Catherine Forestier and Jacques Ménard dit Lafontaine

Catherine Forestier (Fortier, Foretier)

Catherine Forestier was a pioneer of New France, primarily known for her long marriage to Jacques Ménard dit Lafontaine and for bearing thirteen children in the early colony.

Origins and Early Life

Catherine was baptized on January 6, 1640, in La Rochelle (Ste-Marguerite) in Aunis (now Charente-Maritime 17300), France [^1], [^2].

She was the daughter of Jean Forestier and Julienne Coiffé. Her godfather was Jean Allard, and her godmother was Catherine De Champs (?).

Note: Catherine is referred to as Forestier, Foretier, or Fortier in various records [^3], [^4].

The first mention of Catherine in the colony is her marriage. She lived in Canada, New France.

Marriage

Jacques Ménard (son of Jean Ménard and Anne Savinelle, from Mervent, Poitou) married Catherine Fortier (Forestier) on November 19, 1657, at the Immaculate Conception Church in Trois-Rivières [^3], [^5].

The ceremony was officiated by the Jesuit missionary Pierre Bailloquet, in the presence of Sieur de La Poterie and François Hartel. No marriage contract has been found.

Children of Jacques Ménard and Catherine Forestier

The couple had thirteen children:

  1. Marguerite Bénar – Born September 4, 1658, baptized on September 5 in Trois-Rivières; died before the 1666 census.
  2. Marie Lafontaine – Born September 7, 1659, baptized on September 8 in Trois-Rivières; married Jacques Bourdon on February 8, 1672, in Boucherville.
  3. Jean Baptiste Ménard – Baptized on November 27, 1660, in Trois-Rivières; married Marguerite Estienne on October 14, 1681, in Boucherville at the age of 22.
  4. Louis Meynard – Born and baptized on July 28, 1662, in Trois-Rivières; married Marie Anne Février on December 12, 1691, in Boucherville at the age of 30.
  5. Maurice Ménard – Born June 6, 1664, baptized on June 7 in Trois-Rivières; married Madeleine Couc in 1692 in Michillimakinac.
  6. Jean Ménart – Born March 14, 1666, baptized on March 16 in Trois-Rivières; married Élisabeth Valiquet on March 13, 1690, in Boucherville at the age of 25.
  7. Marguerite Ménard – Baptized on January 22, 1668, in Trois-Rivières; married François Lanctôt on October 14, 1681, in Boucherville at the age of 14; widowed and remarried Pierre Cadieu on February 11, 1697, in Boucherville at the age of 31.
  8. Jeanne Françoise Ménard – Born May 21, 1669, baptized on May 24 in Trois-Rivières; married Étienne Dumais on November 25, 1686, in Boucherville at the age of 18.
  9. Anne Ménart – Born April 1, 1671, baptized on April 2 in Boucherville; married François Brunet on November 15, 1688, in Boucherville at the age of 20.
  10. Catherine Ménard – Born September 27, 1673, baptized on September 29 in Boucherville; married Jacques Rivière on February 1, 1699, in Boucherville at the age of 27.
  11. Marie Madeleine Ménard – Born January 17, 1675, baptized on January 19 in Boucherville; died January 30, 1675, and was buried on January 31 in Boucherville at 11 days old.
  12. Thérèse Ménard – Born October 2, 1676, baptized on October 4 in Boucherville; married Jean Denyau on February 11, 1697, in Boucherville at the age of 20.
  13. Jacques Ménar – Born August 17, 1678, baptized on August 21 in Montreal (Notre-Dame); died and was buried on July 6, 1685, in Boucherville at the age of 6½, drowned [^6], [^4], [^3].

Life and Census Records

The couple initially settled in Trois-Rivières, then moved to Isle aux Cochons near Trois-Rivières, in the seigneury of Jacques de La Poterie [^7]. They were neighbors of Pierre Desy. They sold their land in Trois-Rivières in 1662 and 1663 to Jean de Noyon and received a new concession from Jacques Leneuf de La Poterie in 1665 [^8].

Census Records

Death

Catherine Forestier died on March 31, 1694, and was buried on April 1 in Boucherville. The burial record states her age was approximately 54 [^11], [^3], [^4].

Jacques Ménard dit Lafontaine (Husband)

Jacques Ménard (Variation: Mesnard) was born around 1628 in Mervent, Poitou, France. He was the son of Jean Ménard and Anne Savinelle [^3], [^4].

According to records, Jacques arrived in New France in 1643 at the age of 15, serving under Jean Paul Godefroy de Lintôt in Trois-Rivières. His first mention in the colony is a court judgment against him on August 31, 1643.

Jacques died on January 14, 1707, in Boucherville and was buried the following day, aged approximately 83 [^12].

Court Records (BAnQ)

These entries illustrate Catherine's active participation in legal and domestic affairs, sometimes representing her husband:

  1. Request by Judith Rigaud (September 7, 1669): Catherine Forestier, wife of Jacques Ménard dit Lafontaine, and a neighbor corroborated claims made by Sieur de Saint-Quentin regarding pigs damaging grain, leading to a ruling against the plaintiff, Judith Rigaud [^13].
  2. Request by Mathieu Brunet dit Létang (January 19, 1669): Mathieu Brunet dit Létang requested that Jacques Ménard dit Lafontaine, represented by his wife Catherine Forestier, pay him a minot of wheat. The court ordered the defendant to appear [^14].
  3. Request by Jacques Ménard dit Lafontaine (May 13, 1662): Jacques Ménard dit Lafontaine, represented by his wife Catherine Forestier, requested the return of a roasting spit from François Le Maistre (who was also represented by his wife) [^15].
  4. Request by Catherine Forestier (December 1, 1663): Catherine Forestier requested that Jacques de Noyon pay her the remaining 27 livres from an exchange contract between Noyon and Ménard [^16].

Credits and Licensing

Compiled by Mark Rabideau, Opa & Professional Genealogist.

All materials licensed: CC BY-ND 4.0 by eirenicon llc.

Sources

[^1]: [Bapt. image Fichier] (Fichier Origine image) [^2]: [Archives départementales de Charente-Maritime, cote GG 374, La Rochelle, collection communale, paroissial, baptêmes 1639-1654] folio 7/284, baptême en bas à gauche/bottom left [^3]: [BAnQ: Tanguay, Cyprien,] Dictionnaire Généalogique des Familles Canadiennes depuis la fondation de la colonie jusqu'à nos jours; Montréal, 1887 (7 volumes) Vol 1 pg 423 [^4]: [Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec des origines à 1730, René Jetté, avec la collaboration du PRDH, 1983, Presses de l'Université de Montréal, pg 794] (membership IGD) [^5]: [Mariage image (transcription) IGD] [^6]: Quebec, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1997 -- Drouin IGD [^7]: [Wikipédia: Jacques de La Poterie] la seigneurie de l'Isle aux Cochons proche de Trois-Rivières [^8]: See notarial acts on Jacques' profile [^9]: [Wikisource: Recensements 1666-1667 Censuses selon Benjamin Sulte] Histoire des Canadiens-français, Tome 4, chap. 4 [^10]: [Wikisource Recensement 1681 Census selon Benjamin Sulte] Histoire des Canadiens-fran\çais, Tome 5, chap. 4 [^11]: [Sépulture-Funeral image IGD] (Catherine) [^12]: [Sépulture-Funeral image IGD] (Jacques) [^13]: [Cote : TL3,S11,P1049 Fonds Juridiction royale des Trois-Rivières -- BAnQ Trois-Rivières Id 434736] [^14]: [Requête Cote : TL3,S11,P1007 Fonds Juridiction royale des Trois-Rivières -- BAnQ Trois-Rivières Id 434694] [^15]: [Broche Cote : TL3,S11,P805 Fonds Juridiction royale des Trois-Rivières -- BAnQ Trois-Rivières Id 434492] [^16]: [de Noyon Cote : TL3,S11,P431 Fonds Juridiction royale des Trois-Rivières -- BAnQ Trois-Rivières Id 434118]