MERCIER, Jeanne
Abt 1627 - 1687 (60 years)
Set As Default Person 
-
Photos 
Albums 
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.
-
Name MERCIER, Jeanne Birth Abt 1627 Les Sables, Isère, Rhône-Alpes, France 
[1] Gender Female Arrival 1639 Canada Differentiator Fille a Marier Before the King's Daughters; Among the first 47 families that settled Quebec City (New France); contemporaries and acquaintances of Samuel Champlain Fille a Marier Yes Travel Between 1641 and 1648 France [1] The family returned to France for a time, returning to Canada in 1648 Death 14 Dec 1687 Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada [1] - Likely victim of the measles or smallpox epidemic
Person ID I13115 My Genealogy Last Modified 15 Jul 2024
Family POULIN, Claude I, b. 25 Jan 1616, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France d. 16 Dec 1687, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada (Age 71 years)
Marriage 8 Aug 1639 Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada [1] - Claude signed the contract but Jeanne could not
Children 1. POULIN, Marie Anne, b. 25 May 1661, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada d. 28 Mar 1743, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada (Age 81 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]▻ LESSARD, Etienne m. 17 Apr 16792. POULIN, Marie, b. 1 Jan 1641, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada d. 1716 (Age 74 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]3. POULIN, Pascal, b. 15 Feb 1645, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France d. Bef 8 Aug 1661, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada (Age < 16 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]4. POULIN, Madeleine, b. 27 Jun 1646, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]5. POULIN, Martin, b. 17 Oct 1648, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada d. 1710 (Age 61 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]6. POULIN, Rene, b. 2 Feb 1651, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada d. Bef 8 Aug 1661, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada (Age < 10 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]7. POULIN, Ignace, b. 19 Dec 1655, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada d. 1720 (Age 64 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]8. POULIN, Marguerite, b. 18 Oct 1658, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada d. 1722 (Age 63 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]9. POULIN, Pierre, b. 8 Aug 1664, Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada d. 1709 (Age 44 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]Family ID F9431 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 15 Jul 2024
-
Event Map 
Birth - Abt 1627 - Les Sables, Isère, Rhône-Alpes, France 
Arrival - 1639 - Canada 
Marriage - 8 Aug 1639 - Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada 
Travel - The family returned to France for a time, returning to Canada in 1648 - Between 1641 and 1648 - France 
Death - 14 Dec 1687 - Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada = Link to Google Earth
-
Notes - Claude Poulin, born and baptized on January 26, 1616, in the parish of Saint-Maclou in Rouen, Normandy, was the son of Pascal Poulin and Marie Levert. His early education and apprenticeship as a carpenter likely took place under the guidance of monks at Saint-Maclou de Rouen.
In 1636, at the age of 20, Claude embarked on a life-changing journey to New France. He arrived in Quebec on June 11, 1636, aboard a ship commanded by Sieur Courpon, part of a wave of new families recruited to bolster the fledgling colony.
Jeanne Mercier, born around 1627 in Les Sables-d'Olonne, Poitou, arrived in New France a few years after Claude. Though her parents' names are unknown, we know she had a sister, Denise, who married François Baugis and immigrated to New France around 1640-1641.
On August 8, 1639, Claude Poulin and Jeanne Mercier were married in Quebec City. Claude, a literate carpenter, was 23 years old, while Jeanne, who could not sign her name, was only about 12 or 13. Their union marked the beginning of a significant family line in New France.
The couple's first child, Marie, was baptized on January 1, 1641, in Trois-Rivières. Shortly after, Claude and Jeanne made a surprising decision to return to France. During their time there, they had two more children: Pascal, baptized on February 15, 1645, and Madeleine, baptized on June 27, 1646, both at Saint-Maclou de Rouen.
In the summer of 1648, the Poulin family returned to New France, settling initially in Quebec City. Over the next 16 years, they had six more children: Martin (1648), René (1651), Ignace (1655), Marguerite (1658), Marie (1661), and Pierre (1664). As their family grew, they moved to the Beaupré coast, where Claude received a land grant of six arpents in 1651.
Tragedy struck the family in 1661 when their sons Pascal, 16, and René, 10, either became lost in the woods or were captured by the Iroquois. This loss was a stark reminder of the dangers faced by settlers in New France.
Despite this heartbreak, Claude and Jeanne persevered. The 1667 census shows Claude as a 48-year-old carpenter and habitant, with Jeanne, 40, and their remaining children. By 1681, their household had changed, with only their adult sons Martin, Ignace, and Pierre still living at home.
Claude and Jeanne were active members of their community. Claude contributed to the construction of the church at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, both financially and with his carpentry skills. The couple's generosity and involvement in church affairs suggest they were respected members of their community.
Jeanne Mercier passed away on December 14, 1687, at the age of about 60. She was buried the next day at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. Claude followed her just three days later, dying on December 17 at the age of 71. He was buried in the church of Sainte-Anne on December 18. Their nearly simultaneous deaths may have been due to the smallpox or measles epidemics that affected the colony that year.
- Claude Poulin, born and baptized on January 26, 1616, in the parish of Saint-Maclou in Rouen, Normandy, was the son of Pascal Poulin and Marie Levert. His early education and apprenticeship as a carpenter likely took place under the guidance of monks at Saint-Maclou de Rouen.
-
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 Mesange, Marie, pgs 225-226.
- [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 Mesange, Marie, pgs 225-226.
