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Marc Semeur dit Labonté and Marie Morier

The story of a French soldier and a canadienne, ancestral couple to many Semeurs, Sémurs, Saumurs and Saumures.

 Marc Semeur dit Labonté, the son of Marc Semeur and Jeanne Labbesse, was born circa 1677 in Tulle, Limousin, France [present-day Tulle, Corrèze, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France]. Tulle is approximately 475 kilometres south of Paris and has a population of about 15,000 residents, called "Tullistes" or "Tullois".

Marc arrived in Canada as a soldier in Olivier Morel de la Durantaye's company, likely at the very end of the 17th century. Once his military duties were completed, he chose to stay in New France.

Marie Morier (or Mourier), daughter of Jean Morier dit Veron and Marie Mineau, was born on 6 Jul 1685 on Île-d'Orléans, New France. She was baptized in the parish of St-Jean four days later. Her godparents were René Mineau and Marie Anselin. [The surnames Morier and Mourier were both utilized in documents throughout her life.]

Marc and Marie appeared before notary François Genaple on 6 Jul 1700 to sign a marriage contract. They were married a few weeks later on 28 Jul 1700 in the parish of St-Jean on Île-d'Orléans. Marc was recorded as a 23-year-old soldier in the company of la Durantaye. Marie was 15 years old.

L’Île-d’Orléans

Marc and Marie only had one child, named Marc. He was born and baptized on 28 Jan 1703 in the parish of St-Jean-de-l'Île-d'Orléans.

Less than two months after his son's birth, Marc Semeur dit Labonté died prematurely at the age of 26 on 16 Mar 1703 in St-Jean-de-l'Île-d'Orléans. He was buried the following day in the parish cemetery. The cause of death was not recorded, but Marc was likely a victim of the smallpox epidemic that devastated New France in 1702 and 1703.

A Second Marriage

After her husband's death, 18-year-old Marie married 20-year-old Pierre Gallien on 25 Jun 1704 in St-Jean-de-l'Île-d'Orléans. Pierre was the son of Robert Gallien and Anne Masson. Neither bride nor groom could sign the marriage record.

Marie and Pierre remained in St-Jean-de-l'Île-d'Orléans until at least 1707. On 22 Feb 1710, a judgement was rendered by the Intendant Jacques Raudot, in which he stated that a donation received by Marie and Pierre from her parents was valid, and that they were to remain proprietors of their land on l'Île-d'Orléans in the parish of St-Jean. [It appears that some of her siblings had disputed the donation].   

Perhaps due to these family disputes, Marie and Pierre chose to relocate to Québec City later in 1710. On 1 Aug 1713, their names appear in court documents again. After a request was made by the Reverend Jesuit Priests, Marie and Pierre (a "charretier”, or waggoner) gave up their land on Saint-Pierre Road in the seigneurie of Sillery and handed it over to the Jesuits in exchange for 400 livres.

By 1717, Marie and Pierre had settled further west in the Montréal area, where they lived in several villages: Lachine, Montréal, St-Laurent and Rivière-des-Prairies. They had at least 11 children, several of which migrated to Louisiana. 

Marie Morier died at the age of 65 on 2 Dec 1750 in Lachine, New France. She was buried in the parish cemetery of Saints-Anges-Gardiens the next day.

The descendants of Marc Semeur dit Labonté and Marie Morier would transform the Semeur name over the years. Some took on the name Sémur, while others used Saumure or Saumur.

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Sources:

• Université de Montréal, Programme de recherche en démographie historique (https://www.prdh-igd.com), online dictionary entry for Marc Saumur, person #68956.

• Université de Montréal, Programme de recherche en démographie historique (https://www.prdh-igd.com), online dictionary entry for Marie Morier Veron, person #30501.

• "Quebec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1968," digital images, Ancestry.ca (https://www.ancestry.ca/), baptism of Marie Mourier, 10 Jul 1685, St-Jean-de-l'Île-d'Orléans, Québec; citing original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin.

• "Quebec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1968," digital images, Ancestry.ca (https://www.ancestry.ca/), marriage of Marc Semeur dit Labonté and Marie Mourier, 28 Jul 1700, St-Jean-de-l'Île-d'Orléans, Québec; citing original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin.

• "Quebec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1968," Ancestry.ca (https://www.ancestry.ca/), burial of Marc Semeur, 17 Mar 1703, St-Jean-de-l'Île-d'Orléans, Québec; citing original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin.

• "Fonds Intendants - BAnQ Québec", digital images, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (https://advitam.banq.qc.ca/notice/86807), "Ordonnance de l'intendant Jacques Raudot qui déclare la donation faite par Jean Mourie (Mourier, Morier) et Marie Mignault (Migneau, Mineau), sa femme, à Pierre Gallien (Galien) et à Marie Mourie, sa femme, bonne et valable et décide qu'ils resteront propriétaires de la terre donnée située en l'île d'Orléans, paroisse Saint-Jean", 22 Feb 1710, Cote : E1,S1,P632, Id 86807.

• "Fonds Ministère des Terres et Forêts - BAnQ Québec", digital images, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (https://advitam.banq.qc.ca/notice/264311), “Remise et abandon aux Révérends Pères Jésuites, à leur demande, d'une terre située à la route Saint-Pierre dans la seigneurie de Sillery, par Pierre Gallien (Galien), charretier de la ville de Québec, et son épouse Marie Mourier (Morier), par-devant Jean-Étienne Dubreuil, notaire royal”, 1 Aug 1713, Cote : E21,S64,SS5,SSS7,D171, Id 264311.