Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines

Mon Petit Coin   by   Norm Léveillée

Biographical Dictionary for the Jesuit Missions
in Acadia and New France: 1602-1654
Part 1

I recently came across a series of works translated by the Jesuit Father William Lonc, Emeritus Professor in Physics, Saint Mary's University, Halifax, Canada. Another Jesuit Father George Topp is credited with beginning the translation process and continued by Father Bill. I plan to concentrate on one volume of the series.

I first became aware of Father Bill's work when Steve Catlin, Archivist at the Martyr's Shrine, Midland, Ontario sent me a copy of Fr. Bill's translation of Jesuit Father Pierre Cholenec's "Catherine Tekakwitha" - Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha. This will be the subject of a future "Mon petit coin".

The "Biographical Dictionary for The Jesuit Missions in Acadia and New France: 1602-1654" by Lucien Campeau, S.J. was produced as a Special Edition: 75th Anniversary, Commemorating the Founding of Martyr's Shrine, Midland, Ontario. I would like to quote from the Translator's Preface, p. i:

"This Biographical Dictionary is derived from the "Notices Biographiques" found in the eight published volumes of Lucien Campeau's Monumenta Novaie Franciae [MNF]. As such, the Dictionary contains the names of people who in one way or another are associated with the Jesuit Mission activities in the early Seventeenth Century. Specifically, the period covered is 1602 to 1654, beginning with the mission at Port Royal in Acadia from 1611 to 1613 and ending with the post-Huronia period up to 1654. It is hoped that this coverage will be of especial interest to readers of events in the first half of the seventeenth century in New France, especially those events associated with the Jesuit Missions. Dates are in the context of the Gregorian calendar unless otherwise indicated."

Upon reading this biographical dictionary, I became aware of many persons who, in one way or another, related to my ancestors. I would like to mention a few of these people and a link to my ancestry site. I will state the reference to the Biographical Dictionary as BD with the page.
I have taken the liberty of condensing many of the biographies for easier reading.

Gilles BACON appeared in New France around 1645 and served as a domestic for the Jesuits among the Huron. He married Marie TAVERNIER and lived in Beaupré. He died on 5 Mar 1654. (BD p. 51)

There are three CLOUTIER people mentioned on BD p. 122 that relate to my ancestors: Jean CLOUTIER who was born on 13 May 1620 at Mortagne, France. He arrived in New France in 1635. He was the son of Zacharie CLOUTIER & Xainte DUPONT, having arrived in New France in 1635 along with his five children. He settled in Beaupré. Jean'sister Louise CLOUTIER was born in 1632, married three times, bearing thirteen children with her second husband Jean MIGNOT dit CHASTILLO, and died in 1699.

My 8th great-grandfather Pierre Couc married an Algonquin Marie MITE8AMIG8K8É. The name MONTOUR, which many of their descendants are known, came from their son Louis. One of our authors, Suzanne Boivin Sommerville, has written extensively about this family in her series on "All Sources Are Not Created Equal" in our magazine - February and March issues. (BD pp. 125-126)

Jim Carten in this month's issue wrote about Pierre BOUCHER and his wife Jeanne CREVIER, whose father Christophe CREVIER was one of the first bakers at Trois-Rivières in 1639. (BD p. 131)

Guillaume HÉBERT, the son of Louis HÉBERT, married Hélène DESPORTES, a fourteen year old, who was the first French child to survive in the colony, having been born in 1620 in Québec. She was listed among the beneficiaries of Samuel de Champlain's Will of 17 Nov 1635. She was the mother of Marie MORIN, the first novice of the Hospitalers in Montréal. (BD pp. 146-147)
She married Noël MORIN on 9 Jan 1640. She and Noël had twelve children: Marie and Germain, who would be the first Canadian-born priest. Noël died a Rivière-du-Sud, Montmagny on 10 February 1680. (BD p. 302)

The Jesuits needed a brick-maker so they hired Robert DROUIN who was born in 1607 in Pin-la-Garenne, France and died in 1685 in Château-Richer. The earth found on their fief near the Beauport River was suitable for bricks. He married Anne CLOUTIER, daugher of Zacharie CLOUTIER, one of the first settlers in the Beauport region. Robert promised 7,000 bricks to the Hospitalers who were building the Hôtel-Dieu. (BD pp. 152-153)

There are a group of Jesuits who related either in a small way or in a very important manner in dealing with my ancestors and the first colonists of New France. These are: Ragueneau, Frémin, Goupil, Jogues, Lalande, Buteux, Rale, Le Mercier, Pijart. The biographies found on my site listed in the previous link were taken from Fathers Campeau and Lonc's works. Fr. Lonc is aware of my quoting liberally from his work. All the page references to these Jesuits are mentioned in the file from the link above.

A stone-mason Jean GUYON came from Perche along with the other first colonists. He along with Cloutier and Giffard cleared the land in Beauport and was granted land there. (BD pp. 196-197)

The very first colonist Louis HÉBERT, even though he studied apothecary, was first hired as a stone-mason in 1606 for work at Port Royal by De Monts. He was the first farmer in New France and his family is one of the oldest in the country. His wife Marie ROLLET was the first teacher in North America. Louis and Marie had two children: a son and a daughter. Only the daughter Guillemette HÉBERT, who married Guillaume COUILLARD, had any descendants.(BD pp. 201-202)
Marie ROLLET married Guillaume HUBOU. Marie's house became a shelter for the young native girls who are being educated by the Jesuits. A respected matron, Marie lived with her husband up to 1647, in poverty, but with dignity. (BD pp. 377-378)

Jacques HERTEL arrived in Québec around 1626. He learned the Algonquin language and lived with the Algonquin in Trois-Rivières during the British Occupation of 1629. He obtained a fief at Trois-Rivières and built a house there. He married Marie MARGUERIE, the sister of one of his interpreter friends. He died suddenly, perhaps accidently, in 1651. (BD pp.203-204)

There are names of other famous colonists such as Samuel de Champlain and his wife Hélène Boullet, as well as Guillaume Couillard who married Guillemette, the daughter of Louis Hébert and Marie Rollet, the first colonists at Québec.

I'll continue my review of this Biographical Dictionary in next month's Mon petit coin.

For anyone doing research on ancestors of the early 17th century, this book is invaluable.
You can contact Steve Catlin at scatlin@pathcom.com for purchasing information.

Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines
Copyright © 2003 Norm Léveillée
Created 1 Feb 2003