Mathurin Gagnon
| Mathurin Gagnon | |
| |
| Nationality: |  French Canadian (French subject)
|
| Born: | October, 1606 La Gaignonnière, Perche, France |
| Died: | April 20, 1690 Chateau-Richer, Québec |
| Father: | Pierre Gagnon |
| Mother: | Renée Roger |
| Spouse: | Françoise Goudeau |
| Married: | September 30, 1647 Notre-Dame de Quebec, Canada |
| Children: | Marthe Gagnon (Gauthier) Marie-Madeleine Gagnon (Goudeau) |
| Religion: | Roman Catholic |
| Residence: | La Gaignonnière, Perche, France Château-Richer, Quebec |
| Profession: | Merchant / farmer |
Mathurin Gagnon was born about Oct 1606 in La Gaignonnière, Tourouvre, Perche, France. He was baptized on 22 Oct 1606 in St-Aubin de Tourouvre, Perche, France. He was a merchant and farmer. Member of the Communauté des Habitants. Left for Canada in 1635 with his brothers and opened a shop in Quebec city. Travelled to France on business in 1643. Around 1640 established himself at Château Richer on land 6-1/2 arpents de front by 126 arpents deep. This was next to land owned by his brother Pierre. He bought and sold much land between 1646 and 1674 in Château Richer. He died on 20 Apr 1690 in Château-Richer, Québec. He was buried on 22 Apr 1690 in Château-Richer, Québec.
Mathurin was born 22 October 1606 in La Gagnonnière, Tourouvre, Perche, France.4 Before he left France for Canada, Mathurin was engaged to one Vincente Gauthier. Before a marriage could take place, Vincente and Mathurin had a child out of wedlock in 1636. Mathurin took responsibility for the child; and when he immigrated to Canada in 1637 he took the child--a girl named Marthe--with him. There is no mention of Vincente going to Canada. It can only be assumed that she died after--or maybe even during--the birth of Marthe.4 Mathurin was accompanied to Canada not only by his infant daughter, but by his two brothers as well. Mathurin was the best educated of the three; he was also the only one who could write. For this reason, he was the one who kept the accounts of the shop that the trio opened in Québec. In 1643, he was the one who traveled to France for the purpose of buying goods for the shop. In his personal life, he settled at Château-Richer in 1640 on land granted to him; then engaged in the common practice of buying and selling parcels of land; he would do this for the next 30 years or so.4 In 1647, his head was turned by one Françoise Boudeau or Goudeau. The bride was, at age thirteen, only two years older than his daughter! Françoise had been born in France, probably the Roche-Guyon area of Normandy, about 1649, daughter of François & Jeanne Jahan. Her father had died in France and her mother married Jacques Lehoux; sometime after this event, the family came to Canada. Françoise's stepfather was present at the wedding, as he signed the marriage record.2,4 The couple had sixteen children together; there is information for the following 14. All are believed to have been born at Château-Richer:
