Élisabeth Gobinet (1641 – 1715) & Paul Benoit (1623 – 1686)
This record details the lives of Élisabeth Gobinet, a Fille à Marier (Marriageable Daughter), and Paul Benoit, a master carpenter who was part of the pivotal "La Grande Recrue" of 1653, an organized effort to save the settlement of Ville-Marie (Montreal). They settled first in Montreal and later in Longueuil.
Élisabeth Gobinet (c. 1641 – 1715)
Origins and Arrival
| Detail | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Parents | Nicolas Gobinet and Marguerite Lorgeleux. | |
| Birth | Circa 1641, Gonesse, Vexin region, Archdiocese of Paris (Val-d'Oise), France. | [^1][^2] |
| Immigration | Arrived in New France as a "Fille à Marier" before 1658. First mentioned in colony records at her marriage. | [^3][^4][^5] |
| Descendants | Had 240 descendants by 1729. | [^7] |
| Death | Died April 2, 1715, in Longueuil, aged 76. | [^6] |
Paul Benoit (c. 1623 – 1686)
Origins and Recruitment
| Detail | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Parents | François Benoist and Dimanche Chaspelin. | |
| Birth | Circa 1623, Châtillon-en-Bazois, Diocese of Nevers, France. | [^8][^9] |
| Immigration | A Master Carpenter recruited to defend Montreal in the "La Grande Recrue" of 1653. | [^10] |
| Contract | Signed a 5-year contract with the Montreal Company on May 23, 1653. | [^11] |
| Death | Died January 1, 1686, in Longueuil. | [^12] |
Marriage and Family
Marriage to Élisabeth Gobinet
- Marriage Date: September 16, 1658, at Notre-Dame de Montréal. [^13]
- Marriage Contract: Signed September 9, 1658, before notary Bénigne Basset. [^14]
- Witnesses: Included Governor Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve and Louis d'Ailleboust.
- Notes: The contract included a mutual donation agreement if no children survived. Both spouses were documented as illiterate (unable to sign).
Census Records
| Year | Location | Household Details | Assets | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1666 | Montreal | Paul (40), Élisabeth (24), 4 children, 9-month twins. | [^24] | |
| 1667 | Montreal | 12 cultivated arpents, 1 cattle head. | [^24] | |
| 1681 | Longueuil | 5 cattle, 12 cultivated arpents. | [^25] |
Legal Agreement (1714)
"Before Royal Notary Marien Tailhandier... Hyzabelle Gobinet, widow of Paul Benoit, being of advanced age and unable to manage her lands, assembled her children to establish a lifetime pension of 300 livres annually. The agreement stipulates that she may reside with any child of her choosing, with costs prorated according to residence duration..." [^26]
Notarial Records
- Land exchanges with Jacques Millot (1659) and Pierre Picoté de Belestre (1670).
- Contract disputes with Gilbert Barbier (1673).
- Obligation agreements with son Laurent (1682). [^27]
Children (11 Total)
| Name | Born (c.) | Spouse(s) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Élisabeth Benoist | 1659 | François Blot (1672) | [^15] |
| Laurent Benoist | 1661 | Marie Françoise Taitereau (1691) | [^16] |
| Étienne Benoist | 1662 | 1) Jeanne Campost (1699), 2) Hélène Charles (1722) | [^17] |
| Barbe Benoist | 1665 | 1) Thomas Hébert (1679), 2) François Borry (1699) | [^18] |
| Marie Anne Benoist | 1665 | 1) Jean Bourbon (1680), 2) Jean Besset (1695) | [^19] |
| Hélène Benoist | 1667 | Guillaume Gouyau (1686) | [^20] |
| Marguerite Benoît | 1669 | Jean Tournois (1686) | [^21] |
| Geneviève Benoist | 1672 | Pierre Hay (1689) | [^22] |
| Jacques Benoist | 1674 | ||
| François Benoist | 1676 | Marie Angélique Chagnon (1711) | [^23] |
| Yves Benoist | 1679 | (Died 1725+) |
Credits and Licensing
Compiled by Mark Rabideau, Opa & Professional Genealogist.
All materials licensed: CC BY-ND 4.0 by eirenicon llc.
Sources
[^1]: PRDH Individual #7186 - Élisabeth Gobinet [^2]: Jetté Dictionary p.82 - Benoît family [^3]: Filles à Marier List - French-Canadian Genealogist [^4]: Francogène #65 - Marriageable Daughters [^5]: Trudel Immigration Catalog p.389 - 1658 record [^6]: Burial Record - Drouin Collection [^7]: Mémoire du Québec - Descendants [^8]: PRDH Pioneer #6910 - Paul Benoit [^9]: Langlois, La Grande Recrue pp.76-78 [^10]: Desautels Family History - 1653 Recruitment [^11]: Notarial Contract - BAnQ Archives [^12]: Burial Record - Drouin Collection [^13]: Marriage Contract - 1658 Record [^14]: Basset Notary Records - BAnQ [^15]: Blot Marriage - 1672 Record [^16]: Taitereau Marriage - 1691 Record [^17]: Campost Marriage - 1699 Record [^18]: Hébert Marriage - 1679 Record [^19]: Bourbon Marriage - 1680 Record [^20]: Gouyau Marriage - 1686 Record [^21]: Tournois Marriage - 1686 Record [^22]: Hay Marriage - 1689 Record [^23]: Chagnon Marriage Contract - BAnQ Notaries [^24]: Sulte Census Records - 1666-67 [^25]: Sulte 1681 Census - Seigneurie de Longueuil [^26]: 1714 Family Agreement - FamilySearch [^27]: Notarial Index - BAnQ Inventory