Sudden Death of a New France Settler — Jean Guay

B. 10 Aug 1643 in Caen, Normandy, France¹
M. 16 October 1670 in Quebec City, New France²
Wife: Marie Briere
D. before 20 Aug 1679 in (probably) Lauzon, New France³

Jean Guay was in the prime of his life when he seemed to have met with some sort of tragedy. He was born in Caen, France, a city in Normandy, on August 10, 1643.¹ Jean’s parents were André Guay (sometimes spelled Le Guay) and Anne Lamy. At five-days-old, Jean was baptized at St-Gilles, a 12th-century church that was destroyed in World War II.

The church where Jean was baptized.

The first time Jean appeared in New France records was in the 1667 census, living on the south coast at Lauzon.⁴ He was one of three men working on the farm of François Bissot, an early pioneer who lived in Quebec City. Bissot was said to have a preference for hiring migrants from his home province of Normandy, and Jean fits this narrative. This suggests that he entered the colony as an “engaged servant,” a laborer who signed a contract before getting on a ship. Typically a term of service lasted three years, and after Jean’s contract was up, he decided to stay in New France.

In the fall of 1670, Jean went to Quebec City to find a wife among that year’s Filles du Roi, and on September 14th, he signed a contract with Marie Briere, who was also a Normandy native.⁵ Their wedding ceremony was at Notre-Dame-de-Quebec on October 16th.² The two settled in Lauzon, where they started a family with the birth of a son about a year later. Then followed five more children, the youngest one born on August 6, 1679. Parish records show that Jean was in attendance at the baby’s baptism held the next day at Quebec City.⁶

Shockingly, just two weeks later on August 20th, Marie signed a contract to marry another man, Martin Guedon,³ so Jean passed away before that date. The timing seems to indicate his death occurred a day or two after his child’s baptism. With the lack of a burial record, it’s likely that he drowned; perhaps he fell into the river on their return from Quebec City, although this is speculation. Marie couldn’t survive very easily on a farm with six young children, and her quick remarriage seems to have been a necessity. She spent many years with her second husband, and died some time before November 26, 1709.⁷

Both of Jean’s sons went on to become involved in the fur trade, and each spent time in the Great Lakes area. Oldest son Alexis was hired for an expedition out of Montreal in 1702 that took him all the way to the Mississippi River.⁸ And Jean’s other son, Jean-Baptiste, signed up for a 1701 mission that was credited with the founding of Detroit.⁹ His name is one of 52 men is on the Cadillac Convoy Plaque in downtown Detroit, which was dedicated in 2002. 

Jean's son is listed at the top of the second column on the Cadillac Convoy Plaque.  

Children:
1. Alexis Guay — B. 4 Sep 1671, Lauzon, New France;¹⁰ D. before 22 Jul 1728, New France;¹¹ M. Elisabeth Dizy (~1672-1703), 26 Jan 1698, Champlain, New France¹

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, Quebec¹⁶

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 France¹⁹

4. Catherine Guay — B. 24 May 1676, Lauzon, New France;²⁰ after 26 Nov 1709, (probably) New France⁷

5. Jean-Baptiste Guay — B. 23 Jun 1678, Lauzon, New France;²¹ D. 5 Aug 1705, Montreal, New France²²

6. Marie-Angelique Guay — B. 6 Aug 1679, Lauzon, New France;⁶ D. 8 Oct 1704, Quebec City, New France;²³ M. Jean Boucher (1671-?), 16 Oct 1696, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, New France²⁴

Sources:
1    Généalogie du Québec et d'Amérique français listing for Jean Guay  
2    Marriage record of Jean Guay and Marie Biere, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Marriage contract of Martin Guedon and Marie Briere
4    Recensement de 1667 en Nouvelle-France
5    King’s Daughters and Founding Mothers—1663-1673, Peter Gagne, 2000
6    Baptismal record of Marie-Angelique Guay, Q.C.P.R.
7    Mutual donation record of Catherine Guay, BAnQ  
8    Généalogie du Québec et d'Amérique français listing for Alexis Guay 
9    Généalogie du Québec et d'Amérique français listing for Jean-Baptiste Guay  
10  Baptismal record of Alexis Guay, Q.C.P.R.
11  Marriage record of René Guay (son of Alexis) and Therese Mouet, Q.C.P.R.
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 Julian 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  Marriage record of François Dubois and Marie Guay, Q.C.P.R.
20  Baptismal record of Catherine Guay, Q.C.P.R.
21  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Guay, Q.C.P.R.
22  Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Guay, Q.C.P.R.
23  Burial record of Marie-Angelique Guay, Q.C.P.R.
24  Marriage record of Jean Boucher and Marie-Angelique Guay, Q.C.P.R.

Widowed at Age 15 — Sarah Crosby

B. 12 Jun 1694 in Billerica, Massachusetts¹
M. (1) 22 Jul 1709 in Providence, Rhode Island²
Husband: Thomas Hunt
M. (2) 6 Jan 1716 in Andover, Massachusetts³
Husband: Ephraim Abbott
M. (3) 1 Aug 1749 in (probably) Massachusetts⁴
Husband: John Dane
D. before 31 Dec 1760 in (probably) Andover, Massachusetts⁵

Sarah Crosby had a remarkable story for a girl in colonial New England: she married, had a child, and lost her husband all before her 16th birthday. Sarah was born in Billerica, Massachusetts on June 12, 1694 to Joseph Crosby and Sarah French, the second of their 12 children.¹ The Crosby family wasn’t prominent in the community, and unlike many men, Sarah’s father never served on Billerica’s town council. By the time Sarah was 14, her family’s house was becoming crowded; nine children were under the roof, and as the oldest girl, she likely played a big role in looking after them.

It was at this time, a 20-year-old man named Thomas Hunt came into her life, and Sarah herself became pregnant. Was it a consensual relationship? This is unknown, but even if it was rape, Sarah was in trouble. In Massachusetts, unmarried women who gave birth could be dragged into court, exposing their situation to the community, and if convicted, they might be publicly whipped or imprisoned.

So it was decided that Sarah and Thomas would get married. Perhaps because of the scandalous nature of their engagement, the couple travelled far from home to exchange vows, and the ceremony took place in Providence, Rhode Island on July 22, 1709.² It isn’t known if the bride and groom had any family in attendance, and Sarah’s mother certainly wasn’t there because she delivered a child the next day.⁶ The man presiding over the event was Joseph Jenckes, who held the office of “assistant,” a sort of colonial judge; a few years later, he became governor of Rhode Island.⁷

Joseph Jenckes, who performed Sarah's marriage to Thomas Hunt.

The newlyweds had only six weeks together, because for some unknown reason Thomas died on September 16th.⁸ Sarah had her baby on November 20th,⁹ and she presumably continued living in the home of her parents. It wasn’t until 1716 that she married again, this time to a man named Ephraim Abbott. The wedding was on January 6th in the town of Andover,³ and afterwards they made their home there. Sarah gave birth just two months after the wedding,¹⁰ suggesting that once again, she was pregnant before she got married. Between 1716 and 1737, Sarah had eleven more children, with only one child who died young.

Sarah’s second husband passed away on June 8, 1748,¹¹ and with several children still underaged, she married a third time. Husband number three was a widower named John Dane, and their wedding was on August 1, 1749.⁴ This was the last record of Sarah; her death date isn’t known, but when her third husband wrote his will on December 31, 1760,⁵ she wasn’t mentioned and it can be presumed that she had died before then.

Child by Thomas Hunt:
1. Sarah Hunt — B. 20 Nov 1709, Billerica, Massachusetts;⁹ D. 18 Nov 1745, Tewksbury, Massachusetts;¹² M. John Whiting (1699-1775), 9 Mar 1727¹³

Children by Ephraim Abbott:
1. Sarah Abbott — B. 8 Mar 1716, Andover, Massachusetts;¹⁰ D. 5 Mar 1814, Andover, Massachusetts;¹⁰ M. Samuel Gray (1711-1813), 8 Sep 1736, Andover, Massachusetts¹⁰

2. Ephraim Abbott — B. 22 Jul 1718, Andover, Massachusetts;¹⁴ D. after 1 Jan 1764, (probably) Amherst, New Hampshire;¹⁵ M. (1) Mary Abbott (1724-1744), 3 Nov 1740, Andover Massachusetts;¹⁶ (2) Mary Nealand (1721-1767), 1 Feb 1745¹⁷

3. Mary Abbott — B. 9 Jul 1720, Andover, Massachusetts;¹⁸ M. Robert Read (1720-1803), 11 May 1743, Andover, Massachusetts¹⁰

4. Joshua Abbott — B. 1 Oct 1722, Andover, Massachusetts;¹⁹ D. 11 Feb 1772, Amherst, New Hampshire;²⁰ M. Phebe Ingalls (1730-?), 27 Feb 1749, Andover, Massachusetts²¹

5. Daniel Abbott — B. 14 Sep 1724, Andover, Massachusetts;¹⁰ M. Lydia Henfield (1726-?), 21 May 1752, Andover, Massachusetts²²

6. Elizabeth Abbott — B. 29 Jun 1726, Andover, Massachusetts;²³ D. 18 Dec 1819;²³ M. Asa Abbott (1721-1797), 20 Sep 1744, Andover, Massachusetts²⁴

7. Josiah Abbott — B. 26 Sep 1728, Andover, Massachusetts;²⁵ D. Dec 1777, Hillsborough, New Hampshire;¹⁰ M. Hannah Hobbs (1729-?), about 1752, Amherst, New Hampshire¹⁰

8. Ebenezer Abbott — B. 20 Feb 1731, Andover, Massachusetts;²⁶ D. 19 Dec 1771;¹⁰ M. Lydia Farrington (1735-1777), 1 Jan 1752, Andover, Massachusetts²⁷

9. Martha Abbott — B. 31 Mar 1733, Andover, Massachusetts;²⁸ D. 24 Apr 1733, Andover, Massachusetts²⁹

10. Peter Abbott — B. 8 May 1734, Andover, Massachusetts;³⁰ D. 18 Apr 1774, Kingston, New Hampshire;³¹ M. Elizabeth Holt (~1733-1822), 22 Sep 1757, Andover, Massachusetts³²

11. Martha Abbott — B. 13 Jul 1737, Andover, Massachusetts;³³ D. 13 Aug 1773, Amherset, New Hampshire;³³ M. Archelaus Towne (1734-1779), 1757, Milford, New Hampshire¹⁰

Sources:
1    Birth record of Sarah Crosby, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
2    The Early Records of the Town of Providence, Vol. 5, 1894
3    Marriage record of Ephraim Abbott and Sarah Hunt, Mass., T. C. V. & T. R.
4    Marriage record of John Dane and Sarah Abbott, Mass., T. C. V. & T. R.
5    Essex County, Massachusetts, probate records and indexes 1638-1916, FamilySearch.org
6    Birth record of Deborah Crosby, Mass., T. C. V. & T. R.
7    Joseph Jenckes (governor) (Wikipedia article)  
8    Death record of Thomas Hunt, Mass., T. C. V. & T. R.
9    Birth record of Sarah Hunt, Mass., T. C. V. & T. R.
10  The Essex Antiquarian, Vol. 1. No. 3, 1897
11  A genealogical register of the descendants of George Abbot of Andover, Abiel Abbott and Ephraim Abbott, 1847
12  Death record of Sarah Whiting, Mass., T. C. V. & T. R.
13  Marriage record of John Whiting and Sarah Hunt, Mass., T. C. V. & T. R.
14  DAR website entry for Ephraim Abbott  
15  Birth record of Daniel Abbott (Ephraim’s son), New Hampshire Birth Records, Early to 1900, FamilySearch.org
16  Marriage record of Ephraim Abbott and Mary Abbott, Mass., T. C. V. & T. R.
17  Marriage record of Ephraim Abbott and Mary Nealand, Mass., T. C. V. & T. R.
18  Birth record of Mary Abbott, Mass., T. C. V. & T. R.
19  Birth record of Joshua Abbott, Massachusetts Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, FamilySearch.org
20  Death record of Joshua Abbott, N.H.B.R.
21  Marriage record of Joshua Abbott and Phebe Ingalls, Mass., T. C. V. & T. R.
22  Marriage record of Daniel Abbott and Lydia Henfield, Mass., T. C. V. & T. R.
23  Find-A-Grave listing for Elizabeth Abbott  
24  Marriage record of Asa Abbott and Elizabeth Abbott, Mass., T. C. V. & T. R.
25  Birth record of Josiah Abbott, M.T. & V.R.
26  Birth record of Ebenezer Abbott, M.T. & V.R.
27  Marriage record of Ebenezer Abbott and Lydia Farrington, Mass., T. C. V. & T. R.
28  Birth record of Martha Abbott, M.T. & V.R.
29  Death record of Martha Abbott, Massachusetts, Town Death Records, FamilySearch.org
30  Birth record of Peter Abbott, M.T. & V.R.
31  Death record of Peter Abbott, New Hampshire Death Records, 1654-1947, FamilySearch.org
32  Marriage record of Peter Abbott and Elizabeth Damon, Mass., T. C. V. & T. R.
33  Find-A-Grave listing for Martha (Abbott) Towne 

Child of Divorce in Colonial Connecticut — Joseph Long

B. 22 Jan 1668 in Hartford, Connecticut¹
M. before 1694 in (probably) Connecticut²
Wife: Martha Smith
D. after May 1713 in (probably) Connecticut³

Having parents getting divorced doesn't seem to fit our idea of colonial New England, but such was the case for Joseph Long. He was born in Hartford, Connecticut on January 22, 1668 to Thomas Long and Sarah Wilcox, their firstborn child.¹ At the time, Joseph’s paternal grandmother and his maternal grandfather were married to each other, which made for a somewhat tangled family tree.

Joseph was about 11-years-old when the trouble began between his parents. After giving birth to five more siblings, his mother took up a romantic interest with another man. This must have been truly scandalous in 1680 Connecticut, and to make matters worse, Joseph’s mother was arrested and spent two weeks in jail because of her “crime.”⁴ His father took her back for a time, but when the affair continued, he sued for divorce. Joseph was 13-years-old when the marriage ended, and it made him the rare child of a broken home in colonial New England.⁴

It isn’t known which parent Joseph and his siblings lived with after the divorce. His mother remarried to her lover and produced another child.⁵ His father also married again, and had a child, who was born in 1696.⁶ By that time Joseph had found a wife of his own. Her name was Martha, the daughter of Jonathan Smith, but no record of the marriage seems to exist. Their first child was born in about 1694,² and they had at least four more by 1707. During this time, Joseph and his family lived in Middletown, a thriving community on the Connecticut River.

1698 baptism of Joseph's daughter in Middletown shows he was still a member of Hartford's church. 

In around 1709, Joseph and his family moved to the new town of Coventry, located inland to the east of the river. His name hardly appeared in Coventry’s records, though. The last mention of him was in a land sale in May 1713,³ and it seems that his heirs may have finalized it. When and where Joseph died is unknown.

Children:
1. Joseph Long — B. about 1694, Connecticut;² M. Sarah Evarts (1689-?), 17 May 1716, Coventry, Connecticut⁷

2. Deborah Long — B. before 24 Apr 1698, Middletown, Connecticut;⁸ M. Amos Carpenter (1693-1793), 23 Oct 1718, Coventry, Connecticut⁹

3. Martha Long — B. before 21 Jul 1700, Middletown, Connecticut²

4. Silas Long — B. before 11 Oct 1702, Middletown, Connecticut;¹⁰ D. 11 Feb 1782, Woodstock, Connecticut;¹¹ M. (1) Lydia Evarts (1699-1757), 28 Sep 1726, Coventry, Connecticut;⁸ (2) Mehitable Holbrook (1701-1774), 12 Oct 1758, Coventry, Connecticut⁸

5. Azubah Long — B. before 31 Aug 1707, Middletown, Connecticut;¹² D. 15 Sep 1743, Middletown, Connecticut;¹² M. Daniel Stow (1701-1744), 3 Mar 1725, Middletown, Connecticut¹³

Sources:
1    Birth record of Joseph Long, Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1667, FamilySearch.com
2    Long Family Genealogy (website)  
3    The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut (1636-1776), p. 372, 1870
4    Women Before the Bar; Gender, Law and Society in Connecticut, 1639-1789, Cornelia Hughes Dayton, 2012
5    Find-A-Grave listing of David Ensign  
6    Genealogy of the Elmer and More Families, L.Q.C. Elmer, 1930
7    Marriage record of Joseph Long (Jr.) and Sarah Evarts, Connecticut Vital Records Prior to 1850, FamilySearch.org
8    Births, marriages, baptisms, and deaths: from the records of the town and churches in Coventry, Connecticut, 1711-1844, Susan W. Dimock, 1897
9    Marriage record of Amos Carpenter and Deborah Long, Connecticut Marriages, 1630-1997, FamilySearch.org
10  Find-A-Grave listing of Silas Long  
11  Death record of Silas Long, Connecticut Deaths and Burials, 1772-1934, FamilySearch.org
12  Find-A-Grave listing of Azubah (Long) Stow  
13  Marriage record of Daniel Stow and Azubah Long, Connecticut Marriages, 1640-1939, FamilySearch.org

The Blending of Households — Pierre Bouvier

B. about 1631 in Rouen, France^1,2
M. (1) 24 Nov 1667 in Quebec City, New France²
Wife: Catherine Baillé
M. (2) 4 Jan 1678 in Quebec City, New France³
Wife: Catherine Meliot
D. 3 Dec 1690 in Quebec City, New France⁴

When a widower marries a widow, and each is the parent of minor children, the accounting of who owns what becomes messy. In the case of Pierre Bouvier, this was further complicated by the debts he owed, which left a paper trail in the courts of New France.

Pierre was born in Rouen, France in about 1631,¹ the son of Sebastien Bouvier and Jeanne Leconflette. He may have had a younger brother named Antoine, but nothing else is known of his family. At some point, likely during the early 1660s, Pierre migrated to New France. The first time he appeared in records was as a servant of Denis Derome dit Descarreaux, an edge tool maker in the lower town of Quebec City. After working in Derome’s shop in 1666,¹ Pierre seems to have set up his own forge for making tools, and for the rest of his life, this was his profession.

By the the fall of 1667, Pierre decided to find a wife among that year’s group of Filles du Roi, which arrived in Quebec in late September. The woman he married was Catherine Baillé, who was from the northern coast of France not far from Rouen, and they were married at Notre-Dame-de-Quebec on November 24th.² Their first child was born about a year later; they had four more together, with the youngest born in October 1675.⁵ On March 11, 1670, Pierre purchased a concession on the south shore of the St. Lawrence in a place called Cap-St-Claude,⁶ but because his children were baptized in the church at Quebec, it’s not clear if the family moved there.

By 1677, Pierre acquired another farm, this time on the north shore in the seigneury of Neuville. But sadly, on October 31st of that year, Catherine died,⁷ leaving him with five children under the age of 10. He quickly arranged to marry a widow named Catherine Meilot, and their wedding took place at Quebec on January 4, 1678.³ At the time, Pierre had accumulated some debt, and his joint finances with his first wife had to be taken into account for the children they had together. He couldn’t sell the house he still owned in Quebec City to pay his creditors because half of it belonged to his minor children. A guardian had to be assigned to take care of the children’s interests, and presumably after that, the house was sold.⁸

Second wife Catherine had four small children of her own from her first husband. She wanted to keep the land, household items and furniture she had accumulated in her first marriage, but as soon as she became Pierre’s wife, her own children’s guardian took them both to court.⁹ Pierre was ordered to pay 410 livres for the estate property, a large sum of money, and as of 1689, he still hadn’t paid most of it.

Court document dated October 3, 1689 involving Pierre and the guardian of his wife's children.  

Pierre became a father three times with his second wife; all were sons born between 1681 and 1684, but at least two of them died as infants. The family moved back to Quebec City, and Pierre died at Hôtel-Dieu on December 3, 1690.⁴ Catherine survived him and passed away in 1699.¹⁰

Children by Catherine Baillé:
1. Marie Bouvier — B. 20 Sep 1668, Quebec City, New France;¹¹ D. 28 Apr 1711, Ste-Foy, New France;¹² M. Pierre-Jacques Custeau (1663-1711), Quebec City, New France¹³

2. Charles Bouvier — B. 8 Feb 1671, Quebec City, New France;¹⁴ D. 23 Jun 1712, Quebec City, New France;¹⁵ M. Marie-Catherine Renaud (1671-1723), 27 Feb 1696, Quebec City, New France¹⁶

3. Jeanne-Thèrese Bouvier — B. 29 Jul 1673, Quebec City, New France;¹⁷ D. 28 Nov 1729, Lotbinière, New France;¹⁸ M. Jean-Baptiste Barabé (1671-1729), 1693, New France¹⁸

4. Catherine Bouvier — B. 1674, New France;²⁰ D. after 1681, (probably) New France²¹

5. Pierre Bouvier — B. 12 Oct 1675, Quebec City, New France;⁵ D. 16 Mar 1715, Quebec City, New France;²² M. Marie Meunier (1685-1743), 30 Jan 1702, Beaupré, New France²³

Children by Catherine Meliot:
1. Antoine Bouvier — B. 12 Apr 1681, Neuville, New France²⁴

2. Charles Bouvier — B. 21 Apr 1683, Quebec City, New France;²⁵ D. 2 May 1683, Quebec City, New France²⁶

3. Jacques Bouvier — B. 2 Dec 1684, Quebec City, New France;²⁷ 3 Dec 1684, Quebec City, New France²⁸

Sources:
1    Recensement de 1666 en Nouvelle-France
2    Marriage record of Pierre Bouvier and Catherine Baillé, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Marriage record of Pierre Bouvier and Catherine Meliot, Q.C.P.R.
4    Burial record of Pierre Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
5    Baptismal record of Pierre Bouvier (younger), Q.C.P.R.
6    Histoire de la Seigneurie de Lauzon, Volume 1, page 246, Joseph-Edmond Roy, 1897
7    Burial record of Catherine Baillé, Q.C.P.R.
8    Order to elect guardian for children of Pierre Bouvier and Catherine Baillé, March 20, 1680, BAnQ  
9    Ruling in case between Pierre Bouvier and François Repoche, October 3, 1689, BAnQ 
10  Burial record of Catherine Meliot, Q.C.P.R.
11  Baptismal record of Marie Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
12  Burial record of Marie Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
13  Marriage record of Pierre-Jacques Custeau and Marie Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
14  Baptismal record of Charles Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
15  Burial record of Charles Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
16  Marriage record of Charles Bouvier and Marie-Catherine Renaud, Q.C.P.R.
17  Baptismal record of Jeanne-Thèrese Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
18  Burial record of Jeanne-Thèrese Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
19  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Barabé and Jeanne-Thèrese Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
20  Baptismal record of Catherine Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
21  Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
22  Burial record of Pierre Bouvier (younger), Q.C.P.R.
23  Marriage record of Pierre Bouvier and Marie Meunier, Q.C.P.R.
24  Baptismal record of Antoine Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal record of Charles Bouvier (younger), Q.C.P.R.
26  Burial record of Charles Bouvier (younger), Q.C.P.R.
27  Baptismal record of Jacques Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.
28  Burial record of Jacques Bouvier, Q.C.P.R.

On a Ship Detoured to Ireland — Jean Bourassa

B. 1 Apr 1634 in Bazoges-en-Pallers, Vendée, Poitou, France¹
M. (1) 20 Oct 1665 in Quebec City, New France²
Wife: Perrette Vallée
M. (2) 4 Nov 1676 in Quebec City, New France³
Wife: Catherine Poitevin
D. 21 Jan 1718 in Pointe-de-Lévy, Lauzon, New France⁴

Jean Bourassa migrated to Canada in a roundabout way because his ship broke down shortly after it left France. Such were the hazards of ocean travel in the middle of the 17th century.

Jean was born on April 1, 1634 in the village of Bazoges-en-Pallers, France, located north of La Rochelle.¹ His parents were Jacques Bourasseau and Françoise Fouchande. Jean had at least one older brother and four younger sisters, but nothing else is known of his family or early life. When Jean was 23, he was recruited out of La Rochelle for a work opportunity in New France; the offer was to earn 90 livres per year in return for his labor over a term of three years. He agreed to the arrangement in a contract dated April 5, 1657,⁵ and five days later, he joined 43 other men who boarded a ship called Les Armes d'Amsterdam. The 250 ton vessel also carried the newly appointed governor of the colony, Pierre Voyer d’Argenson, along with a cargo that included fine cloth, lace, and articles of apparel for the people of Quebec.⁶

Pierre Voyer d'Argenson

Not long after the voyage began, major storms damaged the ship. They were close enough to Ireland to land at Limerick so that repairs could be made.⁶ The governor and a few other passengers decided not to continue on, and they went back to France,⁶ but Jean and the other engaged men stayed on the ship when it resumed the journey a month later. They didn’t get very far, and within a day, the ship started taking on water. So the captain went back to Ireland, this time landing on the Kenmore River. It took another few weeks before they could launch again on June 28th.⁶ They finally arrived in Quebec City on August 20th.⁶ 

The detour of Jean's ship to Ireland.

When the three years of his contract were up, Jean decided to stay in New France. Perhaps the challenges of his trip to get there were a factor in this decision — who would want to get on another ship after that experience? Instead, he became a colonist, and on November 5, 1662, he acquired a concession in Lauzon, just across the water from Quebec City.⁵ Three years later, Jean went back to Quebec right after the harvest to find a wife among the Filles du Roi who had just arrived from France. It didn’t take long and he agreed to a marriage contract with a woman named Perrette Vallée, and their wedding took place at Notre-Dame church in Quebec City on October 20, 1665.²

Jean and Perette were missing from both the 1666 and 1667 censuses, but they presumably settled in Lauzon. They started their family with the birth of a son in April 1667.⁷ A couple of weeks later, Jean bought a farm near his original one in Lauzon; the annual rent was 30 livres, payable in silver, wheat or eels.⁸ Six more children were born by about 1675, but on May 5th of the following year, Perette died while trying to deliver another child.⁹ The baby was stillborn, and with seven young children, Jean needed a new wife as soon as possible. So on November 4th, he married Catherine Poitevin,³ a widow who lost her husband the very same day that Perette had died. Catherine had also been a Fille du Roi, and she brought a young son into Jean’s household.

Together, Jean and Catherine had four more children, born between 1678 and 1687. The 1681 census showed that their farm had 15 arpents under cultivation.¹⁰ The two spent the rest of their lives on their farm on the shore of the St. Lawrence in Lauzon. On June 15, 1711, they turned over the property, which included a small house and barn, to Jean’s oldest son François; in return he would take care of them in their old age.¹¹ By then, Catherine was said to be blind and disabled. Jean passed away on January 21, 1718;⁴ it isn’t known when Catherine died. They were the ancestor of Leo Durocher.

Children by Perrette Vallée:
1. François Bourassa — B. 13 Apr 1667, (probably) Lauzon, New France;⁷ D. after 11 Jun 1711, (probably) Lauzon, New France¹¹

2. Pierre Bourassa — B. 11 Feb 1669, (probably) Lauzon, New France;¹² D. after 1681¹⁰

3. Jeanne Bourassa — B. about 1670, (probably) Lauzon, New France;¹⁰ D. about 1682, (probably) Lauzon, New France^10,13

4. Jean Bourassa — B. 24 May 1671, (probably) Lauzon, New France;¹⁴ D. 5 Jun 1746, Lauzon, New France;¹⁵ M. Marie-Françoise Méthot (1675-1754), 10 Jan 1698, St-Nicolas, Lévis, New France¹⁶

5. Marie Bourassa — B. about 1672, (probably) Lauzon, New France;¹⁰ D. after 1681¹⁰

6. Marie-Madeleine Bourassa — B. 13 Sep 1673, (probably) Lauzon, New France;¹⁷ D. 9 Mar 1742, St-Antonie-de-Tilly, New France;¹⁸ M. (1) Jean-François Dussault (1688-1719), 8 Jan 1692, St-Jospeh de la Pointe-de-Lévy, Lauzon, New France;¹⁹ (2) Jean-Baptiste Bergeron (1676-1753), 18 May 1719, Lauzon, New France²⁰

7. Catherine Bourassa — B. about 1675, (probably) Lauzon, New France;¹⁰ D. after 1681¹⁰

Children by Catherine Poitevin:
1. René Bourassa — B. 27 Apr 1678, Lauzon, New France;²¹ D. 29 Sep 1678, Lauzon, New France²²

2. Marie-Anne Bourassa — B. about 1680, (probably) Lauzon, New France;²³ D. 4 Nov 1733, Berthier-sur-mer, New France;²⁴ M. (1) Pierre Bouchard (1672-1717), 29 Oct 1699, Quebec City, New France;²⁵ (2) Louis Bosse (~1650-1736), about 1726, St-Roch des Auinaies, New France²⁶

3. Jeanne Bourassa — B. 1 Jul 1682, Lauzon, New France;¹⁴ M. Louis Marchand (1678-1749), 5 Oct 1701, Lauzon, New France²⁷

4. François Bourassa — B. 2 May 1687, New France;²⁸ D. 26 Feb 1777, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;²⁹ M. Marguerite Jourdain (1691-1746), 12 Jun 1714, New France³⁰

Sources:
1    Fichier-Origine listing for Jean Bourassa  
2    Marriage record of Jean Bourassa and Perrette Vallée, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Marriage record of Jean Bourassa and Catherine Poitevin, Q.C.P.R.
4    Burial record of Jean Bourassa, Q.C.P.R.
5    Navires venus en Nouvelle-France (website)  
6    “L’expédition du navire Les Armes d’Amsterdam pour le Canada en 1657,” Guy Perron, 2015 (blog)  
7    Baptismal record of François Bourassa, Q.C.P.R.
8    Histoire de la seigneurie de Lauzon, Vol. 1, page 433, J. Edmond Roy, 1897
9    Burial record of Perrette Vallée, Q.C.P.R.
10  Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
11  Donation of land record involving Jean Bourassa of Lauzon, June 15, 1711, BAnQ 
12  Baptismal record of Pierre Bourassa, Q.C.P.R.
13  Baptismal record of Jeanne Bourassa (younger), Q.C.P.R.
14  Baptismal record of Jean Bourassa (younger), Q.C.P.R.
15  Burial record of Jean Bourassa (younger), Q.C.P.R.
16  Marriage record of Jean Bourassa (younger) and Marie-Françoise Méthot, Q.C.P.R.
17  Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Bourassa, Q.C.P.R.
18  Burial record of Marie-Madeleine Bourassa, Q.C.P.R.
19  Marriage record of Jean-François Dussault and Marie-Madeleine Bourassa, Q.C.P.R.
20  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Bergeron and Marie-Madeleine Bourassa, Q.C.P.R.
21  Baptismal record of René Bourassa, Q.C.P.R.
22  Burial record of René Bourassa, Q.C.P.R.
23  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Bourassa, Q.C.P.R.
24  Burial record of Marie-Anne Bourassa, Q.C.P.R.
25  Marriage record of Pierre Bouchard and Marie-Anne Bourassa, Q.C.P.R.
26  Marriage record of Louis Bosse and Marie-Anne Bourassa, Q.C.P.R.
27  Marriage record of Louis Marchand and Jeanne Bourassa (younger), Q.C.P.R.
28  Baptismal record of François Bourassa (younger), Q.C.P.R.
29  Burial record of François Bourassa (younger), Q.C.P.R.
30  Marriage record of François Bourassa (younger) and Marguerite Jourdain, Q.C.P.R.

The Long Life of a Tobacco Farmer — John Robey

B. about 1714 in Charles County, Maryland¹
M. about 1735 in Charles County, Maryland¹
Wife: Mary ________
D. before 23 Jul 1808 in (probably) Lincoln County, North Carolina²

During much of the 18th century, John Robey made a living growing tobacco in the region around the Potomac River. John was born in about 1714 in Charles County, Maryland,¹ the peninsula south of present-day Washington, DC. His father was also named John, as was his grandfather who had come over from England in the mid-1600s.¹ The Robey family was numerous in Charles County, and it’s challenging to accurately piece them together due to a lack of vital records. John’s mother may have been named Sarah Berry, but this isn't proven.

Map of colonial Maryland showing Charles and Prince George's Counties.

What is known about John is that his early years, and into his middle-age, were spent on small tobacco plantations. The climate and geography of southern Maryland was ideally suited for growing the crop, and it was the reason most people settled there. The peninsula where John lived had natural irrigation from many small streams, which along with rich soil, made the land perfect for growing tobacco. It's likely that John got married during the early 1730s, and his wife was only known by the first name Mary.¹ They had at least eight children, the youngest being born in 1763.³

On November 12, 1750, John purchased an 84-acre plantation in Charles County for the price of 5,000 pounds of tobacco.¹ Most plantations in Maryland were given names to identify them, and this was a section of a larger one called “Three Brothers.” Later, another record dated April 1764 showed he bought more land adjoining the earlier purchase, and this was called “Roby’s Help.”¹ Two years later, John’s name appeared in another transaction, this time a lease for a tract called “Partnership,” located near a place called “Zachiah Manor.”¹ The document showed he would gain possession of 150 acres on Christmas Day of 1766, and that the rent for it was 850 pounds of tobacco per year. In the terms of the deal, he was forbidden from cutting trees for wood. He kept this land until September of 1774.¹

Typical tobacco farm in Maryland.

After that, John seems to have moved to an adjacent county. A census was taken in Maryland in the summer of 1776 which showed him living in Prince George’s County along with wife Mary and eight others ranging in age from 6 to 23.⁴ In February 1778, his name was on a list of men who took the oath of allegiance in support of the Americans declaring independence.⁵ It’s believed that John continued to live in Prince George’s County until the early 1790s, when in his old age, he joined younger family members in moving to Iredell County, North Carolina.³

By the end of his life, John’s wife had died and he was living in the care of his children. All three of his sons had farms there, and it’s likely he lived with one of them. A grandson, Robey Tucker, may have taken him into his household for a time, and John wrote a will dated February 1, 1804 bequeathing Robey’s wife Rachel five pounds for presumably caring for him.² John lived another four years, dying in early 1808 at the age of about 94.²

Among John’s descendants is Vice President Dan Quayle’s wife Marilyn Tucker.

Children:
1. Mary Robey — B. about 1736, Charles County, Maryland;³ D. before 1 Feb 1804;² M. (maybe) Thomas Tucker³

2. Leonard Robey — B. about 1738, Charles County, Maryland;¹ D. 1815, Iredell County, Maryland;³ M. Emma Wedding (~1735-?), 1770, Charles County, Maryland³

3. Esther Robey — B. about 1740, Charles County, Maryland;¹ D. before 1 Feb 1804;² M. ______ Tucker²

4. Berry Robey — B. 1742, Charles County, Maryland;³ D. 1820, Iredell County, North Carolina⁶

5. Tobias Robey — B. about 1745, Charles County, Maryland;³ D. before 12 Nov 1802, Iredell County, North Carolina³

6. Basil Robey — B. Charles County, Maryland³

7. Elizabeth Robey — B. Charles County, Maryland;⁶ M. _______ Barel⁶

8. Edith Robey — B. about 1762, Charles County, Maryland;⁶ D. before 1 Feb 1804;² M. John Smith, 18 Jan 1778, Rowan County, North Carolina⁶

9. Millie Robey — B. 6 Jan 1763, Charles County, Maryland;³ D. 25 Apr 1844, Giles County, Tennessee;³ M. Jeremiah Parker (1766-1841)⁶ 

Sources:
1    Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia’s Northern Neck Counties (website)  
2    North Carolina Probate Records, 1735-1970, FamilySearch.org
3    Robey/Roby/Robie: the family history from early England to America, William Grafton Robey Jr., 1994
4    Maryland Records: Colonial, Revolutionary, County and Church from Original Sources, Vol. 1, Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh, 1915
5    Maryland Indexes, Oaths of Fidelity, 1778, Maryland State Archives
6    "Families of Mary Elizabeth Polly Parker McConnell," Christian County, Missouri Genealogy (website) 

In Court For Husband’s Debt — Marie-Charlotte Beauvais

B. 26 Jun 1667 in Montreal, New France¹
M. 30 Oct 1684 in Montreal, New France²
Husband: Alexandre Turpin
D. 25 Dec 1700 in Montreal, New France³

The wife of a fur trader in New France could sometimes become entangled in her husband’s business, and such was the case for Marie-Charlotte Beauvais. She was born in Montreal on June 26, 1667 to Jacques Beauvais and Jeanne Soldé, the seventh of nine children.¹ Charlotte’s parents had settled in Montreal in 1653, and her mother was part of La Grande Recrue; they met and married within a couple months of their arrival.⁴ For years, her father operated a lime-making business that supplied building mortar to the growing town.⁵

Charlotte was 17-years-old when she got married. Her husband, Alexandre Turpin, was 44, and had been married before with several children around Charlotte’s age; in fact his daughter was married to her older brother. The wedding took place in Montreal on October 30, 1684.² About a year later, Charlotte gave birth to her first child; she had a total of eight children during the next 15 years, with two who died as infants.

Along with raising children and keeping a home, Charlotte took on the role of the wife of a fur trading merchant. Alexandre worked with partners to set up expeditions to the west, organizing the trading merchandise and supplies needed for each trip, and sometimes traveling on the missions as well.⁶ He kept an inn located at Montreal for men who were getting ready for the trips,⁶ and it’s possible that Charlotte helped run it with him.

Alexandre was dealing in large amounts of money, and a wife was considered equally liable in case of debt. Fur traders were required to have a license, which cost a lot of money, and this was how both of them got into trouble in 1699. Early that year, Charlotte was charged along with her husband for non-payment of 3,385 livres for his trading license, and they were both ordered to appear in court. She testified on April 23rd, claiming that she was “not in solidarity” with her husband over the purchase of the license; her signature appears regarding this in the court documents.⁷

1699 court document with Marie-Charlotte's signature. (Source: BAnQ)

Charlotte died on Christmas Day of the following year, one week after giving birth to her last child.³ She was only 33, and left behind five underaged children. Alexandre married a third wife about a year later, and he died by September 16, 1709.⁸ All four of Charlotte’s sons spent time out west, with three of them settling in Kaskaskia, a trading outpost in present-day Illinois.⁹ She was the ancestor of Dan Aykroyd.

Children:
1. Jean-Baptiste Turpin — B. 23 Nov 1685, Montreal, New France;¹⁰ M. Marguerite Fafard (~1692-1756), 5 May 1710, Detroit, New France¹¹

2. Louise Turpin — B. 6 Apr 1687, Montreal, New France;¹² D. 11 Jul 1687, Montreal, New France¹³

3. Jeanne Turpin — B. 7 Sep 1688, Montreal, New France;¹⁴ D. 9 Sep 1688, Montreal, New France¹⁵

4. Charlotte-Marie Turpin — B. 12 Jul 1691, Montreal, New France;¹⁶ D. 17 Jul 1767, Soulanges, Quebec;¹⁷ M. (1) Nicolas Legros (1678-1720), 25 Feb 1713, Lachine, New France;¹⁸ (2) Simon-Joseph Reaume (1697-?), 10 Sep 1722, Lachine, New France¹⁹

5. Louis Turpin — B. 15 May 1694, Montreal, New France;²⁰ D. before 29 Dec 1752, Kaskaskia, New France;⁹ M. (1) Marie Coulon (~1694-1724), 1719, Kaskaskia, New France;²¹ (2) Dorothee Mechipoueoua (~1694-?), 11 Sep 1724, Kaskaskia, New France;²¹ (3) Hélène Hebert, 20 Mar 1751, Kaskaskia, New France⁹

6. Joseph Turpin — B. 21 Jun 1696, Montreal, New France;²² D. before 12 Jan 1751, Kaskaskia, New France;⁹ M. Hypolite Chauvin de La Freniere (1718-1757), 7 Nov 1731, New Orleans, New France²³

7. Jacques Turpin — B. 25 Jul 1698, Montreal, New France;²⁴ D. 3 Jul 1723, Kaskaskia, New France²⁵

8. Marie-Madeleine Turpin — B. 18 Dec 1700, Montreal, New France;²⁶ D. 26 Nov 1777, Montreal, Quebec;²⁷ M. Pierre Babin Lacroix (1692-?), 13 Apr 1723, Boucherville, New France²⁸

Sources:


1    Baptismal record of Marie-Charlotte Beauvais, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Pierre-Alexandre Turpin and Marie-Charlotte Beauvais, Q.C.P.R.
3    Burial record of Marie-Charlotte Beauvais, Q.C.P.R.
4    Jeanne Soldé listing on Fichierorgine.com  
5    Jacques Beauvais listing on Génealogie Québec 

6    Phantoms of the French Fur Trade, Timothy J. Kent, 2015
7    Lawsuit against Alexandre Turpin and Charlotte Beauvais, 7 Apr 1699, BAnQ  
8    Marriage record of Joseph Poirier dit Desloges and Marie Gauthier, Q.C.P.R.
9    Kaskaskia under the French Regime, Natalia Maree Belting, 1948
10  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Turpin, Q.C.P.R.
11  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Turpin and Marguerite Fafard, Q.C.P.R.
12  Baptismal record of Louise Turpin, Q.C.P.R.
13  Burial record of Louise Turpin, Q.C.P.R.
14  Baptismal record of Jeanne Turpin, Q.C.P.R
15  Burial record of Jeanne Turpin, Q.C.P.R.
16  Baptismal record of Charlotte-Marie Turpin, Q.C.P.R.
17  Burial record of Charlotte-Marie Turpin, Q.C.P.R.
18  Marriage record of Nicolas Legros and Charlotte-Marie Turpin, Q.C.P.R.
19  Marriage record of Simon-Joseph Reaume and Charlotte-Marie Turpin, Q.C.P.R.
20  Baptismal record of Louis Turpin, Q.C.P.R.
21  Louis Turpin listing on Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française  
22  Baptismal record of Joseph Turpin, Q.C.P.R.
23  Marriage record of Joseph Turpin and Hypolite Chauvin de La Freniere, St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans records, 1731-1733
24  Baptismal record of Jacques Turpin, Q.C.P.R.
25  Jacques Turpin listing on Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française 
26  Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Turpin, Q.C.P.R.
27  Burial record of Marie-Madeleine Turpin, Q.C.P.R.
28  Marriage record of Pierre Babin Lacroix and Marie-Madeleine Turpin, Q.C.P.R.

Soldier Becomes a Settler — Antoine Bourg dit Lachapelle

B. about 1662 in La Chapelle-Bertin, France^1,2
M. 26 Nov 1696 in Beauport, New France²
Wife: Marie-Anne Vandandaigue
D. 27 Aug 1729 in Montreal, New France¹

After the early 1670s, most new settlers in the colony of New France were there because they served in the military, and Antoine Bourg dit Lachapelle was one such man. His origins were in south central France, a region known today as Haute-Loire; this fact alone makes him rare for a French-Canadian ancestor because the vast majority came from the north and west of France. The village where he was born in about 1662 was called La Chapelle-Bertin,^1,2 a thriving community in the 17th-century that barely exists now. Antoine’s parents were Jean Bours and Catherine Latour, but nothing else is known about the family.

Location of La Chapelle-Bertin in France.

The exact details of Antoine’s service are a mystery. He likely came over in the wave of soldiers sent by France during the 1680s. A strong force was needed to defend the St. Lawrence River area from attacks by the Iroquois to the south. Many of the men served in the Montreal area, but it isn’t known if this was the case for Antoine. At some point, his term of service was up, and he decided to stay in New France rather than return home. During the years following his military service, he wound up in the region known as the Beaupré coast, and this is where he found a wife.

On November 26, 1696, Antoine married Marie-Anne Vandandaigue in the seigneury of Beauport.² Marie-Anne’s father was a native of Brussels who worked as a carpenter in the colony;³ Antoine was said to be a sawyer around this time and perhaps had some business connection to his father-in-law.⁴ After the wedding, the couple settled in Charlesbourg, and began their family with the birth of a son the following year. By 1714, they had a total of nine children, although none of the youngest three lived past infancy.

After the harvest of 1705, Antoine made arrangements to move to the Montreal area. On November 13th, he agreed to purchase a farm in the St-Michel seigneury just outside the city. The land was 3 x 20 arpents, and had a “rustic” house and granary.⁵ Antoine took possession early the following year, but somehow he paid more than the agreed upon price and later discovered he was due a refund of 80 livres. The matter dragged out for years and wasn’t fully resolved until 1743.⁶

Antoine was no longer around by then, having passed away on August 27, 1729.¹ His widow Marie-Anne remarried in 1732 and died 20 years later in 1752.⁷

Children:
1. Jacques Bourg — B. 17 Sep 1697, Charlesbourg, New France;⁸ D. before 17 Aug 1733;⁹ M. Françoise Becquet (1704-1781), 16 Feb 1722, Montreal, New France¹⁰

2. Marie-Anne Bourg — B. 28 Jun 1699, Charlesbourg, New France;¹¹ D. 26 Feb 1761, Lachine, New France;¹² M. (1) Joseph-François Morel (1693-?), 8 Nov 1717, Montreal, New France;¹³ (2) Claude St-Quentin (~1706-1755), 28 Jan 1737, Montreal, New France;¹⁴ (3) Edmond Champagne (1727-1789), 9 May 1757, Montreal, New France¹⁵

3. Jean-Baptiste Bourg — B. 29 Jun 1701, St-Bonaventure, New France;¹⁶ M. Angelique-Catherine Becquet (1701-?), 28 Sep 1722, Montreal, New France¹⁷

4. Louise Bourg — B. 4 Jan 1704, Charlesbourg, New France;¹⁸ D. 6 Oct 1779, Montreal, Quebec;¹⁹ M. Charles Pimpare Tourangeau (1696-1777), 18 Jul 1724, Montreal, New France²⁰

5. Angelique Bourg — B. 8 Sep 1705, Charlesbourg, New France;²¹ D. 2 Feb 1780, St-Vincent-de-Paul, Laval, Quebec;²² M. Pierre Paquet (1698-1766), 11 Nov 1720, Montreal, New France²³

6. Françoise Bourg — B. 2 Dec 1707, Montreal, New France;²⁴ D. 23 May 1733, Montreal, New France;²⁵ M. Jean-Baptiste Rouleau (1704-?), 16 Jun 1727, Montreal, New France²⁶

7. Marie-Agathe Bourg — B. 9 Feb 1710, Montreal, New France;²⁷ D. 9 Jan 1711, Montreal, New France²⁸

8. Marie-Catherine Bourg — B. 19 Jul 1712, Montreal, New France;²⁹ D. Jun 1713, Montreal, New France³⁰

9. François Bourg — B. 5 Aug 1714, Montreal, New France;³¹ D. 30 Dec 1714, Montreal, New France³²

Sources:
1    Burial record of Antoine Bourg dit Lachapelle, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Antoine Bourg dit Lachapelle and Marie-Anne Vandandaigue, Q.C.P.R.
3    Court record mentioning Joseph Vandandaigue’s profession, 4 Aug 1695, BAnQ  
4    Inventaire des greffes des notaires du Régime français, Vol. 18, p. 319, Pierre-Georges Roy
5    Marie Brazeau: femme en Nouvelle-France, Rémi Tougas
6    Inventaire des greffes des notaires du Régime français, Vol. 15, p. 180, Pierre-Georges Roy
7    Burial record of Marie-Anne Vandandaigue, Q.C.P.R.
8    Baptismal record of Jacques Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
9    Marriage record of Ursin Dutalme and Françoise Becquet, Q.C.P.R.
10  Marriage record of Jacques Bourg and Françoise Becquet Q.C.P.R.
11  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
12  Burial record of Marie-Anne Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
13  Marriage record of Joseph-François Morel and Marie-Anne Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of Claude St-Quentin and Marie-Anne Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of Edmond Champagne and Marie-Anne Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
16  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
17  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Bourg and Angelique-Catherine Becquet , Q.C.P.R.
18  Baptismal record of Louise Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
19  Burial record of Louise Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
20  Marriage record of Charles Pimpare Tourangeau and Louise Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
21  Baptismal record of Angelique Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
22  Burial record of Angelique Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
23  Marriage record of Pierre Paquet and Angelique Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
24  Baptismal record of Françoise Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
25  Burial record of Françoise Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
26  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Rouleau and Françoise Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
27  Baptismal record of Marie-Agathe Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
28  Burial record of Marie-Agathe Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
29  Baptismal record of Marie-Catherine Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
30  Burial record of Marie-Catherine Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
31  Baptismal record of François Bourg, Q.C.P.R.
32  Burial record of François Bourg, Q.C.P.R.

Fille du Roi From La Rochelle — Louise Faure

B. about 1642 in La Rochelle, France^1,2
M. after 28 Oct 1668 in New France²
Husband: Pierre Gagné
D. 24 May 1714 in Cap-St-Ignace, New France³

Geography played an important role in which 17th-century French women became settlers of New France, and many were from the port city of La Rochelle, including Louise Faure. No baptism record survives; from later records, her reported age showed she may have been born as early as 1636, but a more likely date was about 1642.¹ Louise’s parents were Jean Faure and Ozanne Planchet of St-Barthelemy parish,² a church with a history that dated back to medieval times, although the one they attended had been built in 1648.⁴

In 1668, Louise was recruited to marry a settler in New France. La Rochelle people were thought by some authorities to be less reliable settlers. In a letter requesting migrants in 1664, François de Laval asked for recruits from other parts of France because those from La Rochelle were "without religion, lazy and very cowardly at work.”⁵ Nonetheless, because it was the port city where the ships sailed to America, it was convenient for signing up Filles du Roi, and Louise was enlisted. She arrived at Quebec City on July 3rd; her ship, La Nouvelle France, carried 81 prospective brides.⁶ Then came the effort to make a match, which in Louise’s case took several months. On October 28th, she agreed to a marriage contract with a man named Pierre Gagné.²

Marriage contract signatures with marks of Pierre and Louise.

The record of Louise’s wedding is lost, but it may have taken place on the Beaupré coast where he lived. Their first child was baptized on November 3, 1670 at Ste-Anne-de Beaupré;⁷ by 1683, they had five more. By 1678, the family moved to Cap-St-Ignace, a seigneury on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River.⁸ Their farm had 14 arpents under cultivation in 1681, along with 10 head of cattle.¹

Louise and Pierre spent the rest of their lives in Cap-St-Ignace. After the last of their children was married off, they entered a phase of retirement, and on August 5, 1711, they signed their property over to youngest son Louis-Augustin.⁹ Pierre seems to have died first, although his burial is missing from parish records. Louise passed away on May 24, 1714, and was buried at the Cap-St-Ignace cemetery.³

Children:
1. Pierre Gagné — B. 3 Nov 1670, Ste-Anne-de Beaupré, New France;⁷ D. 25 Apr 1748, St-Michel, Bellechasse, New France;¹⁰ M. Louise Proulx (1679-?), 22 Jun 1700, St-Thomas, Montmagny, New France¹¹

2. Jean Gagné — B. 17 Jul 1672, Ste-Anne-de Beaupré, New France;¹² D. 8 Apr 1731, Montmagny, New France;¹³ M. Marie-Madeleine Langlois (1678-1741), 11 Jan 1699, Cap-St-Ignace, New France¹⁴

3. Marie-Anne Gagné — B. 17 Feb 1674, Ste-Anne-de Beaupré, New France;¹⁵ D. 17 Apr 1751, Montmagny, New France;¹⁶ M. Denis Proulx (1676-1749), 17 Nov 1699, Cap-St-Ignace, New France¹⁷

4. François Gagné — B. 17 Nov 1677, (probably) Cap-St-Ignace, New France;⁸ D. 22 Oct 1758, St-Pierre, Rivière-du-Sud, New France;¹⁸ M. Elisabeth Langlois (~1687-1768), 7 Jan 1709, L’Islet-sur-mer, New France¹⁹

5. Louis-Augustin Gagné — B. 1 Feb 1680, Cap-St-Ignace, New France;²⁰ D. 25 Feb 1748, Cap-St-Ignace, New France;²¹ M. (1) Elisabeth Charland (1687-1721), 21 Nov 1707, Montmagny, New France;²² (2) Marie Boudeau (1697-1736), 13 Apr 1722, Montmagny, New France²³

6. Elisabeth Gagné — B. 24 Aug 1683, Cap-St-Ignace, New France;²⁴ M. Joseph Fournier (1685-?), 17 Nov 1710, Cap-St-Ignace, New France²⁵

Sources:
1    Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
2    King’s Daughters and Founding Mothers—1663-1673, pp. 246-247, Peter Gagne, 2000
3    Burial record of Louise Faure, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
4    La Rochelle Cathedral (Wikipedia article) 
5    Navires venus en Nouvelle-France (website)  
6    Migrations (website)  
7    Baptismal record of Pierre Gagné (younger), Q.C.P.R.
8    Baptismal record of François Gagné, Q.C.P.R.
9    Deed of Donation of Pierre Gagné and Louise Faure, 5 Aug 1711, BAnQ (website)  
10  Burial record of Pierre Gagné (younger), Q.C.P.R
11  Marriage record of Pierre Gagné and Louise Proulx, Q.C.P.R
12  Baptismal record of Jean Gagné, Q.C.P.R.
13  Burial record of Jean Gagné, Q.C.P.R
14  Marriage record of Jean Gagné and Marie-Madeleine Langlois, Q.C.P.R
15  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Gagné, Q.C.P.R.
16  Burial record of Marie-Anne Gagné, Q.C.P.R
17  Marriage record of Denis Proulx and Marie-Anne Gagné, Q.C.P.R
18  Burial record of François Gagné, Q.C.P.R
19  Marriage record of François Gagné and Elisabeth Langlois, Q.C.P.R
20  Baptismal record of Louis-Augustin Gagné, Q.C.P.R.
21  Burial record of Louis-Augustin Gagné, Q.C.P.R
22  Marriage record of Louis Augustin Gagné and Elisabeth Charland, Q.C.P.R
23  Marriage record of Louis Augustin Gagné and Marie Boudeau, Q.C.P.R
24  Baptismal record of Elisabeth Gagné, Q.C.P.R.
25  Marriage record of Joseph Fournier and Elisabeth Gagné, Q.C.P.R