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Mathurine des Bordes

Mathurine Desbordes was born around 1634 in Chagnolet (commune of Dompierre-sur-Mer) in Aunis (now part of Marans, Charente-Maritime) [1]. She was the daughter of Jacques Desbordes and Marie Catureau [1].

First Marriage: Pierre Guiberge

Marriage Details

  • Contract: Signed June 20, 1647, before notary André Roy in Marans [1:1].
  • Groom: Pierre Guiberge, son of Pierre Guiberge and Marie Chauveau, resident of L’Île-d’Elle (Vendée, 85111) [1:1].
  • Location: Mathurine (resident of Chagnolet) and Pierre were currently residing in Maillé, Vendée [1:1].

Migration and Death

In 1659, Jeanne Mance recruited the family for Montreal, and they had to borrow money from her to afford the voyage on the ship Saint-André [4].

  • The Saint-André departed from La Rochelle in July 1659, and approximately 18 people died from disease during the 2-month crossing [4:1].
  • Pierre Guiberge and his daughter Marie died at sea during the crossing (between July 2 and September 7, 1659) [4:2].
  • Mathurine Desbordes eventually settled in Canada, New France.

Children from First Marriage (2)

  1. Marie Guiberge
    • Died between July and September 1659 at sea [4:2].
  2. Jeanne Guiberge
    • Born: Around 1656 in Marans [1:2].
    • Married: Pierre Cabazier on July 23, 1669, in Montreal (Notre-Dame) [1:2, 2, 3].
    • Buried: December 3, 1728, in Montreal [1:2].

Second Marriage: Pierre Bissonnet (Annulled)

Marriage Details

  • Contract: Signed April 24, 1660 (Notary Bénigne Basset Vol I pg 170) [5].
  • Ceremony: May 3, 1660, at Notre-Dame de Montréal, with Gabriel Souart officiating [6].
  • Groom: Pierre Bessonnet (Miller), son of Jacques Bessonnet and Guillemette Debien [6].
  • Annulment: The marriage was declared null on August 1, 1663, by Gabriel Souart with the Bishop of Petraea's permission, on the grounds that Bessonnet had a living wife in France (Marie Allaire) [6:1].

Child from Second Marriage (1)

  1. Jacques Bessonnet
    • Baptized: April 28, 1661, in Montreal (Notre-Dame) [3:1].
    • Status: Declared illegitimate after the marriage nullification [3:1].
    • Married: Perrine Lepelé on January 22, 1691, in Trois-Rivières [3:1].

Third Marriage: Michel Bouvier

Marriage Details

  • Contract: Signed July 30, 1663 (Notary Bénigne Basset Vol I pg 178) [5:1].
  • Ceremony: August 16, 1663, at Notre-Dame de Montréal [7].
  • Groom: Michel Bouvier (Mason), son of the late Louis Bouvier and Anne Darondeau [7].

Children from Third Marriage (4)

  1. Suzanne Bouvier
    • Baptized: June 24, 1664, Montreal (Notre-Dame).
    • Married: Louis Brien on April 16, 1681, Montreal (Notre-Dame).
  2. Urbain Bouvier
    • Baptized: July 12, 1666, Montreal (Notre-Dame).
    • Married: Geneviève Devanchy on May 15, 1690, Montreal (Notre-Dame).
  3. Jean Bouvier (I)
    • Baptized: February 3, 1669, Montreal (Notre-Dame).
    • Married: Marguerite Cadieu on September 26, 1696, Montreal (Notre-Dame).
  4. Jean Bouvier (II)
    • Baptized: June 18, 1671, Montreal (Notre-Dame).
    • Buried: June 25, 1671, Montreal (Notre-Dame) at 7 days old [3:2].

Census Records

Year Location Household Members Notes
1666 [8] Montreal Michel Bouvier (30, mason), Mathurine Desbordes (32), Jeanne Guiberge (10), Suzanne Bouvier (2).
1667 [8:1] Montreal Island Michel Bouvier (30), Mathurine Desbordes (34), Jeanne (10), Suzanne (3), Urbain (1); 1 head of cattle.
1681 [9] City of Montreal Michel Bouvier (40, mason), Mathurine Desbordes (45); Children: Urbain (15), Jean (13); 1 gun, 2 horned animals, 15 arpents cultivated.

Death and Legacy

  • Death: Mathurine Debordes died on October 22, 1698, at the hospital [10].
  • Burial: Buried October 23, 1698, in Montreal (Notre-Dame), aged approximately 62 years [10].
  • Renunciation: Renunciation of community between Des Bordes and Michel Bouvier in favor of their children was registered by Notary Adhémar on November 3, 1698 [5:2].

Notes on Classification

Mathurine Desbordes was formerly listed among the Filles à Marier (Marriageable Girls) but has been removed from that classification [1:3, 11]. This is because she was neither single nor widowed when she left France, but traveled with her living husband and two daughters [1:3, 11].

Summary of Children by Marriage

With Pierre Guiberge (2)

  • Marie (Died at sea, 1659)
  • Jeanne (c.1656–1728), married Pierre Cabazier (1669)

With Pierre Bissonnet (Annulled) (1)

  • Jacques Bessonnet (b.1661), married Perrine Lepelé (1691)

With Michel Bouvier (4)

  • Suzanne (b.1664), married Louis Brien (1681)
  • Urbain (b.1666), married Geneviève Devanchy (1690)
  • Jean (b.1669), married Marguerite Cadieu (1696)
  • Jean (b.1671), died at 7 days old

Sources

  1. Fichier Mathurine Desbordes 2017 Fédération québécoise des sociétés de généalogie/Québec Federation of Genealogical Societies
  2. Fichier Jeanne Guiberge 2017 Fédération québécoise des sociétés de généalogie/Québec Federation of Genealogical Societies
  3. Quebec, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1997 – Drouin IGD
  4. Les passagers du Saint-André : la recrue de 1659 / P. Archange Godbout, publication de la SGCF #5, 1964 Montréal Pgs 2, 4, 27, 34
  5. BAnQ Notarial acts index Inventaire des greffes des notaires du régime français, par Pierre Georges Roy et Antoine Roy; 27 Vol + index 1-8
  6. Marriage 2 image IGD
  7. Mariage 3 image IGD
  8. Recensements de 1666-1667 en Nouvelle-France, référant au chapitre IV du livre Histoire des Canadiens Français de Benjamin Sulte, compilés par Jean-Guy Sénécal le 17 mars 1998
  9. Wikisource Recensement 1681 Census selon Benjamin Sulte
  10. Sépulture-Funeral image IGD
  11. DGFQ, p. 539; MARANS, p. 58

Credits

Compiled by: Mark Rabideau, Opa & Professional Genealogist.