JEAN DAIGLE dit LALLEMAND

Jean Daigle landed in New France as a recruit from the old continent in the fall of 1668. Marie de L’Incarnation described these new recruits as « a mixed breed: Portuguese, Germans, Dutch and some Moorish women…. ». On December 6th of the same year, our ancestor renounced Luther's religion in favor of Catholicism. From 1673 on, with the help of documents from that era, we are able to follow the main events that marked his life.

In the summer of 1673, Jean Daigle had to face justice according to the custom of Paris. His intervention in a quarrel between drunken people and his resistance to follow the orders of the chief of police who was trying to intervene, caused him to be jailed for 15 days. He was also fined 10 pounds and had to agree to an order from the court which prevented him from being involved in a quarrel again. He was warned that if he failed to follow this order, he could risk the death penalty.

In the following spring, Jean bought Pierre Ledoux`s land which was located in the Trait-Carré de Bourg-Royal ( 3 miles north of Quebec City). He built his house on the flank of a hill and integrated quickly into community life. His closest neighbor was the Proteau family and a little bit further south were the Bédard, Chalifour, Mignier, Paradis, Allard, and Boutet families as well as some others.

In a document dated 1681, we learn that Jean was working as a sailor. A last will and testament dictated to the notary Mr. Duquet and dated June 24, 1682, indicates that Jean is preparing for a long and perilous trip to the north. Indeed, Jean Lallemand was part of a crew of 29 sailors who went with Radisson and Des Groseilliers to Hudson Bay in order to regain control of the fur trade with the natives. The ending of this expedition was catastrophic for these two legendary merchants. The authorities required the restitution of all goods seized, boat and furs, for the benefit of the English merchants of New England. In 1689, Jean will accept an offer from Pierre Allemand, (a young pilot from Radisson's boat during the Hudson Bay expedition) to carry wood by boat, « where navigation on the river is possible ».

On November 5, 1685, our ancestor marries the eldest daughter of the Proteau family, Marie-Anne. She was a native of France and was declared to be 19 years of age. This document also revealed Jean’s European origin: …son of the late Georges D’Egme and Marie Chauvain, who was still alive and residing in Vienna, Austria. Jean Daigle is the first Austrian immigrant recorded in New France.

The first child of the Daigle-Proteau union died a few days after his birth in 1686. A second child, André, was born on November 2, 1688. Between the years of 1691 and 1698, Jacques, Etienne, Jean, Marie and Jean-Baptiste were born.

Our ancestor's death is implied in a legal document dated March 14, 1700 which was drawn up for Charles Marette of L’Ange-Gardien, in the region of Beauport, specifying the conditions of employment for one of Jean’s sons, Etienne. In the document, it is written that Marie-Anne (Jean’s wife) « gave her full consent… for seven years beginning at the feasts of the Pentecost the year before… ». This leads us to believe that Marie-Anne became a widow in May or June of 1699. No religious or civil document has been located concerning the death of Jean Daigle.

Marie-Anne then marries Pierre Vilday, a native of Spain in July, 1703. Mr. Vilday was ordered to make an inventory of the goods belonging to the Daigle family and appoint a guardian for the children. At the same time, he rented the seigneury of sieur Jacques Gourdeau which was situated at the tip of L’îsle d’Orléans (Ste- Pétronille) facing Quebec city. The list of items documented in the inventory from the Daigle home at Bourg-Royal (bed, plates, utensils, etc.) suggests that there were still two people residing there at the time. The two sons, André and Jacques continued living on the property until the fall of 1708 when creditors required the sale of the house in order to recover the unpaid taxes at the time of Jean's death.

On March 20, 1716, Pierre Vilday passed away. Following her husband’s death, Marie-Anne settled in the lower part of Quebec City. Marie-Anne then marries for a third time, a frenchman, Nicolas Cornières. This marriage is celebrated one month after her daughter Marie, marries Louis Richard in July, 1716.

Marie-Anne Proteau died on December 17, 1742 at the age of 76 and was buried the same day.