François M. de L. Boni at Lavaltrie September

It is he v/hom the American historians and niost oi the Canadian writers of history consider erroneously the founder of Indiana, making him usurp the glory and the merit of his cousin François-Marie Bissot de Vincennes.

About 1700 Augustin Le Garduer de Courtemanche, lieutenant in the troops of the detachment of the Marine, well known for his exploits in war and his bold journeys into the east made an exploration of the coast of Labrador. Fishing and hunting were so advantageous in this unknown région that he decided to settle there. He made his settlement near the river of the Eskimo. In order to hold the savages in awe he also built a little fort in which he intended to place some armed men in order to be prepared for whatever might happen.

The young de Lavaltrie lover of adventures of the chase and of fishing followed his cousin M. Le Gardeur de Courtemanche to Labrador. He was put in command of the fort of Pontchartrain.

In 1711 young de Lavaltrie had the honor to come to announce to Governor Vaudreuil that the English had crossed the sea with a formidable fleet with the intention of laying siège to Québec. Each summer, numerous vessels of the French and of strangers came to fish in the w^aters of Labrador. It was through one of thèse vessels that Minister Pontchartrain communicated this serions menace to M. de Courtemanche.

M. de Lavaltrie, in the month of October of the same year, announced to the population of Québec the horrible shipv/reck of many of the vessels of the proud Admirai Walker on the reef of Egg Tsland. The formai examination of M. de Lavaltrie before the provost of Québec gives us the gloomy détails of this shipwreck which saved the colony.

"Today, October 18, 1711, at three o'clock in the aftenioon^

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before us, Paul Depuy, esquire, commissioner of the king and his particular civil and criminal lieutenant in the court of the provost and admiralty of Québec, fîlling, by order of His Majesty, the function of lieutenant gênerai in the chair, in our court, and in the présence of the king's prosecutor there appeared François de Margane, St., de Lavaltrie, an officer serving at Fort Pontchartrain in Labrador. The same, after having taken the oath before us in the usual manner to tell the truth, has said and declared that on the third of last August, he vvas sent from Fort Pontchartrain by M. de Courtemanche, commandant of the said place to M. de Marquis de Vaudreuil, govemor gênerai of this country, to advise him that this city was in danger of being besieged by the English enemies of the state, according to the advice which he had received from Monseignor, Count Pontchartrain, and that some days after his arrivai in the said city the said governor gênerai had ordered him to return to his post and that if the enemy appeared again to bring him news of them as soon as possible. He reported that on the 18th of last September he returned to Labrador in a canoë with two Frenchmen and a savage and that on the fîrst of this month having arrived at Egg Island. which is seventy leagues aw^ay from this city, he perceived signs of a shipwreck which compelled him to land and get out on land where he found on the sand, four dead men, whom he recognized as English ; that he discovered, at the same time, a number of foot prints of men which he followed with his comrades for a space of two miles along which road they found only two good stranded ship-boats with seven or eight others which could be repaired. Returning to their canoë, they saw two men who were walking on the sand and whom they recognized by their speech, to be French. Having approached them they knew them to belong to the crew of the ship of a man named Vital Caron. They were guarding the booty and picking up more, which consisted of coats, coverings,

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shirts, and other spoils which they showed to them and told them of the ship-wreck which had happened to the English fleet which was coming to besiege this city. Since they did not wish to go to the city, they had stayed at the place, declaring to him that they had seen seven English vessels on the point of land toward the northern coast near the said Egg Island, of which one was entirely broken up, two others half destroyed and three others driven to the coast of which one held with two anchors and the other which had three in her hull and the seventh vessel, which fîoated at sea, lay at anchor, which he believed was greater than any which are at présent in the road stead of the village. The others were smaller, however, he estimated at about three or four hundred tonnage. The largest, which lay at anchor, was swept away from its first bridge. The iron frame work of those which were burned was on the shore. That, he believed that, of thèse vessels, only the largest one could be repaired. That they had seen, moreover, on the shore fifty to sixty dead bodies among whom there were about twenty women, some of whom had children at the breast. That they had also seen on the sand, horses, sheep, dogs, fowls, a quantity of pack saddles for the work horses, three or four hundred great casks encircled with iron. They did not know if they were fîlled. Many wheel barrows, even a hogshead of wine, a keg and a half of brandy of which they had declared they had drunk several times with the said two men of the said Caron. That there were also on the shore, ropes, anchors, sail, planks, joists of oak, hides, pikes, pick axes, oaken planks, hinges and scrap iron of which they had seen heaps three feet in height and which the said two men told him, that the said Vital Caron had taken away two wagon loads of booty, which he had taken with him to the Seven Islands to divide among the men of his crew made up of twenty-five men, and that one of thèse had found twenty white sous in the pocket of one of the ship-wrecked and another a gold watch. That ail thèse

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things and his duty had made him give up his voyage and the profit which he could hâve made by doing as thèse others had donc by taking the wreckage of this ship in order to corne to this city to bring the news of it and to make his déclaration of it, which he had done as quickly as possible, arriving in fifteen days in spite of the bad weather which he had during his voyage, which is ail that he had to say. Demanding, moreover, that there be accorded to him the rights that belong to an informer he had signed the original with us on the day and the year above mentioned. So signed to the said original Marganc de Lavaltrie, Lespinay, Dupuy. and Rivet Greffier, the iindersigned.*

May 9, 1712, M. de Lavaltrie married at Beauport, Angélique Guyon-Desprès, daughter of François Guyon-Desprès, and of Madeleine Marsolet.

Before he had even settled on his seigniory of Beauport, Robert Giiïard on Mardi 14, 1634, created an arrière-fief in favor of one his compartiots, Jean Guyon. Giffard and Guyon vvere Percherons, but le Perche is next to Normandy. In eight years MM. Giffard and Guyon had six law suits concerning this arrière-fief. By his marriage with the grand daughter of Jean Guyon, M. de Lavaltrie became one of the proprietors of the arrière-fief Du Buisson. A véritable fatality w-as attached to this property. He was obliged to carry on three or four law suits to protect the little part of the seigniorial property which his marriage had brought him.

Sept. 19, 1713, M. de Lavaltrie associated himself with Bernard de Plaine to make a voyage to Cape Breton where M. de Plaine had some property. The partners intended îo carry on there trading, fishing, and hunting. Since each partner had furnished an unequal amount of merchandise it was understood that he who had furnished the most, should take out in

^Archives du Canada, Correspondence générale, vol. F. 32, p. 171.

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skins at the current price, the proportion which he had advanced. What was left should be divided half and half.

The partnership between M. de Lavaltrie and M. de Plaine did not last long. Labrador with its inslands abounding in game, its ri vers full of fish attracted him. He soon returned there. Only instead of being under the order of M. de Courtemanche he fished and traded with the savages on his own account with the assistance of two or three hired men.

M. de Lavaltrie had no concession in Labrador. The country was large, the ri vers numerous so that MM. de Courtemanche and Lavaltrie could easy carry on his exploits without annoying the other. As long as M. de Courtemanche lived there was no difficulty in this matter.

In June, 1717. M. de Courtemanche died at his estate on Fhelippeaux Bay. Sieur de Brouage, the son of the first marriage of his wife, succeeded M. de Courtemanche as commandant of the post of Labrador. Young, ardent, jealous of his rights, he did not tarry to fînd that the coast of Labrador, in spite of its immensity, was too confîned for him and M. de Lavaltrie,

Sept. 9, 1718, he complained of M. de Lavaltrie to the consul of the Marines. This complaint is found in the Archives du Canada. Correspondance Générale.

The folio wing year. Sept. 6, 1719, M. de Brouage put m another complaint against M. de Lavaltrie.

M. de Lavaltrie who saw that M. de Brouage would succeed in driving him from Labrador if he did not attain a concession addressed himself to MM. de Vaudreuil and Begon. They presented his demand to the minister. May 25, 1719, the minister replied favorably to the governor and the intendant. However, the consul of the Marines did not take up the demands of M. de Lavaltrie until January 23, 1720.

Finally, May 26. 1720. the king signed the following con-

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cession in favor ot AI. de Lavaltrie: "Today, May 26, 1720, the king, being at Paris, having heard favorably the demand which bas been made of him by the Sr. de Lavaltrie for a grant of land on the coast of Labrador, to establish there still fishing for cod and for scal, bis Majesty on the advice of M. the duke d"Orleans, rcgent, bas granted to him ihe harbor called the St. Augiistine River, on the coast of Labrador with two miles of frontage on each side by four miles of depth inland as well as the islands and the smalier islands adjacent to the said harbor ta be posscssed by him during bis life. On condition that he will make the concession valuabie by fisheries. His Majesty wishes and intends that he alone shall bave, in the harbor and in the two miles granted to him as v/ell as iu the adjacent islands, the right to fish for seal and other iisli. He is to do it with the vessels v/hich shall come to the said harbor and to the land and islands granted by the présent brevet, which allows him to trade with the savages who may be found on tb.e coast of Labrador, without being held bound to pay to his Majesty or to succeeding kings any sum of money or indemnity. His Majesty bas made him a gift by the présent brevet which shall be registered with the superior council of Québec and any other places where it is necessary. His Majesty in Vvitness of his désire wishes to sign with his own hand this title counter-signed by me, secretary of state, and of his cnuimand and finances.

Louis.

Fleuri Aiî.*

M. de Brouage, who did not know that M. de Lavaltrie had obtained a concession from the king. complained bitterly of him to the minister in 1720.

Oct. 22, 1720, Governor de Vaudreuil wrote to the minister : "Concerning the complaints which Madame de Courtemancho ♦In.simiations du Conseil Supérieur, cahier ."».

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and lier son made to me last year against Sr. de Lavaltrie I took pains to explain to him when I wrote to him last spring that it depended on the command which Seignior Brouage had over ail the coast of Labrador and that, being under his order, he ought to hâve for him the regard due to his rank. That, moreover, he ought to do everything that he could to live on good terms with the said Sr. Brouage and with the lady of Courtemanche, who is his fîrst cousin, since they are children of two sisters. Then I ordered him to leave home as soon as he received my letter to go and pay his respects to the said Sr. de Brouage and his mother. To report to them what he had taken in the boat which they had sent to him and to ask of them their friendship, The said Sr. de Lavaltrie advised me by his reply of July 17 that he was about to do promptly ail that I had ordered him. I hope that in the future no more complaints from that quarter will come to the council. At least that Madame de Courtemanche will not continue in the bad humor on accoimt of the jealousy, which she seems to hâve that others beside herself should settle on a coast, which she believes she ought to possess by herself. Being certain that ihere is nothing but this jealousy which can keep up in lier, the bitterness which she shows against Sr. de Lavaltrie because he attracts the savages to him. But on the contrary she has treated him with much unkindness, not only in refusing him the assistance of powder, bullets and biscuit of which he liad extrême need, but also in making lier son forbid the captams who were fishing along this coast to furnish St. Malo any."

In 1725, M. de Lavaltrie, Zacharie Turgeon and Charles Turgeon, his son, both résidents of Beaumont, and Joseph Filîeau, résident of the isle of Orléans, formed a partnership to cultivate by thirds the post of St. Augustine. Turgeon was to furnish his boat called the Saint-Etienne of about twenty tons and he was to hâve a third of the profits and a third

share of the expansés for three consécutive years. Sept. 6, 1726, the partnership was dissolved, the Turgeons, father and son, retired on account of their share in the profits. The ship, the Saint-Etienne, remained the property of M. de Lavaltrie and Joseph Filteau, who continued together the exploitation of the post of St. Augustine.*

On the death of his mother, March 1, 1733, M. de Lavaltrie had inherited certain rights in the seigniory of Lavaltrie. Nov. 3, 1733, M, de Lavaltrie sold to his eldest brother, Pierre Margane de Lavaltrie, ofîficer in the troops of the detachment of the Marine, "His right of succession, mobile and immobile, fruits and revenues, which he could hâve in the succession of the late M. Séraphin Margane de Lavaltrie as well as in that of the lady Louise Bissot, their father and mother, for the sum of 2,200 livres."t

The Seigniors under the French régime were often as poor as their tenants. It was not until four years later that the Sr. de Lavaltrie was able to pay ofï his debt of 2,200 livres to his brother.

Sept. 11, 1737, M. de Lavaltrie farmed out his post on the River St. Augustine, on the coast of Labrador, for the time and space of three years to Michel Petriînoulx. Charles Cheron and Nicolas Cheron, the elder, ail of Québec. The three partners were to carry on the business of fishing for seal of trading with the savages, of hunting, etc., etc., in the place of M. de Lavaltrie. This lease was made for the sum of 250 livres a year. The partners paid their first year's rent in advance.

In 1739, a sad event changed the destiny of M. de Lavaltrie. On the 29th of December his wife, Angélique Guyon-Despres, died at Beauport at the âge of fîfty-five years. She had given him a son, Ia)uis-François Margane de Lavaltrie, born at Beau-

*Acte de Lonet, September G, 172C>.

tAote (le Adlienior, Novembor 3, 1733.

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port, Jan. 28, 1713. Eleven months before the death of his mother, on Jan. 22, 1739, at St. Thomas, young de Lavaltrie had married Marie-Anne Couillard. Left alone in his home, M. de Lavaltrie decided to become a priest. During the 1740 and 1741 he was biisy arranging ail his affairs and disposing of his interests.

Dec. 9, 1741, M. de Lavaltrie rented, from Sept. 1, 1742, to the same day of 1748, his estate commonly called St. Augustine, on the coast of Labrador, to Jean Baptiste Pommereau, lavv'yer of Québec. M. Pommereau was to hâve possession during his lease of ail the privilèges granted to M. de Lavaltrie by the act of concession of May 26, 1720. This lease was made for the sum of 250 livres a year. It was understood between AL de Lavaltrie and M. Pommereau that at the end of this lease M. de Lavaltrie could not rent it to anyone without giving the préférence to M. Pommereau.

His afïairs in order, M. de Lavaltrie entered the high seminary of Québec. He must hâve completed an excellent course of study for he received ail the orders in less than two years. He was ordained priest by Mgr. de Pontbriand Sept. 22, 1742.

M. de Lavaltrie continued to réside in the seminary of Québec assisting the curé of Québec in the functions of Holy Minister. Li Jan., 1746, Mgr. de Pontbriand appointed M. de Lavaltrie curé of the parish of Cape St. Ignace. Raised to the priesthood, when he was fifty-eight years old, sick and worn out, M. de Lavaltrie was not in condition to assume the duties of a Holy Minister in the country. In Sept., 1747, he returned to the seminary at Québec. Mgr. de Pontbriand made hîm priest of l'Hôtel Dieu at Québec though he lived at the seminary.

M. de Lavaltrie died at the Hôtel Dieu at Québec, March 6, 1750, and was buried the next day in the cemetery of this hospital. It is said in his act of burial that he died "fortified

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l)y the sacriments of the church and after having suiïered vvith patience the pain of a long sickness and having given everyone an example of great virtue."

A Word concerning the son of M. de Lavaltrie. We hâve been able to find neither the place nor the date of his death. Ali that v/e can assert is that he died betvveen Dec, 1743, and Aug., 1744. His widow remarried at Beauport, July 3, 1747, Louis Fournier des Carrières, cadet in the company de la Martiniere in the troop of the detachment of the Marine.

By her marriage with M. de Lavaltrie she had had four chiidren.

1. Louis François Margane de Lavaltrie. Born at Beauport, April 6, 1740. In 1766 he was an officer in the troops of Louisiana.

2. Marie-Louise-Michelle M. de L. Born at Beauport, Sept. 19, 1741. Died at Québec, May 17, 1784.

3. Marie-Anne M. de L. Born at Beauport, Sept. 19, 1742. Died at Québec, Oct. 16, 1797.

4. Angélique M. de L. Born at Beauport, Aug. 27, 1744. Died at St. Thomas, Jan. 4, 1768.

10. Catherine-Alphonsine M. de L. Born at Montréal, March 11, 1690. Died Aug. 17, 1690.

11. Louise-Marguerite M. de L. Born at Montréal, Dec. 5, 1691. Married at Québec, Oct. 28, 1713, to Claude-Charles Du Tisne, ensign of a company of the troops of the detachment of the Marine.

M. du Tisne, originally from Paris, of the parish St. Germaine d' Auxerre, came to New France in the beginning of the 18th century. In 1714 he obtained permission to serve in the troops of Louisiana. In 1722 he received the command of a company and the following year the king gave him the command of a post among the Illinois. He died among the Illinois in 1730.

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One of the sons of M. du Tisne was burned by the Chickasaws, March 25, 1736, at the saine time of M. de Vincennes.