Késsinnimek - Roots - RacinesPierre Boucher, The Ignored one...A Modest Man
by Jacques Dunant
by Jacques Dunant
Version française
Born in the 17th century, Pierre Boucher met all the personalities who helped build New France at a
difficult time for settlement. He wrote different things for a variety of
occasions.
For example, he wrote in 1695:
« I am one of the oldest in the
country of New France, having been brought here by my father in 1635. I was
only thirteen years old then »
In
a little known publication, Mr. Raymond Douville1 wrote:
The majority of historians place the
arrival of Pierre Boucher in 1634. We have no reason to doubt the truth of this
detail.
I confirmed this in my article Késsinnimek, February 2005, that many historians committed errors. (Therefore, he
arrived in 1635)
Pierre Boucher's contemporaries recognized his
talent in all the command posts in which he served; the Governor d’ Avaugour
delegated him as his personal envoy to plead to the king of France for help in
1661. During this trip, Minister J.B. Colbert asked him to write about the
country of New France in order to encourage French emigration. This gave birth
to a booklet referring to the natural history of this country which was
written upon his return in 1662 and in
1663 signed by him at Trois-Rivières on 8 October 1663 and was sent shortly after to France It was
published in January 1664 in Paris under the title of "True and Natural
History of the Customs and Productions of the Country of New France Commonly
called Canada" (Histoire Véritable et Naturelle des Mœurs et
Productions du Pays de la Nouvelle-France Vulgairement dite Le Canada).
This work was translated into English by Edward-Louis Montizambert and
published in 1883 by George E. Desbarats & Co. in Montréal, under the title
:
CANADA
IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
Let us briefly outline a chronology of Pierre
Boucher’s life:
1622 He was baptized at
Mortagne in Perche on 1 August.
1635 He arrived in New France
with his family.
1637 The Jesuit Fathers hired
him to serve in Huron country. He spent four years there, during which he
learned their language and their way of life. The experiences would stay with
him during his entire life. The RR PP (Revered Fathers) taught him how to read
and write, and he also learned to examine things and he developed a keen spirit
of observation and analysis.
1641 Upon his return from
Huron country, Governor De Montmagny named him a soldier in the Québec
garrison, he quickly became a corporal, then a sergeant.
1642 He assisted in the
founding of Montréal.
1644 He was named official
interpreter and assigned to the fort of Trois-Rivières. He dealt with the
Amerindians, suppliers of fur. The basin of Saint-Maurice river was immensely
rich in animal pelts.
1649 He married Marie
Chrétien, (Ouébadinskoué) a young Huron. He is named Town Captain of
Trois-Rivières. Baptism of his son Jacques on 11 December. Then the two (mother
and her son) died.
1652 He married again to
Jeanne Crevier 9 July
1653 The governor de Lauson
granted him the fiefdom of Grosbois (Yamachiche).
1654 He received his official
title of governor of Trois-Rivières, on 1 October.
1657 He requested
authorization to retire on his property at Cap-de-la-Madeleine.
1661 He received his documents
of nobility from the governor d'Avaugour. He sailed for France as an envoy from
the governor Mr. d'Avaugour to seek help from the king on 22 October.
1662 Embarked at La Rochelle
to return to New France. He was named again as governor of Trois-Rivières.
1663 On 8 October, he signed
the dispatch letter of his manuscript of the "Histoire Véritable et
Naturelle" (The True and Natural History) to Colbert.
1664 His manuscript was
published in Paris. On 24 January, he received a title for his seignory at Îles
Percées. This is the future Boucherville.
1667 His daughter Marie
married, at Trois-Rivières, lieutenant René Gaultier de Varennes.
1668 The R.P. (Reverend
Father) Marquette signed the first act in the register of Boucherville, on 20
May.
1672 On 3 November, Jean Talon
officially granted the seignory of Ïles Percées.
1673 On 4 April, the first
concessions at Boucherville. The first colonists were there since 1667.
1707 Notary Antoine Adhémar
wrote up the testament of Pierre Boucher and of Jeanne Crevier, on 12 October.
1717 Death of Pierre Boucher,
on 19 April, he was buried beneath his pew in the local church on 21 April in
Boucherville.
In summary he saved the fort of Trois-Rivières
in 1653 and succeeded in annihilating the re-conquest projects of the Mohawks.
By taking Trois-Rivières, the Mohawks thought to divide the colony in two and
thereby isolate Ville-Marie which without help would finally collapse. In 1661,
he convinced the king and his minister Colbert to save the country by sending
troops and workmen there.
The king and Colbert would send the
Carignan-Salière regiment in 1665; consisting of 1200 men, who could not be
displaced in a few weeks or in a few months. Their supply and lodging would
have to be assured. It required an enormous amount of work and logistics which
would take four years of preparation, that would insure peace and calm for
almost twenty years. A large number of these soldiers and officers would remain
in New France, and soon the "filles du roi" (Daughters of the king)
would arrive.
Pierre Boucher's mission in 1661-1662 was a total success due to his diplomacy and
his knowledge of New France. Pierre Boucher was a modest man who never looked
for honours. Modesty, dignity and respect under all forms, respect for
authority and respect for life, these are some of the virtues that describe
Pierre Boucher. One can add maintaining good relationships in the family, he preached good understanding, avoided conflicts, here are many
virtues which he handed down to his descendants. These notions of integrity
have slowly disappeared from today‘s morality. But they do allow us to define
an outstanding person of this era.
And today
The town of Pierre Boucher has not forgotten its
founder. It gave the name "Pierre Boucher" to a small street in the
old village, and his name was also given to a market place (Square) Pierre Boucher,
to a school and finally to a hospital. There is also a statue of Pierre Boucher
which adorns an alcove in the facade of the building of the National Assembly
in Québec City. It is next to our pioneer heroes, Champlain, Iberville,
Frontenac, Jeanne Mance, Marguerite Bourgeoys, Jolliet, Father Jacques
Marquette and many others.
The 300th anniversary of his death will occur in
2017and five years later the 400th anniversary of his birth. Hopefully he will
be commemorated on one of these dates. Otherwise he will remain ignored by many
Canadians.
(1)
Raymond Douville was the Curator of National Archives of Québec
Member
of the Royal Society of Canada and Member of La Société des Dix. In the Canadian Classic
Collection, he published, at Fides in 1970, Selected Texts
under the title of PIERRE BOUCHER
Jacques Dunant February 2005
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