Jean Dania and Marguerite Vaillant.

Migrating to the New World.

Marguerite Vaillant boarded La Nouvelle-France in La Rochelle with 81 other young filles du roi, some of whom began their trek in the port city Dieppe in La Manche or English Channel. They arrived in Québec 3 July 1668. The marriage record, which would have revealed the names of Marguerite's parents and her place of birth has not been found, but it is known she married Jean Dania soon after her arrival. She was confirmed in the Catholic faith on 25 May 1669 in the village of Batiscan.

Typically men came to Canada by way of an indenture contract obligating them for a period of three years or so. Jean Dania's origins are unclear however. He is first seen in the 1667 census taken in Cap-de-la-Madeleine.

A Thriving Farm.

After his marriage to Marguerite Vaillant the couple farmed 7 arpents of land upriver from Québec in Lotbinière on the southern shore of the Saint-Lawrence according to the 1681 census. The farms produced cabbages, onions and peas which were made into hearty soups and stews.

Wheat was grown and when harvested was sent to the mill to remove the bran. Without the fats within the bran of whole wheat, white flour could be stored for long periods of time. Snowy white bread baked in an oblong shape was an important component in their diet. Bread was eaten at every meal, sometimes dipped in brandy or served with onions.

They owned a gun and 7 bêtes à cornes (literally horned beasts, like cows). Lard, from pigs, was essential in cooking, though beef was preferred over other meats. Geese or turkeys, fish like turbot or sturgeon, and eels hung up in their chimneys to smoke were also part of their diet.

Jean was 30, Marguerite 35. Their children included: Marie 12, Madeleine 9, Jeanne 5, Françoise 3, and our ancestor Marguerite, who was born 8 August 1680 was 1 (Her birth record was found in Grondines).

It is known Marguerite Vaillant died on 27 Nov 1704 in Québec. Though the record concerning Jean Dania was not found he died in the same period, certainly before daughter Marie-Françoise' marriage in 1705. Our ancestor Marguerite Dania married a year after that.