Jacques Bilodeau

There are many stories about Jacques and other Bilodeaus at www.bilodeau.org/family-stories.

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Jacques immigrated to Canada about 1652.

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The Story Of Jacques Billaudeau

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On 23 June 1652, "The small boat of the first ship from France arrived, commanded by Master Jean Poitel, the ship landed on the Isle aux Coudres". On the following 1 July "arrived M. de Charny & the men from this first ship".(1) Among these men who were not named, was there a passenger by the name of Jacques Billaudeau, originally from Poitou? (2) We do not know! What is certain is that the family of this M. de Charny was of Poitevin lineage and that his Parisian roots were rather recent.

CHARLES DE LAWSON AND HIS FIEF

Charles de Lauson, the last son of the governor of New France to settle on this side of the Atlantic, made unusual progress. Six weeks after his arrival, he married the thirteen year old daughter of the Seigneur de Beauport, Louise Giffard. In 1656, the year of the death of his young bride, he replaced his father as administrator and commandant of the country; he then called himself "Chevalier, Seigneur de Charny, Governor and Lieutenant-General for the King in New France". (3)

Charles returned to France in 1657, studied for the priesthood and was ordained less than two years later. In 1659, he returned to Canada in the company of Msgr Francois de Laval. Father Charny was immediately named Vicar-General, and accompanied the newly appointed Bishop Laval on his pastoral visit to Trois-Rivieres and Montreal. Charles became head clergyman of the Hotel-Dieu at Quebec. He then took over the duties of his brother Jean, the Grand Senechal, killed by the Iroquois in 1661. He then succeeded his father who died in Paris in 1666. Five years later, he returned to France and never came back. He spent the rest of his days at the Jesuit college at La Rochelle.(4)

To go backward in time for a moment, let us note that on 24 July 1652, Charles received from his father the most important land grant ever made on the Ile d'Orleans. The fief of Charny-Lirec included the whole north side of the island, the area of the present parishes of Sainte-Famille and Saint-Pierre. The deed mentions that persons must be chosen "who have the will and the ability to clear and cultivate the wild lands of this country of New France in order to fill it with inhabitants".

On 20 July 1656, Charles "Seigneur of Charny and of Lirecq" (5), pledged faith and homage to Olivier Le Tardif, provost judge of Beaupre, "On 26 April 1661. wrote Raymond gariepy, he completed the l'aveu et denombrement (local census) of his fief, which he gave to the administrator of the seigneurie the next day. According to this document, the fief of Lirec was almost completely inhabited in the parish of Sainte-Famille, but very little in that of Saint-Pierre". (6)

THE CONCESSIONS OF 2 APRIL 1656

On 2 April 1656, notary Francois Badeau recorded fourteen land grants made at Beauport by Charles de Lauson in 0a fief of Lirec The new concessionaires were Robert Gagnon, Jacques Billaudeau, Simeon Lerreau (aka Simon Lereau, ancestor of the L'Heureux family), Louis Cote, Guillaume Baucher dit Morency, Michel Guyon, Jacques Perrot dit Vildaigre, Pierre Loignon, Francois Guyon, Charles (Claude) Guyon, Rene Mezie (Mezeray), Pierre Nolin dit Lafougere, Guillaume Landry and Maurice Arrive. All of these early pioneers of the Ile d'Orleans count numerous descendants today.

Of course, other lands had been distributed on the island before these, but very few. The island was practically deserted and it would still be necessary for the habitants to wait more than ten years to finally obtain their first church.(8)

According to Leon Roy, (9) all of these habitants had already occupied their lands for several years. The acts of Badeau had simply served to ratify a situation of fact. The homestead that Jacques Billaudeau occupied at that time was the last on the west side, between that of Denis Guyon (which was sold in 1659 to the partners Jacques Asselin and Antoine Pepin dit Lachance) and the lands of the domain not ceded.

This property had four arpents (1 arpent=192 feet) of frontage on the north side of the river and was about 72 arpents in depth. It was directly across from the boundary between the parishes of Chateau-Richer and Saint-Anne. It was later divided between Jacques's two sons: Simon and Antoine. They were already settled there in 1709, as indicated by the map drawn up by Jean-Baptiste de Couagne. the surveyor associated with Gedeon de Catalogne.(10)

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY

Jacques Billaudeau had been married for almost two years when he received his concession from Charles de Lauson Chamy. The marriage was registered at Quebec on 28 October 1654, but the ceremony took place in the house of the Sieur de la Ferte (11). lt was there we learn that Jacques was the son of Pierre Billaudeau and of Jeanne Fleurie, and that the bride, Genevieve Longschamps (sometimes spelled Deslongschamps), was the daughter of Pierre and of Marie Desanter, The document does not indicate the couple's place of origin, but the list of those confirmed on 2 February 1660 at Chateau-Richer, says that Jacques, before coming to Canada, had lived in the region of Poitiers, but gave no further details.(12)

It seems that all the Billaudeau-Longschamps children were born, on the Ile d'Orleans, between 1656 and 1664. The baptismal record for Simon in 1662, has been found at Chateau-Richer; as for the others, it is necessary to rely on the approximate age mentioned in the various censuses. On this subject, let us note the local census of the aFleuricrriere-fief of Charny-Lirec which Charles de Lauson produced on 26 April 1661.(13)

This list counts forty property owners settled:

"from the boundary of Louis D'ailleboust Sr de Coulonges going step by step Towards Quebec. Until the lands of Damlle Eleonore de grandmaison and her Children except for what was given to the RR MM Hospitalieres and Ursulines & to Sr Rene Maheu And the depth from the north bank Including the sandbanks and the Islets As far as the Road or line which must cut the said Isle from Point to point". (sic)

Jacques Billaudeau's land was than situated between that of the associates Antoine Pepin dit Lachance and Jacques Asselin, and that of Claude Charlan dit Francoeur.

The Billaudeau family was listed in the census twice in 1666 on the Ile d'Orleans.(14) First they were noted as being between the lands of Nicolas Godeboust and Gabriel Gausselin, then between these of Tean Charpentier and Jacques Meneux Wc note other slight variations (errors) in the ages and names between the two recordings. At that time two servants helped our pioneer who undoubtedly had great need of them: Jean Le Vasseur and Claude Febvre.(15)

The census of 1667, which replaced that of 1666, was more explicit and undoubtedly more accurate. Therein it says that Jacques was 35 years old and Genevieve 28; their children were Louise, 11; Jacques, 10; Jean, 9; Antoine, 8; Simon, 5; and Gabriel, 3. The stable sheltered six animals, and 25 arpents were under cultivation. This time their immediate neighbors were Abel Turquot and Antoine Pepin dit Lachance.(16)

The Billaudeau family was listed again in the census of 1681 in the county of Saint-Laurent (the new name given to the Ile d'Orleans). Jacques was now 50 years old and his wife 42. Still living in the paternal home were: Jean, 29; Antoine, 22; Simon, 18; and Gabriel, 17. Again two servants: Mathurin Labreque, 17, and a child of 9 named Robert. The family owned a gun, 30 head of cattle and now worked 40 arpents of land.(17)

Between 1666 and 1708, the name of Jacques Billaudeau was mentioned several times in the records of a few notaries of his time: Romain Becquet, Gilles Rageot, Paul Vachon and Louis Chambalon were those who recorded for him. The nine or ten years when the children were being born and raised were completely silent in the notaries' records.

On 23 July 1666, Jacques Billaudeau was at Quebec. He had been summoned to the bishop's residence to conclude an agreement on passage rights of the animals and the maintenance of his part of the lane leading to the mill on the island. It was Messire Jean Dudouyt (18) who welcomed him in the name of ; Msgr de Laval, who was the Seigneur of Beaupre and the Ile d'Orleans. Besides the Abbot Dudouyt, Salomon Allais and Pierre Fauve signed the act as witnesses, with the notary Becquet. As usual, Billaudeau stated that he could not write nor sign his name.

A CONCESSION FROM THE NURSING SISTERS TO HIS YOUNG SONS

On 18 July 1677, our ancestor was again at Quebec, this time in the parlor of the convent of the Hotel-Dieu de la Misericorde de Jesus. He was accompanied by his nine year old son Jean. He and his brother Antoine were each to be given a piece of land "on the l'ile de Saint-Laurent formerly called i d'Orleans". These concessions consisted of three arpents of frontage on the river, with a depth extending to the center of the island. The lands were adjacent. The neighbors were, on one side, Jean Guyon du Buisson, and on the other side, Jean I Premont. The transaction was concluded in each case for an annual rent of 60 sols in silver and three capons. Jeanne-Agnes de Saint-Paul, the mother superior, and Jeanne-Francoise de Saint-Ignace, the treasurer, signed the deeds for the Nursing Sisters; Jean "Billodaux" signed for himself (which is astonishing, because his parents could not write); the bailiff Guillaume Roger land the notary Becquet placed their signatures.

Nearly four years later, on 27 February 1681 (19), Jacques Billaudeau acquired another piece of land with three arpents of frontage from Jean Premont. It was in the neighboring seigneurie of Saint-Francois de Sales d'Argentenay, towards the south side of the river, between the property of his son Jean and that of Claude Lefebvre, his former servant. The said land had been ceded by the Hospitalieres to Francois Daneau in 1675, and it was finally Simon, Jacques's youngest son who inherited. (20)

FISHERMAN AND HUNTER

The founder of the Canadian Billaudeau families had a particular weakness: he liked to hunt and fish. This distracted him from the work on his farm and from clearing his land, which he willingly entrusted to his servants. This also gave him a small additional income which was greatly appreciated.

Therefore, on 9 February 1664 (21), a judgment from the Sovereign Council of New France mentions a lawsuit by Louis Couillard de L'Espinay against Jacques Billaudeau and his neighbor Antoine Pepin dit Lachance. The plaintiff asked that the defendants be ordered to return to him a moose which they had "taken. and that Claude Guyon, his partner, had actually killed. (22) According to Couillard, Billaudeau and Pepin had taken and removed the carcass. Jacques admitted that he had indeed "taken" a moose in the woods; he drove it down to the bank where Guyon. got a shot at it. As for himself, he was content with the head, but he did not understand what the plaintiff meant when he stated that he only made his accusation the next day. In the end, the Council decided to send the parties out of court and to settle the suit without costs.

Ah, those quarrelsome ancestors! Much ado about nothing, as Shakespeare said.

On 20 October 1681 (23), Jacques formed a partnership with Jean Langlois and Antoine Cadde, merchant of Quebec, to go fishing and hunting in the seigncurie of La Riviere de la Madeleine, territory that Cadde had obtained from Frontenac on 31 May 1679. The Seigneur requested Langlois and Billaudeau buy or build themselves a suitable barge for the purpose of a long journey, for which he would pay each of them ten livres per year. However, a judgment by the Sovereign Council dated Monday 23 December 1686 informs us that difficulties occurred in this Partnership.

The contract of 1681 had been declared null (for not having been executed in time.) by the bailiff judge of Saint Laurent on 6 July 1683. Judgment confirmed on the following 17 November by the Provost of Quebec, and on the subject of which Cadde had brought an appeal to the higher court. The Council denied this appeal, ordering that the judgment be carried out according to its terms and conditions. Billaudeau was authorized to break his contract, while Cadde and Langlois would continue it, if they so desired.

Several years later, more precisely on 7 June 1694, the notes of Louis Chambalon mention another contract, this time between the navigator Francois Frichet and the Sieurs Baudouin and Labonte (24). All three were associated with Jacques Billaudeau and Jean Moricet in an agreement to fish during the present year.

A PIED-A-TERRE AT QUEBEC

On 5 November 1686, in the absence of her husband, Genevieve Longschamps appeared at the home of the notary Gilles Rageot in order to rent a small house, ten feet by twenty, on the Rue du Sault au Matelot in the lower town of Quebec. This was a transaction between women since the owner, Andre Parant, was a minor and was represented by his mother, Jeanne Badault, wife of Pierre Parant. The house was comprised of two rooms, a small cellar and a small attic, adjoining on one side a man named Lefebvre dit Grand Ville, and on the other, Andre Parant himself. The rent was 75 livres which Genevieve promised to pay in two payments: half in March, the other half at the end of the lease. Louis Bidet, Nicolas Metru and Guillaume Roger signed as witnesses.

Another document drawn up by Louis Chambalon and dated 15 February 1696 reveals that Jacques Billaudeau and his neighbor Jacques Asselin had been the farmers for Francois Berthelot. This was indicated in a farm lease signed between Louis Rouer de Villeray (acting for Berthelot) and Claude Charlan dit Francoeur and his wife. Francois Berthdot had been the first and only legitimate Count de Saint-Laurant (hence the name of the county which is often applied to the island at the end of the seventeenth century and the beginning of the eighteenth). He was commissioner-general of the artillery of France. His domain on the island had four arpents in frontage, and a depth three Steps above the crest of the hill, which forms a type of crescent beneath the place where a water mill has begun to be built.(25)

GENEVIEVE IS INVOLVED IN A STORY OF MURDER

The action took place between 1675 and 1677. On 29 December 1675, Gabriel Hervet, farmer for his brother-in-law Hippolyte Thibierge, was buried at Sainte-Famille. He had been found dead in the snow. Originally from Sainte-Solemme de Blois, diocese of Chartres, in Orleanais, Hervet lived at the Thibierge home for several years. He was a bachelor.

On this subject Raymond Boyer (26) wrote:

"Another hanging in effigy (because they could not get their hands on him) was ordered by the Sovereign Council in 1676. It was that of the imprisoned vagabond Simon Du Verger, a resident of the Ill Saint-Laurent, who had been found guilty of the murder of his neighbor Hervet and who had escaped from prison at Quebec a week after he was incarcerated and placed in irons. In addition, Du Verget had been sentenced to a fine of ten livres (due the King's Court, to pay expenses) and to have all of his property confiscated." This lead to a curious ruling: The Council ordered that the brother-in-law of the victim, before taking possession of the deceased's property, pay a fine incurred by the murderer. Another consequence of this litigation was a fine of 100 1ivres levied on Francois Cenaple, the warden of the prison of Quebec; at the same time, the Council ordered him to guard the prisoners more carefully.

How was Genevieve Longschamps involved in this story? don't know But We Do know, that this case was brought before the Council on the 6th, 7th, and 10th of March 1676. Genevieve was questioned in March 1677 and charged. On the following 31 August, it was ordered that Billaudeau and his wife appear so that Genevieve, in the presence of her husband, might be admonished to live a better life, and not to be the cause of a scandal in the future. The court also directed Jacques to:

"d'y tenir la main sur peine d~en repondre en son propre et prive nom,(27) a eux permis de se Retirer ou bon kur semblera"

On Tuesday, 29 May 1671, the Provost of Quebec also heard a case brought by Pierre Richer against Jacques Billaudau. Billaudeau failed to appear, and the expert testimony of Romain Becquet was heard; Jacques was ordered to pay a fine of nine livrcs plus court costs.

THE LAST YEARS

Early in the eighteenth century, Jacques and Genevieve knew that they did not have many more years to live. Therefore they decided to give their sons Simon and Antoine the four arpents ceded at Sainte-Famille in 1656 by Charles de Lauson-Charny. The act of donation was signed by notary Etienne Jacob on 7 August 1708.

This was the last document which mentions Jacques Billaudeau during his life time. According to Leon Roy (28), the Billaudeau couple was then probably living at Saint-Francois at the home of their son Simon. It was in this parish that they were both buried; he on 8 February 1712, nearly 80 years old; she on 28 March 1718 at the age of 88, according to the burial records. She had died the day before. A few months after Jacques's death, Genevieve settled some family business at the home of the notary Chambalon (29).

SIX OR SEVEN CHILDREN

Jacques Billaudeau and Genevieve Longschamps had six or seven children. The number is uncertain because of the loss of the majority of their baptismal acts. Godbout and Jette (30) mention seven of them, while Leon Roy (31) is satisfied with five. There were at least six of them: the census takers of 1666 and 1667 agree with the above; the existence of five sons is incontestable; the existence of one of the two Louise's is less certain

  1. This Louise would be the eldest daughter. She was eight years old when first mentioned in the census of 1666 and ten months in the second (it should read ten years). In 1667, she got back her right as the eldest with eleven years of age. We are unaware of anything more about her, even what became of her. She was not mentioned in 1681.

2. Jacques, born on 24 December and baptized at Quebec on 31 December 1656; was buried at Montreal on 27 August 1713 (32). His name appears in the censuses of 1666 and 1667. He was not mentioned in 1681: Perhaps he was a coureur des bois that year?
3. Jean, born at Sainte-Famille about 1658 and buried at Saint-Francois on 3 September 1699. Married at SainteF,amille on 26 October 1682 (contract Vachon, 31 August), to Elisabeth Lehoux (1665-1683), daughter of Jean and of Elisabeth Drugeon, remarried in the same place on 20 November 1684 (contract Vachon, 21 October) to Marie Jahan dit Laviolette (1667-1719), daughter of Jacques and of Marie Ferra (four sons and three daughters). This family settled at Saint-Francois.
4. Antoine, born at Sainte-Famille about 1659 and buried at Saint-Francois on l December 1732. Married at Sainte-Famille on 13 November 1685 (contract Vachon, 23, October), to Genevieve Turcot (1666-1724), daughter of Abel and of Marie Girou (five sons and six daughters). This family also lived at Saint-Francois. Antoine, who was a militia officer, owned several pieces of land, all of which had a house, team and stable. In his father's presence in 1693 as witness, he made business contracts with Gervais Baudouin, Gilles Couturier, Francois Frichet and Claude Guyon (33).
5. Simon, born on the first of May at Sainte-Famille and baptized at Chateau-Richer on 5 May 1662; buried at SaintFrancois on 26 November 1742. Married at Sainte-Famille on 6 June 1689 (contract Vachon, 22 April) to Anne Turcot (16701716), daughter of Abel and of Marie Girou (two sons and seven daughters). The family lived at Saint-Francois. Simon had been a captain, second in command in the militia from 1721 to 1726. In the local census of 1725, his land at Sainte-Famille (which he had inherited from his father) had a house, barn, stable and 50 arpents under cultivation. His land at Saint-Francois was still hrger. In 1726, Simon gave an arpent to his son-in-law Francois Langelier on the condition that the latter keep it until his death. He also gave the Church one hundred livres to have prayers said to God for the repose of his soul. (34).
6. Gabriel, born about 1664; died and was buried at Sainte-Famille on 6 January 1685, at the age of twenty.
FAMILY NAME VARIATIONS

Belado, Belleau, Bellot, Bilaudelle, Bileau, Billaud, Billaudau, Billeau, Bilo, Billodaux, Billot, Bilodeau and Boileau.

The most common variation in the States is Bilodeau, which gave rise to Bellado, Billado, Bilow, Blodah, Bulow and Bylow.

END NOTES

   1)            JJ, 1871(1973), page 171.

2)The record of Confirmation in 1660 certifies to this origin.
3)This title of Seineur de Charny which Charles inherited from his
father came from his maternal grandmother, Isabelle Lotin, who
lived in the Yonne. Chamy is the principal location of the canton
situated in this department, on the river Ouanne, nearby Auxerre
4)DBC, Volume 1, pages 442-443. See Honorius Provost.
5)The name of Lirec has been added to honor the name of his
paternal grandfather, Francois de Lau~on. Seioneur of Lirec

  6)                   LSB & 10, page 41.

7)Franois Badeau, probably the son of Jacques and of Anne
Ardouin. He was the notary of Robert Giffard, Seigneur of Beauport,
and the secretary of Charles de Lauson-Charny.
8)The parish records of Sainte-Famille began in 1666, but the first
was built only three years later. The present church dates from
1743
Last Updated: 02/08/2008

Created and Maintained by Larry Warren.

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Jacques Billaudeau or Bilodeau weds in Quebec City, on October 28th 1654, Geneviève Longchamp or Deslongchamps, born around 1639, daughter of Pierre Longchamp and Marie Desanter or Desantes. Between the year of their mariage and 1664, at least six children where born to this couple.

On April 2nd 1656, Charles de Lauson concedes fourteen concessions in l'Île d'Orléans. They are awarded to : Robert Gagnon, Jacques Billaudeau, Simon Lereau, Louis Côté, Guillaume Baucher, dit Morency, Jacques Perrot, Pierre Loignon, Charles (Claude) Michel and François Guyon, René Mezeray, Pierre Nolin, Guillaume Landry and Maurice Arrivé.

The residence that Jacques Billaudeau occupies in that period is the last one to the west. This dwelling has a frontage of four arpents, on the river side, facing the limits of Château-Richer and Sainte-Anne's parishes, with a depth of seventy-two arpents.

The 1667 census states that Jacques Billaudeau is 35 years old and Geneviève Longchamp 28 years old, with their six children. They have six cattles and twenty-five arpents in assets.

On July 18th 1677, our ancestor is in Quebec City, at the "parloir du monastère de l'Hôtel-Dieu de la miséricorde de Jésus". His son Jean accompanies him, he was 19 years old. He and his brother Antoine will be attributed a piece of land "in l'île de St-Laurent formerly called Orléans" having frontage on the river with a width of three arpents, and a depth reaching the center of the island.

Nearly four years later, on February 27 1681, Jacques Billaudeau acquires another piece of land of a frontage of 3 arpents, in the neibourghing seigneurie of Saint-François de Sales d'Argentenay, on the south side of the river, between his son's property and that of his former servant Claude Lefebvre.

In 1681, Jacques is now 50 years old and his wife 42. The family owns a gun, 30 cattles and now exploits 40 arpents of land.

The founder of the Bilodeau families has a mild sin : he likes to hunt and fish. This distracts him from the chores of the farm and breaking new ground, that he gives willingly to his domestics. This gives him a small revenue greatly appreciated.