Catherine St-Père (1634 – 1709) & Nicolas Rivard dit Lavigne (1617 – 1701)
This record details the life of Catherine St-Père, a pioneer who immigrated to New France, and her second husband, Nicolas Rivard dit Lavigne, a key figure in the early development of Trois-Rivières and Batiscan. Nicolas Rivard was a militia captain and a syndic (official representative) for the seigneury of Batiscan for over thirty years.
Catherine St-Père (1634 – 1709)
Origins and First Marriage
| Detail | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Parents | Estienne St-Père and Jeanne Coustau. | |
| Birth/Baptism | Baptized August 26, 1634, at Saint-Jean-d'Angély (St-Jean-Baptiste) in Saintonge (Charente-Maritime), France. | [^2] |
| Immigration | Arrived in the colony in 1647 or 1648 with her sister Jeanne. | [^3] |
| 1st Spouse | Mathurin Guillet dit Laroche (arrived by 1646). | [^4][^38] |
| 1st Marriage | Circa 1649 in Trois-Rivières (No contract or certificate survived). | [^4] |
| Widowhood | Mathurin Guillet was killed by Iroquois on August 18, 1652, between Trois-Rivières and Cap-de-la-Madeleine. | [^5][^6] |
| Death | Died June 27, 1709, buried the next day at Batiscan (St-François-Xavier), estimated age 72 years. | [^12][^14] |
Nicolas Rivard dit Lavigne (1617 – 1701)
Origins and Roles
| Detail | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Parents | Pierre Rivard and Jeanne Mullard. | |
| Birth/Baptism | Baptized June 10, 1617, in the church of Saint-Aubin in Tourouvre, Perche, France. | [^15] |
| Immigration | Migrated to Canada in 1648, having signed a 3-year servant contract on March 6, 1648. | [^21] |
| Roles | Captain of the militia at Cap-de-la-Madeleine (1656). Served as churchwarden, militia captain, and syndic for Batiscan. | [^25][^28] |
| Death | Buried on July 1, 1701, at Batiscan. | [^26] |
Second Marriage (to Catherine St-Père)
- Marriage Date: Before November 24, 1652, as Catherine is cited as his wife on a sale act with her brother-in-law, Pierre Guillet. The marriage likely took place at Trois-Rivières or Cap-de-la-Madeleine. [^8][^9]
- Notarial Acts: On November 24, 1652, Nicolas Rivard and Pierre Guillet sold the lands of the late Mathurin Guillet. On April 18, 1669, Nicolas and Catherine sold a 2-arpent property at Cap-de-la-Madeleine to Félix Thunay. [^7]
Family Life and Children
Census Records Summary
The family resided first in Trois-Rivières and later in Batiscan.
| Year | Nicolas Rivard (Age) | Catherine St-Père (Age) | Children Listed | Assets & Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1666 | 42 | 30 | Nicolas (12), Jeanne (9), Julien (7), François (5), Pierre (4), Marie-Magdelaine (3), Michel (3m). | Habitant, plus one servant. | [^10] |
| 1681 | 60 | 45 | Nicolas (28), Jeanne (25), Julien (24), François (22), Pierre (20), Madeleine (18), Michel (16), Jean (13), Catherine (7), Antoine (5). | 4 firearms, 5 horned animals, 25 arpents developed. | [^11] |
Children of Nicolas Rivard dit Lavigne and Catherine St-Père (10 Total)
Ten children were known from this marriage, of whom eight married. Descendants are known by the surnames Dufresne, Lacoursière, Laglanderie, Lanouette, Lavigne, and Rivard. [^29]
| Name | Birth/Approx. Year | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| Nicolas | 1654 | Died 1719. |
| Jeanne | 1656 | Died 1698. |
| Julien | 1657 | Sieur de la Glanderie; Died 1708. |
| François | 1659 | Sieur de Lacoursière; Died 1726. |
| Pierre | 1661 | Sieur de Lanouette; Died 1724. |
| Madeleine | 1663 | Died 1737. |
| Michel | 1665 | Died 1687. |
| Jean | 1668 | Sieur de Préville. |
| Catherine | 1673 | Died 1703. |
| Antoine | 1675 | Died 1729. |
Credits and Licensing
Compiled by Mark Rabideau, Opa & Professional Genealogist.
All materials licensed: CC BY-ND 4.0 by eirenicon llc.
Sources
[^1]: Source: #S-2066392706 Page: 1160 [^2]: Archives départementales de Charente-Maritime, cote GG 56 – Saint-Jean-d'Angely – Collection communale – Paroissial – Baptêmes – 1627 – 1638, pg 146/233. [^3]: Catalogue des immigrants 1632-1662: pgs 166, 204. [^4]: Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec des origines à 1730, René Jetté, pg 543 (Guillet). [^5]: Journal des Jésuites, pg 174 (Reports the death of Mathurin Guillet). [^6]: Relations des Jésuites, Vol 2, 1652, pg 34. [^7]: BAnQ Notarial acts index Inventaire des greffes des notaires du régime français, Vol XI pg 51. [^8]: FamilySearch, Séverin Ameau, Actes, pgs 52-53/2436 vente / sale Nov 1652. [^9]: Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec des origines à 1730, René Jetté, pg 987 (Rivard dit Lavigne). [^10]: Wikisource: Recensements 1666-1667 Censuses selon Benjamin Sulte Histoire des Canadiens-français, Tome 4, chap. 4. [^11]: Wikisource Recensement 1681 Census selon Benjamin Sulte Histoire des Canadiens-français, Tome 5, chap. 4. [^12]: Sépulture-Funeral image Catherine Saint-Père Collection Drouin, IGD (Membership). [^13]: Saint-François-Xavier, 1679-1917, BAnQ Trois-Rivières, Fonds Cour supérieure. [^14]: FamilySearch Funeral – Sépulture, Catherine Saint-Père. [^15]: Fichier Origine 243563 Nicolas Rivard / Lavigne. [^16]: PREFEN FIche 12649: Nicolas Rivard dit Lavigne. [^17]: PRDH: Pionnier: 68113 Nicolas Rivard Lavigne. [^21]: Dossier fichier, image & transcription, contrat (Nicolas Rivard's 1648 contract). [^23]: Lesperance 2002 citant Jetté 1983, p. 987. [^25]: Laforest, Thomas J.- Our French Canadian Ancestors: vol. 5. [^26]: Sépulture / Funeral FamilySearch (Nicolas Rivard). [^28]: Blog de famille Rivard, biographie de Nicolas Rivard. [^29]: Blog de famille Rivard, biographie de Nicolas Rivard (Children list). [^34]: Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec des origines à 1730, René Jetté, pg 543 (Guillet). [^35]: Catalogue des immigrants 1632-1662: pg 166. [^38]: 26 décembre 1646 Cote : TL5,D18 Collection Pièces judiciaires et notariales – BAnQ Québec.