Geneviève Gamache & Julien Fortin dit Bellefontaine

Geneviève Gamache "dite" Lamarre (1636 – 1709)

Parents:

She was the daughter of Nicolas Gamache and Jacqueline Cadot.

Birth:

She was baptized on October 13, 1636, in Bréval (St-Laurent) in Île-de-France (Yvelines), France.[^1][^2]

Migration to New France:

In 1652, Geneviève Gamache and her brother Nicolas arrived in Quebec, Canada. Nicolas Gamache would later become the seigneur of l'Islet.

🇨🇦 Geneviève Gamache lived in Canada, New France.

Marriage:

On October 23, 1652, the marriage contract between Geneviève Gamache and Julien Fortin was signed before notary Claude Auber. Only Nicolas Gamache dit Lamare (father) was cited as present. Nicolas signed the document, but the future spouses could not sign.[^3]

On November 11, 1652, at Cap-Tourmente, Canada, 16-year-old Geneviève Gamache married 31-year-old Julien Fortin, son of Julien Fortin and Marie Lavye.[^4] The marriage certificate was registered at Notre-Dame parish, Quebec, Canada.

Known Children of Geneviève Gamache & Julien Fortin:

  1. Barbe Fortin (1654-1737)
  2. Charles Fortin (c.1656-1735)
  3. Eustache Fortin (1658-1736)
  4. Jacques Fortin (1660-1730)
  5. Marie Geneviève Fortin (1662-1703)
  6. Joseph Fortin (1664-1703)
  7. Marie Anne Fortin (1666-1702)
  8. Jullien Fortin (1667-1687)
  9. Pierre Julien Fortin (c.1669-1756)
  10. Louis Fortin (1671-1687)
  11. Jean Fortin (1674-1704)
  12. Marie Marguerite Fortin (1677-1703)

Additional Information About the Children:

  1. Barbe: Born October 21 and baptized November 4, 1654, in Quebec. In 1666, she suffered from pleurisy that endangered her life. Her parents prayed to Saint Anne, making a vow and a novena for her. Barbe was miraculously healed. She married Pierre Gagnon on February 6, 1669, at the age of 15 in Château-Richer. They had 5 daughters and 6 sons, two of whom married the Bélanger sisters, daughters of Jean-François Bélanger and Marie Cloutier. On August 10, 1687, Pierre Gagnon, Barbe's husband, was buried at Ste-Anne de Beaupré, a victim of the purple fever and measles epidemic that ravaged the region that year. She remarried Pierre Lessard on April 6, 1690, in Beaupré (3 sons, 3 daughters) and was buried on August 27, 1737, in L'Islet.

  2. Charles: Born and baptized on November 17, 1656, married on November 11, 1681, in Château-Richer to Xainte Cloutier (5 sons and 5 daughters), born in 1661, daughter of Jean Cloutier and Marie Martin; lieutenant of militia at Cap-Saint-Ignace in 1723.

  3. Eustache: Born around 1658; major of militia at Cap Saint-Ignace, married on May 25, 1693, at Cap-Saint-Ignace to Louise Cloutier (5 sons and 6 daughters), born in 1676, daughter of René Cloutier and Marie-Élisabeth Leblanc, died at Cap-Saint-Ignace on January 23, 1736.

  4. Jacques: Born on January 12 and baptized on January 15, 1660, in Quebec, married on June 11, 1689, in Quebec to Catherine Biville (5 sons and 6 daughters) born in 1674, daughter of François Biville, dit LePicard and Marguerite Paquet, died at Petite-rivière-St-François and buried on February 28, 1730, at Baie St-Paul. His wife, Catherine Biville, was buried at Petite-Rivière on October 3, 1746.

  5. Geneviève: Born on April 8 and baptized on April 9, 1662, married on July 8, 1683, at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré to Noël Gagnon (4 sons and 7 daughters), son of Pierre Gagnon and Vincente Desvarieux, and buried on March 22, 1703, at Château-Richer. Her husband, Noël Gagnon, was buried at Château-Richer on November 25, 1708.

  6. Joseph: Born on May 15 and baptized on May 20, 1664, at Château-Richer, married on October 25, 1691, at the same place to Agnès Cloutier (4 sons and 2 daughters), daughter of Jean Cloutier and Marie Martin, and died on April 10, 1703, probably buried at St-Joachim de Montmorency. Agnès Cloutier remarried Paul Cartier in 1705.

  7. Marie-Anne: Born and baptized on March 1, 1666, at Château-Richer, married in the chapel of Cap-Tourmente in January 1683 to Jean Picard or Lepicard, merchant of Quebec, son of Pierre Le Picard and Marie-Renée Suronne, widower of Marie Caron and Marie-Madeleine Gagnon (1 son and 1 daughter). She remarried on January 7, 1702, in Quebec, to Étienne Mirambeau (no children), son of Salomon Mirambeau and Elizabeth Velleger, from St-Seurin de Bordeaux, Guyenne, and was buried in Quebec on December 28, 1702. Étienne Mirambeau remarried in Quebec on April 22, 1705, to Jeanne Levasseur.

  8. Julien: Born on April 17 and baptized on April 22, 1667, at Château-Richer, died on November 21 and buried on November 22, 1687, at Saint-Joachim.

  9. Pierre: Born on May 21 at Beaupré, baptized on May 24, 1669, at Cap-Tourmente and married to Marie-Gertrude Hudon, daughter of Pierre Hudon and Marie Gobeil, on June 4, 1697, at Rivière-Ouelle (7 sons and 7 daughters).

  10. Louis: Born on March 7 and baptized on March 19, 1671, at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, died on December 8 and buried on December 9, 1687, at Saint-Joachim.

  11. Jean: Baptized on June 10, 1674, at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré and died around 1682. He remained single; the heirs of Jean Le Picard and Marie-Anne Fortin received his inheritance (source: inventory of the succession of Julien Fortin and Geneviève Gamache, Jacob, July 9-10-11, 1704).

  12. Marguerite: Born on May 25 and baptized on June 5, 1677, at Cap-Tourmente, married in Quebec on November 23, 1699, to Pierre-François Fromage (1 son), clerk at the registry of the provost of Quebec, son of Laurent Fromage and Benoite Deschazelles, from St-Eustache, diocese of Lyon, France, and buried on January 15, 1703, at the same place.

1666 Census:

Julien Fortin, 50, butcher, inhabitant; Geneviève Gamache, 30, his wife; Barbe, 12; Charles, 10; Gustave [Eustache], 8; Jacques, 6; Geneviève, 4; Joseph, 2; Marie, 4 months; Nicolas Palmy, 25, indentured servant. They lived in Beaupré, Canada.[^5]

1667 Census:

Habitation of Julien Fortin; 10 arpents under cultivation. On the Île d'Orléans, Canada.

Julien Fortin, 50; Geneviève Gamache (dit Lamarre), 30; Barbe, 13; Charles, 10; Eustache, 9; Jacques, 7; Geneviève, 5; Joseph, 4; Marie, 2; Julien, 3 months; servants: Léonard, 20; François Jarivet, 30; 15 livestock, 20 arpents under cultivation. They lived on the coast of Beaupré, Canada.[^5]

1681 Census:

Julien Fortin 50; Geneviève Gamache, his wife, 40; children: Charles 25, Eustache 23, Jacques 20, Geneviève 19, Joseph 16, Marie 15, Julien 13, Pierre 11, Louis 9, Jean 7, Marguerite 5; 2 firearms; 16 cattle; 20 arpents under cultivation. They lived in the seigneury of Beaupré, Canada.[^6]

Death:

On November 5, 1709, at the age of 73, Geneviève Gamache was buried at L'Islet, Canada.[^7]

Julien FORTIN dit BELLEFONTAINE [Carpin #176][^8][^9]

Parents:

Son of Julien Fortin and Marie La Vye.

Baptism:

Julien Fortin was born and baptized on February 9, 1621[^10] in the church of Notre-Dame de Saint-Cosme-de-Vair located in the diocese of Le Mans, the Perche region of Sarthe and the former province of Maine.[^11][^12][^13][^14][^15][^16]

He was the maternal grandson of Gervais Lavie who owned the famous "White Horse Inn" in Saint-Côsme-de-Vair, a regular meeting place where recruitment of several families and individuals who migrated from Saint-Côsme-de-Vair to Canada between 1643 and 1662 took place.^17

Migration to New France:

In 1649, at the age of 29, he arrived in Quebec[^8][^18][^16]

🇨🇦 Julien (Fortin) Fortin dit Bellefontaine lived in Canada, New France.

On December 26, 1650, Olivier Le Tardif granted him a concession at Petit Cap (Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré) where he would raise his family.^17

Marriage:

On October 23, 1652, the marriage contract was made before notary Claude Auber in Quebec, between Geneviève, assisted by her father Nicolas Gamache, and Julien Fortin, assisted by Pierre Picard and Claude Bouchard.[^19][^20]

On November 11, 1652, at Cap Tourmente, 31-year-old Julien Fortin married 16-year-old Geneviève Gamache, daughter of Nicolas Gamache dit Lamarre and Jacqueline Cadot, originally from Bréval in Île-de-France.[^21]

Known Children of Geneviève Gamache & Julien Fortin:[^22]

[Listed above]

On March 27, 1654, Julien Fortin sold to Robert Caron a concession located not far from the present church of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. This land had been granted to him in 1650 by Olivier Le Tardif and would have been located between the land of Claude Bouchard and that of Pierre Picard.

On August 23, 1657, Sieur Charles de Lauzon de Charny ceded him his share of the Beaupré Company. Through this transaction, Julien Fortin became the co-owner of one-eighth of the seigneury of Beaupré and an equal share of the Île d'Orléans.[^23][^24] This transaction was only confirmed by Governor de Lauzon on June 4, 1659. However, this land "du Petit Cap" was coveted by Monseigneur de Laval, Bishop of Quebec, who was preparing to buy back those of the co-owners of the seigneury of Beaupré.

Confirmation in the Catholic Faith:

He received the sacrament of confirmation on February 2, 1660, at Château-Richer.

On February 11, 1662, Julien Fortin sold the aforementioned land to Monseigneur François de Laval, reserving a part of the land located on the Petit-Cap, also called côteau Fortin.^17 However, Julien Fortin was not enthusiastic. He refused to participate in the survey of the land, ordered by the bishop. According to Cora Fortin-Houdet, "the land of Julien Fortin always remains an enclave in the large domains of Cap Tourmente. While Olivier Le Tardif and François Bélanger, who also had concessions that they returned to Monseigneur de Laval, only Julien Fortin keeps the concession that he exploits and where he lives the rest of his days." It is perhaps this land where Fortin has lived for a long time that gives him the nickname "Bellefontaine" because, on a plan of the Coteau Fortin, a water point is identified under the name of "source bellefontaine" (beautiful fountain).

Censuses:

The family of Julien Fortin appears as follows in the censuses of the coast of Beaupré of 1666, 1667, and 1681:

1666: Julien Fortin, 50, butcher, inhabitant; Geneviève Gamache, 30, his wife; Barbe, 12; Charles, 10; Gustave [Eustache], 8; Jacques, 6; Geneviève, 4; Joseph, 2; Marie, 4 months; Nicolas Palmy, 25, indentured servant.[^25]

1667: Julien Fortin, 50; Geneviève Gamache (dit Lamarre), 30; Barbe, 13; Charles, 10; Eustache, 9; Jacques, 7; Geneviève, 5; Joseph, 4; Marie, 2; Julien, 3 months; servants: Léonard, 20; François Jarivet, 30; 15 livestock, 20 arpents under cultivation.[^25] Habitation of Julien Fortin; 10 arpents under cultivation. On the Île d'Orléans, Canada.[^25]

1681: Julien Fortin 50; Geneviève Gamache, his wife, 40; children: Charles 25, Eustache 23, Jacques 20, Geneviève 19, Joseph 16, Marie 15, Julien 13, Pierre 11, Louis 9, Jean 7, Marguerite 5; 2 firearms; 16 cattle; 20 arpents under cultivation.[^26]

Julien Fortin was not just a businessman. While it is not proven that he practiced the trade of butcher, it is certain that he had sufficient livestock to trade them. As a consequence of this prosperity, Julien Fortin dit Bellefontaine made some donations to pious works and raised and educated twelve children between 1654 and 1677.

Hospitalization:

On August 1, 1692, de Bellefontenne (sic) was hospitalized at the Hôtel-Dieu Hospital in Quebec.[^27]

Death:

On August 10, 1692, at approximately 71 years old, Bellefontenne (sic) (Julien Fortin) died at the Hôtel-Dieu Hospital in Quebec and was buried on August 12.[^27][^16]

From July 9 to 11, 1704, an inventory was made of the property he had acquired with the support of his wife. They owned land in Baie Saint-Paul, another piece of land and a house at Petit Cap. At this location, they had built two barns, a stable, a bakery, a dairy, and "several small log buildings for pigs, chickens, turkey chickens."

Tragic Fate:

By fate's hand, death struck the Fortin household nine times during the great epidemics of the late 17th century. During the combined epidemic of purple fever and measles in 1687, his sons Julien and Louis died; the first at 20 years old, the second at 16.

But a miraculous healing also occurred: twenty years earlier, in 1666, the eldest of the children, Barbe, "attacked by pleurisy and in danger of death, having been recommended to Saint Anne by her father and mother who made her a vow and a novena, received healing immediately at the end of the novena."

On December 28, 1702, Marie-Anne, who was 36 years old, died.

On January 15, 1703, it was Marguerite, aged 26.

On March 20, 1703, Geneviève died.

On April 10, 1703, Joseph and two of his children, Geneviève and Marie-Anne, had their lives shortened by the terrible smallpox epidemic that had been raging in the colony since October 1702.

His wife Geneviève Gamache dite Lamarre ended her days at her daughter Barbe's home on November 24, 1709. "Charles, Pierre, and Eustache, well established in L'Islet and Cap-Saint-Ignace, ensured posterity."

The Fortin-Gamache couple had 364 descendants by 1729.[^28]

Origin of the Name:

Fortin: grain measure, small fort, nickname of Samson[^29].

Credits and Licensing

Compiled by Mark Rabideau, Opa & Professional Genealogist.

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

Footnotes

[^1]: 1636 Baptism Record Archives départmentales des Yvelines en ligne, Bréval, BMS, 1604 – 1668, 51E-DÉPÔT 6, Image 100/201 [^2]: Baptême, image Fichier, AD-78 [^3]: BAnQ: Claude Auber, Actes (1 290 pages), Nos 1 à 523, 8 mars 1652 – 7 juillet 1692, pgs 7-9/1290 contrat de mariage Julien Fortin – Geneviève Gamache, original [^4]: Mariage / Marriage Julien Fortin – Geneviève Gamache – FamilySearch. [^5]: Wikisource: Recensements 1666-1667 Censuses selon Benjamin Sulte Histoire des Canadiens-français, Tome 4, chap. 4 [^6]: Wikisource Recensement 1681 Census selon Benjamin Sulte Histoire des Canadiens-français, Tome 5, chap. 4 [^7]: Sépulture / Burial Geneviève Gamache – FamilySearch. [^8]: Carpin 1999, Annexe D, p. 575 [^9]: Numbered #176 in Carpin's list and in the list that can be seen on the Percheron Immigration Category page. [^10]: Bapt. image Fichier [^11]: 1621 Baptism Record Sarthe Archives en ligne, Saint-Cosme-en-Vairais 1597 1653 1MI 948 R1 Image 134/181 [^12]: Although the parish of Notre-Dame-de-Vair was largely in the province of Maine, PREFEN Fiche 12547 indicates that François was born in Perche. [^13]: de Romanet (1905), p. 130: "The parish of Saint-Cosme-de-Vair or de Ver, in the diocese of Le Mans, was partly included in the former province of Perche..." [^14]: Historical and modern geography of the place of baptism: Saint-Cosme-de-Vair is now attached to the commune of Saint-Cosme-en-Vairais (INSEE 72276) located in the district of Le Mans in the department of Sarthe in the Pays de la Loire region. He is godson of François Loriot and Denise Fouet, widow Fortin, [^15]: Tanguay volume 1, page 287 – 1652 – FORTIN, dit Bellefontaine, Julien – GAMACHE dit Lamarre, Geneviève. [^16]: PRDH: Research Programme in Historical Demography (free): Pioneer: 28233 PRDH Pioneers: Date – 1621-02-09. Place – notre-dame et st-cosme-de-vair (now st-cosme-en-varais), ev. le mans, maine (ar. mamers, sarthe).

[^18]: Lesperance 2002 citing Jetté 1983, p. 431: "FORTIN, Julien from Notre-Dame-de-Vair." [^19]: BAnQ Notarial acts index Inventaire des greffes des notaires du régime français, par Pierre Georges Roy et Antoine Roy; 27 Vol + index 1-8 Marriage of Julien Fortin and Geneviève Gamache (October 23, 1652). Vol I pg 116 [^20]: BAnQ: Claude Auber, Actes (1 290 pages), Nos 1 à 523, 8 mars 1652 – 7 juillet 1692, pgs 7-9/1290 original marriage contract [^21]: Family Search – Mariage / Marriage – Julien Fortin – Geneviève Gamache [^22]: Children – Nos origines. [^23]: 1657 Notarie Act (Property), BANQ, Collection Seigneuries – Archives nationales à Québec, Acte de vente de Charles de Lauzon, P240,D21,P4 [^24]: Roy, Pierre-Georges,, Inventaire des concessions en fief et seigneurie […], Beauceville, L'Eclaireur, 1927, 6 vol. ; 27 cm, Collections de BAnQ. page 60 sur 318 [^25]: Wikisource: Recensements 1666-1667 Censuses selon Benjamin Sulte Histoire des Canadiens-français, Tome 4, chap. 4 [^26]: Wikisource Recensement 1681 Census selon Benjamin Sulte Histoire des Canadiens-français, Tome 5, chap. 4 [^27]: Registre journalier des malades de l'Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, Marcel Fournier et Gisèle Monarque, avec la collaboration de Dominique Ritchot et du PRDH pg 151-2 [^28]: La Mémoire du Québec, Julien Fortin [^29]: N.-E. Dionne – Origine des familles canadiennes-françaises page 308 [270]