Maclin-Boyer-Tanguay

Marguerite Maclin (Maquelin) & Nicolas Bouhier (Boyer)

Marguerite Maclin (Maquelin)

Born: circa 1646, SĂ©zanne-en-Brie, Champagne, France
Died: June 20, 1733, Montreal, New France

Origins

According to various records, Marguerite Maclin (also spelled Maquelin, Masquelin, or Maclain) was born around 1646-1648 in SĂ©zanne, Champagne, France. Census records report her age inconsistently: 18 in the 1666 census (suggesting birth year 1648), 19 in 1667 (suggesting 1648), and 34 in 1681 (suggesting 1647).[1]

Baptismal records indicate she was baptized on March 22, 1646, at Saint-Denis parish in SĂ©zanne (Marne, France), the daughter of Jehan Masquelin and Suzanne (or Simonne) Oudy.[2] However, her marriage records indicate her parents were Nicolas Maclin and Suzanne (surname not specified) from SĂ©zanne-en-Brie, parish of Notre-Dame.[3]

Migration to New France

In 1659, at approximately 11-13 years of age, Marguerite traveled to New France aboard the ship Saint-AndrĂ© as part of the 1659 recruitment. On the official passenger list, next to her name was written: “for the habitation, sent by the Sieur de La DauversiĂšre.”[4]

Marguerite Bourgeoys, who was also on this voyage, later wrote that she “brought along a little girl who later became the wife of Nicolas Boyer.” After their arrival in Quebec on September 9, 1659, Marguerite lived at the house of the Congregation of Notre-Dame in Montreal.[4:1]

The Saint-André departed from La Rochelle in July 1659. The ship had previously served as a hospital for naval troops for two years but had not been disinfected. This unhygienic condition led to approximately 8-10 deaths from illness during the two-month journey, which was further delayed by multiple storms. The ship finally arrived in Quebec on September 9, 1659, with many passengers ill. Marguerite Bourgeoys and the able recruits, including Marguerite Maclin, reached Montreal on September 29, 1659.[4:2]

First Marriage to Jean Cicot

On October 14, 1662, Marguerite’s marriage contract with Jean Cicot (also spelled Sicot, Chicot, or Cicau) was drawn up by notary BĂ©nigne Basset. Jean was the son of the late Guillaume Cicot and Jeanne Fafare from the island of OlĂ©ron, parish of Dolu, diocese of La Rochelle. Neither Marguerite nor Jean could sign their names, but the contract was witnessed by numerous prominent figures including Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve (governor of the island), Jacques Le Ber and Charles Le Moyne (merchants), and Marguerite Bourgeoys.[5]

The marriage was celebrated on October 23, 1662, at Notre-Dame de MontrĂ©al in the presence of Michel Guibert (Jean’s nephew), Governor Maisonneuve, Gilbert Barbier (master carpenter), Marguerite Bourgeoys (superior of the Congregation), and many other friends.[6]

During the first year of their marriage, on February 25, 1663, Jean and Marguerite experienced the great earthquake that struck the region.

Children from First Marriage:

  1. Catherine Cicot – Baptized October 24, 1663, at Montreal. She married Joseph Huet dit Dulude on November 27, 1679, at Montreal and had ten children. She died May 31, 1703, in Boucherville.[7]

  2. Jean Cicot – Baptized March 22, 1666, at Montreal. He married Marie Madeleine Lamoureux on March 20, 1697, in Boucherville and had ten children. He is the ancestor of the Sicotte family.[8]

Census Records:

  • 1666 Census (Montreal): Jean Chicot (Sicotte), 35, habitant; Marguerite Maclin, 18, his wife; Catherine, 2.[9]

  • 1667 Census (Montreal Island): Jean Cicot (Sicotte), 35; Marguerite Masselin (Maclin), his wife, 19; Catherine, 3; Jean, 1; 4 livestock, 6 arpents developed.[9:1]

Jean Cicot died at the Montreal Hospital (HĂŽtel-Dieu) in June 1667 and was buried on June 8.[10] The burial record inconsistently names him as Pierre rather than Jean.

Second Marriage to Nicolas Boyer

Less than a month after Jean’s death, on July 3, 1667, Marguerite’s marriage contract with Nicolas Boyer (also spelled Boujer, Bouhier, or BouĂ©) was prepared by notary BĂ©nigne Basset. Nicolas was the son of the late Estienne Boyer and Perrine Payneau from the parish of Poiray, diocese of La Rochelle. The contract included provisions for the children from Marguerite’s previous marriage, with Mathurin Jousset dit Laloire appointed as curator for the Cicot children. The contract was drawn up at Marguerite’s home in Montreal, at Pointe Saint-Charles. Neither of the future spouses could sign their names.[11]

The marriage took place on August 8, 1667, at Notre-Dame de Montréal, officiated by Father Gilles Perot. In this record, Nicolas is said to be from the parish of Notre-Dame-de-Cogne, diocese of La Rochelle.[12]

About Nicolas Boyer:

Nicolas Boyer was baptized on September 29, 1637, at Le-PoirĂ©-sur-Velluire (Notre-Dame) in Poitou (VendĂ©e), France, though census records suggest a birth year closer to 1642.[13] He traveled to New France on the ship “Le Noir de Hollande” (100-200 tons), commanded by Captain Pierre Fillye, departing from La Rochelle in April 1664 and arriving in Quebec on May 25, 1664.[14]

In the 1666 census, Nicolas appears as a 24-year-old carpenter and indentured servant in the household of Claude Robutel, Sieur de Saint-André.[15] He was a carpenter by trade and was involved in multiple land acquisitions and sales throughout his life, with contracts recorded by notaries Bénigne Basset, Antoine Adhémar, Claude Maugue, and Hilaire Bourgine.[16]

Children from Second Marriage:

  1. Marguerite Boyer – Baptized April 25, 1668, at Montreal; buried May 1, 1668.[17]

  2. Jacques Boyer – Baptized April 13, 1669, at Montreal. He married Anne CĂ©cyre on February 3, 1698, at Lachine. After her death, he remarried Jeanne Meliot on May 28, 1738, at Montreal. He fathered twenty children.[17:1]

  3. Jean Boyer – Baptized April 28, 1671, at Montreal; buried October 22, 1687, at age 16.[17:2]

  4. Paul Boyer – Baptized May 27, 1674, at Montreal.[17:3]

  5. Marie Boyer – Baptized February 16, 1677, at Montreal. She married Charles Gervaise on October 29, 1693, at Montreal and had sixteen children. She died January 11, 1763, in Longueuil.[17:4]

  6. Nicolas-Antoine Boyer – Baptized February 23, 1679, at Montreal. He married Louise Payet D’Amours on June 2, 1704, at Pointe-aux-Trembles and had nineteen children.[17:5]

  7. Marguerite-Jeanne Boyer – Born March 31, baptized April 1, 1682, at Montreal. She married Claude Caron on November 12, 1703, at Montreal and had ten children.[17:6]

  8. Zacharie Boyer – Baptized May 23, 1684, at Montreal. He married Marie Françoise MĂ©zerets on November 26, 1711, at Montreal.[17:7]

  9. Anne-Françoise Boyer – Baptized April 24, 1686, at Montreal; buried May 1, 1686.[17:8]

  10. Marguerite Boyer – Baptized April 15, 1688, at Montreal. She married AndrĂ© SenĂ©cal on October 28, 1710, at Montreal and had at least one child. She died November 24, 1760, in Montreal.[17:9]

Census Records:

  • 1681 Census (Montreal): Nicolas Boyer, 39; Marguerite Maclin, his wife, 34; children: Jacques, 11; Jean, 9; Paul, 7; Marie, 5; Nicolas, 3; Catherine [Cicot], 18; Jean [Cicot], 15; 1 gun; 8 horned animals; 30 arpents developed.[18]

Later Life and Death

Nicolas and Marguerite lived in the fief of Verdun, neighbors of the Maison Saint-Gabriel, domain of the Congregation Notre-Dame.

Nicolas Boyer died at RiviĂšre Saint-Pierre and was buried at Montreal on May 24, 1714. The burial record estimates his age at about 80 years.[19]

Marguerite Maclin, identified as “widow of Nicolas Boyer,” died on June 20, 1733, and was buried the next day in Montreal. Her burial record estimates her age at about 95 years, though based on her presumed birth date, she would have been closer to 87.[20]

Family Legacy

Through her two marriages, Marguerite became the matriarch of several large Quebec families. Her son Jean Cicot (Chicot) is the ancestor of the Sicotte family. The Boyer children from her second marriage left numerous descendants throughout Quebec, with Jacques, Nicolas-Antoine, and Marie each having very large families (twenty, nineteen, and sixteen children respectively).

Footnotes

Sources

  • Archives dĂ©partementales de la Marne, SĂ©zanne, Saint-Denis, BaptĂȘmes, 1643-1667, cote E DĂ©pĂŽt 8863
  • BibliothĂšque et Archives nationales du QuĂ©bec (BAnQ): Notarial records of BĂ©nigne Basset, Antoine AdhĂ©mar, Claude Maugue, and Hilaire Bourgine
  • Collection Drouin: Institut GĂ©nĂ©alogique Drouin (IGD), Quebec Vital and Church Records, 1621-1997
  • Fichier Origine: FĂ©dĂ©ration quĂ©bĂ©coise des sociĂ©tĂ©s de gĂ©nĂ©alogie//QuĂ©bec Federation of Genealogical Societies
  • Godbout, Archange. Les passagers du Saint-AndrĂ©: la recrue de 1659. Publication de la SGCF #5, 1964, MontrĂ©al
  • JettĂ©, RenĂ©. Dictionnaire gĂ©nĂ©alogique des familles du QuĂ©bec des origines Ă  1730. Presses de l’UniversitĂ© de MontrĂ©al, 1983
  • Perron, Guy. Blog #37: L’espĂ©dition du navire Le Noir de Hollande pour QuĂ©bec et la pĂȘche en 1664
  • Programme de recherche en dĂ©mographie historique (PRDH), UniversitĂ© de MontrĂ©al
  • Roy, Pierre Georges and Antoine Roy. Inventaire des greffes des notaires du rĂ©gime français
  • Sulte, Benjamin. Histoire des Canadiens-français, census records of 1666, 1667, and 1681

  1. Census records of 1666, 1667, and 1681. ↩

  2. Archives dĂ©partementales de la Marne, SĂ©zanne, Saint-Denis, BaptĂȘmes, 1643-1667, cote E DĂ©pĂŽt 8863, pg 50/304. ↩

  3. Marriage contract and marriage record of Marguerite Maclin and Jean Cicot, 1662. ↩

  4. Les passagers du Saint-AndrĂ©: la recrue de 1659 / P. Archange Godbout, publication de la SGCF #5, 1964 MontrĂ©al, pages 3-4, 10, 38. ↩ ↩ ↩

  5. BAnQ: BĂ©nigne Basset, Nos 201-400 Actes 5 mai 1661-29 sept 1667, pgs 212-214/840 contrat de mariage Jean Cicot – Marguerite Masclin. ↩

  6. Marriage record of Jean Cicot and Marguerite Maclin, Collection Drouin, IGD. ↩

  7. Baptism record of Catherine Cicot, Collection Drouin, IGD; Marriage record of Catherine Chicot and Joseph Huet dit Dulude, Collection Drouin, IGD. ↩

  8. Baptism record of Jean Cicau, Collection Drouin, IGD; Marriage record of Jean Chiquot and Marie Madeleine Lamoureux, Collection Drouin, IGD. ↩

  9. Benjamin Sulte, Histoire des Canadiens-français, Tome 4, chap. 4, Recensements 1666-1667. ↩ ↩

  10. Burial record of Jean Chicot, Collection Drouin, IGD. ↩

  11. BAnQ: BĂ©nigne Basset, Nos 201-400 Actes 5 mai 1661-29 sept 1667, pgs 736-740/840 contrat de mariage Nicolas Boyer, Marguerite Masclin. ↩

  12. Marriage record of Nicolas Boyer and Marguerite Maclin, Collection Drouin, IGD. ↩

  13. Baptismal record of Nicolas Bouhier, AD-85 Fichier. ↩

  14. Guy Perron’s Blog #37: L’espĂ©dition du navire Le Noir de Hollande pour QuĂ©bec et la pĂȘche en 1664. ↩

  15. BAC-LAC: Recensement 1666 Census, pg 119/163. ↩

  16. BAnQ Notarial acts index Inventaire des greffes des notaires du rĂ©gime français, by Pierre Georges Roy and Antoine Roy. ↩

  17. Quebec, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1997; Rapport de l’Archiviste de la province de QuĂ©bec, 1965; Dictionnaire gĂ©nĂ©alogique des familles du QuĂ©bec des origines Ă  1730, RenĂ© JettĂ©. ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩

  18. Benjamin Sulte, Histoire des Canadiens-français, Tome 5, chap. 4, Recensement 1681. ↩

  19. Burial record of Nicolas Boyer, Collection Drouin, IGD. ↩

  20. Burial record of Marguerite Maclain, Collection Drouin, IGD. ↩

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