Etienne de Lessart was born in 1623 in Chambois, Normandie, France, in the diocese of Sees (Orne), in Lower Normandie. Chambois is a community of the departement of l'Orne , 10 miles North-East of Argentan.
| He is the son
of Jacques
Lessart and of Marie
Herson. Both are from Chambois. It is in this region that
the Allied Forces
won the . . . . . . . .
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| In 1645,
at the age of 22 years, he boarded a ship to come to Nouvelle-France; far
away colony with only a few hundreds habitants. Etienne is a COASTER ,
this is the reason for his association with Martin Grouvel a navigator
from Quebec city. His trade brings him to navigate the St-Laurent River
from Tadoussac to Trois-Rivieres, transporting all kind of merchandise.
For sure fur; because at this time the fur trade was the most important
industry and the best way to make money.
Etienne de Lessard own a barge (small boat) of which the dimensions are probably, thirty feet in length and thirteen feet wide. The presence of two chambers on each end confirms this length; this means we can sleep on board. He continues to transport merchandise after 1651 from his domain in Ste-Anne de Beaupre to Quebec city. But his main occupation is working on his land. . . . . . . |
| The date of
his arrival in the colony is uncertain. Probably in 1645. On June 3, 1646
we pick up his trail at Trois-Rivieres where he was acting as a "Godfather".
And on the June 21, of the same year, the Journal des Jesuites tells us this fact: Monsieur de Lessart came back from Tadoussac and brought us news from France given by captain Lefebvre arriving from Percee island that five vessels were coming and peace was prevailing in France. . . . . . . . . .
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| It is on
February 17, 1652 that he signs his marriage
contract in front of the notary Guillaume Audouart with Marguerite
Sevestre who had seventeen or eighteen years of age. Marguerite was born
in Paris around 1634 and is the daughter of a well respected family,
Charles
Sevestre, lieutenant of the Senechaussee of Quebec, lieutenant of civil
and criminal in the jurisdiction of Quebec, and judge provost of the
domain of Lauzon. They were married in Quebec on April 8, 1652, before the
father Joseph-Antoine Poncet.
Etienne is 29 years of
age and Marguerite 18 years old.
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| On the
February 10, 1651, the couple moves to
Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre then called Ste-Anne des petits caps. Etienne obtains
a concession
from Olivier Letardif, one of the Members of the company of Beaupre
and owner of part of the domain of Beaupre. The dimension were, frontage
of ten acres on the Saint-Laurent river and a length of one and one half
league ( 5 miles ) in land. To add value to his domain, he called it
St-Etienne, he as at his service some domestic engaged, Michel Marquiseau,
Urbain Jamineau et Jean Chauvet dit Lagerne. With them, he will cultivate
wheat, barley, peas, cabbage; it is only later that he will plant potatoes.
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| Etienne de
Lessart becomes a father for the first time on April 1, 1653, 1 year after his marriage. This child will be called Etienne as his father and will be baptized by the missionary Jerome Lalement. His name appears in the Notre-Dame de Quebec registry. In 1679, he marries Marie Poulin, daughter of Claude and of Jeanne Mercier: they will have ten children, eight of then will get married.
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| Charles
was born on June 5, 1656. His name appears also in the Notre-Dame de
Quebec registry. He marries in 1684 Marie-Anne Caron, daughter of Jean and
of Marguerite Gagnon; they will have 11 children, eight of then will get
married.
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| Pierre
the third child followed on August 4, 1658. His name appears also in the
Notre-Dame de Quebec registry. His Godfather is the Governor of Quebec, M.
the viscount of Argenson. (It is the Governor of Argenson that will be
opposed to Mgr of Laval in his attempt to abolish the traffic of alcohol.)
It is Pierre that will become the most important of Etienne’s son, according to Jacques Lacoursiere historian. Established in Baie Saint-Paul, he obtains in 1683, the domain of Eboulements which he will sell to Pierre Tremblay in 1710. He marries in Ste-Anne in 1690 Barbe Fortin, daughter of Julien and of Genevieve Gamache, widow of Pierre Gagnon. From the first marriage, Genevieve had 11 children (7 according to Julien Deziel) and 6 children from her second marriage to Pierre. One of her daughters married Rene Lepage, future Lord of l'Islet. Pierre Lessard owns a domain of 7,056 acres in the actual county of L’Islet and in 1696, the Governor Frontenac will grant him a second domain, it will be called the Seigneurie de Lessart also called Pointe-aux-Peres or La Mollet, between the domain of Rimouski and of l'Anse-aux-Coques. The name Pointe-aux-Peres remains us of the souvenir of the Jesuit Henri Nouvel who celebrated the first mass on this point in 1663. This domain as 21,168 acres. (In 1791, it will become the propriety of Joseph Drapeau and under the authority of the Governor of Quebec.) In 1698, a third domain on the Saint-Laurent River (a square of one league ) is added to the one of L'Islet; on this last one you can find today the municipality of Saint-Cyrille de Lessart, South of Saint-Jean-Port-Joli. After the sale of the Eboulements domain, and splitting among the children, the couple dies with an interval of three months in l'Islet in 1737; Pierre at 79 years of age and Barbe at 88 years of age.
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| On
March 8, 1658, Etienne, touched with a desire of honouring God, and to
contribute something according to his capacity, seeing the demand of
the habitants of Beaupre for a church since a long time, so much needed to
assist in religions services and participate in Holy Sacraments of our
Mother the Church, gives a piece of land of two acres of front situated at
the West end of his, so that a chapel could be built. This chapel will
become, a church and with time the basilica of Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre.
Etienne gives this concession to M. Gabriel Tubiere de Levy de Queylus
great vicar of Nouvelle France. This first donation is passed in
front of notary Audouart. It will be ratified by Monseigneur of Laval
on December 17, 1666 and renewed by a second contract
in 1684 by notary Génaple with an addon in 1687.
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| For
guardianship problem, we find Etienne in Quebec city on November 3,
1663 as the uncle of Ignace and Pierre Gauthier 8 and 4 year of age;
their father as died and their mother is in France since 1 year and the
guardianship as to be changed. Charles Gauthier ( Gaultier ) is since the
departure of their mother the guardian of the children, he as to retire in
Ile d'Orleans, too far to keep watch on the children.
The people present are relatives or friends; Me Louis Rouer, Sieur de Villeray the King counsellor in this counsel Denis Duquet Etienne de Lessart Jacques Loyer, Sieur de la tour Philipe Nepveu all uncles of the children from their wife side of the family and; Jean Madry, Nicolas Juchereau, Sieur de St-Denis Charles le Gardeur, esquire Sieur de Ville ( Villie ) friends. The children will have has guardian Sieur Madry until the return of their mother damoiselle de Lambourg. On November 8, 1663, a few days after the first judgement, we find Etienne de Lessart at the same counsel because the Sieur Madry not happy with the decision does not want the guardianship of the Gaultier children. The new guardian will be Jacques Loyer Sieur de La Tour.
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.
. . . . . . . . . And on
April 27, 1668, he becomes co-owner of the domain
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| On
March 28, 1673, a sentence against Lessard to pay 181 pounds to
Louis de Niort of Noraye and his wife carried by the
Lieutenant General. Etienne will not pay and will have to go back in
front of the Sovereign Counsel on September 7, 1682 were are:
M. the Bishop of Quebec, M. the Intendant Me Louis Rouer
of Villeray, Me Mathieu Damours Deschanfour, Me Nicolas Dupont of
Neuville, Me Claude Debermen of the Martiniere. The judgement is
against him and he will have to pay.
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| Prisque
was born on June 10, 1674 Prisque has a
notable influence and is also captain of the militia. He marries in 1699 Prisque
will be Royal notary and Justice of the Peace
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| Finally, the
couple Etienne and Marguerite will have for last children, twins: Jacques
and Dorothee born on February 21, 1677.
Dorothee will become a nun at Hospital general of Quebec under the name of Mother of Sainte-Therese. The 1681 census, shows Jacques living with his parents. Then after, we do not find any trace or documents on him.
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| First Lord
of Ile-aux-Coudres, Etienne must sell, because he did not add value to this domain, on October
19, 1687 for 100 pounds to the Seminary of Quebec and they will begin to establish people on the island.
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| In the 1681
census, he declares having 59 years of age, married to Marguerite Sevestre
45 years old and had 10 children, they are : Etienne 28 years old, Charles
26 years old, Pierre 24 years old, Marie-Therese 20 years old, Marguerite
who will live only a few months;, Anne-Dorothee 15 years old, Noel 12
years old, Joseph 10 years old, Prisque 7 years old, Jacques et Dorothee (
twin ) 4 years old. In this census he also declares owning: 3 rifles, 7
livestock, 40 acres in value. He cultivates, wheat, barley, peas, cabbage.
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| Etienne his
also captain of the Militia in 1684 and churchwarden in Ste-Anne.
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| April
27, 1688.
"Concession deed of MM. of
Denonville and Bochart Champigny to Mr. Lessard, because of
Marguerite Sevestre his wife, to Mr of Lanoraie, to Charles Gautier,
to Marie-Denise Sevestre, wife of Mr. Nepveu, and Catherine Gautier,
widow of Denis Duquet; all heir of late Charles Sevestre, living
particular lieutenant of the Quebec jurisdiction, a piece of land of
two leagues of front on the Saint-Laurent river and of depth of two
leagues to take between the land of Mr. Dautre and the one of Mr. of
Lavaltrie towards Montreal, in domain with high, middle and
lower justice. " He resell his part
of the concession on March 12, 1698 to Jean Bredel in front of the
notary Charles Rageot. |
| On
march 24, 1699, victim of their great age,
Etienne and Marguerite find it more advantageous to give to their
children Prisque and Joseph in heritage all their belongings. "They
will supply with food and lodging the said Mr. Etienne de Lessart
their father and said Marguerite Sevestre their mother, they will
comfort them in sickness and for the rest of their lives and will
bury them with all the honour they deserve, pray God for to
put their soul to rest." Etienne was 76
years old when in signed this deed. Prisque was 24 years old and
Joseph 27 years of age.
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| At age
80,
on April 21, 1703 was buried Etienne ( under the sacristy of
Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre church). Etienne is probably victim of smallpox epidemic
the colony had at this time.
His
wife Marguerite Sevestre
survived 17 more years, she
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| Mr. Louis-Guy Lemieux
as written in le Soleil newspaper of May 11, 1997 concerning the
Sevestre family:
"In 1639, six of the eight pieces of land of this portion in the height of Quebec (between the ramparts of the Citadelle and the Martello towers) belongs to the Sevestre family, master printers librarians originally from Paris. They had a taste for adventure in Nouvelle-France after publishing a third edition on Samuel de Champlain third voyage. They were four to arrive in 1636. The mother, Marguerite, her son Jacques, Charles and Thomas. The King of France forbids printing in the colony. The Sevestre must earn they living otherwise. They will occupy different administration duties. They will also become farmers and cultivators. "The Sevestre mother dies in her "cabane au Canada (Canada shack)", four year after her arrival and a few months after Thomas’s drowning, while he was hunting in the Montmagny islands. Jacques will not marry. Charles, will be an administrator and will enlarge his domain; He leaves a many descendants by his daughters. Charles Sevestre dies in 1657. His seven children will be divided over his testament. Over the impossibility of an understanding, the land on the Plaines will be the subject of a draw. It is Catherine, the youngest of the family, and her husband, Louis Rouer of Villeray, that will have the biggest part. "Catherine Sevestre was married to Rouer at the age of 14. Her husband is an important personality in the colony. The fortune of one and influence of the other will make them a very renowned family in Quebec city." Other information on Charles Sevestre:
When Etienne got married, Charles is also judge provost of the domain of Lauzon. He will be later on general clerk of the King’s stores in Quebec.
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Contact : un bulletin d'information officielle publié par la Corporation municipale de la paroisse Saint-Anaclet-de-Lessard (Québec) [*1 doc.] - 1982
Géologie de la région du lac Lessard (Fosse de l'Ungava) / Guy Tremblay. - Tremblay, Guy [*3 doc.] - 1991
Le Cyri-lien : journal communautaire de St-Cyrille de Lessard. - 1986
Du passé au présent : St-Cyrille de Lessard, 1844-1994 : 150 ans de souvenirs. - 1993
Noël Lessard, le ramancheur / Renaud Poulin et Denise Labbé. - Poulin, Renaud [*1 doc.] - 1984
Lessard, Réal, 1939- [*2 doc.] L'amour du faux / Réal Lessard. Paris : Hachette, [*808 doc.] c1988.
Complete guide to French-Canadian antiques. Lessard, Michel, 1942- 1974
Les Lessard. Lessard Boucher, Lise 1996
Notes historiques et généalogiques sur la famille Lessard. Lessard, Richard 1934
F.L. Desaulniers, Notes Hist. sur la paroisse de St-Guillaume d'Upton, Montréal, 1905
F.L. Desaulniers (1929) Recherches généalogiques, Montréal.
Lessart, Richard (1926, 1928). Pierre Lessard. B.R.H. vol. 32, et vol. 34).
Serre, Lucien. L'ancêtre des Lessard. B.R.H., vol. 33 et 34.
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