Étienne Lessard & Marguerite Sevestre
Pioneers of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Étienne Lessard & Marguerite Sevestre were important land and property owners in New France. They didn't let a pesky case of fur trade fraud get in the way of their success…
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Étienne Lessard & Marguerite Sevestre
Pioneers of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré
Étienne Lessard (or "de Lessart"), the son of Jacques de Lessart and Marie Hersan, was born circa 1623 in Chambois, Orne, Normandie, France. The village has been amalgamated into present-day Gouffern en Auge. Today, the population of Chambois is less than 400 inhabitants.
Location of Chambois (Google Maps)
Undated postcard of Chambois' 12th-century Norman keep (Geneanet)
Though his exact arrival date is unknown, Étienne was in New France by 1646, when he was named godfather at a baptism in Trois-Rivières.
On February 10, 1651, Étienne received a land concession in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré from Olivier Letardif, one of the members of the Compagnie de Beaupré. The plot measured 10 arpents of frontage (facing the Saint Lawrence River) by one and a half leagues deep. He called his land "Domaine Saint-Étienne" and had several domestic servants working the land for him. Once it was cleared, he grew wheat, barley, peas and cabbage.
Marguerite Sevestre, the daughter of Charles Sevestre and Marie Pichon, was born circa 1635 in the parish of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont in Paris, Île-de-France, France. She and her family sailed to New France in 1636. Her father Charles, a "notable", worked as a clerk for the Compagnie des Cent Associés. Her grandfather was a printer and librarian at the University of Paris.
View of the gate of Saint-Bernard in Paris, 17th century. The church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont (centre) contains the shrine of Sainte-Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris (Bibliothèque nationale de France)
Who was the Compagnie des Cent Associés?
Under the reign of Louis XIII, Cardinal Richelieu founded the Compagnie de la Nouvelle-France, also known as the Cent-Associés, on April 29, 1627. Tasked by the king to populate Canada, the Company obtained ownership of New France, a territory with imprecise borders (from Florida in the south to the Arctic Circle in the north). The Company also enjoyed the monopoly of the fur trade and the power to grant land as it saw fit.
Financed by a hundred shareholders, the Company had a capital of 300,000 livres which was used to pay for transport, accommodation and food for the first settlers, during their first three years in the colony. Although the beginnings were disastrous (captured ships, famine, English occupation of the colony), the Company helped to significantly increase the colonial population by bringing in around 5,000 people, a number of whom settled there. In financial difficulty, it ceded its rights to New France to the Compagnie des Habitants. When the colony came under royal authority in 1663, the year the Compagnie des Cent-Associés was dissolved, New France had 68 seigneuries.
Plaque affixed to the fence of land belonging to the Anglican Diocese of Quebec (Jean Gagnon, Wikimedia Commons)
Étienne and Marguerite were married on April 8, 1652, in the parish church of Notre-Dame in Québec [City]. The Governor of New France, Jean de Lauson, was a witness at the wedding. Étienne was about 29 years old; Marguerite was about 17.
1652 marriage of Étienne Lessard & Marguerite Sevestre
The couple had at least ten children: Étienne, Charles, Pierre, Marie Thérèse, Marguerite, Anne Dorothée, Noël, Joseph, Prisque and Dorothée.
Étienne and Marguerite settled in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, called "Petit Cap" (Little Cape) at the time. The village had about 20 resident families, but no parish church. On March 8, 1658, Étienne donated two arpents of land, west of his property, in order for a chapel to be built. Eventually, it would become the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.
Postcard of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré and its basilica, circa 1910 (Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec)
In 1662, after the death of Marie Pichon, Marguerite's mother, Étienne inherited "half of a cellar, half of a hayloft, some rooms serving as a bakery and a fourth of the courtyard, altogether consisting of a fourth part of the house and courtyard belonging to the late Master Charles Sevestre, formerly Lieutenant of this jurisdiction (Québec), the said house situated in the lower town, Rue Notre-Dame".
1666 census of New France for the Lessard family (Library and Archives Canada)
In 1666, the Lessard family was living in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, part of the Côte de Beaupré. 44-year-old Étienne and 31-year-old Marguerite were recorded in the 1666 census of New France, living with their four children and a domestic servant.
The following year, the family was again recorded in the census living in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. Étienne declared having six heads of livestock and 50 arpents of cleared land.
Étienne found himself in legal trouble in 1670. In the fall of that year, he was accused of fur trade fraud by Charles Aubert de Lachesnaye, general clerk of the Compagnie des Indes Occidentales and its prosecutor, along with three other men. He was suspected of hiding beaver pelts of a significant value. Though the exact outcome of the trial is unknown, it doesn't appear to have had a negative impact on Étienne's life.
On March 4, 1677, Étienne became a seigneur when Frontenac granted him the seigneury of L'Île-aux-Coudres. He sold the land to the Seminary of Québec in 1687 for 100 livres.
Étienne and Marguerite sold the property they had inherited from her mother on April 6, 1683, to Francois Hazeur and Étienne Lander on "that remainder which may be useful, together with everything inside that is left after the fire of the 4th and 5th of last August." Though the building was restored and rebuilt in 1998-1999, it is still called "la Maison Hazeur".
Maison Hazeur (first building on the left) seen in 2019, located in Place-Royale, Québec City (Google Maps)
On February 9, 1684, Étienne and Marguerite donated a plot of land located in the seigneury of Beaupré to Monseigneur François de Laval, first bishop of Québec, for the parish priest of Beaupré.
Extract of the 1684 donation to Monseigneur de Laval (Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec)
On April 27, 1688, because of his marriage to Marguerite, Étienne received part of a land concession as inheritance from Charles Sevestre. This plot of two leagues frontage by two leagues deep was shared with other heirs, Marguerite's siblings and their spouses.
On March 26, 1699, Étienne and Marguerite, "being victims of their old age, which is advanced and renders them infirm and subject to the natural indisposition which accompanies the aged, and which causes a loss of spirit and force, they find themselves no longer able to handle their own affairs and it is of more advantage to them now to give or to sell their heritage to their two children named Prisque and Joseph." As for the children, "they will feed and care for their father and mother and treat them according to their station in life. Their rooms shall be clean and heated so as to stave off illness for the remainder of their days and at the end of their time, they shall be buried, and prayers shall be offered for the repose of their soul, according to the customs." [Translation by Thomas J. Laforest]
What is a Donation?
In New France, donations "entre vifs" (between living persons) were common. Once a person got older, or their health declined, they would normally give control of their possessions over to the person who was going to take care of them, normally one of their children. This "donation" was recorded by a notary, and outlined the rights and responsibilities of each party, specifically what the parent was giving the child and what they asked for in return. This normally included land, a house and/or farm and animals. In return, the child may have to pay outstanding debts, and ensure their parent was housed, fed, clothed and otherwise taken care of until their death.
Étienne Lessard died at the age of about 80 on April 20, 1703, in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. He was buried inside the parish church the following day.
Marguerite Sevestre died at the age of about 85 on November 26, 1720, also in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. She was also buried inside the parish church the following day.
Buried inside the church?
Intramural church burials are an ancient Christian tradition that early colonists brought with them from France. French tradition dictated that the privilege was mainly reserved for clergy and nobles. In New France, however, we find that burials within church walls were not restricted to this group of elites. They were performed for those belonging to the most powerful social groups (which could even include farmers), those who were most successful in their trade and those who were committed to their church and community. Bodies were placed in the crypt (or cellar) located under the floor of the church, or in a grave dug after raising the floor or a church bench. The funeral rites that accompanied such a burial were generally more elaborate and expensive than those performed for a cemetery burial. The practice of intramural church burials disappeared from most parishes by the mid-nineteenth century, mainly due to public hygiene concerns and a lack of space.
1751 Map of the Seigneurie Côte-de-Beaupré created by Ignace Plamondon, listing land owners (Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec)
Close-up of the 10 arpents of land owned by the heirs of Étienne Lessard, which is on the same property of the church of Sainte-Anne
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Sources:
Fédération québécoise des sociétés de généalogie, Fichier Origine online database (http://www.fichierorigine.com), entry for LESSARD / LESSART (de), Étienne (person 017003), updated on 3 Mar 2018.
Fédération québécoise des sociétés de généalogie, Fichier Origine online database (http://www.fichierorigine.com), entry for SEVESTRE, Charles (person 243792), updated on 3 Mar 2018.
Gérard Lebel, Nos Ancêtres volume 1 (Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré, Éditions Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré, 1981), 75-76.
Thomas J. Laforest, Our French-Canadian Ancestors volume 1 (Palm Harbour, Florida, LISI Press, 1983), 104-105.
Programme de recherche en démographie historique (PRDH), Université de Montréal (https://www.prdh-igd.com), dictionary entry for Marguerite Sevestre, person #50066.
Programme de recherche en démographie historique (PRDH), Université de Montréal (https://www.prdh-igd.com), dictionary entry for Etienne Lessard and Marguerite Sevestre, union #723.
Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, "Fondation de la Compagnie des Cent-Associés", BAnQ numérique (https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/evenements/ldt-889).
"Recensement du Canada, 1666", Library and Archives Canada (https://collectionscanada.gc.ca/), entry for Estienne Lissard, 1666, Québec, finding tool MSS0446, MIKAN no. 2318856; citing original data: Centre des archives d'outre-mer (France) vol. 460.
"Recensement du Canada, 1667", Library and Archives Canada (https://collectionscanada.gc.ca/), entry for Estienne Lezard, 1667, Québec, finding tool MSS0446, Item ID number: 2318857; citing original data: Centre des archives d'outre-mer (France) vol. 460.
"Collection Pièces judiciaires et notariales - BAnQ Québec", digital images, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (https://advitam.banq.qc.ca/notice/386968), " Procédures pour fraude sur les droits du castor faites par Charles Aubert de la Chesnaye (Lachesnaye), commis général de la Compagnie des Indes Occidentales et comme procureur d'icelle, contre Daniel Biaille, André Chaviteau, Etienne de Lessard et Jean Grignon", 20 Sep 1670-10 Oct 1670, Cote : TL5,D70, ID 386968.
"Fonds Intendants - BAnQ Québec", digital images, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (https://advitam.banq.qc.ca/notice/81384), "Contrat de vente par le sieur Étienne de Lessard et Marguerite Sevestre, sa femme, demeurant en la paroisse de Sainte-Anne, aux sieurs François Hazeur et Étienne Landron (Landeron), bourgeois de Québec, de la moitié d'un emplacement sis rue Notre-Dame en la Basse-Ville de Québec (Notaire Gilles Rageot)", 7 Apr 1683, Cote : E1,S4,SS1,D306,P2, ID 93425.
"Fonds Cour supérieure. District judiciaire de Québec. Insinuations - BAnQ Québec", Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (https://advitam.banq.qc.ca/notice/93425), "Donation par Étienne Lessard, habitant de la côte de Beaupré, et Marguerite Sévestre, sa femme, à Monseigneur François de Laval, premier évêque de Québec, pour le curé de Beaupré, ladite donation concernant un emplacement sis en la seigneurie de Beaupré, mention d'un contrat en date du 8 mars 1648, Hubert Brault? dit Braugard (Beauregard?), et Hilaire Cheuprenot (Chalprenot?), demeurant au séminaire de Québec, sont témoins", 9 Feb 1684, Cote : CR301,P254, ID 81384.
"Fonds Conseil souverain - BAnQ Québec", Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (https://advitam.banq.qc.ca/notice/399914), "Acte de concession par Jacques-René de Brisay, Marquis de Denonville, et Jean Bochart Champigny, gouverneur et intendant de la Nouvelle-France, au sieur Étienne Lessard, à cause de Marguerite Sevestre, sa femme, au sieur de Lanoraie (La Nauraye, La Noraye, LaNoraye), à cause de Marie-Marguerite Sevestre, sa femme, à Charles Gauthier (Gaultier), à Marie-Denise Sevestre, femme du sieur Nepveu (Neveu), et à Catherine Gautier (Gauthier), veuve de Denis Duquet, tous comme héritiers de feu Charles Sevestre, de son vivant lieutenant particulier de la Juridiction de Québec, d'une étendue de terre de deux lieues de front sur le fleuve Saint-Laurent et de deux de profondeur à prendre entre les terres du sieur Dautré (Dautray, d'Autray) et celles du sieur de Lavaltrie, tirant vers Montréal, à titre de fief et seigneurie avec haute, moyenne et basse justice", 27 Apr 1688, Cote : TP1,S36,P399, ID 399914.
"Fonds Cour supérieure. District judiciaire de Québec. Insinuations - BAnQ Québec", Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (https://advitam.banq.qc.ca/notice/81594), " Donation de tous leurs biens meubles et immeubles, par Étienne Lessard, demeurant en la seigneurie de Beaupré, paroisse Sainte-Anne, et Marguerite Sevestre, sa femme; à Prisque et Joseph Lessard, leurs derniers enfants vivants n'étant pas encore établis; ladite donation est passée pardevant Étienne Jacob, notaire en la seigneurie de Beaupré, en présence de Guillaume Morel, procureur fiscal audit lieu de Beaupré, et de Pierre Roussin, témoins", 24 Mar 1699, Cote : CR301,P464, ID 81594.
André Lachance, Vivre, aimer et mourir en Nouvelle-France; Juger et punir en Nouvelle-France: la vie quotidienne aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles (Montréal, Québec: Éditions Libre Expression, 2004), 167-172.
Thuot, Jean-René, "La pratique de l’inhumation dans l’église dans Lanaudière entre 1810 et 1860 : entre privilège, reconnaissance et concours de circonstances", 2006, Études d'histoire religieuse, 72, 75–96, digitized by Érudit (https://doi.org/10.7202/1006589ar)
"Quebec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1968", digital images, Ancestry.ca (https://www.ancestry.ca/), burial of Estienne Lessart, 21 Apr 1703, Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré; citing original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin.
"Québec, registres paroissiaux catholiques, 1621-1979," digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org), burial of Marguerite Sevestre, 27 Nov 1720, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré > Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1657-1789 > image 275 of 1237; Archives Nationales du Quebec (National Archives of Quebec), Montreal.
"Quebec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1968", digital images, Ancestry.ca (https://www.ancestry.ca/), marriage of Etienne Delessart and Marguerite Sevestre, 8 Apr 1652, Québec (Notre-Dame); citing original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin.