2 JOHN EEADB 



Founders of Families. 



Choosing a point of retrospection after Quebec, Three Ei vers and Montreal had been 

 duly organized, we may see what had been accomplished in less than a generation from 

 the establishment of the first pioneer (Louis Hébert, IGIT). In the year 1645, then, we find, 

 on the authority of M. Suite [Histoire des Ccmadiens-frai/çais, Tome II, p. ]4'7) that the pro- 

 gress of colonization is represented by 122 habiftinis or settlers, all of whom but three are 

 married, while one of the three is a widower. We know their names and places of birth. 

 Thirty-four of them came from Normandy, twenty-seven from Perche, four from Beauce, 

 three from Picardy, five from Paris, three from Maine. Of the whole number eighty 

 were from north of the Loire. As to the wives, it is probable that the eighty north-country 

 men were balanced by eighty north-country women, the families that supplied the former 

 also supplying the latter. Eight years later, that is in 1653, M. Suite reckons the settled 

 population at 675 soiils, of whom 400 were at Quebec, 175 at Three Rivers, and 100 at 

 Montreal. Among the founders of Canadian families may be mentioned Louis Hébert, 

 Guillaume Couillard, Abraham Martin (Mgr. Taché and Dr. Taché are descended from all 

 three of these brave pioneers) ; Jean Coté ; Pierre Paradis ; Bertrand Fafard dit Lafram- 

 boise ; Christophe Crevier (ancestor of Ludger Duvernay, founder of the Minerve and of the 

 Société Saiiit-JeiiH-Baptiste) ; Pierre Boucher (ancestor of the de Boucherville family) ; the 

 three Grodefroys ; Grixillaume Couture (ancestor of Bishops Turgeon and Bourget) ; Joseph 

 Grravelle ; Toussaint Toupin (ancestor of Charles de Langlade) ; Charles LeMoine (ancestor 

 of the most distinguished families and personages in the colony) ; JacCj[ues Archambault ; 

 Gabriel Duclos de Celles (ancestor of M. A. D. de Celles) ; Guillaume Pepin dit Tranche- 

 Montagne (from whom have descended several men of mark, including Sir Hector and 

 Bishop LaugeAan). But I must refer the inquirer to M. Suite. In a note (Hist, des Can.- 

 français, Tome I, p. 153) after refuting certain calumnies as to the origin of the French- 

 Canadian people, by a chronological statement showing that Champlain had table ruse in 

 New France, when he began his colonization, that patriotic writer says : " See the Diction- 

 naire Généalogique of Abbé Tauguay. This compilation of registers of births, marriages 

 and death is unic^ue. In order to show its value, we may say that all the French Cana- 

 dians spread through North America find there their family tree, accompanied Avith a 

 thoiTsand details. No other nation possesses such a book. We owe it to the archives of 

 our parishes and seigneuries and to the indefatigable patriot whose name it bears. The 

 stranger, Avho now and then concerns himself with us, too often neglects to consult our 

 national library. They speak of French Canadians in the United States, in France, in 

 England, according to the information of fancy. When they learn that we are of some 

 importance, the works of Garneau, Ferland, and Tanguay will have an honoured place in 

 the esteem of the learned." There was also a floating population, consisting of fvir-traders 

 and speculators, soldiers, military officers and members of the civil service. 



After 1653 the provinces south of the Loire began to contribute a considerable pro- 

 portion to the population, AA^hile the immigration from Perche and Normandy declined. 

 But, as M. Suite points out, the first arriA'als exercised a deep and lasting influence on the 

 character and usages of the people.' A patriotic sentiment had gradually taken root, as 



' In his Histoire de la Littérature canadienne, M. Lareau lays stress upon the fact that the traditions, songs, 



tales, proverbs and suijorstitions of the French C'anadians are all Norman or Breton. 



