Késsinnimek - Roots - RacinesTHE ONE HUNDRED-ASSOCIATES COMPANY AND
THE FIEFDOM OF LA CITIÈRE
by Jacques Dunant
THE FIEFDOM OF LA CITIÈRE
by Jacques Dunant
Version française
Champlain cruises along the Acadian coast and explores the Saint-Lawrence River. He lays the foundation of Québec in 1608 then returns to France where he reports to the authorities the immense possibilities of trade with that new country. Cardinal Richelieu (1585-1642), prime minister to King Louis XIII, organises a trading company under the name The One Hundred Associates (La compagnie des Cent Associés) which is also called The Company of New-France. Their responsibility is to trade with the Indians and populate the land with inhabitants. Les Cent Associés receive their charter for New-France in 1627. It is an immense privilege but accompanied by many important responsibilities.
Boucherville owes its beginnings to The seignory of La Citière and La Citière owes its short life to the Cent Associés of which Monsieur Jean De Lauson is one of the first members. He rapidly becomes Director of the group.
On 15 January 1635, the Associates make a grant of a stretch of land to François de Lauson, eldest son of the Director Jean de Lauson, esquire. The land is located south of the Island of Montréal, along the Saint-Laurent river, beginning at the south of lac saint-Pierre and extending to the Lachine rapids. It is to be named fiefdom of La Citière.
Note: Published in the memoirs of the Montreal Historical Society, 9th issue page XXVI.
Source: Inventaire des Concessions en fiefs et seigneuries de P. G. Roy Volume I p.48.
On 29 July 1638 (Acte de mise en possession) Act for taking possession by Monsieur de Montmagny, governor of New-France to Nicolas Trevet, procurator for François de Lauson, notary Jean Guitet, of Québec.
Same source as above p.49
Note : The fiefdom of La Citière was immense: from today's city of Sorel to above the Lachine rapids covering the whole of the south shore and extending southward to the Atlantic Ocean! The front along the Saint-Laurent was sixty-six miles or 110 km. This territory belongs to the Mohawk Tribe, one of the five Iroquois Indians Confederacy; it extended from the Richelieu river to Lake Erie. The Mohawks had control over navigation on the Richelieu, the Saint-Laurent and the Ottawa rivers so they could divert to New-Amsterdam the furs collected by the French.
On 1 April 1647, François de Lauson, first owner of La Citière makes a grant to the Jesuits Fathers: Two leagues from Saint-Helen Island up to a meadow above the rapids (Le Saut) and four leagues in depth. It will be known as the arrière-fief de La Prairie de La Madeleine within the fiefdom of La Citière.
Jean de Lauson's family
Jean de Lauson (1584-1666) fourth governor of New-France (1651-1656),. Son of François and Isabelle Lotin. In 1613 he is a lawyer at the French Parliament, one of the first members of the company of the One Hundred Associates; in 1627 he becomes Director. In 1629 he negotiates the return of Quebec to France. The Kirk brothers occupy Quebec. Champlain notes the importance of his involvement in this matter. He marries Marie Gaudard, she gives him many children:
1. François, never came to new-France.
2. Jean, grand sénéchal (in charge of justice) was killed by the Mohawks in 1661.
3. Charles goes back to France with a daughter after the passing of his wife.
4. Louis, will drown in 1659
In 1647 or 1648, François de Lauson reinstates La Citière to his father. Jean de Lauson, the father, gives the fiefdom to his youngest son Louis who becomes sire of La Citière. On January 17, 1651, Jean de Lauson, the father, is named governor of New-France, replacing Louis d'Ailleboust. He arrives at Québec in October 1651 with his two sons, Jean grand sénéchal and Louis future sire of La Citière. Jean, le grand sénéchal, marries Anne Després at Québec on the 23rd October 1651; she was the daughter of deceased Nicolas and Madeleine Leblanc. They crossed the ocean on the same boat. Charles de Lauson-Charny arrives a year later. Six weeks after his arrival he marries Marie-Louise Giffard who is thirteen years old, the daughter of Robert Giffard and Marie Renouard. The date of the marriage is August 12, 1652 in Québec.
Jean de Lauson the governor
He makes numerous grants; amongst them,
Beauport to Robert Giffard, November 15, 1653. See I. C. F. S. Volume II p. 18.
Petit Yamachiche or Grosbois west, to Pierre Boucher May 23, 1653; then also
Grosbois east, on July 1, 1702 Saint-Joseph Island at Trois-Rivières to Pierre Boucher, October 20, 1655; this island is not to be confused with an island of the same name in the fiefdom of Îles Percées (Boucherville).
Cinquième rivière (Fifth River) to Pierre Boucher's first son, named Pierre, aged three years old. All these grants are not situated in the fiefdom of La Citière
On October 5, 1655, Louis de Lauson sire of La Citière marries Catherine Nau at Québec. She is the daughter of Jacques Nau de Fossambault and Catherine Granger. The unfortunate Louis drowns four years later, in May 1659; The widow will remarry later. Louise Giffard, Charles de Lauson's wife dies and is buried October 31, 1656. She leaves a little girl fifteen days old. Charles will take his daughter to France, where she will be raised by Nuns in La Rochelle while he studies to become a priest.
Sources : Marcel Trudel, Initiation à la Nouvelle-France et le terrier de La Nouvelle-France.
Dictionnaire biographique du Canada
The fiefdom of Longueuil
Before leaving for France, Charles de Lauson-Charny grants to Charles Lemoine a seigniory in the fiefdom of La Citière, fifty arpents by one hundred arpents in depth facing the city of Ville-Marie (Montreal). This first grant is dated September 24, 1657. Charles de Lauson-Charny comes back with Mgr de Laval in June 1659. Five years later he makes a promise to Charles Lemoine that he will grant him two islands in the middle of the Saint-Laurent. This is the second of a series of six consecutive grants to la seigneurie and later baronie de Longueuil.
Sources :
Histoire de la seigneurie de Longueuil by Alexandre Jodoin et J. Vincent.
Histoire de Longueuil de Robert Rumilly. S.H.L. 1974.
Gen-Histo Volume 2, page 33 and Volume 3, page 3.
Departure of a governor
Jean de Lauson remains in New-France for two terms of three years. He quits before the end of his second term in 1656. He has seen and appreciated Pierre Boucher's services during the siege of Trois-Rivières in 1653. Jean de Lauson has taken immense advantages of his post and before calling it quits he names his son Charles to administer the Colony of New-France until Louis d'Ailleboust returns from France. In the summer 1659, Charles de Lauson-Charny, now a priest, comes back to Quebec with Mgr de Laval.
On the 22nd of June 1661, seven Frenchmen are killed by the Iroquois on the island of Orléans, close to Québec. Amongst the victims is Jean de Lauson, le grand sénéchal. He leaves a widow and five young children
Source :Jetté René Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec.
Four months later, Pierre Boucher embarks for a trip to France as a special envoy for the new governor Dubois d'Avaugour. He has a very important mission to accomplish, having to convince the king Louis XIV to send troops to New-France in order to defeat the Indian Tribes and to permit the development of the territory of New-France. Pierre Boucher is one of many delegates who supplicate the king to help the pioneers in Québec In the spring 1662, Jean de Lauson, living in France and counsel to the king and tutor of the minor children of deceased Jean de Lauson, his son and of Anne Després makes a few grants in the fiefdom of La Citière:
Sainte-Thérèse Island, or Lafresnay to Ignace Boucher, son of Pierre He is three years old! April 23, 1663. See I. C. F. S. volume II p 87.
Saint-François-des-prés à Pierre Boucher August 20, 1662. See also I. C. F. S. volume V, p. 114, and Histoire de Saint-François-du-Lac by Thomas Charland.
All these grants are situated in the fiefdom of La Citière.
Monsieur d'Avaugour's Envoy
During his trip to France, Pierre Boucher manages a magnificent feat. The king and his minister Colbert listen and ask him questions. In spite of his young age (he is forty years old) and his inexperience in the ways of the Court, Boucher has enthusiasm and frankness. Boucher is not a beggar nor a courtier. He knows the country very well and he has a good friend Jean de Lauson, former general governor. Monsieur d'Avaugour's Envoy, that is the name by which he will be known in France sets sail in autumn 1661. France has just lived an exciting period. Finances are in shambles. Nicolas Fouquet, the Superintendant has been arrested . He will be tried and punished. All his friends have lost all powers and are in a downfall. Among them is Isaac Du Pas, marquis of Feuquières who was vice-roi of Northern America and who sent letters of nobility to Pierre Boucher in 1661. Letters brought by d'Avaugour. When Pierre Boucher, completely unaware of these events, arrives for a visit, the marquis has to admit he has no more influence on the king (8). Boucher will have to negotiate with Godefroy d'Estrades. Jean-Baptiste Colbert is the new important First Minister. The king and Colbert listen to l'Envoyé de monsieur d'Avaugour with much attention. Pierre Boucher, presents the advantages and the needs of the colony. Both are most surprised by what they hear and Colbert asks Pierre Boucher to write about New-France. The king realises at last the importance of defending that new country and both agree to send qualified workmen to help the colonists. Both are unaware of all the difficulties, Colbert persits on a writing by Boucher to stimulate French migration. They promise to Boucher that they will send troops and qualified manpower.
Pierre Boucher enlists a few workers out of his own money and leaves France in the summer 1662 to return to his beloved wife and family. A mister De Monts accompanies him to study and ascertain the situation. The Envoy comes back with a few soldiers and many promises. As suggested by monsieur d'Estrades but out of his own pocket he hires a few colonists of whom many will perish during the voyage which was especially long and full of hardships. Jeanne Crevier waits for him in Quebec where she is godmother for Jeanne Boisselle on October 8. Source René Jetté.
They finally arrive on October 28. M. d'Avaugour. The governor welcomes Boucher with little enthusiasm and refuses to reimburse his Envoy for the money he borrowed. Monsieur de Monts stays only a few hours in Québec and continues his trip with Boucher to Trois-Rivières where he proceeds to the nomination and installation of Pierre Boucher as Governor of that place. Then de Monts goes back to Québec and sails to France making a promise to come back. He shall not return!
Back in Trois-Rivières, Boucher immediately begins to work on Colbert's demand. But Pierre Boucher is not a professional writer; as monsieur Séraphin Marion says that Pierre Boucher writes only on occasion. When the king demands that he defends the Colony, he quickly reassembles his arms. When Colbert asks of him to write about New-France, he takes a feather and writes " en attendant que quelqu'autre le fasse dans un plus beau stile "(10) (while waiting for someone else to do it in a better style) When the manuscript is terminated, a year later, he sends it to France in October 1663. But during that year and the next he has to face the illegal activities of his in-laws at Trois-Rivières.
Let us go back to the One Hundred Associates
The Hundred Associates have not populated the Colony as promised and they have accumulated enormous debts.
The reorganization of the Colony by king Louis XIV and Colbert begins in 1663. One must make a pronouncement of forfeiture of the One Hundred Associates Company; at a meeting on February 24, 1663 the group gives New-France back to the king. A decree on March 21, 1663 prescribes that undeveloped land will be returned to the Crown or granted again. De Mésy, governor will not proceed with the registeration until eighteen months after the promulgation which will give a reprieve to the land owners (10). The king takes it back only to give it again. The Compagnie des Indes Occidentales or West Indies is created in May 1664. Two heads will govern the Colony: the governor for military operations and foreign relations, and then an Intendant taking care of Justice, Police and Finances; Jean Talon will assume this post. He is chosen on March 23, 1665, and he will arrive in September.
The seigniory des Îles Percées
A little before these significant changes, on January 24, 1664, Jean de Lauson, the former governor, still living in France, grants to Pierre Boucher the fiefdom des Îles percées (future Boucherville) two leagues in front by two leagues in depth in his fiefdom of La Citière. (twoleagues/deux lieues equals 168 arpents) including six of the main islands that form the archipelago of the Îles Percées. Jean de Lauson stipulates that he is acting as tutor to the minor children of the deceased Jean, his son, owner of La Citière. Pierre Boucher's book: " Histoire Véritable et Naturelle… " was published a few days before. So it's possible to see in this grant an appreciation from Jean de Lauson to Pierre Boucher's ambassadorship.(11)
This is the end of the seigniory of La Citière
The main conclusions of Pierre Boucher's voyage are :
The king and his Minister Colbert are informed of the difficulties that face the colonists in the territory of New-France.
The necessity to help the pioneers with well armed soldiers.
After the formation of la Compagnie des Indes Occidentales, The King and Colbert name Daniel Rémy sieur de Courcelle governor general and Jean Talon intendant. With the Marquis de Tracy Lieutenant general they had to bring an action on De Mésy and reorganise the whole Council. Governor De Mésy dies in May 1665, piously reconciliating with the clergy.
Four weeks later, the first troops arrive in Québec. Finally the Colony breathes easily.
Thank you, Pierre !
References :
(8) Mémoires de Monsieur Boucher, B. R. H. 1926
(9) Histoire Véritable et Naturelle… S. H. B. 1967 Avant-propos.
(10) Emile Salone La Colonisation de la Nouvelle-France p. 180.
(11) Estelle Mitchell s. g. m. Messire Pierre BoucherPrepared by Jacques Dunant April 2005
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