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Prior to what is known as the Percheron immigration, there had been trips to New France with supplies and contract laborers and tradesmen. Notably was the sailing of the two Royal Navy ships, Salamandre and Lionne under the command of Sieur Guillaume de Caën. These ships sailed out of Honfleur in April of 1632 with about 40 men, 37 of them contracted to work for three years in Canada. They were to receive the town of Québec from the English and rebuild the settlement. Most of the men were from Normandy... Rouen sent 18. They were carpenters and sawyers and barrel makers, a mason, a baker and so on. Three Jesuits were aboard.
Granted many of these workers would return to France after their contract was completed, but they got the job building settlements started.
This information is taken from a website called Genealogy of New France in N. America ( www3.tellus.net/michel_robert/index )
A timeline for the early Percheron immigration...
1634: In January, the Company of One Hundred Associates grants the seigniory of Beauport to Robert Giffard. He recruits his first settlers. In March, Robert Giffard leaves for New France with his wife and children and about thirty settlers. These include Jean Guyon, master mason, Zacharie Cloutier, master carpenter and Robert Drouin, a tile maker and native of Pin-la-Garenne. In early June, the ship reaches Quebec.
1635: At Quebec, Samuel de Champlain dies: the colony now has 132 settlers, of whom 35 are from le Perche. The village of Mortagne witnesses the departure of more settlers, including Gaspard Boucher with his wife and children. One of them is Pierre, born at Mortagne in 1622 and now aged 13. The first organized settlement of new France is under way. Most of the departures from le Perche occurred during the period 1634-1662.
1641: Arrival at Quebec of Guillaume Pelletier from Bresolettes. The colony's population stands at 300 souls.
1647: Arrival at Quebec of 17 young people from the Tourouvre area.
1653: Pierre Boucher defends Trois-Rivières against the Iroquois.
1662: Pierre Boucher returns to France and solicits the support of Louis XIV and Colbert to save the threatened colony from the Iroquois. He returns to New France with a large group of settlers.
1665: Arrival at Quebec of the Carignan-Salières Regiment.
1668: Robert Giffard dies in Beauport. The colony has 3,000 inhabitants.
The following is a list of ancestors from this region of Normandy. Many travelled with Robert Giffard and were part of his first recruit in 1634.
The list is ordered by name, status, year of departure, age at departure, trade and other information, if any.
Jacques BEAUVAIS ... single ... 1652 ... 28 ... maker of quick lime
François BÉLANGER ... single ... 1634 ... 22 ... mason ... he was an old friend of Massé Gravelle listed below
Thomine BIGOT-CHASTEL ... widow ... 1647 ... abt. 47 ... she was the widow of Jean Bigot, and arrived in New France with her son, Jean Bigot and her daughter, ancestor Françoise Bigot
Françoise BIGOT ... single ... 1647 ... 16 ... she arrived in New France with her mother, Thomine CHASTEL BIGOT, and her brother, Jean Bigot.
François BOUCHER ... single ... 1634 ... 17 ... arrived with his father, Marin Boucher, step-mother, and half-siblings.
Gaspard BOUCHER ... husband ... 1634 ... abt. 41 ... furniture maker ... arrived with his wife and 8 children. Gaspard Boucher is a brother of Marin Boucher listed below.
Nicole LEMÈRE ... wife of Gaspard BOUCHER ... 1634 ... 39
Marin BOUCHER ... husband ... 1634 ... 45 ... mason ... arrived with wife and 3 children including above listed, François Boucher
Périnne MALET ... wife of Marin BOUCHER ... 1634 ... 28
Jean CLOUTIER ... single ... 1634 ... 14 ... arrived with his parents Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont, and siblings including his brother, Pierre-Zacharie listed below.
Pierre-Zacharie CLOUTIER ... single ... 1634 ... 17 ... arrived with parents Zacharie Cloutier and Xainte Dupont, and siblings.
Zacharie CLOUTIER ... husband ... 1634 ... 44 ... carpenter ... arrived with wife, Xainte Dupont, and 5 children including sons, Jean and Pierre-Zacharie Cloutier listed above.
Xainte DUPONT ... wife of Zacharie CLOUTIER ... 1634 ... 38
Jean CÔTÉ ... single ... 1634 ... 31
Jean CRÊTE (Creste) ... single ... 1648 ... 22 ... master wheelwright ... recruited by Michel LeNeuf
Robert DROUIN ... single ... 1634 ... 27 ... brick and tile maker
Julien FORTIN ... single ... 1650 ... 29
Jean GAGNON ... single ... 1635 ... 24 ... merchant ... brother of Pierre Gagnon and Marguerite Gagnon Tavernier
Pierre GAGNON ... single ... 1635 ... 22 ... merchant ... brother of Jean Gagnon and Marguerite Gagnon Tavernier
Françoise GARNIER ... single ... 1634 ... 30 ... sailed with Giffard group possibly as the intended wife of Noël LANGLOIS (see below)
Charlotte GAUDRY-CHEVALIER ... widow ... 1649 ... 48 ... widow of Jacques Gaudry and mother of Nicolas Gaudry
Nicolas GAUDRY ... single ... 1649 ... 19 ... arrived with his mother, Charlotte Chevalier Gaudry
François GAULIN ... single ... 1649 ... 19
Robert GIGUERRE ... single ... 1645 ... 29
Pierre-Jacques GIRARD ... single ... 1666 ... 20 ... domestic ... worked for Jacques Gratiot
Massé-Joseph GRAVELLE ... single ... 1635 ... 20 ... stone mason ... was the nephew of the Gagnon brothers and Marguerite Gagnon Tavernier
Jean GUYON (Dion) ... husband ...1634 ... 42 ... master mason ... arrived with wife, Mathurine Robin-Boulé, and 7 children. Eldest daughter, Barbe married to Pierre Paradis listed below
Mathurine ROBIN-BOULÉ ... wife of Jean GUYON ... 1634 ... ?
Thomas HAYOT ... husband ... 1636 ... abt. 35 ... arrived with wife and 3 children
Jeanne BOUCHER ... wife of Thomas HAYOT ... 1636 ...35
Louis HOULE .. single ... 1647 ... 20 ... shoemaker and mason
Noël LANGLOIS ... single ... 1634 ... 31 ... river pilot
Gervais LeNORMAND ... husband ... 1647 ... 50 ... carpenter ... arrived with wife and son
Eléonore JANET ... wife of Gervais LeNORMAND ... 1647
René LeTARTE ... husband ... 1669 ... 42 ... arrived with wife and 5 children
Louise GOULET ... wife of René LeTarte ... 1669 ... 41
Pierre MAHEU ... single ... 1651 ... 21 ... weaver
René (Pierre) MAZERAY ... 1640 ...34 ... domestic
Pierre PARADIS ... husband ... 1652 ... 48 ... master cutler (maker of knives) ... arrived with wife and 5 children
Barbe GUYON (Dion) ... wife of Pierre PARADIS ... 1652 ... 35 ... daughter of Jean Guyon and Mathurine Robin-Boulé who arrived in New France in 1634.
Guillaume PELLETIER ... husband ... 1641 ... 46 ... carpenter ... arrived with wife and 2 children
Michelle MABILLE ... wife of Guillaume PELLETIER ... 1641 ... 49
Jean PELLETIER ... single ... 1641 ... 14 ... arrived with parents Guillaume Pelletier and Michelle Mabille
Henri PINGUET ... husband ... 1634 ... 44 ... merchant ... arrived with wife and 4 children
Louise LOUSCHE ... wife of Henri PINGUET ... 1634 ... 45
Marie ROCHERON ... single ... 1657 ... 19 ... arrived with her brothers, Simon and Gervais Rocheron. She later married François GAULIN
Jean ROUSSIN ... widower ... 1650 ... 53 ... arrived with 4 children
Éloi TAVERNIER ... husband ... 1643 ... ? ... arrived with wife and 3 daughters
Marguerite GAGNON ... wife of Éloi TAVERNIER ... 1643 ... 45 ... sister of Jean and Pierre Gagnon listed above
Gilles TROTTIER ... husband ... 1646 ... 41 ... carpenter and cattleman ... arrived with wife and 6 children
Catherine LOISEAU ... wife of Gilles TROTTIER ... 1646 ... ?
Jean TRUDEL ... single ... 1652 ... 23 ... weaver
Charles TURGEON ... husband ... 1662 ... 35 ... arrived with wife and 4 children
Pasquière LeFEBVRE ... wife of Charles TURGEON ... 1662 ... 35
