Giving Birth to Sixteen Children — Louise Jean

B. 18 May 1678 in La Canardière, New France
M. 2 Jun 1692 in Quebec City, New France
Husband: Jacques Chouinard
D. 1 Jan 1750 in St-Jean-Port-Joli, New France

In 17th-century New France, the authorities wanted settlers to raise big families. The ideal was for a woman to have at least ten children, and Louise Jean met that goal.

Louise was born on May 18, 1678 in La Canardière, New France to Pierre Jean and Françoise Favreau. Her parents were immigrants from the La Rochelle area of France, who moved to America in 1669. Louise grew up with two brothers—a much smaller family than the one she would raise.

On June 2, 1692, Louise was married at age 14 to Jacques Chouinard, a 29-year-old man from France. To get the couple started in life, her father gave her new husband a plow with rigging, two horses, a foal, a cow, a heifer and 400 bales of hay. He offered temporary housing for the newlyweds, then provided a small farm at La Canardière. Louise had her first child, a son, in 1695, and the baby was baptized in Quebec City. 

Louise’s family next moved to Île-aux-Oies (Island of the Geese), where Jacques had acquired a farm in 1697. The island was sparsely populated and had no church, so when Louise gave birth to her next four children, they had to be taken to the south shore community of Cap-St-Ignace in order to be baptized. Sadly, two babies born in 1697 and 1698 died as infants. 

Taking a baby to be baptized. (AI-generated image)

Perhaps the isolation of the island caused Louise’s family to migrate once again, this time to the south shore of the St. Lawrence. After the harvest of 1702, they settled in St-Jean-Port-Joli, where Louise’s father and some of her siblings already lived. Jacques built a house, described as being “20 by 18 feet, covered with planks and with a stone fireplace,” and it was here that Louise gave birth to 11 more children, although her second youngest seems to have been stillborn. One child died in a terrible accident; in April 1707, 2-year-old Jean-Baptiste was “burned in the fire and drowned in the cold water.” The death record gave no other details of the incident.

Louise’s last pregnancy was in 1720 when she was 42 years of age. The following year, her husband Jacques seems to have died on a trip back to France. At the time Louise became a widow, she had 10 children in the household, but her oldest three sons were of age, so they likely helped support the family.

On February 10, 1727, Louise signed over her property and possessions to the seven children who were still under her roof; in return, she kept the use of her home during her lifetime, and asked her oldest unmarried son, Pierre, to have 60 masses said for her after her death. French Catholics had a belief that priests who celebrated mass in honor of the deceased helped their souls reach heaven, and this was done by paying the church. 

Louise died at St-Jean-Port-Joli on January 1, 1750 at the age of 71. It isn’t known if her wishes regarding the 60 masses were carried out by her son. She was an ancestor of Dan Aykroyd.

Children:
1. Pierre Chouinard — B. 20 Apr 1695, (probably) La Canardière, New France; D. 19 Jun 1767, L'Islet-sur-Mer, Quebec; M. Ursule Martin (1704-1792), 14 Feb 1724, Ste-Anne-de-la-Pocatiere, New France

2. Jacques Chouinard — B. 10 Aug 1697, Île-aux-Oies, New France; D. 14 Aug 1697,  Île-aux-Oies, New France

3. Joseph Chouinard — B. 9 Aug 1698, Île-aux-Oies, New France; D. 2 Dec 1699,  Île-aux-Oies, New France

4. Jacques-Eustache Chouinard — B. 17 Sep 1700, Île-aux-Oies, New France; D. 3 Nov 1760, Montmagny, New France; M. Marie-Madeleine Berube (1708-1763), 8 Jul 1725, Riviere-Ouelle, New France

5. Pierre Chouinard — B. 28 Feb 1702,  Île-aux-Oies, New France  D. 7 Jan 1790, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec; M. (1) Genevieve Lizotte (1705-?), 18 Nov 1727, Ste-Anne-de-la-Pocatiere, New France; (2) Marie-Anne Pelletier (1725-1773), 4 Nov 1743, Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies, New France

6. Louise Chouinard — B. 28 Jan 1704, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France; D. 8 Jan 1783, Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies, Quebec; M. Charles Pelletier (1700-1776), 25 Nov 1726, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France

7. Jean-Baptiste Chouinard — B. 10 May 1705, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France; D. Apr 1707, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France

8. Marguerite Chouinard — B. 29 Mar 1707, Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, New France; D. 24 Jan 1751, St-Ours, New France; M. Pierre Fortin (1704-1788), 19 Nov 1730, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France

9. Marie-Anne Chouinard — B. 25 Jul 1708, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France; M. (1) Alexandre Saint-Pierre (1703-?), 15 Nov 1728, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France; (2) Jean-Baptiste Migneault (1707-?), 10 Nov 1766, Ste-Anne-de-la-Pocatiere, Quebec

10. Marie-Ursule Chouinard — B. 14 Aug 1710, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France; D. 24 Mar 1735, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France; M. Henri Parent (1696-1780), 15 May 1729, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France

11. François Chouinard — B. 14 Aug 1710, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France; M. Marguerite Luret (~1716-1789), abt 1737, New France

12. Elisabeth Chouinard — B. 5 Feb 1714, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France; D. 5 Aug 1714, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France

13. Jacques Chouinard — B. 15 Feb 1715, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France

14. Julien Chouinard — B. 22 Nov 1716, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France; D. 14 Dec 1791, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec; M. Reine Fortin (1708-1790), 16 Jan 1741, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France

15. Baby Boy Chouinard — B. 18 Dec 1718, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France; D. 18 Dec 1718, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France

16. Charles Chouinard — B. 12 Aug 1720, L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France; M. Marie-Dorothee Fortin (1714-1793), L'Islet-sur-Mer, New France

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

Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990WikiTree

Worker in a 17th Century Quebec Hospital — Jean Bouron

B. about 1642 in Saint-Hilaire-sur-l'Autize, Vendée, France
M. (1) 7 Oct 1686 in Beauport, New France
Wife: Anne Binet
M. (2) 3 Aug 1699 in Quebec City, New France
Wife: Marie-Françoise Chaqueneau
D. 28 Mar 1712 in Quebec City, New France

Jean Bouron once worked at a place where nuns took care of the sick, and he would later become a patient there himself. He was born in about 1642 in the parish of Saint-Hilaire-sur-l'Autize, near La Rochelle, France; his parents were Hilaire Bouron and Hèléne Souchet. Nothing is known of Jean’s early years until he arrived in New France in about 1677.

Jean was very likely an indentured servant, a man who contracted to perform work for several years in exchange for passage to America. Such workers were looking for an opportunity in life that they couldn’t acquire back in France. Jean was already in his thirties when he migrated. One of his employers in Quebec was Jean Thibierge, who hired him on October 16, 1679; it’s unknown what sort of work he did for him, but typically male servants worked on farms, or performed other sorts of physical labor.

By 1681, Jean was working at Hôtel-Dieu de Quebec, the hospital run by Augustin nuns in Quebec City. The census that year listed him as one of 24 “servants” who made their home at the facility; they ranged in age from 24 to 81, and all but two of them were men. Hôtel-Dieu was founded in 1640, and provided medical care and treatment for anyone who needed it. During the time Jean worked there, the hospital had one room for male patients and one room for females. The men who were servants helped the nuns in whatever way they were needed, probably doing such things as lifting patients, handling supplies and maintaining the building.

Working at Hôtel-Dieu. (AI-generated image)

It isn’t known how long Jean worked at Hôtel-Dieu, and by 1686, he was living in the settlement of Beauport, just downriver from Quebec. On October 7th of that year, he married Anne Binet, who at age 18 had already been widowed. It was noted on their marriage record that neither Jean or Anne could sign their names. Between 1687 and 1696, the couple had six children, but sadly, four died as infants.

Records showed that both Jean and Anne sought treatment at Hôtel-Dieu several times. Both were there in early 1690, then Anne in June 1692, and Jean in July 1695 and April 1696. It isn’t specified what they were treated for or if they had a length of stay at the hospital. Anne died in Charlesbourg on August 3, 1698. Exactly one year later, Jean married another widow, Marie-Françoise Chaqueneau; they had no children together.

Jean’s second wife died at Charlesbourg on May 16, 1708, and his oldest son, Michel passed away the following year at age 21. Only his youngest son, Antoine-Joseph, outlived Jean, who died on March 28, 1712 at Hôtel-Dieu in Quebec. Jean was the ancestor of Ricky Gervais.

Children (all by Anne Binet):
1. Michel Bouron — B. 23 Dec 1687, Beauport, New France; D. 20 Feb 1709, Beauport, New France; M. Marie-Madeleine Vivier (1688-1729), 5 Nov 1708, Charlesbourg, New France

2. Catherine Bouron — B. Nov 1689, (probably) Beauport, New France; D. Nov 1689, (probably) Beauport, New France

3. Marie-Madeleine Bouron — B. Mar 1691, (probably) Beauport, New France; D. Sep 1691, (probably) Beauport, New France

4. Pierre-Joseph Bouron — B. Aug 1693, (probably) Beauport, New France; D. Dec 1693, (probably) Beauport, New France

5. Marie-Anne Bouron — B. Nov 1694, (probably) Charlesbourg, New France; D. Nov 1694, (probably) Charlesbourg, New France

6. Antoine-Joseph Bouron — B. 18 Mar 1696, Charlesbourg, New France; D. before Jul 1742, New France; M. Marie-Josephe Boyer (1704-1742), 2 Jan 1722, St-Laurent, Montreal, New France

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

WikiTree

Returning to her Tribal Land — Marie-Anne You

B. about 1695 in (probably) Native American camp at future site of Chicago
M. 15 Aug 1718 in Montreal, Quebec
Husband: Jean-Baptiste Richard
D. after 4 Nov 1766 in (probably) Post Vincennes, Illinois Territory

Marie-Anne You was a Métis woman who grew up among her mother’s tribe, and later married a French man in Montreal. But she found that she preferred the place she knew as a child, and she was allowed to move back.

Marie-Anne’s mother (called Elisabeth) was a member of the Wea tribe, a branch of the Miami people who lived in what is today western Indiana. During the late 17th century, the Wea were among several other tribes who were pushed west by aggression from the Iroquois, and during the 1690s, two camps were settled near the mouth of the Chicago River. It was here that Marie-Anne’s parents must have met.

The father of Marie-Anne was a French fur trader named Pierre You de La Découverte, who had traveled with LaSalle on his 1682 expedition down the Mississippi River. During the 1690s, he lived for a time at one of the two Native American camps on the Chicago River, and he was said to take a Native American wife in April 1693. Typically such an arrangement was not a formal one, and it was of mutual benefit to both parties. Marie-Anne’s father likely wanted to gain a good relationship with the people of the camp in order to trade with them. But her mother may have also been seeking an alliance for trade purposes—it gave better access for the goods offered by a fur trader to her people.

Marie-Anne was born about 1695, and her parents didn’t stay together very long after that. Pierre You returned to the Montreal area and married a French woman on April 15, 1697. As for Marie-Anne, she remained with her mother. 

Living in a Wea camp. (AI-generated image)

By 1700, the Miamis abandoned the camps at Chicago, and the Wea set up new villages on the Wabash River in what is today northern Indiana. This area became known as Ouiatenon and was the tribe’s main settlement throughout the 18th century. The Wea were said to have a summer camp close to the river so they could fish, and a winter camp that was a hunting ground. They also grew corn in the prairie land. During the time that Marie-Anne was a child, the camps were sometimes visited by fur traders, and this was how she came in contact with the man she would marry, Jean-Baptiste Richard.

It’s uncertain when Jean-Baptiste met Marie-Anne. He was a blacksmith and interpreter who in 1717, arrived with seven other men to build a fort near their settlement; the outpost was at the request of the tribe who wanted protection from their enemies when they engaged in fur trading. But Marie-Anne’s relationship with her future husband may have begun years earlier—there is a record of the baptism of a 15-year-old Native American girl at Detroit who was identified as Jean-Baptiste’s slave. The event occurred on May 22, 1710.

Could this have been Marie-Anne? It's possible that Jean-Baptiste had acquired her when traveling on his own to her village at Ouiatenon. But the name on the baptism was “Marie-Jeanne,” so it can’t really be proven. If it was her, it’s important to note that slaves in New France were sometimes more like servants. The French usually allowed slaves to live in their houses, had them baptized in their churches, and often paid them a wage. French fur traders sometimes even married the Indian slaves they had previously owned.

Whatever the circumstances were, Marie-Anne and Jean-Baptiste were living as a married couple, and had a baby girl who was born about 1717 or 1718. They journeyed back to Montreal and were married there on August 15, 1718. Their daughter was baptized on the same day; it’s interesting that one of Marie-Anne’s half-brothers, Philippe You de La Découverte, served as the godfather. Her father, Pierre, died within a couple weeks of her wedding, and was buried at the same church where she had been married.

Marie-Anne had two more children by the end of 1721, but she didn’t adapt well to living on the St. Lawrence River. Whether it was the climate or the culture, she was “continually ill,” and wanted desperately to go back to Ouiatenon. The fort needed an interpreter, creating an opportunity for Jean-Baptiste to return, but the offer didn’t include his wife and children. So Jean-Baptiste asked the governor for permission to have his his family join him, and it was granted. In September 1722, Marie-Anne, along with her husband and three very young children, traveled by canoe from Montreal to northern Indiana. The family brought with them three men to help paddle and enough supplies to set themselves up in their new home. 

Permission granted by the governor of New France for Marie-Anne’s journey.

For the next couple of decades or so, Marie-Anne and her family lived at Ouiatenon. At some point she gave birth to another child, but no records survive from that time. The fort remained an active trading post with the Wea tribe living nearby, and the population swelled to as much as 3,000. Jean-Baptiste seems to have died before 1750, and later, Marie-Anne and her daughters appeared in church records at Post Vincennes, another French fur trading site with people of mixed races. Marie-Anne was still living in Vincennes when it fell into British control. The last known record of her was as godmother for her great-granddaughter, Françoise-Agnes Godere, on November 4, 1766. She likely died within a few years of that date.

As for the Wea tribe, their sense of security at Ouiatenon came to an end in 1791 when President Washington ordered military action against them. A large American force made a surprise attack, killing many people, taking women and children as prisoners, and burning their village. Over the next couple generations, the Wea population declined, and in 1854, many of the tribe were relocated to Oklahoma.

Children:
1. Marie-Suzanne Richard — B. about 1718, New France; D. Jan 1800, River Raisin, Northwest Territory; M. (1) Albert Gilbert Parent (1703-1750), 1733, Montreal, New France; (2) Charles Barthelemy dit Rose (1722-?), 9 Jul 1759, Detroit, New France

2. Agnes Richard — B. 7 May 1719, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France; before Jul 1778; M. (1) François Godere (~1701-?), about 1735; (2) Jean-Baptiste Vaudry (1726-?), 28 Aug 1756, Post Vincennes, New France

3. Jean Richard — B. 20 Nov 1721, Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec; D. Jun 1807, Amherst Island, Ontario; M. Alida Connor (~1725-1816)

4. Marie-Josephe Richard — B. after 1721, (probably) Fort Ouiatenon, New France; M. Joseph Antaya dit Pelletier

Sources:
Wea (Wikipedia article)
Ouiatenon (Wikipedia article)
Encyclopedia of Chicago (website)
Marriage à la façon du pays (Wikipedia article) 
Pierre You de La Découverte, Dictionary of Canadian Biography (website)
Native American Netroots (website) https://nativeamericannetroots.net/diary/858
“Who and What Were the Panis Indians Buried from Ste. Anne de Detroit?”, Suzanne Boivin Sommerville, Michigan’s Habitant Heritage, Vol. 32, #3, July 2011
Red River Valley Website, Metis History, 1708-1714, Dennis Matthews
“Records of the Parish of St. Francis Xavier,” Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia, Vol. 12, 1901
WikiTree

Wooden Shoe Maker — Louis Guertin dit Le Sabotier

B. about Jun 1625 in Daumeray, Anjou, France
M. 26 Oct 1659 in Montreal, New France
Wife: Élisabeth Lecamus
D. 8 Dec 1687 in Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France

Louis Guertin dit Le Sabotier had a name that revealed his occupation—“Le Sabotier” is French for “the clog maker.” This was apparently a skill he brought to Montreal during its earliest days.

Louis was born to Louis Guertin and Georgine Leduc, and baptized on June 28, 1625 in Daumeray, Anjou, France. As a young man, he must have learned the craft of sabot-making, carving blocks of solid wood into sturdy footwear. During the 17th century, sabots were worn by peasants in northern France (both men and women), and they made good work shoes.

A sabotier.

On April 24, 1653, Louis’ life changed when he agreed to relocate in America. That year, the governor of Montreal, Sieur de Maisonneuve, traveled to parts of France in an effort to recruit people who would settle there. Montreal was on the western frontier of New France and its existence was threatened by warring Iroquois tribes to the south. Without a larger population, the setters were outnumbered, and individuals like Louis were needed. In addition to skills like shoe-making, the recruiters wanted men who could clear raw wilderness for farms, so Louis was judged to be strong enough to do that.

Getting to Montreal wasn’t easy. Louis and his fellow migrants, which also included 14 single women, sailed out of France on June 20th, only to have to turn back when the ship sprung some leaks. Sieur de Maisonneuve saw to it that the ship landed at an island and not the mainland, so that the passengers wouldn’t be tempted to go back home.

Another ship was found and the recruits left again on July 20th. This time they made it to Quebec City, but it was a terrible crossing that took over three months. Worse than that, an epidemic broke out onboard; many of the recruits became very sick and a few died. After arriving in Quebec City on September 22nd, Louis and the others still had to travel to Montreal. There were problems getting the small boats they needed, and it wasn’t until November 16th that they finally arrived at their new home.

Louis acquired land in Montreal three years later. The grant was made on December 10, 1656, giving him property that had 2 arpents of river frontage and was 15 arpents deep. There was a shortage of women in Montreal, though, and he didn’t find a wife until 1659. At the end of September of that year, a new group of settlers arrived from France, and among them was Élisabeth Lecamus, a 15-year-old girl. The two were married at Montreal on October 26th. The couple’s first child was born in February of 1661, and they had ten more by 1680.

As Montreal became more populated, the town continued to have problems with the Iroquois, and in 1663, nearly all men were assigned to serve in the militia. Louis was on a squadron with six other settlers (there were a total of 20 such squadrons in the community). The militia was disbanded by 1666 after the Carignan-Salières regiment arrived from France.

Louis’ wife Elisabeth died on July 20, 1680, only a couple of months after the birth of their youngest child. This left Louis with several young children to raise alone, but he may have had help from his oldest daughters, who were already married and living nearby. Seven years later, Louis passed away on December 8, 1687 at Pointe-aux-Trembles, a settlement north of Montreal.

As a tribute to Louis and his shipmates of 1653, their names are on a plaque at Place de la Dauversière, a park in Montreal. The migration is known today as La Grande Recrue de 1653. He was an ancestor of Alex Trebek and Mark Wahlberg.

Louis’ name is in the middle column of the La Grande Recrue de 1653 plaque.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

8. Eustache Guertin — B. 28 Aug 1673, Montreal, New France; D. after Sep 1696

9. Marie-Angelique Guertin — B. 11 Nov 1675, Montreal, New France; D. (probably) young

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

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

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
Sabot (shoe) (Wikipedia article)
WikiTree

Guardian of the Fruits — Adrien Blanquet dit Lafougère

B. about 16 Apr 1604 in Dieppe, France
M. (1) 24 Nov 1625 in Ocqueville, France
Wife: Catherine Prévost
M. (2) 7 Nov 1663 in Quebec City, New France
Wife: Anne LeMaître
D. between 1681 and 1684 in New France

An early settler on Île d’Orleans, Adrien Blanquet dit Lafougère, was given credit for helping a widow with her farm, and particular working with her orchards. 

Adrien was born in Dieppe, France to Andrieu Blanquet and Perette Caperon, baptized there on April 16, 1604. Nothing is known of his childhood. He married a woman named Catherine Prévost on November 24, 1625 in the village of Ocqueville, which was not far from the coast in Normandy. There he farmed, and at some point, acquired the trade of sellier, someone who makes saddles and harnesses. The time with his wife was short—after giving birth to their only child, a baby girl, Catherine died a few weeks later on September 20, 1631.

Location of Ocqueville. 

There are no records of the next 25-plus years of Adrien’s life. At some time he acquired the nickname “Lafougère,” which means “the Fern.” It doesn’t seem that Adrien remarried while in France. His daughter, Marie-Madeleine, grew up and found a husband in Jean Leclerc, then the three of them decided to start a new life in America. Adrien was in Quebec by July 29, 1658, being mentioned in a purchase of land, although it isn't known if his daughter and son-in-law had arrived with him.

In August of 1662, Adrien acquired property in Île d’Orleans, along with his daughter’s husband. The following year, at the age of 59, he contracted to marry a widow, Anne LeMaître; the wedding took place on November 7, 1663 at Notre-Dame-de-Quebec. Anne was also from Dieppe, and she had come over from France with her son and daughter-in-law. Although she was younger than Adrien, she was almost past child-bearing age, and the couple had no children together.

Adrien farmed his land in Île d’Orleans well into his 60s. He was listed in the 1667 census as having 12 arpents of land and five cattle; it’s believed he was still making saddles and harnesses at this time. Then the following year, he seems to have helped a woman manage the fruit production on her farm after her husband died. (Thomas Douaire de Bondy had drowned; the records said that he was denied a “Christian burial” and he was “buried like a dog” because he was drunk at the time.) The role Adrien played by helping the widow was described as “guardian of the fruits of the house.”

It isn’t known exactly when Adrien died. He was listed in the 1681 census, but was deceased by August 6, 1684. He left half of his estate to daughter Marie-Madeleine; upon her death, this inheritance went to her son. Adrien’s widow Anne was buried October 1, 1718 at St-Pierre on Île d’Orleans. Adrien was the ancestor of Ricky Gervais and Emeril Lagasse.

Over three centuries after Adrien died, he received an unusual tribute: a beer named in his honor. The Microbrasserie de l'Île d'Orléans selected him for an American pale ale that has “citrus and tropical fruits aroma,” a nod to his work helping the widow with her farm. Bottles of the special brew are sold from a pub next to the Maison de nos Aïeux, a museum dedicated to the early settlers of Île d’Orleans.  

Adrien Blanquet dit Lafougere beer.

Child by Catherine Prévost:
1. Marie-Madeleine Blanquet — B. 31 Aug 1631, Rouen, France; D. 10 Sep 1709, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France; M. Jean Leclerc (1635-~1680), before 31 Dec 1657, France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
King’s Daughters and Founding Mothers—1663-1673, Peter Gagne, 2000

A Decision to Return to France — Marie Hubert

B. about 1655 in Paris, France
M. (1) 30 Sep 1670 in Quebec City, New France
Husband: Nicolas Fournier
M. (2) 25 Feb 1691 in Charlesbourg, New France
Husband: Jean Gachet
D. after 1711 in (probably) France

Marie Hubert spent much of her adult life as a settler in New France, but when a second husband wanted to return to their country of origin, she left almost everything behind.

Marie was born in about 1655 in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. Her parents, Pierre Hubert and Bonne Brio, who were parishioners of St-Sulpice, died before she came of age, and she signed up for a new life as a Fille du Roi, agreeing to marry a settler in New France. Marie arrived at Quebec in late August of 1670, and quickly became engaged to Nicolas Fournier; they married at Notre-Dame in Quebec City on September 30th.

St-Sulpice in Paris.

Marie and her new husband settled in the Bourg-Royal section of Charlesbourg, where she gave birth to a daughter in about 1673. By 1687, they had a total of seven children, with one who likely died as an infant. Nicolas acquired more land in 1682 and 1684, but just two months after their youngest child was born, he died.

It was over three years later before Marie found a new husband. He was a soldier from France named Jean Gachet, and likely had been in Quebec during the invasion by New England in 1690. Much of the action was close to where Marie lived, and after the French were victorious, their paths must have crossed, and they contracted to marry. The wedding took place at Charlesbourg on February 25, 1691.

For some reason, Marie and Jean didn’t stay in Charlesbourg. There is a record of a transaction dated September 1691 for Jean selling some land in Charlesbourg to another man. The timing suggests that he had tried his hand at farming for one season, and after the harvest, he sold out. Then the couple sailed back to France. A decision had to be made regarding Marie’s six children. Her oldest son, Michel, set up his own farm at age 17, taking in some of his siblings, and one of Marie’s daughters was boarded with another family. Only 4-year-old Jeanne stayed with Marie as she and her husband moved back to France.

There’s no record of what became of Marie, Jean and Jeanne once they arrived in France. It’s believed that Marie was still living at the time of one of her son’s 1711 wedding, and she likely died somewhere in France after that time.

Children (all by Nicolas Fournier):
1. Marie Fournier — B. about 1673, (probably) Bourg-Royal, New France; D. 26 Oct 1753, St-Joseph-de-Beauce, New France; M. (1) Pierre Grondin (1649-1729), 1696, New France; (2) Jean-Baptiste Franchegens (~1678-?), 16 Jan 1730, Lauzon, New France

2. Michel Fournier — B. 30 Jan 1674, (probably) Bourg-Royal, New France; D. 28 Feb 1711, Charlesbourg, New France; M. Marie-Catherine Beriault (1682-1711), 5 Jun 1702, Quebec City, New France

3. Françoise-Ambroise Fournier — B. about 1677,  (probably) Bourg-Royal, New France; M. (1) Pierre Lefebvre (1674-1714), 7 Nov 1697, Ste-Famille, New France; (2) Antoine Blais (1677-1734), 10 Feb 1716, La Durantaye, New France; (3) Pierre Corriveau (1678-1756), 3 Jul 1741, St-Vallier, Bellechasse, New France

4. Nicolas Fournier — B. about 1678, (probably) Bourg-Royal, New France; D. (probably) young

5. Jean Fournier — B. 11 Dec 1680, (probably) Bourg-Royal, New France; D. 17 Sep 1735, St-Michel, Bellechasse, New France; M. Madeleine Fradet (1695-1768), 23 Nov 1711, Beaumont, New France

6. Jacques Fournier — B. 24 May 1684, Charlesbourg, New France; D. 4 Jan 1767, Beaumont, Quebec; M. Marie-Françoise Blanchon (1690-1768), 27 Nov 1708, Beaumont, New France

7. Jeanne Fournier — B. 30 Sep 1687, Charlesbourg, New France; D. (probably) 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
L’Association des Fournier d’Amerique (website)
Généalogie du Québec et d’Amérique française (website)

Early Settler in Marblehead and Beverly — Samuel Morgan

B. about 1638 in Salem, Massachusetts
M. (1) 15 Dec 1658 in Salem, Massachusetts
Wife: Elizabeth Dixey
M. (2) about 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts
Wife: Mary Phippen
D. Dec 1698 in Beverly, Massachusetts

Samuel Morgan lived most of his life in the coastal villages north of Boston during the 17th century. Along with civic duties, he performed jobs that shaped the new communities.

Samuel was born at Salem in about 1638 to Robert Morgan and Margaret Norman, the oldest of their eight children; it was a house full of brothers with only one sister among them. The family lived in the eastern part of town in an area called the Bass River side, or the Cape Ann side. Samuel was baptized at about age 13 on June 23, 1650 after his father was admitted to Salem’s church. Robert was said to have been a cooper, and it’s been suggested that Samuel also took up that occupation. 

At age 20, Samuel married Elizabeth Dixey on December 15, 1658 at Salem; it’s believed that they had ten children between 1663 and 1685, at least two of whom died young. In 1659, Samuel joined the men of his community to sign a petition forming a new church. Ten years later the town would be incorporated as Beverly, but by that time, Samuel seemed to have relocated to Marblehead. On December 2, 1664, he was on a committee to investigate the death of an Indian who was found lying in the road on the outskirts of Marblehead; the men decided that the man had gotten drunk, then froze to death. Samuel served as a selectmen in Marblehead in 1667 and 1668, and he was made constable in 1672, a position that had him doing such things as serving court summons.

Samuel's signature.

By 1670, Samuel owned a large lot in Marblehead that was located on the harbor side of town. In addition, his father left him 12 acres of land when he died in 1672 located in Manchester-by-the-Sea and another 8 acres at a place called “long hill.” Later, Samuel acquired a one-eighth ownership of a windmill in Marblehead; unfortunately the man who constructed the mill did a poor job, and the mechanism never worked properly.

Fishing was a prominent part of life in Marblehead, and there was suggestion in records that Samuel was involved in that business. In June 1679 he was taken to court over non-payment to his cousin John Norman for helping build a boat. This included 4 days of labor plus materials such as planks, nails and rosin. 

Boat-building in early Marblehead. (AI-generated image)

Samuel was also in the military, probably in a militia. At Salem court in June 1678, he was identified as being a sergeant who testified with four other town officials against some men who had refused to participate in required military duty. When Samuel and the others went to the men’s homes to collect fines, they refused that, too, and hurled insults at the officers. This happened not long after King Philip’s War, a conflict that took the lives of two of Samuel’s brothers, and he probably didn’t have much sympathy for such behavior. (Some sources say Samuel was wounded in the leg in the 1690 Quebec invasion, but this was likely his son by the same name.)

In 1682, Samuel sold his Marblehead property for £60, and the following year was serving as a selectman in Beverly. His wife passed away in 1689, and about three years later, he remarried to a widow, Mary Wallis. He lived in Beverly for the rest of his life and died in December of 1698. Samuel was an ancestor of First Lady Grace Coolidge.

Children:
1. Aaron Morgan — B. 24 Jun 1663, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. young

2. Samuel Morgan — B. 26 Sep 1666, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. 1770, Massachusetts; M. Sarah Herrick (1662-?), 22 Dec 1692, Beverly, Massachusetts

3. Joseph Morgan — B. 26 Sep 1666, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. young

4. Luke Morgan — B. 23 Jun 1671, (probably) Marblehead, Massachusetts; D. 17 Feb 1714, Beverly, Massachusetts; M. Susanna Pitts (1673-1772)

5. Robert Morgan — B. Jan 1670, (probably) Marblehead, Massachusetts; D. 16 Jul 1762, Beverly, Massachusetts; M. Anna Ober (1675-1702), 4 Jul 1692

6. John Morgan — B. 1673, (probably) Marblehead, Massachusetts

7. William Morgan — B. (probably) Marblehead, Massachusetts

8. Joseph Morgan — B. 2 Oct 1681, (probably) Marblehead, Massachusetts

9. Elizabeth Morgan — B. (probably) Marblehead, Massachusetts; M. William Wallis

10. Anna Morgan — B.  Aug 1685, Beverly, Massachusetts; D. Mar 1774, Beverly, Massachusetts; M. Hezekiah Ober (1681-1739), 5 Nov 1705, Beverly, Massachusetts

Sources:
Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Volumes I - IX, edited by George Francis Drew, 1912-1921, 1975
Marblehead in the Year 1700, Sidney Perley
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