Késsinnimek - Roots - RacinesDE MONBRUN FAMILY - CONTINUED
by Jacques Dunant
by Jacques Dunant
Version française
Marriage between Jean Boucher with Françoise-Claire Charet permitted their descendants Boucher de Monbrun's bloodline to have an adventurous streak in it. Françoise-Claire is the daughter of Etienne Charet and Catherine Bissot. The Bissot de la Rivière and François-Marie Bissot de Vincennes his son who is founder of Indiana and the discoverer Louis Jolliet are well renowned explorers; they are related to the Bissot and the Charet family. Etienne Charet is very active and spends his energy helping his father-in-law. Being a tanner he helps his in-laws with their enterprises. Many Monbrun descendants will follow their careers and leave their imprint in Illinois, and in Louisiane. One of the more renowned is Jacques Timothé Boucher de Monbrun whom we will refer to later.
Jean Boucher de Monbrun's (1-8) second marriage
After being a widow for four years, Jean chooses a new wife. He finds her in Trois-Rivières; she is named Françoise-Michelle Godefroy, the eldest maiden daughter of Amador Godefroy and Françoise LePellé. She is forty-six years old and will not give any descendants to her future husband. They are married on November 10th 1729. In order to provide her some protection if her husband died, a marriage contract is signed before notary Petit in Trois-Rivière on the same day. A short time after they returned to the Îles-Percées, Jean assumed the post of commander of the militia in the region south of the Saint-Laurent River. He will command this post approximately from 1715 to 1730. He also represented the grand voyer (surveyor of roads) and occupied himself by having a bridge built on the river that crosses the Sabrevois domain before flowing into the St-Laurent River. The many trips and responsibilities that Jean took in the administration of the Seigneurie to give some support to his eighty four year old father affected his health. Pierre Boucher's eldest son Pierre, (1-1) should normally be helping his father but he has a military career in Detroit and in Sault-Saint-Louis. Pierre Boucher's two sons Lambert (1-3) and Ignace (1-4) passed away in 1699 and his son Philippe (1-7) is kept busy being a priest in the Québec area. Due to circumstances it is Jean (1-8) who is left to help his father by taking care of the windmill leasing and hiring of the millers
The first mill in the seigneurie of Boucherville
Pierre Boucher had a first mill constructed on his seigneurie in accordance with a Counsel ordinance from 1686. This windmill was erected on the shore of the Saint-Laurent River close to the limits of the deVarennes seigneurie. An area exposed to dominant northeast and southwest winds. It was built on a concession that Pierre Boucher gave to his two sons Jean and René on July 2nd 1693 where he mentions: "… in reserve of a banal mill and an area of four arpents of land which the seigneur reserves for himself where the mill is built…(1) " Jean de Monbrun signs a contract to rent the mill to some millers. The first lease of the mill is signed by Pierre Boucher to Pierre Senay dit Lapierre, on September 29th 1688. Michel Moreau, notary.(2) This lease which was signed for three years lasted only one year. Pierre Boucher then signed a lease for a windmill for three consecutive years with Pierre Bouriaud de Boucherville on March 8th 1689. Bouriaud does not respect his lease therefore Pierre Boucher has to sign a new lease with Jean Charbonneau on May 17th 1689. Success at last, this lease seems to last for a few years. The following lease for the windmill is signed on March 29th 1697 with Pierre Blanchet dit Laforet. All of these acts are by Michel Moreau, notary. Annoyed by the numerous difficulties that are due to the millers lack of responsibility, Pierre Boucher decided to give his son Jean the full responsibility of the windmill in hiring of the millers for a lease which will cover a period of many years. Tailhandier notary on May 10th 1709. Jean will sign many contracts leasing the windmill to millers that are more responsible.(3)
Death of Jean , followed by a compromise made amongst his children
Jean Boucher de Monbrun (1-8) died in Boucherville and was buried in the crypt of the local church on October 20th 1744, Present were his children René and Etienne Boucher. About eighteen months after their father Jean died, the inheritors de Monbrun held a reunion in 1746 before the notary Antoine Loiseau in order to make a compromise to avoid the possibility of any court procedures. In attendance were: Françoise Godefroy, Jean's widow (1-8), René Boucher Sieur de Monbrun (1-8-3), François Boucher de Bon-accueil's children (1-8-7) Jean Baptiste Boucher de Saint-Laurent (1-8-4) in Illinois, Joseph Boucher sieur de Nois (1-8-6), Etienne Boucher (1-8-13), Catherine Boucher (1-8-2), wife of Joseph Damour sieur de Plaine, Angélique Boucher (1-8-11), Joseph Houtelas, widow of Marianne Boucher (1-8-9), Pierre Boucher de La Soudraye (1-8-10), Augustin Roy dit Lozier, his wife Jeanne Boucher (1-8-1). The following documents were presented:
1- Marriage contracts of Jean Boucher de Monbrun and Françoise-Claire Charest, notary Chamballon on November 16th 1692.
2- Marriage contract of the deceased and Françoise Godefroy de St-Paul, notary Petit on November 10th 1729.
3- Contract of concession of the noble fief by Pierre Boucher and his sons René and Jean, notary Antoine Adhémar on July 2nd 1693.
4- Contract regarding the sale of a concession enclave in the said fief by François Picard to brothers Jean and René, notary Antoine Adhémar on May 25th 1701.
5- Contract of concession, two arpents at the end of fifty arpents from the river in the said fief conceded by the deceased sieur (Jean) to Étienne Boucher (1-8-13) his son, notary Sanguinet on July 16th 1740.
6- Concession of an islet by Pierre Boucher to Jean, (1-8) his son, notary Marien Tailhandier on June 5th 1712.
7- Contract of concession in the burg of an area, notary Tailhandier on May 24th 1712.
8- A note of concessions written and signed by sieur Boucher for the said placement in the burg dated June 24th 1706. (Text identical to 7.)
9- Contract of concession regarding a noble fief in the burg, notary Adhémar on July 2nd 1693.
10- A sentence by arbiters for MM Boucher and Papin, notary Demuy on May 10th 1701.
11- Sales contract by the Dames Ursuline de Québec of a concession in noble fief in the Boucherville seigneurie, to sieur Jean, notary Marien Tailhandier on April 9th 1714.
12- Contract of concession encircled in the said fief, two by thirty arpents by monsieur de Monbrun to his daughter (1-8) Angélique (1-8-11), notary Simonet on August 26 1742.
13- A concession in the said fief of two arpents by thirty, conceded by deceased monsieur (Jean) de Monbrun (1-8) to his wife (Godefroy) notary Simonet on August 26th 1742.
14- Quittance of cense and land rent to deceased sieur (Jean) de Monbrun, given by his mother dame Boucher and signed Jeanne Crevier on November 12th 1717. (no documents found)
15- A testament by Etienne Boucher (1-8-13) where he bestows three arpents of fief land with three other arpents conceded to sieur de Monbrun their eldest son, notary Adhémar.
This act was passed in the deceased sieur de Monbrun house, on March 4th 1746. Present were Charles Boucher de Grosbois (1-4-3) Jean Spagnoligny, surgeon, husband of Françoise Boucher de Niverville.
Signatures: Grosbois (1-4-3); Houtelas; Monbrun; Spagnoligny; Etienne Boucher de Monbrun; Damour de Plaine; Angélique de Monbrun; Françoise Godefroy de Saint-Paul veuve Monbrun. (1-8)
Greffe of Antoine Loiseau, notary, A .N .Q. Montréal
Greffe of Marien Tailhandier, notary, A.N.Q. Montréal
It seems that the compromise was accepted by all the participants and that the children showed their good will and bonne entente as their father would have shown..
Memories of Jean de Monbrun
Jean de Monbrun left behind the memory of an active man, an active listener who always got along well with all the members of his family. We have a good example of this by his undertakings with his brother René Boucher de la Perrière. His father showed him a lot of affection, appreciated the help that Jean gave him in administrating the seigneurie.
1-8-1 JEANNE BOUCHER DE MONBRUN (1693 -
She was born and baptized at the Pointe de Lévis in September 10th 1693. Her wedding to Augustin Roy dit Desjardins took place in Boucherville on October 22nd 1725. He was the son of Pierre Roy and Marie-Anne Martin. The spouses acknowledged a son who was about two years old, born and baptized in Contrecoeur. Their descendants are followed in the Mémoires de la Société Généalogique Canadienne-Française. Volume VII
1-8-2 CATHERINE BOUCHER DE MONBRUN (1697-1752)
She was born and baptized in Boucherville on June 7th 1697, her godfather was Pierre Boucher, godmother Jeanne Crevier. (RB) On July 27th 1735, Catherine married Joseph Damour, sieur de Plaine, son of Bernard Damour and Marie Saint-Étienne-de-La-Tour. She gave him three children who do not seem to have reached adulthood. Catherine died and was buried in Québec on December 16th 1752. Joseph remarried in Québec on July 29th 1754 to Madeleine Coulon, daughter of Nicolas-Antoine Coulon de Villiers and Angélique Jarret de Verchères. Madeleine was Claude Marin de Lamarque's widow.
1-8-3 RENÉ BOUCHER DE MONBRUN (1699-1773)
Born on January 7th and baptized on January 10th 1699 in Boucherville. It is his uncle René Boucher de La Perrière (1-9) who becomes his godfather and Louise (1-10) his aunt, godmother. (RB) René is married in Trois-Rivières on September 14th 1738 (P.R.D.H.) to Madeleine Godefroy de Saint-Paul, daughter of Jean-Amador Godefroy and Françoise LePelé. She was fifty years of age, and it is was no surprise that she did not leave any descendants. On November 10th 1729, René's father remarried in Trois-Rivières (P.R.D.H.) Françoise Godefroy, Madeleine's sister as was mentioned previously. It will take a court judgment to resolve that as per her marriage contract the widow Françoise Godefroy is to receive her pension from René and Joseph Outelas.
1-8-4 JEAN-BAPTISTE B. DE MONBRUN (1700-1747)
Born and baptized on August 10th 1700, his godfather was Jean-Baptiste Boucher de Niverville (1-14) and his godmother was Charlotte Boucher de Boucherville. He assumed a name of nobility sieur de St-Laurent and leaves Canada for Illinois about 1727 to do some trading. He will marry his sister-in-law Françoise Rivard, in New Orleans on February 9th 1736 (contract date). She is Antoine Rivard and Marie Briard's daughter. He is kept busy with different actions with troops fighting against the Indians, particularly the second war against the Chickasaws. He is named lieutenant (lieutenant-reformed) on June 1st 1746. His wife dies (We do not know the cause or where). He remarries with Françoise Petit de Coulange, who is fourteen years old. The marriage contract was signed on November 19th 1746. Present were many personalities from New Orleans. Cousin Louis Boucher de Grandpré. (1-3-1) Jean-Baptiste died during a visit in Illinois the following year. A person named La Source claims to be heir of the deceased. (Could it be Jean-Baptiste Thaumur dit La Source, old soldier of the militia and husband of Marie-Françoise Rivard. (Who are the parents of Marie-Françoise Rivard?) The widow Françoise Petit de Coulange who is fifteen years old sues La Source and recuperates all her possessions which she owns as per her marriage contract. She remarries to Vincent Guillaume Le Sénéchal d'Auberville. They do not leave any descendants.
1-8-5 PIERRE-JOSEPH BOUCHER DE NOIS
He is born and baptized in Boucherville on July 13th 1702. Pierre Gaultier de Varennes is his godfather and Marie de Boucherville his godmother. He becomes a doctor and on June 13th 1729 in Varennes he marries Agathe Hébert, daughter of Auguste Hébert and Madeleine Girard. She gave him three children and died soon after. On September 12th 1736 with three children in his charge he marries in Verchères Marie-Anne Audet de Bailleuil, daughter of Louis Audet and Marie-Anne Trottier
Children from first his first marriage:
1-8-5-1 Marie Joseph born and baptized on April 20th 1734.
1-8-5-2. Joseph born on August 10th, baptized on August 11th 1735.
Children from his second marriage:
1-8-5-3 Joseph, born on April 10th 1737, baptized on May 15th 1737.
Note: The P.R.D.H. mentions the following: The act is dated for the month of September, but it seems like an error since it is situated between September 21st and October 9th 1737.
1-8-5-4 Augustin is born and baptized on March 31st 1739.
As per Tanguay who does not give the date of this second wedding, five daughters are born to them in a period of ten years; from 1742 to 1752...this is given within all reserve.
1-8-7 FRANÇOIS BOUCHER DE MOMBRUM (1704-1744)
He was baptized on July 14th 1704 in Boucherville, his godfather was François Lemoine, godmother Marguerite Gaultier de Varennes. He adds sieur de Bonaccueil to his mane and leaves the Saint-Laurent shore for trading in Illinois. On June 22nd 1733 in New Orleans the sieur of Bonaccueil married Geneviève-Monique Rivard, daughter of the deceased Antoine and deceased Marie Briard. Would it be their daughter Geneviève (1-8-7-1) that on February 4th 1755 married Daniel Fagot de La Garcenière in Kaskaskia without any mention of her parent's name? It is possible that her mother is present at this ceremony since her mother Geneviève Rivard signs the register after the couple! We have no information regarding their career or the death of these persons. They have one daughter.
1-8-10 PIERRE-JOSEPH B. DE MONBRUN (1710-1775?…)
Pierre is born on February 1st 1710; he is baptized the next day with René and Jeanne his brother and sister as godfather and godmother. The sieur de La Saudraye married Antoinette Langlois in Illinois around 1730. She is the daughter of Etienne and Marie-Catherine Beaudreau. He is absent when his father remarries to Claire-Françoise Godefroy in November 1729 in Trois-Rivières. Was he commander of the malice of Kaskaskia at fort de Chartres? On April 29th 1733 at Kaskaskia, he is godfather for Louis Du Tisné, son of Louise and Thérèse Neveu.
During the summer of 1736 he returned to Montreal where he signed many contracts of enlistment for trading before François Lepailleur; On the first of June with Ignace Goulet, Louis Galarneau and Gabriel Desnoyers, all from L'Assomption leave for Michillimackinac.
On the second of June with Joseph Marie Sainte-Marie de Laprairie for Michillimackinac and Jacques Lacourse de la rivière Machiche for a post in Illinois, on June eighth it is François Quartier's turn, then on the ninetieth of June, Joseph Marcheteau for the same post and will also return the following year.
His wife Marie-Antoinette Langlois is the godmother of Marie-Catherine de Populus, daughter of Louis, officer of the troop, and of Marie-Joachine Langlois on July 5th 1746 at Fort Chartres. They are from l'Immaculée Conception (de Kaskaskia). On January 13th 1750 at Fort Chartres she is also godmother of Louis Coulon de Villiers, son of François, lieutenant and of Elisabeth Groston de Saint-Ange. her husband Pierre Joseph (1-8-10) is squire de Kaskaskia. They seem to have a certain social standing in Kaskaskia.
They possibly have had three children; unfortunately we have been unable to find any birth act in Kaskaskia, nor elsewhere.
1-8-10-1 Louis
1-8-10-2 Placide who will be godmother on numerous occasions. But there is a boy who also carries the same surname.
1-8-10-3 Marie-Thérèse marries in 1770.
Monsieur de La Saudrais (1-8-10) is present at Louis Bienvenu and Marie Thérèse Bissot de Vincennes wedding, on November 6th 1752 in Kaskaskia. He most probably also assists as witness to Geneviève de Bon-accueil and Daniel Picard Fagot de la Garcenière on February 4th 1755 in Kaskaskia. We do not mention his wife Marie-Antoinette Langlois, although two De La Saudrais are mentioned, could it be the father and son? The father assists as a witness in four other marriages in Kaskaskia, on October 2nd 1769, April 9th 1771, August 9th 1771 and September 17th 1772.
Pierre Joseph de Monbrun de La Saudrai (1-8-10) died in either 1775 or 1776, for an act of sale for the heirs of deceased monsieur de La Soudraye (Saudrais) de Monbrun (1-8-10) to the sieurs De La Perrière de Montarville, chevalier de La Bruère… was signed before the notary François Racicot in Boucherville on August 15th 1776.
At his daughter Marie-Thérèse de Montbrun de la Saudray's wedding (1-8-10-3) with Jean-Baptiste Saint-Gemme-Beauvais in Kaskaskia on November 29th 1770, he is indeed mentioned as father of the wife and we mention also deceased Antoinette Langlois; we again name Placide Montbrun de la Saudray. (1-8-10-2) brother (sic).
1-8-13 Étienne Boucher de Monbrun (1714-1773?)
As the above number indicates he is the thirteenth child of Jean and Françoise Claire Charest. He was born and baptized in Boucherville on the November 27th and 28th 1714. The godfather and godmother are Jean-Baptiste Boucher de Monbrun (1-8-4) and Françoise de Monbrun (1-8-5), his brother and sister signed with the priest.
Étienne marries on November 17th 1744 in Boucherville Marie Racicot, daughter of Jacques Racicot and Marie-Jeanne Labbé. They will have the following children:
1-8-13-1 Etienne
1-8-13-2 Jacques-Timothé 1747-
1-8-13-3 Marie-Charlotte 1748-
1-8-13-4 Jean-Baptiste 1749-1749
1-8-13-5 Marie-Béatille 1750-1750
1-8-13-6 Charles 1753-
1-8-13-7 Marie-Apolline 1755-
1-8-13-8 Pierre-Philippe 1756-1757
1-8-13-9 Marie-Louise 1757-
1-8-13-10 Catherine 1759-
1-8-13-11 Charlotte 1761-
1-8-13-12 Marie-Louise 1763-
1-8-13-13 Étienne-Timothé 1764-
They see their family often and by listening to each others stories they learn a lot of things about the trading of furs and the beauty of the land situated along the Mississippi; they hear about their cousins who are installed in Louisiana. But they are also concerned about the war between the French and English. Many cousins of the Boucher family are called upon to join the combatants. Marie Racicot who had buried a dozen of her children died and is buried in the Boucherville cemetery on September 29th 1772. The register mentions that she is forty years old. Her husband Étienne Boucher de Monbrun died and is buried with his wife on April 14th 1773.
It is Jacques-Timothé Boucher de Monbrun (1-8-13-2) who will continue the name of Monbrun in Illinois., arriving there with his wife Archange Gibault in 1769. His adventures there are extraordinary and they have many descendents.
I acknowledge with a certain emotion all the people both in the United States and Canada whom I know contributed in an immeasurable way to assure that the de Monbrun's descendants be known. Kathryn de Monbreun Whitefort who, was the first to trace the ascendants and numerous descendants, Marian de Montbrun McBroom. For the descendants consult the research and genealogical work of the Jacques Timothé Boucher de Montbrun French Heritage Society under the guidance of the deceased Weldon-Truman de Mumbrun de Louisville in Kentucky. I also would like to recall the monument which was dedicated to their ancestor Jacques-Timothé on the shores of the Cumberland River in Nashville. One must not forget Soeur Estelle Mitchell, S.G.M. and her many publications namely her monumental Messire Pierre Boucher publication. I would like to thank all of you. One last word, the publication: A genealogy and history of Jacques-Timothé Boucher de Monbreun compiled by Kathryn de Monbreun Whitefort was published in 1939. A copy was given to the library in Boucherville by the deceased Weldon-Truman Boucher de Mumbrum, who was president of the Jacques Timothé Boucher sieur de Montbrun Heritage Society. He unfortunately died a few weeks before the inauguration of the magnificent statute. Thanks again Weldon, your memory will always be present amongst many Boucherville residents. My sincere salutations to all the members of the family.
References:(1) Concession of land measuring six arpents by two lieues in the noble fief by Pierre Boucher to his children Jean de Monbrun and René de La Perrière dated July 2nd 1693, Antoine Adhémar, notary. A.N.Q. Montreal.
(2) Greffe of Michel Moreau, notary. A.N.Q. Montreal.
(3) Greffe of Marien Tailhandier, notary. A.N.Q. Montreal
Works that were consulted:
Whitefort, Katryn de Monbreun: A Genealogy and History of Jacques-Timothe Boucher, Sieur de Monbreun and his Ancestors and Descendants. Edwards Brothers Inc. Ann Arbor, 1939 Michigan, U.S.A.
Lustucru, Volume 2 Tournant et faisant Farine, P.19 S.H.I.P. Boucherville
Roy, Pierre Georges, Le sieur de Vincennes et sa famille. Québec, 1919.
Mitchell, Estelle, s.g.m. Messire Pierre Boucher
Beauregard, Marthe Faribault, La population des forts français d' Amérique, two tomes, Éditions Bergeron, Montréal, 1982 and 1984
Dictionnaire Biographique du Canada, various volumes
Prepared during the winter of 2006-2007 by Jacques Dunant
Translated by Bernice Dunant
Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines
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Created 1 Feb 2003