I recently discovered the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge hosted by Amy Johnson Crow of Generations Connection. Each week of the year a writing prompt is provided to inspire family historians to write and share stories about their ancestors. How you interpret the prompt is up to you. The prompt this week is foundations.
The foundations of my maternal family are deeply rooted in early Canada. I can trace my maternal grandmother’s ancestors back to the mid 1600s with the arrival of the Filles à Marier (Marriageable Woman) and the Filles du Roi (King’s Daughters). These remarkable women, the founding mothers of Québec, gave birth to a nation. Françoise Curè, my eighth great-grandmother was one of these amazing women.
Françoise Curè
Françoise was born in Grévillers, Picardie, France around 1643. Her parents were Pierre Curè and Barbe Charles.[1]
Following the death of her parents Françoise immigrated to New France as part of the Fille du Roi program under the sponsorship of King Louis XIV. She departed from La Rochelle on the ship The St Jean-Baptiste on May 15, 1669 and arrived in Québec on June 30, 1669.[2]
Upon arrival in Montreal, Françoise was housed at Maison Saint Gabriel where she received room and board under the watchful eye of Sister Marguerite Bourgeoys.[3] She remained there until her marriage to Lucas Loiseau on Dec 19, 1669.[4] Upon her marriage Françoise received a dowry of 250 livres including 50 livres from the King.[5] She would also have received a dowry chest filled with practical items such as cooking implements, thread, needles, and other useful items.
Following their marriage Françoise and Lucas settled in Boucherville.[6] The couple had five children but sadly only three survived to adulthood. Their children were:
Marie Madeline Born 25 April 1671 – Died 1 June 1722[7]
Joachim (my ancestor) Born 28 February 1673 – Died 12 September 1734[8]
Jeanne Born 30 January 1675 – Died 5 November 1687[9]
Roger Born 30 April 1677 – Died 4 January 1688[10]
Marie Born 4 June 1680 – Died 18 May 1726[11]
Francoise and Lucas remained in Boucherville until their deaths. Lucas died on March 4, 1704.[12] Francoise died on January 19, 1709.[13]
Footnotes
[1]Record for Francoise Cure, unpaginated, PRDH Individual record (Le Programme de Recherche en Démographie Historique), Num 40108 https://www.prdh-igd.com/.
[2] Migrations, ‘Navires de La Rochelle’, http://www.migrations.fr/NAVIRES_LAROCHELLE/lestjeanbaptiste1669.htm.
[3]Sociétié d’histoire des filles du roi, ‘Les Filles du Roy de la Maison St-Gabriel (38)’, http://lesfillesduroy-quebec.org/les-filles-du-roy/listes-et-tableaux/153-les-filles-du-roy-de-la-maison-st-gabriel-38.
[4] Record for Francoise Cure, unpaginated, PRDH Individual record (Le Programme de Recherche en Démographie Historique), Num 40108; https://www.prdh-igd.com.
[5] Migrations, ‘Navires de La Rochelle’.
[6] Peter J Gagne, King’s Daughters and Founding Mothers: The Filles du Roi, 1663-1673, Vol. 1, Quintin Publications, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA, 2004, p. 166.
[7] Baptism of Marie Madeline Loiseau, baptised 26 April 1671, Boucherville, unpaginated, LAFRANCE Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, Québec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), Num. 1977, https://www.genealogiequebec.com/; Record for Marie Madeline Loiseau, buried 01 June 1722, unpaginated, PRDH Burial record (Le Programme de Recherche en Démographie Historique), Num 4559, https://www.prdh-igd.com/.
[8] Baptism of Joachime Loiseau, baptised 01 March 1673, Boucherville, unpaginated, LAFRANCE Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, Québec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), Num. 2015; Burial of Joachim Loiseau, buried 12 September 1734, Boucherville, unpaginated, LAFRANCE Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, Québec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), Num. 105443, https://www.genealogiequebec.com/.
[9] Baptism of Jeanne Loiseau, baptised 30 Jan 1675, Boucherville, unpaginated, LAFRANCE Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, Québec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), Num. 2057; Burial of Jeanne Loiseau, buried 06 November 1687, Boucherville, unpaginated, LAFRANCE Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, Québec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), Num. 4215, https://www.genealogiequebec.com/.
[10] Baptism of Roger Loiseau baptised 30 April 1677, Boucherville, unpaginated, LAFRANCE Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, Québec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), Num. 2095; Burial of Roger Loiseau, buried 04 January 1688, Boucherville, unpaginated, LAFRANCE Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, Québec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), Num. 4144, https://www.genealogiequebec.com/.
[11] Baptism of Marie Loiseau, baptised 07 June 1680, Boucherville, unpaginated, LAFRANCE Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, Québec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), Num. 2015, https://www.genealogiequebec.com/; Record for Marie Madeline Loiseau, buried 18 May 1726, unpaginated PRDH Burial record (Le Programme de Recherche en Démographie Historique), Num 21323, https://www.prdh-igd.com/.
[12] Burial of Lucas Loiseau, buried 15 March 1704, Boucherville, unpaginated, LAFRANCE Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, Québec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), Num. 4318, https://www.genealogiequebec.com/.
[13] Burial of Francoise Cure, buried 20 january 1709, Boucherville, unpaginated, LAFRANCE Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, Québec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), Num. 4367, https://www.genealogiequebec.com/.
Branches of my tree 