Noël Langlois & Françoise Grenier
Noël Langlois
Parents
Son of Guillaume Langlois and Jeanne Millet [^10][^11].
Birth
Noël Langlois was born in France around 1606 [^4]. He originated from Saint-Léonard-des-Parcs in the diocese of Sées, in the former province of Normandy [^1][^12].
Migration to New France
He migrated to Canada in 1634, arriving in Quebec on June 24 aboard the ship “Saint-Jean” [^13][^8]. It is likely that “Abraham Martin, known as l’Écossais (the Scotsman), the king’s pilot in Quebec and perhaps related to [Noël] Langlois by marriage, greatly influenced his decision” [^14].
He worked as a “pilot for the Saint Lawrence River” [^15][^2][^16] and was recognized as an inhabitant of the country [^17].
First Marriage (to Françoise Grenier)
On July 25, 1634, at the Notre-Dame-de-la-Recouvrance Church, Noël Langlois, about 30 years old, married Françoise Grenier, also about 30 years old. The marriage was recorded from memory after 1640 at the Notre-Dame parish in Quebec [^18]. This was the fourth marriage of a French couple in Canada and the first after New France’s return following the capture of Quebec by the Kirk brothers in 1629 [^19]. He married on the day construction began on seigneur Robert Giffard’s manor [^4]. According to Langevin (1860), it is impossible to establish a family relationship between Noël Langlois and Marguerite Catherine Langlois, wife of Abraham Martin, and Marie Catherine Langlois, wife of Jean Juchereau de Maure [^15].
Children
Union with Françoise Grenier:
- Robert Langlois (1635 – 1651)
- Marie Langlois (1636 – 1704)
- Anne Langlois (1637 – 1704)
- Jean-Baptiste Langlois (1638 – )
- Marguerite Langlois (1639 – 1697)
- Jean Langlois dit Boisverdun (1641 – 1688)
- Jeanne Langlois (1643 – 1687)
- Élisabeth Langlois (1645 – 1696)
- Marie Langlois (1646 – 1687)
- Jean Langlois dit St-Jean (1648 – 1690)
- Noël Langlois dit Traversy (1651 – 1693)
He was present at the signing of Anne Cloutier’s marriage contract with Robert Drouin on July 27, 1636, in Beauport [^20].
According to a document dated June 29, 1637, before notary Jean de Lespinasse, Robert Giffard granted Noël Langlois a concession of 300 arpents in the seigneury of Beauport [^21][^22].
He was present at the marriage of Marie Crevet and Robert Caron on October 25, 1637, at Notre-Dame de Québec [^23]. He would later marry Marie Crevet in July 1666.
On August 12, 1643, Étienne Lafond and Noël Langlois made a deal in Quebec at Fort Saint-Louis [^24].
He was confirmed on August 10, 1659, in Quebec.
Second Marriage (to Marie Crevet)
On July 7, 1666, having signed a marriage contract in Quebec before notary Claude Auber, on July 27, 1666, in Château-Richer, Canada, Noël Langlois, about 61 years old, married in his second union Marie Crevet, about 51 years old, daughter of Pierre Crevet and Marie Le Mercier, originally from Benouville in Normandy [^25].
He was the godfather of François Langlois (1673-1748) (October 28, 1673) and Marie Catherine (Bourgouin) Bourgouin known as Bourguignon (1674-aft.1700) (March 6, 1674) [^26].
On September 12, 1683, by contract before master Paul Vachon, royal notary, Noël Langlois (father) “gave himself” to his son Noël Langlois (1651-1693) sieur de Traversy, with the responsibility of Traversy to maintain, lodge, clothe, feed, and care for the donor, his father, as well as Marie Crevet, his wife [^27].
Death
On July 14, 1684, aged about 80 years, Noël Langlois (father) died and was buried in Beauport on July 15, 1684 [^28][^29].
Françoise Garnier / Grenier
Name variations include Garnier and Grenier [^1][^2][^3][^4].
Parents
The identity of her parents is unknown [^5].
Birth
Françoise Garnier was born around 1604 in an undetermined location in France [^1][^2][^6].
Migration to New France
In the spring of 1634, Françoise Garnier migrated to Canada with her future husband, Noël Langlois, and several other settlers in the contingent destined for Robert Giffard’s seigneury, arriving in Quebec on June 24 [^7][^8].
Marriage
On July 25, 1634, at Notre-Dame Church in Quebec, Canada, Françoise Garnier/Grenier, about 30 years old, married Noël L’Anglois, about 27 years old [^9]. The marriage record notes "Grenier in margin – Garnier in text" [^2][^10]. This marriage was the fourth in Canada and the first since New France returned to France in 1632 [^5], occurring on the day construction began on seigneur Robert Giffard’s manor [^6].
Children
Union with Noël Langlois [^11]:
- Robert Langlois (1635 – 1654)
- Marie Langlois (1636 – )
- Anne Langlois (1637 – 1704)
- Marguerite Langlois (1639 – 1697)
- Jean Langlois dit Boisverdun (1641 – 1687)
- Jeanne Langlois (1643 – )
- Élisabeth Isabelle Langlois (1645 – 1696)
- Marie Langlois (1646 – 1687)
- Jean Langlois dit St-Jean (1648 – 1690)
- Noël Langlois dit Traversy (1651 – 1693)
Death
On November 1, 1665, aged about 61 years, Françoise Garnier died [^12] in Quebec (Notre-Dame) and was buried the same day [^2].
Guardianship of minor children was established on July 13, 1666, before Notary Paul Vachon [^13].
By 1729, Françoise Garnier/Grenier had 1,388 descendants [^14].
Biography
Françoise (Grenier) Garnier migrated from France to New France.
Research Notes
There is controversy regarding Françoise Garnier/Grenier’s origins, specifically concerning her parents, place of birth, and whether she had Native American or French ethnicity [^15].
- Some individuals, such as Luc Lacroix, maintain (without foundation) an indigenous or Algonquin origin [^16][^17][^18].
- Michel Langlois, a recognized genealogist, argues against this, stating that the very French name Garnier unequivocally suggests French origin, despite the loss of the original registers in the 1640 Quebec church fire [^18].
- The Honorable James B. Chadwick determined that Françoise Garnier married Noël Langlois and died in Beauport, clearly outside Algonquin territory, and found no convincing evidence that she was indigenous or Algonquin [^16].
- DNA evidence, according to the French Heritage DNA, established her mitochondrial haplogroup as mtDNA J2b1a1 [^19][^20][^21][^22]. Haplogroup J is considered European [^23].
Conclusion: For all these reasons, it is very certainly unlikely that Françoise Garnier was of Native American origin, but it is very appropriate to consider that she was born in France.
Sources
[^1]: PRDH: Le Programme de recherche en démographie historique (free): Pioneer: 45058 Noël LANGLOIS [^2]: Tanguay, vol. 1, p. 345: Noël Langlois [^3]: perche-quebec.com: Noël Langlois; b/b 04-06-1606 [^4]: Langlois 1984, extract from ALLA book: Noël Langlois; b. circa 1606 [^5]: Langlois 1984, p.55: Noël Langlois (father) (1606-1684) did not bear the name Boisverdun. It was his son Jean Langlois (1641-1687) who used it. [^6]: Langlois 2014, contribution: “…Jean Langlois the elder adopted a nickname to differentiate himself from his brother Jean Langlois the younger or Saint-Jean… Noël Langlois lived in Canada, New France. At his marriage contract with Françoise-Charlotte Bélanger appear the names of parents and friends. Among them, witness for him, appears the name of Charles Gauthier dit Boisverdun… But it is undoubtedly in memory of the friendship that bound them, that Jean Langlois invited him to his marriage contract, and subsequently borrowed from him the nickname of Boisverdun.” (see image of Langlois-nickname Associations from PRDH) [^7]: Carpin 1999, Appendix D, pp. 571-577 [^8]: The numbers higher than #267, which each have an asterisk, are added to Carpin’s list as indicated in the chronological list that can be seen on the Percheron Immigration Category page. [^9]: All Percheron Immigration Category profiles are based on inclusion of any given profile in one of more the three lists provided by perche-canada.net, perche-Quebec and Carpin. [^10]: On the occasion of his second marriage on July 27, 1666, Noël Langlois declared to be the son of Guillaume Langlois and Jeanne Millet (contract before Auber, notary). See: “Noël Langlois and his sons”, by Michel Langlois, 1984, ISBN 2-9800-305-1-1, page 11. [^11]: 1666 Marriage Contract (Langlois and Crevet) Claude Auber, 1650-1692, BAnQ Québec, Fonds Cour supérieure. District judiciaire de Québec. Greffes de notaires, (03Q,CN301,S4). [^12]: Historical and modern geography of the birthplace: Saint-Léonard-des-Parcs (INSEE 61416) is now known as the French commune located in the Alençon district of the Orne department in the Normandy region. PRDH: Research Programme in Historical Demography (free): Pioneer: 45058 Date and place of birth according to PRDH: Date – c. 1605. Place – Saint-Léonard, near Bellême, diocese of Sées, Perche (district of Mortagne-au-Perche, Orne). [^13]: Lesperance 2002, citing Jetté p. 645: "LANGLOIS, brothers Jean (Pilot) & Noel from St-Leonard des Parcs, district of Alencon (In Orne but not in Perche). [^14]: Burleigh 1966/1979 [^15]: Langevin 1860, p. 26 [^16]: Langlois 1984, p. 16, revised by Serge Langlois on September 6, 2014: He could neither read nor write, which a deep-sea ship pilot had to know to keep the logbook. He was certainly a carpenter, and perhaps a pilot of small boats, however. [^17]: Senécal, Census of 1666 [^18]: Notre-Dame-de-Recouvrance was destroyed by fire in 1640 and the records of various marriages, baptisms, etc. were reconstructed from memory by the clergy of the time. [^19]: This footnote appears to be missing in the original document. [^20]: Marriage / Marriage Noël L’Anglois – Françoise Garnier / Grenier – Parish register / Parish register FamilySearch (reconstruction) [^21]: IGD / IGD Act 66319 Marriage (Subscription required) [^22]: PRDH: Research Programme in Historical Demography (membership): family: 219 [^23]: Burial / Burial Françoise Garnier – parish register / parish register FamilySearch [^24]: BAnQ Notarial acts index Inventory of the notaries’ records from the French regime, by Pierre Georges Roy and Antoine Roy; 27 Vol + index 1-8 Vol II pg 21 [^25]: Quebec Memory: Grenier (Françoise) [^26]: Refer to the bibliography for different points of view. [^27]: Chadwick 2013 [^28]: See for example Documentation Proving Aboriginal Ancestry for the Family of Noel Langlois. [^29]: The Langlois and their alleged Native American origin, Michel Langlois
Credits and Licensing
Compiled by: Mark Rabideau, Opa & Professional Genealogist.
License: All materials licensed CC BY-ND 4.0 by eirenicon llc.