Person:Louis Houde (1)

== Louis Houde and Madeleine Boucher == Louis Houde, son of Noël Houde and Anne Lefebvre, was born in 1617 in Manou, diocese of Chartres in the county of Perche, now the department of "Eure et Loir". He arrived in New France in 1647 and worked for at least three years in the household of the lord Noël Juchereau de Chastellées. He quickly acquired land in Saint-Augustin, in Quebec City (where the Grand-Allée is now) and in the seignory of Sillery.

He married Madeleine Boucher on January 12, 1655 in her father's home at Château-Richer. Madeleine--daughter of Marin Boucher and Perrine Mallet--was thirteen years old. Within the next two years Louis acquired new farms in Beaupré and on the Île d'Orléans. In 1658, the family was established on land with a frontage of four arpents (about 767 feet) along the river and extending into the island. They remained there over the twenty four years that saw the birth of thirteen of their fourteen children. (For most of the history of French Canada, land was held by "Seigneurs" or land-lords who received rents from those who held leases which were bought, sold and passed to heirs much like deeds.)

As the children began to establish their own homesteads, the farm was obviously too small. Consequently, the family moved to Sainte-Croix de Lotbinière (above Quebec on the south bank of the Saint Lawrence) on a huge holding of 9 arpents along the St-Laurent by 40 arpents deep acquired from the Ursulines of Québec. The sons each had their own holding and some of them took surnames reflecting the characteristics of their land: Desrochers (stony), Desruisseaux (with brooks), Bellefeuille (with trees).

Louis Houde was obviously successful in his business dealings and by way of philanthropy donated the land for the first church of Sainte-Croix. Although all records are lost, it is thought that Louis Houde died in 1712 at the age of 95. (His wife lived on to an equally venerable age.) The descendants of Louis Houde and Madeleine Boucher are now found throughout Canada, in many areas of the United States and in many places around the world.

The fourteen children of Louis Houde and Madeleine Boucher

1. Jean. Born about 1659, he marries Anne Rouleau on August 23 1678 at Sainte-Famille. He dies at Saint-Nicolas (Lévis) and is buried on March 29 1701 at Saint-Nicolas (Lévis).

2. Françoise. Born about 1660, she lives only five years and dies at Château-Richer. She is buried on April 26 1665 at Château-Richer.

3. Louis. He is the first son to have the given name Louis. He is born on September 28 1662 and baptized on September 30 1662 at Château-Richer. He marries Marie-Madeleine Lemay about 1690 at Sainte-Croix (Lotbinière). He dies there before 1725.

4. Gervais. Born and baptized on December 23 1664 at Château-Richer, he marries Marie Denevers on November 24 1689 at Cap-Santé (Portneuf). He dies at Sainte-Croix and the inventory of his goods is made on March 2 1716.

5. Jacques. Born on March 24 1667 at Sainte-Famille and baptized on March 25 1667 at Sainte-Famille, he marries Marie Louise Beaudet on October 6 1686 at Saint-Louis-de-Lotbinière. He dies on March 23 1748 and is buried on March 24 1748 at Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly. Jacques and many of his descendants have taken the surname Desruisseaux.

6. Marie. Born on August 6 1669 at Sainte-Famille and baptized on August 10 1669 at Sainte-Famille, she marries Isaac Joseph Garnier on October 17 1685 at Neuville. The date of her death is not known.

7. Claude. Born on July 11 1671 at Sainte-Famille and baptized on July 13 1671 at Sainte-Famille, he marries Marie Madeleine Lemay, the sister of his brother Louis' wife, in 1695 at Sainte-Croix (Lotbinière). He dies at that place before 1728.

8. Louise. Born in 1673 at Sainte-Famille, she marries Charles Lemay, who is the brother of the wives of her brothers Louis and Claude, on May 26 1691 at Neuville (Portneuf). The date of her death is not known.

9. Marie Anne. She is born on December 22 1674 at Sainte-Famille and she is baptized on December 25 1674 at Sainte-Famille. She dies there a few days later and she is buried on January 5 1675 at Sainte-Famille.

10. Louis. He is the second son to have the given name Louis. He is born and baptized on December 23 1675 at Sainte-Famille. He apparently married Anne Ursule Bisson on May 19 1697 at Sainte-Croix (Lotbinière), but for an unknown reason, the contract was filed at the notary's office only on February 23 1711. He dies in April 1729 and he is buried on April 20 1729 at Sainte-Croix.

11. Joseph. Born and baptized on June 25 1678 at Sainte-Famille, he marries Louise Angélique Grenier on August 5 1697 at Neuville (Portneuf). He dies on July 27 1749 at Sainte-Croix (Lotbinière) and is buried on July 28 1749 at Sainte-Croix (Lotbinière). He is said to have the given name Bellefeuille.

12. Simon. Born on May 30 1680 at Sainte-Famille and baptized on May 31 mai 1680 at Sainte-Famille, he marries Marie Fréchet on November 23 1703 at Saint-Nicolas (Lévis). The exact date of his death is not known but the inventory of his goods is made on April 21 avril 1716.

13. Étienne. Born on April 4 1682 at Sainte-Famille and baptized on April 5 1682 at Sainte-Famille, he marries Élisabeth Ursule Denevers on April 16 1708 at Saint-Louis-de-Lotbinière where he dies on August 27 1750 and he is buried on August 28 1750 at St-Louis-de-Lotbinière.

14. Marie Angélique. Last child, she is not born at Sainte-Famille but at Sainte-Croix (Lotbinière) in 1683. She marries Guillaume Rognon dit Larouche in 1705 and dies at Sainte-Croix. She is burried on April 23 1727 at Saint-Louis-de-Lotbinière.

Louis Houde and Madeleine Boucher's children settled and lived at Sainte-Croix (Lotbinière) or in the vicinity of Lotbinière. On the other hand, the next generation dispersed in all directions from the family homestead.

1.   Yates Publishing, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 (- P rovo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004. - This unique
   Source number: 203.000; Source type: Electronic Database; Number of Pages: 1; Submitter Code: JC1.

   Name: Louis Houde Birth: 1617 Fr Marriage: 1655 Pq

2.   LOUIS HOUDE: UN PATRIARCHE, MAIS PLUSIEURS PATRONYMES.

   http://public.ivic.qc.ca/~lucette/houde.htm

3.   indiviual states, State Marriage Record Office (printed each year after e vent)
   Various by State.
4.   Généalogie Louis Houde.

   http://www.nosorigines.qc.ca/GenealogieQuebec.aspx?pid=5622