Pierre Masse - Marie de La Chesnaye, Mariage

Marie Pinet de la Chenaye & Pierre Masse

Warning

Despite what some sources state, Marie was NOT the daughter of Madeleine Maraud & Nicolas Pinel dit La France. (See notes section for details)

Marie Pinet de la Chenaye

Biography

Marie Pinet de la Chenaye (variations: de la Chaisnaye, Pinette) had French origins.

She was born in France around 1624 (recorded as 35 years old at her confirmation in 1659, 40 in the 1666 census, and 50 in the 1667 census). Her exact place of origin and her parents’ names are unknown, as her marriage record does not mention her parentage.[1]

According to Marcel Trudel, she migrated to the colony in 1643.[2] The first document mentioning her is her marriage record from May 1644. Since ships did not come to the colony during winter, she must have arrived by at least autumn 1643.[3][4]

Marie Pinet de la Chenaye lived in Canada, New France.

Marriage

On May 15, 1644, Father Garreau of the Society of Jesus, after Father Jacques Delaplace of the same company had published the banns for 3 consecutive days, married Pierre Masse and Marie de la Chaisnaye at Monsieur de Chavigny’s residence. Both were living with Monsieur de Chavigny. The ceremony was witnessed by Mr. de Chavigny, René Mézeray, and Charles Cadieu.[5] (The marriage was registered at Notre-Dame de Québec)

Children of the Marriage

  1. Denis Masse, born April 30, 1645, baptized May 2 at Sillery; married Catherine Pinel on October 17, 1671, at Sillery (contract by Romain Becquet)
  2. Jeanne Masse, recently born, baptized April 25, 1649, at Québec (Notre-Dame); married Guillaume Contentin on May 16, 1661, at Québec (Notre-Dame)
  3. Pierre Masse, born August 22, 1652, baptized August 25 at Québec (Notre-Dame); married Jacqueline Pain on February 15, 1676, at Sillery (contract by Gilles Rageot)
  4. Marie Madeleine Masse, born March 1, 1655, baptized March 2 at Québec (Notre-Dame); married René Duverger in 1667
  5. Anne Masse, born January 9, 1658, baptized January 10 at Québec (Notre-Dame); married Jean Pain in December 1670 (contract by Romain Becquet); remarried on August 19, 1675, at Québec (Notre-Dame) to François Dolbec
  6. Guillaume Masse, born September 10, 1660, baptized September 21 at Québec (Notre-Dame); married Marie Madeleine Amiot on November 7, 1696, at Québec (Notre-Dame)[6][1:1]

On August 10, 1659, at Notre-Dame de Québec, the new Bishop of Petraea performed confirmations for the colony’s inhabitants. Among those found in the register are: Pierre Masse, 40 years old,[7] Denys Masse, 14 years old, and Marie Pinet, 35 years old.[8]

1666 Census: SILLERY, including all inhabitants of CAP-ROUGE and ST-FRANÇOIS-XAVIER

Pierre Masse, 50, inhabitant; Marie Pinel, 40, his wife; Denis, 20; Pierre, 14; Claire Magdelaine, 11; Anne, 7; Guillaume, 5.[9] Note: Benjamin Sulte read Marie’s name as Pinel. However, the original could be read as Pinet; the handwriting is minuscule.[10]

1667 Census: CÔTE DE SAINT-IGNACE

Pierre Masse, 60; Marie Pinnet, his wife, 50; children: Denis, 22; Pierre, 16; Anne, 9; Guillaume, 7; 3 animals, 12 arpents in value.[11]

Marie Pinette was godmother to Vincent Buisson on September 19, 1656, at Québec (Notre-Dame); she was present at the birth of François Grouard with midwife Hélène Desportes, who immediately baptized the child on July 31, 1662, at Québec; she was godmother to her granddaughter Marie Contantin on March 10, 1668, at Sillery; and to François Fauque on September 21, 1669, at Sillery.[6:1]

Death

The date of Marie Pinet’s death is unknown. The last document naming her alive is dated March 1, 1670. By September 13, 1673, she was deceased, as her husband entered into a new marriage contract (which was later canceled) on that date. Both acts were before notary Romain Becquet. (See notarial acts) She died between these dates. No burial has been identified as hers.

Pierre Masse

Biography

Pierre Masse was born in France around 1616 (recorded as 40 years old at his confirmation in 1659, 50 in the 1666 census, and 60 in the 1667 census). His exact place of origin and his parents’ names are unknown, as his marriage record does not mention his parentage.[2:1]

According to Marcel Trudel, he migrated to the colony in 1643.[3:1] The first document mentioning him is his marriage record from May 1644. Since ships did not come to the colony during winter, he must have arrived by at least autumn 1643.[4:1][5:1]

Marriage

On May 15, 1644, Father Garreau of the Society of Jesus, after Father Jacques Delaplace of the same company had published the banns for 3 consecutive days, married Pierre Masse and Marie de la Chaisnaye at Monsieur de Chavigny’s residence. Both were living with Monsieur de Chavigny. The ceremony was witnessed by Mr. de Chavigny, René Mézeray, and Charles Cadieu.[6:2]

The children from this marriage are listed in the Marie Pinet section above.

Pierre Masse was present at the marriage of his granddaughter Jeanne Quotantin (sic, Constantin) with Guillaume Jourdain on April 18, 1678, at Québec (Notre-Dame).[12]

Death

The marriage in April 1678 is the last known document where Pierre is present. He is absent from the 1681 census, which was completed in November 1681. He died between these dates. No burial has been identified as his.[2:2]

Notes

Tanguay names Marie as Pinel and says she is the daughter of Nicolas Pinel (Tanguay vol 1 pg 418). Pierre Masse and Marie de La Chaisnaye married in 1644, and no parents are named on the record. Nicolas can be found in Tanguay on page 486 of the same volume, husband of Madeleine Maranda, and father of Gilles Pinel (married in 1657).[13]

Nicolas Pinel is the person in question, who married in France in 1630, and his marriage has been found. Marie is said to be 35 in the 1659 confirmation record, hence born around 1624. This makes it hardly possible for her to be Nicolas’s daughter. Additionally, Marie was in New France before Nicolas arrived. Therefore, Tanguay attempted to fill a gap with insufficient data.

Jetté states that both Marie and Pierre Masse are of unknown origin and lists her name as Pinet.[1:2]

Note: A birth date and location were previously entered as August 10, 1624, La Rochelle, Manche, Basse Normandie, without source, and this information is geographically incorrect. La Rochelle was in the Aunis region during this era, nowhere near Normandie (Manche). Her actual date and place of birth remain unknown.

Pierre Masse and Claudia Couste have been incorrectly listed as Pierre’s parents. There is no source whatsoever that names parents for Pierre Masse. His marriage record names no parents for himself nor for his wife, and doesn’t even mention their place of origin.

The date October 24, 1621, and birthplace La Rochelle, Aunis, Normandie were entered as Pierre’s date and place of birth. No source allows this assertion, and Aunis and Normandie are two separate provinces that don’t even adjoin. This information also disagrees with the age given to him in all colonial records.

Notarial Acts

Notaire Guillaume Tronquet[14]

  • Concession by François de Chavigny to Pierre Masse (July 30, 1645). Vol I pg 18 #29
  • Partnership between Pierre Masse and Gilles Bacon (October 21, 1646). Vol I pg 19 #46

Notaire Claude Lecoustre

  • Agreement between Pierre Masse, Charles Guillebourg and Jean Bourdon (November 6, 1647). Vol I pg 26 #26
  • Agreement between Pierre Masse and Pierre Soumande (April 25, 1648). Vol I pg 27 #37

Notaire Guillaume Audouart

  • Concession from the Jesuit Fathers to Pierre Masse with transfer by the latter to Maurice Arrivé dated February 8, 1652 (January 23, 1652). Vol I pg 45-6
  • Transfer from Pierre Masse to Maurice Arrivé (February 8, 1652). Vol I pg 46
  • Donation from Pierre Masse to Guillaume Constantin dit Lavallée (November 12, 1662). Vol I pg 110

Notaire Roland Godet (Note: these two acts were later taken up by Guillaume Audouart)

  • Concession by the Jesuit Fathers to Pierre Masse, followed by his withdrawal in favor of Maurice Arrivé (January 23, 1652). Vol I pg 155 #10
  • Sale by Pierre Masse to Maurice Arrivé (February 8, 1652). Vol I pg 155 #12

Notaire Michel Fillion[14:1]

  • Sale by Pierre Masse and wife to Jean Maheust (May 5, 1665). Vol II pg 99
  • Ratification by Guillaume Contentin and Jeanne Masse, Pierre Masse and Marie Pinette (May 5, 1665). Vol II pg 99

Notaire Pierre Duquet

  • Transaction between François Garnier and Pierre Masse (August 1, 1676). Vol II pg 168
  • Transaction between Pierre Masse and Etienne de Nevers de Brantigny (December 7, 1677). Vol II pg 178

Notaire Romain Becquet[14:2]

  • Receipt from Pierre Masse to Jean Maheult (April 12, 1666). Vol II pg 261
  • Sale by Pierre Masse and Marie Pinet, his wife, to the Ursuline Nuns (October 11, 1668). Vol III pg 10
  • Annuity constitution by Pierre Masse and Marie Minet (sic), his wife, to the Notre-Dame de Québec Church (March 1, 1670). (Canceled). Vol III pg 34
  • Receipt from René du Verger to Pierre Masse (December 29, 1670). Vol III pg 46
  • Obligation of Pierre Masse to René du Verger (December 29, 1670). Vol III pg 46
  • Marriage contract between Pierre Masse and Charlotte de la Rue (September 11, 1673). (Canceled on September 13, 1673). Vol III pg 109
  • Receipt from Pierre Masse to Sebastien Gingras (November 2, 1677). Vol III pg 156

Sources

Additional Sources

  • Actes d’état civil et registres d’église du Québec (Collection Drouin), 1621 à 1997 – Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection: Institut Généalogique Drouin IGD (membership) https://www.genealogiequebec.com
  • S15 – BMS2000 Records id#14004393 record#MH:S15
  • Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec; Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Collection: Fonds Cour Supérieure. District judiciaire de Québec. Cote CN301. Greffes de notaires, 1626-1962.; District: Québec; Title: Becquet, Romain (1665-1682), 11 Oct 1668, sale by Pierre Masse and Marie Pinet
  • PRDH: Research Programme in Historical Demography (free): Pioneer: 56234 PIERRE MASSE

  1. Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec des origines à 1730, René Jetté, with the collaboration of PRDH, 1983, Presses de l’Université de Montréal, pg 784 (IGD membership) ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. Catalogue des immigrants 1632-1662: Marcel Trudel, Éd Hurtubise HMH 1983 ISBN 2-89045-579-3 (out of print) ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  3. Ships that came to New France 1643-1645 ↩︎ ↩︎

  4. Ships that came to New France, other passengers, unknown ship ↩︎ ↩︎

  5. Marriage image IGD Transcription Liard-1 image on profile ↩︎ ↩︎

  6. Quebec, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1997 – Drouin IGD ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  7. Register of confirmations at Québec, August 10, 1659 image IGD ↩︎

  8. Register of confirmations at Québec, August 10, 1659 image IGD, next page ↩︎

  9. Census of 1666-1667 in New France, referring to chapter IV of the book Histoire des Canadiens Français by Benjamin Sulte, compiled by Jean-Guy Sénécal on March 17, 1998 ↩︎

  10. BAC-LAC: Canada Census, New France in 1666 Census, ITEM #100 ↩︎

  11. BAC-LAC Census 1667 Census, original, ITEM #47 ↩︎

  12. Marriage of Jourdain-Quotantin image IGD ↩︎

  13. Tanguay, L’Abbé Cyprien. Dictionnaire généalogique des familles canadiennes depuis la fondation de la colonie jusqu’à nos jours (Montréal: Eusèbe Senécal, 1871-1890), v1 p486 ↩︎

  14. BAnQ Notarial acts index Inventaire des greffes des notaires du régime français, par Pierre Georges Roy et Antoine Roy; 27 Vol + index 1-8 ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

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