CHATAIGNE, Marie
Abt 1622 - 1699 (77 years)
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Before the King’s Daughters: Filles a Marier (1634-1662) (5)
The Filles à Marier were courageous and pioneering women who shaped the early days of New France. Between 1634 and 1663, these "marriageable girls" embarked on a journey from France to the untamed wilderness of what is now Canada, driven by a desire for autonomy and a better life.
Unlike their successors, the Filles du Roi, the Filles à Marier were not sponsored by the state and did not receive a dowry from the King. Their decision to migrate was a bold one, motivated by the prospect of greater freedom and the unprecedented opportunity to choose their own husbands – a stark contrast to the rigid norms of arranged marriages back in France.
Their impact on the colonization of New France was profound. Of all the single women who arrived in New France through 1673, a quarter were Filles à Marier. These 262 women, often recruited and chaperoned by religious groups, played a pivotal role in the early population growth of the colony.
Life in New France was far from easy. These resilient women faced the perilous ocean crossing, the constant threat of conflict with the Iroquois, the rigors of subsistence farming, brutal winters, and the ever-present danger of disease. Yet, they persevered. Most were married and began families within a year of their arrival, laying the foundations of a new society in a harsh but promising land.
To be recognized as a Fille à Marier, a woman had to arrive in New France before September 1663, be of marriageable age (12 through 45), and either marry or sign a marriage contract in the colony, without being accompanied by both parents or a husband.
In our family history, the legacy of the Filles à Marier is deeply ingrained. My husband and I are descended from at least 49 of these remarkable women, and our research continues to uncover more connections. Each of them not only survived but thrived in the face of adversity, contributing to our rich ancestral tapestry.
This section is dedicated to their stories, their struggles, and their triumphs. As we explore the lives of these extraordinary women, we pay homage to their spirit and the indelible mark they left on our family and the history of New France.
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Name CHATAIGNE, Marie [1] Birth Abt 1622 Bournevaux, Aunis, France 
[1] Gender Female Arrival Abt 1656 Canada Calculated based on her marriage date Differentiator Fille a Marier Before the King's Daughters Fille a Marier Yes Residence 1667 Village of Fargy, Beauport, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada [1] Death 21 Feb 1699 Quebec City, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada [1] - Marie died in the home of her daughter Marie and husband Jean Clouet
Person ID I13021 My Genealogy Last Modified 15 Jul 2024
Father Living Relationship natural Mother Living Relationship natural Family ID F9544 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family LEFEBVRE, Pierre, b. 1627, Villers Sur Mer, Lisieux, Normandie, France d. 30 Aug 1687, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada (Age 60 years)
Marriage 17 Aug 1656 Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada [1] - Pierre signed name on marriage contract but Marie could not
Children 1. LEFEBVRE, Jean Baptiste, b. 23 Jun 1658, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada d. 6 Feb 1736, Beauport, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada (Age 77 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]▻ CRETE, Marie Madeleine m. 22 Oct 16852. LEFEBVRE, Marie, b. 20 Jun 1657, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada d. 22 Jun 1657, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada (Age 0 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]3. LEFEBVRE, Marie II, b. 4 Jul 1664 [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] Family ID F9414 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 15 Jul 2024
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Event Map 
Birth - Abt 1622 - Bournevaux, Aunis, France 
Arrival - Calculated based on her marriage date - Abt 1656 - Canada 
Marriage - 17 Aug 1656 - Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada 
Residence - 1667 - Village of Fargy, Beauport, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada 
Death - 21 Feb 1699 - Quebec City, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada = Link to Google Earth Pin Legend 
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Notes - Pierre Lefebvre, born around 1627 in Villers-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, was the son of Nicolas Lefebvre and Marie Vauverin. A master carpenter by trade, Pierre arrived in New France around 1652, settling in the village of Fargy in Beauport.
Marie Chataigne, born about 1622 in Bournevaux (or Bournezeau), Aunis, France, was the daughter of Nicolas Chataigne and Catherine Sionnel (or Lionelle). Marie likely came to New France as a fille à marier, one of the young women sent to the colony to help establish families.
On August 17, 1656, Pierre and Marie were married at Notre-Dame de Québec. Their union produced three children: Marie (baptized June 20, 1657, but died two days later), Jean-Baptiste (baptized June 24, 1658), and a second Marie (baptized July 6, 1664). The 1667 census shows the family living in Fargy, with Pierre listed as a 45-year-old carpenter.
Tragedy struck the family on August 30, 1687, when Pierre Lefebvre was found dead in his barn at Beauport. The circumstances of his death led to a complex legal battle that sheds light on the harsh realities of colonial justice.
Initially, Pierre was quickly buried. However, on September 26, 1687, the sénéchal of Beauport declared Pierre's death a suicide resulting from madness. This ruling had severe consequences. The sénéchal ordered that Pierre's body be exhumed, dragged through the town twice, and then hung by the feet on a scaffold in front of his barn. Furthermore, all of Pierre's property was to be confiscated by the seigneur of Beauport, Joseph Giffard. Marie was accused of covering up the suicide and was to lose her rights to their communal property and pay a fine of 20 livres.
The family, led by Pierre's son-in-law Jean Clouet (husband of their daughter Marie), appealed this harsh sentence to the Conseil Souverain on October 13, 1687. In a strategic move, they requested that several council members recuse themselves due to their connections with the seigneur of Beauport.
On October 20, 1687, the Conseil Souverain overturned the lower court's ruling. They ordered that Marie be absolved of liability for court costs, that the confiscated property and fines be returned to her, and granted permission for Pierre's body to be exhumed and reburied in consecrated ground. Pierre Lefebvre was finally laid to rest with dignity on October 25, 1687, in the cemetery of Beauport.
This incident highlights the complexities of colonial law and the harsh treatment of suicide in 17th-century New France. It also demonstrates the resilience of Marie Chataigne and her family in fighting for justice and dignity in the face of tragedy.
After these tumultuous events, Marie continued to manage her affairs. She made her will before notary Charles Rageot on January 22, 1699. Marie Chataigne passed away in Québec City at the home of her daughter Marie and son-in-law Jean Clouet on Rue Sault-au-Matelot. She was buried on February 21, 1699, in Québec City, bringing to a close a life marked by both hardship and perseverance in the challenging environment of early New France.
- Pierre Lefebvre, born around 1627 in Villers-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, was the son of Nicolas Lefebvre and Marie Vauverin. A master carpenter by trade, Pierre arrived in New France around 1652, settling in the village of Fargy in Beauport.
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Sources - [S1896] Peter J. Gagne, Before the King's Daughters: The Filles a Marier, 1634-1662, (Name: Quintin Publications; Location: Pawtucket, RI; Date: 2002;), Listing for Chataigne, Marie pgs 87-88.
- [S1896] Peter J. Gagne, Before the King's Daughters: The Filles a Marier, 1634-1662, (Name: Quintin Publications; Location: Pawtucket, RI; Date: 2002;), Listing for Chataigne, Marie pgs 87-88.
