Jeanne Mercier & Claude Basile Joseph Poulain

Jeanne Mercier (1621 – 1687)

Also known as: Merciere, Meteyer

Parents: She was the daughter of Loup Mercier and Jeanne Gaillard [^1].

Birth: She was born in 1621 in Les-Sables-d'Olonne, Vendée, France.

Marriage: On August 8, 1639, at Notre-Dame parish, Quebec, Canada, Jeanne Merciere, aged 13, married Claude Poulain, aged 23, son of Pascal Poulain and Marie Levert [^2].

Claude Basile Joseph POULAIN (1616 – 1687)

Also known as: Poullain

Parents: He was the son of Pascal Poulain and Marie Levert.

Birth: He was born on January 25, 1616, in Saint-Maclou, Rouen, Normandy, France, and was baptized the following day [^3] [^4].

Migration to New France: The first mention of his arrival according to Fichier Origine dates to 1634.

However, historical accounts, including The Jesuit Relations, suggest Claude Poulain disembarked at Quebec, Canada, on June 11/12, 1636, from an unnamed vessel of Sieur Savinien Courpon de Latour. He was among the first settlers of the Beaupré coast, along with Estienne Racine and Robert Caron.

Marcel Trudel notes he was described as an interpreter on March 5, 1639, suggesting an earlier arrival [^5].
Gervais Carpin indicates a landing date of 1639, which may correspond to the end of a typical 3-year engagement contract [^6].

Claude Poulin was educated, knowing how to read and write, and could sign his name [^5].

Children of Jeanne Mercier & Claude Poulain:

Marie Poulin (1641 – 1716)
Pascal Poulin (1645 – 1661)
Madeleine Poulin (1646 – )
Martin Poulin (1648 – 1710)
René Poulin (1651 – 1661)
Ignace Poulin (1655 – 1720)
Marguerite Poulin (1658 – 1722)
Marie Poulin (1661 – 1743)
Pierre Poulin (1664 – 1709)

Life Events:

1641–1648: Claude, Jeanne Mercier, and their daughter Marie returned to France in 1641 and came back to Canada in 1648 (with a possible stay in France from 1644–1646, per Marcel Trudel) [^5].
1651: Claude Poulain obtained a title of concession for a six-arpent piece of land from Olivier Letardif on September 18, 1651, a land he had acquired from the Fabrique of Notre-Dame de Quebec.
1660: Claude Poulain was confirmed at Château-Richer, Canada, on February 2 [^7].
1666 Census (Beaupré, Canada): Claude Poulain (48, carpenter), Jeanne Mercier (40), and children Martin (18), Ignace (9), Marguerite (6), Marie (4), Pierre (2), and Magdeleine (20).
1667 Census (Coast of Beaupré, Canada): Claude Poulin (31), Jeanne Meteyer (40), and children Martin (19), Ignace (12), Marguerite (9), Marie (7), Pierre (3). They owned 8 livestock and had 20 arpents under cultivation [^8].
1681 Census (Seigneury of Beaupré, Canada): Claude Poulin (65), Jeanne Mercier (50), and children Martin (33), Ignace (24), Pierre (17) [^9].

Death:

Jeanne Mercier died on December 14, 1687, aged 65, and was buried the same day at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Canada [^10].
Claude Poulain died on December 17, 1687, aged 71, and was buried the next day at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Canada [^11].