FAMILY

On the 22nd of August 1679, at l'Isle-aux-Grues or at L'Islet-sur-Mer, Damien then 32 years of age married Jeanne Savonnet (sometime written Savonet or Sauvenier). Jeanne, daughter of Jacques and of Antoinette (Thoinette) Babilotte, originated from Paris and she was 29 years old.

Jeanne is the widow of Jean Soucy dit La Vigne. She already had 4 children. She will have another 6 children with Damien:(1) (2) Jeanne-Marguerite, Pierre, Ignace, Marie-Josephte, Thérèse and Mathurin, born posthumous.

Damien died on the 7th of March 1688, followed on the next day by two of his daughters, Thérèse and Marie, under circumstances still unknown. They may have been victims of the smallpox epidemic which decimated the New-France during that year.

Death certificate

The transcript of the death certificate, found below, is based on the reproduction published in the bulletin La Source de "L'Association des familles Soucy inc."(4) Father Pierre de Francheville, missionary-priest at Rivière-Ouelle in 1685 to 1691,(5) omitted to sign it.

Anno Domini 1688 7^a martii obiit Damianus barubé omnibus sacramentis ecclesie premunitus sepultusque et octavo die eiusdem mensis prope patrum sepultus teresa barubé duorum annorum item maria barubé eius soror quinque annorum circiter

English translation:

In the year of our Lord 1688, on the 7th of March Damien Bérubé died and was buried having been provided with all of the sacraments of the Church and on the 8th of the same month, near their father, buried were Thérèse Bérubé, two years of age, as well as Marie Bérubé, her sister, of about 5 years of age.(6)

Jeanne and Damien rest in the parish cemetery of Rivière-Ouelle.

In 1988, Bérubé descendants erected a monument in the cemetery in honour of Damien.

(Click to enlarge)