Étienne Campeau dit Limousin

Notes

• Location info: Limousin, France (birth), Ville-Marie (marriage,death)
• Pionnier de la Nouvelle-France. Arrive au Québec en c1660.
• Il était maçon et taillandier de métier et habile au travail du bois. Il a également servi dans la milice.
• Contrat de mariage entre Étienne Campeau et Catherine Paulo le 13 nov 1663 par notaire Basset.
• Chef des Campeau d'Amérique du nord.

More Notes

acc to Denissen (v1 p197) Steven was born probably at LaRochelle, and died before 1721 ... was a stone mason and resided at Ville Marie, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

from Our French Canadian Ancestors:

After it was organized on 27 Jan 1663, Etienne was placed in the 9th squad of La Milice de la Sainte-Famille. There were 7 men in each of the 20 squads. He was under the command of corporal Jacques MOUSNIER.

His occupation was mason. He also farmed and was a talented cabinetmaker and squarer of timber. ==================================

Étienne /Campeau Dit Limousin/- Brive-la-Gaillarde, Limousin, France and died on 24 Sep 1692 in Montréal, Île de Montréal, Québec, Canada, New France, at age 54.

It is almost certain that all the Campeaus of North America belong to the same extended family and that they are all descendants of Étienne Campeau-dit-Limousin, who was born around 1635 at Brive-la-Gaillarde, in the province which gave him his surname. Little is known of his early years in France, or of what led him to immigrate to New France in the early 1660s. After reaching the colony, he becomes a farmer and a militiaman as well as practising the trades of mason and toolmaker.
His name first appears in the records of Ville-Marie in early 1663. At that time, the inhabitants were hard-pressed to insure their own safety despite the best efforts of the colonists and soldiers to protect the town. On January 27, Paul de Chomedy de Maisonneuve publishes an ordinance creating the Sainte-Famille militia, calling on all inhabitants to come to the defence of the village, until the arrival of "help from his Majesty".

"Recognizing that this island belongs to the Holy Virgin, we believe that we must call upon and exhort those who are zealous in Her service, to join into squads of seven persons each and, after electing a corporal by a plurality of votes, to come to sign up and join our garrison." As a reward for the brave souls, who include Étienne Campeau, Maisonneuve directs Major Zacharie Dupuis to officially record the ordinance and the role of the militia "to serve as their mark of honour, having risked their lives for the interests of Our Lady and the public welfare."

While no one knows when Campeau arrived in New France, it has been suggested, because of his links to the Le Moynes and the LeBers, that he arrived around 1659 or 1660, an placed himself in their service. Moreover, there is also a possibility that Louise Mauger, the wife of the first colonist in Montréal, Pierre Gadois, was related to Étienne Campeau's mother. Moreover, Campeau can be found clearing land in the west end of Montréal Island, adjacent to that of the Gadois (Gadouas) sons.

According to Lucien Campeau, who wrote a history of his ancestors, Étienne Campeau was settled in and doing well as early as 1663. The system in place in the colony at that time required most emigrants to serve three years indentureship before being able to acquire land and get permission to settle on it. On October 21, 1663, Campeau, jointly with François LeBer, promises to work the lands belonging to Jeanne Le Moyne and Jacques LeBer, at Point-Saint-Charles. A few weeks later, on November 13th, in the presence of the notary, Bénigne Basset, he is affianced to Catherine Paulo, a fille du roi, who had arrived the previous summer. The daughter of Pierre Paulo and Renée Cordetelle, Catherine, who was born in La Rochelle around 1645, was the cousin of Marie Paulo, a "girl for marrying" (fille à marier) recruited by Marguerite Bourgeoys in 1659. The latter was present at the couple's wedding, celebrated in the chapel of Hôtel-Dieu in Montréal on November 26th.

After the marriage, the couple seems to take up residence at Pointe-Sainte-Charles with François LeBer and his second wife, in the house built on land they rented the same year. Nothing significant happens in 1664, safe the confirmation of Étienne Campeau whose name appears on two lists of confirmations, one in May and the other dated July 11th... In September, their son, Étienne, is born. The following year, Campeau-dit-Limousin courageously accepts Maisonneuve's offer to settle on the shores of the Saint-Pierre River, with his family and those of six other colonists. Campeau realizes that his primary task will be "to stop the Iroquois from using the river to reach Ville-Marie". Simon Cardinal, Jean Roy-dit-Lapensée, Pierre Gadois, Pierre Raguideau and Michel Neveau-dit-Chicot, agree to do this at the same time as Campeau. The residents of Montréal will designate this group as the Argoulets meaning those who use harquebuses, or matchlock guns.

A first house is built and, in accordance with an agreement entered into on January 4, 1665,"the first person to build will have to endure the others in his home until such time as everybody's house is built." Not all the parties will be able to live up to their contractual obligations. Michel Neveu and Pierre Rauguideau are killed during the first summer. However, despite many misadventures and frequent changes of neighbours, Étienne Campeau will remain on his original piece of land and add to it by purchasing neighbouring properties.

In the first census carried out in the colony, in 1666, Campeau states that he is 28 years old and married to Catherine "Cordetel". In 1667, he claims to be 30 years old, has two children and has cleared six arpents of his land. This area of Montréal attracts more settlers. A plot of land granted to Zacharie Dupuis will become known as Verdun, while further west, Lachine is growing.

Lucien Campeau searched in vain for his ancestor's death certificate in the official records of Montréal. "The date of his death can only be determined from a piece of paper found in Claude Maugue's office, dated the afternoon of September 24, 1692...", he writes. "The entry suggests that the death was sudden and unexpected, perhaps accidental. Étienne was only 54 years old."

(History prepared by Hélène-Andrée Bizier)

Noted events in his life were:

• Alt. Birth: Alt. Birth, 1638, La Rochelle, Aunis (Charente Maritime), France. 32

• Alt. Death: Alt. Death, 24 Sep 1692, Montréal, Québec, Canada. 32

• Occupation: Farmer, Militiaman, Mason And Toolmaker.

• Emigration: Bet. 1659-1660.

• Residence: 21 Oct 1663, Point-St-Charles.

• Residence: 4 Jan 1666, St. Pierre River.

• Confirmation: 11 Jul 1664, Montréal, Île-de-Montréal, Québec, Canada.

• Alt. Birth: 1638, Limousin, Correze, Poitou, France. 79

• Alt. Birth: 1638, La Rochelle, France (Probably).

• Alt. Death: Abt. 1721, Montréal, Québec, Canada.

=================================================================================================

Marriage, 26 Nov 1663, Chapel of Hôtel-Dieu, Île de Montréal, Québec, Canada.

• Marriage Contract: 13 Nov 1663, Notary Bénigne Basset.

Of their 15 children, seven daughters and six sons will marry. Michel, Jacques and François became toolmakers. The first two Campeaus are among the pioneers at Fort Detroit, and François spread the Campeau patronymic throughout Québec in general and the Beauce in particular.

Children from this marriage were:

         i.   Jacques /Campau/ -born on 31 May 1677 Montréal, Québec, Canada - died on 8 May 1751 in Detroit, Canada, New France (Michigan)

ii. Étienne /Campau/, Jr -born on 2 Sep 1664 Montréal, Québec, Canada - died on 8 Sep 1723 in Montréal, Québec, Canada
iii. Marie /Campau/ -born on 24 Nov 1665 - died on 7 Feb 1736 in Notre-Dame, Montréal, Québec, Canada
iv. Michel /Campau/ born on 14 Jun 1667 Montréal, Île-de-Montréal, Québec, Canada - died on 9 Sep 1737 in Montréal, Île-de-Montréal, Québec, Canada
v. Jean /Campau/ -born on 30 Dec 1668 Montréal, Québec, Canada - died on 30 Dec 1668 in Montréal, Québec, Canada
vi. Catherine /Campau/ -born on 17 Nov 1669 Montréal, Île de Montréal, Québec, Canada, New France - died on 16 Feb 1750 in Vercheres County, Québec, Canada
vii. François /Campau/ -born on 18 Oct 1671 Montréal, Île de Montréal, Québec, Canada, New France - died on 2 Jun 1741 in Montréal, Québec, Canada
viii. Catherine /Campau/ -born on 14 Jan 1674 Montréal, Québec, Canada - died on 3 Dec 1705 in Montréal, Québec, Canada
ix. Louise /Campau/ -born on 6 Oct 1675 Montréal, Québec, Canada - died on 20 Dec 1730 in Montréal, Québec, Canada
x. Mary Elisabeth /Campau/ -born on 20 Jun 1683
xi. Jeanne /Campau/ -born on 1 Jun 1679 Montréal, Québec, Canada - died on 30 Jun 1721 in Longueuil, Chambly County, Québec, Canada
xii. Jean Baptiste /Campau/ -born on 16 Mar 1681 Montréal, Québec, Canada - died on 9 Jan 1748 in Montréal, Québec, Canada
xiii. Francis /Campau/ -born on 12 Nov 1686
xiv. Marie Elisabeth /Campau/ -born on 30 Jun 1683 Montréal, Québec, Canada
xv. Agathe Barbara /Campau/ -born on 22 Feb 1685 Montréal, Québec, Canada
xvi. François /Campau/ -born on 22 Feb 1685 Montréal, Québec, Canada - buried on 2 Jun 1741 in Montréal, Québec, Canada
xvii. Charles /Campau/ -born on 27 Dec 1688 Montréal, Québec, Canada - died on 30 Dec 1688 in Montréal, Québec, Canada
Notes for Etienne Campeau:
Etienne was born about 1638 in Brive-la-Gaillarde (diocese of Limoges), Limousin, the son of Leonard Campeau and Françoise Mauge. The earliest tracing of the Campeau line in France began initially in Limoges, France in the 1500's where it is recorded that a Louis Campeau wed Hippolyte La Fontaine. This union produced a son, Leonard Campeau, who wed Francoise Mauger. Leonard and Francoise were the parents of Etienne Campeau who was born about 1635 in the parish of Breve La Guillard in Limousin, Limoges, France. It is believed that Etienne emigrated to Montréal, QC (called New France) around 1659-1660. The Campeau family began in North America with the marriage of Etienne Campeau and Catherine Paulo (one of the pioneering King's Daughters) on November 26, 1663 in Montréal. Just before getting married, Etienne established himself by taking a lease on land at Pointe St. Charles, in October 1663. In 1665, for the purpose of further colonization and to provide a buffer zone between the hostile Iroquois Indians and the Montréal settlers, Montréal Governor Paul de Chomedey offered land grants along the shores of the Petite Riviere St. Pierre to those settlers brave enough to set up homesteads on this first line of defense. Only seven accepted: Jean Baptiste Gadois, Pierre Rageneau, Jean Roy, Simon Cardinal, Pierre Gadois, Michael Neprue and Etienne Campeau. These seven men were esteemed for their bravery and dubbed the "Argoulets" (Archers) after an original corps of cavaliers of great reputation in the French Army. Within that first year, Pierre Rageneau and Michael Neprue were killed by Indian arrows. After three harrowing years, the French militia conquered the Iroquois in 1668, The first census taken in Canada was in 1666. At this time we find 28 year old Etienne and his family in Montréal. He was a master mason and "taillandier" a maker of cutting tools. In the 1667 census he claims to be 30 years old and has 6 arpents of cultivated land. Etienne Campeau was declared dead at age 54 in 1692. A notation in the registry of Notary Claude Maugue, dated September 24, 1692, lists the assets of the deceased, and states that the "death was unexpected." Did Etienne die while far from home on some hunting or fur-trapping expedition and perhaps buried along some wilderness trail? The specifics are unknown, but he is certainly not entombed with his wife, Catherine, who was declared a widow at age 46 and remained a widow for 29 years before dying April 16, 1721 and is interred alone in Montréal.

Notes for Catherine Paulo/Collau, King's Daughter: "King's Daughters", page 444, Catherine Paulo was born about 1645, the daughter of Pierre Paulo and Renée Cordetelle. According to her marriage contract, she is from the parish of Notre-Dame-de-Cogne in La Rochelle, Aunis, but the marriage register gives her birthplace as Saint-Nicolas de La Rochelle. After her father's death, she left for Canada in 1663, at age 18. On 26 November 1663, Catherine married Etienne Campeau at Montréal. Neither spouse could sign the marriage contract drawn up 13 November by notary Basset. Catherine's cousin Marie Paulo, who came to Canada in 1659, was present at the contract. Catherine Paulo was buried 16 April 1721 at Montréal. Taken from: http://genforum.genealogy.com/campau/messages/218.html

Dit Limousin.