Robert Drouin et Anne Cloustier mariage

Anne Cloutier & Robert Drouin

Early Settlers of New France

Introduction

Anne Cloutier and Robert Drouin were among the earliest European settlers in New France (now Quebec, Canada). Their marriage contract, signed in 1636, is recognized as the first of its kind preserved in Canadian archives, marking an important historical milestone in the colonial history of Quebec. This document explores their lives, family connections, and legacy in early Canadian history.

Anne Cloutier (1626-1648)

Early Life and Migration

Anne Cloutier (also recorded as “Cloustier” in some documents) was born on January 19, 1626, in Saint-Jean de Mortagne, in the Perche region of France.[1] She was baptized the same day in the church of Saint-Jean de Mortagne in the diocese of Séez.[2] Her parents were Zacharie Cloutier (c.1590-1677) and Sainte Dupont (also recorded as “du Pont”) (1596-1680).[3] Anne was the godchild of Galleran Moulin and Anne Chahaigne.[4]

In 1635, at just eight years old, Anne migrated to New France with her mother, two brothers (Charles and Jean), and her sister (Louise).[5] They joined her father Zacharie and her brother Zacharie Jr., who had already arrived in the colony in 1634.[6] The family settled in Beauport, where Zacharie Cloutier Sr. established himself as a master carpenter and became a prominent figure in the developing colony.

Marriage to Robert Drouin

On July 27, 1636, at only ten years of age, Anne was promised in marriage to Robert Drouin through a formal contract that was signed in the home of family friend Jean Guyon in Beauport.[7] This document is historically significant as it is recognized as the first marriage contract preserved in Canadian archives.[8] The contract was signed by multiple witnesses including Robert Drouin, Anne Cloutier, Robert Giffard (the seigneur of Beauport), Marie Renouard, François Bellanger, Martin Grouvel, Zacharie Cloutier, Sainte Dupont, Noël Langlois, Denis Robert, Mathurin Robert, and François Guion.[9]

Due to Anne’s young age, the actual wedding ceremony was delayed for a year. The marriage was finally solemnized on July 12, 1637, at the Church of Notre-Dame de Quebec.[10] Anne was just eleven years old, while Robert was 29. Because of her youth, the marriage contract included an unusual stipulation that prohibited “conjugal visits” between the bride and groom for two years.[11]

For the first three years of their marriage (1637-1640), Anne and Robert lived with Anne’s parents, Zacharie Cloutier and Sainte Dupont, as specified in their marriage agreement.[12]

Children and Death

Anne and Robert had six children together, though only two survived to adulthood:

  1. Agnès Drouin – Born January 24, 1640, died January 31, 1640 (one week old)[13]
  2. Anonymous Infant – Born November 8, 1641, died the same day[14]
  3. Anonymous Infant – Born November 22, 1642, died the same day[15]
  4. Geneviève Drouin – Born October 19, 1643, died December 4, 1710. She married Romain Trepagny (Trepanier) and had twelve children.[16]
  5. Anonymous Infant – Born in 1645, died the same year[17]
  6. Jeanne Drouin – Born November 10, 1646, died June 24, 1732. She married Pierre Maheu and had five children.[18]

Anne became ill in early winter of 1648. She was brought to the hospital on February 4, 1648, and died the same day at the age of 22 (not 33 as incorrectly stated in some sources).[19] Her funeral is documented in detail in the Jesuit Journal, which notes that vespers for the dead were said at the hospital, followed by a ceremony around her body before burial in the cemetery. The difficult winter conditions made transportation of her body challenging.[20] The following day, a high mass was held at the parish church, with an altar draped in black and four candles lit in her memory.[21]

By 1729, Anne Cloutier had 479 descendants in New France, a testament to her lasting demographic impact on Quebec’s population despite her short life.[22]

Robert Drouin (1607-1685)

Early Life and Migration

Robert Drouin was born in Le Pin-la-Garenne in the Perche region of France. He was baptized on August 6, 1607, in the church of Saint-Barthélémi.[23] He was the son of Robert Drouin and Marie Dubois and the godson of Robert Roy, Thomas Ligny, and Jehanne Moyne.[24]

In France, Drouin came from a family of tile and brick makers. From 1625, he managed the family tile factory with his older brothers, which their father had left to them.[25] He is mentioned for the last time in Perche in a document dated February 10, 1634, which announced his imminent departure for Canada, settled mutual debts with his brother Hilaire, and arranged for the rental of his share of the tile factory to his brother Michel.[26]

Robert Drouin migrated to New France in 1634.[27] Upon his arrival in Quebec, he was employed by the Jesuits as a brick maker. In 1640, he provided bricks for the construction of the Hospitalières’ hospital in Sillery.[28]

Land Ownership

By 1641, Robert Drouin had established himself on land near the Rivière aux Chiens on the Côte de Beaupré, although he did not receive official title to this property until April 17, 1646.[29] His presence is documented on Jean Bourdon’s 1641 map of Beaupré, alongside other early settlers including Mathurin Gagnon and his brothers, Zacharie Cloutier, Marin Boucher and his sons, François Bellanger, Thomas Hayot, Simon Guyon, Claude Estienne, and Jacques Boissel.[30]

Olivier Le Tardif granted Robert Drouin a concession of six arpents of land in the seigneury of Beaupré (identified as land #80 by historian Raymond Gariépy).[31] It was not until July 4, 1650, that Drouin was among 22 Beaupré inhabitants who received official title to their lands.[32]

Drouin also obtained two additional land concessions: one at Cap-de-la-Madeleine from the Jesuits on March 24, 1653, and another in the seigneury of Notre-Dame-des-Anges on June 6, 1651.[33] He later sold the Notre-Dame-des-Anges property to René Chevalier on September 12, 1656.[34]

Second Marriage and Later Life

After Anne’s death, Robert remarried Marie Chapelier (also recorded as “Jean Chapalier” in some sources), aged 25, on November 29, 1649, at Notre-Dame de Quebec.[35] The marriage contract, signed three days earlier on November 26 before notary Guillaume Audouart, stipulated that within a year, Drouin should establish a residence as close as possible to Quebec City.[36]

Robert and Marie had eight children:

  1. Marie Drouin – Born 1650, died 1664[37]
  2. Nicolas Drouin – Born 1652, died 1723[38]
  3. Pierre Drouin – Born 1653, died 1667[39]
  4. Marie Marguerite Drouin – Born 1655, died 1692[40]
  5. Étienne Drouin – Born 1658, died 1732[41]
  6. Catherine Drouin – Born 1660, died 1734[42]
  7. Jean-Baptiste Drouin – Born 1662, died 1681[43]
  8. Marie-Madeleine Drouin – Born 1664, died 1665[44]

Following Anne’s death, her children Geneviève and Jeanne were raised by her family, as they did not approve of Robert’s second marriage.[45]

Robert Drouin appears in the census records for Beaupré in 1666, 1667, and 1681:

  • In the 1666 census, he is listed as Robert Drouin, 60, brick maker; with wife Marie Chapellier, 42; and children Geneviève, 23; Jeanne, 20; Nicolas, 14; Pierre, 12; Marguerite, 10; Etienne, 8; Catherine, 6; and Jean-Baptiste, 4.[46]
  • In the 1667 census, he is recorded as Robert Drouin, 64; with wife Marie Charpelier, 42; and children Nicolas, 15; Marguerite, 12; Etienne, 10; Catherine, 10; and Jean-Baptiste, 5. The family owned 6 livestock and had 10 arpents of developed land.[47]
  • In the 1681 census, he is listed as Robert Drouin, 74 (incorrectly recorded as 40 in some transcriptions); with wife Marie Chapelier, 60; and son Etienne, 27. The household possessed 2 guns, 6 horned animals, and 20 arpents of developed land.[48]

Robert Drouin died on June 1, 1685, at the age of 77 in Château-Richer. He was buried the next day in the parish of La Visitation-de-la-Bienheureuse-Vierge-Marie.[49] An inventory of his possessions was completed on November 16, 1685, by notary Étienne Jacob.[50]

By 1729, Robert Drouin had 790 descendants in New France, making him one of the significant progenitors of French-Canadian families.[51]

Historical Significance

Anne Cloutier and Robert Drouin hold a special place in Quebec’s history as among the earliest European settlers in New France. Their marriage contract of 1636 is historically significant as the first such document preserved in Canadian archives. Despite Anne’s short life, her legacy lives on through her descendants, who became part of the founding families of Quebec.

Their story provides valuable insights into early colonial life in New France, including marriage practices, settlement patterns, occupational roles, and demographic development. The unusual aspects of their marriage—Anne’s extreme youth, the stipulation regarding conjugal relations, and the requirement to live with her parents—reflect the practical adaptations made by colonists in the challenging environment of early Quebec.

References

  1. Fichier Origine 240939, “Anne Cloutier,” Fédération québécoise des sociétés de généalogie. ↩︎

  2. 1626 Baptism Record, Archives départmentales de l’Orne, État civil, Mortagne-au-Perche, paroisse Saint-Jean et Saint-Malo 1600-1650, Document 3NUMECRP293/AC293_24 (1600-1712), Image 130/957. ↩︎

  3. PRDH Individu 22840, “Anne Cloutier,” Programme de recherche en démographie historique, Université de Montréal. ↩︎

  4. perche-quebec.com, “Anne Cloutier,” Accessed from document provided. ↩︎

  5. Carpin, Gervais (1999), “Le Reseau du Canada: Étude du mode migratoire de la France vers Ie Nouvelle-France (1628-1662),” Annexe D, p. 571. ↩︎

  6. Lesperance, Jerry (December 2002), “Le Perche,” Vermont French-Canadian Genealogical Society, citing Jetté 1983, p. 259. ↩︎

  7. BAnQ: Contrat de mariage entre Robert Drouin et Anne Cloutier (03Q,P1000,S3,D603) Cote: P1000,S3,D603 Collection Centre d’archives de Québec – BAnQ Québec Id 367027. ↩︎

  8. Provost, Honorius (1966, 1986), “In Giffard’s house was drawn up, on 27 July 1636, the oldest marriage contract preserved in any Canadian archives (ASQ), that of Robert Drouin and Anne Cloutier, the daughter of Zacharie.” ↩︎

  9. BAnQ: Contrat de mariage entre Robert Drouin et Anne Cloutier, op. cit. ↩︎

  10. Family Search, Mariage / Marriage – Robert Drouin – Anne Cloustier – Registre paroissial / Parish record. ↩︎

  11. Document provided, paragraph 3 under “Anne Cloutier” section. ↩︎

  12. Généalogie Québec 3052, “Anne Cloutier.” ↩︎

  13. Document provided, section “Enfants connus / Known children” under Anne Cloutier. ↩︎

  14. Ibid. ↩︎

  15. Ibid. ↩︎

  16. Ibid. ↩︎

  17. Ibid. ↩︎

  18. Ibid. ↩︎

  19. Family Search, Sépulture / burial – Anne Cloutier. ↩︎

  20. “Journal des Jésuites,” page 102, as quoted in document, “Funéraille de la femme de Droüin, fiille de Zacharie.” ↩︎

  21. Ibid. ↩︎

  22. La Mémoire du Québec, “Cloutier (Anne).” ↩︎

  23. PRDH: Pionnier 22839, “Robert Drouin,” Date et lieu de baptême selon PRDH: Date – 1607-08-06. Lieu – st-barthelemi du pin-la-garenne, ev. sees, perche (ar. mortagne, orne). ↩︎

  24. Fichier Origine 241331, “Robert Drouin,” Fédération québécoise des sociétés de généalogie. ↩︎

  25. Ville de Québec, Fiche 9884. ↩︎

  26. Document provided, paragraph 4 under “Robert DROUIN” section. ↩︎

  27. Fichier Origine 241331, “Robert Drouin,” Fédération québécoise des sociétés de généalogie. ↩︎

  28. Document provided, paragraph 9 under “Robert DROUIN” section. ↩︎

  29. Document provided, paragraph 18 under “Robert DROUIN” section. ↩︎

  30. Wikimedia commons, carte de Beaupré par Jean Bourdon, image. ↩︎

  31. Document provided, paragraph 19 under “Robert DROUIN” section. ↩︎

  32. Document provided, paragraph 23 under “Robert DROUIN” section. ↩︎

  33. Document provided, paragraph 24 under “Robert DROUIN” section. ↩︎

  34. Document provided, paragraph 25 under “Robert DROUIN” section. ↩︎

  35. Family Search, BMS 1621-1679, marriage – Robert Drouin – Marie Chapelier. ↩︎

  36. Document provided, paragraph 21 under “Robert DROUIN” section. ↩︎

  37. Document provided, section “Enfants / Children – Union avec / with Marie Chapelier.” ↩︎

  38. Ibid. ↩︎

  39. Ibid. ↩︎

  40. Ibid. ↩︎

  41. Ibid. ↩︎

  42. Ibid. ↩︎

  43. Ibid. ↩︎

  44. Ibid. ↩︎

  45. Document provided, paragraph 4 under “Anne Cloutier” section. ↩︎

  46. Senécal, Jean-Guy, Recencement de 1666, Sep 27, 1998, compilation OCR referring to Histoire des Canadiens-Française by Benjamin Sulte, 1977 edition. ↩︎

  47. Senécal, Jean-Guy, Recencement de 1667. ↩︎

  48. Senécal, Jean-Guy, Recencement de 1681. ↩︎

  49. Family Search – Sépulture / Burial – Robert Drouin. ↩︎

  50. Document provided, paragraph 28 under “Robert DROUIN” section. ↩︎

  51. Document provided, paragraph 29 under “Robert DROUIN” section. ↩︎

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