Thècle Cornelius Aubry & Jeanne Chartier
Thousands of Canadian and American Aubrys can trace their roots back to the same ancestor: Thècle Cornelius Aubry. What many Aubrys might not realize is that the original surname is most definitely not French. The first Aubry to set foot on North American soil was an Irishman named Tadhg mac Conchziir Ui Braonain, whose anglicized name would have been Teague McConnor O'Brennan, and whose Frenchified name in New France became Thècle Cornelius Aubry.
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Thècle Cornelius Aubry & Jeanne Chartier
The surname Aubry: sounds French, right? Thousands of North American Aubrys can trace their roots back to the same ancestor: Thècle Cornelius Aubry. What many Aubrys and Aubreys might not realize is that the original surname is most definitely not French. The first Aubry to set foot on North American soil was Irishman Tadhg mac Conchziir Ui Braonain, whose anglicized name would have been Teague McConnor O'Brennan, and whose Frenchified name in New France became Thècle Cornelius Aubry.
Tadhg, or Thècle, has the distinction of being the very first Irishman to settle in New France. After a rather turbulent start in Montréal, Thècle married Fille du roi Jeanne Chartier. This is their story.
Irish Name & Origin
Image by Siggy Nowak, Pixabay
Thècle was born around 1636 in Ireland and is widely considered to be the first Canadian of Irish origin. In New France, his first name was most commonly written "Thècle". On parish records and censuses, his surname has been spelled "Cornelius", variations of "Aubry", and variations of "O'Brennan". It's possible to see how "O'Brennan" became the shortened "Aubry" in French. His true first name was most likely the Irish "Tadgh", which would have been exceedingly difficult for French speakers to say. "Thècle" would have been a close approximation. "Cornelius" is the anglicized version of "Connor," or "Corneille" in French (which appears in some notarial documents pertaining to Thècle).
In Thècle's marriage contract and marriage record, his parents are recorded as "Connehour Aubrenam" and "Honorée Iconnehour," most likely Connor O'Brennan and Honora O'Connor. Author and historian John P. DuLong has posited that Thècle's real name in Irish Gaelic would have been Tadhg mac Conchziir Ui Braonain, or Teague McConnor O'Brennan in English.
Thècle's exact origins, however, are murky. In the same marriage documents, he was from the parish of "St-Patrice" in "Diasony Hovillean." A search of "Diasony Hovillean" on modern maps yields no results. Unfortunately, several historians and genealogists have done extensive research in Ireland to determine Thècle's place of birth, without coming to a definitive conclusion. He was likely born in County Kerry or County Kilkenny, where the highest concentrations of O’Brennans are found, but we may never know the true origins of Canada's first Irish settler.
Top: origin as written in Thècle’s marriage contract. Above: origin from marriage record.
A Turbulent Start in New France
The exact reasons why Thècle left Ireland are unknown, but the country was experiencing severe political and economic turmoil around the time of his departure. This was also an era of extreme persecution for Irish Catholics, led by England's Oliver Cromwell. The opportunity to start a new life an ocean away may have been enough to incite Thècle to leave.
Mural depicting the Onandaga Nation, photo by Jpesch95.
Thècle sailed to New France around 1660, settling in Montréal. Unfortunately, he had a rather rough start in his new homeland. While labouring on the farm of Urbain Tessier in early 1661, he and other workers were attacked by a group of 260 armed Iroquois (more accurately called Haudenosaunee today, but "Iroquois" was the word used in this period). Four of the men were found dead a few days later, their bodies showing clear signs of torture. The remaining men were taken by the Iroquois.
Thècle, included in the latter group, was presumed dead when an inventory of his goods was drawn up on May 5, 1661. The notarial record indicated he had been living in the home of Jean Gervaise, contracted as a domestic servant. The value of Thècle's goods amounted to a meagre 63 livres.
Thècle and several other prisoners were taken to the village of Onnontagué (Onondaga in English; located in the present-day state of New York). The Jesuit priest Simon Lemoyne led a convoy there in an attempt to free the captives. His negotiations were somewhat successful; he and eight of the kidnapped men, including Thècle, returned to Montreal on October 9, 1661. The rest of the prisoners would only be freed the following August.
Three days after his return to Montréal, Thècle gave a statement to several notaries regarding one of his fellow captives.
On October 12, 1661, Tècle Cornelius, Irishman, declared that being a prisoner at Onnontagué with several others, Pierre Cauvin [Chauvin] had told him that in case of his death, he would give his property to the Church. Marin Jannot, dit Lachapelle, also taken to the same village, in the spring of 1661, claims to have learned from the mouth of Urbain Tessier, dit Lavigne, that such was Cauvin's intention; which was further confirmed by Michel Paroissien, a native of Saumur in Anjou, parish of Saint-Pierre, also taken by the Iroquois, & to whom Lavigne had made the same declaration. [our translation]
Pierre Chauvin also survived his ordeal and returned to Montreal a few years later.
Excerpt of Thècle’s 1661 inventory. Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec.
An Iroquois fort, believed to have stood on the shore of Onondaga Lake. Original from Champlain's "Voyages" Paris, 1619. Wikimedia Commons.
The next time Thècle appears in the public record is following an ordinance by Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve. On November 4, 1662, de Maisonneuve ordered all soldiers and domestic servants to clear seignorial lands. In exchange, they would be permitted to benefit from these plots of land until concessions were granted to them.
“As we are well and duly warned, that there are many people here, both soldiers and domestic servants, who desire to become inhabitants, but cannot, as their engagé contract has prevented them from achieving this ; desiring to contribute all we can to assist them in their objective, which we find useful for the glory of God and the establishment of the colony, as soon as their engagement ends; we have ordered and order the following, namely:
’That we declare for habitants, all the soldiers and domestic servants, who will promise us to clear or have cleared as soon as they can, each four acres of land on the domain of the seigneurs of Montreal, provided that they will benefit from it until as much has been cleared on the concessions that we promise to give them in due time’.”
On November 23, 1662, Thècle agrees to clear four arpents of land. The concession document records him as a "domestic servant of the Sainte Vierge" (Blessed Virgin), indicating that he was working for a religious order.
“Clearing Land”, by Charles W. Jefferys, in The Picture Gallery of Canadian History Vol. II, p.221, 1945.
Canadian Militia
On the first of February 1663, the Milice de la Sainte-Famille (Militia of the Holy Family) was organized in Montréal by de Maisonneuve. Forts urgently needed to be built in order to better protect residents from Iroquois attacks. Twenty "escouades", or squads, were formed, each containing seven men. Thècle was recorded in squad 7, under the command of corporal Pierre Raguindeau dit St-Germain.
Soldier dressed for a winter campaign, painting by Francis Back. Government of Canada’s Canadian Military History Gateway.
“On the advice given to us from various places, that the Iroquois had formed a plan to take this habitation by surprise or by force, and the help that His Majesty promised us having not yet arrived: we, considering that this island belongs to the Blessed Virgin, we thought it our duty to invite and exhort those who are zealous in her service to unite together in (twenty) squads, each of seven persons; and after having elected a corporal by a plurality of votes, to come find us to be enrolled in our garrison, and in this capacity, to follow our orders for the preservation of our country”
In the 1667 census, Thècle is enumerated living in Montréal, working as the domestic servant of André Demers.
1667 census entry for “Tecle Cornelieux”. Library and Archives Canada.
Voyageur
“Trapper and Indians,” by Jean-Baptiste Auguste Leloir
In 1667, Thècle, Mathurin Normandin and Robert Cachelièvre entered into a half-profit agreement with businessmen named Dugas, le Valon, and Peré to travel to the Outaouais region with merchandise to trade for furs. Once there, having travelled with another voyageur from Montreal, they met a group of fellow Frenchmen who were also involved in the fur trade. They combined all of their merchandise and worked together. During their stay in the Outaouais, five of the Frenchmen died (from the other group), along with one of their own. The remaining men split their profits, and the group from Montreal returned home and gave half of their share to the men who had contracted them.
Once home, the three men petitioned the Conseil Souverain because they thought they deserved more after having risked their lives to continue trading after the deaths of their associates. On September 12, 1670, The Council ordered that, from the shares of the six deceased associates amounting to 156 beaver robes, 39 shall be taken to be given to each of the plaintiffs, 13 to serve as a reward and salary for having continued the trade in benefit of the company.
Jeanne Chartier
"The Arrival of the French Girls at Quebec", watercolour by Charles W. Jefferys. Wikimedia Commons.
Thècle's future bride, Jeanne Chartier, was the daughter of bourgeois Pierre Chartier and Marie Godon. She was born around 1636 in the parish of St-Honoré in Paris, France. Jeanne left her home country around 1670 and sailed to Québec with a 600-livre dowry. She was a fille du roi (daughter of the king), one of about 700 unmarried women sent to New France between 1663 and 1673 by King Louis XIV to solve a gender imbalance problem and help populate the new colony. They were called Filles du roi because Louis XIV paid for their recruitment, clothing and passage to the new world and offered dowries to the women when they married.
Extract from Thècle and Jeanne’s marriage contract. Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec.
Jeanne met Thècle soon after her arrival. The couple had a marriage contract drawn up on September 6, 1670, before notary Romain Becquet. Thècle was called "le Sieur Tecq Aubrenaue."
Thècle and Jeanne were married on September 10, 1670, in the parish of Notre-Dame in Québec. Both bride and groom were about 34 years old. Thècle is described as an "habitant" from "la Rivière de l'Assomption." Jeanne, a fille du roi, received her gift of 50 livres from the king.
Thècle and Jeanne had at least seven children:
Marie Madeleine (1671-1748) married Jean Cape dit Desjardins and Olivier Lainé dit Laplume
Marie Catherine (1673-1688)
Jean Cornelius (1675-bef. 1681)
Jean Baptiste (1676-?)
François (1677-1752) married Jeanne Tetu dite Bouthillier
Geneviève (1679-1679)
Étienne (1681-1681)
Thècle declared not knowing how to write or sign on his marriage contract, but a signature of sorts does appear on three of his children's baptism records.
Signature on Marie Catherine’s baptism (1673)
Signature on Étienne’s baptism (1681), registered in Repentigny
Signature on Étienne’s baptism (1681), registered in Lachenaie
After their wedding, Thècle and Jeanne settle on Île-Sainte-Thérèse. They baptize their first two daughters at Notre-Dame in Montreal, as no parish was established on Île-Sainte-Thérèse. Around 1674, the family moves to Lachenaie. Their next four children are baptized at Pointe-aux-Trembles on the island of Montreal.
Location of Île-Sainte-Thérèse, northeast of Montreal (map data ©2022 Google)
In the 1681 census, Thècle (erroneously recorded as "Jacques") and Jeanne are enumerated living in seigneurie de La Chenaye (Lachenaie). They are both 45 years old. The family owned five heads of cattle and two arpents of cleared land. Their four children were also living in the household: Madeleine (10 years old), Marie (8), Jean (5) and François (4). Sadly, the two youngest children had not survived. Jean Cornelius likely also died before 1681, as he is not included in the census (no burial record has been found).
1681 census for the household of “Jacques Tecaubry”. Library and Archives Canada.
Death of Thècle Aubry Cornelius
Two years later, Thècle's name appears for the last time on a notarial record. On November 20, 1683, he and Jeanne sell a plot of land in the seigneury of Tilly to Julien Garnier.
Thècle Aubry Cornelius died at the age of about 51. He was buried on November 24, 1687, in Pointe-aux-Trembles. The burial record indicates that he was an "habitant" from Île-Ste-Thérèse.
Burial of “Tècle Cornelius O’Brennan”. Ancestry.ca.
After her husband's death, Jeanne is named in several notarial and court documents:
April 4, 1689: Michel Peltier, sieur de la Prade, is ordered to pay Jeanne a third of the 13 beaver robes he owed her husband.
July 17, 1689: Jeanne appears before notary Basset dit Deslauriers to acknowledge that she owes a debt to the succession of Sidrac Dugué and Elisabeth Moyen, his wife. She is recorded as a resident of Île-Sainte-Thérèse.
January 8, 1691: a judgement is rendered by default in favour of Jeanne against Charles Catignon, keeper of the King's store (who failed to show up to court).
January 15, 1691: a delay was granted to abovementioned Charles Catignon, in the cause of Jeanne Chartier, until the following Monday.
January 22, 1691: a six-week delay was granted to Catignon to give him enough time to send for his joint heirs in the succession of the late Thierry Delestre. [The outcome of this case is unknown.]
Death of Jeanne
Jeanne Chartier died at the age of about 59 on October 30, 1695. She was buried the same day in the parish cemetery of Notre-Dame in Montreal.
Burial of Jeanne Chartier. Ancestry.ca.
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Sources & further reading:
John P. DuLong, "Thecle Cornelius Aubry: A Second Look at an Irish Habitant in New France: Parts 1-3," Michigan's Habitant Heritage, Vol. 38, #2 (Apr 2017), #3 (Jul 2017) and #4 (Oct 2017) (https://habitant.org/articles/DuLong,%20Thecle%20Cornelius%20Aubry,%20A%20Second%20Look%20at%20an%20Irish%20Habitant%20in%20New%20France,%20All%203%20Parts%20(2017).pdf).
Étienne-Michel Faillon, Histoire de la colonie française en Canada, tome III (Villemarie : Bibliothèque paroissiale, 1865-1866), p. 24 (footnote), digitized by Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (https://collections.banq.qc.ca/ark:/52327/1988565).
Philippe Fournier, La Nouvelle-France au fil des édits (Québec : Les éditions du Septentrion, 2011), 42.
Archange Godbout, "Etudes généalogiques : Urbain Tessier dit Lavigne," Memoires de Ia Société genéalogique canadienne-francaise, Vol. XI - #1 and 2, Jan-Apr 1960, p. 13-15.
Musée McCord, "Tec Aubry (Tadhg Cornelius O’Brennan), vers 1630-1687," Irlandais O'Québec (http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/pdf/exhibits/Texte_Irish_FR.pdf), 7-9.
P. Rousseau, Histoire de la vie de M. Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve fondateur et premier gouverneur de Villemarie (Montréal : Librairie Saint-Joseph, 1886), p. 206. Numérisé par Archive.org (https://ia800209.us.archive.org/13/items/cihm_13502/cihm_13502.pdf).
Benjamin Sulte, Histoire des Canadiens-Français 1608-1880 : origine, histoire, religion, guerres, découvertes, colonisation, coutumes, vie domestique, sociale et politique, développement, avenir (Montréal: Wilson & Cie., 1882-1884), 9.
Marcel Trudel, Catalogue des Immigrants, 1632-1662 (Montréal: Éditions Hurtubise HMH, 1983), 440.
Université de Montréal, Programme de recherche en démographie historique (https://www.prdh-igd.com/Membership/fr/PRDH/Individu/57946), dictionary entry for Thecle Aubry Cornelius, person 57946.
Ibid. (https://www.prdh-igd.com/Membership/fr/PRDH/Individu/15335), dictionary entry for Jeanne Chartier, person 15335.
Ibid. (https://www.prdh-igd.com/Membership/fr/PRDH/Famille/3291), dictionary entry for Thecle Aubry Cornelius and Jeanne Chartier, union 3291.
"Recensement du Canada, 1667", digital images, Library and Archives Canada (https://collectionscanada.gc.ca/), household of Jacques Demers, 1667, Montréal, item 179 of 179, Finding aid no. MSS0446, Item ID number: 2318857; citing original data: Centre des archives d'outre-mer (France) vol. 460.
"Recensement du Canada fait par l'intendant Du Chesneau", Library and Archives Canada (https://collectionscanada.gc.ca/), household of Jacque Tecaubry, 14 Nov 1681, Québec, Finding aid no. MSS0446, MIKAN no. 2318858; citing original data: Centre des archives d'outre-mer (France) vol. 460.
"Fonds Cour supérieure. District judiciaire de Montréal. Greffes de notaires," digital images, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/4143985?docref=-T3kzRlglWkHXuASZ1KNXg), inventory of the property of Tecle Cornelius, 5 May 1661, notary Bénigne Basset dit Deslauriers.
"Fonds Conseil souverain - BAnQ Québec," Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (https://advitam.banq.qc.ca/notice/400548), "Arrêt à la requête de Corneille Tecle, Mathurin Normandin et Robert Cachelièvre, au sujet d'un traité de commerce fait entre eux et six autres associés décédés, qui sont allés traiter au pays des Outaouais," 12 Sep 1670, reference TP1,S28,P715, ID 400548; citing original data: Pièce provenant du Registre no 1 des arrêts, jugements et délibérations du Conseil souverain de la Nouvelle-France (18 septembre 1663 au 19 décembre 1676), f. 137-137v.
Ibid. (https://advitam.banq.qc.ca/notice/403836), "Main-levée accordée à Michel Pelletier sieur de LaPrade d'une saisie faite entre les mains des Ecclésiastiques du Séminaire de Montréal, à la requête de Jeanne Chartier, veuve de Thècle-Cornelius Aubry dit Thècle, vivant habitant de l'île Sainte-Thérèse et qu'ils rendront au dit sieur de LaPrade par provision, dix robes de castor ou la valeur de celles-ci," 4 Apr 1689, reference TP1,S28,P3747, ID 403836; citing original data: Pièce provenant du Registre no 7 des arrêts, jugements et délibérations du Conseil souverain de la Nouvelle-France (12 janvier 1688 au 22 décembre 1693), f. 40.
Ibid. (https://advitam.banq.qc.ca/notice/404018), "Défaut à Jeanne Chartier veuve Thècle-Cornelius Aubry dit Thècle, habitant de l'île Sainte-Thérèse, contre Charles Catignon, garde magasin du Roi," 8 Jan 1691, reference TP1,S28,P3929, ID 404018; citing original data: Pièce provenant du Registre no 7 des arrêts, jugements et délibérations du Conseil souverain de la Nouvelle-France (12 janvier 1688 au 22 décembre 1693), f. 82v.
Ibid. (https://advitam.banq.qc.ca/notice/404022), "Délai accordé jusqu'à lundi prochain à Charles Catignon, garde magasin du Roi, dans la cause de Jeanne Chartier, veuve de Thècle-Cornelius Aubry dit Thècle, vivant habitant de l'île Sainte-Thérèse," 15 Jan 1691, reference TP1,S28,P3933, ID 404022; citing original data: Pièce provenant du Registre no 7 des arrêts, jugements et délibérations du Conseil souverain de la Nouvelle-France (12 janvier 1688 au 22 décembre 1693), f. 83.
Ibid. (https://advitam.banq.qc.ca/notice/404564), "Délai de six semaines à Charles Catignon, garde magasin du Roi, dans la cause l'opposant à Jeanne Chartier, veuve de Thècle-Cornelius Aubry dit Thècle, habitant de l'île Sainte-Thérèse, pour faire venir ses cohéritiers," 22 Jan 1691, reference TP1,S28,P4475, ID 404564; citing original data: Pièce provenant du Registre plumitif no 8 des arrêts, jugements et délibérations du Conseil souverain de la Nouvelle-France (10 avril 1690 au 12 octobre 1693), image 48. Pour consulter les pages du registres permettant de comprendre son contexte de création, sa valeur juridique et administrative, son contenu ou l'historique de sa conservation, voir la pièce TP1,S28,PAD.
"Fonds Cour supérieure. District judiciaire de Québec. Insinuations - BAnQ Québec," digital images, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (https://advitam.banq.qc.ca/notice/81242), "Mariage entre le sieur Tecq (Tècle - Thècle-Cornelius) Aubrenaue (Aubry - Aubrenane - O'Brenam), habitant demeurant à la rivière de l'Assomption près de l'île de Montréal, et Jeanne Chartier," 6 Sep 1670, reference CR301,P112, ID 81242.
"Canada, Québec, registres paroissiaux catholiques, 1621-1979," online images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L993-F9S7-H?i=464&cc=1321742&cat=242176), marriage of Tec Aubrenam and Jeanne Chartier, 10 Sep 1670, Québec > Notre-Dame-de-Québec > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1621-1679 > image 465 of 512; citing original data: Archives Nationales du Québec, Montréal.
Ibid. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-899Q-394Y-X?i=18), baptism of Etienne Obry, 9 Feb 1681, Repentigny > La Purification-de-Repentigny > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1679-1766 > image 19 of 657.
Ibid. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G99M-B3MS?i=1148), baptism of Etienne Obry, 9 FEb 1681, Lachenaie > Saint-Charles-de-Lachenaie > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1681-1791 > image 1149 of 1677.
"Actes d’état civil et registres d’église du Québec (Collection Drouin), 1621 à 1967," Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.ca/), baptism of Catherine Aubry, 20 Aug 1673, Montréal > Basilique Notre-Dame (copie textuelle) > 1669-1680 > image 38 of 424.
Ibid., burial of Tècle Cornelius O'Brennan, 24 Nov 1687, Pointe-aux-Trembles > St-Enfant-Jésus-de-la-Pointe-aux-Trembles > 1674-1700 > image 116 of 470.
Ibid., burial of Jeanne Chartier, 30 Oct 1695, Montréal > Basilique Notre-Dame > 1695-1699 > image 26 of 263.
Parchemin, notarial database of ancient Québec (1626-1801), Société de recherche historique Archiv-Histo, (www.Archiv-Histo.com), "Vente d'une terre située en la seigneurie de Thilly; par Thècle Aubry et Jeanne Chartyer, son épouse, de la seigneurie de Thilly, Julien Garnier, de la seigneurie de Thilly," 20 Nov 1683, notary C. Maugue.
Ibid., "Obligation de Marie Chartier, veuve de Thècle Aubry, de l'île Ste-Therese, au nom et comme tutrice des enfants mineurs issus dudit Aubry et d'elle, à la succession de défunt Sidrac Dugué et Elisabeth Moyen, son épouse," 17 Jul 1689, notary B. Basset dit Deslauriers.