M. 28 Nov 1680 in Beauport, New France2
Husband: Jacques Menard dit Deslauriers
D. Mar 1743 in Beauport, New France3
Because parish records in New France were honest about out-of-wedlock births, we know that the man who raised Marie-Madeleine Baugis wasn’t her biological father. Madeleine was born in the seigneury of Beauport on February 7, 1662 to a woman named Madeleine Dubois, who had only recently been married to Michel Baugis.1 However, Madeleine’s baptismal record gave a different name for her father: Jean Royer. In fact, her full name as written in the margin was “Marie-Madeleine Royer.”
Record of Marie-Madeleine's baptism in 1662.
What was the story of this situation? Madeleine’s mother had arrived from France, probably in the previous year, seeking a man to marry,4 and had an encounter with Royer which resulted in pregnancy. Then she chose to marry Baugis instead,5 who must have known she was pregnant and accepted the arrangement. There’s no indication that Royer attended his daughter’s baptism, or that Madeleine had any contact with him in her life. He later married another woman,6 and moved to Île d’Orleans;7 after fathering seven more children, he died in 1676.8
The baptism was the only time Madeleine was recorded with the name Royer, and thereafter, she took her step-father’s name.2 It wasn’t long before the Baugis household grew with the birth of more children, and by about 1679, Madeleine had six half-siblings. It’s likely that Michel Baugis treated her as his oldest child, and her marriage record named him as her father. On November 28, 1680, Madeleine married Jacques Menard dit Deslauriers, a soldier-turned-settler.2 Baugis was very generous towards the newlyweds, providing a house for them to live, and many of the supplies they needed to get started.9
Madeleine spent the rest of her life in the community where she was born. With husband Jacques, she had ten children born between 1681 and 1702,10,11 two of whom died young. Jacques died at age 72 on November 27, 1716, and sadly, the inventory of his estate indicated that their house was in poor condition.9 Madeleine lived for many years as a widow, likely cared for by those of her children who continued to live in Beauport. She passed away in March of 1743.3
Children:
1. Marguerite Ménard — B. 8 Nov 1681, Beauport, New France;10 D. 25 Dec 1761, Beauport, New France;13 M. Andre Paradis (1676-1745), 7 Jan 1697, Beauport, New France14
2. Jean Ménard — B. 3 May 1684, Beauport, New France;15 D. 15 Dec 1770, Beauport, Quebec;16 M. Françoise Vachon (1689-1749), 11 Jan 1712, Beauport, New France17
3. Marie-Anne Ménard — B. 18 Apr 1686, Beauport, New France;18 D. 20 Jul 1770, Beauport, Quebec;19 M. Nöel Dupras (1681-1743), 4 Jun 1715, Beauport, New France20
4. Jacques Ménard — B. 23 Sep 1688, Beauport, New France;21 D. 12 May 1754, Quebec City, New France;22 M. Angelique Deslisle (1696-1769), 13 Feb 1719, Quebec City, New France23
5. René Ménard — B. 16 Nov 1690, Beauport, New France;24 D. before 3 Mar 1697, (probably) Beauport, New France25
6. Pierre Ménard — B. 27 Dec 1691, Beauport, New France;26 D. 4 Aug 1766, Lauzon, Quebec;27 M. Therese Giroux (1694-1774), 8 Nov 1717, Beauport, New France28
7. Michel Ménard — B. 20 Jun 1694, Beauport, New France;29 M. Madeleine Papillion (1705-1771), 26 Aug 1723, Neuville, New France30
8. René Ménard — B. 3 Mar 1697, Beauport, New France;25 D. 26 Jan 1715, Beauport, New France31
9. Madeleine Ménard — B. 30 Apr 1699, Beauport, New France;32 D. 18 May 1743, St-Joseph-de-Beauce, Quebec;33 M. Nöel Maheu (1690-?), 8 Nov 1717, Beauport, New France34
10. Charles Ménard — B. 16 Aug 1702, Beauport, New France;11 D. 30 Jul 1769, Quebec City, Quebec;35 M. Genevieve Belanger (1709-1782), 5 Nov 1736, Beauport, New France36
Sources:
1 Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Royer, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2 Marriage record of Jacques Ménard dit Deslauriers and Marie-Madeleine Baugis, Q.C.P.R.
3 Burial record of Marie-Madeleine Baugis, Q.C.P.R.
4 Before the King’s Daughters: The Filles à Marier, page 118, Peter Gagne, 2002
5 Marriage record of Michel Baugis and Madeleine Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
6 Marriage record of Jean Royer and Marie Targer, Q.C.P.R.
7 King’s Daughters and Founding Mothers—1663-1673, page 529, Peter Gagne, 2000
8 Burial record of Jean Royer, Q.C.P.R.
9 Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
10 Baptismal record of Marguerite Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
11 Baptismal record of Charles Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
12 Burial record of Jacques Ménard dit Deslauriers, Q.C.P.R.
13 Burial record of Marguerite Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
14 Marriage record of André Paradis and Marguerite Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
15 Baptismal record of Jean Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
16 Burial record of Jean Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
17 Marriage record of Jean Ménard and Françoise Vachon, Q.C.P.R.
18 Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
19 Burial record of Marie-Anne Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
20 Marriage record of Nöel Dupras and Marie-Anne Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
21 Baptismal record of Jacques Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
22 Burial record of Jacques Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
23 Marriage record of Jacques Ménard and Angelique Deslisle, Q.C.P.R.
24 Baptismal record of René Ménard (older), Q.C.P.R.
25 Baptismal record of René Ménard (younger), Q.C.P.R.
26 Baptismal record of Pierre Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
27 Burial record of Pierre Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
28 Marriage record of Pierre Ménard and Therese Giroux, Q.C.P.R.
29 Baptismal record of Michel Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
30 Marriage record of Michel Ménard and Madeleine Papillion, Q.C.P.R.
31 Burial record of René Ménard (younger), Q.C.P.R.
32 Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
33 Burial record of Madeleine Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
34 Marriage record of Nöel Maheu and Madeleine Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
35 Burial record of Charles Ménard, Q.C.P.R.
36 Marriage record of Charles Ménard and Genevieve Belanger, Q.C.P.R.
