TENTH GENERATION

806. Pierre TREMBLAY @ was born in 1626 in St-Malo, Randonnai, Tourouvre, Orne, Mortagne, Perche, France. He died bet1688 and 5 Nov 1689 in L'Ange-Gardien, Montmorency, P.Quebec. <From "Our French Canadian-Ancestors" by Thomas J. Laforest. vol.3 pg.232-242>

In 1647, Pierre Tremblay decided to leave the family farm, la Filonniere, in charge of his 14-year-old bother Guillaume. During the afternoon of 9 April, he and Martin Huan went to the home of notary Pierre Juchereau to accept the terms of a joint employment offered by brother Noel Juchereau of Quebec. Martin Huan was a locksmith, twice the age of his protege and friend, Pierre Tremblay. The contract was made to go to New France for 3 years: Pierre and Martin took their bundles, their work shoes, threw some baggage in a cart and set out for LaRochelle.

Pierre Legardeur and Noel Juchereau owned a 70-ton caravelle La Marguerite. By comparison, Jacques Cartier sailed in the 60-ton La Grande Hermine. They sailed on 6 June 1647, after signing a contract with the shipowners before notary Teuleron. The crossing was made slowly; it lasted until 6 August. The water became putrid, the ship's biscuit insipid, in this liquid desert name Atlantic. It is one thing to speak of the inconvience of life at sea, but quite another to experience is personally. Nevertheless, five ships made it to the anchorage at Quebec that year of 1647 without adverse incident. Pierre Tremblay was so impressed while going up the Saint-Lawrence that he resolved never to leave this land of promise. Pierre was working for Noel Juchereau: We learn from documents written after the death of his employer, that Pierre was paid 75 livres for his second year of work. Then in 1652, Jean Trehard, a friend of Tremblay who had arrived after 1648, decided to go back to his homeland. On 13 October, "being about to depart for the aforesaid country to return to the aforesaid Perche, " he loaned 40 livres to Pierre "in order to cover his needs." Mother Coignet paid back that loan! Pierre Tremblay seemed to have earned his living "on the docks of Quebec, in the warehouses of Monsieur Juchereau, in the handling of merchandise from France destined for the colony and the furs accumulated by the traders and savages...." This is the oldest official document through which we can confirm the presence of Pierre Tremblay in America.

Then he turned his attention to the farms along the Beuapre coast, living perhaps with the Gagnons or with Mace Gravel. After living in the colony for 12 years, Pierre found an enclave for himself within the limits of the fief of Lothanville, today's parish of l'Ange-Gardien, just to the east of the present church. On 4 Apr 1659, two months before the arrival of Mgr de Laval, Pierre took official possession of his 2 arpents of frontal land on the river, alongside Adrien Hayot.

Pierre, a good farm worker, was going into debt. In March 1662, he admitted to owing Michael Fillion 721 livres for a land lease, not to mention 65 livres due for merchandise received. Tremblay paid this latter sum and in turn billed his creditor for 60 cords of wood and for 200 pieces buried under the snow.

Martin Huan came to visit the Tremblay family and asked for the privilege of living with them for the rest of his life. In return, he "donated" all of his worldly wealth, which was considerable, to the Tremblays. Certain passages of this declaration reflect great honor on the couple who had given this old bachelor their love and friendship. The record registered before notary Auber on 16 October 1669.

The land available on the Beaupre coast and on the Ile d'Orleans was becoming scarce, so Pierre was on the alert to find something more favorable for his boys. It was Mgr de Laval who gave him his chance. Pierre obtained a lot at Petite-Riviere which he gave to his son Michel. Then, on 1 December 1678, Pierre obligated himself for 5 years to work on the land of Mgr de Laval at Baie Saint-Paul. Father Francois Fillon, witnessed the contract. Pierre moved to Baie Saint-Paul, after 2 April 1679, to speed completion of a house on the farm and to take care of the animals: 6 oxen, 8 cows, etc. He had to remit half of the grain harvested at the end of the season, but he was provided seed grain, farm equipment, nets, salt and the barricades for trapping salmon in the river. That autumn, Pierre brought his seigneur 6 capons and 12 geese. Interestingly enough, it was ancestors Tremblay and Simard who became the first of their families to serve the bishop. That year two sons of Pierre worked as laborers on his lands. Later on, Father Maizerets would write that the Tremblay family received 600 livres in salary, on condition that they finish the work already started. This initiative resulted in such success, that by 1680, the Tremblay family was firmly established at Baie-Saint-Paul.

On 13 October 1685, Pierre received a grant from the Seminary of Quebec, 9 arpents in frontage by a league and a half in depth, in a territory called the Petite-Riviere. A community grist mill was required to be built. He was married to Anne ACHON @ on 2 Oct 1657 in N.-D.-de-Quebec, Quebec, P.Quebec.

807. Anne ACHON @ was born on 18 Jul 1633 in Chambron, Rochefort, LaRochelle, Aunis, France. She died on 24 Dec 1707 in N.-D.-de-Quebec, Quebec, P.Quebec. a daughter of the King Children were:

403 i. Anne TREMBLAY @.