Before the King's Daughters:The Filles à Marier 1634-1662

Clipped from: https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tree/1535358/media/c15e00c8-6f85-4acc-b721-bb3d8903ec4b?o_xid=38391&o_lid=38391&o_sch=Email+Programs


Before the King's Daughters:The Filles à Marier 1634-1662

by Quintin Publications

Before the King's Daughters:The Filles à Marier 1634-1662

by Peter J. Gagné

The untold story of female immigration to New France

Before the state-sponsored immigration program that sent nearly 800 women known as Filles du Roi to Québec, 262 brave and adventurous women made the journey to New France on their own. Sent by relatives and religious organizations or enlisting on their own account, these women did not benefit from a paid passage and dowry drawn from the King’s treasury, but they did face the same if not worse hardships and dangers. Known as the Filles à Marier or “marriageable girls,” they were the first single women to set foot in the colony since its return from the English in 1632. True pioneers and heroines, they left their homes in France to found new ones in the New World.

This book – the first work dedicated solely to this group of pioneer women – tells their story, collectively and individually. It first examines the much-misunderstood early immigration of women to New France, explaining the need for women in the colony, the difficulties in increasing the population and the unfounded assertions that these women were prostitutes, not pioneers. The book then includes individual biographies of each of these 262 single women and concludes with a table of arrivals per year, an appendix of supporting documentation (marriage and enlistment contracts and inventories), a glossary, index of husbands and a comprehensive index to the book.

Among the biographies of these courageous pioneer women, you will find:

Gillette Banne, who was executed with husband Jacques Bertault for poisoning their son-in-law.

Marguerite Boileau, who was captured by the English in Acadia, brought to Boston as a prisoner and ransomed by her husband, who had escaped earlier.

Françoise Capel, who may be responsible for the fire that destroyed the Ursuline convent in 1650.

Louis Guimont (husband of Jeanne Bitouset), the first person miraculously healed at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. 

 
Marguerite Pontonnier, who had a spell cast on her marriage by a jilted lover so they wouldn't have any children. 

Marie Riton was born 1623 in La-Roche-sur-Yon, Vendee, France. daughter of Robert Riton et Marguerite Guyon. She died between 1672 and 1675 in Beauport.  She had a child, Marie Brunet, born outside of wedlock November 6, 1644 in France. She married Léonard Leblanc on 23 Aug 1650. She died before 1675, age 52, Beauport, Canada at Beauport, Quebec.

 
Jacquette Vivran, who was killed by lightning.

La Grande Recrue de 1653

The year 2003 marked the 350th anniversary of the arrival of the Great Recruitment, the 100 or so men who came to save the fledgling colony, in Montreal. The same ship also carried a few women, including Jeanne Voidy, a fille a marier, and one of June's ancestors.

Much of their story is told here http://www.maisonsaint-gabriel.qc.ca/en/musee/chr-18.php and here
http://louisianalineage.com/recrue1653.htm.

Of the men, the following are June's ancestors: Jean Auger dit le Baron, Isaac-Urbain Brossard, Pierre Chauvin dit Le Grande, Fiacre Ducharme dit Lafontaine, and Gilles Lauzon.

Some detail on the aforementioned is as follows.

http://www.oocities.org/weallcamefromsomewhere/Kebec/jeanne_voidy.html
http://www.nosorigines.qc.ca/GenealogieQuebec.aspx?genealogie=Demers_Jean&pid=21722&lng=fr
Jeanne Voidy (Vedie)
Naissance: 1637 vers, Paroisse/ville: St-Germain-du-Val, Angers, Pays: France
Décès: 01 décembre 1708 - âge: 71, Paroisse/ville: Quebec, Pays: Canada
Information, autres enfants, notes, etc.
Père : MICHEL VEDIE
Mère : CATHERINE DORBELLE
Famille Jean Dumais et Jeanne Vedie au complet (12 enfants) vérifiée avec PRDH
Arrivée à Montréal le 16-11-1653
(CT 04-10 Closse) avec Jean Demers
Elle avait 16 ans lors de son mariage. Elle est arrivée en Nouvelle-France en compagnie de Marguerite Bourgeois, le 16 octobre 1653 à Montréal. Contrat de mariage passé devant Lambert Closse, le 4 octobre 1654. Elle fut inhumé le 3 dec. 1708 dans le cimetière de la paroisse notre-dame de québec,co.québec,sous le nom de jeanne voidi,veuve de feu jean dumets agée d'environ 75 ans,en présence de jean et rené dumets,jean brassard et autres. (Denise Evans)


http://www.nosorigines.qc.ca/GenealogieQuebec.aspx?genealogy=Jean_Auger&pid=35056&lng=en&partID=35057
Jean Auger dit le Baron
Occupation: Tissier, tanneur
Born: about 1621, Parish/City: Chemire-en-Charnie, Le Mans, Maine, Country: France
Death: 17 November 1697 - Age: 76, Parish/City: Montreal, Country: Canada
Information, Other Kids, Notes, etc.
Ancetre
Engagé La Flèche le 30-3-1653
Arrive seul le 16-11-1653, Montréal et sa femme et son fils arrivent plus tard

http://www.nosorigines.qc.ca/GenealogieQuebec.aspx?pid=41890
Isaac-Urbain Brossard
Occupation: Maitre macon
Christening: 04 January 1633, Parish/City: Faubourg St-Germain, La Fleche, Angers, Anjou, Sarthe, Country: France
Burial: 17 April 1710 - Age: 77, Parish/City: Montreal, Country: Canada
Information, Other Kids, Notes, etc.
Engagé le 12-4-1653 La Flèche
Arrivé le 16-11-1653 Montréal
(CT 03 Basset) avec Urbaine Hodiau
Fils de Mathurin et Michelle Bidaut mariés au Faubourg St-Germain, La Fleche, Angers, Anjou
FichierOrigine
Il est né dans le faubourg Saint-Germain-de-Val à La Flèche. Sa sœur Marie a été baptisée à La Flèche (St-Thomas) le 26-09-1635. Une autre soeur Françoise, née en 1646, a épousée Jean Hautreux à la Flèche (St-Thomas) le 25 février 1672.

http://www.nosorigines.qc.ca/GenealogieQuebec.aspx?pid=44115
Pierre Chauvin dit LeGrand
Occupation: Meunier
Born: about 1637, Parish/City: St-Vion, La Fleche, Maine,Country: France
Death: 04 August 1699 - Age: 62, Parish/City: Montreal, Country: Canada
Information, Other Kids, Notes, etc.
Fils de René Chauvin et Catherine Avard
30 ans au recensement 1667
Engagé le 04-04-1653 à La Flèche et arrive à Montréal le 16-11-1653
CT 15 Basset avec Marthe Hautreux

http://www.nosorigines.qc.ca/GenealogieQuebec.aspx?pid=106028
Fiacre Ducharme dit Lafontaine
Occupation: Menuisier
Born: 1625, Parish/City: Paris, St-Benoit, Country: France
Burial: 17 March 1677 - Age: 52, Parish/City: Montreal, Country: Canada
Information, Other Kids, Notes, etc.
Fils de Toussaint et Jacqueline Drouet

http://hoguegirardin.wordpress.com/tag/grande-recrue/
Fiacre Ducharme dit Fontaine was a master woodworker who married fille à marier Marie Pacreau in 1659. He also served as corporal the 18th squadron of Montreal’s Sainte-Famille militia.

http://www.nosorigines.qc.ca/GenealogieQuebec.aspx?pid=2970
Gilles Lauzon
Occupation: Chaudronnier
Born: about 1627, Parish/City: St-Julien, Caen, Calvados, Country: France
Burial: 21 September 1687 - Age: 60, Parish/City: Montréal, Country: Canada
Information, Other Kids, Notes, etc.
Fils de Pierre et Anne Boivin de St-Julien, Caen, Bayeux, Calvados, Normadie
Arrivé le 16-11-1653 Montréal
Sépulture PRDH

Marriageable Women Narrative

Between 1634 and 1663, 262 filles à  marier or "marriageable girls" emigrated to New France representing one quarter of all the single girls arriving in New France through 1673. They were recruited and chaperoned by religious groups or individuals who had to assure and account for their good conduct. In general, they were poor, although there were some members of the petty nobility among their ranks.

As opposed to the Filles du Roi who emigrated between 1663 and 1673, the filles à  marier came alone or in small groups. They were not recruited by the state and did not receive a dowry from the King. They were promised nothing but the possibility of a better life. If they survived the perils of the crossing, they lived with the daily threat of death at the hands of the Iroquois. If they survived the Iroquois, they had to deal with the hard life of subsistence farming, harsh winters spent in a log cabin that they may have helped build, epidemics of smallpox and "fever" and difficult and often dangerous childbirth.

Crossing the Atlantic was a dangerous undertaking in the 1600s, and it is estimated that 10% of all passengers en route to New France died during the crossing. Sickness and disease were the main factors contributing to deaths at sea. Passengers were forced to share the hull with livestock that was either being shipped to the colony or served as meals during the crossing. While the passengers may have been permitted on deck during good weather and calm seas, storms forced their confinement to the hull where they were shut in not only with the livestock, but also with the odor of latrine buckets, seasickness and the smoky lanterns used for lighting. The climate and close quarters fostered the rapid spread of diseases such as scurvy, fever and dysentery. Under such conditions, very little could be done for those who were suffering. The method for dealing with the dead was to sew them up in their blankets and throw them overboard during the night.

The filles à  marier chose to emigrate under perilous conditions to a wilderness colony because the advantages offered by the colony were great enough to make them forget the dangers of the crossing and rude character of colonial life. In France, the girls would have had little or no choice in their marriages because arranged marriages were the norm for the artisan and working classes as well as for the elite. Parental consent was required for men under the age of 30 and women under the age of 25. Young girls were placed in convent schools or pensions only to await a marriage in which they had no choice or to become a nun. In New France, these women could choose whom they wanted to marry and had the freedom to change their minds before the marriage took place.Most of the filles à  marier belonged to the rural class and were the daughters of peasants and farmers. A small number were from urban families, the daughters of craftsmen, day laborers and servants, while an even smaller number were the daughters of businessmen, civil servants, military men and the petty nobility. Their average age was 22, and more than one-third had lost at least one parent. About 20% were related to someone who was already a colonist. 

Most were married within a year of their arrival in New France. While waiting to find a husband, many of the girls lodged with religious communities --either the Ursulines in Quebec City or the Filles de la Congregation Notre-Dame in Montreal-- although about 100 filles à  marier lodged with individuals.Peter J. Gagné has defined the qualifications to be considered a fille à  marier as follows:
• Must have arrived before September 1663
• Must have come over at marriageable age (12 thru 45)
• Must have married or signed a marriage contract at least once in New France or have signed an enlistment contract
• Must not have been accompanied by both parents
• Must not have been accompanied by or joining a husband
[Source: Before the King's Daughters: The Filles à  Marier, 1634-1662 by Peter J. Gagné. Pawtucket, RI: Quinton Publications, 2002. pp 13-38]

Marriageable Women

Most of us are familiar with the story of the King's Daughters or Fille Du Roi; the state sponsored program that brought almost 800 single women to Quebec in the early days of the French settlement, but what is not so well known is the story of the Fille a Marier. Between 1634 and 1662; 262 young ladies braved the elements to begin an uncertain future in the backwoods of Canada.

The following are 14 of June's ancestors.

http://www.apointinhistory.net/filles-a-marier.php

Trois Rivieres Area

Gillette Banne (Heroine or Cold-Blooded Murderer?) was born about 1636 in Argences, Caen, Bayeux, Normandy, France; the daughter of Marin Banne and Isabelle Boire. She arrived in the Quebec colony about 1649 as a fille a marier contracted to Marin Chauvin. Marin was born about 1620 in Mesny, St. Mard, Reno, Tourouvre, France. He had signed a contract on March 8, 1648 in Tourouvre, to be engaged as a labourer in New France for Noel Juchereau. The term of the contract was for three years at annual salary of 40 livres. Gillette and Marin were wed soon after her arrival and a daughter, Marie, was born in September of 1650. Gillette was executed on 9 Jun 1672 with her second husband Jacques Bertault.

Catherine Forestier, fille a marier, born about 1634 in La Rochelle, Aunis, France; died March 31, 1694 in Boucherville, Quebec, Canada; married Jacques Menard-dit-Lafontaine November 19, 1657 in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada.

Jeanne Mechin was born about 1631 in La Rochelle, Aunis, Charente-Maritime, France; the daughter of Jean Mechin and Suzanne Larose. She arrived in the Quebec Colony as a filles a marier, contracted to be the bride of Guillaume Pepin. They were married in 1645 at Trois-Rivieres. Guillaume was born in 1607 at St. Laurent, Baviere, Xaintes, Saintonge, France; the son of Pierre Pepin and Francoise Prieur; and was the Judge at Trois-Rivieres. He and Jeanne would had thirteen children. Jeanne died on November 30, 1680 and Guillaume followed on August 12, 1697.

Quebec Area

Michelle Artus was born about 1628, in the Parish of De Bousse, Malicorne, La Feche, Anjou, France. Her parents were Louis Artus and Renee Testard. When Maisonneuve began his first recruitment for the proposed settlement at Ville Marie (Montreal), he also signed on several young girls, who would be given instruction and later become the wives of the single men engaged in the defense and construction of the colony. Michelle was amoung them, and she boarded the Saint-Nicolas-de-Nantes on June 25, 1653; about to embark on an unknown future. Also on board was Marguerite Bourgeoys, who was in charge of overseeing the loading of merchandise, and when all was set to go, Captain Pierre le Besson, left the port of Saint-Nazaire with 122 passengers, mostly soldiers, and headed for Quebec. If Michelle was uncertain of her future before, she certainly questioned it now when the aged and rotting ship began to take on water, after only several days at sea. Though the men did their best to plug up the holes, it was clear that they had to abandon ship. De Maisonneuve, fearing that if they went back to France, most of his recruits would back out, instead brought them safely to a small island, with little chance of escape (though a few did try), until he was able to procure another vessel. Marguerite Bourgeoys was able to calm the passengers, and avoid a mutiny; but just barely. It took several weeks to find another ship and have it equipped, but they finally departed a second time on July 20, 1653, which happened to be St. Marguerite’s day, the patron saint of Marguerite Bourgeoys, so how could they lose. All made it safely to Quebec, and though it would be another decade before the official King's Daughters began to arrive, the young girls who braved the voyage, became known as the Filles A Marier, just a handful of the 262 women who arrived under various privately sponsored schemes before the Fille Du Roi. Michelle Artus would marry fellow recruit, Jean Le Houx Descaries on October 5, 1654 at Quebec. Jean was born in 1621, the son of Michel Le Houx Descaries and Claudine Desgardes. The couple would have five children before Jean's death on January 10, 1687 in Montreal. Michelle followed him on September 14, 1698; leaving behind many descendants. Things may have been different had the Governor taken the passengers back to France, and there's a good possibilty that Michelle would not have ventured out again. But he did, and she did, and the infant colony of Ville Marie was the better for it. 

Anne De Launay was born on 10 July, 1635 and baptized in the Calvinist Temple in La Rochelle, France. She arrived in the colony as a Filles a Marier, contracted to be the bride of Pierre Arnaud Maillou Desmoulins. The wedding took place on 23 October, 1661 at Ville De Quebec. Pierre was born about 1631 in St. Pierre de Brie-sous-Matha, Bours, Brie, France; the son of Jacques Maillou and Suzanne Arnaud. He and Anne would have eight children before his death on 11 June, 1699 at Ville De Quebec. Anne followed on 12 December, 1700.

Marie-Suzanne Pere (1624-1684) was born about 1624 in Ortez, Pau, Bearn, Pyrenees-Atlantiques, France; the daughter of Guillaume Pere and Marie Dartoys. She arrived in the Quebec Colony as a Filles A Marier, contracted to be the bride of Thierrry Delestre. They were married November 09, 1656 in Ville De Quebec. Thierry was born about 1618 in Avesnes-sur-Helpe, Hainaut, Nord, France; the son of Jacques Delestre and Marie Honois. He and Marie-Suzanne would have one child before her death on June 26, 1684 in Hotel Dieu. Thierry followed soon after on July 02, 1684. Marie-Anne Delestre - Was born on November 26, 1656 in Ville De Quebec and died on January 02, 1685 in Boucherville. She married Francois-Jacques Cesar and the couple had seven children.

Suzanne Jarel was born 1642 in St Martin, Larochelle, Iiede Re, France, and died 15 Dec 1687 in Ste Famille, Ile Dorleans, Quebec, Canada. She married Francois Dupont on 07 Jun 1663 in Chateau Richer, La Visitation, Quebec, Canada.

Montreal Area

Marguerite Doucinet was born on February 14, 1641 and baptized at the Calvinist Temple in La Rochelle; the daughter of Pierre Doucinet and Florence Canteau. She arrived in the Quebec Colony as a Filles A Marier, contracted to be the bride of Philippe Matou Labrie. They were married December 28, 1662 in Montreal. Philippe was born on June 05, 1635 in St-Pregts de Grisy-sur-Seine, Sens, Brie, France; the son of Jacques Labrie and Paquette Moutier. He and Marguerite would have seven children before his death on January 20, 1688 in Montreal. Marguerite followed on September 15, 1698.

Marie-Madeleine FRANÇOIS (or LeFrançois) was from Metz, Lorraine. Her father, Isaac François, was deceased when his daughter arrived in Canada in the summer of 1654. He had been the Captain of a Light Cavalry unit in France. First mention of Marie-Madeleine in Canada is 11-16-1654 at her marriage contract to Guillaume Thibault. She was not able to sign her name. In January 1655, they were married in Québec. She was about 20 and he was about 37. At Marie-Madeleine François' marriage to Guillaume Thibault, she brought with her a dowry of 400 livres (pounds). She chose for her husband, a baker and a tailor who was the son of bourgeois parents from Rouen, Normandy. He was able to sign his name, therefore had some education. Guillaume Thibault had first arrived unmarried in Canada in 1638, then he returned to France probably in 1639 where he lived until 1643. In April of that year, he signed a contract for three years at La Rochelle before Notary Teuleron for a pay of 100 livres a year with 60 livres given in advance. According to the contract, he was living in LaRochelle and working worked as a baker. From this, it can be determined that Marie-Madeleine's dowry of 400 livres was an attractive sum of money. In 1650, Thibault was established in Chateau-Richer in the county of Montmorency. In December of that year, Olivier Letardif conceded land to Guillaume Thibault at Chateau Richer. Olivier Letardif was one of the sponsors of the 1643 voyage to Canada where many recruits had signed on. Letardif (or Tardif) was the manager of the company store for the Company of 100 Associates in Québec. The 1666 census picked the family up as living in the Québec area. Thibault had in his employ a recruit named Robert Vaillancourt, a 23-year old coppersmith. The census of 1667 showed that he owned 5 head of cattle and 15 arpents (acres) of land being farmed. In February 1682, Thibault purchased the property of Simon Guyon who had recently died for the sum of 2000 livres (pounds). Guillaume Thibault died at Chateau-Richer 8-21-1686 at the age of 64. On the 28th of April 1695, his estate worth 1175 livres were distributed to his children. Marie-Madeleine François had a second marriage to François Fafard, a widower, in 1696.

Renée LOPPÉ arrived in Canada in 1658.  She married Jean Valiquet 23 September, 1658, at which time she was about 15 years old. Jean Valiquet, the son of a notary and a lawyer, was able to sign his name. Valiquet and his cousin, Mathurin Langevin belonged to the syndicate of Montréal Habitants (Settlers) called Habitants de Montréal recruited by M. de la Dauversière. Valiquet was a 21-year-old bachelor at the time. He had arrived in Montréal as part of la Grande recrue de 1653. Valiquet contracted to remain in the country 5 years. He was a gunsmith, locksmith, roofer farmer and land clearer.  He signed on to the venture as a militiaman. In 1663, Valiquet was a corporal of the militia in the Ste. Famille Militia created by Maisonneuve in 1663. He was considered one of the most courageous defenders of Montréal.

Marguerite Maclin was born on January 01, 1648 in the Parish of Notre Dame de Sezanne, Brie, Chalon, Marne, France; the daughter of Jean Maclin and Suzanne Larose. She arrived in the Quebec Colony as a Filles A Marier, contracted to be the bride of Jean (Sicot) Chiquot. They were married October 23, 1662 in Montreal. Jean was born in 1631 at Dolus, Ile-d'Oleron, Aunis, France. He and Marguerite would have two children before his death on June 08, 1667. After her first husband's death, Marguerite married Nicolas Boyer on August 18, 1667 in Montreal. Nicolas was born on September 29, 1637 in the Parish of Notre-Dame de Cogne, La Rochelle, Aunis, France; the son of Etienne Boyer and Perrine Peinbaut. He and Marguerite would have ten children. Nicolas died on May 24, 1714 in Montreal and Marguerite followed on June 20, 1733.

Marie Pontonnier was baptized 22 January 1643 in the parish of Saint-Vincent in Le Lude, Anjou, the daughter of Urbain Pontonnier and Félicité Jamin. She was related to Jean Valiquet, who married Renée Loppé. After the death of her father, Marie came to Canada in 1656, at age 13. On 6 May 1657, notary Saint-Père drew up a marriage contract between Marie and Pierre Gadois. They were married in Montréal 12 October 1657. After a three-year waiting period imposed by canon law, Marie and Pierre's marriage was annulled by Bishop Laval on 30 August 1660, "because of permanent impotence caused by an evil spell." Less than a month after the annulment, on 08 October, notary Basset drew up a marriage contract between Marie and Pierre Martin dit La Rivière in his Montréal study. The two were married 03 November 1660 in the church of Notre-Dame de Montréal. Tragically, only four months after her second marriage, Marie became a widow at the age of 18 when Pierre was killed in an Iroquois ambush on 24 March 1661. On 5 December 1661, Marie married Honoré Langlois dit Lachapelle et Croustille. A hat maker, Honoré was born about 1632 in Paris, the son of Jean Langlois and Jacquette Charpentier. He is noted at Montréal as early as 03 July 1659. Honoré and Marie had ten children, disproving her "impotence" The family moved to Pointe-aux-Trembles in or before 1681. Pierre died at Pointe-aux-Trembles on 12 Dec 1709. Marie was buried there on 7 January 1718.


Jeanne Voidy was born about 1637 at St-Germain du Val, La Fleche, Anjou, France; the daughter of Michel Voidy and Catherine Dorbelle. She arrived in the Quebec Colony as a Filles a Marier, contracted to be the bride of Jean (Dumay) Demers. They were wed November 09, 1654 in Montreal. Jean was born in 1627 at St-Jacques-de-Dieppe, Rouen, Normandy, France; the son of Jean Demers Senior and Barbe Mauger. He and Jeanne would have eight children before his death on July 03, 1708 at Ville De Quebec. Jeanne followed on December 01, 1708. 

Francoise Viger (1646-1712) was born about 1646 in Doue-la-Fontaine, Saumur, Angers, Anjou, France; the daughter of Robert Viger and Perrine Remillard.  She arrived in the Quebec Colony as a Filles A Marier, contracted to be the bride of Francois Deblois.  They were married September 11, 1662 at Chateau-Richer. Francois was born in 1633 at Champagne-Mouton, Confolens, France; the son of Francois Deblois Sr.  and Marguerite Papelogne.  He and Francoise would have eight children.  He died on November 24, 1705 in Ste-Famille and she followed on March 23, 1712.