Biography of Maurice Rivet & Marie Cusson
This is the story of Maurice Rivet & Marie Cusson: the son of a porter from La Rochelle who meets the daughter of a Canadian royal notary in Cap-de-la-Madeleine.
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Maurice Rivet & Jeanne Cusson
The son of a porter from La Rochelle meets the daughter of a Canadian royal notary
Maurice Rivet (whose surname was also spelled “Rivest” and “Rivé”) was son of Jacques Rivest and Marie Guéret. He was baptized on the February 14, 1642, in the church of Sainte-Marguerite in La Rochelle, Poitou-Charentes, France.
Maurice Rivet's 1642 baptism (Fichier Origine)
Porter in Venice ("Portefaix ou faquins à Venise", 1476 drawing (artist unknown), Bibliothèque nationale de France
Maurice's father Jacques was a "portefaix", or porter. The portefaix was a person who carried loads of all sorts, usually heavy in nature. He also collected and delivered letters and parcels.
In France, porters were also called crocheteurs, referring to their hooks (“crochets”), on which they carried their parcels. They were also called breteleurs (“bretelles” = suspenders) because of the two suspenders that supported their hooks. The porters were part of a category of workers called gagne-deniers (literally “earns coins”), who earned their lives day by day without having a specific occupation.
Location of La Rochelle in France (Google)
Undated postcard of the port of La Rochelle (Geneanet)
On the other side of the Atlantic, Marie Cusson, the daughter of Jean Cusson and Marie Foubert, was born circa 1657 in Canada, part of New France. Marie's father was a "notaire royal", or royal notary, who worked in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Champlain and Montréal.
Though his exact date of arrival is unknown, Maurice Rivet was in New France by 1664. On June 29, 1664, he receives a land concession from the Jesuit priests in the Sillery seigneurie, stretching from the "long road from Québec to Cap Rouge until Saint-Michel road".
The last page of Maurice's land concession, showing his signature (Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec)
The Seigneurie
The seigneurie was a large piece of land granted by the Governor and the Intendant to a seigneur. The seigneurial system was established in New France in 1627 and abolished in 1854. In this system, the seigneur divided his lands between censitaires (settlers, or inhabitants), who could then clear the land and cultivate it, as well as erect buildings on it. Each portion of land was called a censive. Most of these trapeze-shaped lots were along the St-Lawrence or other river, with one narrow side facing the river or a road.
We can still see the remnants of the old seigniorial system on this 2021 satellite view of the St. Lawrence river and the lots surrounding it (Google).
The censitaire tenant paid an annual rent to the seigneur, and also paid to have his grain milled at the seigneurie’s gristmill. In addition to these payments, he paid for cens, a rather symbolic payment which indicated that the habitant’s land was at the bottom of the feudal hierarchy and could not be sub-licensed. These payments of cens et rente meant that the habitant was the proprietor of his land, and could therefore donate it as part of his inheritance, rent it, or sell it, as long as he paid lods et vente, taxes equivalent to 1/12 of the sale value.
The seigneur did not have many responsibilities towards his habitants. He was obligated to build a mill for his tenants, and they in turn were required to grind their grain there and provide him with one sack of flour out of every 14 produced. The seigneur also had the right to demand a specific number of days of forced labour (called the corvée) of his habitants and could claim rights over fishing, timber and common pastures.
On November 17, 1664, Maurice signed a marriage contract with Catherine Barré in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, but it was later annulled. [Annulments weren't uncommon in New France. In this time period, about 1 in 10 contracts were annulled.]
Maurice Rivet and Marie Cusson signed a marriage contract before notary Séverin Ameau on Janaury 7, 1671, in Trois-Rivières. Maurice was 28 years old; Marie was about 14. The date and location of their actual marriage is unknown.
Maurice and Marie had at least 11 children between 1673 and 1697, likely all born in Cap-de-la-Madeleine:
Marie Rivet (ca. 1673-?)
Jean Rivet (ca. 1676-?)
René Rivet (1678-1735)
Marguerite Rivet (ca. 1681-1732)
Pierre Rivet (1683-1753)
Charles Rivet (1685-1760)
Nicolas Rivet (1687-1777)
Michel Rivet (1689-1753)
Maurice Rivet (1692-1741)
Alexis Rivet (ca. 1694-1757)
Joseph Paul Rivet (1697-?)
From 1677 to 1678, Maurice's name appeared in a few court documents:
On May 30, 1677, a contract was drawn up by notary Jean Cusson (Marie's father), in which Maurice and Marie sold a plot of land located in the seigneury of Villiers to Pierre-Noël Legardeur from Cap-de-la-Madeleine.
On June 10, 1677, Jean Cusson drew up another contract for a land concession in Villiers from Charles Legardeur, seigneur of Villiers, to Maurice Rivet.
On March 28, 1678, Maurice filed a petition in court demanding that Jean François Foucault return the canoe that he borrowed from him. Foucault was ordered to pay for the canoe.
The 1678 court case involving Maurice, Jean François Foucault and a borrowed canoe (Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec)
In 1681, the Rivet family was recorded in the New France census living in Cap-de-la-Madeleine. They were living beside Marie's parents' home. Maurice owned 1 gun, 3 heads of livestock and 6 arpents of cleared land. Jean Cusson, Marie's father, owned 2 guns, 10 heads of livestock and 40 arpents of cleared land. That year, Canada had a population of 9,677 inhabitants.
1681 census for the Cusson-Foubert and Rivet-Cusson families (Library and Archives Canada)
From 1695 and 1696, Maurice's name appeared in two more court documents:
On December 10, 1695, Jean Cusson drew up a contract in which a land concession located in the seigneury of Bécancour was handed back to Pierre Robineau, seigneur of Bécancour, by Maurice Rivet, from the seigneury of Bécancour.
On July 9, 1696, Maurice was named as an "expert estimator" from the seigneurie of Bécancour. He was tasked with estimating the value of the land belonging to the late Pierre Frérot dit Lafontaine.
Three Voyageurs Travelling by Canoe ("Voyageurs", 1846 oil painting by Charles Deas, Wikimedia Commons)
Voyageur Sons
From 1703 to 1716, three of Maurice and Marie's sons signed voyageur contracts: Jean, René and Pierre. Voyageurs were engaged in the transporting of furs during the fur trade years, often over long distances, by foot and canoe. They were normally Canadians, colonists or sons of colonists who were used to the rigours of winter and difficult canoeing from a young age. They were either workers, minor partners or independent contractors involved in the fur trade.
On August 1, 1704, Maurice Rivet, from the seigneurie of Bécancour and in the name of his son René, sold a plot of land in Dutort to René David.
Jean Cusson’s Fall from Grace
In 1706, Marie's parents Jean Cusson and Marie Foubert were experiencing severe financial difficulty. Jean lost one of his legs when it was shot by a canon. Shortly after this, a house fire destroyed all of their property and they were forced to sell their land concession in Cap-de-la-Madeleine. With only one of their sons-in-law supporting them financially, Jean and Marie petitioned the court to assemble their children and spouses and ask for help. On March 8, 1706, an agreement was reached to provide Jean and Marie with a pension.
Deaths, Burials and Guardianship
Maurice Rivet died sometime between March 2, 1710 and January 30, 1712.
On February 4, 1712, a meeting was held to discuss the guardianship of Maurice's minor children following his death. Marie, the children's mother, was appointed guardian. Jean Rivet, her eldest son, was appointed subrogate guardian.
An extract of the 1712 guardianship agreement (Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec)
Four days later, an inventory was drawn up of the goods of the community of the widowed Marie. Four days after the inventory, Maurice's estate (consisting of sums of money and a plot of land in Bécancour) was divided between Marie and her children.
Marie Cusson died at the age of about 75 on September 5, 1732 in Verchères. She was buried the following day in the parish cemetery.
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Sources:
Fédération québécoise des sociétés de généalogie, Fichier Origine online database (http://www.fichierorigine.com), entry for Maurice RIVET / RIVEST (person #243569), updated on 4 Mar 2021.
"Fonds Ministère des Terres et Forêts - BAnQ Québec", digital images, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (https://advitam.banq.qc.ca/notice/263537), "Acte de concession d'une terre située depuis la grande route de Québec au Cap Rouge (Cap-Rouge) jusqu'à la route Saint-Michel dans la seigneurie de Sillery, à Maurice Riné (Rivet ou Arrivé), par Hierosme (Jérôme) Lalemant, supérieur des Pères Jésuites", land concession to Maurice Rivet, 29 Jun 1664, Cote : E21,S64,SS5,SSS7,D140, ID 263537.
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), 124-128.
René Jetté and the PRDH, Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec des origines à 1730 (Montréal, Gaëtan Morin Éditeur, 1983), page 990, entry for Maurice Rivet or Rivest.
Programme de recherche en démographie historique (PRDH), Université de Montréal (https://www.prdh-igd.com), dictionary entry for Marie Moise Cusson, person #41319.
Programme de recherche en démographie historique (PRDH), Université de Montréal (https://www.prdh-igd.com), dictionary entry for Maurice RIVET RIVE and Marie Moise CUSSON, union #3518
Parchemin, banque de données notariales du Québec ancien (1626-1801), database of notarial records, Société de recherche historique Archiv-Histo (https://www.Archiv-Histo.com), land sale between Maurice Rivé and Marie Cusson to Pierre-Noël Legardeur, 30 May 1677, notary Jean Cusson; original held at BAnQ Trois-Rivières.
Parchemin, banque de données notariales du Québec ancien (1626-1801), database of notarial records, Société de recherche historique Archiv-Histo (https://www.Archiv-Histo.com), land concession to Maurice Rivé from Charles Legardeur, 10 Jun 1677, notary Jean Cusson; original held at BAnQ Trois-Rivières.
"Fonds Juridiction royale des Trois-Rivières - BAnQ Trois-Rivières", digital images, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (https://advitam.banq.qc.ca/notice/435288), "Requête de Maurice Rivé (Rivet), demandeur, comparant par Pierre Loyseau (Loiseau) dit Francoeur, son procureur, contre Jean-François Foucault, défendeur, demandant de lui rendre un canot de bois qu'il lui a prêté; le défendeur dit l'avoir prêté à D'Augier (Auger); ledit Foucault est condamné à payer le canot en question avec dépens, sauf son recours contre qui il avisera bon être défense au contraire, signé Boyvinet (Boivinet)", 28 Mar 1678, Cote : TL3,S11,P1601, ID 435288.
"Recensement du Canada fait par l'intendant Du Chesneau", Library and Archives Canada (https://collectionscanada.gc.ca/), entry for Maurice Rivé, Le Cap, 14 Nov 1681, Québec, Finding aid no. MSS0446, MIKAN no. 2318858; citing original data: Centre des archives d'outre-mer (France) vol. 460.
Parchemin, banque de données notariales du Québec ancien (1626-1801), database of notarial records, Société de recherche historique Archiv-Histo (https://www.Archiv-Histo.com), Bécancour land concession returned from Maurice Rivé to Pierre Robineau, 10 Dec 1695, notary Jean Cusson; original held at BAnQ Trois-Rivières.
"Fonds Juridiction royale des Trois-Rivières - BAnQ Trois-Rivières", digital images, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (https://advitam.banq.qc.ca/notice/435288), "Instance du sieur Leboulanger (Boulanger) de Saint-Pierre qui a, en vertu de la sentence rendue le 27 juin 1695, fait prendre par voie de saisie réelle sur 2 terres appartenant au défunt Pierre Frérot dit Lafontaine, dont il est créancier, faute de paiement de la part de Guy Vacher Laserte (Lacerte), curateur créé par justice à la succession vacante dudit Lafontaine de la somme de 876 livres, 15 sols et 8 deniers. Il est ordonné que lesdites terres soient estimées par Maurice Rivé (Rivet, Rivest), de la seigneurie de Bécancour, nommé par le sieur de Saint-Pierre et le nommé Cottenoire (Cottenoir), nommé par ledit Laserte, qui viendront faire leur rapport par la suite", 9 Jul 1696, Cote : TL3,S11,P2476, ID 436142.
Parchemin, banque de données notariales du Québec ancien (1626-1801), database of notarial records, Société de recherche historique Archiv-Histo (https://www.Archiv-Histo.com), land sale from Maurice Rivé (in the name of his son René Rivé) to René David in Dutort, 1 Aug 1704, notary JB Pottier; original held at BAnQ Trois-Rivières.
"Fonds Juridiction royale de Montréal - BAnQ Vieux-Montréal", digital images, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (https://advitam.banq.qc.ca/notice/698725), "Entente entre Jean Cusson et Marie Foubert, demandeurs, et Jean Cusson, Antoine Adhémar, époux de Michelle Cusson, Joseph Aubuchon, époux d'Elisabeth Cusson, Joseph Cusson, Charles Cusson, Jacques Thibierge, époux de Catherine Cusson, Nicolas Cusson, Claude Guérin dit Lafontaine, époux de Jeanne Cusson, et en l'absence de Jean-Baptiste Cusson, Ange Lefebvre, époux de Madeleine Cusson, Jean Jolliet, époux de Marie-Jeanne Cusson, Ange Cusson, Maurice Rivet, époux de Marie Cusson, leurs enfants et gendres, pour convenir d'une pension à leur verser parce qu'ils sont complètement démunis", 8 Mar 1706, Cote : TL4,S1,D893, ID 698725.
"Collection Centre d'archives de Québec - BAnQ Québec", digital images, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (https://advitam.banq.qc.ca/notice/368520), "Tutelle des enfants de Maurice Rivé", guardianship of the children of Maurice Rivé, 4 Feb 1712, Cote : P1000,S3,D2130, ID 368520
Parchemin, banque de données notariales du Québec ancien (1626-1801), database of notarial records, Société de recherche historique Archiv-Histo (https://www.Archiv-Histo.com), inventory of the goods of Marie Cusson, 8 Feb 1712, notary D. Normandin; original held at BAnQ Trois-Rivières.
Parchemin, banque de données notariales du Québec ancien (1626-1801), database of notarial records, Société de recherche historique Archiv-Histo (https://www.Archiv-Histo.com), division of the estate of Maurice Rivé, 12 Feb 1712, notary D. Normandin; original held at BAnQ Trois-Rivières.
"Quebec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1968", digital images, Ancestry.ca (https://www.ancestry.ca/), burial of Marie Cusson, 6 Sep 1732, Verchères; citing original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin.