François Bourassa and Marie LeBer.

François and Marie.

Our ancestor François Bourassa was born about 1659 in Poitou, France to François Bourassa and Marguerite Dugas. He came to Contrecœur in New France sometime before 16 August 1683 where he is noted in a record.

He was 25 when he married our ancestor Marie Leber on 4 July 1684 at Fort Saint-Louis (Chambly); it was her second marriage. Their first child François was born there on 30 September 1685. Like the rest of their children our ancestor Marie-Elisabeth was born in La Prairie on 25 February 1695.

François was as an engagé, that is, he was employed in the fur trade. One such contract with the Compagnie de la Baie du Nord took him to Hudson Bay in 1686. Along with Marie's brother Joachim Jacques Leber he contracted with René Legardeur on 27 June 1688 which took them out to deal with the Ottawa. And again on 11 May 1690 there is a contract where we see them and Andre Babeau, Pierre Roy's son-in-law. This trip took them out to Michilimackinac. His wife Marie's uncle Jaques Leber was a wealthy merchant and active in the fur trade so he may have encouraged the young man to make his mark in the field.

The Bourassa's built their home in La Prairie on a plot of land next to the church.

François died at the age of 49 in the hospital in Montréal on 5 May 1708. His 23 year old son François died later that same year.

His other children, René 20, Elizabeth 13, François-Joaquim 10, Charles Joseph 5, Antoine 3, and Suzanne 1, were left to be raised by their mother. Our ancestor Elisabeth wed Jacques Pinsonneau four years later in 1712 at age 17.

Third Marriage.

Marie Leber, 48, married for a third time on 22 April 1714 in La Prairie to Pierre "le Petit Paqualt" Hervé. He too had lost his wife of twelve years, Catherine Patissier with whom he had three boys.

Pierre Hervé died 6 April 1736 and was buried in La Prairie. Marie lived to the age of 90 to see the initial stages of the French and Indian War. She died and was buried on 24 December 1756 in La Prairie.