Pierre Miville “dit” Le Suisse & Charlotte Maugis

Pierre Miville “dit” Le Suisse (1602 – 1669)

Origins and Early Life

Pierre Miville was born in 1602 in the canton of Fribourg, Switzerland. His parents are unknown, not Isaac Miville and Salomé Lomène as some have claimed. According to Préfen, Isaac Miville was likely his brother or cousin. Pierre was a master carpenter by trade.

Marriage and Family

Around 1630, Pierre Miville, aged about 29, married Charlotte Maugis, aged about 24, in Brouage, Rochefort, Poitou (Charente-Maritime, Poitou-Charentes), France. They had 7 children, all born in France:

Immigration to New France

In 1649, Pierre Miville could sign his name, indicating literacy. Family members who emigrated with him included: his wife Charlotte Maugis, and their children: François, Marie, Marie Aimée, Madeleine, Suzanne, Jacques, and Isaac Miville (a brother or cousin of Pierre). On October 28, 1649, Louis (d’Ailleboust) d’Ailleboust de Coulonges (about 1612-1660), seigneur of Coullanges and Argentenaye, granted three arpents of frontage by forty arpents deep in the seigneury of Lauzon to Pierre Miville, recorded by Guillaume Audouart (about 1620-after 1663).

Life in New France

On May 6, 1657, the Iroquois killed a cow and a sow belonging to Pierre Miville on the shore opposite his home. He fired a swivel gun at the Onontaeronons, without effect.

Banishment

At the end of June 1664, frustrated by colonial authorities who repeatedly refused to provide him with an indentured servant, he attempted to kidnap men newly arrived from France while they were still on the ship in the harbor. Imprisoned for this act, he was banished for life from Quebec City and was thereafter restricted to the seigneury of Lauzon. Additionally, he had to immediately pay a fine of 300 livres. If he violated this confinement, he was subject to hanging. On July 6, 1665, Alexandre, Marquis de Tracy, granted a parcel of land of 20 x 40 arpents at Grande Anse (Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière), Lower St. Lawrence, Canada, to seven Swiss from the canton of Fribourg, Switzerland, in what was then called the Canton of the Fribourg Swiss. The recipients were Jean Cahusin, Jean Guencherard, François Tisseau, François Rimé, and three Mivilles: Jacques Miville dit Deschênes, François Miville, and Pierre Miville dit Le Suisse. None of them established themselves there. In 1667, in response to frequent Iroquois attacks, militias were established throughout New France, ready to intervene when needed. For the seigneury of Lauzon, Guillaume Couture, a renowned traveler and interpreter, was appointed captain. Pierre Miville was appointed second-in-command.

1667 Census:

Pierre Miville, 65; Charlotte Mauger, 60; Jacques Miville, 27; le Lorrain, servant, 40; 8 livestock, 30 arpents under cultivation. They lived on the coast of Lauzon.[2]

Death

On October 14, 1669, around 10 in the evening, aged about 67, Pierre Miville dit Le Suisse died at his residence in Lauzon. He was buried on October 15, 1669, at Notre-Dame parish, Quebec, a place he could not return to during his lifetime, as his banishment sentence was never lifted.[1] On November 3, 1672, his widow was granted the Miville fief on the Chaudière River, along with Île Fortune.

Legacy

As noted in one source: “Swiss blood runs in your veins. In fact, Pierre Miville, your ancestor, was born in 1602 at Fribourg in Switzerland. Married there in 1629, he crossed over to Canada in the spring of 1649 with his wife and six children. He received a grant of land on the coast of Lauzon across from the Plaines of Abraham, today near Patton road in the parish of Saint-David-de-l’Auberivière.” This settler, who carried the nickname “The Swiss” left numerous descendants in Canada.

Charlotte Maugis (1607 – 1676)

Origins and Early Life

Charlotte Maugis (also spelled Mauger or Mongis) was born in 1607 in Saint-Germain, Saintes, Saintonge, France. Her parents are unknown.[3]

Marriage and Family Life

In 1631, in Brouage, Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, Poitou-Charentes, France, Charlotte Mauger, aged about 24, married Pierre Miville dit LeSuisse, aged about 29.[2] They had seven children (listed above under Pierre Miville’s section).

Life in New France

In 1649, the couple had had 7 children, all born in France. Six of their children emigrated to Canada with them. The seventh, Gabriel, was buried in Brouage on November 11, 1635, at the age of 5.

1667 Census

Pierre Miville, 65; Charlotte Mauger, 60; Jacques Miville, 27; le Lorrain, servant, 40; 8 livestock, 30 arpents under cultivation. They lived on the coast of Lauzon, Canada.[4] On June 10, 1670, Charlotte Maugis and her children made a donation to the Confraternity of Saint Anne, recorded by Sieur Pierre Duquet de la Chenaye.

Later Years and Death

Charlotte Maugis had a difficult life. After many hardships (birth of seven children, crossing the Atlantic, banishment of her husband, widowhood, seizures, risk of losing her home), she was eventually placed under guardianship due to dementia. On December 17, 1674, François Miville was appointed curator of the person and property of Charlotte Mongis, his mother, widow of the late Pierre Miville, as she was deemed to be in a state of dementia. This appointment was made following a request from Charles Bazire, agent of the West Indies Company, and Moïse Petit, attorney for Alexandre Petit, merchant. On October 11, 1676, Charlotte Mongis, aged about 69 (though the death record stated 95 years or thereabouts), died in her home on the coast of Lauzon and was buried the same day in the cemetery of the church being built on the coast of Lauzon. The record was signed by H. DeBernière.[5] The record states: “The eleventh day of the month of October in the year one thousand six hundred seventy-six Charlotte Mongis widow of Pierre Miville dit le Suisse aged ninety-five years or thereabouts died after having received the sacraments of extreme unction by Mr. Thomas Morel priest missionary of the seminary of Quebec the day before in the house of the coast of Lauzon and was buried in the cemetery of the Church being built on the said coast of Lauzon. H. De Bernières.”[6][7] She received the sacraments of extreme unction the day before her death, that is, on the 10th. She did not die on the 11th but on the 11th, and was buried the same day in the cemetery of the future Pointe-de-Lévy church, which was obviously under construction and did not officially open until 1679. The record was registered in the registers of Notre-Dame de Quebec, where Henri De Bernières normally officiated. Due to the wear of time and life’s difficulties, she had aged in such a way that at the moment of drafting the death certificate, those around her attributed to her the venerable age of 95 years.[8][9]

Various Legal Acts

Donation to the Confraternity of Saint Anne

Donation by Charlotte Maugis, widow of the late Pierre Miville, in his lifetime resident of the seigneury of Lauzon, and Sieurs François Miville and Jacques Miville, Sieur des Chesnes (Deschênes – Chênes), her children, to the Confraternity of Saint Anne of Quebec, said donation concerning a sum of 80 livres and 10 sols. – July 18, 1670 [Document registered on October 20, 1670][10]

Legal Appeal

Appeal set aside of the sentence rendered by the lieutenant general, dated September 2, 1672, between the heirs of the late Pierre Miville and Moïse Petit, merchant and attorney of Alexandre Petit, and correction of said sentence. – May 2, 1673 Content scope: Transcript of the text with modernized spelling: “Between Moïse PETIT, merchant in the name and as attorney of Alexandre Petit merchant of the city of La Rochelle plaintiff in anticipation of appeal lodged by François Miville of sentence of the lieutenant general of this city of the second September last, appearing by Jean-Baptiste Gosset bailiff his attorney and bearer of documents on the one hand, and said François Miville both in his own name and as authorized by power of attorney from Mathieu Amiot, Robert Giguier and Jean Cochon because of their wives, and Suzanne Miville his co-heirs in the succession of deceased Pierre Miville their father passed before Rageot notary in Quebec dated the nineteenth September last defendant and in principal appellant on the other. Parties heard in their demands and defenses, grievances of appeal and objections thereto; seen said sentence by which the appellant was dismissed from his opposition for the purpose of distraction, save to proceed on the monies resulting from the sale of the immovable property of said late Miville and Charlotte Maugis his widow, after the adjudication which would be made by decree, in case that it was owed to him by the succession of his said father, and ordered that it would be proceeded with the seizures on Sundays after high mass in the parish church Notre-Dame of this city, given that there is no parish in the seigneury of Lauson; the documents on which said sentence would have intervened; contract of constitution of ninety-two livres fifteen sols six deniers of income passed before Becquet notary on September 14, 1670, by said widow Miville and Jacques Miville her son, for the benefit of Daniel Biaille as attorney of said plaintiff, heard the substitute of the attorney general, all considered, the Council has received and receives said Miville in capacities that he proceeds, appellant of said sentence, and doing right thereon, has set and sets aside said sentence in what concerns him and his said sisters in amending and correcting and doing what the said lieutenant general should have done, orders that distraction shall be made from said real seizure of the five parts which belong to the appellants in half of the houses of the lands which have fallen to them by the death of said deceased Pierre Miville their father, and condemned said François Miville to the costs of the request and procedures in desertion of appeal, and with regard to the other costs compensated. FF.”[11]

Witness in Criminal Trials

Charlotte Maugis was a witness in several criminal trials:

Sources

Credits and Licensing

Compiled by Mark Rabideau, Opa & Professional Genealogist.

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