Anne Lagou.

Born around 1652 to Pierre Lagou and Marie Boiscochin, her father had died by the time she made the voyage in 1670 to Canada from her home in the parish of Saint-Étienne in Mans, Maine, France. She was among the filles de roi, young women who took advantage of a program sponsored by the king of France to help populate Québec. Her ship came in on 31 July 1670. Among her fellow travelers aboard La Nouvelle-France were our ancestors Georgette Richer and Marguerite Raisin, as well as over 125 other women between the ages of 20 and 30.

Her First Marriage.

Pierre Vallière was born around 1647 to Louis Vallière and Perrine Fournier. He appears on a list of passengers of the Moulin d'Or in 1666. Settlers in Québec were required to follow the Catholic faith, and thus he, and 36 others were confirmed at the church of Notre-Dame de Québec on 31 May 1667. At age 20 he is found in the 1667 census on the coast of Notre Dame des Anges working as a "domestique" for Pierre Parent. He was an indentured servant and Parent would pay off his passage and other debts in return for his service for a period of about three years. Once he completed the terms of his contract he would be free to establish himself and marry.

He would meet Anne Lagou in the presence of her chaperone, Anne Ganier, who shepherded many young women making their way to the colony. As was customary, they signed a marriage contract in advance of the wedding on 25 August 1670. The contract notes she received 300 livres tournois from her intended. From the King, she had been awarded 50 livres, and some property worth 200 livres which included practical items such as needles and material to sew clothes. In keeping with the couteme de Paris, all would become community property after the marriage. The marriage itself took place on 08 September 1670 in ville de Québec.

Their Farm in Saint-Augustine-de-Desmaures.

Anne and Pierre had eight children, the first of which, a boy named Pierre, was born in 1671 in Beauport just east of Québec, though he lived only a few days. By 1673 they had made their move to Saint-Augustine-de-Desmaures just to the west. Anne's shipmate Georgette Richer also settled in this area.

Women and children often went barefoot in the milder months. Not unlike the Indian women with whom they lived in close association, they wore a blouse and skirt that according to one observer, did not meet the middle of their legs. It was the women who tended the "kitchen garden" of vegetables like cabbage and onion, and native vegetables like potato and corn, for their family's consumption.

Smoking a pipe was an important daily ritual so tobacco plants were part of every field. They did plant some cash crops, mostly cereals like wheat and corn, perhaps some peas to sell in ville de Québec, but generally, they ate what they grew.

When their twins were born, Jean and Remy, their neighbor Remy Dupille, stood as parrain to his namesake, Remy Vallière. Sadly, he was the only one of the twins to survive.

Vallière's Passing.

His date of death is not recorded, though it is known Pierre died around the age of 34 prior to the time of the 1681 census. He left behind a pregnant wife and 5 children.

The young widow, just 32, had 4 arpents of land under cultivation and owned 3 bestes á corne. Her children were Pierre 9, Marie 8, Madeleine 6, Remy 4, and Jean 2. Her sixth child, another Pierre, was born 24 October 1681.

She lived in the wilderness, and though not isolated from her neighbors, she would have to manage the harvest and replanting, tending the animals, protecting her young children, the daily chores of cooking and cleaning, defense against the elements and any threat from man or beast.