Percheron Immigration 

 St. Aubin's Church in Tourouvre, France was built in the late 15th century.  Several of those listed below were baptized there.  A fleur-de-lis indicates those who were.

**************

Prior to what is known as the Percheron immigration, there had been trips to New France with supplies and contract laborers and tradesmen.   Notably was the sailing of the two Royal Navy ships, Salamandre and Lionne under the command of Sieur Guillaume de Caën. These ships sailed out of Honfleur  in April of 1632 with about 40 men, 37 of them contracted to work for three years in Canada.  They were to receive the town of Québec from the English and rebuild the settlement.  Most of the men were from Normandy... Rouen sent 18.  They were carpenters and sawyers and barrel makers, a mason, a baker and so on.  Three Jesuits were aboard.

Granted many of these workers would return to France after their contract was completed, but they got the job building settlements started.  

This information is taken from a website called Genealogy of New France in N. America ( www3.tellus.net/michel_robert/index )

 

     

A timeline for the early Percheron immigration...

1634: In January, the Company of One Hundred Associates grants the seigniory of Beauport to Robert Giffard.  He recruits his first settlers. In March, Robert Giffard leaves for New France with his wife and children and about thirty settlers. These include Jean Guyon, master mason, Zacharie Cloutier, master carpenter and Robert Drouin, a tile maker and native of Pin-la-Garenne. In early June, the ship reaches Quebec.

1635: At Quebec, Samuel de Champlain dies: the colony now has 132 settlers, of whom 35 are from le Perche. The village of Mortagne witnesses the departure of more settlers, including Gaspard Boucher with his wife and children.  One of them is Pierre, born at Mortagne in 1622 and now aged 13. The first organized settlement of new France is under way. Most of the departures from le Perche occurred during the period 1634-1662. 

1641: Arrival at Quebec of Guillaume Pelletier from Bresolettes. The colony's population stands at 300 souls.

1647: Arrival at Quebec of 17 young people from the Tourouvre area.

1653: Pierre Boucher defends Trois-Rivières against the Iroquois.

1662: Pierre Boucher returns to France and solicits the support of Louis XIV and Colbert to save the threatened colony from the Iroquois. He returns to New France with a large group of settlers.

1665: Arrival at Quebec of the Carignan-Salières Regiment.

1668: Robert Giffard dies in Beauport. The colony has 3,000 inhabitants.

The following is a list of ancestors from this region of Normandy.  Many travelled with Robert Giffard and were part of his first recruit in 1634.  

The list is ordered by name, status, year of departure, age at departure, trade and other information, if any. 

Jacques BEAUVAIS ... single ... 1652 ... 28 ... maker of quick lime

François BÉLANGER ... single ... 1634 ... 22 ... mason ... he was an old friend of Massé Gravelle listed below

Thomine BIGOT-CHASTEL ... widow ... 1647 ... abt. 47 ... she was the  widow of Jean Bigot, and arrived in New France with her son, Jean Bigot and her daughter, ancestor Françoise Bigot

Françoise BIGOT ... single ... 1647 ... 16 ... she arrived in New France with her mother, Thomine CHASTEL BIGOT, and her brother, Jean Bigot.

François BOUCHER ... single ... 1634 ... 17 ... arrived with his father, Marin Boucher, step-mother, and half-siblings.

Gaspard BOUCHER ... husband ... 1634 ... abt. 41 ... furniture maker ... arrived with his wife and 8 children.  Gaspard Boucher is a brother of Marin Boucher listed below.

Nicole LEMÈRE ... wife of Gaspard BOUCHER ... 1634 ... 39

Marin BOUCHER ... husband ... 1634 ... 45 ... mason ... arrived with wife and 3 children including above listed, François Boucher

Périnne MALET ... wife of Marin BOUCHER ... 1634 ... 28

Jean CLOUTIER ... single ... 1634 ... 14 ... arrived with his parents Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont, and siblings including his brother, Pierre-Zacharie listed below.

Pierre-Zacharie CLOUTIER ... single ... 1634 ... 17 ... arrived with parents Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont, and siblings.

Zacharie CLOUTIER ... husband ... 1634 ... 44 ... carpenter ... arrived with wife, Xainte Dupont, and 5 children including sons, Jean and Pierre-Zacharie Cloutier listed above.

Xainte DUPONT ... wife of Zacharie CLOUTIER ... 1634 ... 38

Jean CÔTÉ ... single ... 1634 ... 31   

Jean CRÊTE (Creste) ... single ... 1648 ... 22 ... master wheelwright ... recruited by Michel LeNeuf

Robert DROUIN ... single ... 1634 ... 27 ... brick and tile maker

Julien FORTIN ... single ... 1650 ... 29

Jean GAGNON ... single ... 1635 ... 24 ... merchant ... brother of Pierre Gagnon and Marguerite Gagnon Tavernier

Pierre GAGNON ... single ... 1635 ... 22 ... merchant ... brother of Jean Gagnon and Marguerite Gagnon Tavernier

Françoise GARNIER ... single ... 1634 ... 30 ... sailed with Giffard group possibly as the intended wife of Noël LANGLOIS (see below)

Charlotte GAUDRY-CHEVALIER ... widow ... 1649 ... 48 ... widow of Jacques Gaudry and mother of Nicolas Gaudry

Nicolas GAUDRY ... single ... 1649 ... 19 ... arrived with his mother, Charlotte Chevalier Gaudry

François GAULIN ... single ... 1649 ... 19

Robert GIGUERRE ... single ... 1645 ... 29 

Pierre-Jacques GIRARD ... single ... 1666 ... 20 ... domestic ... worked for Jacques Gratiot

Massé-Joseph GRAVELLE ... single ... 1635 ... 20 ... stone mason ... was the nephew of the Gagnon brothers and Marguerite Gagnon Tavernier

Jean GUYON (Dion) ... husband ...1634 ... 42 ... master mason ... arrived with wife, Mathurine Robin-Boulé, and 7 children.  Eldest daughter, Barbe married to Pierre Paradis listed below

Mathurine ROBIN-BOULÉ ... wife of Jean GUYON ... 1634 ... ?

Thomas HAYOT ... husband ... 1636 ... abt. 35 ... arrived with wife and 3 children

Jeanne BOUCHER ... wife of Thomas HAYOT ... 1636 ...35

Louis HOULE .. single ... 1647 ... 20 ... shoemaker and mason

Noël LANGLOIS ... single ... 1634 ... 31 ... river pilot

Gervais LeNORMAND ... husband ... 1647 ... 50 ... carpenter ... arrived with wife and son

Eléonore JANET ... wife of Gervais LeNORMAND ... 1647

René LeTARTE ... husband ... 1669 ... 42 ... arrived with wife and 5 children

Louise GOULET ... wife of René LeTarte ... 1669 ... 41

Pierre MAHEU ... single ... 1651 ... 21 ... weaver

René (Pierre) MAZERAY ... 1640 ...34 ... domestic

Pierre PARADIS ... husband ... 1652 ... 48 ... master cutler (maker of knives) ... arrived with wife and 5 children

Barbe GUYON (Dion) ... wife of Pierre PARADIS ... 1652 ... 35 ... daughter of Jean Guyon  and Mathurine Robin-Boulé who arrived in New France in 1634.

Guillaume PELLETIER ... husband ... 1641 ... 46 ... carpenter ... arrived with wife and 2 children

Michelle MABILLE ... wife of Guillaume PELLETIER ... 1641 ... 49

Jean PELLETIER ... single ... 1641 ... 14 ... arrived with parents Guillaume Pelletier and Michelle Mabille

Henri PINGUET ... husband ... 1634 ... 44 ... merchant ... arrived with wife and 4 children

Louise LOUSCHE ... wife of Henri PINGUET ... 1634 ... 45

Marie ROCHERON ... single ... 1657 ... 19 ... arrived with her brothers, Simon and Gervais Rocheron.  She later married François GAULIN

Jean ROUSSIN ... widower ... 1650 ... 53 ... arrived with 4 children

Éloi TAVERNIER ... husband ... 1643 ... ? ... arrived with wife and 3 daughters

Marguerite GAGNON ... wife of Éloi TAVERNIER ... 1643 ... 45 ... sister of Jean and Pierre Gagnon listed above

Gilles TROTTIER ... husband ... 1646 ... 41 ... carpenter and cattleman ... arrived with wife and 6 children

Catherine LOISEAU ... wife of Gilles TROTTIER ... 1646 ... ?

Jean TRUDEL ... single ... 1652 ... 23 ... weaver

Charles TURGEON ... husband ... 1662 ... 35 ... arrived with wife and 4 children

Pasquière LeFEBVRE ... wife of Charles TURGEON ... 1662 ... 35  

Make a Free Website with Yola.