What do we know about Guillaume Lemoine (c1699-1771)?

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Brown and Dean's "The Village of Chartres in Colonial Illinois", pages 810-811, refers to an act passed before the Notary Buffereau de Bellegarde, at Fort de Chartres on 17 May 1723 which would seem to indicate that Theraize (Thérèse) LeDoux was deceased. "Guillaume Lemoine...captain of a bateau of the Royal Indies Company, who, being ready to make a trip to the seas, and wishing in case of death to dispose of his property and affairs, hereby gives, cedes, and abandons, in case of death, to Francoise, daughter of Therese LeDoux dit Latreille, in her lifetime wife of the giver, all his property and effects...for the sake of the friendship and affection he has always felt for the said Francoise." (This was executed and done in the Storehouse of the Royal Indies Company at Fort de Chartres on the 17th of May 1723. The said Guillaume has declared that he does not know how to sign the document. K345) (Document) (NOTE: It has been brought to my attention that this document is likely referring to a son of Therese (Thérèse) LeDoux dit Latreille named François rather than a daughter named Françoise. Upon close examination of the document, it appears that the child's name appears to lack an 'e' at the end which would indicate that the child is a male. The word 'daughter' in french (fille) almost appears to be 'fils' (son) although this is not quite as easy to accurately decipher as the two occurrences of the child's first name. However, based on the spelling of the first name, I would tend to agree that the child was probably a male.)

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On 4 April 1725, Guillaume Lemoine married Marie Sanmerine in New Orleans. (Archdiocese of New Orleans Marriage Certification)
From this document, we learn that Guillaume's parents are Jacques Lemoine (a 'navigateur') and Jeanne (last name not mentioned) and that they are from 'du Havre de Grace Paroisse Notre Dame'. Guillaume is identified as a 'patron de Chaloupe de la Compa(n)ie' (captain/boss of the boat of the company).

His bride is identified as Marie Sanmerine (possibly Saumerine) - daughter of Edmael (Elmaël) Sanmerine & Anne Marie Edelme (Edelmé) - native of the 'Palatinae' (Palatinate).

La transcription et la translation de l'original, illustré à la page prochaine par Sheldon L. Roy, 27 février 2015 (Thank you Sheldon!)

French translation of Guillaume Lemoine & Marie Sanmerine Marriage Record

GUILLAUME LE MOINE, MANAGER (Boss, employer, owner), WITH MARIE SANMERINE The year 1725, the 4th of April, after having published one bann, and dispensed of two others and of the period proscribed by the Church, between Guillaume Lemoine, boat captain for the company, son of Jacques Lemoine, Navigator, and of Jeanne of Le Harve de Grâce, the Parish of Notre Dame, for his part; and Marie Sanmerine, daughter of Elmaël Sanmerine and of Anne Marie Edelmé, native of the Palatinate, for the other part; not having found any canonical impediment to the validity of marriage, I, the undersigned Capuchin pastor of New Orleans and Vicar General for the Bishop of Québec, have received their mutual consent and given them the nuptial blessing, on the aforementioned day and year of these proceedings, the undersigned witnesses, known as Binard dit Laforge, Pierre François Fontaine, Nicolas Delorge, Guillaume Hue Vieu, who, having declared they could not sign, have made their ordinary marks, and signed only with me, Binard and F.Hyacinthe de Verdun, Capuchin missionary priest.

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Even though Guillaume had married in Louisiana the previous year, another document can be found in colonial Illinois dated 27 September 1726 which is possibly referring to our Guillaume although this is not confirmed. The document in question refers to 'Lenormant' but there were at least two other people who were referred to as LeNormand (Fosse or Labriere) in some colonial Illinois documents from this timeframe. However, it is interesting that a man by the name of Destrumelle is mentioned in this document because he was also witness to the Lemoine-Latrielle document in 1723. Also, this document indicates that Lenormand is a "master of the bateaux of the Royal Indies" which is also indicated on the 1723 Fort Chartres document which lists Guillaume as "Guillaume Lemoine dit (unreadable/missing)".

("Village of Chartres in Colonial Illinois" - Record K-413)

To Monsieur the judge in the Illinois

Monsieur, One Lenormant, master of the bateaux of the Royal Indies Company, very humbly brings to your attention that he sold a house and its lot at Fore de Chartres to St. Pierre Laverdure, upon the condition that he pay the Company the sum of four or five hundred livres for (illegible) which had been done in the name of Destrumel, who then owned the said property. Since the petitioner today finds himself troubled by the said Destrumel, he has had recourse to your for permission to summon the said St. Pierre Laverdure before you, to see him condemned to pay the said sum to the Royal Indies Company, and (illegible) to summon the witnesses who were present when the petitioner received payment for it, with the exception of what was due to the said Company. He expects this justice of you and shall act wisely. At Fort de Chartres this 27th September 1726. (No signature.)

Permission granted to Le Normand to summon one LaVerdure and the witnesses on next Monday at nine o'clock in the morning. At Fort de Chartres on the 28th September 1726. Chassin.

In the year one thousand seven hundred twenty-six, on the twenty-eighth of September, at the request of one Lenormand, master of the Company's + bateaux, and in virtue of the ordinance of Monsieur the judge of the province of Illinois, I, Belcour, bailiff, residing at Fort de Chartres, have summoned St. Pierre Laverdure, habitant of the said place, speaking to him in person at his domicile, to appear on Monday the thirtieth of the present at eight o'clock in the morning to reply to the petition of the said Lenormand in the matter of the sale of a house, lot and fence, upon the condition that the said St. Pierre LaVerdure would pay upon the said sale four or five hundred livres, in his discharge or in that of Destrumel, to the Company in the prices of this place, to account for his actions and further to proceed according to the law. Done at Fort de Chartres the aforesaid day and year. Belcour.

In the year 1726, the 29th September, at the request of one Lenormand, master of the Company's bateaux, and in virtue of the ordinance of Monsieur the judge of the province of the Illinois, I, Belcour, bailiff, residing at Fort de Chartres, have summoned Provencal, habitant of the said place, to appear on Monday at the hearing at 8 o'clock in the morning to testify to his knowledge of the sale of the house of LaVerdure, transacted with Lenormand. At Fort de Chartres the aforesaid day and year. Belcour.

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Also in 1726, we find Guillaume LeMoyne dit LeNormand, his wife and one infant listed on the 1726 Census of New Orleans living on Rue Royalle - Page 30. (Note: Which infant is this? Is this Marie Jeanne? Louis? Another child?)

Note: An explanation of the typed words in red on the census above and the 1727 census below will be explained in just a moment.

This 1726 drawing of Nouvelle Orléans provides perspective of the size of the early colony in which Guillaume and Marie Sanmerine were living in the early years of their marriage.

Assuming that the 1726 Illinois document mentioned above is, indeed, referring to Guillaume Lemoine, it would seem to confirm that Guillaume was traveling back and forth between Louisiana and the Illinois country as an employee of the Company of the Indies. Could this, somehow, explain why baptismal records for Marie Jeanne and Louis have not surfaced? Could the family have been in transit during the births of these two children and, as a result, they were not baptized or the baptisms were not recorded? There was a "Le Normand" enumerated in Illinois in the 1726 Census - Page 14. He was living alone with one "slave savage". Could Guillaume have been in Illinois at the time that their census was taken and was, therefore, enumerated twice in the same census?

A year later, in 1727, "Guillaume LeMoine Patron La fem. et un enfant" (Guillaume Lemoine, Patron, his wife and one child) is, once again, found on the census in New Orleans living on Rue Royalle. (Note: A patron is defined as a boss, employer or owner in the french language. Guillaume was identified as a "patron de Chaloupe de la compagnie" in his 1725 marriage record to Marie Sanmerine.)

Based on info regarding Guillaume in the 1726 and 1727 census records, I believe that Guillaume's dwelling/house on a 1728 New Orleans map by Sr. Gonichon entitled "Plan de la Ville Nouvelle Orléans comme elle était en May 1728" (Plan of New Orleans as it was in May 1728) can be confirmed as dwelling number 94. According to the map legend, 'Sr. Le Normand' is living on the south side of the street on Rue Royalle between the two cross streets now known as St. Ann Street and Dumaine Street. The names of these north/south cross streets are not identified on this map. According to the Vieux Carré Virtual Library, "Le Normand" has been identified on the Chain of Title for the current building located at 824 Royal via their 1728 and 1731 source maps (the Broutin map is their 1728 source and the 1731 Gonichon map is their 1731 source.)

It is unclear which method Gonichon used to gather the data for this map although it could be assumed that he used some data physically gathered in early 1728 as well as data from the previous two census documents. In a snippet of the Gonichon map legend below, you can see that dwelling number 92 was occupied by Sr. Pascal. This can be compared to the 1726 census in which Pascal is, indeed, living two doors away from Guillaume. The 1728 legend also shows that dwelling 93 was occupied by Sr. Montauban and this appears to match the name of the occupant living next door to Guillaume in the 1727 census. However Pascal is not found on the 1727 census living two doors away and Montauban was not listed on the 1726 as his next-door neighbor. It is unclear why several of the other occupants on either side of Guillaume don't match between the 1726 and 1727 census records and the 1728 Gonichon map, but it's likely that many of the inhabitants did not remain in the same location for long periods. Some, of course, were likely employed by the Compagnie des Indes and, as a result, engaged in activities related to their contracts with the company which likely took them away from New Orleans for long periods. In some instances, they likely did not own the homes and, when they departed, the dwelling was rented by someone else. It's also likely that some of the dwellings were owned by the Compagnie des Indes and used by company employees as needed.

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In the records of the Louisiana Superior Council, there is a petition dated 20 December 1730 (3pp. No. 30274. See 314) which could be related to Guillaume and his wife, Marie L'Este Sanmerine, although this is not proven but is worth noting for future reference (the record could refer to Captain Antoine Lemoine whose name also appears in many of the records of the Louisiana Superior Council). "Mr. Rossard seeks action of restraint on one LeMoyne, whose inflammable shanty is supposed to trespass on R's ground, making added nuisance of over flowing rain water. Referred to Mr. Broutin, who reports that there is no encroachment on R.'s ground, save by projecting roof of the objectionable shanty. But the mud and woodwork chimney is dangerous, and should be replaced by an approved brick chimney. The roof should be receded, and a spout installed. But anyhow the shanty is rotting and worthless. Notice served on LeMoyne.
12 January 1731 - Court Summons. Slip. No. 314. See 30272 315. "Sheriff Vincent notifies Le Moine of the hearing between Mr. Rossard and himself, appointed for morrow: word left with Madame LeMoine."
13 January 1731 - Remonstrance. lp. No. 315. "The wife of LeMoine pleads in the absence of her husband, whom she could not notify in time, that their house is not on Mr. Rossard's land whereas if compelled to build a brick chininey she could not provide for her two children and an expected third child. Let Mr. Broutin or others also ascertain whether the overflow of Le Moine's rain water really damages Mr. R. No note by Court."

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In 1737, a document can be found dated 3 December in which Guillaume acknowledges his debt to the Company of the Indies. This is a description of the document as outlined in the July 1926 issue of The Louisiana Historical Quarterly:

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On 20 March 1739, Guillaume Lemoine's name is mentioned in a Sale of Real Property document. The document is important because it provides some insight into where Guillaume lived sometime prior to 1739:

"Sale of Real Property before Henry, Notary Royal. Marie Angelique, called Isabelle, a free negro woman, formerly owned by Mr. de Chavannes, cedes and transfers a lot numbered 95 Royal Street to Sr. Claude Villars De Breuil, Contractor for Public Works, for the King, said Isabelle having acquired said property from one Jacques Dupre, under private seal, said Dupre having had it from Francois Brunet, who bought it from Guillaume Le Moyne, who acquired it from Charles Gerbin, who acquired it from Louis Porquier, wife of Giles Goubet, to whom it had been ceded by the Superior Council. Isabelle has sold said lot for the sum of 600 livres which Sr. Du Breuil has paid cash. Signed by Du Breuil, de Chavannes, Roumier, Jahan, Henry, notary."

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By 1741, Guillaume Lemoine and Marie L'Este Sanmerine had (at least) 6 children (Marie Jeanne, Louis, Simon, Antoinette, Marie Françoise and Jean Baptiste). (Update: Nov. 2016 - Found baptismal record for another child of this couple. Françoise was baptized on 29 June 1731 at St. Louis Church in New Orleans at the age of about three months.) The baptisms of the first two children have not been found; the last four were recorded at St. Francis Church in Pointe Coupée. On 15 November of this year, Guillaume's wife, Marie Sanmerine (identified as Marie Leste), dies at the age of 35. It is very possible that she died of complications arising from the birth of their son, Jean Baptiste, who was baptized on 24 September. The burial record states that she was "decede quatre heures" which seems to indicate that she had died four hours prior to her burial or, perhaps, she died at four o'clock. Marie's burial was recorded at Pointe Coupée:

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Sixteen months after the death of Marie Sanmerine, Guillaume Lemoine married for a third time. On 10 August 1742, his marriage to Marie Gognard (likely Gagnard) was recorded at the church of St. Francois in Pointe Coupée. The record states that the couple were married after the publication of three banns of marriage and, for the first time, the surname of his mother is identified as Madre. The document also identifies Marie Sanmerine as Marie Lete. The parents of Marie Gognard are identified as Jean Gognard and Françoise Paudrie, she is described as a "native of St. Erbilon in Bretagne, Diocese of Nantes" and indicates that she is the widow of Michel Lemoine.

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On 15 April 1744, an interesting document is found in the Records of the Superior Council of Louisiana that provides an insight into the life of Guillaume Lemoine. In this apprenticeship document, we learn that Guillaume is both a shoemaker and tanner and he has agreed to provide an apprenticeship in these two trades to the son of Paul Moreau. Perhaps more interesting, however, is the fact that Paul Moreau is going to teach Guillaume how to read and write. A synopsis of the document was provide in a 1930 issue of Louisiana Historical Quarterly.

"Act before Bernard Louis Potin, notary of Pointe Coupee, between Guillaume Lemoine, called Le Normand, and Paul Moreau, who for the space of three years apprentices his son to said Lemoine to learn the trades of shoemaker and tanner, conditions and stipulated.

Signed: paul moreau. Mark of Guillaume Lemoine called Lenormand, jacque decous. Meuillion, witness. Potin, notary.

Moreover Paul Moreau promises to "teach reading to Lemoine and to give him examples of writing." ... Signed: paul moreau"

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On 29 June 1744, another document can be found in the Records of the Louisiana Superior Council involving Guillaume Lemoine. The following description of the document can be found in the January 1930 issue of The Louisiana Historical Quarterly:

"Agreement at Pointe Coupee, before Potin, notary and greffier, between Guillaume Lemoine called Le Normand and Jacques Payev, the latter obligating himself to build for said Lemoine a house like that of Mr. Pierre Germain, description of work in contract, the said house to be begun on next October first, Payev, as carpenter, to work thereon without any interruption, the whole for the sum of 700 livres, board and lodging furnished by Lemoine who shall also provide two negroes to prepare the lumber and one only to help in carpenter work, Payev acknowledging having received the sum of 100 livres in advance on said work. ... mark of Sr. Jacques Payeu, allemand. Jacques decoux, Mark of Guillaume Lemoine alemand, Potin, notary."

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Guillaume Lemoine and his wife, Marie "Gonnard" are listed on the 1745 Census of Pointe Coupee.

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On 6 March 1748, Guillaume Lemoine entered into a Contract of Apprenticeship with Maurice Levesque for the benefit of Guillaume's son, Louis. A synopsis of the document was provided in a 1936 issue of The Louisiana Historical Quarterly:

"Contract of Apprenticeship, passed before Notary, between Guillaume Lemoyne, acting as tutor to Louis Lemoyne, aged sixteen years, and Maurice Levesque, a cobbler. Said Louis Lemoyne to be bound to Levesque for three years, on stipulated conditions. ... Signed: Chantalou; Lenormand; Henry, notary".

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After nineteen years of marriage, Marie Gagnard (Joignard) died on 6 September 1761 ("la veille" - the eve). She was buried at Pointe Coupée the following day. Her last name is listed as Joignard on the burial record. In this document, Guillaume is referred to as 'Sieur Lemoine'.

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On 5 January 1762, a receipt can be found in which "Guillaume Lemoine dit Norman acknowledges having received from Sieur Joseph Lafleur his son-in-law the sum of 1000 livres for land bought from him".

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On 1 May 1762, Guillaume Lemoine signed a marriage contract with Marie Magdeleine (Magdelene) Cordier as he prepared to enter his fourth and final marriage. This is a synopsis of the marriage contract that appeared in The Louisiana Historical Quarterly in 1940:

"Marriage Contract passed before the Royal Notary of Pointe Coupee on May 1, 1762 between Guillaume Lemoyne called Lenormant, inhabitant of said post. Diocese of Quebec, widower of the late marie Guinard; and Marie Magdeleine Cordier, widow of Feulonis Robillard, former inhabitant of Illinois.

Guillame Lemoyne was assisted by Sieur Pierre Ricard, store-keeper for the King in said Post, and by Sieur Eme (Aime) Roujeau, his friends, for want of relatives. Marie Magdeleine Cordier was assisted by Sieur Francois Allin and by Sieur Francois Marcantell, her friends, for want of relatives.

(Signed): Allain; Ricard; Roujo; Marcantell; Lafleur; Benoist, Notary.

The contracting parties declaired that they could not write nor sign.

(Signed, in margin of first page): Deverges; De Reggio; Ducros."

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Guillaume Lemoine married for the forth and final time on 4 May 1762 in Pointe Coupee to Marie Magdeleine (Magdelene) Cordier. In the marriage record, she is identified as the widow of 'Jean Baptiste Robillard' (aka: Charles Louis "Feulonis" Robillard). She had married Robillard in Biloxi in 1721.

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On 25 January 1763, a discharge of obligation can be found involving Guillaume Lemoine. A synopsis of the document appeared in a 1941 issue of The Louisiana Historical Quarterly:

"Before the Royal Notary of Pointe Coupee appeared Guillaume Lemoine called Le Normant, inhabitant of this Post, who, by these presents, acknowledged having received from Sieur Nicolas Lamathe the amount that the latter owed him for the land that was farmed out by said Lemoyne to said Lamathe, for the past five years, as well as for all the slaves, cattle and implements that were delivered to said Lamathe by means of a deed under private signature; for which sum, slaves, cattle and implements Sr. Lamathe was discharged by Sr. Lemoine, who promised to have him released also by whomsoever else it may concern. Done and passed at the said Post of Pointe Coupee on January 25, 1763, in the morning, in the presence of Sieurs Bertrand Guichanduc and Guillaume Marre, competent witnesses, residents of the said Post, who signed these presents, together with the Notary, while Sr. Lemoine stated that he could neither write nor sign. ... (Signed: B'nd Guichanduc; Marre; Benoist, Notary. ... (Signed, in margin): Deverges, De Reggio; Ducros"

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On the same day (25 January 1763), Guillaume Lemoine also entered into a partnership with Nicolas Lamathe. Here is the synopsis of the partnership document which also appeared in a 1941 issue of The Louisiana Historical Quarterly:

"Before the Royal Notary of Pointe Coupee personally appeared Sieur Nicolas Lamathe, merchange of this Post, on one side; and Sieur Guillaume Lemoyne called Le Normant, inhabitant of this Post, on the other side.

The two parties, by these presents, decleared, that they had formed a partnership for two years, to start on August 1st of these present year and to end on August 1st of the year 1765. The purpose of the said partnership is to cut cypress lumber of all sizes. These partners shall furnish, at joint expense, all the necessary tools, such as hatchets, wimbles, hooks and rope. Sr. Lemoine shall furnish four negroes and two negresses; and Sr. Lamathe shall contribute four negroes, two negresses and one white man, this last to be paid at joint expense, and he shall also provide two yoke of oxen together with their harness and carts. The net profit from said lumber trade shall be divided in equal shares between the partners, each of whom shall have the right to draw his portion at the beginning of the month of March for his living. Each partner shall furnish his laborers with provisions. If one of the partners, without good cause, takes away some of the negroes, he shall pay to the other fifty livres per day. Should one of the contracting parties repudiate the present agreement, he shall pay to the other the sum of two thousand livres. Thus done and passed in the said Post of Pointe Coupee, on January 25, 1763, in the morning, in the presence of Sieurs George Baron and Guillaume Marre, duly qualified witnesses. ... (Signed): Lamathe; Baron, Marre; Benoist, Notary. ... Guillaume Lemoyne declared that he could neither write nor sign. ... (Signed, in margin of first page): Deverges, De Reggio, Ducros."

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Slightly more than nine years later, Guillaume Lemoine's burial is recorded at Pointe Coupée on 8 August 1771. According to the document, Guillaume died "le meme jour" (the same day). He was approximately 72 years of age at the time of his death.

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The burial of Marie Magdeleine (Magdelene) Cordier is recorded at Pointe Coupée on 11 May 1779. According to her burial record, she died "la veille" - the eve - indicating she died on the 10th of May.

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Six days after the death of Guillaume Lemoine, his heirs opened his succession. On 27 September 1771, about six weeks after his succession was opened, a succession sale took place. There are two (rather large) documents related to the succession sale that I am posting below. A short description of these two documents can be found on Page 12 of a book by Laverne Thomas III entitled “Pointe Coupée Families in Colonial Louisiana, Abstracts of Civil Records, 1771-1782“. The documents were numbered by the notary/Commandant and the numbers associated with these two documents are 448 and 449. This is the description provided by Thomas:

27 Sep 1771 SALE in Succession of late Guillaume LeMoyne dit Normant. Representing the family: Jean Bte. LeMoyne. Inventory: Passive debts to - heirs, LaVallée minors, Louis Lamathe, Tounoir. Active debts to: Joseph Langevin, Assayé, Francois Barthe, Manuel Louby, Frederic, Bissonnier, Arseneau, Barré, LaMathe, Bayonne, Pambrun, Jos. Olivier Mathurin Thomas Thomas Morin, Poullain, Bouchard dit LaVallée, Remy, Blanpain, Guichanduc, Etienne Roy, August Langlois, Beroir, Jos. Tessier & Co. Desmoulin, Claude Guity, Preformat, Francois, Jacques, Fracanoir (?), Gadouar, (blank line in Thomas' book - error in the book or an indication that the original record was unreadable?) ... oine co-heir, Jean Pierre Dufrene, Veuve Chatelleraut, Gremillion. (Note: None of these debts were in money, only goods; LeMoyne must have been a trader or merchant.) Sale proceeds to the farm tools and implements from meager household items; also, a quantity of grains auctioned off & animals, esp. 15 head of cattle which brought excellent prices.

Sale: buyers Quintero, DeVilliers, Simon LaCour, Simon LeMoyne, Pierre Cuvillier, Methode, Simon LaVallée. Land sold for 300 livres to Simon LaCour. Total: 19,114 livres

Although Thomas does not indicate this in his synopsis, two additional dates appear on the documents: 30 October 1771 and 6 November 1771. I have begun to translate these documents but have not yet finished. I will post translation when completed.

DOCUMENT NUMBER 448

DOCUMENT NUMBER 449