Cloth Maker in Elizabethan England — Francis Littlefield

B. about 1565 in (probably) Hampshire, England¹
M. (1) before 1592 in (probably) Titchfield, England¹
Wife: Mary ______
M. (2) 14 Jul 1606 in Titchfield, England¹
Wife: Agnes ______
D. after 21 Oct 1618 in Titchfield, England¹

A generation before his oldest son founded a family in America, Francis Littlefield operated a fulling mill in late 16th century England. His origins are sketchy, but he was thought to have been born in about 1565 in Hampshire, England.¹ Although his parents’ names are unknown, he had at least one brother named James who lived in Droxford in 1618.¹

The earliest record of Francis was for the baptism of his son Edmond in the parish records of the village of Titchfield dated June 27, 1592.¹ The records began in 1589, so there may have been other children before that date, as well as a marriage to his wife who is only known as Mary. There were four other children that followed, but three of them died as infants. When the last infant was buried on October 29, 1605,¹ Mary was as well, so she likely died because of the childbirth. Francis then married a widow named Agnes Wygg on July 14th of the following year,¹ and they had two children, both of them sons.

The village of Titchfield is located near the south coast of England near Southampton, and it has ancient origins.² During Francis’ time, it was dominated by Titchfield Abbey, the manor house of the Earl of Southampton, who was a patron of Shakespeare.² The region had a large cloth-making industry, and this was how Francis made a living with his own mill. The geography of Hampshire offered many small streams with the right sort of water flow for fulling.³ The process involved machinery that pounded wool with wooden hammers, working it into a finished product.⁴

Working at a fulling mill. (AI-generated image)

In October 1618, Francis dictated his will, and he died soon after.¹ The details in the will and the inventory taken of his possessions gave a sense of what his life was like. He left his fulling mill to his second oldest son, James, who was age 23; the building was said to be adjoining his house, which was designated for his wife Agnes. He seems to have had enough wealth to afford a maid, and must have had a good relationship with his brother because he he bequeathed him “my best doublet and breeches.” The inventory of his estate listed large quantities of green, blue and black wool, product that was likely being made ready to sell.

Agnes died within a year after Francis did.¹ At least three of his four surviving children took up the cloth-making business to some extent, although oldest son Edmond moved to America sometime during the 1630s to began a new life there.¹ Francis was the ancestor of President Millard Fillmore, and Elon Musk.⁵

Children by Mary:
1. Edmond Littlefield — B. before 27 Jun 1592, Titchfield, England;¹ D. Dec 1661, Wells, Maine; M. Agnes Austin (1597-1678), 16 Oct 1614, Titchfield, England¹

2. Nicholas Littlefield — B. before 21 Jul 1595, Titchfield, England;¹ D. before 12 Aug 1595, Titchfield, England¹

3. James Littlefield — B. before 18 Jun 1598, Titchfield, England;¹ M. Joane Jeffrey, 17 Jan 1619, Titchfield, England¹

4. Anne Littlefield — B. before 3 Apr 1601, Titchfield, England; D. before 10 Apr 1601, Titchfield, England¹

5. Frances Littlefield — B. before 6 Oct 1605, Titchfield, England;¹ D. before 29 Oct 1605, Titchfield, England¹

Children by Agnes:
1. Nicholas Littlefield — B. before 28 Aug 1608, Titchfield, England;¹ D. 23 May 1677, Titchfield, England¹

2. John Littlefield — B. before 13 Jan 1611, Titchfield, England¹

Sources:
1    “Genealogical Research in England,” The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol 37-52, 1913
2    Titchfield (Wikipedia article) 
3    “Ancient Mills of Hampshire,” T.W. Shore, The Antiquary: A Magazine Devoted to the Study of the Past, Vol. 24, 1891
4    Fulling (Wikipedia article) 
5    FamousKin.com 

Finding a New Husband Quickly — Marie Brière

B. about 1645 in Pont-l’Eveque, Lisieux, Normandy, France¹
M. (1) 16 October 1670 in Quebec City, New France²
Husband: Jean Guay
M. (2) 20 Nov 1679 in Quebec City, New France³
Husband: Martin Guédon
D. before 13 Nov 1709 in (probably) Lauzon, New France⁴

A woman who was suddenly widowed in 17th century America faced serious hardships. This may have been why Marie Briere wasted no time arranging for a new mate to take the place of her deceased husband. She had been born about 1645 in Pont-l’Eveque, France,¹ a village in Normandy that was known for its soft cheese. Her parents were François Brière and Louise Trajan, but nothing else is known of her family.

When Marie was 19, after both of her parents had died, she became one of the many women from Normandy to sign up as a Fille du Roi. The ship she sailed on was called La Nouvelle-France, which arrived at Quebec City on July 31, 1670 with at least 108 women aboard.⁵ Two and a half months later on October 16th, Marie got married at Notre-Dame-de-Quebec to Jean Guay², who had arrived about five years earlier, also from Normandy. Jean had settled across the St. Lawrence River from Quebec in Lauzon, and this is where he took Marie to begin their life together.

During their marriage, Marie gave birth to six children in the space of eight years. The last was a baby girl who was baptized on August 7, 1679 with Jean in attendance.⁶ This was the last time he appeared in records, and less than two weeks later, Marie agreed to a contract to marry another man, Martin Guédon.⁷

Baptism showing Marie's first husband just before he died. (Source: FamilySearch.org)

How did this happen so suddenly? Jean must have tragically died in some way very soon after the baptism. The fact no burial seems to have taken place would suggest that he drowned in the St. Lawrence. In any event, an offer of marriage came to Marie, now with six fatherless children under age 8, and she agreed to it.

Marie’s second marriage was on November 20, 1679 at the same place as her first wedding.³ Her new husband Martin was a hat maker originally from Rouen, and he had never been married before; they had one child together born in 1681.⁸ After attending the wedding of her daughter on January 18, 1695,⁹ there was no further mention of Marie in the records. Martin seemed to be a widower in a document dated November 13, 1709,⁴ so she died between those two dates.

Children by Jean Guay:
1. Alexis Guay — B. 4 Sep 1671, Lauzon, New France;¹⁰ D. before 28 Jul 1710, New France;¹¹ M. Elisabeth Dizy (~1672-1703), 26 Jan 1698, Champlain, New France¹²

2. Rosalie Guay — B. 26 Mar 1673, Lauzon, New France;¹³ D. 22 Jan 1749, Baie-du-Febvre, New France;¹⁴ M. (1) Silvain Duplais (1670-?), 28 Jun 1694, Quebec City, New France;¹⁵ (2) Julien Laniel (~1663-1726), 28 Aug 1703, Quebec City, New France¹⁶

3. Marie Guay — B. 19 Dec 1674, Lauzon, New France;¹⁷ D. 19 Sep 1747, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, New France;¹⁸ M. François Dubois (1668-1714), 18 Jan 1695, Quebec City, New France⁹

4. Catherine Guay — B. 24 May 1676, Lauzon, New France¹⁹

5. Jean-Baptiste Guay — B. 23 Jun 1678, Lauzon, New France;²⁰ D. 5 Aug 1705, Montreal, New France²¹

6. Marie-Angelique Guay — B. 6 Aug 1679, Lauzon, New France;⁶ D. 8 Oct 1704, Quebec City, New France;²² M. Jean Boucher (1671-?), 16 Oct 1696, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, New France²³

Children by Martin Guédon:
1. Martin Guédon — B. 1681, Lauzon, New France

Sources:
1    Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Marie Brière  
2    Marriage record of Jean Guay and Marie Brière, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Marriage record of Martin Guédon and Marie Brière, Q.C.P.R.
4    Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec des origines à 1730, René Jetté, 1983, pp. 538-539
5    Migrations.fr listing for voyage of the ship La Nouvelle France in 1670  
6    Baptismal record of Marie-Angelique Guay, Q.C.P.R.
7    Inventaire des greffes des notaires du régime français, Pierre Georges Roy and Antoine Roy, V. 27, BAnQ
8    Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
9    Marriage record of François Dubois and Marie Guay, Q.C.P.R.
10  Baptismal record of Alexis Guay, Q.C.P.R.
11  Document dated July 28, 1710 regarding guardianship of Alexis Guay’s children, BAnQ  
12  Marriage record of Alexis Guay and Elisabeth Dizy, Q.C.P.R.
13  Baptismal record of Rosalie Guay, Q.C.P.R.
14  Burial record of Rosalie Guay, Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of Silvain Duplais and Rosalie Guay, Q.C.P.R.
16  Marriage record of Julien Laniel and Rosalie Guay, Q.C.P.R.
17  Baptismal record of Marie Guay, Q.C.P.R.
18  Burial record of Marie Guay, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Catherine Guay, Q.C.P.R.
20  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Guay, Q.C.P.R.
21  Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Guay, Q.C.P.R.
22  Burial record of Marie-Angelique Guay, Q.C.P.R.
23  Marriage record of Jean Boucher and Marie-Angelique Guay, Q.C.P.R.

The Fertile Farms of Île d’Orleans — Pierre Leclerc

B. 27 Jan 1659 in Normandy, France¹
M. 7 Feb 1690 in St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France²
Wife: Élisabeth-Isabelle Rondeau
D. 25 Jan 1736 in St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France³

Pierre Leclerc spent his life raising crops and a family on the picturesque island of Île d’Orleans. He was born in France, likely near Dieppe or Rouen, on January 27, 1659.¹ Pierre was the oldest of eight children of Jean Leclerc and Marie Blanquet, who moved to New France when he was still a baby.⁴ His grandfather, Adrien Blanquet, was already settled there, and his parents acquired a farm near him on Île d’Orleans.⁵ Like almost all other plots of land in New France, the Leclerc family’s land was a ribbon farm — long and narrow with a piece of river frontage. It was located on the island’s northern shore near the western end.

A ribbon farm meant your house might be close to your neighbors. (AI-generated image)

It’s likely that Pierre’s youth was spent helping his father with the farm. About the time he came of age, his father seems to have gone away from home, and by 1681, his mother was declared to be a widow.⁶ It isn’t known what caused his father’s death, but he was missing from parish burial records, suggesting that perhaps he died while away on a trip. At age 23, Pierre lived under his mother’s roof, probably helping to support her since she never remarried. It wasn’t until almost ten years later that he finally established his own home.

On February 7, 1690, Pierre took as his bride Élisabeth-Isabelle Rondeau,² who was from a large family living nearby. By the following year, they lived on land located on the south shore of the island, in the seigneury of St-Laurent.⁷ It was here that Pierre spent the rest of his life. A 1709 map showed that his farm property was located close to a rocky cove called Trou Saint-Patrice;⁸ it was a place where small boats could harbor, and it later gained a reputation for a treasure that English pirates supposedly buried there.⁹

Location of Pierre’s farm in 1709. (Source: BAnQ)

Between 1691 and 1713, Pierre fathered 14 children with his wife Élisabeth-Isabelle. All but one lived to maturity, and they provided Pierre with a large number of grandchildren. On January 25, 1736, Pierre died in St-Laurent two days short of his 77th birthday.³ Élisabeth-Isabelle outlived him and passed away in 1746.¹⁰

Children:
1. Anne Leclerc — B. 9 Aug 1691, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;⁷ D. 24 Oct 1727, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹¹ M. Pierre-Noël Fortier (1686-1731), 13 Oct 1710, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France¹²

2. Marguerite Leclerc — B. 17 Mar 1693, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹³ D. 25 Jul 1750, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹⁴ M. Nicolas Baillargeon (1684-1749), 16 Nov 1711, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France¹⁵

3. Jean Leclerc — B. 12 Apr 1694, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹⁶ D. 9 Jun 1772, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, Quebec;¹⁷ M. Marie-Madeleine Gosselin (1700-1750), 11 Nov 1720, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France¹⁸

4. Marie-Madeleine Leclerc — B. 10 Sep 1695, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹⁹ M. Alexis Roy (1693-1746), 20 Jul 1716, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France²⁰

5. Pierre Leclerc — B. 2 Nov 1696, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;²¹ D. 3 Apr 1751, St-Vallier, New France;²² M. (1) Marie-Josephe Mimaux (1702-1738), 4 Mar 1726, St-Vallier, New France;²³ (2) Marie-Claire Cellier ~1694-1752), 2 Feb 1739, St-Vallier, New France²⁴

6. Élisabeth Leclerc — B. 3 Jul 1698, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;²⁵ D. 22 Feb 1736, St-Vallier, New France;²⁶ M. Jacques Fradet (1700-1783), 28 Nov 1725, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France²⁷

7. Joseph Leclerc — B. 24 Sep 1699, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;²⁸ D. 19 Dec 1699, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France²⁹

8. Agnes-Madeleine Leclerc — B. 9 Oct 1700, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;³⁰ D. 28 Jul 1759, Charlesbourg, New France;³¹ M. Augustin Dufresne (1711-1759), 20 Jan 1749, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France³²

9. Jacques Leclerc — B. 14 Jan 1702, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;³³ D. 15 May 1778, St-Vallier, Quebec;³⁴ M. Élisabeth Turgeon (1712-1784), 20 Nov 1730, Beaumont, New France³⁵

10. Ignace Leclerc — B. 17 Jun 1704, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;³⁶ D. 22 Mar 1776, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, Quebec;³⁷ M. Marie-Madeleine Côte (1722-1783), 15 Jul 1748, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France³⁸

11. Madeleine Leclerc — B. 22 Jul 1706, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;³⁹ D. 8 Nov 1743, Berthier, New France;⁴⁰ M. Joseph Beaudoin (~1707-1783), 23 Oct 1730, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France⁴¹

12. Joseph Leclerc — B. 8 Oct 1707, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;⁴² D. 11 Nov 1781, Quebec City, Quebec;⁴³ M. Ursule Noël (1712-1798), 8 Jun 1734, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France⁴⁴

13. Genevieve Leclerc — B. 24 Jan 1709, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;⁴⁵ D. 20 Feb 1748, St-Vallier, New France;⁴⁶ M. Augustin Fradet (1706-?), 23 Oct 1730, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France⁴⁷

14. Marie-Anne Leclerc — B. 8 Feb 1713, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;⁴⁸ D. 6 Aug 1774, St-Charles, Bellechase, Quebec;⁴⁹ M. (1) Antoine Gosselin (1716-1751), 25 Nov 1743, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;⁵⁰ (2) Jean Vallieres (1704-1768), 6 Nov 1760, St-Charles, Bellechasse, New France⁵¹

Sources:
1    FichierOrgine listing for Pierre Leclerc  
2    Marriage record of Pierre Leclerc and Élisabeth-Isabelle Rondeau, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Burial record of Pierre Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
4    Baptismal record of Marguerite Leclerc (Pierre’s sister), Q.C.P.R.
5    Recensement de 1666 en Nouvelle-France
6    Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
7    Baptismal record of Anne Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
8    1709 map of New France, BAnQ  
9    “Des trésors cachés au Québec” (blog), David Nathan, 23 Sep 2015  
10  Burial record of Élisabeth-Isabelle Rondeau, Q.C.P.R.
11  Burial record of Anne Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
12  Marriage record of Pierre Noël Fortier and Anne Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
13  Baptismal record of Marguerite Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
14  Burial record of Marguerite Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of Nicolas Bailargeon and Marguerite Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
16  Baptismal record of Jean Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
17  Burial record of Jean Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
18  Marriage record of Jean Leclerc and Marie-Madeleine Gosselin, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
20  Marriage record of Alexis Roy and Marie-Madeleine Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
21  Baptismal record of Pierre Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
22  Burial record of Pierre Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
23  Marriage record of Pierre Leclerc and Marie-Josephe Mimaux, Q.C.P.R.
24  Marriage record of Pierre Leclerc and Marie-Claire Cellier, Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal record of Élisabeth Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
26  Burial record of Élisabeth Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
27  Marriage record of Jaques Fradet and Élisabeth Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
28  Baptismal record of Joseph Leclerc (older), Q.C.P.R.
29  Burial record of Joseph Leclerc (older), Q.C.P.R.
30  Baptismal record of Agnes-Madeleine Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
31  Burial record of Agnes-Madeleine Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
32  Marriage record of Augustin Dufresne and Agnes-Madeleine Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
33  Baptismal record of Jacques Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
34  Burial record of Jacques Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
35  Marriage record of Jacques Leclerc and Élisabeth Turgeon, Q.C.P.R.
36  Baptismal record of Ignace Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
37  Burial record of Ignace Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
38  Marriage record of Ignace Leclerc and Marie-Madeleine Côte, Q.C.P.R.
39  Baptismal record of Madeleine Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
40  Burial record of Madeleine Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
41  Marriage record of Joseph Beaudoin and Madeleine Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
42  Baptismal record of Joseph Leclerc (younger), Q.C.P.R.
43  Burial record of Joseph Leclerc (younger), Q.C.P.R.
44  Marriage record of Joseph Leclerc and Ursule Noël, Q.C.P.R.
45  Baptismal record of Genevieve Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
46  Burial record of Genevieve Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
47  Marriage record of Augustin Fradet and Genevieve Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
48  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
49  Burial record of Marie-Anne Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
50  Marriage record of Antoine Gosselin and Marie-Anne Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
51  Marriage record of Jean Vallieres and Marie-Anne Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.

On a Plague-Infested Ship to America — Élisabeth Lecamus

B. about 1644 in Paris, France¹
M. 26 Oct 1659 in Montreal, New France²
Husband: Louis Guertin dit Le Sabotier
D. 20 Jul 1680 in Montreal, New France³

In June of 1659, a ship left France jammed with passengers looking to make a new life along the St. Lawrence River. And among them was a 15-year-old girl named Élisabeth Lecamus, who had no idea of what challenges lay ahead. Élisabeth was from Paris, born in about 1644 to Pierre Lecamus (also spelled Le Camus or Camus) and Jeanne Charles.¹ Her father was said to be a merchant, and he likely owned a shop in the heart of Paris where they lived.¹

It isn’t known what circumstances caused young Élisabeth to sign up for the risky venture of helping to populate New France, but she must have had few options for her future. In the years before hundreds of marriageable girls migrated as Filles du Roi, smaller numbers were recruited in a less official way. In 1659, two nuns, Jeanne Mance and Marguerite Bourgeoys, were trying to find women in France who could help serve as nurses and teachers.⁴ In addition, young women were needed in the colony as wives, and this was the role Élisabeth would fill. Each young woman had their passage paid for with the understanding that they would live up to their assignment once they reached America.

The ship carrying Élisabeth, Le Saint-André, left from La Rochelle on July 2nd.⁴ There were an estimated 200 passengers onboard, with roughly half intended for Montreal, and of those, 47 were females. They experienced trouble with the crossing almost from the start. It was later revealed that the ship had been previously used as a naval hospital, and it hadn’t been properly cleaned. As a result, an outbreak of sickness, referred to as plague, struck many of the passengers. Up to 18 people died at sea, and their bodies were bound in blankets and tossed overboard.¹

Sick women onboard the ship. (AI-generated image)

Not only did Élisabeth face getting a disease on the ship, but bad storms damaged the wooden vessel. This also caused delays, which led to shortages of food and fresh water. They finally landed at Quebec on September 7th, a voyage of over two months.⁴ The sickest of the passengers were immediately taken to the hospital, with an overflow of patients housed in a warehouse. The ones designated for Montreal who were healthy enough to make the trip continued on a smaller boat up the river. This included Élisabeth, who arrived at her final destination on September 29th.¹ She likely spent the next few weeks at a place where men came to court her. A match was made with a shoemaker named Louis Guertin dit Le Sabotier, and they were married at Notre-Dame-de-Montreal on October 26th.²

Élisabeth spent the rest of her life in Montreal. She had her first child at about age 17 in early 1661,⁵ and two more were born by the time she was 20. The family grew until May of 1680 when she gave birth to her eleventh and final child.⁶ It’s likely that the pregnancies wore her body down, because two months later on July 20th, she died at age 36.³ Husband Louis, who was much older than Élisabeth, died in 1687.⁷ They were both ancestors of Jim Carrey,⁸ Alex Trebek,⁹ Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Mark Wahlberg.

Children:
1. Marie-Élisabeth Guertin — B. 6 Feb 1661, Montreal, New France;⁵ D. 21 Mar 1714, Montreal, New France;¹⁰ M. Eustache Prévost (1646-1730), 13 Nov 1673, Montreal, New France¹¹

2. Marie Guertin — B. 29 Mar 1662, Montreal, New France;¹² D. 27 Dec 1712, Montreal, New France;¹³ M. Pierre Andegrave (1652-1703), 26 Nov 1675, Montreal, New France¹⁴

3. Catherine Guertin — B. 26 May 1664, Montreal, New France;¹⁵ D. 2 Oct 1730, Chambly, New France;¹⁶ M. (1) Pierre Caillonneau (1646-1687), 29 Oct 1681, Montreal, New France;¹⁷ (2) Denis Veronneau (~1634-1730), 20 Jan 1689, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France¹⁸

4. Marie-Marguerite Guertin — B. 20 Jul 1666, Montreal, New France;¹⁹ D. 12 Nov 1718, Montreal, New France;²⁰ M. (1) Jean Sauviot (~1647-1693), 16 Nov 1679, Montreal, New France;²¹ (2) Pierre Gareau (1673-1740), 23 Sep 1696, Montreal, New France²²

5. Louis Guertin — B. 3 Jan 1688, Montreal, New France;²³ D. 7 Jan 1733, Verchères, New France;²⁴ M. Marie-Madeleine Chicone (1672-1745), 6 Aug 1688, New France²⁵

6. Madeleine Guertin — B. 18 Oct 1669, Montreal, New France;²⁶ D. 21 Oct 1734, Boucherville, New France;²⁷ M. (1) Georges Laporte (1662-1693), 1689, Contrecoeur, New France;²⁸ (2) René Bau (1673-1726), 11 Feb 1694, Boucherville, New France²⁹

7. Pierre Guertin — B. 11 Jun 1671, Montreal, New France;³⁰ D. 11 Mar 1742, Sainte-Sulpice, New France;³¹ M. Marie-Anne Giard (1672-?), 11 Apr 1695, Montreal, New France³²

8. Eustache Guertin — B. 28 Aug 1673, Montreal, New France;³³ D. after 23 Sep 1696²²

9. Marie-Angelique Guertin — B. 11 Nov 1675, Montreal, New France;³⁴ D. before 1681³⁵

10. Marie-Françoise Guertin — B. 12 Dec 1677, Montreal, New France;³⁶ D. 6 Oct 1757, Montreal, New France;³⁷ M. Charles Viger (1668-1750), 29 Jun 1694, Montreal, New France³⁸

11. Paul Guertin — B. 2 May 1680, Montreal, New France;⁶ D. 12 Mar 1755, St-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, New France;³⁹ M. Marie-Madeleine Plouffe (1683-1760), 19 Mar 1702, Contrecoeur, New France⁴⁰

Sources:
1    Navires venus en Nouvelle-France (website)  
2    Marriage record of Louis Guertin dit Le Sabotier and Élisabeth Lecamus, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Burial record of Élisabeth Lecamus, Q.C.P.R.
4    “L’expédition du navire Le Saint-André pour le Canada en 1659,” Guy Perron, 2017 (blog)  
5    Baptismal record of Marie-Élisabeth Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
6    Baptismal record of Paul Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
7    Burial record of Louis Guertin dit Le Sobotier, Q.C.P.R.
8    FamousKin.com listing for Louis Guertin 
9    WikiTree listing for Alex Trebek  
10  Burial record of Marie-Élisabeth Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
11  Marriage record of Eustache Prévost and Marie-Élisabeth Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
12  Baptismal record of Marie Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
13  Burial record of Marie Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of Pierre Andegrave and Marie Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
15  Baptismal record of Catherine Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
16  Burial record of Catherine Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
17  Marriage record of Pierre Caillonneau and Catherine Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
18  Marriage record of Denis Veronneau and Catherine Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Marie-Marguerite Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
20  Burial record of Marie-Marguerite Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
21  Marriage record of Jean Sauviot and Marie-Marguerite Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
22  Marriage record of Pierre Gareau and Marie-Marguerite Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
23  Baptismal record of Louis Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
24  Burial record of Louis Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
25  Marriage record of Louis Guertin and Marie-Madeleine Chicone, Q.C.P.R.
26  Baptismal record of Madeleine Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
27  Burial record of Madeleine Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
28  Marriage record of Georges Laporte and Madeleine Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
29  Marriage record of René Bau and Madeleine Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
30  Baptismal record of Pierre Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
31  Burial record of Pierre Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
32  Marriage record of Pierre Guertin and Marie-Anne Giard, Q.C.P.R.
33  Baptismal record of Eustache Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
34  Baptismal record of Marie-Angelique Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
35  Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
36  Baptismal record of Marie-Françoise Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
37  Burial record of Marie-Françoise Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
38  Marriage record of Charles Viger and Marie-Françoise Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
39  Burial record of Paul Guertin, Q.C.P.R.
40  Marriage record of Paul Guertin and Marie-Madeleine Plouffe, Q.C.P.R.

Giving His Service to His Town — James Thorndike

B. 11 Jan 1706 in Beverly, Massachusetts¹
M. after 21 Jan 1728 in Beverly, Massachusetts²
Wife: Anna Ober
D. 26 Feb 1787 in (probably) Tewksbury, Massachusetts³

James Thorndike was typical of men in 18th Century Massachusetts: he performed many hours of community work in the town where he lived. James was born in the coastal village of Beverly on January 11, 1706.¹ His parents were John Thorndike and Joanna Larkin, and he was the third of their eight children. The house where James was born is still standing, although it’s been added onto many times. It was a classic New England “saltbox” that was built by his father a couple of years before his birth. After James’ mother died in 1716,⁴ his father remarried twice, and had three more children who were James’ half-siblings.⁵

When James was 22-years-old, he married a girl from Beverly named Anna Ober. The record of their wedding is missing, but a document shows that they made an intention of marriage on January 21, 1728.² Between 1729 and 1746, they had nine children born in Beverly, five of whom seem to have died young. James sold his Beverly property on November 7, 1749, the same day that he bought 117 acres with a house in the town of Tewksbury.⁵ The property bordered on the Concord River, and he moved his family there soon after. One more child, a daughter, was born in 1751.⁶

During the period leading up to the American Revolution, the central authority in Boston had control over towns in Massachusetts, but most of the everyday issues were handled in a cooperative way by people in the towns themselves. Each man was expected to contribute their services to the common good based on their talents and skills — this was a system which was rooted in the Puritan settlement of New England. Meetings were held regularly to decide who did what. In Tewksbury, notes from the town’s official business have been preserved, and we can learn how each person was involved in the community.

Within a few years of his arrival in Tewksbury, James was one of the five selectmen who made up the town council. He served in this role during many of the years from 1756 to 1769,⁷ after which he was assigned to be a constable for a year or two.⁷ His main job in Tewksbury was as assessor, the man that kept records of who owed how much in taxes. This may have given him a status of importance in the community, and he was often referred to as “Mr. James Thorndike” in the meeting notes. One of the interesting bits of business during this time was that the town was required to take in a family of Acadian refugees. It was up to the selectmen to figure out how to support them, and James was sometimes mentioned in the financial aspects of this matter.⁷

Working as a tax assessor. (AI-generated image)

By the early 1770s, James’ name no longer appeared in the notes of the Tewksbury meetings, and it’s presumed this was because he was getting older. Later that decade, his son Paul, and his grandson Hezekiah, were said to have served in the American Revolution. James had already lost his son Hezekiah who died at sea in 1758, likely in the French and Indian War.⁸

James’ long life came to an end on February 26, 1787 when he died at the age of 81.³ His wife Anna died just a few weeks later on March 14th.⁹

Children:
1. Hezekiah Thorndike — B. 5 Jan 1729, Beverly, Massachusetts;¹ D. 1758, at sea;⁸ M. Sarah Prince (1731-1806), 7 Sep 1750¹⁰

2. James Thorndike — B. 21 Jun 1731, Beverly, Massachusetts;¹ D. (possibly) 24 Nov 1741, Beverly, Massachusetts¹¹

3. Jeremiah Thorndike — B. 16 Sep 1733, Beverly, Massachusetts;¹ D. 5 Sep 1756, Tewksbury, Massachusetts³

4. Anna Thorndike — B. 17 Apr 1736, Beverly, Massachusetts;¹ D. 26 Jan 1824, Tewksbury, Massachusetts;¹² M. (1) John Wallis, 28 Nov 1754, Beverly, Massachusetts;¹³ (2) Thomas Kittredge (1731-1806), 24 Sep 1755, Tewksbury, Massachusetts¹²

5. Joanna Thorndike — B. 7 Jul 1738, Beverly, Massachusetts;¹ D. 13 Oct 1815, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;⁵ M. Simon Moores (1732-1781), 17 Dec 1755, Tewksbury, Massachusetts¹⁴

6. Lucy Thorndike — B. 3 Feb 1740, Beverly, Massachusetts¹

7. Paul Thorndike — B. 10 Apr 1742, Beverly, Massachusetts;¹ 9 Nov 1815, Beverly, Massachusetts;¹⁵ M. Olive Fletcher (1748-1816), 27 Feb 1772, Westford, Massachusetts¹⁶

8. Andrew Thorndike — B. 29 Apr 1744, Beverly, Massachusetts⁵

9. Herbert Thorndike — B. 20 Feb 1746, Beverly, Massachusetts¹

10. Judith Thorndike — B. 13 May 1751, Tewksbury, Massachusetts⁶

Sources:
1    Beverly, Essex, Massachusetts, Town Records of Families, image 498
2    Marriage record of James Thorndike and Anna Ober, Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910, 1921-1924, FamilySearch.org
3    Tewksbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts Vital Records of Early Settlers: Deaths and Burials, p. 241
4    The Massachusetts Vital Records Project — Vital Records of Beverly, Massachusetts, V.3,. p. 577
5    Colonial Families in America, Ruth Lawrence, 1930
6    Birth record of Judith Thorndike, Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, FamilySearch.org
7    Tewksbury, Proceedings of town meetings, 1734-1860, FamilySearch.org
8    WikiTree listing for Hezekiah Thorndike  
9    WikiTree listing for Anna (Ober) Thorndike  
10  Marriage record of Hezekiah Thorndike and Sarah Prince, Mass. Marriages
11  Family Search listing for James Thorndike  
12  WikiTree listing for Anna Thorndike 
13  Marriage record of Anna Thorndike and John Wallis, Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
14  Marriage record of Simon Moores and Joanna Thorndike, Mass. Marriages
15  Find-a-Grave listing of Paul Thorndike  
16  Marriage listing of Paul Thorndike and Olive Fletcher, M.T.C.V. and T.R.

18th Century Beauport Farmer — Pierre Menard

B. 27 Dec 1691 in Beauport, New France¹
M. 8 Nov 1717 in Beauport, New France²
Wife: Marie-Therese Giroux
D. 3 Aug 1766 in St-Joseph-de-Pointe-de Lévy, Quebec³

All of the major events Pierre Menard's life are described in parish records of Beauport, New France, with the single exception of his own death. He was born on December 27, 1691 to Jacques Menard dit Deslauriers and Marie-Madeleine Baugis,¹ the sixth of their ten children. His father had been a Carignan-Salières regiment soldier who settled in Beauport by 1675,⁴ and had married his mother in 1680.⁵ Little is recorded about the family, who likely leased the same farm for many years.

Pierre waited until he was 25 before getting married. His bride was Marie-Therese Giroux, and the wedding took place at Beauport on November 8, 1717,² the same day his younger sister Madeleine got married. Therese was from another Beauport family, and the newlyweds set up their household there. Between 1718 and 1736, they had seven children, of whom two seemed to have died young. Four of his five children later married and had families in Beauport; only oldest daughter Marguerite moved to another place when in 1744, she became the third wife of a man living in Lauzon, across the St. Lawrence River from Beauport.⁶

The late 1750s were a difficult time for the French people along the St. Lawrence, and particularly for those in close proximity to Quebec City. When the English invaded Canada during the late spring of 1759, Beauport became a strategic point for both sides, and the French forces set up a camp there. For several months, Beauport became a war zone, as the British tried to breach the French defensive line. An all-out battle on July 31st ended badly for the English forces, but they ultimately prevailed two months later at the Plains of Abraham.

Pierre was 67-years-old during the Siege of Quebec, and like most French people, must have suffered its effects. The years leading up to the English takeover saw much poverty and starvation for the settlers along the St. Lawrence. When war came in 1759, some even had their homes destroyed by British soldiers. No details survive of Pierre’s experience, but at the very least, he likely fled to a safe location during the worst of it.

Location of Beauport in relation to the events of 1759. 

The only event of Pierre's life that didn’t take place in Beauport was his death on August 3, 1766.³ The location was St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, where daughter Marguerite was living. On July 28th, Pierre’s grandson Jacques Dubois celebrated his wedding at the same church where Pierre’s funeral was held one week later.⁷ Perhaps Pierre had traveled to Lauzon for the marriage and died before he could return home, although it’s also possible that he had moved there a year or two earlier. One thing that’s certain is that his death came suddenly, which was noted in the record since the priest had been unable to administer the last rites. At his age, it’s easy to speculate that he died of a heart attack or stroke. Pierre's wife Therese survived him and died in 1774 at Beauport.⁸

Children:
1. Marie-Marguerite Menard —B. 28 Sep 1718, Beauport, New France;⁹ D. 5 Apr 1788, St-Joseph-de-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec;¹⁰ M. Jacques Dubois (1697-1781), 30 Jun 1744, Beauport, New France⁶

2. Pierre Menard — 18 Aug 1720, Beauport, New France;¹¹ D. 7 Oct 1770, Beauport, Quebec;¹² M. Madeleine Garnier (1728-1807), 10 Feb 1749, Beauport, New France¹³

3. Jacques Menard — B. 27 Oct 1723, Beauport, New France;¹⁴ D. (probably) young

4. Marie-Angelique Menard — B. 23 Nov 1725, Beauport, New France;¹⁵ D. 30 Nov 1798, Quebec City, Quebec;¹⁶ M. Jacques Dubois (1728-1788), 11 Jan 1751, Beauport, New France¹⁷

5. Charles Menard — B. 23 Feb 1728, Beauport, New France;¹⁸ D. 20 Nov 1758, Beauport, New France;¹⁹ M. Therese Garneau (1732-1774), 15 Nov 1756, Beauport, New France²⁰

6. Marie-Reine Menard — B. 12 Nov 1729, Beauport, New France;²¹ D. (probably) young

7. André Menard — B. 24 Oct 1736, Beauport, New France;²² D. 25 May 1788, Beauport, Quebec;²³ M. Marie-Genevieve Binet (1761-1832), 23 Nov 1784, Beauport, Quebec²⁴

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Pierre Menard, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Pierre Menard and Marie-Therese Giroux, Q.C.P.R.
3    Burial record of Pierre Menard, Q.C.P.R.
4    Migrations.fr page for Compagnie Duprat 
5    Marriage record of Jacques Menard and Marie-Madeleine Baugis, Q.C.P.R.
6    Marriage record of Jacques Dubois and Marie-Marguerite Menard, Q.C.P.R.
7    Marriage record of Jacques Dubois and Marie-Charlotte Dussault, Q.C.P.R.
8    Burial record of Marie-Therese Giroux, Q.C.P.R.
9    Baptismal record of Marie-Marguerite Menard, Q.C.P.R.
10  Burial record of Marie-Marguerite Menard, Q.C.P.R.
11  Baptismal record of Pierre Menard (younger), Q.C.P.R.
12  Burial record of Pierre Menard (younger), Q.C.P.R.
13  Marriage record of Pierre Menard and Madeleine Garnier, Q.C.P.R.
14  Baptismal record of Jacques Menard, Q.C.P.R.
15  Baptismal record of Marie-Angelique Menard, Q.C.P.R.
16  Burial record of Marie-Angelique Menard, Q.C.P.R.
17  Marriage record of Jacques Dubois and Marie-Angelique Menard, Q.C.P.R.
18  Baptismal record of Charles Menard, Q.C.P.R.
19  Burial record of Charles Menard, Q.C.P.R.
20  Marriage record of Charles Menard and Therese Garneau, Q.C.P.R.
21  Baptismal record of Marie-Reine Menard, Q.C.P.R.
22  Baptismal record of André Menard, Q.C.P.R.
23  Burial record of André Menard, Q.C.P.R.
24  Marriage record of André Menard and Marie-Genevieve Binet, Q.C.P.R.

From the South of France — Pierre Clement dit La Rivière

B. about 1670 in Tarascon, Provence, Bouches-du-Rhone, France^1,2
M. 19 Apr 1702 in Montreal, New France²
Wife: Marie-Catherine Prezeau
D. 11 Oct 1725 in Pointe-Claire, New France¹

Among the men who migrated to New France, Pierre Clement dit La Rivière had an unusual place of origin. Most were from regions in the north and west of France, but he was from Tarascon, a town 12 miles north of Arles on the west bank of the Rhone River. Tarascon has a history dating back to Roman times, associated with trade on the Mediterranean. It’s also a place of castles and ancient churches, with one that was built in honor of a biblical figure, St. Martha, who was said to have slain a monster to save the town in AD 48.³ At this historical town, Pierre was born in about 1670.^1,2 His parents were Pierre and Catherine Clement,² but no other information exists about them.

The town where Pierre was born.

The earliest known record of Pierre was of his marriage in Montreal on April 19, 1702.² What brought him there? Circumstantial evidence suggests that he was a soldier. By the 1690s, very few people migrated to New France on their own initiative; the most common source of new settlers was from the French soldiers who were stationed along the St. Lawrence. The Montreal area was a hub for the military during that time, and many men chose to stay when their service was up. A likely scenario is that after Pierre came of age, he enlisted in the service, maybe served in France for a few years, and then was shipped over to New France sometime during the 1690s.

Pierre’s marriage in 1702 was to Marie-Catherine Prezeau, who had been orphaned in 1689 when her parents were killed in the Lachine massacre.⁴ In the parish record of their wedding, two men were shown as witnesses for the bride and groom. The first was a soldier who seemed to be representing Pierre, so this may be another clue about his possible military service. Also noteworthy was that when a daughter was baptized about a year later, the godfather was Louis Denis de La Ronde (1675-1741), an important figure in French-Canadian military history. The godmother was Madeleine Dupont (1672-1703), the wife of Paul Le Moyne de Maricourt (1663-1704), also a military man. (Sadly, Madeleine Dupont passed away just a couple of weeks after the baptism.⁵)

A military presence at a baptism. (AI-generated image)

Here it must be noted that Pierre and Catherine are named by many sources as having a son named Bernard born a year before they were married. This connection has been made from a single source: Bernard’s marriage record in 1721, which is the only place his name was written “Clemont” and Pierre was called his father.⁶ In all other records, Bernard went by the name “Chambly,” a nickname attached to Catherine. This fact seems to suggest that Bernard was an out-of-wedlock child born to her, and that Pierre was his step-father.

By 1708, Pierre and his family moved to Lachine,⁷ and later, their residence was Pointe-Claire,⁸ which was established in 1714. Aside from Bernard, Pierre was the father of nine children, with the youngest born in May 1722;⁹ three of the children seemed to have died young. Pierre passed away on October 11, 1725 at the age of about 55.¹ His wife Catherine remarried in 1728,¹⁰ and died in 1763.¹¹M Pierre is the ancestor of Liza Minelli.

Children:
1. Marie-Louise Clement — B. 17 Mar 1703, Montreal, New France;¹² D. 21 Nov 1784, Pointe-Claire, Quebec;¹³ M. Raymond Labrosse (1695-?), 9 May 1724, Pointe-Claire, New France¹⁴

2. Angelique Clement — B. 18 Nov 1705, Lachine, New France;¹⁵ D. before 23 Aug 1784, (probably) Detroit, Northwest Territory;¹⁶ M. (1) Jacques Bigras (1696-1751), 13 Apr 1722, Pointe-Claire, New France;¹⁷ (2) Jean Brisard (~1705-?), 7 May 1752, Detroit, New France¹⁸

3. Antoine Clement — B. 6 Feb 1708, Lachine, New France;⁷ D. 2 May 1774, Pointe-Claire, Quebec;¹⁹ M. Marie-Anne Bourdon (1712-1782), 21 Apr 1727, Pointe-Claire, New France²⁰

4. Pierre Clement — B. 13 Dec 1710, Lachine, New France;²¹ D. (probably) young

5. Marie-Joseph Clement — B. about 1712, New France;²² M. Jean-Baptiste Gemme (1711-?), 6 Apr 1728, Pointe-Claire, New France²²

6. Marie-Charlotte Clement — B. 24 Aug 1717, Pointe-Claire, New France;⁸ D. 15 Mar 1795, Montreal, Quebec;²³ M. Joseph Proulx (1718-?), 10 Feb 1738, Pointe-Claire, New France²⁴

7. Marie-Madeleine Clement — B. 1 Dec 1719, Pointe-Claire, New France;²⁵ D. 7 Dec 1719, Pointe-Claire, New France²⁶

8. Thomas Clement — B. 1 Dec 1719, Pointe-Claire, New France;²⁷ D. (probably) young

9. Jean-Baptiste Clement — B. 19 May 1722, Pointe-Claire, New France;⁹ D. 24 Mar 1799, Pointe-Claire, Quebec;²⁸ M. Monique Pilon (1725-1804), 26 Feb 1743, Pointe-Claire, New France²⁹

Possible child:
1. Bernard Clement — B. about 1701, New France;⁶ D. 11 Apr 1791, Vaudreuil, Quebec;³⁰ M. (1) Marie Messaguier (1696-1750), 8 Jan 1721, Lachine, New France;⁶ (2) Ursule Lalande (1715-1799), 17 Aug 1750, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France³¹

Sources:
1    Burial record of Pierre Clement dit La Rivière, 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    Tarascon (Wikipedia article)  
4    “La Dépêche du fort Rolland,” Hélène Lamarche, 2002  
5    Burial record of Madeleine Dumont, Q.C.P.R.
6    Marriage record of Bernard Clement and Marie Messaguier, Q.C.P.R.
7    Baptismal record of Antoine Clement, Q.C.P.R.
8    Baptismal record of Marie-Charlotte Clement, Q.C.P.R.
9    Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Clement, Q.C.P.R.
10  Marriage record of Alexis Bigras and Marie-Catherine Prezeau, Q.C.P.R.
11  Burial record of Marie-Catherine Prezeau, Q.C.P.R.
12  Baptismal record of Marie-Louise Clement, Q.C.P.R.
13  Burial record of Marie-Louise Clement, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of Raymond Labrosse and Marie-Louise Clement, Q.C.P.R.
15  Baptismal record of Angelique Clement, Q.C.P.R.
16  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Favel dit Bigras and Madeleine Meloche, Canada, Ontario Catholic Church Records, 1760-1923, FamilySearch.org
17  Marriage record of Jacques Bigras and Angelique Clement, Q.C.P.R.
18  Marriage record of Jean Brisard and Angelique Clement, Q.C.P.R.
19  Burial record of Antoine Clement, Q.C.P.R.
20  Marriage record of Antoine Clement and Marie-Anne Bourdon, Q.C.P.R.
21  Baptismal record of Pierre Clement (younger), Q.C.P.R.
22  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Gemme and Marie-Joseph Clement, Q.C.P.R.
23  Burial record of Marie-Charlotte Clement, Q.C.P.R.
24  Marriage record of Joseph Proulx and Marie-Charlotte Clement, Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Clement, Q.C.P.R.
26  Burial record of Marie-Madeleine Clement, Q.C.P.R.
27  Baptismal record of Thomas Clement, Q.C.P.R.
28  Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Clement, Q.C.P.R.
29  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Clement and Monique Pilon, Q.C.P.R.
30  Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Clement, Q.C.P.R.
31  Marriage record of Bernard Clement and Ursule Lalande, Q.C.P.R.