M. 16 Nov 1711 in St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France2
Wife: Marguerite Leclerc
D. 7 Dec 1749 in St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France3
Nicolas Baillargeon spent his entire life farming on the south shore of Île d’Orleans, and much (if not all) of his time was on land his grandfather had first plowed. Nicolas was born on May 27, 1684 to Jean Baillargeon and Marie-Jeanne Godbout.1 His birthplace was St-Laurent, the same seigneury where both of his parents had grown up. The Baillargeons had been early settlers on Île d’Orleans with Nicolas’ paternal grandfather moving to St-Laurent around 1660. His maternal grandfather, Nicolas Godbout, arrived sometime during the next ten years.4
In a place where most families had more than ten children, Nicolas had only three full-blooded siblings. His father died when he was just 10-years-old,5 and his mother waited several years before remarrying, giving him one half-brother. A generation earlier also produced small numbers of offspring, and between both sides of Nicolas’ family, he only had four uncles and one aunt. Without lots of sons to help plow the fields, this made farming more difficult, but it also meant it was easier to inherit land. Perhaps this was how Nicolas was able to stay in one place — not to be forced to leave the island when he came of age.
There are two plat maps from Nicolas’ lifetime that show evidence of where his family lived. The first map was drawn in 1689, when he was about 5-years-old.6 Here we can see a house described as belonging to the heirs of Nicolas Godbout, and next to it was the house of a man named Louis Coulombe.
1689 map showing Nicolas' grandfather's farm.
The second map was made in 1709 showing Coulombe’s farm in the same position, and in the one next to it is the name "N. Baillargeon," which was Nicolas.7 His step-father’s name is on the farm to the other side of the Coulombe land, and next to that are two of Nicolas’ uncles named Nicolas and Joseph Godbout.
Two years after the date of the second map, Nicolas got married. His bride was Marguerite Leclerc, who was from a farm nearby; their wedding took place at St-Laurent church on November 16, 1711.2 The two produced a large family of 15 children born between 1712 and 1738, although 5 of them died young. Did Nicolas remain on the same farm during all of that time? It’s likely that he did because the island was completely subdivided, offering no opportunity to clear new land inland, so families held onto their property. Some of his children moved to the mainland after they came of age.
Nicolas died in St-Laurent on December 7, 1749, and was buried at the church near his home.3 His wife Marguerite passed away just a few months later.8
Children:
1. Marguerite-Angelique Baillargeon — B. 29 Aug 1712, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France;9 D. 1 Mar 1713, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France10
2. Nicolas Baillargeon — B. 12 Sep 1713, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;11 D. 10 May 1740, Montmagny, New France;12 M. Marie-Madeleine Proulx (1712-?), 10 Nov 1737, Montmagny, New France13
3. Jean-Baptiste Baillargeon — B. 17 Nov 1714, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;14 D. 15 Oct 1780, La Prairie, Quebec;15 M. (1) Marie-Jeanne Bareau (1722-1755), 1 Mar 1745, La Prairie, New France;16 (2) Marguerite-Josephe Desnoyers (~1719-?), 1 May 1758, La Prairie, New France17
4. Joseph Baillargeon — B. 7 Dec 1715, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;18 D. 21 Sep 1782, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, Quebec;19 M. Hélène Nöel (1722-1798), 11 Nov 1754, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France20
5. Antoine Baillargeon — B. 28 Jan 1717, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;21 D. 5 Dec 1717, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France22
6. Madeleine Baillargeon — B. 6 Apr 1718, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;23 D. 20 Oct 1792, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, Quebec;24 M. Jacques Letourneau (1716-1805), 16 Nov 1739, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France25
7. Marguerite Baillargeon — B. 24 Jul 1719, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;26 D. 15 Mar 1788, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, Quebec;27 M. (1) Theophile Greffard (1724-1756), 14 Apr 1755, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;28 (2) Ignace Martel (1713-?), 2 May 1766, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, Quebec29
8. Louis Baillargeon — B. 13 Sep 1720, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;30 D. 24 Aug 1762, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;31 Therese Dorval (1729-1813), 23 Feb 1756, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France32
9. Ignace Baillargeon — B. 9 Nov 1721, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;33 D. 21 Nov 1746, Quebec City, New France34
10. Genevieve Baillargeon — B. 13 Jan 1724, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;35 D. 7 Mar 1724, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France36
11. Antoine Baillargeon — B. 6 Sep 1725, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;37 D. 12 Apr 1782, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, Quebec;38 M. Elisabeth Chabot (1738-1789), 1 Feb 1763, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France39
12. François Baillargeon — B. 7 Feb 1728, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;40 D. 23 Jul 1738, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France41
13. Pierre Baillargeon — B. 13 Nov 1729, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;42 D. 6 Aug 1730, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France43
14. Marie-Anne Baillargeon — B. 20 Jul 1733, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;44 M. Louis Chabot (1740-?), 7 Feb 1763, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France45
15. Augustin Baillargeon — B. 20 May 1738, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;46 D. May 1784; M. Marie-Antoinette Paquet (~1745-1793), 15 Apr 1771, Chambly, Quebec47
Sources:
1 Baptismal record of Nicolas Baillargeon, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2 Marriage record of Nicolas Baillargeon and Marguerite Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
3 Burial record of Nicolas Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
4 Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
5 Burial record of Nicolas Baillargeon (Nicolas’ father), Q.C.P.R.
6 1689 map of Île d’Orleans, BAnQ
7 1709 map of Île d’Orleans and surrounding area, BAnQ
8 Burial record of Marguerite Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
9 Baptismal record of Marguerite-Angelique Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
10 Burial record of Marguerite-Angelique Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
11 Baptismal record of Nicolas Baillargeon (younger), Q.C.P.R.
12 Burial record of Nicolas Baillargeon (younger), Q.C.P.R.
13 Marriage record of Nicolas Baillargeon and Marie-Madeleine Proulx, Q.C.P.R.
14 Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
15 Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
16 Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Baillargeon and Marie-Jeanne Bareau, Q.C.P.R.
17 Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Baillargeon and Marguerite-Josephe Desnoyers, Q.C.P.R.
18 Baptismal record of Joseph Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
19 Burial record of Joseph Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
20 Marriage record of Joseph Baillargeon and Hélène Nöel, Q.C.P.R.
21 Baptismal record of Antoine Baillargeon (older), Q.C.P.R.
22 Burial record of Antoine Baillargeon (older), Q.C.P.R.
23 Baptismal record of Madeleine Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
24 Burial record of Madeleine Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
25 Marriage record of Jacques Letourneau and Madeleine Baillargeon Q.C.P.R.
26 Baptismal record of Marguerite Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
27 Burial record of Marguerite Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
28 Marriage record of Theophile Greffard and Marguerite Baillargeon Q.C.P.R.
29 Marriage record of Ignace Martel and Marguerite Baillargeon Q.C.P.R.
30 Baptismal record of Louis Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
31 Burial record of Louis Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
32 Marriage record of Louis Baillargeon and Therese Dorval, Q.C.P.R.
33 Baptismal record of Ignace Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
34 Burial record of Ignace Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
35 Baptismal record of Genevieve Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
36 Burial record of Genevieve Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
37 Baptismal record of Antoine Baillargeon (younger), Q.C.P.R.
38 Burial record of Antoine Baillargeon (younger), Q.C.P.R.
39 Marriage record of Antoine Baillargeon and Elisabeth Chabot, Q.C.P.R.
40 Baptismal record of François Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
41 Burial record of François Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
42 Baptismal record of Pierre Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
43 Burial record of Pierre Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
44 Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
45 Marriage record of Louis Chabot and Marie-Anne Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
46 Baptismal record of Augustin Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
47 Marriage record of Augustin Baillargeon and Marie-Antoinette Paquet, Q.C.P.R.
1709 map showing Nicolas' farm.
Two years after the date of the second map, Nicolas got married. His bride was Marguerite Leclerc, who was from a farm nearby; their wedding took place at St-Laurent church on November 16, 1711.2 The two produced a large family of 15 children born between 1712 and 1738, although 5 of them died young. Did Nicolas remain on the same farm during all of that time? It’s likely that he did because the island was completely subdivided, offering no opportunity to clear new land inland, so families held onto their property. Some of his children moved to the mainland after they came of age.
Nicolas died in St-Laurent on December 7, 1749, and was buried at the church near his home.3 His wife Marguerite passed away just a few months later.8
Children:
1. Marguerite-Angelique Baillargeon — B. 29 Aug 1712, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France;9 D. 1 Mar 1713, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France10
2. Nicolas Baillargeon — B. 12 Sep 1713, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;11 D. 10 May 1740, Montmagny, New France;12 M. Marie-Madeleine Proulx (1712-?), 10 Nov 1737, Montmagny, New France13
3. Jean-Baptiste Baillargeon — B. 17 Nov 1714, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;14 D. 15 Oct 1780, La Prairie, Quebec;15 M. (1) Marie-Jeanne Bareau (1722-1755), 1 Mar 1745, La Prairie, New France;16 (2) Marguerite-Josephe Desnoyers (~1719-?), 1 May 1758, La Prairie, New France17
4. Joseph Baillargeon — B. 7 Dec 1715, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;18 D. 21 Sep 1782, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, Quebec;19 M. Hélène Nöel (1722-1798), 11 Nov 1754, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France20
5. Antoine Baillargeon — B. 28 Jan 1717, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;21 D. 5 Dec 1717, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France22
6. Madeleine Baillargeon — B. 6 Apr 1718, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;23 D. 20 Oct 1792, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, Quebec;24 M. Jacques Letourneau (1716-1805), 16 Nov 1739, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France25
7. Marguerite Baillargeon — B. 24 Jul 1719, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;26 D. 15 Mar 1788, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, Quebec;27 M. (1) Theophile Greffard (1724-1756), 14 Apr 1755, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;28 (2) Ignace Martel (1713-?), 2 May 1766, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, Quebec29
8. Louis Baillargeon — B. 13 Sep 1720, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;30 D. 24 Aug 1762, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;31 Therese Dorval (1729-1813), 23 Feb 1756, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France32
9. Ignace Baillargeon — B. 9 Nov 1721, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;33 D. 21 Nov 1746, Quebec City, New France34
10. Genevieve Baillargeon — B. 13 Jan 1724, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;35 D. 7 Mar 1724, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France36
11. Antoine Baillargeon — B. 6 Sep 1725, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;37 D. 12 Apr 1782, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, Quebec;38 M. Elisabeth Chabot (1738-1789), 1 Feb 1763, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France39
12. François Baillargeon — B. 7 Feb 1728, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;40 D. 23 Jul 1738, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France41
13. Pierre Baillargeon — B. 13 Nov 1729, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;42 D. 6 Aug 1730, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France43
14. Marie-Anne Baillargeon — B. 20 Jul 1733, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;44 M. Louis Chabot (1740-?), 7 Feb 1763, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France45
15. Augustin Baillargeon — B. 20 May 1738, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;46 D. May 1784; M. Marie-Antoinette Paquet (~1745-1793), 15 Apr 1771, Chambly, Quebec47
Sources:
1 Baptismal record of Nicolas Baillargeon, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2 Marriage record of Nicolas Baillargeon and Marguerite Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
3 Burial record of Nicolas Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
4 Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
5 Burial record of Nicolas Baillargeon (Nicolas’ father), Q.C.P.R.
6 1689 map of Île d’Orleans, BAnQ
7 1709 map of Île d’Orleans and surrounding area, BAnQ
8 Burial record of Marguerite Leclerc, Q.C.P.R.
9 Baptismal record of Marguerite-Angelique Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
10 Burial record of Marguerite-Angelique Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
11 Baptismal record of Nicolas Baillargeon (younger), Q.C.P.R.
12 Burial record of Nicolas Baillargeon (younger), Q.C.P.R.
13 Marriage record of Nicolas Baillargeon and Marie-Madeleine Proulx, Q.C.P.R.
14 Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
15 Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
16 Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Baillargeon and Marie-Jeanne Bareau, Q.C.P.R.
17 Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Baillargeon and Marguerite-Josephe Desnoyers, Q.C.P.R.
18 Baptismal record of Joseph Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
19 Burial record of Joseph Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
20 Marriage record of Joseph Baillargeon and Hélène Nöel, Q.C.P.R.
21 Baptismal record of Antoine Baillargeon (older), Q.C.P.R.
22 Burial record of Antoine Baillargeon (older), Q.C.P.R.
23 Baptismal record of Madeleine Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
24 Burial record of Madeleine Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
25 Marriage record of Jacques Letourneau and Madeleine Baillargeon Q.C.P.R.
26 Baptismal record of Marguerite Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
27 Burial record of Marguerite Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
28 Marriage record of Theophile Greffard and Marguerite Baillargeon Q.C.P.R.
29 Marriage record of Ignace Martel and Marguerite Baillargeon Q.C.P.R.
30 Baptismal record of Louis Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
31 Burial record of Louis Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
32 Marriage record of Louis Baillargeon and Therese Dorval, Q.C.P.R.
33 Baptismal record of Ignace Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
34 Burial record of Ignace Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
35 Baptismal record of Genevieve Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
36 Burial record of Genevieve Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
37 Baptismal record of Antoine Baillargeon (younger), Q.C.P.R.
38 Burial record of Antoine Baillargeon (younger), Q.C.P.R.
39 Marriage record of Antoine Baillargeon and Elisabeth Chabot, Q.C.P.R.
40 Baptismal record of François Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
41 Burial record of François Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
42 Baptismal record of Pierre Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
43 Burial record of Pierre Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
44 Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
45 Marriage record of Louis Chabot and Marie-Anne Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
46 Baptismal record of Augustin Baillargeon, Q.C.P.R.
47 Marriage record of Augustin Baillargeon and Marie-Antoinette Paquet, Q.C.P.R.
