Eight Sons to Pass Along His Name — Thomas Peirce

B. about 1615 in Norwich, England¹
M. about 1639 in Charlestown, Massachusetts²
Wife: Elizabeth Cole
D. 6 Nov 1683 in Woburn, Massachusetts³

Thomas Peirce left a legacy of many descendants who carried his name, some of whom were famous. He was born in roughly 1615 in Norwich, England to Thomas and Elizabeth Peirce, one of at least 8 children.¹ This area of England was home to many Puritans, and the Peirce family (also spelled Pierce or Pearce) were part of the Great Migration to New England during the 1630s. It isn’t known exactly when they arrived, but it was certainly by 1635, when their names first appeared in records there.⁴ They settled in Charlestown, Massachusetts, where Thomas was admitted to the church.⁴

Within the next few years, Thomas got married to the daughter of another Charlestown settler. His bride was Elizabeth Cole, and their marriage took place in about 1639.² Between 1643 and about 1662, they had twelve children, of which ten were sons. Two boys died as infants, but the others went on to give him many grandchildren (his two daughters did as well).

A family of boys in 17th-century New England. (AI-generated image)

By 1643, Thomas moved to the new settlement of Woburn,⁵ one of many towns that were springing up as the colony's population grew. As with all men in all Puritan communities, Thomas performed civic duties. He served in the town council as selectman in 1660 through 1662, and in 1664 and 1670, and he was chosen as “commissioner of the rate.”⁵ Thomas was also elected to be sergeant of the militia in October 1663;⁵ after this date, he was often referred to as Sergeant Thomas Pierce in town records.

Two notes in the Woburn town records gave specific projects Thomas was involved with. In 1668, he was member of a committee selected to oversee the division of some common land in Woburn. For his work, he received 37 acres of “make meadow or swamp land.”⁵ And on November 1, 1671, he was chosen for a 4-man committee to oversee the building of a meetinghouse.⁵ The existing structure had been in use since Woburn was first settled, and it was already showing signs of age. The new one that Thomas was involved with was ready for use in the fall of 1672.

Thomas' signature, date unknown.

Because Thomas’ father lived until 1665 and had the same name, it’s sometimes confusing to sort out who did what. In 1652, a Thomas Peirce of Woburn charged a man named Samuel Eldred with letting his hogs do damage to his property. It isn’t clear if this was Thomas or his father, or what exactly was damaged. The case was withdrawn before it came to trial.

At about the end of 1678, Thomas' name was on a list of people who contracted small pox.⁵ The disease had spread all over the colony after someone who was infected arrived on a ship in July 1677.⁶ On January 6, 1679, Woburn authorities ordered quarantining in order to stop the further spread of the epidemic.⁵ It may be that Thomas' son Thomas was actually the one who had small pox, but regardless of who it was, they recovered from the disease.

Thomas died at Woburn on November 6, 1683.³ Elizabeth survived for a few more years, passing away in 1688.³ Their descendants included governor of New Hampshire, Benjamin Pierce, President Franklin Pierce, Barbara (Pierce) Bush, George W. Bush, Jeb Bush and James Spader.⁷

Children:
1. Thomas Peirce — B. about 1640, (possibly) Woburn, Massachusetts;⁸ D. 8 Dec 1717, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ M. Rachel Bacon (1652-?), 25 Mar 1680, Woburn, Massachusetts³

2. John Peirce — B. 7 Mar 1643, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ D. 25 Mar 1720, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ M. Deborah Converse (1647-?), 1 Jul 1663, Woburn, Massachusetts³

3. Elizabeth Peirce — B. 25 Dec 1646, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ M. (1) Thomas Whittmore (1645-1670), 9 Nov 1666, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ (2) Hopestill Foster (1648-1679), 15 Oct 1670, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ (3) Nathaniel Pierce (1655-1692), 23 Mar 1680, Woburn, Massachusetts³

4. Joseph Peirce — B. 22 Sep 1648, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ D. 1649, Woburn, Massachusetts³

5. Joseph Peirce — B. 13 Aug 1649, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ D. 21 Nov 1716, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ M. Mary Richardson, 24 Jun 1681, Woburn, Massachusetts³

6. Stephen Peirce — B. 16 Jul 1651, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ D. 10 Jun 1733, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;⁹ M. Tabitha Parker (1658-1742), 18 Nov 1676, Chelmsford, Massachusetts¹⁰

7. Samuel Peirce — B. 20 Feb 1654, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ D. 27 Oct 1655, Woburn, Massachusetts³

8. Samuel Peirce — B. 7 Apr 1656, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ D. 5 Jul 1721, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ M. Lydia Bacon (1655-1717), 9 Dec 1680, Woburn, Massachusetts³

9. William Peirce — B. 7 Mar 1658, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ D. 22 Aug 1720, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ M. (1) Abigail Warren (~1660-?); (2) Abigail Sommers (~1658-~1726), 8 Apr 1690³

10. James Peirce — B. 7 May 1659, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ D. 20 Jan 1741, Woburn, Massachusetts³

11. Abigail Pierce — B. 20 Nov 1660, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ D. about 9 Sep 1719, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ M. George Reed (1660-1756), 18 Feb 1685, Woburn, Massachusetts³

12. Benjamin Peirce — B. about 1662, Woburn, Massachusetts;¹¹ D. 25 Sep 1739, Woburn, Massachusetts;³ M. Mary Reed, 10 Oct 1688, Charlestown, Massachusetts¹²

Sources:
1    Estimated birth year based on his mother’s reported age in Thomas Peirce Sr.’s probate record; she was too young for him to be born earlier than about 1615
2    The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633, Robert Charles Anderson, 1995
3    Transcript of Woburn Town Records of Births, Marriages & Deaths, 1641-1843, Family search.org
4    Pierce Genealogy, Frederic Beech Pierce, 1882
5    History of Woburn, Samuel Sewall, 1868
6    “The Story of Smallpox in Massachusetts,” Massachusetts Medical Society (website)  
7    Famous Kin (website)

8    Birth is missing from Woburn town records which begin in 1641
9    Births, marriages, deaths, 1673-1770, Chelmsford, Massachusetts, FamilySearch.org
10  Town Records of the Town of Chelmsford [Massachusetts], 1650-1730, FamilySearch.org
11  Estimated birth year based on marriage date
12  Woburn Records of Births, Deaths and Marriages, from 1640 to 1873, Part III, p. 209, Edward F. Johnson, 1891

Indian Captive After Husband Killed — Tryntie Reynders

B. about 1621 in Hengelo, Netherlands^1,2
M. (1) before 1640 in (probably) Hengelo, Netherlands^1,3
Husband: Arent Theunissen Van Henglen
M. (2) 25 May 1656 in New Netherland¹
Husband: Severyn Laurenszen
D. before 5 Aug 1671 in New York¹

Tryntie Reynders was a woman who settled in New Netherland with her husband, and faced terrible hardships because of it. But she found a way to survive, keeping her children safe, and passing her bloodline on to thousands of descendants.

Tryntie (also spelled Tryntje) was born in Hengelo, Netherlands in about 1621.^1,2 Nothing is known of her family; surnames were patronymic in most Netherlands families, and “Reynders” was taken from the first name of her father. After she came of age, she married Arent Theunissen Van Henglen, who was also from Hengelo.^1,3 Between about 1641 and 1652, she had at least three children.

Shortly after the birth of her youngest child, Arent decided the family would find a new life in America. Once in New Amsterdam, they joined a group who were establishing a community on Staten Island.¹ For a time, the family enjoyed a peaceful life on their farm, but it came to an abrupt end in a conflict called the Peach Tree War. This was a fight between the Dutch and the Swedish who colonized in the region first. The Swedes enlisted local tribes who could help them fight, and after the Dutch took several of their forts in 1655, Susquehannock warriors retaliated against Dutch civilians on September 15th.

One of the places they hit was where Tryntie lived. A total of 23 people were killed at the Staten Island settlement, including her husband Arent.^1,4 Typically, in a raid such as this, people were slaughtered in their homes with tomahawks, and it’s likely Tryntie was there to witness whatever was done to her husband. She and all three of her children were then captured and taken back to the Susquehannock camp where they were held as prisoners.⁵ There were over 60 people with her, each living in fear of what would happen next. But luckily, after a month in captivity, their release was negotiated by the man who had run the settlement on Staten Island, Captain Adrian Post.⁶

Held captive in a Susquehannock camp. (AI-generated image)

With her husband dead and her home destroyed, Tryntie and her children sought refuge in Manhattan with many other victims of the massacre.⁵ Needing a husband to support her, she married a man named Severyn Laurenszen on May 25, 1656.¹ Severyn was from Denmark, and had come to New Amsterdam as a mercenary soldier.⁷

Tryntie was by now about age 45, and she had no children with her second husband. It must have been a struggle to make ends meet, which may have led to Severyn being charged with theft in early 1658. A trial on April 12th resulted in him being found him guilty, and his sentence was to be “stripped of arms and publicly flogged and branded.”⁷ He escaped jail before this was done, and on May 28th, he was pardoned and “permitted to live on Long Island,”⁷ which meant he and Tryntie moved to either present-day Queens or Brooklyn.

Since Severyn no longer had a place in the military, he needed a new livelihood, and in about 1660, he decided to go into business with another man running a tavern.⁷ Once again, Tryntie moved, this time to a road on the outskirts of New Amsterdam which became known as The Bowery. Several taverns lined the road, so it must have attracted a somewhat lawless element. Severyn was cited more than once for such violations as “selling liquor during divine service,” and for allowing people in his tavern “to play nine pins” on Sunday.⁷

Tryntie’s ordeal on Staten Island resurfaced in November 1661. Former colony leader Captain Post sued Severyn for money he thought was owed regarding Tryntie’s release back in 1656. To counter that, Tryntie came forward in court with a claim that Captain Post actually owed her a larger amount of money.^7,8 The authorities referred the case to Thomas Hall and Fredrick Lubbersen to settle the issue, but there’s no further record of what happened next.

It isn’t known exactly when Tryntie died. She and Severyn made a joint will in about May 1662,⁸ and she didn’t appear in any records after that. He married a second wife on August 5, 1671,¹ so her death must have been between those two dates.

Children (all by Arent Theunissen Van Henglen):
1. Reynier Arentsen Van Henglen — B. about 1641, (probably)Hengelo, Netherlands; D. after 17 Sep 1721;¹ M. (1) Annetje Hermans, New Netherland; (2) Jannetije Aukes Van Nuys, 1666¹

2. Maritje Arents Van Henglen — B. (probably) Hengelo, Netherlands; M. Jan Jansen Langestraat, 2 Nov 1659, New Netherland¹

3. Hendrick Arentsen Van Henglen — B. about 1652,  (probably) Hengelo, Netherlands; D. about 16 Jun 1689, New York;¹ M. Catherine Hardenbroeck, 25 Oct 1684, New York¹

Sources:
1    “Notes on the Rynearson (Van Hengel) Family,” Somerset County Quarterly, Vol. 5., Edward Kinsey Voorhees, 1916
2    Birth year estimate based on approximate ages of children
3    Marriage year estimate based on approximate ages of children
4    Since we know Arent’s wife and children were captives in the 1655 raid on Staten Island, and that Arent wasn’t among them, it’s safe to conclude that he was killed
5    Documents Relative to the Colonial History of N.Y., Vol XIII, page 74, 1881
6    Documents Relative to the Colonial History of N.Y., Vol XIII, pages 45-48, 1881
7    Scandinavian Immigrants in New York, 1630-1674, John Oluf Evjen, 1916
8    Yearbook of the Holland Society of New York, 1900

Married to a Cheating Wife — Étienne Boyer dit Lafontaine

B. about 1636 in LaFontaine-Milon, Angers, France¹
M. 26 Oct 1671 in Quebec City, New France²
Wife: Marie-Therese Viel
D. 3 Oct 1700 in Quebec City, New France³

When men in New France made matches with the Filles du Roi, not every bride turned out to be virtuous, and such was the case for Étienne Boyer dit Lafontaine. He was born in about 1636 in Lafontaine-Milon, a village in Angers, France.¹ Étienne’s parents were Claude Boyer and Sébastienne Raveneau, and he was one of at least six children. His father was a butcher, but died when Étienne was a baby;¹ then his mother, a brother and a sister all died in 1639.

After Étienne came of age, he enlisted in the military, and was part of the Carignan-Salières Regiment that was sent to protect New France in 1665.¹ On May 24th of that year, he boarded the ship Saint-Sebastien, and after a crossing that took months, he landed at Quebec City on September 12th.⁴ Soon after, his company led by La Fouille made their way to the mouth of the Rivière-du-Loup on Lac Saint-Pierre, where they spent the winter.⁴ Étienne helped build a fort, and presumably he was stationed there for some of his service. At the end of three years, Étienne’s term was up, and he became one of about 400 soldiers who decided to make their civilian life in the colony.

After being released from service, Étienne seems to have lived in the Quebec City area. In the fall of 1671, he decided to seek a wife from the Filles du Roi who had just arrived from France. A 20-year-old woman named Marie-Therese Viel must have caught his eye, and on October 20th, a contract of marriage was signed.⁵ The wedding took place at Notre-Dame-de-Quebec on the 26th,² and Therese was soon pregnant. Three sons were born between 1672 and 1675, but sadly only the third one survived.

Etienne and Marie-Therese's marriage contract. (Source: BAnQ)

By this time, Étienne had acquired a concession in a place located north and west of Quebec City. (His land was on a bend in the Charles River, which was said to be the site of Maison O'Neill, a landmark house that was built in about 1860.⁶) In early 1676, a matter came up that had Therese making a trip back to France;⁴ such journeys were rare among colonists, and more unusual for a woman to travel alone. Étienne stayed behind with their very young son and waited for her return.

When Therese came home months later, she was quite pregnant.⁴ Étienne was said to have refused to take her back,⁴ and it’s easy to imagine he was angry and embarrassed over it. Her claim was that she got seduced by a powerful man, Médard Chouart des Groseilliers, a French-Canadian fur trader who was also visiting France when he came into contact with her in La Rochelle.⁴ By the time Therese gave birth to her illegitimate baby on January 14, 1677,⁷ Étienne chose to believe her story and they got back together.⁴ Later that year, he tried to sue Chouart des Groseilliers, who denied being the baby’s father, but the court decided in Étienne’s favor. The plaintiff had to pay him 200 livres; the only stipulation on Étienne’s part was that he was ordered to raise the child.⁴

Pregnant wife returns home. (AI-generated image)

After that, Étienne resumed normal relations with Therese. Together, they had ten more children, with the youngest born in 1691.⁸ The following year, Étienne was said to have sold his concession.⁶ The family seems to have moved to the Charlesbourg area because Therese was involved in an incident there with another woman in 1699.⁹

Étienne died on October 3, 1700 at Hôtel-Dieu in Quebec City.³ His widow Therese seems to have been left with a number of underaged children of which only one showed up in later records of New France. She herself was thought to have moved back to France; it’s very possible that many, or all, of the younger children went with her. Étienne and Therese were the ancestors of Ricky Gervais.

Children:
1. Réne-Louis Boyer — B. 9 Sep 1672, New France;¹⁰ D. 11 Sep 1672, New France¹¹

2. Hugues Boyer — B. 7 Sep 1673, New France¹²

3. Charles Boyer — B. about 1675, New France;¹³ D. 18 Mar 1727, Chambly, New France;¹³ M. (1) Marie-Marguerite Vanier (1684-1715), 9 Feb 1699, Charlesbourg, New France;¹⁴ (2) Marie-Madeleine Vivier (1688-1729), 19 Aug 1715, Charlesbourg, New France¹⁵

4. Jean-Louis Boyer — B. 31 Dec 1678, New France;¹⁶ M. Marie-Renée Chrétien, 9 Feb 1699, New France¹⁷

5. Jean-Étienne Boyer — B. 10 Aug 1680, Quebec City, New France;¹⁸ D. 21 Apr 1750, Lachine, New France;¹⁹ M. Barbe Lemoureux (1685-1770), about 1707, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France²⁰

6. François Boyer — B. Mar 1681, L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France²¹

7. Jacques Boyer — B. 18 Apr 1683, L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France²²

8. Louis Boyer — B. 7 Jun 1684, L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France;²³ D. Jun 1684, L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France²⁴

9. Élisabeth Boyer — B. 10 Jul 1685, (probably) L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France²⁵

10. Pierre-Augustin Boyer — B. 28 Aug 1686, (probably) L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France²⁶

11. Jean-Baptiste Boyer — B. about 1688, (probably) L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France;²⁷ D. 23 Oct 1750, Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré, New France;²⁷ M. Marie-Madeleine Bonnier Lapierre (1693-1785), 28 Jul 1710, New France²⁸

12. Jean-François Boyer — B. 12 Jun 1690, (probably) L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France²⁹

13. Pierre Boyer — B. 24 May 1691, L’Ancienne-Lorette, New France⁸

Sources:
1    Fichier Origine listing for Étienne Boyer dit Lafontaine  
2    Marriage record of Étienne Boyer dit Lafontaine and Marie-Therese Viel, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Burial record of Étienne Boyer dit Lafontaine, Q.C.P.R.
4    Compagnie La Fouille, Migrations.fr (website)  
5    Marriage contract of Étienne Boyer dit Lafontaine and Marie-Therese Viel, BAnQ
6    Ville de Québec l’accent d’Amerique (website) 
7    Baptismal record of Jeanne-Élisabeth Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
8    Baptismal record of Pierre Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
9    Court record of incident between Mare-Therese Viel and Madeleine Bailly, BAnQ  
10  Baptismal record of René-Louis Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
11  Burial record of René-Louis Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
12  Baptismal record of Hugues Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
13  Burial record of Charles Boyer dit LaFontaine, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of Charles Boyer dit LaFontaine and Marie-Marguerite Vanier, Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of Charles Boyer dit LaFontaine and Marie-Madeleine Vivier, Q.C.P.R.
16  Baptismal record of Jean-Louis Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
17  Marriage record of Jean-Louis Boyer and Marie-Renée Chrétien, Q.C.P.R.
18  Baptismal record of Jean-Étienne Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
19  Burial record of Jean-Étienne Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
20  Marriage record of Jean-Étienne Boyer and Barbe Lemoureux, Q.C.P.R.
21  Baptismal record of François Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
22  Baptismal record of Jacques Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
23  Baptismal record of Louis Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
24  Burial record of Louis Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal record of Élisabeth Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
26  Baptismal record of Pierre Augustin Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
27  Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Boyer, Q.C.P.R.
28  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Boyer and Marie-Madeleine Bonnier Lapierre, Q.C.P.R.
29  Baptismal record of Jean-François Boyer, Q.C.P.R.

Midwife Who Baptized Babies — Marie-Françoise Hébert

B. 23 Jan 1638 in Quebec City, New France¹
M. 20 Nov 1651 in Quebec City, New France²
Husband: Guillaume Fournier
D. 16 Mar 1716 in Montmagny, New France³

Marie-Françoise Hébert held significant status for a woman in 17th century New France, including having the ability to administer baptisms. She was born at Quebec City on January 23, 1638 to Guillaume Hébert and Hélène Desportes,¹ both of whom had parents who were among the colony’s earliest pioneers. Her mother was thought to be the first European born in all of Canada, and was just 17-years-old at Françoise’s birth. She had an older brother, and a younger sister who likely died as an infant. Françoise’s father died when she was very young, then her mother remarried and produced 12 half-siblings.

Françoise lived with her family in the Upper Town of Quebec,⁴ likely growing up in the same house where she was born. Ursuline nuns ran a school nearby, which she probably attended for a time.⁴ As the oldest daughter in a large family, Françoise would have helped her mother take care of her younger brothers and sisters, especially as they became numerous.

Françoise’s childhood came to an end on November 20, 1651 when she got married at age 13.² Her husband was a newcomer to the colony named Guillaume Fournier, and he was in his thirties. It wasn’t uncommon for girls that young to to become brides because there was a shortage of women in the colony. Françoise lived in Charlesbourg early in her marriage, though most of her children were said to be born in Quebec City.⁴ The first baby came in November 1653, surviving only a month.^5,6 She would have 15 children in all; three more died as infants, including the last two, and one of these may have been stillborn.

Pregnant wife at age 15. (AI-generated image)

By the time Françoise gave birth to her next to last child in 1679,⁷ her family was living in the south shore community of Montmagny, where Guillaume had become the seigneur. Montmagny was off the beaten path and Françoise had to adapt to life on the frontier. Since it was a new settlement, there was no church there during the first few years, and until one was ready in December 1685, services were held in Françoise’ house⁸

It was during this part of her life that Françoise appears to have taken on the role of midwife. During colonial times, childbirth was rarely attended by doctors; instead, women taught each other basic procedures to assist in the delivery of babies. Along with having given birth 15 times, Françoise was likely present at many of her mother’s deliveries. In fact, her mother had also served as midwife for her community, and it’s easy to imagine Françoise may have assisted her. She was formally recognized as a midwife in a vote taken by the women of Montmagny on November 21, 1703.⁸

It’s been said that in some instances, Françoise performed baptisms on infants where she was attending a birth. The sacrament would be ideally administered by a priest, but in case the baby was about to die, someone else could have the authority to do it. One record dated September 4, 1702 showed that Françoise baptized the unnamed child of her son Joseph, and her signature was included in the parish register record.⁹

1702 baptism performed by Françoise. (Source: FamilySearch.org)

Françoise’s husband Guillaume died in 1699,¹⁰ and she herself passed away at Montmagny on March 16, 1716.³ She was the direct ancestor of Celine Dion, Jim Carrey, Ricky Gervais, Chloë Sevigny, and Bridget Fonda.¹¹

Children:
1. Gilles Fournier — B. 26 Nov 1653, Quebec City, New France;⁵ D. 31 Dec 1653, Quebec City, New France⁶

2. Marie-Anne Fournier — B. 5 May 1655, Quebec City, New France;¹² D. 13 Nov 1717, St-Pierre-de-la-Riviére-du-Sud, New France;¹³ M. Pierre Blanchet (1646-1709), 17 Feb 1670, Quebec City, New France¹⁴

3. Agathe Fournier — B. 9 Apr 1657, Quebec City, New France;¹⁵ D. 8 Jun 1743, Lauzon, New France;¹⁶ M. Louis Gesseron (1642-1712), 28 Sep 1671, Quebec City, New France¹⁷

4. Jacquette Fournier — B. 9 Apr 1659, Quebec City, New France;¹⁸ D. 22 Jan 1736, Montmagny, New France;¹⁹ M. Jean Proulx (1646-1703), 5 Jun 1673, Quebec City, New France²⁰

5. Joseph Fournier — B. 12 Jul 1661, Quebec City, New France;²¹ D. 9 Dec 1741, Montmagny, New France;²² M. Barbe Girard (1667-1737), 25 Jun 1684, Quebec City, New France²³

6. Marie-Madeleine Fournier – B. 17 Jul 1663, Quebec City, New France;²⁴ D. 8 Oct 1664, Quebec City, New France²⁵

7. Jean Fournier — B. 18 Mar 1665, Quebec City, New France;²⁶ D. 17 Sep 1735, Cap-de-la-Madeleine, New France;²⁷ M. Marie-Jeanne Roy (1664-1751), 2 Jun 1686, Cap-St-Ignace, New France²⁸

8. Simon Fournier — B. 20 Apr 1667, Quebec City, New France;²⁹ D. 8 Dec 1749, St-Pierre-de-la-Riviére-du-Sud, New France;³⁰ M. Anne-Catherine Rousseau (1668-1749), 12 Nov 1691, St-Pierre, Île ‘d Orleans, New France³¹

9. Pierre Fournier— B. 23 Apr 1669, Quebec City, New France;³² D. 22 Aug 1750, Montmagny, New France;³³ M. Marie Isabelle (1675-1754), 24 Nov 1695, St-Thomas, Montmagny, New France³⁴

10. Françoise Fournier— B. 30 Apr 1671, Quebec City, New France;³⁵ D. 15 Jul 1734, Montmagny, New France;³⁶ M. Jacques Boulay (1664-1738), 21 Apr 1686, St-Thomas, Montmagny, New France³⁷

11. Louis Fournier — B. 20 Apr 1673, Quebec City, New France;³⁸ D. 17 Jun 1721, Montmagny, New France;³⁹ M. Marie-Jeanne Caron (1678-1724), 19 Nov 1696, Cap-St-Ignace, New France⁴⁰

12. Madeleine Fournier — B. 3 Aug 1675, Quebec City, New France;⁴¹ M. Pierre Laporte (~1675-1757), 2 May 1707, St-François-de-Sales, New France⁴²

13. Charles Fournier — B. 20 Jun 1677, Quebec City, New France;⁴³ D. 9 Sep 1739, Montmagny, New France;⁴⁴ M. Elisabeth-Agnes Bouchard (1677-1758), 13 Jul 1699, Cap-St-Ignace, New France⁴⁵

14. Baby Fournier — B. 2 Aug 1679, Montmagny, New France;⁷ D. 2 Aug 1679, Montmagny, New France⁷

15. Jacques Fournier — B. 17 Aug 1680, Montmagny, New France;⁴⁶ D. 17 Apr 1681, Montmagny, New France⁴⁷

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Marie-Françoise Hebert, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Guillaume Fournier and Marie-Françoise Hebert, Q.C.P.R.
3    Burial record of Marie-Françoise Hebert, Q.C.P.R.
4    Hélène’s World: Hélène Desportes of Seventeenth Century Quebec, Susan McNelley, 2014
5    Baptismal record of Gilles Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
6    Burial record of Gilles Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
7    Burial record of Baby Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
8    L’Association des Fournier d’Amerique (website)  
9    Baptismal record of unnamed son of Joseph Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
10  Burial record of Guillaume Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
11  FamousKin.com (website)  
12  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
13  Burial record of Marie-Anne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of Pierre Blanchet and Marie-Anne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
15  Baptismal record of Agathe Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
16  Burial record of Agathe Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
17  Marriage record of Louis Gesseron and Agathe Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
18  Baptismal record of Jacquette Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
19  Burial record of Jacquette Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
20  Marriage record of Jean Proulx and Jacquette Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
21  Baptismal record of Joseph Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
22  Burial record of Joseph Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
23  Marriage record of Joseph Fournier and Barbe Girard, Q.C.P.R.
24  Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
25  Burial record of Marie-Madeleine Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
26  Baptismal record of Jean Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
27  Burial record of Jean Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
28  Marriage record of Jean Fournier and Marie-Jeanne Roy, Q.C.P.R.
29  Baptismal record of Simon Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
30  Burial record of Simon Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
31  Marriage record of Simon Fournier and Anne-Catherine Rousseau, Q.C.P.R.
32  Baptismal record of Pierre Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
33  Burial record of Pierre Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
34  Marriage record of Pierre Fournier and Marie Isabelle, Q.C.P.R.
35  Baptismal record of Françoise Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
36  Burial record of Françiose Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
37  Marriage record of Jacques Boulay and Françoise Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
38  Baptismal record of Louis Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
39  Burial record of Louis Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
40  Marriage record of Louis Fournier and Marie-Jeanne Caron, Q.C.P.R.
41  Baptismal record of Madeleine Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
42  Burial record of Madeleine Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
43  Baptismal record of Charles Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
44  Burial record of Charles Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
45  Marriage record of Charles Fournier and Elisabeth-Agnes Bouchard, Q.C.P.R.
46  Baptismal record of Jacques Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
47  Burial record of Jacques Fournier, Q.C.P.R.

Honoring the Land That He Farmed — Jacques Fournier

B. 24 May 1684 in Charlesbourg, New France¹
M. 27 Nov 1708 in Beaumont, New France²
Wife: Marie-Françoise Blanchon
D. 4 Jan 1767 in Beaumont, New France³

Jacques Fournier is remembered today with a small plaque at the site of his 18th century home. He was born on May 24, 1684 in Charlesbourg, New France to Nicolas Fournier and Marie Hubert,¹ who was a Fille du Roi. Jacques was identified with the name Georges on his baptism, but this was the only place that name appeared and it can be assumed to be a mistake. He had five older siblings, and not long after the birth of a younger sister, his father died.⁴ Life must have been a struggle for the next few years, and Jacques’ mother remarried to a French soldier in 1691.⁵ At the end of that year, his mother and step-father moved back to France, leaving behind all but the youngest child.⁶ So at the age of 7, Jacques found himself in the care of his older siblings.

Brothers at their farm. (AI-generated image)

By 1707, Jacques had moved from the north shore of the St. Lawrence to the more recently settled south shore. On December 27th of that year, a document mentioned a piece of property adjoining his in the seigneury of Beaumont.⁷ About a year later, on November 27, 1708, Jacques married Marie-Françoise Blanchon, the 18-year-old daughter of a Beaumont settler. They had 15 children together, with the youngest born in 1735.⁸ Of their ten children who married and raised families, all but one stayed in the south shore area.

Jacques was in his old age at the time England took over New France, and his community was caught in the middle of it. In June of 1759, British forces landed at Beaumont, taking position at St-Etienne, the church Jacques attended. While camped there, it was said that some soldiers invaded homes and took “household furniture and clothing” at will. The English posted a notice to Beaumont’s residents on the church door, declaring that the colony was now theirs (this was months before the battle at the Plains of Abraham). A local legend says that the people ripped up the notice, which led to the English trying to burn the church down, and divine intervention snuffed out the flames.⁹

Whether or not Jacques was directly involved in any of these events isn’t known; more likely was that he sought shelter somewhere inland until the siege ended. Jacques lived another eight years and died at Beaumont on January 4, 1767. His wife Marie-Françoise passed away the following year in April.¹⁰

Today there is a plaque honoring Jacques, his brother Jean and his parents located on the land where he lived in Beaumont. His original house is long gone and the so are the outbuildings, but this is where he plowed his fields and raised his children. Jacques is the 9G grandfather of Justin Bieber.¹¹

Plaque honoring Fournier family. (Source: Culture et Communications Québec)

Location of the plaque in Beaumont, Quebec.

Children:
1. François Fournier — B. 28 Sep 1709, Beaumont, New France;¹² D. (probably) young

2. Jacques Fournier — B. 4 Jan 1711, Beaumont, New France;¹³ D. 16 Aug 1779, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;¹⁴ M. (1) Elisabeth Roy (1727-1747), 10 Jan 1746, Beaumont, New France;¹⁵ (2) Catherine Turgeon (1729-1765), 16 Jun 1749, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, New France¹⁶

3. Marie-Josephe Fournier — B. 7 Jan 1713, Beaumont, New France;¹⁷ D. 29 Mar 1733, Quebec City, New France¹⁸

4. Jean-Baptiste Fournier — B. 14 Apr 1715, Beaumont, New France;¹⁹ D. 11 Apr 1796, St-Charles, Bellechasse, Quebec;²⁰ M. Marie Gosselin (1722-1796), 22 Oct 1742, St-Etienne-de-Beaumont, New France²¹

5. Genevieve Fournier — B. 2 Jan 1717, Beaumont, New France;²² D. 26 Nov 1811, Beaumont, Quebec;²³ M. Joseph Couture (1712-1779), 22 Jan 1736, Beaumont, New France²⁴

6. Marie Fournier — B. 16 Aug 1718, Beaumont, New France;²⁵ D. 21 Apr 1808, Beaumont, Quebec;²⁶ M. Jacques Turgeon (1708-1783), 2 Jul 1742, Beaumont, New France²⁷

7. Joseph Fournier — B. 16 Mar 1720, Beaumont, New France;²⁸ D. 14 Oct 1738, Beaumont, New France²⁹

8. Étienne Fournier — B. 29 Nov 1721, Beaumont, New France;³⁰ D. 19 Apr 1774, Beaumont, Quebec;³¹ M. Josephte Paquet (1719-1790), 27 Oct 1766, St-Michel, Bellechasse, Quebec³²

9. Andre Fournier — B. 30 Oct 1723, Beaumont, New France;³³ D. 1 Apr 1724, Beaumont, New France³⁴

10. Antoine Fournier — B. 3 Mar 1725, Beaumont, New France;³⁵ D. 4 Mar 1799, Beaumont, Quebec;³⁶ M. (1) Françoise Guay (1734-1769), 2 Feb 1751, Beaumont, New France;³⁷ (2) Charlotte Labrecque (~1745-1820), 27 Nov 1770, St-Michel, Bellechasse, Quebec³⁸

11. Marie-Louise Fournier — B. 18 Sep 1727, Beaumont, New France;³⁹ D. 16 Aug 1730, Beaumont, New France⁴⁰

12. Augustin Fournier — B. 10 Feb 1729, Beaumont, New France;⁴¹ D. 15 Mar 1817, Beaumont, Quebec;⁴² M. Marie Bouthillette (1731-1804), 20 Oct 1749, L’Ange-Gardien, New France⁴³

13. Marie-Anne Fournier — B. 11 Jan 1731, Beaumont, New France;⁴⁴ D. 29 Sep 1807, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec;⁴⁵ M. Joseph Turgeon (1723-?), 7 Apr 1750, Beaumont, New France⁴⁶

14. Charles Fournier — B. 29 Jan 1733, Beaumont, New France;⁴⁷ D. 31 Oct 1819, Boucherville, Quebec;⁴⁸ M. (1) Marguerite Gareau (1730-1783), 24 Sep 1753, Montreal, New France;⁴⁹ (2) Elisabeth Bouvet (1745-1810), 19 Apr 1784, Montreal, Quebec⁵⁰

15. Alexandre Fournier — B. 26 Feb 1735, Beaumont, New France;⁸ D. 5 Jan 1826, Beaumont, Quebec;⁵¹ M. Charlotte Turgeon (1738-1799), 14 Sep 1761, Lauzon, New France⁵²

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Jacques Fournier, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Jacques Fournier and Marie-Françoise Blanchon, Q.C.P.R.
3    Burial record of Jacques Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
4    Burial record of Nicolas Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
5    Marriage record of Jean Gachet and Marie Hubert, Q.C.P.R.
6    Culture et Communications Québec (website)  
7    Act of concession for land of Jacques’ neighbor, BAnQ   
8    Baptismal record of Alexandre Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
9    Beaumont (Québec) (Wikipedia article)  
10  Burial record of Marie-Françoise Blanchon, Q.C.P.R.
11  Famous Kin (website)  
12  Baptismal record of François Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
13  Baptismal record of Jacques Fournier (younger), Q.C.P.R.
14  Burial record of Jacques Fournier (younger), Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of Jacques Fournier (younger) and Elisabeth Roy, Q.C.P.R.
16  Marriage record of Jacques Fournier (younger) and Catherine Turgeon, Q.C.P.R.
17  Baptismal record of Marie-Josephe Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
18  Burial record of Marie-Josephe Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
20  Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
21  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Fournier and Marie Gosselin, Q.C.P.R.
22  Baptismal record of Genevieve Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
23  Burial record of Genevieve Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
24  Marriage record of Joseph Couture and Genevieve Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal record of Marie Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
26  Burial record of Marie Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
27  Marriage record of Jacques Turgeon and Marie Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
28  Baptismal record of Joseph Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
29  Burial record of Joseph Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
30  Baptismal record of Étienne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
31  Burial record of Étienne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
32  Marriage record of Étienne Fournier and Josephte Paquet, Q.C.P.R.
33  Baptismal record of Andre Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
34  Burial record of Andre Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
35  Baptismal record of Antoine Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
36  Burial record of Antoine Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
37  Marriage record of Antoine Fournier and Françoise Guay, Q.C.P.R.
38  Marriage record of Antoine Fournier and Charlotte Labrecque, Q.C.P.R.
39  Baptismal record of Marie-Louise Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
40  Burial record of Marie-Louise Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
41  Baptismal record of Augustin Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
42  Burial record of Augustin Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
43  Marriage record of Augustin Fournier and Marie Bouthillette, Q.C.P.R.
44  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
45  Burial record of Marie-Anne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
46  Marriage record of Joseph Turgeon and Marie-Anne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
47  Baptismal record of Charles Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
48  Burial record of Charles Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
49  Marriage record of Charles Fournier and Marguerite Gareau, Q.C.P.R.
50  Marriage record of Charles Fournier and Elisabeth Bouvet, Q.C.P.R.
51  Burial record of Alexandre Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
52  Marriage record of Alexandre Fournier and Charlotte Turgeon, Q.C.P.R.

From the Potomac to the Piedmont — Robey Tucker

B. about 1753 in Prince George’s County, Maryland¹
M. (1) before Aug 1776 in (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland¹
Wife: Hester ______
M. (2) before 1800 in (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina²
Wife: Rachel ______
D. after 14 Nov 1837 in (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina²

Robey Tucker was part of a migration of poor tobacco planters from Maryland who moved to the backwoods of North Carolina during the late 18th century. His origins are not well-documented; some sources indicate that his parents were Thomas Tucker and Mary Robey, but there doesn't seem to be hard evidence of this. His father may have had a different first name, and his mother could have been Esther instead of Mary. Either way, Robey was born in about 1753.¹

The place where Robey was born and grew up was Prince George’s County, Maryland, a rural area where the only crop was tobacco. Most of the population were descendants of English settlers who arrived in the colony during the 17th century. Robey likely did much of the farm labor as he grew up. Through land records, it’s possible to identify the general location of where the family lived, an area which was irrigated by one of the many creeks flowing into the Port Tobacco River.

Helping his father harvest tobacco. (AI-generated image)

Robey first turned up in records as a married man at age 23. A census was taken in Maryland in August of 1776 to assess the collection of taxes for supporting the Continental Congress. Some of the records are remarkably detailed, listing names and ages for everyone in each household. Robey’s wife was named Hester, also age 23, but in the absence of any marriage record, her maiden name is unknown. Their farm was the only one with just two people.¹ Nearby were John and Drusilla Tucker, ages 74 and 64, and John and Mary Robey, ages 62 and 55.¹ The Robeys were his grandparents, and the Tuckers were likely his close relatives.

Robey was a young man during the American Revolution, but there's no evidence that he ever volunteered as a soldier. He did swear his allegiance to the cause on February 23, 1778;³ nearly all of the men in Maryland did the same. Perhaps one reason Robey didn’t join the service was that he had started a family in 1777 with the birth of a son.⁴ He had seven children with Hester, mostly boys, with the youngest child born in about 1789.

Robey's name on list of men who signed 1778 oath of allegiance.

About 1790, Robey left the tobacco country of Maryland for the piedmont of North Carolina. The motivation was probably to find cheaper land, and there was plenty available in the backwoods of the Carolinas. The 1790 census showed that Robey lived in Iredell County with his wife and eight children, all unnamed in the listing.⁵ Other members of his family migrated to Iredell around the same time or earlier, including Robey’s uncle, Leonard Robey, and his grandfather, John Robey.

Sometime during the 1790s, Robey’s wife Hester passed away, and he remarried a woman only known as Rachel.² She was likely much younger and provided him five children who were born between 1803 and about 1810, when Robey was nearly 60-years-old. Robey and Rachel spent over two years as caretakers for his elderly grandfather, and when the old man made out his will, he left Rachel a small bequest.⁶ After the will was probated in 1808, Robey was paid £30 for the work he had done, of which £10 was for “trouble and expense of his last sickness and death.” The receipt for the payment shows Robey’s only known signature.⁶

Robey's signature in 1808.

Robey was shown to be living in Iredell County at least until 1820. In each of the census years 1800, 1810 and 1820 he was listed as a head of household with descriptions of dependents corresponding to his wife and known children.⁷ At no time did he own any slaves, which he likely couldn’t afford. Robey made out his will on November 14, 1837;² at age 84, he was “weak in body” and signed his name with a shaky “X,” suggesting that he had some disability. The document is very brief and mentions only one of his children, Robey, to whom he left his entire estate. This was likely because Robey was the only one who still lived in North Carolina, since most of the others are known to have moved to Kentucky or Illinois.

Robey's mark on his 1837 will.

The will was probated in February 1842, so Robey died by that date. It isn’t known if Rachel survived him. His descendants scattered across the U.S. continuing the migration of the family to the west. One of his descendants was Marilyn Tucker, the wife of Vice President Dan Quayle.⁸

Children by Hester:
1. John B. Tucker — B. 25 Sep 1777, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;⁴ D. 30 Dec 1846, (probably) Washington County, Indiana;⁴ M. Mary Campbell (1781-1853), after 9 Nov 1797, Iredell County, North Carolina⁴

2. (possibly) Zachariah Tucker — B. about 1782, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland; D: 2 Oct 1857, (probably) Kentucky; M. Levina Jarboe, after 27 Jun 1812, Washington County, Kentucky⁹

3. (possibly) Freeman Tucker — B. about 1779, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland; D. 15 Feb 1850, Tazewell County, Illinois; M. Esther Fitzgerald

4. Absalom Tucker — B. about 1783, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;¹⁰ D. 1849, Washington County, Kentucky¹⁰

5. (possibly) Thomas Tucker — B. about 1785, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;¹¹ D. 28 Jun 1859;¹¹ M. Rachel Kendrick, 3 Aug 1815, Washington County, Kentucky¹²

6. Benjamin Tucker — B. about 1787, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;¹³ D. 1848, Nelson County, Kentucky;¹³ M. Elizabeth Livers, 26 Jan 1823, Nelson County Kentucky¹⁴

7. (possibly) Mary Tucker — B. about 1789, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;¹⁵ D. about 1852;¹⁵ M. Samuel Turner¹⁵

Children by Rachel:
1. Esther J. Tucker — B. 20 Apr 1803, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;¹⁶ D. 27 Feb 1883, Waverly, Illinois;¹⁶ M. Joseph Luckey (?-~1840), before 1829¹⁷

2. Samuel S. Tucker — B. 20 Nov 1805, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;¹⁸ D. 22 Dec 1891, Hat Creek, California;¹⁸ M. Nancy Ann Allison (~1803-1875), 1825, Iredell County, North Carolina¹⁸

3. (possibly) Elizabeth Tucker — B. about 1807, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina

4. Robey Tucker — B. 8 Sep 1808, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;¹⁹ D. before 7 Dec 1885, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;²⁰ M. Rachel Mason (1832-1914), 11 Jan 1853, Iredell County, North Carolina¹⁹

5. Randolph J. Tucker — B. 1810, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;²¹ D. 1892, Illinois;²¹ M. (1) Henrietta Jones (1813-1868), before 1837, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;²¹ (2) Sarah Mahala Stroud (~1832-?), after 1868, (probably) Illinois²¹

Sources:
1    Prince George’s County, St. John’s and Prince George Parishes Maryland State Census, 1776
2    Will of Robey Tucker, 14 Nov 1837, North Carolina Probate Records, 1735-1970, FamilySearch.org
3    Maryland Records: Colonial, Revolutionary, County and Church from Original Sources, Vol. 1, Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh, 1915
4    Find-a-Grave listing for John B. Tucker  
5    1790 U.S. Census
6    Will of John Robey, 1 Feb 1804, N.C.P.R.
7    1800, 1810 and 1820 U.S. Censuses
8    Political Family Tree (PDF) 
9    Marriage record of Zachariah Tucker and Lovina Jarboe, Kentucky County Marriages, 1797-1954, FamilySearch.org
10  Find-a-Grave listing for Absalom Tucker
11  Estimated birth and death of Thomas Tucker from family tree listing on FamilySearch.org 
12  Marriage record of Thomas Tucker and Rachel Kendrick, Kentucky County Marriages, 1797-1954, FamilySearch.org
13  Estimated birth and death of Benjamin Tucker from family tree listing on FamilySearch.org 
14  Marriage record of Benjamin Tucker and Elizabeth Livers, Kentucky County Marriages, 1797-1954, FamilySearch.org
15  Estimated birth, marriage and death of Mary Tucker from family tree listing on FamilySearch.org  
16  Death record of Esther J. Luckey, Morgan County, Illinois
17  Find-a-Grave listing for Esther J. Luckey
18  Find-a-Grave listing for Samuel S. Tucker
19  Find-a-Grave listing for Robey Tucker (younger)
20  Probate file card for Roby Tucker, North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979, FamilySearch.org
21  Find-a-Grave listing for Randolph J. Tucker