DESPORTES, Pierre-Philippe

Other Events and Attributes:

• Differentiator: Among the very first settlers of Quebec

Notes:

Pierre Desportes, born around 1594 in France, was one of the earliest settlers in Samuel de Champlain's vision for a New France. Though his exact origins are unclear, Pierre was known to be literate, suggesting he received some education - a rarity for his time. He married Françoise Langlois, likely between 1617 and 1620 in France, before embarking on their life-changing journey to the New World.

The couple arrived at the fledgling Habitation de Quebec in 1619, accompanied by Françoise's sister Marguerite and her husband Abraham Martin. In this remote outpost on the St. Lawrence River, Pierre and Françoise became integral members of the small community. Their importance was underscored when Françoise gave birth to Hélène on July 7, 1620 - the first European child born in what would become Canada. Hélène's godmother was none other than Hélène Boullé, the wife of Samuel de Champlain himself.

Pierre wore many hats in the struggling colony. He managed a warehouse for storing fur pelts destined for export, served as the settlement's baker, and was even involved in correspondence with France regarding the colony's condition. His literacy made him valuable in a community where few could read or write. Pierre was also associated with the Company of One Hundred Associates, though his exact role remains debated by historians.

Life in New France was challenging. By 1625, only seven families resided in the settlement. The Desportes family's time in Quebec came to an abrupt end in 1629 when English forces led by David Kirke captured the outpost. Along with most other colonists, Pierre, Françoise, and young Hélène were forcibly repatriated to France via England.

Tragically, neither Pierre nor Françoise would return to the land they had helped pioneer. Pierre is believed to have died in Dieppe, France between 1629 and 1634, while Françoise passed away in 1632. Their daughter Hélène, however, would return to New France, likely under the guardianship of her aunt and uncle, Marguerite Langlois and Abraham Martin.

Despite their brief time in New France, Pierre and Françoise left an enduring legacy. Through Hélène's two marriages, first to Guillaume Hébert and then to Noël Morin, they became the ancestors of numerous individuals in North America, including several notable figures in entertainment, politics, and other fields.

While much of Pierre and Françoise's story remains shrouded in mystery, their role as some of the earliest French settlers in Canada, and as parents to the first European child born in the colony, cements their place in the founding narrative of New France. Their lives exemplify the courage, adaptability, and perseverance required of those who laid the foundations for what would become modern Canada.

Pierre-Philippe married LANGLOIS, Françoise in 1620 in Lisieux, Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France. Françoise was born on 13 Jun 1580 in Lisieux, Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France; died on 21 Apr 1632 in Richelieu, Rouville, Quebec, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Differentiator: She arrived at Tadoussac aboard the "LeSallemande", as an infant, on August 30, 1620; to become one of the earliest and youngest, settlers of French Quebec.

Notes:

Hélène Desportes, born around 1620 in Quebec, was the daughter of early French settlers Pierre Desportes and Françoise Langlois. She is often credited as the first European child born in New France.

Hélène's life epitomized the experiences of women in the early days of the colony. She first married Guillaume Hébert at a young age and was widowed by 19, left with three small children. On January 9, 1640, following a marriage contract signed on December 27, 1639, she wed Noël Morin, a 34-year-old wheelwright from France.

With Noël, Hélène had 12 more children between 1641 and 1656, including Germain, the first Canadian-born priest ordained in New France, and Marie, one of the first Montreal-born nuns.

Hélène's life in New France was marked by the challenges and triumphs of colonial life. She and Noël were granted a pew in the church in 1655, and in 1663, she became Madame de Saint-Luc when Noël was granted his seigneury.

Hélène died on June 24, 1675, at St. Thomas, Montmagny, Quebec, at about 55 years old, predeceasing her husband by five years. Her legacy as an important matriarch in early French Canadian society lives on through her numerous descendants, including many notable figures in North American history. Hélène Desportes' life story represents the resilience, adaptability, and crucial role of women in establishing and nurturing the foundations of New France.

Helene married MORIN, Noel I Sieur de St-Luc on 9 Jan 1640 in Quebec City, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada. Noel (son of Living and Living) was born on 21 Feb 1618 in Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France, France; died on 10 Feb 1680 in St-Thomas de la Pointe à la Caille (Montmagny), Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Helene married HÉBERT, Guillaume on 1 Oct 1634 in Quebec City, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada. Guillaume (son of HEBERT, Louis Gaston and ROLLET, Marie) was born on 31 Oct 1614 in Paris, Paris, Île-de-France, France; died on 23 Sep 1639 in Saint-Pierre-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud, Montmagny, Quebec, Canada; was buried in 1639. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Louise married CLOUTIER, Charles on 20 Apr 1659. Charles (son of CLOUTIER, Zacharie and DUPONT, Xainte) was born on 3 May 1629 in Mortagne, Charente-Maritime, Poitou-Charentes, France; was christened in 1624; died on 5 Jun 1709 in Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada; was buried on 5 Jun 1709 in Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Differentiator: Captured by the Iroquois and held as prisoner. A letter from a fellow captive noted that Joseph had been wounded in the arm and shoulder, but he was later tortured and stabbed to death by a drunken warrior.

Notes:

Died:
Captured by the Iroquois and held as prisoner. A letter from a fellow captive noted that Joseph had been wounded in the arm and shoulder, but he was later tortured and stabbed to death by a drunken warrior.

Françoise married FOURNIER, Guillaume on 20 Nov 1651 in Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada. Guillaume was born on 2 May 1619 in Coulmer, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France; died on 24 Oct 1699 in Saint-Thomas, Joliette, Quebec, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Marie married GAGNON, Joseph II on 26 Jan 1669 in Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada. Joseph (son of GAGNON, Pierre III) was born on 24 May 1677 in Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada; died on 13 Dec 1745 in Sainte-Famille, L'Île-d'Orléans, Quebec, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Marie married BLANCHET, Pierre on 17 Feb 1670 in Notre-Dame, Quebec City, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada. Pierre was born in 1646 in Rosières-en-Santerre, Saint-Omer, Somme, Picardie, France; died on 12 Apr 1709 in Montmagny, Quebec, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Simon married ROUSSEAU, Anne-Catherine on 12 Nov 1691 in Saint-Pierre-de-l'Île-d'Orléans, L'Île-d'Orléans, Quebec, Canada. Anne-Catherine (daughter of ROUSSEAU, Thomas and OLIVIER, Madeleine) was born on 19 Jul 1668 in Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada; died on 7 Dec 1749 in Saint-Pierre-de-l'Île-d'Orléans, L'Île-d'Orléans, Quebec, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]