A Woman of Firsts in Canada — Marie Rollet

B. about 1580 in Paris, France
M. (1) before 1601
Husband: François Defeu
M. (2) 19 Feb 1601 in Paris, France
Husband: Louis Hébert
M. 16 May 1629 in Quebec City, New France
Husband: Guillaume Hubou
D. May 1649 in Quebec City, New France

Marie Rollet was the first European woman to migrate to New France, the first woman to farm there, plus she was the colony’s first teacher. Her life has been noted in history books, and she has been honored in Quebec City with a prominent statue.

Marie’s life began in about 1580, born to Jehan Rollet and Anne Cohu in Paris. She was said to have a brother named Claude, but nothing else is known of her family. Marie’s father was a “gunner to the king,” and had enough wealth to see that his daughter was educated at a convent. When Marie was perhaps 20-years-old, she was married to a merchant named François Defeu, who died before 1601, leaving her a widow. Then she made the decision that shaped the rest of her life: she married a man named Louis Hébert.

Marie and Louis’ marriage took place on February 19, 1601 at the Saint-Sulpice church in Paris. Louis ran a Paris shop selling drugs and spices, plus he grew his own herbs. During the early years of their marriage, he associated with men who were interested in starting a French colony in America, and in 1606, he became part of one of their missions that had founded a settlement in Acadia. Over the next ten years, he made several trips to the all-male colony, taking him away from Marie for long periods of time.

Saint-Sulpice.

During these years, Marie had to manage their household in Paris on her own. Before he left in 1606, Louis signed power-of-attorney over to Marie so she could sign documents involving their finances during his absence. There were only three known children born to Marie and Louis. The two oldest children, both girls, were born before Louis’ first trip to America, and the third child, son Guillaume, was born in about 1614.

By the time Louis returned to Paris in 1613, he had developed a relationship with Samuel de Champlain, who was planning for a new French colony on the St. Lawrence River. Champlain offered Louis money to bring Marie and the children to the settlement, and he agreed to it, so in 1617, the Héberts became the first European family in what would become Canada. The ship that took them to New France left on March 11th and arrived in the middle of June.

Marie and her family landed at present-day Quebec City where Champlain had a small wooden fortress near the water. The Héberts’ new home was on 10 acres of land outside the enclosure, and this would become the first farm of the colony. Here Louis cleared the land and constructed a house made of wood, which was replaced a couple of years later with a stone house. Marie likely did some of the farm labor, perhaps helping to plant crops and take care of the garden. Their efforts supplied the other habitants with food during the colony’s earliest years.

Marie’s oldest daughter married soon after they were settled at Quebec, but sadly died in childbirth in 1619. The child was stillborn and so wasn’t the earliest birth in New France; that happened the following year with the birth of Hélène Desportes, an event Marie is thought to have attended as a midwife. More women had joined the settlement by that time, but they were only a small group, and they supported each other for things such as childbirth.

On January 25, 1627, Louis died after a bad fall on some ice. This left Marie to run the farm with the help of her son-in-law, Guillaume Couillard, and her own son, Guillaume, who was about 13-years-old. Two years later, on May 16, 1629, Marie remarried to a man named Guillaume Hubou. Just two months later, the colony was forcibly taken over by the English. The settlers were offered passage back to France, but about 20 people chose to stay, including Marie and her family. For the next few years, they were cut off from any contact with France as they maintained their farm among about 100 English soldiers.

Record of Marie’s second marriage with Samuel de Champlain as a witness.

In 1632, England and France agreed that Quebec be put back under the control of France. Some former settlers returned, including young Hélène Desportes, who would marry Marie’s son Guillaume in 1634. There was also a wave of new immigrants, as the colony became more permanent. Marie took on the role of teacher to Native American girls who were to be converted to Catholicism. She developed a warm relationship with indigenous people, and took girls into her home, adopting them while they learned French.

Marie continued to care for Native American children in her home into her later years. She died in Quebec in May of 1649, and was buried there on the 27th. Three hundred years after her arrival in New France, a monument was built in Quebec honoring Marie, her husband Louis and her son-in-law Guillaume Couillard. Marie’s statue depicts her with the children who she taught in her home. Her descendants include Hillary Clinton, Celine Dion, Jane Krakowski, Jack Kerouac, Jim Carrey, Alex Trebek, Ricky Gervais, Chloë Sevigny, and Bridget Fonda. 

Quebec City monument honoring Marie. (Source: Jeangagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Children (all by Louis Hébert):
1. Anne Hébert — B. about 1602, Paris, France; D. 1619, Quebec; M. Etenne Jonquet, 1617, Quebec

2. Marie-Guillemette Hébert — B. 1604, Paris, France; D. 20 Oct 1684, Quebec City, Quebec; M. Guillaume Couillard (1588-1663), 26 Aug 1621, Quebec

3. Guillaume Hébert — B. about 1614, Paris, France; D. 23 Sep 1639, Quebec City, Quebec; M. Hélène Desportes (1620-1675), 1 Oct 1634, Quebec City, Quebec

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)

Hélène’s World: Hélène Desportes of Seventeenth Century Quebec, Susan McNelley, 2014

“Le mariage de Louis Hébert et Marie Rollet démystifié après 400 ans,” Radio-Canada (website), 1 Mar 2017 
Find-a-Grave.com
Wikitree
Dictionary of Canadian Biography
“Marie Rollet,” The Canadian Encyclopedia (website), Josiane Lavallée, 2018 

Sent to Defend Montreal — Hubert Ranger dit Laviolette

B. before 22 Oct 1662 in La Rochelle, France
M. 30 Jul 1686 in Lachine, New France
Wife: Anne-Jeanne Girardin
D. before 26 Feb 1729

Hubert Ranger dit Laviolette was part of a force sent to help the people of Montreal defend themselves against the Iroquois. Hubert was born to Pierre Ranger and Jeanne Boutin in La Rochelle, France, baptized there on October 22, 1662. His father drove a “merchandise wagon” for a living, likely dealing with goods that were loaded and unloaded at the docks of the coastal town. Young Hubert must have been exposed to the activity of ships leaving for America, and perhaps this had an influence on him.

17th-century La Rochelle.

During the 1680s, as French fur traders and farmers settled in and around Montreal, they faced an increasing threat from the Iroquois tribes to the south. In 1683, the habitants sent a request for rifles and swords to the authorities in France. The king instead responded by ordering that three companies of troops be sent to the colony. Most soldiers who were already enlisted declined the assignment, so new men were recruited, most of whom came from the La Rochelle region, and Hubert was one of them.

What would motivate Hubert to join such a mission? He may have been attracted by an opportunity for adventure, although he also could have simply needed an income. Whatever the reason, he boarded the ship La Tempête, which left La Rochelle on August 29, 1683. The trip took over two months, arriving at Quebec City on November 7th. Somewhere along the way, Hubert acquired the curious nickname of “Laviolette.” Records indicate that Hubert was in Quebec City at least until April 4th of the following year, when he was confirmed at the Catholic church there. 

Hubert’s military force was called the Compagnies Franches de la Marine, and he was among the first of that group to be stationed in New France. Hubert was said to be in the company of Guillaume De Lorimier, one of the three companies sent to Montreal. The troops were ill-equipped; many of them had defective muskets, broken swords and inadequate clothing. The soldiers were intended for a quick mission to fight the Iroquois, but by the following year, it was obvious that it wouldn’t be that easy, and they were turned into a standing army.

Soldiers in the Montreal area had no barracks, so they were housed in private homes, and in this way, many became embedded in the habitant’s society, even working as hired labor for the settlers. Hubert was assigned to the town of Lachine and developed acquaintances there. He soon contracted to marry the 13-year-old daughter of a Lachine farmer, Anne-Jeanne Girardin. He was granted permission by the governor to get married, although it’s not clear why he needed approval. The wedding took place in Lachine on July 30, 1686.

Marriage record of Hubert and Anne-Jeanne.

Hubert’s activities after he got married are sketchy. He lived in Lachine during the 1690s, but before that, seems to be absent from the town, and he was not noted as being there during the August 1689 massacre. Maybe he was continuing to serve as a soldier for the rest of his enlistment and was in another town. Hubert and Anne had their first child in 1691, a daughter born in Lachine. They had eight more, with the youngest born in 1715.

Around 1700, the family relocated to Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, a settlement on the western tip of the Island of Montreal. Hubert spent the rest of his life there as a farmer, but it’s uncertain when he died. The last record of him was on his daughter Louise-Angelique’s marriage contract on November 19, 1726. His wife Anne-Jeanne was noted as a widow on February 26, 1729, so his death must have occurred before that date. Hubert was an ancestor of Alex Trebek, Dan Aykroyd and Rudy Vallée.

Children:
1. Marie Ranger — B. 30 Jan 1691, Lachine, New France; D. 5 Feb 1691, Lachine, New France

2. Hubert Laviolette — B. 20 Jan 1694, Lachine, New France

3. Pierre Ranger — B. 16 Sep 1696, Lachine, New France; D. 5 Feb 1787, Pointe-Claire, Quebec; M. Marie-Genevieve Dubois Brisebois (1707-1784), 31 Mar 1723, New France

4. Marie-Josephe Ranger — B. 14 Sep 1698, Lachine, New France

5. Thomas Ranger — B. 26 Sep 1700, Lachine, New France; D. 11 Jun 1782, Vaudreuil, Quebec; M. Marie-Anne Tabeau (~1708-1805), 21 Nov 1725, Pointe Claire, New France

6. Joseph Ranger — B. 9 May 1704, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France; D. 14 Dec 1782, Montreal, Quebec; M. Marie-Suzanne Sauvé Laplante (1705-1784), 20 Oct 1726, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France

7. Louise Ranger — B. about 1706, (probably) Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France; D. 10 Oct 1751, Montreal, New France; M. Pierre Sauvé (1700-1778), 20 Oct 1726, New France

8. Paul Laviolette — B. 16 May 1710, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France; D. 16 Jul 1760, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France; M. (1) Marie-Anne Merlot, 5 May 1732, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France; (2) Marie-Angelique Roblillard (1711-1785), 29 Oct 1738, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France

9. Anne Ranger — B. 23 May 1715, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France; D. 25 May 1715, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue New France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)

WikiTree

Compagnies Franches de la Marine (Wikipedia article)
“Les Troupes de La Marine, 1683-1713” (thesis), Christopher J. Russ, 1971

Accusing a Man of Stealing his Clothes — Richard Ober

B. Nov 1641 in Abbotsbury, England
M. 26 Dec 1671 in Beverly, Massachusetts
Wife: Abigail Woodbury
D. 6 Mar 1716 in Beverly, Massachusetts

Richard Ober once sued another man for failing to deliver the clothes he needed to go fishing. He was born in Abbotsbury, England in November 1641 to parents John Ober and Elizabeth Butcher. Little is known about Richard’s family, but it’s thought that the name Ober was a variation of the name ”Aubert,” and that the family traced back to a French Huguenot man who moved to England.

By the time Richard was in his early twenties, he had migrated to the Massachusetts colony and was working as a fisherman in the Salem area. In November 1664, Richard had an incident with another man who was supposed to deliver a chest of clothes from Boston to Marblehead. The items never arrived and Richard missed going out to sea to fish that day, so he took the man to court. In his complaint, he said, “For want of my clothes, I were not able for to go to sea, by which means the boat was forced to lay ashore, to their great damage, while another boat in the meantime went to sea.” The other boat made a huge catch, and Richard felt that he was entitled to one-fourth of the profits. It’s not clear from the court record if the ruling went in his favor.

Cod fishing in 17th-century New England.

Richard settled in the town of Beverly, and on December 26, 1671, he married Abigail Woodbury. They had nine children, born between 1673 and 1693, all of whom survived to adulthood. Richard continued to work as a fisherman to support the family, but also acquired a farm of 22 acres, and some swampland on Plum Island. Richard held many offices in Beverly, including tithingman, constable, tax collector and surveyor of highways.

Richard died on March 6, 1716 in Beverly. His estate was worth over £654 in property and over £109 in goods. Abigail survived him, and died at the of 86 in 1742. They were both the ancestors of First Lady Grace Coolidge and Vice President Charles Dawes.

Children:
1. John Ober — B. 23 Nov 1673, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 29 May 1744, Beverly, Massachusetts; M. Hannah Woodbury, 5 Jul 1694, Ipswich, Massachusetts

2. Anna Ober — B. 26 Jul 1675, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 2 Apr 1702, Beverly, Massachusetts

3. Elizabeth Ober — B. 9 Dec 1677, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 28 Jun 1730, Beverly, Massachusetts; M. John Balch (1673-?), 5 Oct 1700, Beverly, Massachusetts

4. Abigail Ober — B. 1679, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 3 Jan 1752, Beverly, Massachusetts; M. Samuel Butman (?-1751), 26 Jun 1706

5. Hezekiah Ober — B. 9 Nov 1681, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 26 Nov 1739, Beverly, Massachusetts; M. Ann Morgan (1685-1774), 5 Nov 1702, Beverly Massachusetts

6. Richard Ober — B. 1 Mar 1683, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 2 Aug 1725; M. Priscilla Woodbury, 15 Jan 1706, Beverly, Massachusetts

7. Nicholas Ober — B. 7 Sep 1686, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 9 Jun 1739, Beverly, Massachusetts; M. Abigail

8. Benjamin Ober — B. 14 Apr 1689, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 17 Nov 1723, Berwick, Maine

9. Samuel Ober — B. 13 Jun 1693, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 26 Sep 1725, Beverly, Massachusetts; M. Elizabeth Stone (1699-1747), 1719

Sources:
Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Volume III, edited by George Francis Drew, 1913
Find-A-Grave
Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial, Volume 2, William Richard Cutter, 1913
England, Dorset, Parish Registers, 1538-1936, FamilySearch.org

Presumed Dead in Lachine Massacre — Michel Prezeau

B. 29 Sep 1649 in Rouen, France
M. 2 Oct 1673 in Quebec City, New France
Wife: Marie Chansy
D. (probably) 5 Aug 1689, Lachine, New France

Michel Prezeau was one of the many victims of the 1689 Lachine Massacre whose exact fate isn’t known, but it’s very likely that he was killed there. Michel was from the city of Rouen, France, born on September 29, 1649 to Marin Prezeau (also spelled Prezot) and Étiennette Langlois. He had at least four older sisters and one older brother, and all were baptized at Saint-Maclou church.

Saint-Maclou Church in Rouen.

Michel first appeared in records of New France at age 22 as a witness to a marriage in Montreal. The groom was Jean Groulx, a young man from Michel’s parish in Rouen, so they were likely friends. Two years later, on October 2, 1673, Michel was in Quebec celebrating his own marriage. His new wife was a Fille du Roi named Marie Chansy, who had just arrived from France. There were two other marriages performed the same day; one of the weddings included a groom who was also from Rouen, and Michel was one of the witnesses.

Within a couple of years, Michel and Marie had settled on a farm in the Montreal area. First, they lived in Varennes, then by 1677, they moved to Lachine on the island of Montreal. Between 1676 and 1688, the couple had six children. Michel’s only son died at about age 5, and two of his daughters died as a young infants.

There’s only sketchy information about Michel’s life as a farmer. On April 10, 1677, he signed a farm lease from a man described as his neighbor in Lachine, Jacques Morin. The property included a house, and the agreement was for three years. Another record dated January 19, 1683 showed that Michel sued a Montreal butcher named Michel Lecourt for non-payment for some melons he sold to him, suggesting that melons were one of his crops.

All records of Michel and his wife Marie abruptly ended in the summer of 1689. Early in the morning of August 5th, the village of Lachine suffered a brutal surprise attack from over 1,000 Iroquois warriors. As the settlers lay in their beds, Indians entered their houses, roused them from their sleep, and proceeded to slaughter them with hatchets. The adult males in each family were killed first, and this was likely Michel’s fate, as his defenseless wife and children watched. His two older daughters somehow escaped, but his wife and 4-year-old daughter appeared to have been either killed on the spot, or dragged away and killed later.

As with many Lachine massacre victims, Michel never had his death confirmed. This was because after families were murdered, the Iroquois burned their houses. Over 100 French settlers are believed to have died in the massacre. Michel was the ancestor of Dan Aykroyd and Liza Minelli.

Children:
1. Pierre Prezeau — B. 1 Jul 1676, New France; D. 1681, (probably) Lachine, New France

2. Marie-Catherine Prezeau — B. 1 Apr 1679, Lachine, New France; D. 1 Sep 1763, Montreal, New France; M. Pierre Clement dit La Rivière (~1670-1725), 19 Apr 1702, Montreal, New France

3. Marie-Marguerite Prezeau — B. 5 Sep 1681, Lachine, New France; D. 6 Mar 1757, Ste-Genevieve, Pierrefonds, New France; M. Jean-Baptiste Gauthier (1674-1743)

4. Marie-Madeleine Prezeau — B. 12 Dec 1683, Lachine, New France; D. 28 Dec 1683, Lachine, New France

5. Madeleine Prezeau — B. 3 Mar 1685, Lachine, New France; D. (probably) 5 Aug 1689, Lachine, New France

6. Françoise Prezeau — B. 28 Jan 1688, Lachine, New France; D. 9 Feb 1688, Lachine, New France

Sources:
Dictionnaire généalogique des familles canadiennes depuis la fondation de la colonie jusqu'à nos jours, Cyprien Tanguay, 1890
Quebec, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1997
Le vieux Lachine et le massacre du 5 août 1689, Désiré Girouard, 1889
L’autre Marie Morin: une femme abandonnée en Nouvelle-France, 1667-1748, Marcel Myre, 2004
WikiTree

77 Years in Northampton, Massachusetts — Roger Clapp

B. 24 May 1684 in Northampton, Massachusetts
M. 28 Nov 1706 in Northampton, Massachusetts
Wife: Elisabeth Bartlett
D. 9 Jan 1762 in Northampton, Massachusetts

Roger Clapp lived his entire life in the town of Northampton, Massachusetts, and left a homestead that survived for many generations. He was born there on May 24, 1684 to Preserved Clapp and Sarah Newberry, the second youngest of their eight children. Roger was named after his grandfather, Captain Roger Clap (1609-1691), who came over from England in 1630, and later wrote a memoir. It's unlikely that young Roger ever met his grandfather.

On November 28, 1706, Roger married Elisabeth Bartlett, who was also a native of Northampton. Between 1708 and 1728, the couple had eight children, seven of whom were boys. Roger acquired a lot on South Street and built a house in 1713; it was said that he lived there for nearly 50 years. He also accumulated a large amount of property outside of town, including meadows, farmland and wooded areas.

There was much written in town histories about Roger’s father, Preserved, who was a pioneer in Northampton, but very little was mentioned about Roger. He was a representative to the General Court in Boston, but the exact year wasn’t noted in books. Roger was said to be a captain of the militia, without reference to what years he was in charge, or if he saw any action.

On September 25, 1759, Roger made out his will, dividing up his many pieces of property among his seven sons. While each son got some land, he chose his youngest son, Simeon, to inherit the homestead including his house. His wife, Elisabeth, was also to have the use of half of everything, and several grandchildren would receive small amounts of money (his only daughter had died by then). Roger passed away on January 9, 1762 and was buried in Bridge Street Cemetery. Elisabeth died in 1767.

The homestead that Simeon inherited later passed to his two sons. One son sold his half in 1858, but the other half stayed in the family. When that son died, the homestead was split into smaller parts by his children and grandchildren. The property remained in the Clapp family until at least 1882, and perhaps much longer. 

Roger Clapp’s will.

There is a house in Northampton which is owned today by the local chapter of the DAR. One source refers to it as the “Captain Roger Clapp House,” but another source cited on the DAR’s own website connects it to another unknown member of the Clapp Family. It’s likely that this house, said to have been built in 1754, was never owned by Roger Clapp.

Children:
1. Roger Clapp — B. 3 Apr 1708, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 3 Jan 1773; M. Ann Munn

2. Elizabeth Clapp — B. 29 May 1710, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 1758; M. Jonathan Strong

3. Jonathan Clapp — B. 2 Sep 1713, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 10 May 1782, Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. Submit Strong (1712-1788), 23 Jan 1734, Northampton, Massachusetts

4. Aaron Clapp — B. 30 Jan 1715, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 3 May 1793, Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. Jemima Bartlett, before 1748

5. Asahel Clapp — B. about 1717, (probably) Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 20 Jan 1777, Northampton, Massachusetts; M. Sarah Wright (1722-1751), before 1743

6. Supply Clapp — B. 1721, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 11 Oct 1784, Northampton, Massachusetts; M. (1) ; (2) Sarah Lyman, 30 Dec 1756, Northampton, Massachusetts

7. Charles Clapp — B. 1725, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 11 Aug 1767, Northampton, Massachusetts; M. Dorcas Wright

8. Simeon Clapp — B. 1728, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 25 Feb 1812, Northampton, Massachusetts; M. Sarah Clark (1735-1822)

Sources:
History of Northampton, Massachusetts: From its Settlement in 1654, Vol. 1, James Russell Trumbull and Seth Pomeroy, 1898
Antiquities, Historicals and Graduates of Northampton, Solomon Clark, 1882
Find-A-Grave.com
Will of Captain Roger Clapp, Northampton, Massachusetts, 25 Sep 1759
Fort Hill Historic District (Northampton, Massachusetts) (Wikipedia article)

His Name on a Waterfall and Bridge — Samuel Hunt

B. 17 Nov 1657 in Ipswich Massachusetts
M. (1) 1 May 1678 in Ipswich, Massachusetts
Wife: Ruth Todd
M. (2) before 2 Sep 1689
Wife: Mary ________
D. 11 Jan 1743 in Tewksbury, Massachusetts

Often, by virtue of being the first settler in a place, a person could get their name on a geographic feature. Some people had streets named after them, and some had entire towns, but for Samuel Hunt of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, it was a small waterfall and bridge.

Samuel was born to Samuel Hunt and Elizabeth Redding in Ipswich, Massachusetts on November 17, 1657, the oldest of their five children. The Hunt family turned up many times in civil court cases. Samuel’s father had several incidents with authorities and neighbors, and was jailed for a time during the 1660s. His mother was known for her feistiness, and had a reputation as the town busybody.

With such role models, it’s not surprising that Samuel himself ended up in trouble with the law as a teen. In 1673, his father claimed another man stole his horse and sent Samuel to retrieve it, but the horse actually belonged to the man, so Samuel was charged with theft and made to pay a fine. During May of the following year, Samuel was brought to court for being disorderly during church service, “laughing, talking, spitting, striking boys with sticks, and throwing things into the gallery.” He was “admonished for disorder in the meetinghouse,” but not punished any further for his misbehavior.

Ipswich records show that on May 1, 1678, Samuel married a woman identified as “Ruth Tod.” The only person known to have that name in Ipswich was the daughter of John and Susannah Todd. This presents something of a mystery, though, because no further records connect Samuel with a wife named Ruth. And later records have a woman named Mary as the mother of Samuel’s five youngest children. A number of researchers have tried to get around this disparity by naming his wife “Mary Ruth Todd,” but people in 17th-century Massachusetts generally didn’t have middle names. Another explanation is that Ruth died within a few years of marriage, which doesn't work because the Ruth who was John Todd’s daughter was named as living in his 1690 will. Whatever is the case with Samuel’s wife or wives, he was the father of nine children.

In 1692, Samuel paid £50 for a “one-fifth” part of a section of Billerica known as Winthrop Farm; the total acreage of Winthrop farm was 3,000, so Samuel’s purchase was for 600 acres. It was in a sparsely populated area, and his house was used as a garrison during the 1690s. Just to the north was the Merrimack River, and a distinctive feature was a 10-foot high falls that spanned the width of the river, which became known as Hunts Falls. It retains that name today, with a bridge nearby called Hunts Falls Bridge, a major route in the city of Lowell.

Samuel continued living there for the rest of his life. In 1699, he was issued a license to keep a tavern during the months of April, May and June. It isn’t known if he ran such a business for any other year. Several sources have claimed that Samuel served in the militia in 1704, but given his age and the fact he had a son who was age 25, this was probably the younger Samuel Hunt. Also, during the 1720s and in 1734, Samuel was said to have headed an effort to split off from Billerica to form a new town that became Tewksbury. While these events did happen, it’s very likely that his son was actually the person involved.

Samuel died in Tewksbury on January 11, 1743; the record colorfully describes him as “Old Mr. Samuel Hunt.” Perhaps this was only to distinguish him from his son by the same name who had died a few years earlier. Presumably he also outlived any wives he had. 

Children by an uncertain mother:
1. Samuel Hunt — B. 4 Feb 1679, Concord, Massachusetts; D. 13 Oct 1738, Tewksbury, Massachusetts; M. (1) Sarah Stearns (?-1708), 16 Jun 1702, Billerica, Massachusetts; (2) Anna _____, 31 Mar 1709, Billerica, Massachusetts

2. John Hunt — B. 30 Dec 1680, Concord, Massachusetts; M. Hannah Flint, 10 Jul 1716, Billerica, Massachusetts

3. Elizabeth Hunt — B. 4 Mar 1683, Concord, Massachusetts; D. 31 Jul 1685, Concord, Massachusetts

4. Jeremiah Hunt — B. 27 Mar 1685, Concord, Massachusetts; D. 1737, (probably) Tewksbury, Massachusetts: M. (1) Abigail Hazeltine (?-1722); Rebecca Ballard (?-1729), 10 Jun 1722, Billerica, Massachusetts

5. Elizabeth Hunt — B. 3 Jun 1687, (probably) Concord, Massachusetts; D. about 1767, Hollis, New Hampshire; M. Thomas Farmer (1683-~1767)

Children by Mary _______:

1. Thomas Hunt — B. 2 Sep 1689, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 16 Sep 1709, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. Sarah Crosby (1694-?), 22 Jul 1709, Providence, Rhode Island

2. Peter Hunt — B. 6 May 1692, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 3 Apr 1770, Tewksbury, Massachusetts; M. Mary Sheldon, 25 Oct 1715, Billerica, Massachusetts

3. Joseph Hunt — B. 21 Sep 1694, Billerica, Massachusetts; D. 1743, Canaan, Connecticut; M. Jemima Russell, 16 Jul 1724, Billerica, Massachusetts

4. Mary Hunt — B. 1 Jul 1696, Billerica, Massachusetts; M. Ebenezer Dows (1693-?)

5. Susanna Hunt — B. 2 Oct 1699, Billerica, Massachusetts

Sources:
WikiTree
Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts, Volume 1, William Richard Cutter, 1908
Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Volume V, edited by George Francis Drew, 1914
Tewksbury: A Short History, Edward W. Pride, 1888
History, Charter and Bylaws of the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Illinois, 1896
Lowell: The River City, 2006

Pioneer Merchant and Farmer of Detroit — Pierre Mallet

B. 16 Feb 1676 in Montreal, New France
M. 9 Jan 1698 in Montreal, New France
Wife: Marie-Madeleine Thunay
D. 2 Nov 1738 in Kaskaskia, New France

While other men were the founders of Detroit, it was people like Pierre Mallet who made the settlement permanent. He lived there during its early history, one of the French fur traders who became a pioneer settler.

Pierre was born in Montreal to French immigrants Pierre Mallet and Marie-Anne Hardy on February 16, 1676, the last of their six children. As a young man, he followed the lead of his older brothers and pursued the life of a voyageur. Pierre signed up for an expedition at age 18 in 1694; it’s not known if this was his first trip. Typically a young man would be assigned to help paddle a canoe to one of the outposts in the Great Lakes region, leaving in late spring and returning in the autumn. Upon arrival back in Montreal with a canoe filled with beaver pelts, he would be paid the amount agreed to in his contract. It’s likely Pierre went on several such trips during this part of his life.

Between expeditions, Pierre found the time to get married, and on January 9, 1698, Marie-Madeleine Thunay became his bride in Montreal. Madeleine was the widow of François Xavier Pelletier who had recently died, leaving her with a young son. Pierre and Madeleine soon had two more children born in 1698 and 1700. Evidence suggests Pierre continued to go on fur trading expeditions during these years, leaving his wife to manage the household in Montreal.

One of the places Pierre visited was Fort Detroit, an outpost established in 1701 on the river that connects Lake Erie to Lake Huron. The fort was built with the intention to establish a permanent settlement—a wooden enclosure that included houses for settlers. In 1706, Detroit founder Antoine de La Mothe Cadillac attracted families from Montreal to move there, and this included Pierre, his wife and children. They traveled in a convoy of canoes that carried 270 settlers and the goods they needed to set up their new households, plus 150 soldiers and a number of laborers. During the long journey, Pierre’s wife Madeleine was in the final stages of a pregnancy, and she gave birth to a healthy boy on August 16th, just one week after they arrived at Detroit.

Fort Detroit circa 1710.

Along with the hardships of the frontier, the new arrivals at Detroit also faced a threat from nearby Indians who had recently attacked the fort. This drove some of the people to return to Montreal, but Pierre and his family chose to stay. He was one of only three men on the 1706 convoy who were known to have brought merchandise to trade with the Indians. On March 10th of the following year, grants of land were formalized, and Pierre received a house and garden, as well as a farm beyond the limits of the village. He was required to pay Seigneur Cadillac 8 livres in rent per year, and 10 livres for “other rights,” presumably the permission he needed to engage in fur trading.

During the next several years, Pierre operated as a fur trader based in Detroit. This also required him to make trips back to Montreal in order to acquire goods to trade, and one such trip was documented in 1707 with his wife and children joining him. They returned to Detroit in the fall. Pierre was the father of two more sons born at Detroit in about 1708 and 1711. By October 1712, the family was back in Montreal again, where Pierre and Madeleine had their youngest child. One of their sons, 8-year-old François, died in Montreal in November 1716, but only Madeleine was present at the funeral. It’s not known if Pierre was again living in Detroit, or was simply away on a fur trading expedition; most likely, he divided his time between Montreal and Detroit during those years. It’s likely that sometimes he went out west on his own during these years.

By the late 1720s, Pierre seemed to be based in Detroit, hiring others to transport merchandise to and from Montreal. On August 19, 1728, Madeleine represented Pierre in Montreal on a contract for a man to work for him. Shortly after, she got permission to move to Detroit with their two sons, Antoine and Paul, and after that, the family settled there for good.

Madeleine passed away in February 1738, and afterwards, Pierre left Detroit for the more remote outpost of Kaskaskia, which was in present-day Illinois. He died there on November 2nd of that year. Pierre’s legacy as a voyageur lived on in his sons Pierre and Paul, who engaged in a venture that took them by land all the way to present-day New Mexico; they were the first white men to travel that route. It’s believed that Paul wound up in the Arkansas Territory, starting a line of descendants there; Paul was captured in Mexico on a later expedition, and sent to Spain, where he likely died.

Children:
1. Marie-Catherine Mallet — B. 27 Oct 1698, Montreal, New France; M. Pierre Perthuis, 18 Mar 1716, Montreal, New France

2. Pierre Mallet — B. 20 Jun 1700, Montreal, New France; D. after 1750, (possibly) Spain

3. Antoine Mallet — B. 16 Aug 1706, Detroit, New France; M. Marie-Therese Maillot (1708-?), 11 Aug 1730, Montreal, New France

4. François Mallet — B. about 1708; D. Nov 1716, Montreal, New France

5. Paul Mallet — B. about 1711, Detroit, New France; D. 1753, Arkansas Post, New France

6. Jean-Baptiste Mallet — B. 25 Oct 1712, Montreal, New France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org

“8 August 1706: Fort Pontchartrain Becomes a Permanent Settlement on Le Détroit du Lac Érié,” Suzanne Boivin Sommerville, Michigans Habitant Heritage, 2006

Cadillac’s Village, or Detroit Under Cadillac: With List of Property Owners, and a History of the Settlement 1701-1710, Clarence Monroe Burton, 1895

Mallet, Pierre Antoine, Online Dictionary of Canadian Biography 

The Oldest Windmill in Quebec — Jacques Aubert

B. about 1639 in Duclair, Normandy, France
M. (1) 9 Nov 1665 in Champlain, New France
Wife: Antoinette Meunier
M. (2) 27 Jan 1698 in Le Château-d’Oléron, France
Wife: Jeanne Massé
D. 19 Jun 1710 in Grondines, New France

A landmark stands on the north bank of the St. Lawrence River, halfway between Quebec City and Trois-Riviéres—a 17th-century windmill that’s said to be the earliest still in existence. And it was once owned by Jacques Aubert.

Born in about 1639 in Duclair, France, Jacques was the son of a merchant, Georges Aubert, and his wife, Marguerite Ossanne. It isn’t known why he left his home, and migrated to New France. 

Where Jacques was born.

Jacques first appeared in a marriage contract signed on November 9, 1665 in Champlain, a village upriver from Trois-Riviéres. Jacques' bride was Antoinette Meunier, a Fille du Roi who had arrived from France just a month earlier. Over the next few years, the couple had three daughters; there may have been other children, but the three girls were the only ones who survived.

During the 1670s, Jacques was involved in several transactions for land near Champlain. Then on March 20, 1683, he made a major purchase, traveling to Quebec City to acquire the fief of Grondines from the religious order of nuns who owned it. By owning the fief, Jacques became a seigneur, meaning that he collected rent from the others who lived there. In return, he took care of community business, and most importantly, supplied a mill to grind his tenants’ wheat into flour.

Nine years before Jacques became seigneur of Grondines, the nuns had arranged to have a mill built there. It was a small, round tower with a mechanism that was powered by the wind. The top two floors contained machinery that ground the wheat, and the bottom floor had a bin to receive the flour. Jacques lived with his family in a house nearby, while the habitants of Grondines brought their wheat to the mill so they could grind it into a product they could sell.

Jacques remained as seigneur of Grondines until 1694, when he decided to return to France. By this time, all three of his daughters were married, and he signed the fief over to his sons-in-law. Jacques sailed to France, leaving behind his wife Antoinette, who passed away on February 25, 1697 in Grondines. Word reached Jacques of his wife’s death, and the following year, he married a second wife, Jeanne Massé, at Le Château-d'Oléron, a village on an island just off the coast of France. The couple had no children (Jacques was about age 60), and Jeanne died in 1702. Soon after, Jacques returned to New France, and he tried to regain his fief, managing to get one-quarter of the ownership back, along with the title of seigneur.

Around the time Jacques returned to Grondines, he may have fathered an out-of-wedlock daughter with Marguerite Renaud, a woman who was younger than his legitimate daughters. The document that claims this fact was the girl’s 1722 marriage record, but there’s nothing else to verify the story.

Jacques died at Grondines on June 19, 1710, passing his fief once again to his sons-in-law. The mill he had once owned continued on, producing flour well into the 19th century. In 1912, it was repurposed as a lighthouse that was in use until 1967; then in 1984, the site was given a historical status. Today it’s a cultural center and small museum known as “Moulin à vent de Grondines,” the oldest surviving windmill in Quebec.

Moulin à vent de Grondines

Children (all by Antoinette Meunier):
1. Antoinette Aubert — B. about 1666, Champlain, New France; D. 8 Dec 1720, Grondines, New France; M. Louis Hamelin (~1650-1718), 7 Aug 1679, Grondines, New France

2. Marie-Madeleine Aubert — B. about 1667, New France; 2 Jun 1742, Grondines, New France; M. François Hamelin (~1658-1725), 27 Nov 1685, New France

3. Marie-Anne Aubert — B. about 1672, Grondines, New France; D. 29 Aug 1712, Grondines, New France; M. Roch Ripault (~1660-1715), 6 Feb 1689, Cap-Santé, New France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
WikiTree
Seigneurial system of New France (Wikipedia article)
“Windmills in Québec II – Moulin de Grondines,” FrancoAmerican Gravy: Family History & Stories from Upstate New York, Quebec and Acadia (blog)
Moulin à vent de Grondines (Wikipedia article)
Hamelins of the Grondines (website)

1st Town Clerk of Littleton, Massachusetts — Joseph Baker

B. 8 Jan 1696 in Concord, Massachusetts
M. 11 Dec 1716 in Concord, Massachusetts
Wife: Alice Jefts
D. 3 Sep 1761 in Littleton, Massachusetts

Joseph Baker not only appeared in the earliest records of Littleton, Massachusetts, he also wrote them. Joseph was born in Concord on January 8, 1696 to William Baker and Elizabeth Dutton, the youngest of their seven children. Joseph’s mother died when he was only two, and his father remarried to Abigail Ballard, then he died. After the age of 7, Joseph was raised by his step-mother with her new husband, Samuel Wheat.

On December 11, 1716, Joseph married Alice Jefts of Billerica, and the following year, they had a daughter, who is believed to have died young. Shortly after, Joseph and Alice moved to the neighboring settlement of Littleton. Between December 1719 and October 1732, they had seven more children.

When Joseph moved to Littleton, it had only recently been incorporated as a town. New England towns often took a few years to add the community services that they needed, and it wasn’t until 1729 that Littleton appointed Joseph to keep the town records. His first task was to create a book from the births, deaths and marriages that had occurred up until that time, so he extracted all such information from the minutes of town meetings starting with March 1715. Then Joseph began a new book to record events from 1729 on. He served as town clerk for the next 30 or so years.

Town record of Littleton, Massachusetts from March 6, 1727 naming Joseph as town clerk.

Joseph also was one of 15 men who taught school in Littleton during its first 40 years. It was a struggle to get consensus among the people in town to pay for a proper schoolhouse, so classes were held in private homes in a somewhat informal way. It’s impossible to know which years Joseph took on the role of schoolteacher, but only that he did his part.

Joseph Baker died on September 3, 1761 in Littleton. His wife survived him, remarrying three years later. It isn’t known when and where she died.

Children:
1. Alice Baker — B. 14 Nov 1717, Concord, Massachusetts; D. (probably) young

2. William Baker — B. 12 Dec 1719, Littleton, Massachusetts; D. 13 Mar 1793, Concord, Massachusetts; M. Rebecca Conant (1723-1767), 14 Apr 1743, Concord, Massachusetts

3. Joseph Baker — B. 22 Jan 1721, Littleton, Massachusetts; D. 1776, Marlborough, Massachusetts; M. Sarah Hook Wheeler (1724-1803), 1742, Littleton, Massachusetts

4. Lydia Baker — B. 18 Mar 1724, Littleton, Massachusetts; D. 8 Jun 1809, Marlborough, Massachusetts; M. Simon Howe (1722-1806), 15 Mar 1745

5. John Baker — B. 21 Apr 1726, Littleton, Massachusetts

6. Charles Baker — B. 30 May 1728, Littleton, Massachusetts; D. 3 Apr 1813, Littleton, Massachusetts; M. Mary King (1726-1803), 30 May 1751, Littleton, Massachusetts

7. Timothy Baker — B. 4 Nov 1730, Littleton, Massachusetts; D. 14 Apr 1810, Lincoln, Massachusetts; M. Mary Dakin (1741-?), 15 Jan 1761, Sudbury, Massachusetts

8. Thomas Baker — B. 11 Oct 1732, Littleton, Massachusetts; M. Beulah Dakin, 6 Mar 1755, Concord, Massachusetts

Sources:
Records of Littleton, Massachusetts: Births and deaths from the Earliest Records in the Town Books Begun in 1715, 1900
Proceedings of the Littleton Historical Society, 1896
WikiTree
Find-a-Grave

A Cheerful Soldier — René Bruneau dit Jolicoeur

B. 9 Jun 1641 in Poiters, France
M. 17 Sep 1668 in New France
Wife: Anne-Jeanne Poitreau
D. before 29 Oct 1703

Nicknames were a way to distinguish between many of the settlers of New France, and when René Bruneau came over with the Carignan-Salières Regiment in 1665, his fellow soldiers gave him one that may have reflected his personality. 

René was born on June 9, 1641 in Poiters, France, to Georges Bruneau and Blaisette Martin. Nothing is known of his childhood or whether he had any siblings. At some point, probably in his early 20s, René joined the French military, and in 1665, he was sent to New France as part of the Carignan-Salières Regiment. René was assigned to the company of Grandfontaine, which departed on the ship L’Aigle d’Or on May 13th, arriving at Quebec City on August 18th. From there, his company was sent to the Richelieu River in an effort to construct three forts. René was assigned to help with the middle one, Fort Sainte-Therese, which was completed on October 15th.

While in the military, René was given the nickname “Jolicoeur,” which translates as “joyful heart.” French soldiers had nicknames because they believed that when you joined the service, you were leaving your past—and your name—behind. Often the names referenced a physical quality or personality, so it can be inferred that René was a likable, friendly guy.

Carignan-Salières Regiment soldiers. (Source: BAnQ)

In 1666, René was released from further military service, suggesting that he had probably served for a few years before coming to New France and his enlistment was up. René received a concession of land from the Jesuits at Petite-Auvergne in Charlesbourg on March 18th, and he was listed in the census of that year working as a linen weaver.

Wanting to find a wife, René went to Quebec City the following year, and signed a contract on September 29th to marry a Fille du Roi named Marie-Madeleine Ouache. But the contract was cancelled 5 days later; there is no further record of Marie-Madeleine.

In 1668, René again sought a bride among the newly arrived Filles du Roi, and found one in Anne-Jeanne Poitreau, whom he married on September 17th. They produced ten children born between 1669 and 1689; sadly six of them died young. The four who survived to provide grandchildren were all daughters, so René’s name didn’t get passed down.

René and his wife sold their house and property back to the Jesuits on October 23, 1696. This was the last record where his name appeared and it isn’t known when he died, but it was before his daughter Marie-Charlotte’s wedding on October 29, 1703.

Children:
1. Robert Bruneau — B. 3 Oct 1669, Quebec City, New France; D. 21 Dec 1669, Quebec City, New France

2. Anne Bruneau — B. 21 Dec 1670, Beauport, New France; D. 2 Mar 1726, Quebec City, New France; M. (1) Jean Mingou (~1660-?), 17 Sep 1685, Charlesbourg, New France; (2) Jean Lamothe (~1664-1724), 14 Oct 1698, Quebec City, New France

3. Louis Bruneau — B. 27 Dec 1673, Quebec City, New France; D. 14 Feb 1674, Quebec City, New France

4. Nicolas Bruneau — B. 12 Feb 1675, Quebec City, New France; D. 13 Mar 1675, Quebec City, New France

5. Marie-Madeleine Bruneau — B. 29 Oct 1676, Quebec City, New France; D. 25 Aug 1687, Quebec City, New France

6. Jeanne Bruneau — B. 16 Aug 1679, Charlesbourg, New France; D. 6 Jan 1746, Quebec City, New France; M. (1) François Duclas (1668-1708), 16 Oct 1697, Quebec City, New France; (2) Alexandre Derny Larose (1676-?), 23 Mar 1713, Quebec city, New France

7. Marguerite Bruneau — B. 21 Nov 1681, Charlesbourg, New France; D. 12 Apr 1718, Sainte-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France; M. (1) Charles Giroux (~1669-1714), 23 Feb 1699, Quebec City, New France; (2) Hiliare Martin (1692-1756), 8 Nov 1714, Quebec City, New France

8. Marie-Charlotte Bruneau — B. 19 Dec 1683, Charlesbourg, New France; M. (1) Simon Didier Parisien (~1669-1710), 29 Oct 1703, Montreal, New France; (2) Claude Laspron dit Lacharité (1679-1739), 7 Jan 1712, Trois-Rivières, New France

9. René Bruneau — B. 25 Mar 1687, Charlesbourg, New France; D. 5 Apr 1687, Charlesbourg, New France

10. Nicolas Bruneau — B. 20 Oct 1689, Charlesbourg, New France; D. (probably) young

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)

WikiTree
Carignan-Saliéres Regiment (Wikipedia article)
Fort Sainte Thérèse (Wikipedia article)

Lime Maker in Early Montreal — Jacques Beauvais

B. 22 Nov 1623 in Igé, Perche, France
M. 7 Jan 1654 in Montreal, New France
Wife: Jeanne Soldé
D. Mar 1691 in Montreal, New France

The settling of New France required the efforts of people with many different skills. One was Jacques Beauvais who saw an opportunity in making mortar for building construction, and selling it to other settlers by the barrel.

Jacques was born on November 22, 1623 in the village of Igé, located in Perche, France. Jacques’ parents were Gabriel Beauvais and Marie Crosnier; nothing else is known about his family. He was almost 30-years-old when he first appeared in the records of New France, owing an “obligation” to a man in Quebec City on September 16, 1652. It’s believed that he was a recent immigrant because he didn’t show up in any earlier records.

In September of the following year, a ship arrived from France carrying about 100 people who were on their way to help populate the struggling outpost of Montreal. This was known as La Grande Recrue—the Great Recruitment. It’s likely that Jacques joined the group as they transferred to smaller boats for the journey up the St. Lawrence River; the immigrants landed at Montreal on November 14th to begin their new lives. 

A woman among the La Grande Recrue settlers would become Jacques’ bride. Her name was Jeanne Soldé, one of a handful of females who had come over on the boat from France. The couple signed a marriage contract just one month after they arrived in Montreal, and were married there on January 7, 1654. She soon became pregnant and gave birth to their first child in October. This was followed by eight more, with the last child born in 1673.

While many men in Montreal became involved in the fur trade, Jacques found a different occupation. Montreal was a town destined to be a ship port, and materials were needed to construct its buildings. So Jacques set up a business making lime, a process involving a kiln that heated up crushed limestone to great temperatures, producing a powder that could be turned into mortar or plaster. Given his age when he migrated to New France, Jacques must have learned the skill in France.

A lime kiln. 

Besides making lime, Jacques also served on the Montreal militia that was organized in 1663 to defend the settlement from Iroquois attack. The militia was divided up into 20 squads of 7 men each, and included most of the able-bodied men in Montreal. Two years later, the militia was disbanded with the arrival of regular soldiers from France.

In 1675, Jacques partnered with another man, Jean Gasteau, to build a large lime kiln on Gasteau’s property. They commissioned two men to build the kiln paying them 40 livres for their work; when it was finished, it could produce 80 barrels at a time. Jacques again worked with Gasteau in 1680 to have two more kilns built.

Jacques was 67 when he died in March, 1691. He was survived by his wife Jeanne, who passed away in 1697. He was the ancestor of Dan Aykroyd.

Children:
1. Raphael Beauvais — B. 15 Oct 1654, Montreal, New France; D. 19 Oct 1734, Montreal, New France; M. Élisabeth Turpin (1667-1747), 24 May 1683, Montreal, New France

2. Barbe Beauvais — B. 28 Aug 1656, Montreal, New France; D. 25 Jan 1746, Lachine, New France; M. François Brunet dit Bourbonnais (1644-1702), 11 Jul 1672, Montreal, New France

3. Marguerite Beauvais — B. 30 Aug 1658, Montreal, New France; D. 12 Jul 1715, La Prairie, New France; M. Jacques Tetu dit Lariviére (1641-1712), 9 Oct 1675, Montreal, New France

4. Jean-Baptiste Beauvais — B. 26 Sep 1660, Montreal, New France; D. before 1662, (probably) Montreal, New France

5. Jean-Baptiste Beauvais — B. 7 Oct 1662, Montreal, New France; D. 17 Apr 1705, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, New France; M. Marie-Madeleine LeMoine (1675-1727), 12 Nov 1697, Batiscan, New France

6. Jacques Beauvais — B. 13 Dec 1664, Montreal, New France; D. 14 Aug 1671, Montreal, New France

7. Marie-Charlotte Beauvais — B. 26 Jun 1667, Montreal, New France; D. 25 Dec 1700, Montreal, New France; M. Alexandre Turpin (1641-1709), 30 Oct 1684, Montreal, New France

8. Marie-Étiennette Beauvais — B. 21 Sep 1669, Montreal, New France; D. 14 Sep 1753, Trois-Rivières, New France; M. Jean Pottier (1653-1711), 14 Jun 1688, Montreal, New France

9. Jeanne Beauvais — B. 8 Jan 1673, Montreal, New France; D. 6 Feb 1703, Montreal, New France; M. Guillaume Boucher (1665-?), 19 Dec 1695, Montreal, New France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)

The Family of Jacques Beauvas I & Wife Jeanne Solde of France and Canada, sadieparks.com 

Montreal, 1653: La Grande Recrue, Michel Langlois, 2003

Lime mortar (Wikipedia article)

Was She a Fille du Roi? — Renée Riviére

B. about 1631 in La Rochelle, France
M. (1) 1650 in Sainte-Soulle, Aunis, France
Husband: Jacques Remondiére
M. (2) about 1666 in Île d’Orlèans, New France
Husband: Mathurin Croiset
D. 3 May 1699 in St-Pierre, Île d’Orlèans, New France

Renée Riviére has been listed in many places as having been a Fille du Roi, a woman who agreed to marry a settler in New France. She was also said to have signed up with her daughter at the same time. But there are no records that would back this up, and this puts her Fille du Roi status in doubt.

Renée’s parents' names and birth information are unknown. It's believed that she was born in about 1631 in the area around La Rochelle, France. About 1650, she married a man named Jacques Remondiére in the village of Sainte-Soulle, Aunis, France, and within a year or so, she gave birth to a daughter named Andrée. The couple wasn’t known to have any other children, and Jacques died by the mid-1660s. Some time before 1666, Renée and Andrée migrated to Quebec City, New France.

Sainte-Soulle church, Aunis, France.

It makes a great story that a mother and daughter took up the offer to be paid by the French government to marry men in New France, but the documentation to prove this is lacking. There’s nothing tying them to a ship’s passenger list, and no marriage record for Renée showing a dowry she might have received. Plus, a mother with a teenage daughter doesn’t fit the profile of a Fille du Roi—a young woman seeking a start in life.

Once in America, Renée and her daughter each became married, and her daughter’s marriage contract reveals both of their husbands' names. Andrée’s contract was signed at Île d'Orléans on October 31, 1666, and one of the witnesses was identified as Renée’s husband, Mathurin Croiset. In the census taken earlier that year, Mathurin was a 50-year-old laborer living without Renée in Quebec City under contract to Pierre Soumande. The census from the following year showed that Renée and Mathurin had their own farm in Île d'Orléans. It seems likely that the couple got married during the time between the two censuses, but this is speculation.

Renée and her second husband had no children together. Mathurin died at the hospital in Quebec City in June of 1697, and on May 3, 1699, Renée passed away in St-Pierre, Île d’Orlèans. For a woman who had only one known child, she left a remarkable amount of descendants by virtue of her daughter’s large family of 15 children; in 2010, her descendants were estimated at between 2,100,000 and 2,520,000 people, and among them are Bridget Fonda and Emeril Lagasse.

Child by Jacques Remondiére:
1. Andrée Remondiére — B. about 1651, La Rochelle, France; D. 21 Nov 1702, St-Pierre, Île d’Orlèans, New France; M. Thomas Rondeau (1638-1721), 31 Oct 1666, Île d’Orlèans, New France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)

Genealogy of the French in North America (website)

Find A Grave
WikiTree

Enslaved in Louisiana — Hypolite Chauvin de La Frénière

B. 17 Jan 1718 in Mobile, New France
M. (1) 7 Nov 1731 in New Orleans, New France
Husband: Joseph Turpin
M. (2) 19 Mar 1750 in Kaskaskia, New France
Husband: Joseph de LaMirande
D. before 15 May 1758 in (probably) Opelousas, Louisiana, New France

For so many victims of the slavery system in colonial America, there are no records. But the story of Hypolite Chauvin de La Frénière was unique, and we can track her to beginnings on the plantation of her father.

Hypolite was born on January 17, 1718, and was baptized the following day at Mobile in present-day Alabama. Her father was Nicolas Chauvin de La Frénière, a French-Canadian plantation owner, and her mother was his “Indian woman” slave. Nicolas was unmarried at the time, which may have factored into why Hypolite’s paternity wasn’t hidden. Was she a slave at birth even though it wasn’t indicated on her baptism? The answer is yes because of the early Louisiana slave code that stated a child took on the status of their mother. The code also mandated that slaveholders were to baptize their slaves, and this fits with the record of Hypolite.

The origins of Hypolite’s mother can be deduced from her father Nicolas’ travels. From October 1716 to October 1717, he was on a trading expedition with his brothers that went through present-day Texas into Mexico. About nine months before Hypolite’s birth, he was at Mission San Juan Bautista south of the Rio Grande. It seems highly likely that Nicolas acquired her there as a slave, probably in exchange for goods he brought with him. Hypolite’s mother may have been transported there from hundreds of miles away by slave traders, a fact which is suggested by DNA readings of Indigenous Mexico and Yucatan showing up in many of her descendants. 

Maps showing ethnicities of Hypolite descendants from Ancestry and FamilyTreeDNA.

It’s likely that Hypolite had no memory of Mobile because when she was under 2-years-old, her father moved to a place just outside of the new settlement of New Orleans. By the mid-1720s, Nicolas was running a large plantation with over 100 slaves. He got married in about 1724, and soon Hypolite had several younger half-siblings.

Hypolite’s life dramatically changed at age 13 when she was married to a French-Canadian man named Joseph Turpin. The wedding took place in New Orleans on November 7, 1731, and her mother was mentioned as being a former “servant” of Nicolas named Catherine. It suggests that both Catherine and Hypolite were free at the time because if they were slaves it would have been noted in the record. There’s no evidence of when Nicolas may have emancipated Catherine, and we can only say that it happened between the dates of Hypolite’s baptism and marriage. Hypolite and her new husband Joseph travelled up the Mississippi River, and settled in the Illinois outpost of Kaskaskia, where Joseph had been living. Within a year or two, Hypolite gave birth to a daughter. 

New Orleans around the time Hypolite was married.

As a woman who was half Native American, Hypolite wasn’t out-of-place in Kaskaskia. During the time she lived there with Joseph it was a lively trading outpost on the Mississippi, and many early French settlers had married Indian woman, including Joseph’s brother Louis. The result of this was a large percentage of the population having Native American blood. By the 1740s, Kaskaskia started to become more of a farming community, supplying New Orleans with the types of crops that wouldn’t grow on the Gulf Coast.

Surviving records from Kaskaskia are scarce, and there are no baptisms naming Hypolite and Joseph as parents. Besides the daughter born in about 1732, there was a son born in the 1740s or as late as 1750; other children who may have died young are unknown. In late 1749 or early 1750, Joseph Turpin died, and on March 19, 1750, Hypolite married a man named Joseph de LaMirande. They left Kaskaskia probably during the spring of the following year, heading to New Orleans, and she gave birth to a son on June 13th. Then they settled in the town of Opelousas, where Hypolite had her final child, a daughter.

Hypolite’s second husband Joseph had started out life as a fur trader, but once in Opelousas, he became a plantation owner, acquiring many slaves. Unfortunately, Hypolite died a few years after they settled there, likely in early 1758 because her husband remarried on May 15th. She was only about 40-years-old at the time of her death.

Over time, Hypolite had many descendants in both the Illinois/Indiana and Louisiana areas. Two of her grandchildren in Louisiana had colorful stories. Her grandson Arsene LeBleu captained a ship for the legendary pirate, Jean Lafitte. And her granddaughter Catherine LeBleu married Charles Sallier, who founded the town of Lake Charles. Lafitte was said to have been in love with Catherine and family lore says that he once gave her a brooch. The story goes that when her husband saw her wearing the brooch, he became enraged and shot her, then fled thinking he killed her. But the bullet hit the brooch and she survived the shooting. Sallier was never heard from again. 

Hypolite’s grandson, Arsene LeBleu.

Children by Joseph Turpin:
1. Marie-Madeleine Turpin — B. about 1732, Kaskaskia, New France; D. after 1810, Natchitoches, Louisiana Territory; ; M. (2) Pierre Texier dit LaVigne (1728-1770), 12 Jan 1751, Kaskaksia, New France; (2) Antoine Cusson, 1774, Kaskaskia, Illinois Territory; (3) Joseph Auger, about 1778

2. François Turpin — B. (probably) about 1750, Kaskaskia, New France; D. 1 Oct 1809, Vincennes, Indiana Territory; M. Marie-Josephe Levron dit Metayer, about 1777, (probably) Post Vincennes, Illinois Territory

Children by Joseph de LaMirande:
1. Louis Joseph LaMirande — B. 13 Jun 1751, New Orleans, New France

2. Marie Rose Josephe LaMirande — B. about 1752; D. 15 Jul 1794, Opelousas, Louisiana Territory; M. Marin Barthelemy LeBleu dit Comersac (1722-?), 16 Oct 1769, Pointe Coupee, Louisiana Terriitory

Sources:
The Family of Nicolas Chauvin de La Freniere, Sadie Greening Sparks, 18 Oct 2000, sadiesparks.com
Race, Sex and Social Order in Early New Orleans, Jennifer M. Spear, 2010
Sacramental records of the Roman Catholic Church of the Archdiocese of Mobile, Volume 1, Section 1, 1704-1739, Michael L. Farmer, Ann Calagaz, 2002
The History of Kaskaskia, Illinois, in a Family History Context (website) 
Pointe de l’Eglisse: Acadia Genealogical and Historical Society, Inc., by Gene Thibodeaux (website)
Le Bleu’s Landing: Fine Cuisine & Gifts (website)

Abandoning her Husband and Children — Pérette Hallier

B. about 1651 in Égly, Essone, France
M. 15 Oct 1669 in Quebec City, New France
Husband: Antoine Bordeleau
D. in (probably) France

All evidence shows that Pérette Hallier had a difficult start in life, which likely caused her to choose to migrate to America. But she didn’t seem to be cut out for that life, and ultimately gave it up. 

Pérette was born in about 1651 to Jean Hallier and Barbe Marignon in the village of Égly, France. Nothing is known known of her time in Égly, or whether she had any siblings. Pérette’s parents both died probably when she was a young girl or teen, and she found herself living at Pitié-Salpêtrière, a hospital run by nuns in Paris. Pitié-Salpêtrière was notorious for taking in orphaned and unwanted children, and putting them to work in return for their room and board—not a truly charitable place. When Pérette came of age, she signed up as a Fille du Roi, promising to become the bride of a settler in New France in return for passage and a dowry. She likely also saw this as a way to escape Pitié-Salpêtrière.

Pitié-Salpêtrière as it looked in 1925.

The ship that took Pérette to America, the Saint-Jean-Baptiste, arrived in Quebec City on June 30, 1669 carrying 149 Filles du Roi. With such a large number of women, it must have been a challenge not to get lost in the crowd when the men came to court them. It took a few months, but Pérette did find a husband, Antoine Bordeleau, and married him on October 15th. Antoine had been a soldier in the Carignan-Sallières Regiment which came to New France in 1665, and he was looking for a wife so he could start a family. 

Pérette and her husband Antoine settled in the community of Neuville, where he had a grant of land with frontage on the St. Lawrence River. Pérette gave birth to two children there, a son Antoine in 1673 and a daughter Marie-Louise in 1676. The small number of children she had was unusual at a time when couples were encouraged to have large families.

In August 1675, Pérette had an encounter with a woman named Agathe Merlin which led to Merlin being arrested. The incident was said to have been a physical fight between them, but no details have survived. An initial ruling placed the blame on Merlin, but her husband appealed it, pleading that Merlin was pregnant at the time, and her release from jail was granted when the court annulled their previous judgment. 

1675 court record regarding Pérette's encounter with Agathe Merlin.

Pérette appeared in the 1681 census living with her husband and their two children in Neuville. Shortly after, she seems to have gone back to France, abandoning her family. Did she decide she wasn’t cut out to be the wife of a colonist? Did she feel indifferent to her role as a mother? These are questions that are unanswered. Pérette was an ancestor of Emeril Lagasse.

Children:
1. Antoine Bordeleau — B. 18 Dec 1673, Neuville, New France; D. 4 May 1758, Portneuf, New France; M. Catherint Piché (~1677-?), 5 Mar 1696, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France

2. Marie-Louise Bordeleau — B. 15 Aug 1676, Neuville, New France; D. 1 Jul 1720, St-Antoine-de-Tilly, New France; M. Louis Croteau (1672-1747), 22 Nov 1695, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)

King’s Daughters and Founding Mothers—1663-1673, Peter Gagne, 2000

The Pietié-Saltpêtriére Hospital, Atlas Obscura

Navires venus en Nouvelle-France (website)