Building New France
After French explorer, Samuel de Champlain founded the city of Quebec in 1608, Louis XIII, King of France needed craftsmen and other industrious individuals to build, settle, and grow the region. Robert Giffard, Champlain’s ship surgeon, received one of the original land grants from the King in exchange for recruiting settlers. Giffard sailed back to the Perche region of France, his homeland, and began traveling from town to town creating excitement about the opportunities which awaited travelers to New France. In 1634 Marin Boucher and most of his family, with other Percheron emigrants, boarded one of the first ships to answer Giffard’s call.
Marin and Perrine (Mallet) Boucher
Marin Boucher was born in Montagne, France, located in the Perche Province about 1587.
After Marin’s first wife, Julienne Baril, died in 1627, he married Perrine Mallet. Marin and Julienne had seven children, one of whom traveled with the family to New France (Quebec region). Marin and Perrine had seven more children, five of whom were born in New France. The Boucher family home (inherited by Marin’s first wife) still stands in St-Langis-les-Mortagne.
The Bouchers were stonemasons and carpenters, trades in high demand in the colony of New France. After arriving in Quebec, Samuel de Champlain, himself, housed the Bouchers in Fort St. Louis until they could travel to their parcel of land in Beauport, down the river from Quebec City. Marin must have made substantial contributions to the new settlement because he received a small inheritance in Champlain’s 1635 will:
“I give to Marin, mason, living near the house of the Recollet Fathers, the last suit that I had made from material which I got at the store,”-Samuel de Champlain.
Before he died at age 84, Marin distributed his possessions between his children. His death certificate stated:
“In the year of our Lord Jesus-Christ one thousand six hundred and seventy one March 29, died Marrin Boucher after receiving all sacraments and final rights and was buried in the cemetery of Château-Richer by M. Morel accompanied by Rev. Nouvelle and myself who was performing ministerial duties on the coast of Beaupré, F. Filion Missionary Father”.
Pioneers of French Canada
By the end of the 1700’s, Marin Boucher’s descendants would number more than 8,500, making him one of the most prolific settlers of New France. The Robert and Lillian (Grandpre) Gregoire family are descended from Marin Boucher through Robert’s (Gregoire) father and both Lillian’s mother (Lavoie/Lavoy) and Father (Grandpre.) Famous descendants of Marin Boucher include Justin Beiber, Angelina Jolie, Madonna, Celine Dion, Ryan Gosling, and Justin Trudeau (Canadian Prime Minister).
shannon busha
January 19, 2019Hi Michelle,
Thank you so much for all of this information about Marin Boucher…he is my 8thGreat Grandpa directly on my father’s side. We are just starting out on the quest to trace our ancestry…..enjoying the journey….thanks again.
Michelle
January 27, 2019Hello Shannon,
Thanks for saying hello. Best wishes on your search!
Jason Boucher
February 26, 2019Thank you for the read. Marin Boucher is my 10th great grandpere. Very interesting.
Michelle
March 11, 2019You are very welcome, Jason! Thank you for taking the time to say hello.
Roland Boucher
June 2, 2019Hello Michelle,
I visited St. Langis and the Marin Boucher home at La Barre today. It is in a bad state compared with the pictures on your website and others I have seen on-line. The gentleman who is living there was kind enough to show me around the property and to take me inside to see the fireplace (Which is also in one of the photos on-line) but it too is not looking as good as it did when the previous photo was taken. I also saw the “Cave” where some old material are being stored and there is a green coloring on the ceiling, probably a fungus of some kind. The man living there told me that the owner is selling the property. Perhaps the Boucher descendants might want to buy it as a group and do some preventative maintenance to stabilize the house.
Prior to visiting the house I went to the Church where Marin Boucher was married and there is a plaque outside regarding his marriage and another plaque inside regarding his voyage to Quebec.
I photographed all of these places and would be happy to share the photos.
Michelle
June 2, 2019Wow! Thank you for sharing about your trip, Roland. I would love to connect with you, see current photos and hear of any discoveries. Please feel free to send me a private message or email.
Roland Boucher
June 4, 2019Hello Michelle,
Thanks for your reply. I would be happy to send you the photos. However, I did not see an email address on the blog site. Is it posted? If not, just send me an email to my regular email, which I have filled in on your form.
Best,
Roland
Ute Santy
July 7, 2020Hi,my name is Ute and I am researching my husbands family tree.Marin Boucher is his 9th grandfather,I love your website,very interesting.Thank you.
Michelle
July 7, 2020Thank you for saying hello, Ute. I am glad you enjoyed it. Feel free to email me if you want to connect on research.
leland d Quinn
November 2, 2020Hi Michelle, Marin Boucher was my 10th grandfather on my mother’s side.Sure you are already aware women are much harder to trace in history since they lose their name upon marriage.So, very happy to have this information.Thank you much!
leland d Quinn
November 3, 2020Michelle,I have the names of Marin Boucher’s father and grandfather:Father;Jacques Boucher,born 1545 in Mortagne France.Parents Jean Boucher and unknown mother.He married Francoise Paine…his father,Jean Boucher born 1510 in France
Michelle
November 3, 2020Hello Leland,
Thank you for saying hello and sharing the names of Marin’s family. I have the same information. Thank you for the confirmation. Feel free to send me an email if you would like to connect further about our shared family.
Michelle
leland d Quinn
November 4, 2020Michelle, I was wondering if you had read a book named,”Our French Ancestry in Huron County” (Michigan)? by,T.W. Denoimine.It is a virtual treasure trove of information about French Canadians.Not just Boucher names,but many others too.To my knowlage, only two copies exist.One is in Lansing Mi., the other is in Saginaw Public library of Mi.If interested, I can give you the address of Saginaw library…I realise you may live a long way from these places.
Michelle
November 14, 2020Thank you for the book suggestion. I don’t live near those libraries and haven’t seen it. According to Worldcat there is a copy at the Family History Library in SLC. I research there occasionally, so I will put it on my list.Thanks again!
Philip Boucher
May 4, 2021Hi Michelle, Marin Boucher was my 10th grandfather on my Father’s side. I’ve been researching the Boucher family tree since 1999. It is so rich with history! Thanks for your post. It seems I’m related to many who have replied to you, and you as well.
Michelle
May 6, 2021Hi Philip,
Thank you for saying hello! It has been fun connecting with so many French Canadian cousins. I plan to do more research this summer so hopefully will have new blog posts coming soon.
Kevin Boushee
December 19, 2021Hello…I’m a fourteenth generation descendant of Marin on my mother’s side. Some family names…Migneron, Baillargeon, Donais, Faubert…ones I remember. God bless…
Michelle
December 30, 2021Hi Kevin, Thanks for saying hello.
Tom Gauthier
January 1, 2022Hello Michelle, Happy New Year from Reno, NV. USA. I stumbled on your blog while researching for my novel “Charlotte – la Beauté et la Tragédie”. Charlotte Roussel was a fille du roi and the wife of Pierre Gautier dit Saguigoira. Pierre’s mother was Marie Ursule Boucher, daughter of Marin Boucher and Julienne Baril. Marin, then, is my 10th GGF. The historical/fiction novel is the life of Charlotte and Pierre – ending tragically in the Massacre of Lachine. It is 100% history except for my insertion of the hopes, dreams, feeling, conversations of the people – all accurate names. Large gaps in history (such as Pierre’s arrival in Quebec) I fill with intuitive interpolation of the probabilities from surrounding events. I have him reuniting with his grandfather Marin Boucher at age 18. Fascinating history! Thank you for your contibutions! Dr. Tom Gauthier
Michelle
January 23, 2022Hello Tom,
Thank you for saying hello and telling me about your novel. It sounds like a wonderful read. I will try and find it.
Tom Gauthier
January 23, 2022Michelle, Thanks for the reply. you will have to wait until summer to find my book. It is “under construction”.
In fact, as I saw your message come in, I was writing Chapter Thirty, about 200+ pages into the work, and about to see Pierre meet Charlotte for the first time in Ville-Marie. They will be married in the next chapter!
Marin Boucher and his son Louis-Marin (near the same age as Pierre Gautier) play a large role in the tale.
Hope we can share more from time to time.
Be Well,
Tom Gauthier
Reno, NV
Tom Gauthier
February 23, 2022Published!
Charlotte, la Beauté et la Tragédie,
by Tom Gauthier
Michelle
March 26, 2022Thank you, Tom. I am following your page on Amazon now.
David F Duffney
April 3, 2022Michelle,
I can’t believe all this info.
Will not look at Ancestry.com for a while.
If anyone can look at my tree through Ancestry.com; “David Duffney family tree”
You’ll see my Boucher lineage.
Hopefully this goes through and someone will reply.
Thanks, David.
David F Duffney
April 3, 2022Michelle,
I can’t believe all this info.
Will not look at Ancestry.com for a while.
If anyone can look at my tree through Ancestry.com; “David Duffney family tree”
You’ll see my Boucher lineage.
Hopefully this goes through and someone will reply.
Thanks, David.
Michelle
February 18, 2023Hello David and I apologize for the delayed response. Working leaves me little time for my blog these days.
Thank you for sharing your Boucher lineage with us!
Michelle
Kelly Knox
July 16, 2022I live in the U.S. and am a descendant. He is my 10th great grandfather. Thank you for this information.
David F Duffney
February 19, 2023A lot of Boucher’s here.
I hope all are as interesting as I am about our family.
I started around 1982 researching.
My grand mother Georgina Boucher was born and came to MN. from St Ignace in Quebec.
My Grand father Joseph Douphinet (Duffney) was born and came to MN. from St Gabriele Quebec
Michelle
April 8, 2023Hi David,
Thanks for reaching out! I am definitely still very interested but don’t have as much time for personal research now that I am researching professionally.
Gerald R. Messier
June 3, 2023Hi Michelle, That is to be admired for the work you do to help people find their family. Perhaps I could help you for I have bee a genealogist for close to 70 years. I am also an Historian, Researcher and lecturer, in French & Spanish. I am writing my third book now on my Messier family and I have gone back to royalty. If I was to work on your gene & get you back to nine hundred you would be related to Charlemagne also. I am a W W I I Vet of 95 and I have traveled close to half way around the world. I wish you all of the best in your life. Jerry Messier Michelle if you check the library of congress you will find my 2 books listed. BYE BYE