Madeleine Perron & Charles Gaudin

Anne Daudelin & René Prevost

Anne Daudelin

Anne Daudelin and her twin brother René were born and baptized on 28 April 1667 in Château-Richer, New France (now Quebec, Canada). She was the daughter of Nicolas Daudelin and Anne Giard. Her godfather was Louys (last name left blank), and her godmother was Mathurine Bélanger.^[1]

Early Life and Family

The Daudelin family was part of the early French settlers in New France. According to the 1667 census, the family lived in Côte de Beaupré, where Nicolas Daudelin, aged 30, and his wife Anne Giard, also 30, were recorded as having 10 cattle and 40 arpents of cultivated land. Their twin children, René and Anne, were just 3 months old at the time.^[2]

By the 1681 census, the family had moved to the Seigneurie de Beaupré. Nicolas Daudelin was now 48, and Anne Giard was 40. Their children, René and Anne, were 14, and another daughter, Marie, was 12. The family had 19 cattle and 37 arpents of cultivated land, indicating a modest but stable farming life.^[3]

Marriage to René Prevost

On 9 January 1684, Anne Daudelin, aged 16, married René Prevost, who was approximately 32 years old. René was the son of Nicolas Provost and Anne St-Amand from the parish of St-Laurent in Paris, France. The marriage took place in Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, New France.^[4]

René Prevost had arrived in New France sometime between 1681 and 1684, as he does not appear in the 1681 census. His exact reasons for migrating are unknown, but it is possible that he came as part of the wave of French immigrants seeking new opportunities in the colony. Unlike many early settlers who arrived as soldiers, there is no evidence that René served in the military.^[5]

Life in Varennes

After their marriage, René and Anne settled in Batiscan, where their first two children were likely born. Around 1688, the family moved to Varennes, near Montreal, where René acquired a land concession on 1 October 1688. This move was significant, as it marked the beginning of the Prevost family’s long-standing presence in the area. Anne’s twin brother, René Daudelin, and his wife Marguerite Collet also accompanied them to Varennes.^[6]

The couple had a total of 10 children, though three (possibly four) died young. Their children included Pierre Prevost, who was born around 1694 and later married Marguerite Bourdon in 1716.^[7] The family’s life in Varennes was typical of the time, centered around farming and community life in the small French settlement.

Death and Legacy

Anne Daudelin passed away on 1 July 1733 at the age of 64 after a long illness. She was buried the following day in Sainte-Anne-de-Varennes. René Prevost survived her by two years, dying on 31 May 1735 at the age of 83. He was buried on 1 June 1735 in the same parish.^[8]

After Anne’s death, a guardianship was established on 10 November 1733 for their minor children, indicating that some of their offspring were still young at the time of her passing.^[9]

René Prevost: A Family Patriarch from Paris

René Prevost was born around 1652 in the 10th Arrondissement of Paris, France. His parents, Nicolas Provost and Anne St-Amand, were from the parish of St-Laurent. René was literate, as evidenced by his ability to sign his name, which was relatively uncommon for the time.^[10]

René’s migration to New France was part of the broader movement of French settlers who sought to establish new lives in the colony. His decision to settle in Varennes and acquire land there helped to establish the Prevost family as one of the early families in the region. Today, a small suburban street in Varennes bears his name, commemorating his contribution to the community.^[11]

Children of René Prevost and Anne Daudelin

The couple had ten children, many of whom remained in the Varennes and Boucherville areas. Their children included:

Pierre Prevost (b. 1694) – Married Marguerite Bourdon in 1716.
Marie Prevost – Married Louis Ronbert in 1715.
René Prevost (b. 1706) – Married Marie-Marguerite Brunel in 1731.

The descendants of René and Anne spread throughout Quebec, contributing to the growth of French-Canadian communities in the region.^[12]

Additional Historical Context

The Seigneurial System in New France

The land concession that René Prevost acquired in Varennes was part of the seigneurial system, a form of land distribution used in New France. Under this system, the French crown granted large tracts of land to seigneurs (lords), who then subdivided the land and granted portions to censitaires (tenants) in exchange for rent and other obligations. René’s acquisition of land in Varennes was typical of this system, which was designed to encourage settlement and agricultural development in the colony.^[13]

The Role of Women in New France

Anne Daudelin’s life reflects the experiences of many women in New France. Women played a crucial role in the colony’s development, not only as wives and mothers but also as active participants in the agricultural economy. Anne’s early marriage and the annulment of her first marriage to Thomas LeSueur at the age of 14 highlight the societal norms of the time, where women often married young and had limited legal rights.^[14]

The Impact of Disease

Anne Daudelin’s death in 1733 after a “long illness” is a reminder of the harsh realities of life in New France. Disease was a constant threat, and medical knowledge was limited. Many settlers, like Anne, succumbed to illnesses that would be treatable today. Her death left René to care for their minor children, a common occurrence in a time when life expectancy was relatively short.^[15]