Françoise Langlois (c. 1602 – 1632)

Early Life and Origin

• Birth: Françoise Langlois was born around 1602 in Normandy, France, likely in or near Lisieux [1].
• Parents: The names of her parents are unknown, and she has been confirmed to be not the daughter of Guillaume Langlois and Jeanne Millet, and she had no familial relationship with the settler Noël Langlois [2, 3].
• Sisters: Françoise had two younger sisters, Marie Langlois and Marguerite Langlois, who would also later travel to New France.

Marriage and Journey to New France

• Marriage: Around 1616, Françoise married Pierre Desportes, the son of Louis Desportes and Anne Dupoteau [1]. Pierre was an employee of the Company of 100 Associates, which represented French interests in the New World.
• Only Child: They had one known child:
  • Marie-Hélène Desportes (also known as Hélène Desportes), born shortly before the family's departure for Quebec.
• Immigration: The couple, along with Françoise's two younger sisters, Marie and Marguerite Langlois, departed for New France, arriving at Tadoussac aboard the ship Le Sallemande on August 30, 1620. From there, they traveled to the Kebec Habitation (Quebec settlement), where Pierre was employed.
  • Note: Historical records suggest the couple may have been in Quebec as early as 1619, predating the arrival of the Le Sallemande.

Final Years and Legacy

• Return to France: Following the conquest of Quebec by the Kirke brothers, Françoise Langlois, Pierre Desportes, and their daughter Hélène were repatriated, returning to France on July 24, 1629.
• Death and Burial: Françoise died in Dieppe, France (Saint-Jacques parish), and was buried there on April 20, 1632 [1]. She passed away before she could return to the colony, although her husband and daughter Hélène later did return to New France.

Confirmation of Sisterhood (Françoise and Marguerite)

The familial connection between Françoise Langlois and her sister Marguerite Langlois is confirmed through the 1665 marriage contract of Marguerite Langlois and René Branche.

• The contract states that Noël Morin acted as a representative for Marguerite and was referred to as her “nephew.”
• Since Noël Morin's parents were not named Langlois or Martin, the term "nephew" could only mean nephew by marriage.
• Noël Morin was the second husband of Hélène Desportes, the daughter of Françoise Langlois. This connection establishes that Françoise and Marguerite were, in fact, sisters [2].

Sources

1. Fichier Origine (Françoise Langlois).
2. Dossier annexe fichier Origine (see “Françoise Langlois, Pierre [Desportes]’s wife and Marguerite’s sister”).
3. Francogene, dossier Inconnu Langlois père de Françoise et Marguerite, avec données ADN.

Credits and Licensing

Compiled by Mark Rabideau, Opa & Professional Genealogist.

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