A Life of Fishing and Farming — Hezekiah Ober

B. 9 Nov 1681 in Beverly, Massachusetts¹
M. 5 Nov 1702 in Beverly, Massachusetts²
Wife: Ann Morgan
D. 26 Nov 1739 in Beverly, Massachusetts³

Hezekiah Ober spent his entire life in the coastal colonial town of Beverly, Massachusetts using both land and sea to make a living. Beverly was a farming community near the coast, where men also took boats out on the water to catch cod and mackerel. Hezekiah was born there on November 9, 1681 to Richard Ober and Abigail Woodbury, the fifth of their nine children.¹ He likely learned the fishing business from his father, and when he grew up, he took it up himself.⁴

When Hezekiah was 21, he married Ann Morgan, the daughter of one of the founders of Beverly, Samuel Morgan. When Ann’s father died in 1698, Hezekiah’s father was appointed her guardian,⁵ so they had an intertwined relationship. The wedding took place on November 5, 1702² at house built by Ann’s uncle Joseph in 1671. Ann brought this property into the marriage and it passed down through their descendants; the house was standing in 1930,⁵ but it seems to be gone today.

Working as a fisherman. (AI-generated image)

Hezekiah wasn’t prominent in civic records of Beverly, only noted as having served on a 1707 jury at the court in neighboring Salem.⁶ Church records showed that he fathered at least 8 children, baptized between the years 1704 and 1724. His son Hezekiah (born in 1714) was said to have died in 1738 while in the West Indies;⁷ several young men from Beverly seemed to have been together when they were killed in a hurricane, probably onboard a ship.

Most of the information about Hezekiah’s life came after he died in the form of a thick probate file. He passed away on November 26, 1739 at the age of 58,³ and he hadn’t written a will. The courts had to go over his estate in great detail before any of his family could claim their inheritance, and an inventory that was several pages long offers a glimpse into his life. Along with his wife’s inherited land, Hezekiah owned of a lot of other property. The total of his land was about 60 acres divided up into 14 different parcels, with the largest being 11 acres.⁴ Besides Beverly, he owned property in the nearby towns of Wenham and Manchester. His real estate added up to a value of £1,125.⁴

Hezekiah’s list of clothing was typical for a colonial New England man in the mid-18th century: 3 coats, 3 jackets, 3 pairs of “breeches,” 4 shirts, 1 pair of shoes and 1 hat. He had a substantial amount of furniture, enough to fill a sizable house, including 4 beds plus a trundle bed to accommodate his family, and several chests and desks. Hezekiah was literate because he was shown to have had many books, although they were mostly religious: 3 bibles, 9 sermons books, a psalm book and “one other book.”

Hezekiah had a modestly stocked farm, including all forms of livestock, but by far his biggest possession was a schooner with cables, sails, anchors and rigging valued at £390. This was listing was followed by equipment used in fishing: scales, hooks and beam, and lead weights. No doubt he had a serious interest in the fishing business.

A typical schooner of 18th century New England.

The estate inventory also showed that Hezekiah had a female slave with a six-month-old baby daughter; the value of both slaves was £108. Unfortunately, slave ownership was common in New England at the time, and the practice wasn’t phased out for another few decades. Aside from the inventory of his estate, no other mention was made of the woman and her child, so it’s unknown what became of them.

After the inventory was complete, it took several years to process Hezekiah’s estate. A long list of debts had to be taken care of by his wife Ann before any property division could be made. Ann lived a long time as a widow, and never remarried. She died in 1774.⁸ Hezekiah was the ancestor of First Lady Grace Coolidge.

Children:
1. Elizabeth Ober — B. 15 Aug 1703, Beverly, Massachusetts;⁹ D. 15 Jan 1750, Beverly, Massachusetts;¹⁰ M. John Thorndike (1701-1769), 15 Sep 1723, Beverly, Massachusetts¹¹

2. Samuel Ober — B. 13 Sep 1705, Beverly, Massachusetts;¹² D. 29 Feb 1764, Beverly, Massachusetts;¹³ M. Elizabeth Butman (1707-1788), 13 Aug 1727, Beverly, Massachusetts¹⁴

3. Anna Ober — B.1 Dec 1708, Beverly, Massachusetts;¹⁵ D. 14 Mar 1787, Tewksbury, Massachusetts;¹⁶ M. James Thorndike (1706-1787), 21 Jan 1728, Beverly, Massachusetts¹⁷

4. Joanna Ober — B. 17 May 1711, Beverly, Massachusetts;¹⁸ D. 31 Mar 1786, (probably) Beverly, Massachusetts;¹⁹ M. Elisha Woodbury (1706-1751), 25 Feb 1727, Beverly, Massachusetts²⁰

5. Hezekiah Ober — B.5 Jun 1714, Beverly, Massachusetts;²¹ D. (probably) 18 Aug 1738, West Indies;⁷ Abigail Baker (1717-1768), 20 Mar 1734, Beverly, Massachusetts²²

6. Thomas Ober — B. 27 Jul 1718, Beverly, Massachusetts;²³ D. 17 Mar 1777, (probably) Beverly, Massachusetts;²⁴ M. Abigail Pitman (1721-1779), 16 Mar 1739, Beverly, Massachusetts²⁵

7. Judith Ober — B. 30 Apr 1721, Beverly, Massachusetts;²⁶ D. about 1758, Beverly, Massachusetts;²⁷ M. Samuel Woodbury (1717-1756), 24 Feb 1739, Beverly, Massachusetts²⁸

8. Benjamin Ober — B. 14 Jun 1724, Beverly, Massachusetts;²⁹ D. 27 Nov 1818, Manchester, Massachusetts;³⁰ M. Anna Foster (1728-1793), 20 Sep 1750, Wenham, Massachusetts³¹

Sources:
1    Birth record of Hezekiah Ober, Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Hezekiah Ober and Ann Morgan, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
3    Death record of Hezekiah Ober, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
4    Probate file of Hezekiah Ober, Massachusetts, Essex County probate records, 1638-1881, FamilySearch.org
5    Colonial Families in America, Vol. 8, Ruth Lawrence, 1930
6    Essex County Court records, 1686-1726. FamilySearch.org
7    The Generations of Jaffrey, N.H., Albert Annett and Alice Lehtinen, 1934 
8    Death record of Ann (Morgan) Ober, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
9    Birth record of Elizabeth Ober, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
10  Find-a-Grave listing for Elizabeth Thorndike  
11  Marriage record of John Thorndike and Elizabeth Ober, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
12  Birth record of Samuel Ober, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
13  WikiTree listing for Samuel Ober  
14  Marriage record of Samuel Ober and Elizabeth Butman, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
15  Birth record of Anna Ober, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
16  WikiTree listing for Anna (Ober) Thorndike  
17  Marriage record of James Thorndike and Anna Ober, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
18  Birth record of Joanna Ober, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
19  Death record of Joanna Ober, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
20  Marriage record of Elisha Woodbury and Joanna Ober, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
21  Birth record of Hezekiah Ober (younger), M. T. C., V. & T. R.
22  Marriage record of Hezekiah Ober and Abigail Baker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
23  Birth record of Thomas Ober, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
24  WikiTree listing for Samuel Ober  
25  Marriage record of Thomas Ober and Abigail Pitman, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
26  Birth record of Judith Ober, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
27  WikiTree listing for Judith (Ober) Woodbury  
28  Marriage record of Samuel Woodbury and Judith Ober, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
29  Birth record of Benjamin Ober, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
30  Find-a-Grave listing for Benjamin Ober  
31  Marriage record of Benjamin Ober and Anna Foster, M. T. C., V. & T. R.

A Sailor and a Boat Operator — Elie Dussault dit Lafleur

B. 7 Sep 1635 in La Rochelle, France¹
M. 22 Feb 1663 in Quebec City, New France²
Wife: Madeleine-Euphrosine Nicolet
D. after 27 Jul 1681 in New France³

Elie Dussault dit Lafleur tends to be overshadowed by his more famous wife and father-in-law, but he did have his own story as a man who operated a boat in 17th-century New France.

Elie was born in about September 1635 in La Rochelle, France to François Dussault (also spelled Dusceau) and Marie Delaunay. Like many of the people in La Rochelle, Elie’s family were Calvinists, and he was baptized at Temple de la Villeneuve on September 7th.¹ The temple was built in the aftermath of the 1628 siege of La Rochelle at the “eastern end” of town. The Calvinists in La Rochelle were able to practice their religion for a time, but within a couple of generations, that ended, and the temple was shut down for good with the arrest of its ministers in 1684.⁴

Elie was long gone from La Rochelle by then, and in any event, had converted to Catholicism.⁵ He became a sailor, probably a trade he picked up in the port city of La Rochelle. Elie acquired the nickname “Lafleur” likely while he worked aboard ships; why this name was applied to him is lost to history.

Working on a ship. (AI-generated image)

At some point Elie turned up in Quebec City where he met his future wife, Madeleine-Euphrosine Nicolet. She was the Métis daughter of Jean Nicolet, who was the first European to explore Lake Michigan. Madeleine-Euphrosine was roughly 7 years older than Elie and she had been recently widowed; she had a 15-year-old son and an 11-year-old daughter at the time. The wedding was at Notre-Dame-de Quebec on February 18, 1663,² and the record noted that the publication of three bans had been dispensed with. Just six months later, the couple was back in church celebrating the baptism of their first child,⁶ so the bride had likely been pregnant at the altar. Elie became a father three more times; all of his offspring were boys, with the oldest seeming to have died young.

A number of court and notarial records mentioned Elie, and established that he operated a boat or ship along the St. Lawrence River. In April 1664⁷ and October 1676,⁸ he was brought to court for debts that he owed. The second of these cases was to pay a butcher in Quebec 75 livres for some meat that he had purchased; the large amount of money suggests that the meat was for trade, not for his family’s consumption. Another matter Elie was involved with was regarding the property owned by Madeleine-Euphrosine’s first husband. This was described as “a square in the lower town of Quebec” that was 32 feet by 19 feet. When a man died, his wife didn’t necessarily inherit his property, and the courts often had to clear up titles, especially when a widow remarried.⁹

October 1676 court record ordering Elie to pay a butcher 75 livres.

Elie’s wife testified at a murder trial in late 1678,¹⁰ and the court record noted that Elie was an “archer of the Maréchaussée.” This meant he was a member of a sort of police force in Quebec City made up of six men who helped hunt down and detain men accused of crimes. There seems to be no other record of Elie with this description, and he must have only served in this role for a short time.

In December of that year, another case was prosecuted in Quebec City with Elie suing a man named Louis Maheu.¹¹ The record stated that Maheu had been working for Elie as a pilot on his ship, and had also lived in his home for a time. Elie was seeking rent payments from him, although the records don’t seem to indicate who won the case. Maheu was the first licensed doctor to be born in Canada, and after the lawsuit with Elie, he also became a captain of his own ship.

Another court record dated July 27, 1681 was the last time Elie’s name appeared as still living.¹² He was said to have died around this time, but there is no burial record for him in New France. Given his status as a man who worked on a boat, this seems to suggest he may have drowned. Madeleine-Euphrosine didn’t remarry, and she died in September 1689.¹³ They were ancestors of Leo Durocher.

Children:
1. Louis Dussault – B. 25 Aug 1663, Quebec City, New France⁶

2. Pierre Dussault – B. 31 Jul 1665, Quebec City, New France;¹⁴ M. Marie Rouleau (1667-1703), 2 Nov 1689, New France¹⁵

3. Jean-François Dussault – B. 4 Jan 1668, Quebec City, New France;¹⁶ D. before 24 Apr 1719, Lauzon, New France;¹⁷ M. Marie-Madeleine Bourassa (1673-1742), 8 Jan 1692, Pointe-deLévy, Lauzon, New France¹⁸

4. Charles Dussault – B. 21 May 1673, Quebec City, New France;¹⁹ D. before 12 Feb 1697;²⁰ M. Henrietta Balan (1677-1715), 16 Nov 1693, La Durantaye, New France²¹

Sources:
1    Généalogie du Québec et d’Amérique française listing for Elie Dussault dit Lafleur  
2    Marriage record of Elie Dussault dit Lafleur and Madeleine-Euphrosine Nicolet, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Burial record of Elie Dussault dit Lafleur, Q.C.P.R.
4    “The temple of Villeneuve in La Rochelle,” Guy Perron’s blog 
5    Based on the fact that Elie Dussault migrated to New France, which didn’t allow non-Catholics
6    Baptismal record of Louis Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
7    Court record of Elie Dussault vs. Denis Durome, 26 Apr 1664, BAnQ  
8    Court record of Elie Dussault vs. Michel Lecourt, 3 Dec 1667, BAnQ  
9    Court record about Madeleine-Euphorsine Nicolet’s property, 6 Oct 1676, BAnQ  
10  Criminal court case against Jean Brière, 22 Aug 1678 to 22 Oct 1678, BAnQ  
11  Court record of Elie Dussault vs. Louis Maheiu, 20 Dec 1678, BAnQ  
12  Court record of sale of property of Elie Dussault, 27 Jul 1681, BAnQ  
13  Burial record of Madeleine-Euphorsine Nicolet, Q.C.P.R.
14  Baptismal record of Pierre Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of Pierre Dussault and Marie Rouleau, Q.C.P.R.
16  Baptismal record of Jean-François Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
17  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Bergeron and Marie-Madeleine Bourassa, Q.C.P.R.
18  Marriage record of Jean-François Dussault and Marie-Madeleine Bourassa, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Charles Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
20  Marriage record of Yves Bechette and Henrietta Balan, Q.C.P.R.
21  Marriage record of Charles Dussault and Henrietta Balan, Q.C.P.R.

Land Acquired in Buyout of Indians — Stephen Peirce

B. 16 Jul 1651 in Woburn, Massachusetts¹
M. 18 Nov 1676 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts²
Wife: Tabitha Parker
D. 10 Jun 1733 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts³

Stephen Peirce was an early settler of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, and became the owner of several tracts of undeveloped land. Some of his property came in what was known as the Wamesit Purchase, acquired from the people who had lived in the area for perhaps centuries.

Stephen was born nearby in Woburn on July 16, 1651 to Thomas Peirce and Elizabeth Cole,¹ the seventh of their 12 children. When Stephen came of age, he settled in the newer town of Chelmsford, and on November 18, 1676, he married Tabitha Parker,² the daughter of one of the town’s founders. The couple soon began their family, and they had five children born between about 1677 and 1689. It’s believed that Stephen worked as a tailor, and this fact is verified in a town record showing he was once paid for sewing a burial cloth.⁴ Stephen was also prominent as a town leader, serving as selectman 13 times between 1693 and 1720,⁵ and as a moderator of town meetings in 1708, 1710, 1711, 1715 and 1716.⁵ For a few years, from 1709 to 1710 and again in 1712, he was a representative to the General Court in Boston.⁵

While Stephen was establishing himself in Chelmsford, there was an exodus of the Native American population in the area. Only 20 years earlier, the Wamesit tribe had a thriving community on the banks of the Concord River, but after new towns sprung up, the Puritan settlers began to encroach on their territory. And after the Native American defeat in King Philip’s War, most of the Wamesits moved away.

In 1686, tribe members who were still living around Chelmsford sold off their former homeland.⁶ Fifty Puritan settlers formed a syndicate to acquire the land, one of whom was Stephen. The purchase was arranged by two men, Jonathan Tyng of Dunstable and Major Thomas Hinchman of Chelmsford, and they in turn took charge of dividing up the tract among the 50 men. Each one had paid 20 shillings for their portion of land. There’s no record of the size of the Wamesit Purchase, but it was estimated to be 2,500 acres. A typical allotment was a primary lot of 18 acres, plus several smaller lots of 2 acres or less of meadow and land along some creeks.

Signing the deed for the Wamesit Purchase. (AI-generated image)

First part of the Wamesit Purchase deed included "marks" of men and women of the Wamesit tribe.

Second part of the deed listed the men who would receive tracts, including Stephen.

Stephen lived a long life, but he may have begun to show his age in his later years. A town record of 1728 stated that “Stephen Peirce” was appointed to a committee in his town, and was soon after replaced because he became “impaired in his reason.”⁴ It’s unclear whether this was Stephen or his son of the same name, but since Stephen Sr. was in his late 70s, the description suggests this was him. On June 10, 1733, he passed away in Chelmsford.³ Stephen’s legacy was impressive, with Franklin Pierce as his direct descendant, and another president and a first lady as a distant uncle relationship — George W. Bush and Barbara Pierce Bush.⁷

Children:
1. Jacob Peirce — B. about 1677, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; D. 20 Sep 1749, Westford, Massachusetts; M. Rachel Batchelder (1671-1674), 18 Nov 1698, Boston, Massachusetts

2. Stephen Peirce — B. 10 Apr 1679, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; D. 9 Sep 1749, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; M. Esther Fletcher (~1685-1767), 5 Jan 1707, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

3. Benjamin Peirce — B. 4 Jun 1682, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

4. Sarah Peirce — B. 25 Mar 1686, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

5. Tabitha Peirce — B. 24 Feb 1690, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; D. 6 Feb 1742, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; M. William Fletcher

Sources:
1    Birth record of Stephen Peirce, Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Stephen Peirce and Tabitha Parker, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
3    Death record of Stephen Peirce, Massachusetts Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910, FamilySearch.org
4    History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, Wilson Waters, 1917
5    Legislators of the Massachusetts General Court, 1691-1780, John A. Schutz
6    History of Lowell, Massachusetts (Wikipedia article)  
7    FamousKin.com listing for Stephen Pierce  
8    WikiTree listing of Jacob Pierce
9    Death record of Jacob Peirce, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
10  Marriage record of Jacob Peirce and Rachel Batchelder, New England Marriages Prior to 1700, page 582
11  Find-a-Grave listing of Deacon Stephen Peirce
12  Death record of Stephen Peirce (younger), M. T. C., V. & T. R.
13  Marriage record of Stephen Peirce and Esther Fletcher, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
14  Birth record of Benjamin Peirce, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
15  Birth record of Sarah Peirce, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
16  Birth record of Tabitha Peirce, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
17  Death record of Tabitha Peirce, M. T. C., V. & T. R.

Villages Burned by the English — Jean-François Chouinard

B. 10 Feb 1732 in L’Islet, New France¹
M. 18 Feb 1754 in St-François-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud, New France²
Wife: Marie-Marguerite Morin
D. 29 Oct 1807 in St-Louis-de-Kamouraska, Quebec³

During the 1759 English invasion of Quebec, an order was given to punish all who lived in Côte-du-Sud (the south shore of the St. Lawrence), prompting an action to destroy the houses and farms of the French population. And almost certainly, Jean-François Chouinard was one of the victims.

Jean-François was born in the settlement of L’Islet on February 10, 1732.¹ He was the fifth of the twelve known children of Pierre Chouinard and Ursule Martin (some parish records have been lost and the number of siblings may have been more). Jean-François had ancestors going back to the earliest days of Quebec, and had farmed along the south shore for as many as 30 years by the time he was born.

On February 18, 1754, Jean-François married Marie-Marguerite Morin at St-François-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud,² the village where she was from. They settled somewhere along the Côte-du-Sud, and it’s believed that their first child was born by the end of the year.⁴ Jean-François and Marguerite would have a total of 12 or 13 children by 1778, but the baptismal records for the ones born before the Quebec invasion are missing. Since the family later turned up in St-Jean-Port-Joli, and that village has no surviving records before 1767, it’s very likely this was where they lived.

It was a difficult time to manage a farm and support a young family, because in 1756, war broke out between France and England. The colonists in New France hadn’t developed an independent economy like those in the English colonies to the south, and relied on France to supply them the goods they needed for survival. During the early part of the war, England’s navy was able to secure a blockade, causing hardship and starvation to the people of New France, including Jean-François’ family.

A time of starvation. (A-generated image)

It all got worse when in 1759, a massive English force sailed up the St. Lawrence on a mission to take control. Since ships with soldiers from France couldn't get past the blockade, there was little the Canadians could do to defend themselves. Much of the resistance was put up by bands of young men bravely trying to protect their homeland. Many were from Côte-du-Sud, and the English decided to take revenge on them by destroying their homes and farms.

When 800 men led by Major George Scott carried out this order, they didn’t single out known rebels; instead they targeted the entire population.⁵ The village where Jean-François likely lived was one of the hardest hit. The inhabitants of St-Jean-Port-Joli found safe haven inland before the English set fire to every house and field in the area. They destroyed boats, seized cattle, and damaged churches up and down the coast. Even if they were in a nearby village, Jean-François must have lost much, if not all, of what he had owned. Records are sketchy because many were destroyed in the process, so it’s hard to verify his loss.

Villages burned by the English in September 1759.

In the years that followed, the people of the south shore returned to their property and rebuilt. By 1768, Jean-Francois was definitely established at St-Jean-Port-Joli.⁶ Considering what he went through during the war, he lived a fairly long life. Sometime before the end, he moved downriver to St-Louis-de-Kamouraska, where he passed away on October 29, 1807 at age 75.³ His wife Marguerite survived him, dying in 1816.⁷

Children:
1. Jean-Marie Chouinard — B. about 1755, Côte-du Sud, New France;⁴ D. 8 May 1836, St-Louis, Kamouraska, Quebec;⁸ M. (1) Genevieve Miville (1760-1788), 17 Aug 1778, St-Roch-des-Aulnaies, Quebec;⁹ (2) Catherine Roy (1768-1791), 1 Feb 1790, Kamouraska, Quebec;¹⁰ (3) Marie-Antoinette Pinet (1772-1813), St-Andre, Quebec;¹¹ (4) Euphrosine Tardif (1773-1856), 21 Jan 1817, Kamouraska, Quebec¹²

2. (possibly) Marguerite Chouinard — B. 7 Oct 1758, Côte-du Sud, New France;¹³ D. 7 Oct 1758, Côte-du Sud, New France¹³

3. Marguerite Chouinard — B. about 1759, Côte-du Sud, New France;¹⁴ D. 2 Dec 1828, Bellechasse, Quebec;¹⁴ M. (1) François-Joseph Mignault dit LaBrie (1743-1805), 12 Jan 1779, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;¹⁵ (2) Joseph Lacasse (1754-1829), 26 Jan 1807, Lauzon, Quebec¹⁶

4. Charlemagne Chouinard — B. about 1759, Côte-du Sud, New France;¹⁷ D. 7 Apr 1852, Kamouraska, Quebec;¹⁸ M. Perpetue Mignault (~1780-1849), 23 Nov 1801, St-Louis-de-Kamouraska, Quebec¹⁹

5. Louis-Marie Chouinard — B. 11 Mar 1761, L’Islet, New France;²⁰ D. 16 Feb 1821, St-Louis-de-Kamouraska, Quebec;²¹ M. Marie-Josephe Levasseur (~1771-1821), 7 Nov 1785, St-Louis-de-Kamouraska, Quebec²²

6. Genevieve Chouinard — B. about 1763, Côte-du Sud, New France;²³ D. 19 Apr 1851, St-Denis, Kamouraska, Quebec;²⁴ M. Jean-François Lavoie (1762-1820), 28 Jul 1783, St-Louis-de-Kamouraska, Quebec²⁵

7. Jean-Chrysostome Chouinard — B. about 1765, Côte-du Sud, Quebec;²⁶ D. 1 Nov 1835, St-Ours, Quebec;²⁷ M. (1) Marguerite Michaud (~1742-1827), 3 Nov 1801, Ste-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, Quebec;²⁸ (2) Josephte Beaunoyer (~1790-?), 4 May 1829, St-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, Quebec²⁹

8. Marie-Françoise Chouinard — B. about 6 May 1768, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;⁶ M. Joseph Blouin (~1755-?), 18 Jun 1787, St-Louis-de-Kamouraska, Quebec³⁰

9. Marie-Reine Chouinard — B. 13 Feb 1771, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;³¹ D. 3 Sep 1851, St-Louis-de-Kamouraska, Quebec;³² M. Joseph-Marie Roy (1764-1856), 10 Feb 1792, Kamouraska, Quebec³³

10. Marie-Therese Chouinard — B. 18 Sep 1772, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec³⁴

11. Amable Chouinard — B. 19 Jun 1774, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec³⁵

12. Marie-Veronique Chouinard — B. 23 Sep 1776, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;³⁶ D. 11 Jan 1781, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec³⁷

13. Archange Chouinard — B. 2 Nov 1778, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;³⁸ D. 31 Oct 1860, St-Frederic, Drummondville, Quebec;³⁹ M. Benjamin Pinet (1768-?), 21 Jul 1794, Kamouraska, Quebec⁴⁰

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Jean-François Chouinard, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Jean-François Chouinard and Marie-Marguerite Morin, Q., C. P. R.
3    Burial record of Jean-François Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
4    Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Jean-Marie Chouinard
5    The French and Indian War and the Conquest of New France, William R. Nestor, 2014
6    Baptismal record of Marie-Françoise Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
7    Burial record of Marie-Marguerite Morin, Q., C. P. R.
8    Burial record of Jean-Marie Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
9    Marriage record of Jean-Marie Chouinard and Genevieve Miville, Q., C. P. R.
10  Marriage record of Jean-Marie Chouinard and Catherine Roy, Q., C. P. R.
11  Marriage record of Jean-Marie Chouinard and Marie-Antoinette Pinet, Q., C. P. R.
12  Marriage record of Jean-Marie Chouinard and Euphrosine Tardif, Q., C. P. R.
13  Dictionnaire généalogique des familles canadiennes depuis la fondation de la colonie jusqu'a nos jours, Cyprien Tanguay
14  Burial record of Marguerite Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
15  Marriage record of François-Joseph Mignault dit LaBrie and Marguerite Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
16  Marriage record of Joseph Lacasse and Marguerite Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
17  Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Charlemagne Chouinard
18  Burial record of Charlemagne Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
19  Marriage record of Charlemagne Chouinard and Perpetue Mignault, Q., C. P. R.
20  Baptismal record of Louis-Marie Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
21  Burial record of Louis-Marie Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
22  Marriage record of Louis-Marie Chouinard and Marie-Josephe Levasseur, Q., C. P. R.
23  Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Genevieve Chouinard
24  Burial record of Genevieve Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
25  Marriage record of Jean-François Lavoie and Genevieve Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
26  Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Jean-Chrysostome Chouinard
27  Burial record of Jean-Chrysostome Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
28  Marriage record of Jean-Chrysostome Chouinard and Marguerite Michaud, Q., C. P. R.
29  Marriage record of Jean-Chrysostome Chouinard and Josephte Beaunoyer, Q., C. P. R.
30  Marriage record of Joseph Blouin and Marie-Françoise Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
31  Baptismal record of Marie-Reine Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
32  Burial record of Marie-Reine Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
33  Marriage record of Joseph-Marie Roy and Marie-Reine Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
34  Baptismal record of Marie-Therese Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
35  Baptismal record of Amable Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
36  Baptismal record of Marie-Veronique Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
37  Burial record of Marie-Veronique Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
38  Baptismal record of Archange Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
39  Burial record of Archange Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.
40  Marriage record of Benjamin Pinet and Archange Chouinard, Q., C. P. R.

Likely Died in an Epidemic — Pierre-Jacques Custeau

B. about 1663 in Loches, Tours, France¹
M. 3 Oct 1689 in Quebec City, New France²
Wife: Marie-Anne Bouvier
D. 13 May 1711 in Quebec City, New France³

Epidemics were a common cause of death in colonial times, and various indicators suggest that this is how Pierre-Jacques Custeau’s life came to an end. Pierre-Jacques was born in about 1663 in Loches, France,¹ a community in the Tours region. His parents’ names were Louis Custeau and Renée Villeret, but all other facts about his origins, and when or why he came to New France are unknown.

Pierre-Jacques’ name first turned up in a marriage record to Marie-Anne Bouvier at Quebec City on October 3, 1689.² She was the daughter of a Fille du Roi, and a native of Quebec City. Oddly, the parish register calls him “Jutreau,” not Custeau, but this seems to be a mistake. The couple settled in Ste-Foy, just upriver from Quebec City. By 1709, they had at least five children, and with the Ste-Foy parish records not beginning until 1699, there may have been others.

The parish at Ste-Foy was led by Father Charles-Amador Martin, son of Quebec pioneer Abraham Martin, who was one of the first native-born priests in New France. Father Martin was a central figure in the community, and he baptized Pierre-Jacques’ three youngest children. When a large amount of people died during the spring of 1711, he was the one who administered the last rites to each.⁴ Sadly, one of those people was Pierre-Jacques’ wife Marie-Anne, who passed away on April 26th.⁵ Just two weeks later, on May 13th, Pierre-Jacques also died, not at home, but as a patient in Hôtel-Dieu in Quebec City.³

Patients being treated at Hôtel-Dieu. (AI-generated image)

Although there is no report of a major epidemic in New France in 1711, it’s clear that Pierre-Jacques and his wife were victims of some sort of illness that swept through Ste-Foy. Both were in the prime of life at the time of their death, as were many of the others buried in the parish cemetery during that spring. In a biography of Father Martin, it was reported that on June 19th, he passed away during an epidemic of fièvre pourprée.⁶ This translates as “purple fever,” but the medical name of the disease isn’t clear. In modern times, purple fever is known as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a disease transmitted by ticks.

When Pierre-Jacques died, he left behind an adult son and at least four underaged children. It isn’t known who took charge of the children, but they all later wound up in Montreal.

Children:
1. Jean-Baptiste Custeau — B. about 1690, (probably) Ste-Foy, New France;⁷ D. 20 Nov 1733, L'Ancienne-Lorette, New France;⁸ M. Catherine Fauteaux (1681-1749), 26 Jun 1718, L'Ancienne-Lorette, New France⁹

2. Jean Custeau — B. about 1699, (probably) Ste-Foy, New France;¹⁰ M. (1) Marie-Catherine Danis (1702-1739), 11 Sep 1724, Montreal, New France;¹¹ (2) Marie-Charlotte Robitaille (1715-1796), 18 Nov 1743, Montreal, New France¹²

3. Therese Custeau — B. 29 Jun 1704, Ste-Foy, New France;¹³ M. Antoine Parent (1704-?), 26 Nov 1731, Montreal, New France¹⁴

4. Catherine-Angelique Custeau — B. 13 Mar 1707, Ste-Foy, New France;¹⁵ D. 26 Feb 1779, Montreal, Quebec;¹⁶ M. Gabriel Dumont-Poitevin (~1720-1770), 25 Nov 1743, Montreal, New France¹⁷

5. Marie-Louise Custeau — B. 16 Jan 1709, Ste-Foy, New France;¹⁸ D. 5 Jun 1761, Montreal, New France;¹⁹ M. Etienne-Louis Boulaguet (~1699-1776), 20 Nov 1731, Montreal, New France²⁰

Sources:
1    Fichier origine listing for Jacques Custeau 

2    Marriage record of Pierre-Jacques Custeau and Marie-Anne Bouvier, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Burial record of Pierre-Jacques Custeau, Q.C.P.R.
4    1711 burial records of the parish of Ste-Foy, Q.C.P.R.
5    Burial record of Marie-Anne Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
6    “Charles Amador Martin,” Dictionary of Canadian Biography (website)  
7    Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing for Jean-Baptiste Custeau  
8    Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Custeau, Q.C.P.R.
9    Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Custeau and Catherine Fauteaux, Q.C.P.R.
10  Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing for Jean Custeau  
11  Marriage record of Jean Custeau and Marie-Catherine Danis, Q.C.P.R.
12  Marriage record of Jean Custeau and Marie-Charlotte Robitalle, Q.C.P.R.
13  Baptismal record of Therese Custeau, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of Antoine Parent and Therese Custeau, Q.C.P.R.
15  Baptismal record of Catherine-Angelique Custeau, Q.C.P.R.
16  Burial record of Catherine-Angelique Custeau, Q.C.P.R.
17  Marriage record of Gabriel Dumont-Poitevin and Catherine-Angelique Custeau, Q.C.P.R.
18  Baptismal record of Marie-Louise Custeau, Q.C.P.R.
19  Burial record of Marie-Louise Custeau, Q.C.P.R.
20  Marriage record of Etienne-Louis Boulaguet and Marie-Louise Custeau, Q.C.P.R.

Ordinary Life of a New France Settler — Antoine Cassé

B. before 26 Apr 1641 in Doué-la-Fontaine, St-Pierre, France¹
M. 14 Oct 1665 in Château-Richer, New France²
Wife: Françoise Pilois
D. 1 Jun 1709 in Beaumont, New France³

In the colony of New France, many people spent their entire lives at a subsistent, yet comfortable level. The men were mostly farmers, who did little else than support their families with crops and other resources, getting by from year to year. This pretty much sums up the life of Antoine Cassé.

Antoine was born in 1641 in Doué, an ancient village in the Anjou region of France; he was baptized at the St-Pierre church there on April 26th.¹ His parents were Noël Cassé (also spelled Lacassé) and Michelle Durand, and he was the oldest of their four children. Both of Antoine’s grandfathers were said to be house roofers.

The church where Antoine was baptized.

Sometime during his 20s, Antoine left his family and migrated to New France; he first appeared in records at his confirmation in Quebec City on March 23, 1664.⁴ By the following year, Antoine had settled downriver from Quebec City in Château-Richer. That fall, he joined the men courting the Filles du Roi who had just arrived from France. On October 14th, he made a contract with one of them, Françoise Pilois, and their wedding took place the same day.²

The newlyweds spent their first few years in the north shore area called the Beaupré Coast, but looked toward moving across the water. During the late spring of 1666, Antoine purchased a concession of land with 3 arpents of frontage in St-Pierre on Île d’Orleans.⁵ But for some reason, on December 4th, he terminated the farm lease.⁵ He dealt with the widow of the man he had leased it from; in return for the land, she paid him 215 livres and allowed him use of the house, kitchen and barn until the spring thaw. As part of the bargain, she also gave him a gray cloak which had likely belonged to her late husband.

Back on the north shore, Antoine turned up in two transactions in March 1669, both in the area around Château-Richer. On the 22nd, he bought 144 livres worth of merchandise to be paid in “money or pelts.”⁵ And two days later he used 100 planks of pine to help pay off a debt; he had previously received the pine from another man in exchange for a “fat pig.”⁵ A year later, he made a deal in Quebec City selling 500 planks for 40 livres.⁵ In April 1670, Antoine made a deal for a cow that required him to pay the original owner in “18 livres worth of salted butter” for each of the next three years.⁵ These sorts of transactions were typical of settlers trying to make ends meet in the colony.

Bartering on the farm. (AI-generated image)

During these years, Antoine needed to support his growing family, with a daughter and son baptized at Château-Richer in 1666⁶ and 1668,⁷ and four more children born on Île d’Orleans by 1676. In January 1677, Antoine sold his farm on Île d’Orleans and moved to Beaumont, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence,⁵ and this was where his youngest three children were born. The 1681 census showed that they were one of only 14 families living there,⁸ and at the time, their closest parish was at Pointe-Lévy. The Beaumont seigneur’s home was sometimes used for religious events, such as on August 9, 1681, when Antoine’s children Marie-Françoise and Joseph were confirmed.⁵

Like many men in New France, Antoine made use of other resources besides farming. For a time, he was a part-owner of a sail boat, but it was sold to a new owner in 1683;⁵ he likely used the boat for fishing out on the St. Lawrence River. In March 1686, he bought another concession of land adjacent to his property; it added 3 arpents of river frontage to his farm.⁵ But part of the deal required him to clear the land, which he never did, and so he gave it up in 1699.⁵ The rent he paid for 13 years ended up being a waste of money.

As their nest emptied, Antoine and his wife Françoise prepared for their retirement, and on August 26, 1702, they signed over much of their farm to their youngest son Charles.⁵ In return, he agreed to take care of them in their old age, and also see to it that 30 masses were said for them after each one died. Seven years later, on June 1, 1709, Antoine’s died at his home in Beaumont.³ Françoise lived a few more years, passing away in 1713.⁹ Antoine was the ancestor of Mark Wahlberg.

Children:
1. Marie-Françoise Cassé — B. 21 Nov 1666, Château-Richer, New France;⁶ D. 14 Jan 1750, Beaumont, New France;¹⁰ M. Étienne Blanchon (?-1712), about 1689, New France¹¹

2. Antoine Cassé — B. 7 May 1668, Château-Richer, New France;⁷ D. 19 Dec 1687, Lauzon, New France¹²

3. Joseph Cassé — B. 23 Aug 1669, Ste-Famille, New France;¹³ D. 23 Jan 1744, Beaumont, New France;¹⁴ M. Marie Bazin (1673-1743), 27 Jun 1691, Lauzon, New France¹⁵

4. Jeanne-Therese Cassé — B. 7 Feb 1673, Ste-Famille, New France;¹⁶ D. 25 Aug 1699, La Durantaye, New France;¹⁷ M. Nöel Roy (~1663-1731), 27 Apr 1690, Lauzon, New France¹⁸

5. Anne Cassé — B. 29 Aug 1674, (probably) Île d’Orleans, New France;¹⁹ D. 11 Jun 1754, St-Nicolas, Lévis, New France;²⁰ M. Jean-Baptiste Nadeau (1669-1735), 15 Jun 1690, New France²¹

6. Catherine Cassé — B. 10 May 1676, Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France;²² D. 20 Mar 1728, Beaumont, New France;²³ M. Remi Vallieres (1678-1754), 18 Jan 1701, Beaumont, New France²⁴

7. Charlotte Cassé — B. 21 Jun 1678, St-Etienne-de-Beaumont, New France;²⁵ D. 6 Mar 1722, Beaumont, New France;²⁶ M. Denis Nadeau (1673-1759), 9 Nov 1695, Beaumont, New France²⁷

8. Marguerite Cassé — B. 1679, (probably) Beaumont, New France;²⁸ D. 16 Apr 1751, Beaumont, New France;²⁹ M. Pierre Jean (1672-1737), 1697, New France³⁰

9. Charles Cassé — B. 29 Mar 1682, Beaumont, New France;³¹ D. 27 Nov 1749, Beaumont, New France;³² M. (1) Françoise Paquet (1682-1731), 12 Sep 1703, Beaumont, New France;³³ (2) Marie-Josephte Filteau (1705-1787), 19 Oct 1734, Bellechasse, New France³⁴

Sources:
1    Fichier origne listing for Antoine Cassé  
2    Marriage record of Antoine Cassé and Françoise Pilois, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Burial record of Antoine Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
4    Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing for Antoine Cassé  
5    Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
6    Baptismal record of Marie-Françoise Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
7    Baptismal record of Antoine Cassé (younger), Q.C.P.R.
8    Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
9    Burial record of Françoise Pilois, Q.C.P.R.
10  Burial record of Marie-Françoise Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
11  Marriage record of Étienne Blanchon and Marie-Françoise Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
12  Burial record of Antoine Cassé (younger), Q.C.P.R.
13  Baptismal record of Joseph Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
14  Burial record of Joseph Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of Joseph Cassé and Marie Bazin, Q.C.P.R.
16  Baptismal record of Jean-Therese Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
17  Burial record of Jean-Therese Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
18  Marriage record of Nöel Roy and Jean-Therese Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Anne Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
20  Burial record of Anne Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
21  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Nadeau and Anne Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
22  Baptismal record of Catherine Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
23  Burial record of Catherine Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
24  Marriage record of Remi Vallieres and Catherine Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal record of Charlotte Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
26  Burial record of Charlotte Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
27  Marriage record of Denis Nadeau and Charlotte Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
28  Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing for Marguerite Cassé  
29  Burial record of Marguerite Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
30  Marriage record of Pierre Jean and Marguerite Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
31  Baptismal record of Charles Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
32  Burial record of Charles Cassé, Q.C.P.R.
33  Marriage record of Charles Cassé and Françoise Paquet, Q.C.P.R.
34  Marriage record of Charles Cassé and Marie-Josephte Filteau, Q.C.P.R.

Lost Among a Large Family — Joseph Colburn

B. 13 Mar 1681 in Beverly, Massachusetts¹
M. 26 Jan 1709 in Concord, Massachusetts²
Wife: Hannah Harwood
D. (maybe) 21 Sep 1758 in Dracut, Massachusetts³

There is conflicting information about Joseph Colburn of Dracut, Massachusetts who was the father of Ebenezer Coburn  Two men by that name were born around the same time, both of whom were grandchildren of the family patriarch, Edward Colburn, and each lived in Dracut during the early 18th century. Just to make things even more confusing, a son named Joseph was born to Edward, and he had a son Joseph who was born a little later than the other grandsons named Joseph.

It’s believed that the Joseph Colburn of this biography was born in Beverly, Massachusetts on March 13, 1681 to Robert Colburn and Mary Bishop.¹ He was the sixth of eleven children, and one of ten brothers. At about the time Joseph came of age, his grandfather died, leaving a large amount of land in the town of Dracut to his children.³ Joseph’s father Robert inherited some of it, but became ill and died just a year later in 1701.³

One source claimed that none of Robert’s descendants ended up living in Dracut because he had sold his Dracut property to his brother before he died.³ But Joseph’s marriage record on January 26, 1709 said that he did reside in Dracut.² The woman he married was identified as Hannah Harwood, and the wedding was in Concord, Massachusetts. Hannah Harwood’s origins are a mystery, and no record of her birth or her parents’ names has survived. The couple was only known to have one child, a son named Ebenezer, born in about 1722.³

Little else can be proven about Joseph’s life. All references to Joseph Colburn in town records and histories seem to have been his uncle of the same name. The most complete source of information about the Coburn family was written by a descendant in 1913, Genealogy of the descendants of Edward Colburn/Coburn. Unfortunately the author assigned the same death date of September 21, 1758 to both Joseph and one of his first cousins also named Joseph. Without the details of the original source, it’s impossible to know which man died on that date.

Chart showing the two Joseph Colburns of Dracut, Massachusetts.

Children:
1. Ebenezer Coburn — B. about 1722, (probably) Dracut, Massachusetts;³ D. 14 Aug 1799, Bedford, New Hampshire;³ M. Sarah Whiting (1731-?), after 23 Nov 1751, Dracut, Massachusetts⁴

Sources:
1    Birth record of Joseph Coburn, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySerach.org
2    Marriage record of Joseph Coburn and Hannah Harwood, M. T. C., V. & T. R.
3    Find-a-Grave listing of Ebenezer Coburn
4    Marriage intention of Ebenezer Colburn and Sarah Whiting, Vital Records of Dracut, Massachusetts to the Year 1850, Henry Ernest Woods, 1907