Rocheteau and Resneau.

Charles Rocheteau.

Charles Rocheteau was born about 1601 in Le Poiré-sur-Vie, Vendée. He was the son of Jacques Rocheteau, a shoemaker, and Marie Gautreau. Charles apprenticed to become a tailor before marrying Esther Resneau in La Rochelle. They signed a contract prepared by notary Chesneau on 21 December 1628 in the presence of her brothers and of his cousin Moyse Gaulteau a merchant, who lived in St-Martin-de-Ré.

Esther Resneau.

Esther's father Zacharie Resneau, was a master tailor as well, one can imagine that perhaps young Charles was his protégé. While her mother was not named several of Esther's siblings are known including Marie, who married the tailor Guillaume Festier in 1613, Jacques a merchant, Zacharie also a merchant who died at age 55 on 24 February 1654, and a sister Anne. Her father Zacharie had set aside 300 pounds to be used for his burial according to the Calvinist rite. He lived to the age of 81 and was laid to rest 24 March 1658.

Family Life.

The couple were Calvinists, protected by the Peace of Alès in 1629 to practice their religion. The accord had been reached only after a brutal blockade of La Rochelle decimated the town's population the previous year. The edict granted amnesty but stipulated that Huguenots surrender all cities they held.

Our ancestor Suzanne was born on 9 April 1642 and baptized four days later in the Temple calviniste de la Villeneuve (her godparents were Pierre Boutault and Suzanne Burtel). Two of her older siblings had died in August of the previous year, Suzanne age 5 (it was not unusual to "recycle" the name of a deceased child) and Francois age 3.

She was 19 when she made the journey across the Atlantic among the fille á marier to help settle New France.