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

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

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

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

Moving to a safer place during the 1759 invasion. (AI-generated image)

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

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

Jacques Dubois listed on 1825 Lower Canada census.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Of a Colonial Military Family — Mary Dakin

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

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

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

Document showing Mary's choice of guardian.

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

Milking the family cow. (AI-generated image)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Church at Pointe-Claire built in 1750. (AI-rendered illustration)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Litigious Widow of New France — Jeanne Aunois

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

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

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

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

Captive husband returns home. (AI-generated image)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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