Johannes Schlotz (alias Jean Serrurier) and Marie Madeleine Gougeon
Did you know that the Serrurier family is not descended from a locksmith? Discover the fascinating story of Johannes Schlotz, an emigrant from Alsace, and Marie Madeleine Gougeon, a native of Montreal, who left their mark on the seigneurie of Vaudreuil in the 18th century.
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Johannes Schlotz (alias Jean Serrurier) and Marie Madeleine Gougeon
From Alsace to Vaudreuil: a journey of resilience in New France
Johannes Schlotz, son of Antoine Schlotz and Elizabeth [surname unknown], was born around 1734 in the parish of Notre-Dame in Strasbourg, Alsace, France (in the present-day department of Bas-Rhin in France).
“Strasburg,” drawing by Friedrich Berhard Werner, circa 1730
As a teenager, Johannes decided to leave his homeland. He was not alone; in the middle of the 18th century, many Alsatians also decided to leave. Several factors contributed to this wave of emigration:
Economic troubles: many people left due to economic hardship, including poor harvests, high taxes and economic instability. Alsace also experienced periodic famines, prompting some inhabitants to seek better opportunities elsewhere.
Religious persecution: situated at the crossroads of French and German cultural and religious influences, Alsace experienced religious conflicts. Protestants (like the Huguenots) in Alsace were victims of discrimination and persecution.
Military conscription: France used to conscript men into the army. This practice could be an important factor for young men and their families, particularly in times of war.
New opportunities abroad: reports of available land, economic opportunities and religious freedom in other parts of Europe and overseas (such as North America) attracted settlers. The promise of a better life and better economic prospects motivated many to emigrate. Several German Lutheran communities had already existed in Pennsylvania for more than a century.
According to author Marie-Noële Denis, "Alsatian emigration to Canada had religious, political and economic causes, not to mention the extreme mobility of a population living in a region of passage. It was a case of rural emigration by modest, but not poor, families who accepted the often-arduous conditions of transport, first by boat on the Rhine to the North Sea ports, then by wagon and by rail to Le Havre, which became the major port of emigration to the New World in the mid-19th century. Once there, the Alsatian emigrants settled in specific places. What's more, this emigration had its own specific characteristics. Religion played an important role in various ways."
"The Emigrants," drawing by Jules Théophile Schuler, illustrating an Alsatian family waiting to embark for the Americas
In 1751, Johannes travelled to Rotterdam in the Netherlands. He paid for his passage on board the Neptune, commanded by James Weir, bound for Pennsylvania, in the United States. Philip Henry Schlotz, perhaps a relative, was also on the ship.
On arrival in Pennsylvania, the Neptune's passengers had to swear allegiance to England. After this date, the events of Johannes's life in Pennsylvania are unfortunately unknown. Around 1755, he travelled north to Canada, a colony in New France.
Settling in New France
Johannes settled in the seigneurie of Vaudreuil, where he received a land grant on August 30, 1757, from the Marquis de Vaudreuil, seigneur and governor of New France. In the notarial deed, he is named "Jean Chelosse, habitant." The land was located near the "petite rivière" (the little river) at côte de Quinchien and measured three arpents of frontage (facing the Ottawa River) by 20 arpents deep. Quinchien is an Algonquin word meaning "rapids."
Extract of the land concession to “Jean Chelosse” (FamilySearch)
Marie Madeleine Gougeon, daughter of Pierre Gougeon and Madeleine Lacroix dite Langevin, was born on November 15, 1731. She was baptized the same day at the church of Notre-Dame in Montréal. Her godfather was Jean Baptiste Lefebvre, and her godmother was Françoise Lacroix, who declared that they did not know how to sign.
Baptism of Marie Madeleine Gougeon (Généalogie Québec)
At the age of 23, Marie Madeleine married Jacques Dubreuil on February 3, 1755, at the church of Notre-Dame in Montréal. The couple had only one daughter, Marie Josèphe. Tragically, Jacques passed away just a few months later, on September 26, at the age of 20. His death may have been caused by the smallpox epidemic that swept through the colony between 1755 and 1757.
Marriage of Marie Madeleine Gougeon and Jacques Dubreuil (Généalogie Québec)
Marriage
Jean "Chelosse dit Serurier" and Marie Madeleine "Goujon" appeared before notary Gervais Hodiesne at the parish house in Sainte-Anne-du-Bout-de-l'Île [now Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue] on October 3, 1757, to draw up their marriage contract. Jean was 23 years old and "German from Estrabourg." The contract followed the standards of the Coutume de Paris (the Paris custom). The dower was set at 300 livres and the preciput at 150 livres. [The dower was a term used in ancient law to designate the portion of property that the husband reserved for his wife in the event that she should survive him. The preciput, under the regime of community of property between spouses, was an advantage conferred by the marriage contract on one of the spouses, generally on the survivor, and consisting in the right to levy, upon dissolution of the community, on the common mass and before any partition thereof, some of which specified property or a sum of money.] Jean signed "Johanne Schlotz"; Marie Madeleine did not know how to sign.
Marriage Contracts
In the 18th century, marriage contracts were a common practice, with over 60% of marriages involving such agreements, which were signed before a notary. These contracts were typically finalized several days or weeks prior to the wedding ceremony, with an average timeframe of three weeks. This period aligned with the customary publication of three marriage bans on three consecutive Sundays, ensuring that the community was aware of the impending union.
The signing of the marriage contract was a significant social event, often attended by a large number of family members, friends, and sometimes high-ranking members of society. To maintain social harmony, the notary meticulously arranged the order of signatures (or marks for those unable to sign) to reflect the social hierarchy of the attendees.
Legally, marriage created a new family unit governed by the Coutume de Paris (Custom of Paris). This legal framework generally imposed the “communauté des biens” regime (community of property), under which all movable and immovable property of both spouses, whether acquired before or during the marriage, was pooled into the marital community. The husband had exclusive administrative rights over this communal property.
These marriage contracts not only outlined the division and management of property but also included provisions for dowries, inheritances, and other financial arrangements. They served as a vital tool for protecting the interests of both families involved, ensuring that wealth and assets were managed and transferred according to agreed terms.
Extract of the marriage contract between "Jean Chelosse dit Serurier" and “Marie Madeleine Goujon” (FamilySearch)
The marriage between Jean and Marie Madeleine took place on the same day in Sainte-Anne-du-Bout-de-l'Île. The groom "had the approval of Mr. Montgolfier, the vicar-general, who found him free to enter into marriage."
Marriage of « Jean Chelosse » and « Marie Magdelene Goujon » (Généalogie Québec)
The church of Sainte-Anne-du-Bout-de-l'Île, circa 1930 (Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec)
Jean and Marie Madeleine had at least eight children:
Marie Louise (1758-1758)
Jacques (1759-1810)
an anonymous child (1761-1761)
Marguerite Clémence (1763-1798)
Marie Madeleine (1765-1804)
an anonymous child (1767-1767)
Jean Baptiste (abt. 1769-1847)
Élisabeth “Isabelle” (abt. 1773-1819)
On March 14, 1758, Jean expanded his land in Vaudreuil. He received another concession from the Marquis de Vaudreuil, this one also measuring three arpents by 20 deep. This land was adjacent to the one he received the previous year, north of the Quinchien river. In this notarial deed, he is called Jean Serrurier, but he still signed "Johannes Schlotz".
Extract from the concession of 1758, showing the signature of Johannes Schlotz (FamilySearch)
Extract from the plan of the seigneuries of Rigaud, Vaudreuil and Soulanges in 1790 (Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec)
Satellite image of Vaudreuil in 2023, still showing traces of the old seigniorial system with its long and narrow plots facing the water (Google)
On April 4, 1758, notary Thomas Vuatier drew up an inventory of the community property of Marie-Madeleine and her first husband Jacques Dubreuil. All the couple's possessions were listed—a buffet, cooking pots, a copper pail, four "bad plates," "old shirts," etc.—as well as their debts.
Extract from the inventory of the community property of Marie-Madeleine and her first husband Jacques Dubreuil (FamilySearch)
The After-Death Inventory
The Coutume de Paris (custom of Paris) governed the transmission of family property in New France. When a couple married, with or without a contract, they were subject to the “community of goods.” All property acquired during the union by the spouses was part of this community. After the death of the parents (assuming the couple had children), the property of the community was divided in equal parts between all the children, sons and daughters. When the community was dissolved by the death of one of the spouses, the survivor was entitled to his or her half, the other half being divided equally between the children. When the survivor died, the children divided their share of the community. Inventories were drawn up after a death in order to itemize all the goods within a community.
In the years that followed, the names of Jean and Marie Madeleine appeared several times in notarial deeds, often in connection with land transactions:
January 29, 1759: sale of land located on côte Sainte-Marie in the parish of Sainte-Anne, by Jean Serrurier, habitant, and Madeleine Goujon, from Quinchien, in the name of her minor daughter, to Augustin Dubreuil (brother of Jacques Dubreuil, first husband of Marie Madeleine).
July 22, 1759: sale of succession rights to property located on côteaux Saint-Pierre, by Jean Serrurier, habitant and mason, and Madeleine Goujon, his wife, of Quinchien, to Pierre Goujon, Madeleine's father.
January 13, 1760: grant of land located in the seigneurie of Vaudreuil on the north side, by Marquis de Vaudreuil, to Jean Serurier, mason and habitant, of the seigneurie of Vaudreuil.
January 26, 1760: sale of land located in the seigneurie of Vaudreuil, by Jean Chelosse dit Serrurier, of the seigneurie of Vaudreuil, to Jacob Chemic, of German nationality.
May 26, 1761: grant of land located in the seigneurie of Vaudreuil on the north side, by André Grasset dit Saint-Sauveur, seigneur of Vaudreuil, and Louis Saint Ange dit Charly, to Jean Serrurier, habitant, of the seigneurie of Vaudreuil.
June 14, 1762: grant of land located in the seigneurie of Vaudreuil, by André Grasset dit Saint-Sauveur, seigneur of Vaudreuil, and Louis St Ange dit Charly, to Jean Serrurier, habitant, of the seigneurie of Vaudreuil.
June 14, 1762: sale of land located in the seigneurie of Vaudreuil on the north side, by Jean Serrurier, mason and habitant, of Vaudreuil, to Basile Proux, carpenter.
June 21, 1762: grant of land located in the seigneurie of Vaudreuil, by André Grasset dit Saint-Sauveur, seigneur of Vaudreuil, and Louis Saint Ange dit Charly, to Jean Serrurier, habitant, of the seigneurie of Vaudreuil.
The mason in New France in the 18th century (artificial intelligence image generated by Microsoft Bing)
Professor Pierre Biron explains: "Perhaps he was asked the meaning of the word schlotz in German and would have answered correctly: lock and castle. Those around him may have only remembered lock. He never signed his name Jean Serrurier, but people called him that. He was also called Jean Serrurier dit l'Allemand (the German). And he let it happen, he integrated. His wife, his new society and the authorities were all French. If he always signed his name in German, it was probably his mother tongue. We know that in January of 1760 he signed Chelosse on a contract for the sale of land on the same seigneurie to a friend and compatriot, Jacob Chemie. [...] At the baptism of his daughter in November of 1763 in Oka, he signed Joannes Schloz, but at the baptism of another daughter in the same parish in 1765, he was said to be a 'locksmith by trade,' confusing the translation of his surname with a trade."
Deaths of Jean and Marie Madeleine
Johannes Schlotz, who became Jean Chelosse dit Serrurier, died between 1773 (birth of his daughter Élisabeth) and June 26, 1780 (he was recorded as deceased at the wedding of his daughter Clémence). His burial record has not been found.
Marie Madeleine appears in a notarial deed for the last time on July 31, 1778. On that date, she transferred her succession property rights to a piece of land on Coteaux Saint-Pierre to her brother Pierre Goujon. Marie Madeleine was a resident of Côte Saint-Luc.
Marie Madeleine Gougeon died at the age of 76 on August 24, 1808. She was buried two days later in Lachine. [The priest indicated that she was the wife of Henry Latreilles; there were no Latreille-Gougeon couples in Canada at that time. This is most likely a mistake.]
Burial of Marie Madeleine Gougeon
Johannes Schlotz (alias Jean Serrurier), an emigrant from Alsace, and Marie Madeleine Gougeon, a native of Montreal, united their fates against a backdrop of growth and change in New France. Their lives, marked by family alliances, land transactions and community involvement, reflect the history of many of the inhabitants at the time. Their lives bear witness to their integration and contribution to the seigneurie of Vaudreuil, where they lived and worked until the end of the eighteenth century.
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Sources:
Marie-Noële Denis, "L’émigration alsacienne au Canada," in Le peuplement européen des Amériques, article digitized by Persée (https://www.persee.fr/doc/acths_1764-7355_2012_act_133_6_10418 : accessed 28 Dec 2023).
Pennsylvania archives: Second Series, vol. XVII, printed under the direction of William Francis Harrity (Harrisburg, E.K. Meyers, 1890), page 341, digitized by Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/pennsylvaniaser217harruoft/pennsylvaniaser217harruoft/mode/2up : accessed 28 Dec 2023).
"Actes de notaire, 1737-1778 : François Simonet", digitized images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTW-49XS-H?i=2278&cat=529340 : accessed 28 Dec 2023), land concession to Jean Chelosse, 30 Aug 1757, images 2279-2282 of 3200, film 1464534 ; citing original data: Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec.
Ibid. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTW-49HF-J?i=2861&cat=529340 : accessed 29 Dec 2023), land concession to Jean Chelosse, 14 Mar 1758, images 2862-2863 of 3200, film 1464534.
"Actes de notaire, 1740-1764 : Gervais Hodiesne," digitized images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS5X-V7GY?i=646&cat=481473 : accessed 28 Dec 2023), marriage contract of Jean Chelosse dit Serurier and Marie Madeleine Goujon, 3 Oct 1757 (registered on 14 Dec 1757), images 647-651 of 3153, film 1432362 ; citing original data: Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec.
"Actes de notaire, 1751-1785 : Thomas Vuatier," digitized images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-L3F9-41D6?i=1853&cat=675524 : accessed 29 Dec 2023), Inventory of the community property of Marie-Madeleine Goujon, widow of Jacques Dubreuil, 4 Apr 1758, images 1854-1857 of 2965, film 1562136 ; citing original data: Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec.
"Le LAFRANCE (Baptêmes, mariages et sépultures)," Généalogie Québec (https://www.genealogiequebec.com/Membership/LAFRANCE/acte/145437 : accessed 25 Nov 2023), baptism of Madeleine Goujon, 15 Nov 1731, Montréal (Notre-Dame), record 145437.
Ibid. (https://www.genealogiequebec.com/Membership/LAFRANCE/img/acte/298558 : accessed 25 Nov 2023), marriage of Jacques Dubreuil and Marie Madeleine Goujon, 3 Feb 1755, Montréal (Notre-Dame), record 298558.
Ibid. (https://www.genealogiequebec.com/Membership/LAFRANCE/img/acte/276489 : accessed 25 Nov 2023), marriage of Jean Chelosse and Marie Magdelene Goujon, 3 Oct 1757, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, record 276489.
"Registres paroissiaux et Actes d’état civil du Québec (Collection Drouin), 1621 à 1968," Ancestry.ca (https://www.ancestry.ca/imageviewer/collections/1091/images/d1p_1114B0029?pId=10129254 : accessed 25 Nov 2023), burial of Marie Magdeleine Goujon, 26 Aug 1808, Lachine > Sts-Anges-Gardiens > 1808-1822 > page 4 of 142.
Université de Montréal, Le Programme de recherche en démographie historique online database (https://www-prdh-igd-com.res.banq.qc.ca/Membership/fr/PRDH/Individu/151182 : accessed 25 Nov 2023), entry for Jacques Dubreuil, person 151182.
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), 91.
Parchemin, notarial database of ancient Québec (1626-1801), Société de recherche historique Archiv-Histo (www.Archiv-Histo.com : accessed 25 Nov 2023), "Vente d'une terre située à la côte Ste Marie en la paroisse Ste Anne; par Jean Serrurier, habitant et Madeleine Goujon, son épouse, de Quinchien, épouse antérieure de Jacques Dubreuil, au nom et comme tutrice sous-autorité dudit Serrurier de sa fille mineure, à Augustin Dubreuil, de la paroisse Ste Anne au haut de l'île de Montreal," 29 Jan 1759, notary G. Hodiesne.
Ibid., "Vente de droits successifs immobiliers situés aux coteaux St Pierre; par Jean Serrurier, habitant et maçon et Madeleine Goujon, son épouse, de Quinchien, à Pierre Goujon, habitant, des coteaux St Pierre près et paroisse de la ville de Montreal, leur père et beau-père," 22 Jul 1759, notary G. Hodiesne.
Ibid., "Concession d'une terre située en la seigneurie de Vaudreuil du côté du nord; par de Vaudreuil, marquis, seigneur de Vaudreuil, commandeur de l'Ordre royal et militaire de Saint-Louis, gouverneur et lieutenant général pour le Roi en toute la Nouvelle-France, terres et pays de la Louisiane, demeurant en la ville de Montréal, rue Saint Paul, à Jean Serurier, maçon et habitant, de la seigneurie de Vaudreuil," 13 Jan 1760, notary F. Simonnet.
Ibid., "Vente d'une terre située en la seigneurie de Vaudreuil; par Jean Chelosse dit Serrurier, de la seigneurie de Vaudreuil, à Jacob Chemic, de la seigneurie de Vaudreuil," 26 Jan 1760, notary G. Hodiesne.
Ibid., "Concession d'une terre située en la seigneurie de Vaudreuil du côté du nord; par André Grasset dit Saint Sauveur, procureur de de Vaudreuil, marquis, seigneur de Vaudreuil, commandeur de l'Ordre royal et militaire de St-Louis, gouverneur et lieutenant général pour le Roi en toute la Nouvelle-France, terres et pays de la Louisiane et Louis Saint Ange dit Charly, de la ville de Montréal, rue Saint Paul, aussi procureur, à Jean Serrurier, habitant, de la seigneurie de Vaudreuil," 26 May 1761, notary F. Simonnet.
Ibid., "Concession d'une terre située en la seigneurie du seigneur de Vaudreuil; par André Grasset dit Saint Sauveur, négociant, procureur de de Vaudreuil, marquis, seigneur de Vaudreuil de l'Ordre royal et militaire de Saint-Louis, gouverneur et lieutenant général pour le Roi en toute la Nouvelle-France, terres et pays de la Louisiane et Louis St Ange dit Charly, négociant, procureur de Rigault de Vaudreuil, gouverneur de la ville de Montréal, demeurant en la ville de Montréal, rue Saint Paul, à Jean Serrurier, habitant, de la seigneurie de Vaudreuil," 14 Jun 1762, notary F. Simonnet.
Ibid., "Vente d'une terre située en la seigneurie de Vaudreuil du côté du nord; par Jean Serrurier, maçon et habitant, de Vaudreuil, à Basile Proux, charpentier, de Sainte Anne au haut de l'île de Montréal," 14 Jun 1762, notary F. Simonnet.
Ibid., "Concession d'une terre située en la seigneurie du seigneur de Vaudreuil; par André Grasset dit Saint Sauveur, négociant, procureur de de Vaudreuil, marquis, seigneur de Vaudreuil, Grande Croix de l'Ordre royal et militaire de Saint-Louis, gouverneur et lieutenant général pour le Roi en toute la Nouvelle-France, terres et pays de la Louisiane et Louis Saint Ange dit Charly, négociant, procureur de Rigaud de Vaudreuil, gouverneur de la ville de Montréal, demeurant en la ville de Montréal, rue Saint Paul, à Jean Serrurier, habitant, de la seigneurie de Vaudreuil," 21 Jun 1762, notary F. Simonnet.
Ibid. "Transport de droits successifs immobiliers sur une terre située au coteaux St Pierre; par Marie-Madeleine Goujon, veuve de Jean Serrurier, maçon, de la côte St Luc, à Pierre Goujon, des coteaux St Pierre, son frère," 31 Jul 1778, notary F. Simonnet.
Pierre Biron, "Les SERRURIER ne descendent pas d’un serrurier : l’histoire d’un immigrant bien intégré," Histoire Québec, 23(3), 5–6, digitized by Érudit (https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/87028ac : accessed 28 Dec 2023).