FORESTIER, Catherine
Abt 1634 - 1694 (60 years)Set As Default Person
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Name FORESTIER, Catherine Birth Abt 1634 La Rochelle, Manche, Basse-Normandie, France [1] Gender Female Arrival 1657 Canada [1] Differentiator Filles a Marier, Before the King's Daughters Fille a Marier Yes Residence Between 1669 and 1671 Boucherville, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada The family moved here; they were one of the first families to do so and colonize this land Death 31 Mar 1694 Boucherville, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada [1] Person ID I13866 My Genealogy Last Modified 15 Jul 2024
Father Living Relationship natural Mother COIFFE, Julienne, b. Nantes, Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire, France d. 20 Apr 1650, Notre-Dame, La Rochelle, Manche, Basse-Normandie, France Relationship natural Family ID F11491 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family MENARD LAFONTAINE, Jacques, b. Abt 1632, Mervent, Vendée, Pays de la Loire, France d. 14 Jan 1707, Boucherville, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada (Age 75 years) Marriage 19 Nov 1657 Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada [1] - Neither spouse could sign their name
Children 1. MENARD, Marie, b. 7 Sep 1659, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada d. 2 Jul 1726, Chambly, La Vallée-du-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada (Age 66 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] ▻ BOURDON, Jacques m. 16692. LAFONTAINE, Marguerite Menard, b. 5 Sep 1658, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada d. Bef 1666 (Age < 7 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 3. LAFONTAINE, Jean-Baptiste Menard, b. 27 Nov 1660 [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 4. LAFONTAINE, Louis Menard, b. 28 Jul 1662, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 5. LAFONTAINE, Maurice Menard, b. 7 Jun 1664 [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 6. LAFONTAINE, Jean Menard, b. 16 Mar 1666 [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 7. LAFONTAINE, Marguerite Menard, b. 22 Jan 1668 [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 8. LAFONTAINE, Jeanne-Francoisse Menard, b. 24 May 1669 [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 9. LAFONTAINE, Anne Menard, b. 2 Apr 1671, Boucherville, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 10. LAFONTAINE, Marie-Madeleine Menard, b. 19 Jan 1675 d. 30 Jan 1675 (Age 0 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 11. LAFONTAINE, Therese Menard, b. 4 Oct 1676, Boucherville, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 12. LAFONTAINE, Jacques Menard, b. 17 Aug 1678, Boucherville, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada d. 14 Jan 1707 (Age 28 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] Family ID F11470 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 15 Jul 2024
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Event Map = Link to Google Earth
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Photos Marriagable Girls Before the King's Daughters
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.
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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 Forestier, Catherine, pgs 135-137.
- [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 Forestier, Catherine, pgs 135-137.