On La Salle’s Expedition — Pierre You de La Découverte

B. 1658 in La Rochelle, France¹
M. (1) about Apr 1693 in (probably) Native American camp at future site of Chicago¹
Wife: Élisabeth (of the Miami tribe)
M. (2) 15 Apr 1697 in Montreal²
Wife: Madeleine Just
D. Aug 1718 in Montreal, New France³

There were few more colorful characters in New France than Pierre You de La Découverte. During his 60 years, he traveled with La Salle, lived off the grid in a camp of Miami Indians, and ran a successful fur trading business in early Montreal. Not everything he did was virtuous, though; he was involved in some illegal business dealings, and in the trading of Native American slaves.

Pierre was from the parish of St-Sauveur in La Rochelle, France, born in about 1658 to Pierre You, a tanner, and Marie-Renée Turcot.¹ Nothing is known of his childhood, or whether or not he had siblings. He came to New France during the 1670s. The earliest record that mentioned Pierre was a 1677 grant of land that was next to his property.¹ The document described him as a sergeant at Fort Frontenac, a military outpost at the eastern end of Lake Ontario. The recipient of the land grant was René-Robert La Salle, a man who figured prominently in Pierre’s life.

By 1682, La Salle had already made several expeditions out west, and he was seeking to set up a network of French outposts in the Mississippi River basin. In late January, Pierre joined a group of 23 Frenchmen and 18 Indians led by La Salle,^1,4 and they set out in canoes from Fort Crèvecœur (present-day Peoria, Illinois).⁴ The men navigated south through icy waters, entering the Mississippi River. They passed the mouths of the Missouri and Ohio Rivers, and then camped for a week at the future site of Memphis where they built a small fort. A little ways further down the river, the expedition met up with a group of warriors of the Arkansas tribe who had likely never seen Europeans before. Peace was made and La Salle claimed the region for France.⁴ The expedition had several more contacts with natives before they reached the Mississippi River delta. The men had to live off the land, and survived for a time on a diet of potatoes and crocodiles.⁴

Route of La Salle's 1682 expedition down the Mississippi.

On April 9th, La Salle formally claimed the Mississippi River basin for France;⁴ this territory represented roughly a third of what is now the United States. La Salle was dressed in a coat of “scarlet trimmed with gold” as he planted a cross and buried an engraved copper plaque at a site near the mouth of the Mississippi. He also drew up a document that was signed by 12 of his men, including Pierre.⁵ Soon after the ceremony, the expedition began their journey home paddling up the river. After participating in La Salle’s expedition, Pierre added “de La Découverte” to his surname, and from then on, he signed himself that way. 

La Salle claiming the Mississippi River Valley for France.

Pierre went on to pursue a life in the remote French outposts of the Great Lakes, and this was how for a time he lived among indigenous people. During the 1690s, a camp of Wea Indians (part of the Miami tribe) was located at the site of present-day Chicago.¹ It was said that Pierre married a Wea woman there in April 1693,¹ although it’s likely that this marriage wasn’t a formal arrangement. His wife was known as Élisabeth, and in about 1694, she bore Pierre’s child, a girl named Marie-Anne.¹

In 1695, Pierre was known to be an officer in Michilimackinac,¹ an outpost located where Lake Michigan meets Lake Huron. It isn’t known if his native family was with him. Not long after, Pierre left his wife and child among Élisabeth’s tribe and moved to Montreal, where he married Madeleine Just on April 15, 1697, a ceremony which was witnessed by Alexandre Turpin and Charlotte Beauvais.² Between 1698 and 1706, Pierre and Madeleine had five children, two of whom died young. While married to Madeleine, Pierre impregnated a 19-year-old servant Marie-Madeleine Drousson. The baby was a girl born in 1708, and Pierre attended her baptism.⁶

When Pierre lived in Montreal, he had a large house on the Rue Saint-Paul. The house was said to be so big that it looked like a warehouse, a sign that he had acquired some wealth.¹ By 1703, he received a land grant at the far western part of Montreal island so he could more easily engage in fur trading, and he settled with his family there.¹ Pierre conducted much of his business from Île-aux-Tourtres,¹ an island at the junction of the Ottawa and St. Lawrence rivers. He was offering liquor to the Indians which enticed them to stop and trade with him, and this gave him an advantage over other merchants, a practice which was against the law. When other merchants complained about Pierre, the authorities looked the other way because of his connections and his record serving in the military.¹

Pierre's signature.

Along with furs and other goods, Pierre also dealt in buying and selling Indian slaves.⁷ The slaves often came from tribes in the far west; they were captured by other tribes, then traded until they ended up in New France. One slave named Pascal came into Pierre’s possession while he was living among the Wea tribe during the 1690s; he brought Pascal back to Montreal in 1703, and he was later sold to a man known to treat slaves cruelly.⁷ Pierre’s actions suggest a callous indifference to those entrapped by the system of slavery.

Pierre continued conducting his business until he died in Montreal in August 1718.³ His wife Madeleine survived him, but experienced the huge fire which swept through Montreal on June 19, 1721.⁸ A nun named Sister Marie Morin later wrote a memoir of the event describing Madeleine’s reaction to the fire, “Madame La Découverte was the last house in the fire’s path, which was so close that burning sparks fell onto it, but she, wiser than the others, promised God a considerable sum for the salvation of the souls in purgatory, and the fire ceased instantly.”⁸ In spite of her efforts, the house on Rue Saint-Paul was destroyed. Madeleine was still alive in 1728,⁹ but it isn’t known what became of her after that date.

Children by Élisabeth of the Wea tribe:
1. Marie-Anne You — B. about 1694, (probably) Native American camp at future site of Chicago;¹ M. Jean-Baptiste Richard (1682-?), 15 Aug 1718, Montreal, New France¹

Children by Madeleine Just:
1. Pierre You — B. Jan 1698, Montreal, New France;¹¹ D. May 1703, Montreal, New France¹²

2. Philippe You — B. 2 Nov 1699, Montreal, New France;¹³ D. 1736¹

3. François d’Youville — B. 24 Nov 1700, Montreal, New France;¹⁴ D. 4 Jul 1730, Montreal, New France;¹⁵ M. Marie-Marguerite Dufros (1701-1771), 12 Aug 1722, Montreal, New France¹⁶

4. Joseph-Paschal You — B. 14 Apr 1702, Montreal, New France;¹⁷ D. 17 Apr 1702, Montreal, New France¹⁸

5. Marie-Louise You — B. 20 Mar 1706, Montreal, New France;¹⁹ D. 7 Sep 1728, Montreal, New France²⁰

Child by Marie-Madeleine Drousson:
1. Marie-Catherine You — B. 9 Sep 1708, Montreal, New France;⁶ D. 22 Jul 1724, Longueuil, New France²¹

Sources:
1    Pierre You de La Découverte, Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
2    Marriage record of Pierre You and Madeleine Just, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Burial record of Pierre You, Q., C. P. R.
4    René-Robert Cavelier de La Salle, Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
5    Historical Collections of Louisiana and Florida, B. F. French, 1875, p. 27
6    Baptismal record of Marie-Catherine You, Q., C. P. R.
7    Bonds of Alliance: Indigenous and Atlantic Slaveries in New France, Brett Rushforth, 2013
8    Montreal Fire 1721, Google Groups
9    Madeleine Just was named in a legal record dated 16 Aug 1728, BAnQ
10  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Richard and Marie-Anne You, Q., C. P. R.
11  Baptismal record of Pierre You (younger), Q., C. P. R.
12  Burial record of Pierre You (younger), Q., C. P. R.
13  Baptismal record of Philippe You, Q., C. P. R.
14  Baptismal record of François d’Youville, Q., C. P. R.
15  Burial record of François d’Youville, Q., C. P. R.
16  Marriage record of François d’Youville and Marie-Marguerite Dufros, Q., C. P. R.
17  Baptismal record of Joseph-Paschal You, Q., C. P. R.
18  Burial record of Joseph-Paschal You, Q., C. P. R.
19  Baptismal record of Marie-Louise You, Q., C. P. R.
20  Burial record of Marie-Louise You, Q., C. P. R.
21  Burial record of Marie-Catherine You, Q., C. P. R.

Tobacco Farmer in Manhattan — Hans Hansen Bergen

B. about 1610 in Bergen, Norway¹
M. about 1639 in New Netherland²
Wife: Sarah Jorise Rapalje
D. before 30 May 1654 in Brooklyn, New Netherland³

Hans Hansen Bergen was an early immigrant to New Netherland, who was involved in the colony's short-lived period of tobacco farming.

Born in Bergen, Norway in about 1610,¹ Hans had been trained as a ship builder.² He left his native country and made his way to the Netherlands, where in 1633, he signed up to be a carpenter on a ship bound for America. The ship was believed to be the Zoutburg, which also carried Wouter Van Twiller, New Netherland’s newly appointed director-general.² Van Twiller took over after Peter Minuit was recalled by the Dutch West Indies Company. The Zoutburg was said to be the first war ship to arrive in New Amsterdam; it transported over 100 soldiers “wearing steel corsets, leather jackets, and carrying half pikes and wheel-lock muskets.”⁴

As a Norwegian, Hans fit right into the cosmopolitan community of New Amsterdam. He was sometimes called “Hans Hansen Noorman” in records; other times he was referred to as Hans Hansen Boer because “boer” was Dutch for farmer, his new livelihood. He signed his name with just an initial “H,”² suggesting he was probably illiterate.

By 1638, Hans was working as an overseer on a tobacco plantation located in Manhattan near the East River.² Director-General Van Twiller had encouraged the development of tobacco farms, and by 1639, there were up to 27 of them in the colony.⁵ Hans also partnered with two other men to cultivate a tobacco plantation located in what is now Greenwich Village.² Harvesting tobacco required special barns that were larger than normal, and perhaps Hans’ skills as a carpenter were useful in building such structures. He also had a house in New Amsterdam located on what would one-day become Pearl Street.²

1640s illustration depicting tobacco growing in New Amsterdam.

In about 1639, Hans married Sarah Rapalje, who was known as the first European child born in New Netherland.² She was only 14-years-old when they got married, and she gave birth to their first child the following year.⁶ Between 1640 and 1653, they had 8 children, with the youngest dying as an infant.

In 1647, Hans was granted land in Wallabout Bay, which is a part of present-day Brooklyn, and he moved his family there.² His property had 400 acres and was adjacent to his father-in-law, Joris Rapalje. There was a story handed down in the Bergen Family, told by descendant Teunis Bergen in an 1876 book. It was said that when Hans was clearing his land, he was chased up a tree by some Indians. Out of fear, he began to sing, and the natives were so charmed by his voice, they let him go without harming him.² It’s not known if there’s any truth to this at all.

Hans died sometime before May 30, 1654,³ leaving his widow Sarah with seven underage children. Later that year, she married a second husband, Teunis Bogaert,⁷ and had another eight children. Sarah died in 1675.⁷

Hans’ name lives on today in Brooklyn with Bergen Street and Bergen Beach. Some also think that Bergen County in New Jersey was named for Hans and his family, but this is not proven. He was also the ancestor of DeWitt Clinton, Howard Dean, and James Spader.⁸

Children:
1. Anneken Hansen Bergen — B. 12 Jul 1640, Flatlands, New Netherland;⁶ M. (1) Jan Clerq (~1641-1661), 8 Jan 1661, Flatbush, New Netherland;² (2) Derck Jansen Hooglandt (~1635-1728), 8 Oct 1662, Flatbush, New Netherlands²

2. Brecktje Hansen Bergen — B. before 27 Jul 1642, New Netherland;² M. Aert Theuniszen Middagh (~1635-~1687), 1662, Brooklyn, New Netherland⁹

3. Jan Hansen Bergen — B. before 17 Apr 1644, New Netherland;² M. Jannetje Teunis (1648-?)²

4. Michiel Hansen Bergen — B. before 4 Nov 1646, New Netherland;² D. 22 Jan 1731;² M. Femmetje Denyse (1650-1734)²

5. Joris Hansen Bergen — B. before 18 Jul 1649, Brooklyn, New Netherland;¹⁰ D. 22 Jan 1731, Brooklyn, New York;¹⁰ M. Sara Strycker (1649-1736), 11 Aug 1678, New York²

6. Maritje Hansen Bergen — B. before 8 Oct 1651, Brooklyn, New Netherland;¹¹ D. 1736, Rosendale, New York;¹² M. Jacob Rutsen (1651-1730), Ulster, New York²

7. Jacob Hansen Bergen — B. before 21 Sep 1653, Brooklyn, New Netherland;² M. Elsje Frederiks (1658-1720), 8 Jul 1677, Brooklyn, New York²

8. Catalyntje Hansen Bergen — B. before 21 Sep 1653, Brooklyn, New Netherland²

Sources:
1    Estimate of Hans’ birth is based on his known arrival in New Netherland.
2    The Bergen Family: The Descendants of Hans Hansen Bergen, Teunis G. Bergen, 1876
3    Find-a-Grave listing of Hans Hansen Bergen
4    Wouter Van Twiller, 1606-1657: Director of New Netherland, 1633-1637, Historical Society of the New York Courts
5    The Colony of New Netherland: A Dutch Settlement in Seventeenth Century America, Jaap Jacobs, 2009, p. 126
6    Birth record of Anneken Hansen Bergen, Records of the Reformed Dutch Church in New Amsterdam and New York, FamilySearch.org
7    Find-a-Grave listing of Sarah (Rapalje) Bogaert
8    FamousKin.com listing of Hans Hansen Bergen
9    Marriage record of Aert Antonize Middaugh and Brecktje Hansen, Records of The Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Flatbush, Kings County, New York, Vol. 2, 2009, p. 25
10  Find-a-Grave listing of Joris Hansen Bergen
11  Birth record of Maritje Hansen Bergen, R. of the R. D. C. in N. A. & N. Y.
12  Find-a-Grave listing of Maria Hansen (Bergen) Rutsen

Shoemaker and Church Beadle — Charles Edeline

B. about 1641 in (probably) Paris, France¹
M. 16 Oct 1675 in Boucherville, New France²
Wife: Jeanne Braconnier
D. 27 Oct 1711 in Montreal, New France³

Among the settlers in the early Montreal area was a shoemaker named Charles Edeline. And remarkably he helped plant a seed that became a modern urban cathedral. 

The only information about Charles' origins came from his marriage record which stated that he was from the parish of Saint-Jaques-de-la-Boucheire in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, France, and was the son of David Edeline and Noelle Lambert. Charles' birth year is estimated to be 1641.¹ Nothing more is known about his childhood, or whether he had any brothers and sisters.

At some point, Charles migrated to New France. He wasn’t listed in the 1666 or 1667 censuses, but had settled in Montreal by 1669, where he was mentioned as a witness to a wedding.⁴ Charles made his living as a shoemaker. By 1675, he acquired land in Longueuil, which was across the river from Montreal.⁵ On October 16th of that year, he married Jeanne Braconnier,² a pregnant woman who had recently lost her husband. Jeanne gave birth to a baby girl who was baptized in January.⁶ Two years later, Jeanne had her first child with Charles;⁷ between 1677 and 1693, they had a total of 10 children.

Charles played a role in the beginnings of the parish of Saint-Antoine-de-Longueuil. During its first few years, Longueuil's inhabitants were served by the parish of neighboring Boucherville, and the parish in Montreal. When his first son was born in 1678, Charles feared the newborn baby would not survive a trip to another town, so a baptism was arranged at the house of Longueuil’s seigneur Charles Le Moyne. It was performed by a missionary priest and was the very first baptism in Longueuil.⁸ Charles Le Moyne was an important leader in early Montreal, who was the father of several prominent men, including the founder of New Orleans.⁹

Charles LeMoyne (source: Jean Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

The first chapel in Longueuil was built five years later, but the parish of Saint-Antoine-de-Longueuil wasn’t officially established until 1698.¹⁰ Charles became the church’s beadle, a post he seems to have filled until his death.¹ A beadle was a minor church officer who sometimes helped with services. Between 1701 (when the registers begin) and 1711, Charles’ name was given as a witness to many burials and a few marriages.

On February 20, 1711, Charles’ wife Jeanne died at the hospital in Montreal.¹¹ Later that year, on October 27th, he died at the same place.³ Charles' name lived on in many descendants; some used the name Edeline, Edligne or Edline, but others altered it to Deline or Delisle.

As for the parish Charles had worked for, it later became Co-Cathedral of Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue, a Gothic revival structure built in the 1880s.¹⁰ It’s known for its collection of religious art and objects. 

Co-Cathedral of Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue in Longueuil.

Children:
1. Catherine-Therese Edeline — B. 15 Feb 1677, Longueuil, New France;⁷ 26 Apr 1715, Montreal, New France;¹² M. Bertrand DeBlunche dit La Serre (1675-1720), 24 Jul 1697, Boucherville¹³

2. Charles Edeline — B. 15 Nov 1678, Longueuil, New France;⁸ D. 3 Apr 1726, Longueuil, New France;¹⁴ M. Helene Charron (1682-1738), 7 Feb 1701, Longueil, New France¹⁵

3. François Edeline — B. 3 Aug 1680, Longueuil, New France¹⁶

4. Pierre-Jean Edeline — B. 9 Dec 1681, Longueuil, New France;¹⁷ D. 14 Dec 1681, Montreal, New France¹⁸

5. Pierre Edeline — B. 30 Jun 1683, Longueuil, New France;¹⁹ D. 18 Jun 1742, Vercheres, New France;²⁰ M. Louise-Catherine Patenaude (1694-1742), 21 Feb 1718, Longueuil, New France²¹

6. Marie-Anne Edeline — B. 26 Jul 1685, Longueuil, New France;²² D. Feb 1739, L’Assomption, New France;²³ M. (1) Etienne Parseillier dit LaChappelle (?-1713), 16 Oct 1702, LaPrairie, New France;²⁴ (2) Louis Douvier dit LaMarche (?-1735), 20 Nov 1715, Repentigny, New France²⁵

7. Angelique Edeline — B. 19 Apr 1687, Longueuil, New France;²⁶ D. 8 Jun 1687, Boucherville, New France²⁷

8. Agathe Edeline — B. 11 Aug 1688, Longueuil, New France;²⁸ D. 22 Aug 1741, Montreal, New France²⁹

9. Louis-Antoine Edeline — B. 22 Sep 1690, Longueuil, New France;³⁰ D. 4 May 1758, Fort Detroit, New France;³¹ M. Marie-Madeliene Drousson (1689-1747), 15 Jan 1720, Longueuil, New France³²

10. Jean-Baptiste Edeline — B. 3 Jan 1693, Longueuil, New France;³³ D. 14 Aug 1715, Montreal, New France;³⁴ M. Marie-Marguerite Benoit dit Livernois (1694-1734), 29 May 1712, Longueuil, New France³⁵

Sources:
1    Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Charles Edeline
2    Marriage record of Charles Edeline and Jeanne Braconnier, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Burial record of Charles Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
4    Marriage record of André Barsa and Françoise Pillois, Q., C. P. R.
5    Bénigne Basset dit Deslauriers, Acts, No. 801 and 1000, 25 Apr 1672 – 21 Feb 1674 (798 fichiers), pp. 492-494/798
6    Baptismal record of Jeanne Thuillier, Q., C. P. R.
7    Baptismal record of Catherine-Therese Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
8    Baptismal record of Charles Edeline (younger), Q., C. P. R.
9    Le Moyne d’Iberville, Dictionary of Canadian Biography
10  Co-Cathedral of Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue (Wikipedia article)
11  Burial record of Jeanne Braconnier, Q., C. P. R.
12  Burial record of Catherine-Therese Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
13  Marriage record of Bertrand DeBlunche dit La Serre and Catherine-Therese Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
14  Burial record of Charles Edeline (younger), Q., C. P. R.
15  Marriage record of Charles Edeline and Helene Charron, Q., C. P. R.
16  Baptismal record of François Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
17  Baptismal record of Pierre-Jean Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
18  Burial record of Pierre-Jean Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
19  Baptismal record of Pierre Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
20  Burial record of Pierre Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
21  Marriage record of Pierre Edeline and Louise-Catherine Patenaude, Q., C. P. R.
22  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
23  Burial record of Marie-Anne Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
24  Marriage record of Etienne Parseillier dit LaChappelle and Marie-Anne Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
25  Marriage record of Louis Douvier dit LaMarche and Marie-Anne Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
26  Baptismal record of Angelique Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
27  Burial record of Angelique Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
28  Baptismal record of Agathe Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
29  Burial record of Agathe Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
30  Baptismal record of Louis-Antoine Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
31  Burial record of Louis-Antoine Edeline, Genealogical Dictionary of Canadian Family (Tanguay Collection), 1608-1890
32  Marriage record of Louis-Antoine Edeline and Marie-Madeliene Drousson, Q., C. P. R.
33  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
34  Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Edeline, Q., C. P. R.
35  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Edeline and Marie-Marguerite Benoit dit Livernois, Q., C. P. R.

Raising a Family at a Trading Post — François Godere

B. about 1700 in (probably) Contrecœur, New France¹
M. about 1735 in (probably) Ouiatenon, New France²
Wife: Agnes Richard
D. between 1752 and 1756 in Illinois Territory, New France^3,4

In the early days of New France, French men traded for furs in places like Montreal. But as time went on, a man had to make expeditions further and further west for his product, until it just made sense to move permanently to a remote outpost. This is what happened with François Godere.

François’ father was Antoine Emery dit Coderre, a Carignan-Sallières Regiment soldier born in 1643, and his mother was Antoine’s second wife, Marie-Anne Favreau. The Emery dit Coderre family lived at various times in Contrecœur and Boucherville. Antoine had 11 children with his first wife and 10 with his second, but the Contrecœur parish records are missing between 1698 and 1700, and that fits with the period of time François was likely born and baptized.¹

The first couple of decades of the 18th century were a lively time in the area where François grew up, with convoys leaving every year for trading posts in the Great Lakes area. After his father passed away in 1716,⁵ François and some of his brothers were known to have signed up as voyageurs, young men hired to paddle canoes out and back. Older brother Louis went to Michillimackinac in 1717.⁶ We also know of two expeditions François made — one to an unspecified location out west in 1720, and one to Detroit in 1721.^7,8 It’s likely that there were other fur trading trips not represented in surviving records.

By about 1737 (and probably before that date), François was living in Fort Ouiatenon,⁹ a French outpost on the Wabash River in what is now Indiana. We can presume that at some point he made a choice to not return to Canada. At Ouiatenon, François met Agnes Richard, the daughter of the outpost’s blacksmith, and they got married.² François and Agnes were known to have eight children born between about 1736 and about 1752. The five oldest were boys and the youngest three were girls; their ages have been calculated here from later records.

It’s been estimated that Ouiatenon had a population of up to 3,000 people during the years François was a resident,¹⁰ many of them being from local tribes or of mixed-races (wife Agnes was mixed-race). Life centered around the fur trade, which was conducted inside the stockade walls of the fort. There was also a trading of cultures, with French traditions blending with that of the Wea tribe. This had an effect on many things, from the clothes they wore, the food they ate, and even the way they communicated. 

Typical French fur traders in early 18th-century America. (Artist: Francis Back)

In 1750, the Godere family seems to have traveled to a settlement down the Wabash River, Poste Vincennes. One of François’ children was recorded there that year in a parish record — daughter Agnes was less than a year old when she drowned in the Wabash “15 leagues” from Vincennes.¹¹ The record also stated that François and Agnes were still living in Ouiatenon at the time. Although one more child was born in about 1752,³ baby Agnes’ burial was the last record of François. His wife Agnes married another man on August 28, 1756 in Vincennes,⁴ so he must have died before that date. All of his surviving children lived in Vincennes, where most of them got married and raised families.

Proof that François Godere was the son of Antoine Emery dit Coderre
The evidence showing that François was one of Antoine’s offspring came in two records. On April 29, 1720, “François Émery” was hired by Jean Quesnel for an expedition from Montreal to the Great Lakes.⁷ The following year, on August 6th, Alphonse de Tonty hired a “François Émery dit Coderre of Contrecoeur” for a trip to Detroit.⁸ The only Emery dit Coderre family in Contrecœur was Antoine’s, so therefore we can safely conclude he was François’ father.

Children:
1. René Godere — B. about 1736, Ouiatenon, New France;¹² D. 9 Feb 1793, Vincennes, Northwest Territory;¹² M. Catherine Campeau, 3 Mar 1761, Vincennes, New France¹³

2. Pierre Godere — B. about 1737, Ouiatenon, New France;¹⁴ D. 24 May 1789, Vincennes, Northwest Territory;¹⁴ M. Susanne Bolon (1740-?), 5 May 1760, Vincennes, New France¹⁵

3. Louis Godere — B. 14 May 1739, Ouiatenon, New France;¹⁶ D. 15 Jun 1794, Vincennes, Northwest Territory;¹⁶ M. Barbe-Elizabeth Levron (1748-1798), 8 Feb 1770, Vincennes, New France¹⁷

4. François Godere — B. about 1740, Ouiatenon, New France;¹⁸ D. 12 Jul 1779, Vincennes, Northwest Territory;¹⁸ M. Marie-Therese Campagnot (~1745-1803), 18 Jan 1773, Vincennes, New France¹⁹

5. Toussaint Godere — B. about 1746, Ouiatenon, New France;²⁰ D. 30 Oct 1792, Vincennes, Northwest Territory;²⁰ M. Barbe Chapart (1758-?), about 1775, Vincennes, New France²¹

6. Ursule Godere — B. before Nov 1750, (probably) Ouiatenon, New France;²² D. 12 Nov 1756, Vincennes, New France²²

7. Agnes Godere — B. 17 Oct 1750, Illinois Territory, New France;¹¹ D. 6 Dec 1750, Illinois Territory, New France¹¹

8. Marie-Josephe Godere — B. about 1752, Ouiatenon, New France;³ M. Amable-Charles Bolon (~1750-?), 26 Jan 1773, Vincennes, New France²³

Sources:
1    Baptismal records of the children of Antoine Emery dit Coderre and Marie-Anne Favreau, Quebec, Catholic Parish Records, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.com
2    Marriage date estimate based on estimated birth date of oldest child, Find-a-Grave listing of René Godere
3    WikiTree listing of Marie-Joseph Godere
4    Marriage record of John Baptiste Vaudry and Agnes Richard, Indiana, Marriages, 1780-1992, FamilySearch.org
5    Burial record of Antoine Emery dit Coderre, Q., C. P. R.
6    Rapport de l’Archiviste de la Province de Québec, 1930, p. 221
7    Rapport de l’Archiviste de la Province de Québec, 1930, p. 288
8    Rapport de l’Archiviste de la Province de Québec, 1930, p. 232
9    Curatorship of François Émery Coderre, absent from the country, for the purposes of sharing the inheritances of the deceased Antoine Émery Coderre and Marie Anne Favreau, BAnQ
10  Fort Ouiatenon (Wikipedia article)
11  Burial record of Agnes Godere, Indiana, Births and Christenings, 1773-1933, FamilySearch.org
12  Find-a-Grave listing of René Godere
13  Marriage record of René Godere and Catherine Campeau, I., M.
14  Burial record of Pierre Godere, Indiana, Deaths and Burials, 1750-1993, FamilySearch.org
15  Marriage record of Pierre Godere and Susanne Bolan, I., M.
16  Find-a-Grave listing of Louis Godere
17  Marriage record of Louis Godere and Elizabeth Levron, I., M.
18  WikiTree listing of François Godere (younger)
19  Marriage record of François Godere and Marie-Therese Campagnot, I., M.
20  WikiTree listing of Toussaint Godere
21  Baptismal record of Toussaint Godere (younger), Indiana, Births and Christenings, 1773-1933, FamilySearch.org
22  Baptismal record of Ursule Godere, I., B. & C.
23  Marriage record of Amable-Charles Bolon and Marie-Joseph Godere, I., M.

Civil War Soldier’s Wife — Elizabeth C. Sutherlin

B. about 1844 in Missouri¹
M. (1) 24 Dec 1863 in Ray County, Missouri²
Husband: Simon C. Carey
M. (2) 13 Aug 1868 in Allen County, Kansas³
Husband: James Hiram Hampton
D. about 1869 in (probably) Kansas⁴

Elizabeth Sutherlin lived only about 25 years, but in that short time, she experienced a hardscrabble existence which included war and widowhood. 

Elizabeth was born in about 1844 to Jackson Sutherlin and Mary Fleming,¹ the second oldest of their seven children. The Sutherlins had come from Indiana to settle in Missouri. When Elizabeth was 6-years-old, they were living on a farm in Holt County.¹ The census showed that the value of their estate was much smaller than the families around them, and they likely didn't own their land. Elizabeth’s father was deaf,⁴ and this may have affected the family’s circumstances.

Ten years later, Elizabeth was listed twice in the census, maybe an indication that the family had moved. On July 13th, they were enumerated in Anderson County, Kansas,⁵ and on July 25th, in Lafayette County, Missouri.⁶ It was also recorded that at age 16, Elizabeth had attended school that year.

The area where Elizabeth lived was under siege by pro- and anti-slavery forces. During the late 1850s, the border region between Kansas and Missouri was a tense battleground, with one side performing atrocities against the other and vice-versa. It only got worse when the Confederacy was formed in 1861, which sparked the Civil War. Officially, Missouri was in the Union, but many Confederate sympathizers lived there, and bands of young men took recourse by terrorizing those not on their side.

On December 24, 1863, Elizabeth married an Irish immigrant, Simon Carey, in Ray County, Missouri.² It’s believed that neither bride nor groom were yet 20-years-old. Her choice of husband was unusual because his background was so different from hers. Simon had already done a stint in the Union army from April 1862 to May 1863,⁷ and he was settling down to become a farmer.

Elizabeth almost immediately became pregnant, but Simon didn’t remain at home. On August 15, 1864, he volunteered for service again in the Union army, likely enlisting for the $100 bounty⁷ — an enormous amount of money at that time. Although they lived in Ray County, Elizabeth gave birth on October 7th in the town of Gardner, Kansas,⁸ possibly where her parents lived. Her baby boy was named Thomas Michael.

When the Civil War ended, Simon remained in the service until being discharged in September of 1865.⁷ He may have suffered an injury while in the army, because soon after, he died of an “abscess in his side.”⁹ This left Elizabeth as a widow with a small child. She moved to Kansas where she married another former Civil War soldier, James Hampton, on August 13, 1868.³

Unfortunately, Elizabeth passed away just a short while later, probably in 1869. There is a family story that she died in childbirth along with a baby girl.¹⁰ After her death, her young son Thomas was raised by her parents;⁴ his success and offspring became Elizabeth’s only legacy.

Children:
1. Thomas Michael Carey — B. 7 Oct 1864, Gardner, Kansas;⁸ D. 5 Feb 1937, Coffeyville, Kansas;⁸ M. Bertha Gertrude Kightlinger (1875-1946), 21 Oct 1895, Burlington, Kansas¹¹

Sources:
1    1850 U.S. census, Holt County, Missouri
2    Marriage record of Simon Carey and Elizabeth Sutherlin, Missouri, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1851-1900, Ancestry.com
3    Marriage record of James Hampton and Elizabeth Sutherlin, Kansas, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1811-1911, Ancestry.com
4    1870 U.S. census, Jackson County, Missouri
5    1860 U.S. census, Anderson County, Kansas
6    1860 U.S. census, Lafayette County, Missouri
7    Civil War military records of Simon C. Carey, Fold3.com
8    “Tom Carey is Dead After Brief Illness,” Coffeyville Daily Journal, February 6, 1937
9    RootsWeb.com message from Simon Carey’s great-granddaughter, 22 Apr 2001
10  Email to me from Elizabeth Sutherlin’s great-great-granddaughter telling family story, 23 Aug 2024
11  Marriage record of Thomas Carey and Bertha Kightlinger, K., U.S., C. M. R.

Disappeared and Drowned — Nicolas Baillargeon

B. 12 Sep 1713 in Montmorency, New France¹
M. about 1737 in (probably) Montmagny, New France²
Wife: Marie-Madeleine Proulx
D. 10 May 1740 in Riviére-du-Sud, New France³

In the colony of New France, the rivers were vital for its people, providing irrigation for their farms and transportation between settlements. But sometimes a river could also end a life, and such was the case for Nicolas Baillargeon.

Nicolas was born on September 12, 1713 to Nicolas Baillargeon and Marguerite Leclerc in Montmorency, New France,¹ which was near Quebec City. Not much else is known about his early life. After he came of age, he crossed the St. Lawrence River to an area that was just being settled on the southern shore. In about 1737, he married Marie-Madeleine Proulx, probably in Montmagny where she was from.² They had a daughter born in August 1738,⁴ and a son born in March 1740.⁵

By 1740, Nicolas was living in St-Pierre-de-la-Riviére-du-Sud, a community on the Riviére-du-Sud (South River) upstream from Montmagny. The Riviére-du-Sud ran parallel to the St. Lawrence, about 3 miles inland; it had many twists and turns before jutting north and emptying into the larger river. The village of St-Pierre was clustered near the river, with ribbon farms pushing to the north and south. Evidence of this can still be seen from overhead views today.

2022 satellite view of St-Pierre-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud. (Source: Google Maps)

On the night of May 10th, Nicolas tried to cross the Riviére-du-Sud, but for some reason, he didn’t make it, and he drowned.³ The details of what happened are sketchy, but based on the geography of the area and the time of the year, it’s possible to speculate that snow melt-off may have caused the water level to be higher than usual. Strong currents may have also been a factor when Nicolas was swept away. His body wasn’t found until 18 days later.³

Nicolas was buried in the parish cemetery of Saint-Thomas in Montmagny on May 30, 1740.³ His wife, Madeleine, remarried in 1745,⁶ and she died about 1753.⁷

Burial record of Nicolas Baillargeon.

Children:
1. Madeleine Baillargeon — B. 24 Aug 1738, Montmagny, New France;⁴ D. 8 Sep 1819, St-Pierre-de-la-Riviére-du-Sud, New France;⁸ M. Charles-Alexander Joncas (1730-?), 23 Feb 1756, Montmagny, New France⁹

2. Nicolas Baillargeon — B. 24 Mar 1740, St-Pierre-de-la-Riviére-du-Sud, New France;⁵ D. 6 May 1803, Vincennes, Indiana Territory;¹⁰ M. Françoise Plichon (~1759-1837), 24 Jul 1778, Post Vincennes, Illinois Territory¹¹

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Nicolas Baillargeon, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Nicolas Baillargeon and Marie-Madeleine Proulx, Q., C. P. R.
3    Burial record of Nicolas Baillargeon, Q., C. P. R.
4    Baptismal record of Madeleine Baillargeon, Q., C. P. R.
5    Baptismal record of Nicolas Baillargeon (younger), Q., C. P. R.
6    Marriage record of Ignace Dessaint and Marie-Madeleine Proulx, Q., C. P. R.
7    Marriage record of Ignace Dessaint and Madeleine Morin, Q., C. P. R.
8    Burial record of Madeleine Baillargeon, Q., C. P. R.
9    Marriage record of Charles-Alexander Joncas and Madeleine Baillargeon, Q., C. P. R.
10  Burial record of Nicolas Baillargeon (younger), Q., C. P. R.
11  Marriage record of Nicolas Baillargeon and Françoise Plichon, Q., C. P. R.

The Mother of Emigrants — Marie-Charlotte Dubois

B. 29 Jun 1797 in St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec¹
M. 19 Oct 1812 in St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec²
Husband: Joseph Mignault dit LaBrie
D. between 1847 and 1864 in Quebec^3,4

The early 19th century was a time of transition in the Côte-du-Sud region of Quebec. Fifty years after the English takeover of Canada, many French-Canadian farmers were finding it harder and harder to scrape out a living. For Marie-Charlotte Dubois, this meant that most of her own children would leave their homeland for a better life in the United States.

Charlotte was born on June 29, 1797 to Michel Dubois and Marie-Josephe Fournier in St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec,⁵ the oldest of 8 children. Her father was a farmer who died when she was 12-years old.¹ Charlotte got married just a couple of years later. Her husband, Joseph Mignault dit LaBrie, was about 14 years older than she was, and the wedding took place at St-Joseph-de-la -Pointe-de-Lévy on October 19, 1812.² It was a double wedding because her widowed mother got married the same day;⁶ it’s notable that her mother’s new husband was actually younger than hers. Both mother and daughter were pregnant the following year and gave birth to sons about six weeks apart.

As was common in French-Canadian families, Charlotte had a large number of children. By the late 1830s, she and her husband had ten children, with two of them being twins. Sadly, she lost her oldest, Joseph, when he died at age 7.⁷ In October of 1838, she had her eleventh and final child, Marie-Heloise,⁸ who seems to have died young. By then, the family had moved to St-Chrysostome;⁹ later they were in St-Sylvestre,¹⁰ and then St-Norbert d’Arthabaska.¹¹ Census records suggest that the LaBrie farm wasn’t thriving, and the fact they relocated several times is an indicator of their financial struggle.

After Joseph passed away on July 15, 1846,¹¹ little is known about Charlotte’s life. She was living at the time of her daughter Marie-Marguerite’s wedding on January 12, 1847,³ but had died by her son Benjamin’s wedding on November 3, 1864.⁴ One-by-one, Charlotte’s children migrated south to the United States, starting with François in about 1848.¹² Most of them settled in Minnesota and Wisconsin, but Adelaide went all the way to northern California.¹³ Youngest son Edouard moved to the U.S. for a time,¹⁴ but did migrate to Alberta, Canada during the 1890s.¹⁵ Only Henriette and Benjamin seem to have stayed in Quebec;^16,17 sadly, Benjamin was in a mental institution when he died.¹⁷

Charlotte’s daughter Adelaide LeMay with her children Paul and Mary in Siskiyou County, California.  

Children:
1. Joseph LaBrie – B. 19 Sep 1813, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec;¹⁸ D. 19 Dec 1820, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec⁷

2. Genevieve LaBrie – B. 5 Feb 1816, Quebec;¹⁹ D. 15 Mar 1881, West St. Paul, Minnesota;²⁰ M. Flavien Roberge (1813-1894), 8 Nov 1834, St-Jean Chrysostome, Quebec²¹

3. Louis LaBrie – B. 8 Nov 1818, Quebec;²² D. 22 Feb 1903, Minneapolis, Minnesota;²³ M. Julie Fortier (1821-1904), 14 Sep 1841, St-Sylvestre, Quebec¹⁰

4. Henriette LaBrie – B. 9 Sep 1822, Arthabaska, Quebec;²⁴ C. 25 Feb 1901, St-Christophe, Arthabaska, Quebec;¹⁶ M. Jean-Baptiste Boucher dit Morency (1819-1873), 27 Apr 1841, St-Sylvestre, Quebec²⁵

5. Jean-Baptiste LaBrie – B. 9 Sep 1822, Arthabaska, Quebec;²⁶ D. 13 Jun 1905, Barron County, Wisconsin;²⁷ M. Perpetue Demers (1827-1899), 27 Feb 1843, Blandford, Quebec²⁸

6. Marie-Marguerite LaBrie – B. about 8 Mar 1826, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec;²⁹ M. Olivier Demers (~1822-?), 12 Jan 1847, Arthabaska, Quebec³

7. Francis A. LaBrie – B. 15 Jan 1828, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec;³⁰ D. 27 Dec 1909, Minneapolis, Minnesota;³¹ M. Eliza Furlong (1830-1912), 23 Jan 1854, St. Paul, Minnesota³²

8. Benjamin LaBrie – B. (possibly) 1831, Quebec;³³ D. 19 Feb 1907, Arthabaska, Quebec;¹⁷ M. Marie Vachon (~1833-~1896), 3 Nov 1864, Tlingwick, Quebec⁴

9. Marie-Adelaide LaBrie – B. 15 May 1832, St-Jean Chrysostome, Quebec;⁹ D. 24 Apr 1915, Yreka, California;³⁴ M. François Dassisi LeMay (1820-1880), 7 Feb 1853, Ramsey County, Minnesota³⁵

10. Edouard LaBrie – B. about 18 Jul 1834, St-Jean Chrysostome, Quebec;³⁶ M. (1) Catherine Couture, 24 Sep 1860, Tlingwick, Quebec;³⁷ (2) Josephine¹⁵

11. Marie-Heloise LaBrie – B. about 16 Oct 1838, St-Jean Chrysostome, Quebec⁸

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Marie-Charlotte Dubois, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Joseph Mignaultt dit LaBrie and Marie-Charlotte Dubois, Q., C. P. R.
3    Marriage record of Olivier Demers and Marie-Marguerite LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
4    Marriage record of Benjamin LaBrie and Marie Vachon, Q., C. P. R.
5    Burial record of Michel Dubois, Q., C. P. R.
6    Marriage record of Laurent Gosselin and Marie-Josephe Fournier, Q., C. P. R.
7    Burial record of Joseph LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
8    Baptismal record of Marie-Heloise LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
9    Baptismal record of Marie-Adelaide LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
10  Marriage record of Louis LaBrie and Julie Fortier, Q., C. P. R.
11  Burial record of Joseph Mignault dit LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
12  1900 U.S. Census, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
13  1860 U.S. Census, Siskiyou County, California
14  1870 U.S. Census, Barron County, Wisconsin
15  1891 Canada Census, Alberta
16  Burial record of Henriette LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
17  Burial record of Benjamin Mignot dit LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
18  Baptismal record of Joseph LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
19  Baptismal record of Genevieve LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
20  Find-a-Grave listing of Genevieve (LaBrie) Roberge
21  Marriage record of Flavien Roberge and Genevieve LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
22  1900 U.S. Census, Minneapolis, Minnesota
23  Death record of Louis LaBrie, Minnesota Birth and Death Records, 1866-1916, FamilySearch.org
24  Baptismal record of Henriette LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
25  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Boucher dit Morency and Henriette LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
26  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
27  Find-a-Grave listing of Jean-Baptiste “John” LaBrie
28  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste LaBrie and Perpetue Demers, Q., C. P. R.
29  Baptismal record of Marie-Marguerite LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
30  Baptismal record of François LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
31  Marriage record of François LaBrie and Eliza Furlong, Minnesota, Marriages, 1849-1950, FamilySearch.org

32  Death record of Francis Labree, Minnesota Death Index, 1908-2002, FamilySearch.org
33  1871 Canada Census, Arthabaska, Quebec
34  Find-A-Grave listing of Ida Adeline (Mignot dit LeBrie) LeMay
35  Marriage record of Francis Lemay and Adelaide LaBrie, M., M.
36  Baptismal record of Edouard LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
37  Marriage record of Edouard LaBrie and Catherine Couture, Q., C. P. R.