Honoring the Land That He Farmed — Jacques Fournier

B. 24 May 1684 in Charlesbourg, New France¹
M. 27 Nov 1708 in Beaumont, New France²
Wife: Marie-Françoise Blanchon
D. 4 Jan 1767 in Beaumont, New France³

Jacques Fournier is remembered today with a small plaque at the site of his 18th century home. He was born on May 24, 1684 in Charlesbourg, New France to Nicolas Fournier and Marie Hubert,¹ who was a Fille du Roi. Jacques was identified with the name Georges on his baptism, but this was the only place that name appeared and it can be assumed to be a mistake. He had five older siblings, and not long after the birth of a younger sister, his father died.⁴ Life must have been a struggle for the next few years, and Jacques’ mother remarried to a French soldier in 1691.⁵ At the end of that year, his mother and step-father moved back to France, leaving behind all but the youngest child.⁶ So at the age of 7, Jacques found himself in the care of his older siblings.

Brothers at their farm. (AI-generated image)

By 1707, Jacques had moved from the north shore of the St. Lawrence to the more recently settled south shore. On December 27th of that year, a document mentioned a piece of property adjoining his in the seigneury of Beaumont.⁷ About a year later, on November 27, 1708, Jacques married Marie-Françoise Blanchon, the 18-year-old daughter of a Beaumont settler. They had 15 children together, with the youngest born in 1735.⁸ Of their ten children who married and raised families, all but one stayed in the south shore area.

Jacques was in his old age at the time England took over New France, and his community was caught in the middle of it. In June of 1759, British forces landed at Beaumont, taking position at St-Etienne, the church Jacques attended. While camped there, it was said that some soldiers invaded homes and took “household furniture and clothing” at will. The English posted a notice to Beaumont’s residents on the church door, declaring that the colony was now theirs (this was months before the battle at the Plains of Abraham). A local legend says that the people ripped up the notice, which led to the English trying to burn the church down, and divine intervention snuffed out the flames.⁹

Whether or not Jacques was directly involved in any of these events isn’t known; more likely was that he sought shelter somewhere inland until the siege ended. Jacques lived another eight years and died at Beaumont on January 4, 1767. His wife Marie-Françoise passed away the following year in April.¹⁰

Today there is a plaque honoring Jacques, his brother Jean and his parents located on the land where he lived in Beaumont. His original house is long gone and the so are the outbuildings, but this is where he plowed his fields and raised his children. Jacques is the 9G grandfather of Justin Bieber.¹¹

Plaque honoring Fournier family. (Source: Culture et Communications Québec)

Location of the plaque in Beaumont, Quebec.

Children:
1. François Fournier — B. 28 Sep 1709, Beaumont, New France;¹² D. (probably) young

2. Jacques Fournier — B. 4 Jan 1711, Beaumont, New France;¹³ D. 16 Aug 1779, Pointe-de-Lévy, Quebec;¹⁴ M. (1) Elisabeth Roy (1727-1747), 10 Jan 1746, Beaumont, New France;¹⁵ (2) Catherine Turgeon (1729-1765), 16 Jun 1749, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, New France¹⁶

3. Marie-Josephe Fournier — B. 7 Jan 1713, Beaumont, New France;¹⁷ D. 29 Mar 1733, Quebec City, New France¹⁸

4. Jean-Baptiste Fournier — B. 14 Apr 1715, Beaumont, New France;¹⁹ D. 11 Apr 1796, St-Charles, Bellechasse, Quebec;²⁰ M. Marie Gosselin (1722-1796), 22 Oct 1742, St-Etienne-de-Beaumont, New France²¹

5. Genevieve Fournier — B. 2 Jan 1717, Beaumont, New France;²² D. 26 Nov 1811, Beaumont, Quebec;²³ M. Joseph Couture (1712-1779), 22 Jan 1736, Beaumont, New France²⁴

6. Marie Fournier — B. 16 Aug 1718, Beaumont, New France;²⁵ D. 21 Apr 1808, Beaumont, Quebec;²⁶ M. Jacques Turgeon (1708-1783), 2 Jul 1742, Beaumont, New France²⁷

7. Joseph Fournier — B. 16 Mar 1720, Beaumont, New France;²⁸ D. 14 Oct 1738, Beaumont, New France²⁹

8. Étienne Fournier — B. 29 Nov 1721, Beaumont, New France;³⁰ D. 19 Apr 1774, Beaumont, Quebec;³¹ M. Josephte Paquet (1719-1790), 27 Oct 1766, St-Michel, Bellechasse, Quebec³²

9. Andre Fournier — B. 30 Oct 1723, Beaumont, New France;³³ D. 1 Apr 1724, Beaumont, New France³⁴

10. Antoine Fournier — B. 3 Mar 1725, Beaumont, New France;³⁵ D. 4 Mar 1799, Beaumont, Quebec;³⁶ M. (1) Françoise Guay (1734-1769), 2 Feb 1751, Beaumont, New France;³⁷ (2) Charlotte Labrecque (~1745-1820), 27 Nov 1770, St-Michel, Bellechasse, Quebec³⁸

11. Marie-Louise Fournier — B. 18 Sep 1727, Beaumont, New France;³⁹ D. 16 Aug 1730, Beaumont, New France⁴⁰

12. Augustin Fournier — B. 10 Feb 1729, Beaumont, New France;⁴¹ D. 15 Mar 1817, Beaumont, Quebec;⁴² M. Marie Bouthillette (1731-1804), 20 Oct 1749, L’Ange-Gardien, New France⁴³

13. Marie-Anne Fournier — B. 11 Jan 1731, Beaumont, New France;⁴⁴ D. 29 Sep 1807, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec;⁴⁵ M. Joseph Turgeon (1723-?), 7 Apr 1750, Beaumont, New France⁴⁶

14. Charles Fournier — B. 29 Jan 1733, Beaumont, New France;⁴⁷ D. 31 Oct 1819, Boucherville, Quebec;⁴⁸ M. (1) Marguerite Gareau (1730-1783), 24 Sep 1753, Montreal, New France;⁴⁹ (2) Elisabeth Bouvet (1745-1810), 19 Apr 1784, Montreal, Quebec⁵⁰

15. Alexandre Fournier — B. 26 Feb 1735, Beaumont, New France;⁸ D. 5 Jan 1826, Beaumont, Quebec;⁵¹ M. Charlotte Turgeon (1738-1799), 14 Sep 1761, Lauzon, New France⁵²

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Jacques Fournier, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Jacques Fournier and Marie-Françoise Blanchon, Q.C.P.R.
3    Burial record of Jacques Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
4    Burial record of Nicolas Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
5    Marriage record of Jean Gachet and Marie Hubert, Q.C.P.R.
6    Culture et Communications Québec (website)  
7    Act of concession for land of Jacques’ neighbor, BAnQ   
8    Baptismal record of Alexandre Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
9    Beaumont (Québec) (Wikipedia article)  
10  Burial record of Marie-Françoise Blanchon, Q.C.P.R.
11  Famous Kin (website)  
12  Baptismal record of François Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
13  Baptismal record of Jacques Fournier (younger), Q.C.P.R.
14  Burial record of Jacques Fournier (younger), Q.C.P.R.
15  Marriage record of Jacques Fournier (younger) and Elisabeth Roy, Q.C.P.R.
16  Marriage record of Jacques Fournier (younger) and Catherine Turgeon, Q.C.P.R.
17  Baptismal record of Marie-Josephe Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
18  Burial record of Marie-Josephe Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
20  Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
21  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Fournier and Marie Gosselin, Q.C.P.R.
22  Baptismal record of Genevieve Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
23  Burial record of Genevieve Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
24  Marriage record of Joseph Couture and Genevieve Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal record of Marie Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
26  Burial record of Marie Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
27  Marriage record of Jacques Turgeon and Marie Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
28  Baptismal record of Joseph Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
29  Burial record of Joseph Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
30  Baptismal record of Étienne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
31  Burial record of Étienne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
32  Marriage record of Étienne Fournier and Josephte Paquet, Q.C.P.R.
33  Baptismal record of Andre Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
34  Burial record of Andre Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
35  Baptismal record of Antoine Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
36  Burial record of Antoine Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
37  Marriage record of Antoine Fournier and Françoise Guay, Q.C.P.R.
38  Marriage record of Antoine Fournier and Charlotte Labrecque, Q.C.P.R.
39  Baptismal record of Marie-Louise Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
40  Burial record of Marie-Louise Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
41  Baptismal record of Augustin Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
42  Burial record of Augustin Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
43  Marriage record of Augustin Fournier and Marie Bouthillette, Q.C.P.R.
44  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
45  Burial record of Marie-Anne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
46  Marriage record of Joseph Turgeon and Marie-Anne Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
47  Baptismal record of Charles Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
48  Burial record of Charles Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
49  Marriage record of Charles Fournier and Marguerite Gareau, Q.C.P.R.
50  Marriage record of Charles Fournier and Elisabeth Bouvet, Q.C.P.R.
51  Burial record of Alexandre Fournier, Q.C.P.R.
52  Marriage record of Alexandre Fournier and Charlotte Turgeon, Q.C.P.R.

From the Potomac to the Piedmont — Robey Tucker

B. about 1753 in Prince George’s County, Maryland¹
M. (1) before Aug 1776 in (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland¹
Wife: Hester ______
M. (2) before 1800 in (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina²
Wife: Rachel ______
D. after 14 Nov 1837 in (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina²

Robey Tucker was part of a migration of poor tobacco planters from Maryland who moved to the backwoods of North Carolina during the late 18th century. His origins are not well-documented; some sources indicate that his parents were Thomas Tucker and Mary Robey, but there doesn't seem to be hard evidence of this. His father may have had a different first name, and his mother could have been Esther instead of Mary. Either way, Robey was born in about 1753.¹

The place where Robey was born and grew up was Prince George’s County, Maryland, a rural area where the only crop was tobacco. Most of the population were descendants of English settlers who arrived in the colony during the 17th century. Robey likely did much of the farm labor as he grew up. Through land records, it’s possible to identify the general location of where the family lived, an area which was irrigated by one of the many creeks flowing into the Port Tobacco River.

Helping his father harvest tobacco. (AI-generated image)

Robey first turned up in records as a married man at age 23. A census was taken in Maryland in August of 1776 to assess the collection of taxes for supporting the Continental Congress. Some of the records are remarkably detailed, listing names and ages for everyone in each household. Robey’s wife was named Hester, also age 23, but in the absence of any marriage record, her maiden name is unknown. Their farm was the only one with just two people.¹ Nearby were John and Drusilla Tucker, ages 74 and 64, and John and Mary Robey, ages 62 and 55.¹ The Robeys were his grandparents, and the Tuckers were likely his close relatives.

Robey was a young man during the American Revolution, but there's no evidence that he ever volunteered as a soldier. He did swear his allegiance to the cause on February 23, 1778;³ nearly all of the men in Maryland did the same. Perhaps one reason Robey didn’t join the service was that he had started a family in 1777 with the birth of a son.⁴ He had seven children with Hester, mostly boys, with the youngest child born in about 1789.

Robey's name on list of men who signed 1778 oath of allegiance.

About 1790, Robey left the tobacco country of Maryland for the piedmont of North Carolina. The motivation was probably to find cheaper land, and there was plenty available in the backwoods of the Carolinas. The 1790 census showed that Robey lived in Iredell County with his wife and eight children, all unnamed in the listing.⁵ Other members of his family migrated to Iredell around the same time or earlier, including Robey’s uncle, Leonard Robey, and his grandfather, John Robey.

Sometime during the 1790s, Robey’s wife Hester passed away, and he remarried a woman only known as Rachel.² She was likely much younger and provided him five children who were born between 1803 and about 1810, when Robey was nearly 60-years-old. Robey and Rachel spent over two years as caretakers for his elderly grandfather, and when the old man made out his will, he left Rachel a small bequest.⁶ After the will was probated in 1808, Robey was paid £30 for the work he had done, of which £10 was for “trouble and expense of his last sickness and death.” The receipt for the payment shows Robey’s only known signature.⁶

Robey's signature in 1808.

Robey was shown to be living in Iredell County at least until 1820. In each of the census years 1800, 1810 and 1820 he was listed as a head of household with descriptions of dependents corresponding to his wife and known children.⁷ At no time did he own any slaves, which he likely couldn’t afford. Robey made out his will on November 14, 1837;² at age 84, he was “weak in body” and signed his name with a shaky “X,” suggesting that he had some disability. The document is very brief and mentions only one of his children, Robey, to whom he left his entire estate. This was likely because Robey was the only one who still lived in North Carolina, since most of the others are known to have moved to Kentucky or Illinois.

Robey's mark on his 1837 will.

The will was probated in February 1842, so Robey died by that date. It isn’t known if Rachel survived him. His descendants scattered across the U.S. continuing the migration of the family to the west. One of his descendants was Marilyn Tucker, the wife of Vice President Dan Quayle.⁸

Children by Hester:
1. John B. Tucker — B. 25 Sep 1777, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;⁴ D. 30 Dec 1846, (probably) Washington County, Indiana;⁴ M. Mary Campbell (1781-1853), after 9 Nov 1797, Iredell County, North Carolina⁴

2. (possibly) Zachariah Tucker — B. about 1782, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland; D: 2 Oct 1857, (probably) Kentucky; M. Levina Jarboe, after 27 Jun 1812, Washington County, Kentucky⁹

3. (possibly) Freeman Tucker — B. about 1779, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland; D. 15 Feb 1850, Tazewell County, Illinois; M. Esther Fitzgerald

4. Absalom Tucker — B. about 1783, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;¹⁰ D. 1849, Washington County, Kentucky¹⁰

5. (possibly) Thomas Tucker — B. about 1785, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;¹¹ D. 28 Jun 1859;¹¹ M. Rachel Kendrick, 3 Aug 1815, Washington County, Kentucky¹²

6. Benjamin Tucker — B. about 1787, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;¹³ D. 1848, Nelson County, Kentucky;¹³ M. Elizabeth Livers, 26 Jan 1823, Nelson County Kentucky¹⁴

7. (possibly) Mary Tucker — B. about 1789, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;¹⁵ D. about 1852;¹⁵ M. Samuel Turner¹⁵

Children by Rachel:
1. Esther J. Tucker — B. 20 Apr 1803, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;¹⁶ D. 27 Feb 1883, Waverly, Illinois;¹⁶ M. Joseph Luckey (?-~1840), before 1829¹⁷

2. Samuel S. Tucker — B. 20 Nov 1805, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;¹⁸ D. 22 Dec 1891, Hat Creek, California;¹⁸ M. Nancy Ann Allison (~1803-1875), 1825, Iredell County, North Carolina¹⁸

3. (possibly) Elizabeth Tucker — B. about 1807, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina

4. Robey Tucker — B. 8 Sep 1808, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;¹⁹ D. before 7 Dec 1885, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;²⁰ M. Rachel Mason (1832-1914), 11 Jan 1853, Iredell County, North Carolina¹⁹

5. Randolph J. Tucker — B. 1810, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;²¹ D. 1892, Illinois;²¹ M. (1) Henrietta Jones (1813-1868), before 1837, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;²¹ (2) Sarah Mahala Stroud (~1832-?), after 1868, (probably) Illinois²¹

Sources:
1    Prince George’s County, St. John’s and Prince George Parishes Maryland State Census, 1776
2    Will of Robey Tucker, 14 Nov 1837, North Carolina Probate Records, 1735-1970, FamilySearch.org
3    Maryland Records: Colonial, Revolutionary, County and Church from Original Sources, Vol. 1, Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh, 1915
4    Find-a-Grave listing for John B. Tucker  
5    1790 U.S. Census
6    Will of John Robey, 1 Feb 1804, N.C.P.R.
7    1800, 1810 and 1820 U.S. Censuses
8    Political Family Tree (PDF) 
9    Marriage record of Zachariah Tucker and Lovina Jarboe, Kentucky County Marriages, 1797-1954, FamilySearch.org
10  Find-a-Grave listing for Absalom Tucker
11  Estimated birth and death of Thomas Tucker from family tree listing on FamilySearch.org 
12  Marriage record of Thomas Tucker and Rachel Kendrick, Kentucky County Marriages, 1797-1954, FamilySearch.org
13  Estimated birth and death of Benjamin Tucker from family tree listing on FamilySearch.org 
14  Marriage record of Benjamin Tucker and Elizabeth Livers, Kentucky County Marriages, 1797-1954, FamilySearch.org
15  Estimated birth, marriage and death of Mary Tucker from family tree listing on FamilySearch.org  
16  Death record of Esther J. Luckey, Morgan County, Illinois
17  Find-a-Grave listing for Esther J. Luckey
18  Find-a-Grave listing for Samuel S. Tucker
19  Find-a-Grave listing for Robey Tucker (younger)
20  Probate file card for Roby Tucker, North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979, FamilySearch.org
21  Find-a-Grave listing for Randolph J. Tucker

Midwife and Iroquois Victim — Marie-Denise Lemaître

B. about 1635 in Paris, France¹
M. (1) 26 Jan 1660 in Montreal, New France²
Husband: Pierre Perras
M. (2) Oct 1684 in La Prairie, New France³
Husband: François Cael
D. 29 Oct 1691 in La Prairie, New France⁴

Among the women who migrated to America from France in the 17th century, few had a more adventurous story than Marie-Denise Lemaître. In spite of many hardships in her life, she learned to be a midwife and practiced her skills in a dangerous frontier community.

Denise was born in Paris in about 1635 to Denis Lemaître (or Lemaîstre) and Catherine Decharme (or Deharme).¹ Little is confirmed about her childhood and family, but it’s thought that she lived in what is today the 4th arrondissement. At some point, she was sent to Pitié-Salpêtrière, a Paris hospital run by nuns that took in girls and young women. It was here that she got instruction on caring for the sick, with a special interest in helping women through childbirth. In the spring of 1659, Pitié-Salpêtrière was visited by Jeanne Mance, a nurse who had started a hospital in Montreal. She was recruiting women to work for her who would also be willing to marry a settler, and Denise signed up.⁵

Jeanne Mance (Source: BAnQ)

The ship that took Denise to America, Le Saint-André, sailed out of La Rochelle July 2nd with 200 passengers.⁵ It was a very rough crossing because disease broke out and many people became seriously ill. About 18 people died at sea,⁵ which was a high mortality rate even in the 17th century. Several storms contributed to the rough conditions; food and fresh water had to be rationed because of delays caused by the weather. The vessel finally arrived at Quebec City on September 7th,⁶ and Denise then boarded a smaller boat to complete the journey to Montreal.

Less than a week after Denise arrived in Montreal, she accepted a proposal of marriage. On October 5th, she signed a contract to become the wife of André Heurtebise,⁶ who had arrived in La Grand Recrue of 1653. In the meantime, she worked at Jeanne Mance’s hospital, Hospitalieres de St-Joseph. Sadly, the marriage never happened. André was seriously injured in a fight with the Iroquois and he was brought to the hospital. He died on December 2nd — supposedly in Denise’s arms.⁷

Comforting a dying man. (AI-generated image)

After André’s burial, Denise made another match fairly quickly, signing a marriage contract on January 10, 1660 with Pierre Perras, a Montreal barrel maker.⁶ The wedding took place on January 26th with Jeanne Mance in attendance; also listed in the record as witnesses were a doctor, Louis Chartier, and a merchant, Jacques Le Moyne.² Denise settled in Montreal with her new husband and gave birth to her first child by the end of the year.⁸ Within ten years, she had six more children, including twin girls born at the end of 1665;⁹ unfortunately one of the twins lived only a week.¹⁰ Then in 1671, the family moved across the St. Lawrence to La Prairie, where Denise had three more children.^11,12,13

La Prairie was located just across the river from Montreal, but was much less populated because of its proximity to the Iroquois, who continued to be hostile to French settlers. Denise and Pierre’s farm was a long distance from the nearest church, and without roads, it was difficult to travel to Sunday services. So in 1675, they donated a straw-roofed building on their property for use as a chapel.⁷ In the 1681 census, Denise and her husband were shown to have a farm with ten arpents under cultivation and six head of cattle.¹ Two of their sons were already involved in the fur trade, making expeditions that took them far from home.¹⁴

Denise’s husband Pierre died on April 30, 1684,¹⁵ leaving her with several underaged children to support and the challenges of living in a rugged, remote place. Six months later, she married a second husband, François Cael.³ By now she was almost 50-years-old, and the two of them had no children together. Her second marriage was short because François died on November 18, 1687.¹⁶ After his death, Denise was said to have practiced as a midwife in order to make ends meet.⁶ There’s evidence that she owed money to a merchant who had her brought to court charged with non-payment; it’s unclear if this was for items she had purchased, or if the debt was leftover from one of her husbands.¹⁷

A couple of years later, La Prairie was threatened by more violence from the Iroquois, and this wrote the final chapter in Denise’s life. In August of 1691, a force led by colonists from New York plus their Indian allies came to attack the settlement; this was in retaliation for French aggression on them. Everyone who lived in the area gathered inside a garrison for protection while a battle took place. The French suffered casualties, but the defense of La Prairie held. Denise was presumably in the fort during the fight. Trouble lingered in the aftermath, though, and on October 29th, she was brutally killed in an Iroquois raid.⁴

Denise's death record (Source: FamilySearch.org)

Denise left many descendants, and among them are Pierre Trudeau, Justin Trudeau and Madonna.¹⁸ She also has a street named after her in present-day La Prairie.



Children (all by Pierre Perras):
1. Pierre Perras — B. 31 Oct 1660, Montreal, New France;⁸ D. 23 Aug 1687, Montreal, New France¹⁹

2. Jacques Perras — B. 24 Apr 1663, Montreal, New France;²⁰ D. 25 Mar 1688, La Prairie, New France²¹

3. Marguerite Perras — B. 27 Dec 1665, Montreal, New France;⁹ D. 15 May 1708, Montreal, New France;²² M. (1) Pierre Poupart (~1650-1699), 11 Aug 1682, La Prairie, New France;²³ (2) Joseph-Marie Demers (1658-1728), 20 Sep 1699, La Prairie, New France²⁴

4. Marie Perras — B. 27 Dec 1665, Montreal, New France;⁹ D. 3 Jan 1666, Montreal, New France¹⁰

5. Catherine Perras — B. 24 Feb 1667, Montreal, New France;²⁵ D. 16 Mar 1667, Montreal, New France²⁶

6. Jean Perras — B. 28 Aug 1668, Montreal, New France;²⁷ D. 13 Oct 1736, La Prairie, New France;²⁸ M. (1) Marguerite Tetu (1679-1699), 7 Jun 1698, La Prairie, New France;²⁹ (2) Marie-Madeleine Roy (1684-1726), 25 Oct 1701, La Prairie, New France³⁰

7. Catherine Perras — B. 9 Jun 1670, Montreal, New France;³¹ D. 7 Jan 1750, Longueuil, New France;³² M. Eustache Demers (1661-1707), 21 Apr 1688, La Prairie, New France³³

8. Marie-Jeanne Perras — B. 10 Jul 1671, La Prairie, New France;¹¹ D. 30 Oct 1718, La Prairie, New France;³⁴ M. (1) Claude Faye (~1662-1708), 25 Oct 1688, La Prairie, New France;³⁵ (2) Pierre Voisin (~1678-1721), 23 Dec 1709, La Prairie, New France³⁶

9. Marie Perras — B. 2 Feb 1673, La Prairie, New France;¹² D. 9 May 1736, La Prairie, New France;³⁷ M. Antoine Boyer (1671-1747), 4 Feb 1690, La Prairie, New France³⁸

10. Pierre Perras — B. 24 Jun 1674, La Prairie, New France;¹³ D. 1 Aug 1699, La Prairie, New France;³⁹ M. Marie-Marguerite Diel (1678-1715), 18 Nov 1696, La Prairie, New France⁴⁰

Sources:
1    Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
2    Marriage record of Pierre Perras and Marie-Denise Lemaitre, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Marriage record of François Cael and Marie-Denise Lemaitre, Q.C.P.R.
4    Burial record of Marie-Denise Lemaitre, Q.C.P.R.
5    Navires venus en Nouvelle-France en 1659  
6    Les Filles à Marrier listing for Marie-Denise Lamaitre on Migrations.com 
7    Minnesota Eh? A Foley/Perras Family History, Gerald Foley, 2010
8    Baptismal record of Pierre Perras (younger), Q.C.P.R.
9    Baptismal record of Marguerite and Marie Perras, Q.C.P.R.
10  Burial record of Marie Perras, Q.C.P.R.
11  Baptismal record of Marie-Jeanne Perras, Q.C.P.R.
12  Baptismal record of Marie Perras (younger), Q.C.P.R.
13  Baptismal record of Pierre Perras (youngest), Q.C.P.R.
14  Ripples from La Prairie Voyageur Canoes (blog), 4 Mar 2017  
15  Burial record of Pierre Perras, Q.C.P.R.
16  Burial record of François Cael, Q.C.P.R.
17  Court records of case involving François Cael and Denise Lemaitre, BAnQ  
18  FamousKin.com  
19  Burial record of Pierre Perras (younger), Q.C.P.R.
20  Baptismal record of Jacques Perras, Q.C.P.R.
21  Burial record of Jacques Perras, Q.C.P.R.
22  Burial record of Marguerite Perras, Q.C.P.R.
23  Marriage record of Pierre Poupart and Marguerite Perras, Q.C.P.R.
24  Marriage record of Joseph-Marie Demers and Marguerite Perras, Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal record of Catherine Perras, Q.C.P.R.
26  Burial record of Catherine Perras, Q.C.P.R.
27  Baptismal record of Jean Perras, Q.C.P.R.
28  Burial record of Jean Perras, Q.C.P.R.
29  Marriage record of Jean Perras and Marguerite Tetu, Q.C.P.R.
30  Marriage record of Jean Perras and Marie-Madeleine Roy, Q.C.P.R.
31  Baptismal record of Catherine Perras (younger), Q.C.P.R.
32  Burial record of Catherine Perras (younger), Q.C.P.R.
33  Marriage record of Eustache Demers and Catherine Perras, Q.C.P.R.
34  Burial record of Marie-Jeanne Perras, Q.C.P.R.
35  Marriage record of Claude Faye and Marie-Jeanne Perras, Q.C.P.R.
36  Marriage record of Pierre Voisin and Marie-Jeanne Perras, Q.C.P.R.
37  Burial record of Marie Perras (younger), Q.C.P.R.
38  Marriage record of Jacques-Antoine Boyer and Marie Perras, Q.C.P.R.
39  Burial record of Pierre Perras (youngest), Q.C.P.R.
40  Marriage record of Pierre Perras and Marie-Marguerite Diel, Q.C.P.R.

A Choice Made By Many Brides — Anne-Jeanne Poitreau

B. about 1652 in La Rochelle, France¹
M. 17 Sep 1668 in Quebec City, New France²
Husband: René Bruneau dit Jolicoeur
D. before 29 Oct 1703 in (probably) New France³

Anne-Jeanne Poitreau had a story shared with many women who settled in Canada in the 1660s: she was a Fille du Roi who married a Carignan-Salières Regiment soldier. Anne-Jeanne was from La Rochelle, a major port city on the west coast of France, born there in about 1652.¹ Her parents were Pierre Poitreau (also spelled Poitraud) and Jeanne Brelle. The circumstances which led to her migration to America are lost to history.

The government had been supplying marriageable girls to the colony for five years when Anne-Jeanne signed up as a Fille du Roi. In the spring of 1668, the ship La Nouvelle France was loaded with 81 women and girls, and it arrived in Quebec City on July 3rd.⁴ Anne-Jeanne was just 16-years-old, but this wasn’t that uncommon, and others on the ship were even younger. Once in Quebec City, the process of making a match began, with men coming to court the women, and Anne-Jeanne signed a marriage contract in September.

Men come looking for brides. (AI-generated image)

Anne-Jeanne’s marriage took place at Notre-Dame-de-Quebec on September 17, 1668.² Her husband was René Bruneau dit Jolicoeur, a 27-year-old former Carignan-Salières Regiment soldier. There is a long list of Filles du Roi who made the same decision as Anne-Jeanne. The military force that arrived in Quebec in 1665 had a thousand young men with three-year contracts of service. Most of them ended their term the same year that Anne-Jeanne arrived, and about 35 of her shipmates also chose soldiers as husbands. All totaled, about 162 of the Filles du Roi who arrived between 1667 and 1673 became wives of the Carignan-Salières Regiment recruits during their first few months in New France.

René took Anne-Jeanne to live in the seigneury of Charlesbourg; his farm was located in a section called Petite-Auvergne. Her first child, a boy, was born over a year later on October 3, 1669.⁵ Since there wasn’t a church nearby, she and her husband traveled to Quebec to have him baptized. This was a trip they made four more times over the next seven years. Unfortunately, only one of the five children lived past infancy. After a parish was built at Charlesbourg, Anne-Jeanne gave birth to five more children, and of these, three survived. None of her sons lived to adulthood, but her four healthy daughters would provide many descendants.

On April 22, 1696, Anne-Jeanne was treated at the hospital in Quebec for an illness or injury.⁶ Later that year, she and her husband sold their concession, and moved elsewhere, possibly Quebec City. It’s unknown when Anne-Jeanne and René died, but they were both deceased by their daughter Marie-Charlotte’s wedding on October 29, 1703.³

Children:
1. Robert Bruneau — B. 3 Oct 1669, (probably) Charlesbourg, New France;⁵ D. 21 Dec 1669, (probably) Charlesbourg, New France⁸

2. Anne Bruneau — B. 21 Dec 1670, (probably) Charlesbourg, New France;⁹ D. 2 Mar 1726, Quebec City, New France;¹⁰ M. (1) Jean Mingou (~1660-?), 17 Sep 1685, Charlesbourg, New France;¹¹ (2) Jean Lamothe (~1664-1724), 14 Oct 1698, Quebec City, New France¹²

3. Louis Bruneau — B. 27 Dec 1673, (probably) Charlesbourg, New France;¹³ D. 14 Feb 1674, Quebec City, New France¹⁴

4. Nicolas Bruneau — B. 12 Feb 1675, (probably) Charlesbourg, New France;¹⁵ D. 13 Mar 1675, Quebec City, New France¹⁶

5. Marie-Madeleine Bruneau — B. 29 Oct 1676, (probably) Charlesbourg, New France;¹⁷ D. 25 Aug 1687, Quebec City, New France¹⁸

6. Jeanne Bruneau — B. 16 Aug 1679, Charlesbourg, New France;¹⁹ D. 6 Jan 1746, Quebec City, New France;²⁰ M. (1) François Duclas (1668-1708), 16 Oct 1697, Quebec City, New France;²¹ (2) Alexandre Derny Larose (1676-?), 23 Mar 1713, Quebec city, New France²²

7. Marguerite Bruneau — B. 21 Nov 1681, Charlesbourg, New France;²³ D. 12 Apr 1718, Sainte-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France;²⁴ M. (1) Charles Giroux (~1669-1714), 23 Feb 1699, Quebec City, New France;²⁵ (2) Hiliare Martin (1692-1756), 8 Nov 1714, Quebec City, New France²⁶

8. Marie-Charlotte Bruneau — B. 19 Dec 1683, Charlesbourg, New France;²⁷ M. (1) Simon Didier Parisien (~1669-1710), 29 Oct 1703, Montreal, New France;³ (2) Claude Laspron dit Lacharité (1679-1739), 7 Jan 1712, Trois-Rivières, New France²⁸

9. René Bruneau — B. 25 Mar 1687, Charlesbourg, New France;²⁹ D. 5 Apr 1687, Charlesbourg, New France³⁰

10. Nicolas Bruneau — B. 20 Oct 1689, Charlesbourg, New France;³¹ D. (probably) young

Sources:
1    Migrations.fr listing for Anne Poitreau  
2    Marriage record of René Bruneau and Anne-Jeanne Poitreau, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Marriage record of Simon Didier Parisien and Marie-Charlotte Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
4    Migrations.fr listing for ship La Nouvelle France 1668 
5    Baptismal record of Robert Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
6    Registre Journalier des Malades de L’Hôtel-Dieu de Quebec, Marcel & Gisèle Monarque, 2005
7    Inventaire des greffes des notaires du Régime français, Vol. VII, p.114
8    Burial record of Robert Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
9    Baptismal record of Anne Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
10  Burial record of Anne Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
11  Marriage record of Jean Mingou and Anne Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
12  Marriage record of Jean Lamothe and Anne Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
13  Baptismal record of Louis Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
14  Burial record of Louis Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
15  Baptismal record of Nicolas Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
16  Burial record of Nicloas Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
17  Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
18  Burial record of Marie-Madeleine Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Jeanne Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
20  Burial record of Jeanne Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
21  Marriage record of François Duclas and Jeanne Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
22  Marriage record of Alexandre Derny Larose and Jeanne Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
23  Baptismal record of Marguerite Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
24  Burial record of Marguerite Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
25  Marriage record of Charles Giroux and Marguerite Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
26  Marriage record of Hiliare Martin and Marguerite Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
27  Baptismal record of Marie-Charlotte Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
28  Marriage record of Claude Laspron dit Lacharité and Marie-Charlotte Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
29  Baptismal record of René Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
30  Burial record of René Bruneau, Q.C.P.R.
31  Baptismal record of Nicolas Bruneau (younger), Q.C.P.R.

Bringing a Family to New France — Pierre Saint-Denys

B. about 1625 in (probably) Dieppe, France¹

M. about 1645 in (probably) Dieppe, France²
Wife: Vivienne Bunel
D. 12 Sep 1686, Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France¹

Most French colonists arrived in America as individuals, but Pierre Saint-Denys brought his wife and children. He was born in about 1625 in Normandy, France, likely in Dieppe.¹ No documentation of his parents have survived, and his own marriage record is lost. The first event that mentions his name was the baptism of a daughter Marie on March 13, 1647 at St-Jacques parish in Dieppe.² His wife was Vivienne Bunel, and based on the fact that they had an earlier child, their marriage date was about 1645. A third child was born in about 1650, and a fourth child was baptized at the same church on August 21, 1652,² but this one seems to have died young.

St-Jacques church in Dieppe, France, where Pierre's first three children were baptized.

During mid-17th century, Dieppe was the port city where the majority of ships left for New France, and those seeking recruits to move there actively signed up people who lived nearby. This is likely how Pierre joined the migration, but it isn’t clear exactly when he did. With a gap of almost 10 years between the births of his known children, he may have initially gone to the colony by himself. His name was said to have appeared in Quebec City on April 28, 1659 in some unspecified record,³ and on May 3, 1662, he was the godfather in a baptism there.⁴ Then on February 6, 1663, a child was born to Pierre and Vivienne at Château-Richer,⁵ followed by two more in 1664 and 1665.^6,7 Sadly, none of these babies lived more than a few days.

Pierre and his family seemed to have lived in the seigneury of Château-Richer from about 1662 to 1679. He was listed in the 1666⁸ and 1667⁹ censuses with his wife and adult children, although his two daughters were soon married off, and in 1667, he had two men working for him. Younger daughter Anne got into some trouble in 1667 in a strange incident involving three other young wives.¹⁰ A man named Nicolas Huot dit Saint-Laurent had delivered firewood to the women, and after they discovered it was too green to use, they went back to him to complain. Tempers flared and the women attacked Huot with sticks. It wasn’t a smart move because he was the local bailiff, and he didn’t hesitate to take them to court. Pierre testified on his daughter’s behalf, but the women were found guilty and sentenced to make a public apology on the church steps.

Women attacking a man. (AI-generated image)

In 1679, Pierre and Vivienne moved to Île d’Orleans, where he purchased a concession on September 3rd.¹¹ The farm was 3 arpents wide and was located on the north shore towards the middle of the island. He had agreed to pay 200 livres for it, but was later said to be delinquent about paying it. The 1681 census showed that he owned eight heads of cattle and had 15 arpents under cultivation.¹²

Pierre died on September 12, 1686 and was buried at the church in Ste-Famille. His wife Vivienne continued on at the farm for over 12 more years, and passed away in 1699.¹³ They were both ancestors of Jack Kerouac, Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Chloë Sevigny, Dan Aykroyd, and Julianne Hough.¹⁴

Children:
1. Pierre Saint-Denys — B. about 1646, (probably) St-Jacques, Dieppe, France;¹⁵ D. 11 Dec 1696, Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹⁵ M. Madeleine Thivierge (~1651-1700), 13 Sep 1670, Château-Richer, New France¹⁶

2. Marie Saint-Denys — B. about 13 Mar 1647, St-Jacques, Dieppe, France;² D. 23 Jan 1705, Rivière Ouelle, New France;¹⁷ M. Pierre Boucher (1639-1707), 4 Apr 1663, Château-Richer, New France¹⁸

3. Anne Saint-Denys — B. about 1650, (probably) St-Jacques, Dieppe, France;¹⁹ D. 16 Oct 1674, Beaupré, New France;¹⁹ M. Laurent Migneron (1640-1705), 7 Sep 1666, Château-Richer, New France²⁰

4. Andre Saint-Denys — B. about 21 Aug 1652, St-Jacques, Dieppe, France;² D. young, (probably) St-Jacques, Dieppe, France

5. Charles Saint-Denys — B. 6 Feb 1663, Château-Richer, New France;⁵ D. 8 Feb 1663, Château-Richer, New France²¹

6. Angelique Saint-Denys — B. 26 Nov 1664, Château-Richer, New France;⁶ D. 28 Nov 1664, Château-Richer, New France²²

7. Louise Saint-Denys — B. 22 Dec 1665, Château-Richer, New France;⁷ D. 27 Dec 1665, Château-Richer, New France²³

Sources:
1    Burial record of Pierre Saint-Denys, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    FichierOrigine listing for Marie St-Denis/St-Denys  
3    Généalogie du Québec et d’Amérique française listing for Pierre St-Denis  
4    Baptismal record of Guillaume Rouleau, Q.C.P.R.
5    Baptismal record of Charles Saint-Denys, Q.C.P.R.
6    Baptismal record of Angelique Saint-Denys, Q.C.P.R.
7    Baptismal record of Louise Saint-Denys, Q.C.P.R.
8    Recensement de 1666 en Nouvelle-France
9    Recensement de 1667 en Nouvelle-France
10  Court record for case involving Anne Saint-Denis and others, BAnQ  
11  Rapport de l’Archiviste de la province de Québec, 1953-1954 et 1954-1955, p. 12
12  Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
13  Burial record of Vivienne Bunel, Q.C.P.R.
14  Famouskin.com listing for Vivienne Bunel 
15  Burial record of Pierre Saint-Denys (younger), Q.C.P.R.
16  Marriage record of Pierre Saint-Denys (younger) and Madeleine Thivierge, Q.C.P.R.
17  Burial record of Marie Saint-Denys, Q.C.P.R.
18  Marriage record of Pierre Boucher and Marie Saint-Denys, Q.C.P.R.
19  Burial record of Anne Saint-Denys, Q.C.P.R.
20  Marriage record of Laurent Migneron and Anne Saint-Denys, Q.C.P.R.
21  Burial record of Charles Saint-Denys, Q.C.P.R.
22  Burial record of Angelique Saint-Denys, Q.C.P.R.
23  Burial record of Louise Saint-Denys, Q.C.P.R.

Settling Down in His Forties — Pierre Pluchon

B. about 1617 in Champ-Dolent, France^1,2,3
M. 28 Nov 1662 in Quebec City, New France³
Wife: Marie Grignault dit Ledoux
D. 1 Oct 1699 in Ste-Foy, New France⁴

Pierre Pluchon was an early settler along the St. Lawrence River who seemed to arrive there in his middle-age. His birth year is a mystery because his age was reported differently at various times of his life. It’s likely that he was born in about 1617;^1,2 his birthplace was Champ-Dolent,³ a village in Normandy, and his parents were François Pluchon (sometimes spelled Peluchon) and Lousie Relin. Nothing else is known of Pierre until he was at least 45-years-old.

It seems that Pierre migrated to New France just before his name showed up on a land transaction on September 24, 1662.⁵ He purchased a concession not far upriver from Quebec City between Cap-Rouge and Sillery. The plot was a typical ribbon farm, but was narrower than most at only 2 arpents wide.

1663 map showing Pierre's farm.

Just a couple of months later, Pierre got married to Marie Grignault dit Ledoux, a woman from Brittany who was 20 to 25 years younger than he was. Their wedding took place at Notre-Dame-de-Quebec on November 28, 1662,³ then he presumably settled into a life of farming and raising a family.

Between 1664 and 1676, Pierre became a father seven times, although four children died young, probably as infants. He was listed in both the 1666⁶ and 1667¹ census, but it’s strange that his age was substantially older in the second year. By 1681, he seems to have moved up the river to he seigneury of Maure.² Of the 37 families that lived in his community, Pierre was the oldest person, at a listed age of 68. His farm production was smaller than most, likely due to being elderly and having only one son to help plant and harvest his crops.

Pierre lived a very long life. He passed away on October 1, 1699, and his burial took place at Ste-Foy,⁴ so he likely relocated there late in life. The priest who presided over his funeral was Charles Amador Martin, the son of Abraham Martin. Oddly, the parish record exaggerated Pierre’s age to 100-years-old at his death, suggesting that he must have looked ancient to the people around him. Pierre’s wife Marie survived him and died in 1706 at the age of 70.

Children:
1. Pierre Pluchon — B. 19 Feb 1664, Sillery, New France;⁷ D. 11 Oct 1723, Neuville, New France;⁸ M. Jeanne Lauriot (1671-1742), 7 Jan 1687, Neuville, New France⁹

2. Françoise Pluchon — B. 16 Jul 1666, Sillery, New France;¹⁰ D. before 1667¹

3. Catherine Pluchon — B. 26 Feb 1668, Sillery, New France;¹¹ D. 8 Feb 1743, Quebec City, New France;¹² M. (1) François Savari (~1658-1715), 26 Jul 1683, Neuville, New France; (2) Jean-Baptiste Marchet (1666-1732), 26 Aug 1715, Quebec City, New France¹⁴

4. Joseph Pluchon — B. 14 Jan 1671, Sillery, New France;¹⁵ D. before 1681²

5. Marguerite Pluchon — B. 20 Dec 1672, Sillery, New France;¹⁶ D. before 6 Nov 1676, (probably) Sillery, New France²⁰

6. Jeanne Pluchon — B. 17 Jan 1674, Sillery, New France;¹⁷ D. 12 May 1729, Quebec City, New France;¹⁸ M. Florian de la Citière, 10 Nov 1687¹⁹

7. Marguerite Pluchon — B. 6 Nov 1676, (probably) Sillery, New France;²⁰ D. after 1681

Sources:
1    Recensement de 1667 en Nouvelle-France
2    Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
3    Marriage record of Pierre Pluchon and Marie Grignault dit Ledoux, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
4    Burial record of Pierre Pluchon, Q.C.P.R.
5    Inventaire des greffes des notaires du régime français, Pierre Georges Roy and Antoine Roy, V. 27, p. 109
6    Recensement de 1666 en Nouvelle-France
7    Baptismal record of Pierre Pluchon (younger), Q.C.P.R.
8    Burial record of Pierre Pluchon (younger), Q.C.P.R.
9    Marriage record of Pierre Pluchon and Jeanne Lauriot, Q.C.P.R.
10  Baptismal record of Françoise Pluchon, Q.C.P.R.
11  Baptismal record of Catherine Pluchon, Q.C.P.R.
12  Burial record of Catherine Pluchon, Q.C.P.R.
13  Marriage record of François Savari and Catherine Pluchon, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Marchet and Catherine Pluchon, Q.C.P.R.
15  Baptismal record of Joseph Pluchon, Q.C.P.R.
16  Baptismal record of Marguerite Pluchon (older), Q.C.P.R.
17  Baptismal record of Jeanne Pluchon, Q.C.P.R.
18  Burial record of Jeanne Pluchon, Q.C.P.R.
19 Marriage record of Florian de la Citière and Jeanne Pluchon, Q.C.P.R.
20  Baptismal record of Marguerite Pluchon (younger), Q.C.P.R.

Following His Son to America — Thomas Crosby

B. about 1575 in Holme-on-Spaulding-Moor, Yorkshire, England¹
M. 19 Oct 1600 in Holme-on-Spaulding-Moor, Yorkshire, England¹
Wife: Jane Sotheron
D. before 6 May 1661 in Rowley, Massachusetts²

It was unusual for an Englishman of means to migrate to America in the 1630s, and even more so to do it in their old age, but this was exactly what Thomas Crosby did. He was born in about 1575 to Anthony and Alison Crosby in the Yorkshire village of Holme-on-Spaulding-Moor.¹ Thomas’ family had lived in that area for over 100 years, and probably longer. While not at the top level of society, the Crosbys acquired more land with each generation, which gave them some status in their community.

When Thomas was about 24, his father died, leaving him a 100-acre farm,¹ and about a year later, he got married. His bride was Jane Sotheron who was from another prominent Yorkshire family; her grandfather was said to be “the wealthiest resident of the parish.” The wedding took place in Holme-on-Spaulding-Moor on October 19, 1600.¹ Over the next few years, they had four children, all boys. Later, when third son William died at age 30, grandson Anthony was taken in by Thomas and Jane, who raised him like their own child.¹

For nearly 40 years, Thomas lived the life of a yeoman farmer. His name turned up in several lawsuits involving property transactions where he and various parties disputed payments between each other; some of the cases involved his wife’s family. Thomas and his youngest son Simon assumed a mortgage on a large piece of property owned by the local nobility. The action was dated September 17, 1632 and included five houses.¹ Six months later, the noble family took back ownership of the land by paying £400 to Thomas.¹

Thomas' signature, 1632.

During Thomas’ lifetime, Yorkshire was a hotbed of non-conformists, and it’s believed that he became a follower of Puritan minister Ezekiel Rogers; circumstances would suggest this because of where he settled in America. Thomas’ son Simon, who was also a Puritan, left for Massachusetts in 1635, bringing his wife and infant child to the colony.¹ It isn’t known exactly when Thomas, Jane and young Anthony migrated as well. It’s been speculated that they were on the ship John of London with Reverend Rogers and a group of his parishioners in 1638, but their names weren’t listed among the passengers. Perhaps they traveled on another ship around that time.

By 1639, Thomas joined his son Simon in Cambridge, probably living under his roof.¹ Sadly, Simon died in September of that year. It’s believed that Thomas continued to live in Simon’s house until his widow remarried in 1645. During this time Thomas was said to help out financially in support of a printing press in Cambridge, the first one in the New England colony. It had been brought over from England on the John of London, and he may have even paid for its purchase, although this fact isn’t confirmed. Interestingly, Thomas bought 60 acres outside of town from the man who operated the press, Stephen Daye; the sales transaction happened on April 16, 1640.¹

Stephen Daye running his press. (AI-generated image)

After his daughter-in-law left Cambridge with her new husband, Thomas needed a place to live, and on July 20, 1645, he bought a house and outbuildings on seven acres located at the corner of present-day Ash Street and Brattle Streets.¹ He remained there for the next four years until his friend, Reverend Thomas Shepard died in 1649. Then he moved to the town of Rowley, where many of his acquaintances had moved, including Reverend Rogers. When he was a settler in Rowley, he received allotments of land when the town divided up new property at various times. He bought a home in Rowley on April 30, 1656 from John Hazeltine. This included a house, barn, orchard, “planting” lot and meadows.¹

By the end of Thomas’ life, all of his sons had passed away, so his grandson Anthony, now a doctor, became his sole heir. He deeded the young man everything before he died, signing the document in February 1659 as a joint decision with his wife Jane.¹ The document stipulated that Anthony continue to pay his grandparents £20 per year for their support. Thomas died at Rowley in May of 1662,² and Jane passed away about one year later.²

Children:
1. Anthony Crosby — B. about 1602, Holme-on-Spaulding-Moor, Yorkshire, England;¹ D. Jun 1632, Holme-on-Spaulding-Moor, Yorkshire, England¹

2. Thomas Crosby — B. about 1604, Holme-on-Spaulding-Moor, Yorkshire, England;¹ D. Dec 1658, Holme-on-Spaulding-Moor, Yorkshire, England;¹ M. Prudence, about 1633, (probably) Holme-on-Spaulding-Moor, Yorkshire, England¹

3. William Crosby — B. about 1606, Holme-on-Spaulding-Moor, Yorkshire, England;¹ D. Jun 1636, Holme-on-Spaulding-Moor, Yorkshire, England;¹ M. Ann Wright (?-1636), Seaton, Yorkshire, England, 2 Apr 1636¹

4. Simon Crosby — B. about 1608, Holme-on-Spaulding-Moor, Yorkshire, England;¹ D. Sep 1639, Cambridge, Massachusetts;¹ M. Ann Brigham (~1606-1675), 21 Apr 1634, Holme-on-Spaulding-Moor, Yorkshire, England³

Sources:
1    Simon Crosby the Emigrant: His English Ancestry And Some of His Descendants, Eleanor Davis Crosby, 1914
2    Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Ancestry.com
3    Marriage of Simon Crosby and Ann Brigham, England Parish Register, FindMyPast.com