptismal record of Charles Briere (older), Q.C.P.R.
15  Baptismal record of Charles Briere (younger), Q.C.P.R.
16  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Briere, Q.C.P.R.
17  Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Briere, Q.C.P.R.
18  Marriage record record of Jean-Baptiste Briere and Françoise Brassard, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Joseph Briere, Q.C.P.R.

Connecticut Family Patriarch — Richard Smith

B. about 1583 in Leicestershire, England¹
M. 13 Feb 1616 in Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England²
Wife: Rebecca Buswell
D. after 3 Jun 1669 in (probably) Wethersfield, Connecticut³

Richard Smith led a long life and founded a large family during Connecticut’s earliest years. He was born somewhere in England in about 1583,¹ with his exact origins uncertain. Of course the name Smith makes identifying him very difficult, but he was known to have lived much of his life in the village of Husbands Bosworth,² located in Leicestershire. It seems likely that he was either born there, or somewhere nearby. It should be noted that several notable people named Smith lived in Husbands Bosworth, including Erasmus Smith (1611-1691), and there may be a family connection, however this is impossible to verify.

Erasmus Smith of Husbands Bosworth.

The first time Richard appeared in records was in his marriage to Rebecca Buswell on February 13, 1615.² Rebecca was of a family from Husbands Bosworth, which is where the wedding took place. The couple settled there, and between about 1617 and 1638, they had eight children, of whom two died young.¹ Shortly after the youngest was born, they migrated to New England; it’s believed they lived for a couple of years in Hartford, Connecticut before moving to Wethersfield by 1646.⁵

Richard’s name was on a couple of property transactions in 1658 and 1662,⁵ but other than signing a petition to remove Wethersfield’s minister in August 1658,⁶ he was little mentioned in town records. Perhaps this was because his advanced age made him too old to hold any civic offices. He did serve on the jury of the court at Hartford in June 1648, December 1648, May 1650, and September 1650.⁷ Richard also brought a case against George Woolcott and his wife in May of 1651; the charge was “slander,” but no details about it survive. The court awarded him 28 pounds to be paid by Woolcott.⁷

Over the years, Richard had several contacts with Governor John Winthrop,¹ an unlicensed doctor who travelled around the colony giving treatment to patients.⁴ On February 21, 1653, Richard wrote to Winthrop describing the symptoms of his daughter-in-law, Lydia Wright Smith; modern analysis suggests she was suffering from a tapeworm. Richard himself was attended to by Winthrop on December 5, 1658, February 2, 1667, and June 3, 1669; the entry for the final treatment mentioned he had a fever. The was the last time Richard was known to be alive was on a list of freeman in Wethersfield dated October 1669, and he likely died within a few years of that date.³

Children:
1. Richard Smith — B. before 1 Jan 1617, Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England;² D. Jun 1690, Wethersfield, Connecticut;¹ M. Mary Weed (~1618-1704), 1639, Wethersfield, Connecticut⁵

2. Susannah Smith — B. before 30 May 1619, Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England;² D. 30 Nov 1692, Wethersfield, Connecticut;¹ M. Thomas Standish (~1612-1693), 1659, Wethersfield, Connecticut¹

3. Anne Smith — B. before 24 Feb 1622, Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England;² D. (probably) young

4. Joseph Smith — B. before 25 Dec 1625, Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England;² D. before 28 Aug 1673, Wethersfield, Connecticut;¹ M. Lydia Wright (1633-1689), 1653, Wethersfield, Connecticut¹

5. Mary Smith — B. before 11 Dec 1630, Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England;² M. (1) Matthias Treat (~1620-1662), about 1648, Wethersfield, Connecticut;¹ (2) Anthony Wright (~1625-1679), before 1666, Wethersfield, Connecticut;¹ (3) John Smith (~1625-1683), about 1680, (probably) Wethersfield, Connecticut⁵

6. Rebecca Smith — B. before 11 Dec 1630, Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England;² D. (probably) young

7. Jonathan Smith — B. before 4 Oct 1635, Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England;² D. after 24 Apr 1711, (probably) Connecticut;⁵ M. (1) Hannah Adams, before 13 Jun 1660, (probably) Connecticut;⁷ (2) Martha Bushnell (~1637-~1705), 1 Jan 1664, Saybrook, Connecticut¹

8. Abigail Smith — B. before 21 Jan 1638, Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, England;² D. after 1683, Huntington, New York;¹ M. (1) John Adams (~1637-1670), 24 Aug 1657, Easttown, Westchester, New York;¹ (2) John Betts (1627-?), 13 Mar 1673, Connecticut¹

Sources:
1    “The Doubtful English Ancestry of Richard Smith of Wethersfield, Connecticut,” Gale Ion Harris, The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, V. 143, Jul 1989
2    "Isaac Buswell and Rebecca (Buswell) Smith of Husbands Bosworth, Co. Leicester, and New England," NEHGR, V.158, Jan 2004
3    The public records of the Colony of Connecticut from 1675-1678. Vol. II, p. 520, J. Hammond Trumbull and Charles J. Hoadly, 1852
4    The New England Historical Society (website) 
5    “Richard Smith of Wethersfield,” Donald Lines Jacobus, The American Genealogist, V. 25, 1949
6    The History of Ancient Wethersfield, Connecticut, V. 1, p. 161, Sherman W. Adams & Henry R. Stiles, 1904
7    Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society, V. 12, 1928

A Son Born Before Her Wedding — Marie-Therese Pimpare

B. 17 May 1725 in La Prairie, New France¹
M. 6 Nov 1747 in Montreal, New France²
Husband: Louis Plichon dit St-Louis
D. after 23 Sep 1765 in (probably) Sandwich, Quebec³

The marriage record of Marie-Therese Pimpare tells a story of a child born to her out-of-wedlock. Therese was the second child of Charles Pimpare dit Tourangeau and Louise Bourg, born on May 17, 1725 in La Prairie, New France.¹ It was a large family of 15 children, of whom at least six died young; as the oldest of the survivors, it’s easy to imagine that Therese fell into a role of caring for her younger siblings.

There was a large presence of the military where Therese grew up; in fact, her own father had been a soldier brought over from France around 1720.⁴ After Therese came of age, in about early 1747, she became acquainted with, Louis Plichon, a man serving in the French force near Montreal. Their relationship became intimate, and she soon became pregnant, but they didn’t get married right away. Louis was in a unit that saw military action that June on Lake St-Louis, and this likely prevented him from marrying Therese for a few months. She gave birth to their baby on October 1st, a boy who was named Louis.⁵

After Louis returned from his service, now with “dit St-Louis” added to his name, he was finally able to marry Therese. Their wedding took place on November 6, 1747 at Notre-Dame-de-Montreal in the presence of a couple of soldiers, but her parents weren’t named as witnesses. The absence of her mother might be explained in that she was a week away from delivering her last child. Therese’s own baby son was noted in the record, and that the marriage legitimized him.

Record of Marie-Therese's baby Louis being legitimized at her wedding. (Source: FamilySearch.org)

For the first couple of years of marriage, Therese and Louis stayed in Montreal, where she gave birth to their second child in January 1749, who unfortunately died soon after.^7,8 But later that year, they left the area for a new life out west. The authorities in the French outpost of Detroit wanted people to set up farms, and offered land, supplies, and food rations to those who would do so.⁹ Therese and her husband arrived at Detroit on July 26th, and they were given a tract of land on the south side of the river, in what is now Windsor, Ontario. She was already pregnant with their third child and gave birth to a son on November 26, 1749 — a child who was thought to be the first white infant born in what is now Essex County.¹⁰

A baby is born south of Detroit. (AI-generated image)

One of Therese’s brothers came to stay on their Detroit farm in 1750;⁹ it isn’t known how long he was there. Meanwhile, the family grew with the births of six more children, one of whom died as an infant. The final child was baptized on September 23, 1765,¹¹ and this was the last date Therese was known to be alive. Her husband and children were enumerated at Detroit in a 1768 census which unfortunately didn’t take note of the wives of the household heads, so it’s impossible to know when she passed away.

Children:
1. Louis Plichon — B. 1 Oct 1747, Montreal, New France⁵

2. Marie-Louise Plichon — B. 11 Jan 1749, Montreal, New France;⁷ D. 26 Jan 1749, Montreal, New France⁸

3. François Plichon — B. 26 Nov 1749, Detroit, New France³

4. Joseph-Marie Plichon — B. 6 Nov 1751, Detroit, New France³

5. Marie-Joseph Plichon — B. 20 Dec 1753, Detroit, New France;³ D. 26 Dec 1753, Detroit, New France³

6. Catherine Plichon — B. 6 Jan 1755, Detroit, New France³

7. Pierre Plichon — B. 15 Apr 1757, Detroit, New France;³ D. 13 Sep 1758, Detroit, New France³

8. Marie-Françoise Plichon — B. 11 Mar 1759, Detroit, New France;³ D. 26 Jan 1837, Vincennes, Indiana;¹² M. Nicolas Baillargeon (1740-1803), 24 Jul 1778, Post Vincennes, Illinois Territory¹³

9. Charles Plichon — B. before 23 Sep 1765, Sandwich, Quebec³

Sources:
1   Baptismal record of Marie-Therese Pimpare, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2   Marriage record of Louis Plichon dit St-Louis and Marie-Therese Pimpare, Q.C.P.R.
3   Genealogy of the French Families of the Detroit River Region, 1701-1936, Christian Dennison, 1987
4   Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing for Charles Pimpare dit Tourangeau
5   Baptismal record of Louis Plichon (younger), Q.C.P.R.
6   Baptismal record of Charlotte Pimpare, Q.C.P.R.
7   Baptismal record of Marie-Louise Plichon, Q.C.P.R.
8   Burial record of Marie-Louise Plichon, Q.C.P.R.
9   “Edward Ciccotte Ledger, 1749-1752,” Michigan’s Habitant Heritage, Vol. 29, #3, 2008
10  The Windsor border region, Canada’s southernmost frontier, Ernest J. Lajeunesse, 1960
11  1768 Detroit South Shore Census, January 23, 1768
12  Indiana Deaths and Burials, 1750-1993, FamilySearch.org
13  Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992, FamilySearch.org

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

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

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

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

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

Quebec City in about 1700. (AI-enhanced image)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Covenant for Founding a Community — Francis Bushnell

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

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

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

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

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

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

Signing the covenant. (AI-generated image)

The Guilford Covenant.

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

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

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

The Guilford Covenant monument .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On Both Sides of the Wabash — Joseph Gaile

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

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

When war broke out with England in 1812, many young men in Vincennes joined the fight, and Joseph was one of them. While there may have been a spirit of patriotism with their enlistments, it’s likely that many signed up for the money. Records show that Joseph served two stints in the war. During his first enlistment from August 13th to November 18th of 1812, he was a private in the 1st Regiment of the Indiana Militia.⁴ On September 12th, Joseph’s unit arrived as reinforcements to a siege at Fort Harrison, a stockade at the site of present-day Terre-Haute.⁵ 

Arriving at Fort Harrison. (AI-generated image)

It isn’t known if Joseph saw any action, but the enemy retreated soon after. Joseph was later noted as being AWOL along with 9 other men in his company;⁴ it isn’t known if he faced discipline for it, or simply got docked some of his pay. Early the following year, he signed up again in the same regiment, this time for two months starting on February 15th.⁴

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Crime of Selling Brandy to Indians — Madeleine Varennes

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

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

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

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

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

Selling alcohol to Indians was a crime in New France. (AI-generated image)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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