Home Surname List Name Index Sources Email Us | Twelfth Generation2184. Pierre DÉSAUTELS I dit LAPOINTE was born on 4 April 1631 in Malicorne-sur-Sarthe (Sarthe) (Pays de la Loire Region), France.1958,2132 He was baptized on 4 April 1631 in Malicorne-sur-Sarthe (Sarthe) (Pays de la Loire Region), France.1,251,1770 He was a member of the Montréal Grand Recruitment of 1653. This was a group of about 100 men who were recruited by Governor and founder of Montréal, Paul de Chomedy, Sieur de Maisonneuve, to help defend Ville-Marie (Montréal) from the constant attacks by the Iroquois. They originally set sail aboard the "Saint-Nicolas-de-Nantes" from the port of Saint-Nazaire on 20 June 1653. The trip to New France was treacherous to say the least. After traveling more than 1400 miles, the vessel had to travel to an island to find another ship after taking on water. On 20 July 1653, one month after their original departure, the new ship set sail. The recruits arrived at their destination on 20 September. Pierre was listed as a land-clearer. He was a member of the "septiesme escouade" (7th squad) of the 'Milice de la Sainte-Famille de Jésus, Marie et Joseph' that existed between 1663 and 1666 to provide additional protection to the colonists who were constantly being attacked by the Iroquois (listed as "Lavallée). Sieur de Maisonneuve, first Governor of Montréal, raised this group to provide relief to the militia forces in Montréal, Trois-Rivières and Québec. They had been on almost constant duty and had been accompanying the farmers to the fields during the day, regularly patrolling the St. Lawrence River, and standing guard at their posts on the walls of the settlements every night. The existing militia unit in Montréal simply did not have sufficient men to continue to perform all the required duties. Montréal, situated close to the main Iroquois invasion route on the Richelieu River, was far more vulnerable to raids than Trois-Rivières and Québec. The 'Soldats de la Milice de la Sainte-Famille de Jésus, Marie et Joseph' consisted of 20 squads of 7 men each. Their job was to provide additional guards for workers in the fields and relieve the Montreal militia for nightly guard duty on the walls of the town. Following the arrival of the Carignan Regiment in 1665, Governor de Maisonneuve disbanded the 'Soldats de la Sainte-Famille de Jésus, Marie et Joseph'. During the three years of the existence of the 'Milice de la Sainte-Famille", the unit lost only eight men to Iroquois war parties. He appeared in the census in 1667 in Montréal (Québec Province), Canada with his first wife, Marie Remy, and one unnamed infant (Joseph). The couple had 5 arpents of land under cultivation. Pierre and Marie had married on 11 Jan 1666 in Montréal. He was buried on 19 November 1708 in Montréal (Nôtre Dame)(Québec Province), Canada.1,2140 Catherine LORION and Pierre DÉSAUTELS I dit LAPOINTE251 were married on 23 November 1676 in Montréal (Nôtre Dame)(Québec Province), Canada.1,2373 [Note: Pierre's 1st marriage was to Marie Remy on 11 January 1666 at Nôtre Dame in Montréal.] 2185. Catherine LORION was born between 1636 and 1638 in Ste-Soulle (Charente-Maritime) (Poitou Charentes Region), France.1770 She was baptized in 1636.251 She embarked from St. Nazaire on 20 June 1653 on the "St-Nicolas-de-Nantes". Interestingly, this was the ship which transported the 102 recruits for the "Grande Recrue de 1653". After sailing almost 1500 miles, the ship was forced to find port on a island due to the fact that it was taking on water. The group, finally, set sail again on 20 July 1653 with a new ship and arrived on 20 September in Montréal. She was a "filles à marier" (marriageable girl) who emigrated to New France representing one quarter of all the single girls arriving in New France through 1673. The "filles à marier" women arrived between 1634 and 1662 and only numbered 262. These young women, often poor, were recruited and chaperoned by religious groups or individuals who had to assure and account for their good conduct. To be considered a "filles à marier", the women must have been between the ages of 12-45, not accompanied by BOTH parents or a husband and must have signed an enlistment contract, one marriage contract or gotten married in the colony. Due to their arrival in the very early stages of the formation of New France, these 262 women played a significant role in populating the colony. Catherine appeared in the census in 1666 with her third husband, Nicolas Millet, and five children (Leonard, Catherine, Nicolas, Marie, Pierre). Leonard was Catherine's son from her 2nd marriage to Jean Simon. Catherine had been married three times within a three year period. Her first husband, Pierre Vilain, died three months after their 1654 marriage after he was crushed by a tree. Her 2nd husband, Jean Simon, drowned seventeen months after their marriage. Catherine and Nicolas Millet had met aboard the "St. Nicolas-de-Nantes" in 1653. She appeared in the census in 1667 in Montréal (Québec Province), Canada with her husband, Nicolas Millet, and five children (Leonard Simon, Catherine, Nicolas, Marie Jacques). The couple owned 2 beasts and had 12 arpents of land under cultivation. Catherine's husband, Nicolas Millet, was killed in a fire which destroyed the family home on 6 March 1674. He died two months after the birth of the couple's eighth child. Two and one-half years later, she would marry her fourth husband, Pierre Désautels. Désautels had also traveled to New France in 1653 aboard the "St. Nicolas-de-Nantes". She was buried on 20 April 1720 in Montréal (Nôtre Dame)(Québec Province), Canada. At the time of her death, she was listed as a habitant of St. Martin.1,2374 [Note: Catherine was married four times: 1st to Pierre Vilain on 13 October 1654, 2nd to Jean Simon on 29 June 1655, 3rd to Nicolas Millet (Milet) I dit Le Beauceron (Bauseron) on 9 April 1657 and the fourth to Pierre as described above. All four marriages took place at Nôtre Dame in Montréal.] Children were:
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