François Séguin, dit Laderoute

About Seguin, Francois

Baptised at LEnfant-Jesus, Pointe-aux-Trembles Quebec...Details copied from the Seguin DAmerique Website - Page entitled Famille de Francois Seguin et de Jeanne Petit (ancetres de la plupart des Seguin dAmerique)......................From the Registre of Boucherville, on the 22nd of February 1702, after the publication of 3 Banns...Louis Seguin aged 23, son of Francois Seguin dit Laderoute and Jeanne Petit, and Marie Louise Feuillon aged 19, legitimate daughter of Michel Feuillon and Louise Bercier (further text and signatures unclear, note to return to shoebox) - FROM: http://theseguintree.tribalpages.com

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Concerning Francois, from history on his brother Jean Baptiste: ...In late 1704, Jean Baptiste, who at the time is 16 years old, sees his older brother Francois, age 26 and named for their father, become involved in a protest against a tax on salt. The protest had its origins in the early governorship of Philippe Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil. The irregularity of ships crossing the Atlantic and the high price of salt brought about the crisis. The colonists depended on salted meat and fish to get them through the winter. Fearing famine, a large crowd went to the home of a wholesale dealer who was known to have a large reserve of salt. Fr Belmont, the superior of the Sulpician order, went to meet the protestors to calm them. They had a petition asking the state to establish a lower price of salt, that other products from France be taxed to raise money as opposed to or in addition to salt, and that the wholesaler be punished.

The Governor of Montreal, Mr de Ramesay, who was away at the time of occurrence, called on the wholesalers upon his return and convinced them to adopt a fair price. Fr Belmont sent a letter to all parish priests instructing them to read the letter at all masses, informing parishioners of the wrongfulness of mutiny. When General Governor de Vaudreuil learned of Ramesay's action, he told him he had exceeded his authority in fixing a lower price of salt. He rescinded Ramsesay's order with the salt merchants but did order the wholesale dealers to give back to the colonists any overcharge for salt. Vaudreuil was inclined to punish the protestors but he relented in this action after being persuaded by Ramesay and Fr Belmont to exercise forgiveness and leniency. Instead, Vaudreuil issued an order on 12 Dec 1704, prohibiting all residents from having meetings or they would face prosecution for sedition. The seigneurs and captains of militia were charged with ensuring the order was followed.

In the Fall of 1705, the same situation and fears arose again and a new demonstration occurred. Vaudreuil ordered the arrest of the noisiest protestors, and Ramesay executed the order. Consequently, Jean Baptiste's brother, Francois, a resident of Lachenaye, was arrested and placed in the Montreal jail. He apparently was released though, pending the commencement of an official inquiry.

On 26 Oct 1705, the Intendant, Mr Raudot, instructed his subordinate in Montreal, Sieur Fleury dit Deschambault to begin proceedings against the "rebels." Five days later, in a new order, he authorized an inquiry into the actions of Francois Seguin. Under the law, Francois was considered guilty unless he could otherwise prove his innocence, and was not allowed to be represented by a lawyer. On 31 Oct 1705, Deschambeault interrogated his prisoner, and also learned of an accomplice, Jean Baptiste Lapointe. Francois was questioned again on 25 Nov 1705. The following day, Intendant Raudot commanded that Francois and Lapointe be arrested and taken to prison for further questioning. Francois, father of an 18 month old daughter, had to take leave of his wife, Marie Louise (Feuillon) Seguin, who was expecting their second child. On 8 Dec 1705, the two accused men were transferred to Quebec City to repeat their depositions asserting their innocence. In this system, Francois' two older brothers, Pierre (age 33) and Simon (age 31) were compelled to act as prosecution witnesses.

Christmas passed and on 4 Jan 1706, the proceedings resumed when Intendant Raudot ordered nine other witnesses to appear at the request of the prosecutor, Paul Dupuy. Finally, on 9 Jan 1706, the court rendered its verdict, concluding that both Francois and Lapointe were guilty of holding meetings to present a request to contravene the Governor General's ordinance of 1704. The court blamed Francois in particular as having "held seditious speeches which could entice those hearing them to revolt." Both men were fined 30 pounds sterling and were forbidden to violate the ordinance again. The punishment, imposed while Vaudreuil was governor, was considered light, and would likely have meant being sent to the king's galleys under the previous governor, Frontenac. The Minister de Pontchartrain reproached Vaudreuil even as late as 20 Jun 1707 in a letter. He accused Vaudreuil of mildness and that more of an example should have been made of the two men, otherwise, the government would be seen as weak by the "rebels," who would likely continue such activities.

Thus ended the prosecutorial action of Jean Baptiste's brother. Was Francois a troublemaker or just a leader who did not hesitate to put his liberty in jeopardy to help his fellow citizens in their claim for what was fair and just? Such were the conditions and times that our direct ancestor, Jean Baptiste Seguin, lived in as he approached adulthood.... - http://www.laddfamily.com/18197.htm