Noël Bulteau and
Marie-Marguerite Debuire.

Noël and Marie-Marguerite both came from Picardie in northern France, but found each other in Ville de Québec where they were married.

The Spice Road.

Marie-Marguerite Debuire is also in records as Marie-Marguerite-Claire. Her father, Jean-Gabriel Debuire, was a Marchand épicier, or spice dealer, in Amiens. Spices were thought to be remedies for numerous ailments and were sought for their medicinal value rather than merely to flavor food. Since they came from the far away orient the precious herbaceous plants were in short supply.

The closure of the Silk Road after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople forced traders to use sea routes and indirectly led to the discovery of the New World as sailors tried to find the shortest way to the markets in East. The Italians and Portuguese, the Dutch and later the English aggressively angled for access to suppliers leading to the Spice Wars in the 1500's.

The stakes were high. Nutmeg was thought to cure the plagues which ravaged London, thyme or rosemary might be used to mask the scent of unwashed crowds within the confines of the great halls. Cinnamon, which has antimicrobial properties, was used in embalming and in food preservation. Delicate saffron and pungent cumin, used to help with digestion, and cloves, used as an anesthetic, were prized. Black pepper was an important commodity as it was a favorite seasoning in food and was said to cure constipation as well as insomnia. France was fortunate to have a steady supply of salt, used since antiquity as a preservative in a pre-refrigeration environment. A Roman soldier who was "worth his salt" may have accepted his pay in salt in place of cash.

Set up in this lucrative trade, Jean-Gabriel married Marie-Marguerite Leroux 3 August 1701. Their daughter was born in France about 1704.

Marriage in New France.

The first mention of their daughter Marie-Marguerite Debuire in Québec was at her marriage on 18 February 1727. The Intendant of New France, Claude-Thomas Dupuy, was one of many witnesses who signed the church record for the wealthy merchant's daughter. Added to the signatures of both Noël and Marie–Marguerite, is one that appears to be that of her mother.

Her husband Noël was born in Rouville on 15 July 1688 to Jean-Baptiste (or Noël in some records) Bulteau and Marguerite Bonart who married in Saint-Fuscien on 5 March 1685. He came to Canada sometime before 1727 where he served as master of the house for Intendant Dupuy. The post of Intendant, the civil administrator for the colony, was conferred by the King of France. He meted out justice and oversaw finances, so to run his household would put Noël in close proximity to the elite of Québec. The house itself was known as Le Palais of the Intendant. The terraces and gardens surrounding the building were considered to be the most beautiful in the town. Intendant Dupuy's term was short-lived as he was recalled to France after only two years. Bulteau then became a négociant in the city.

Noël and Marie-Marguerite had four children: one who died in December 1728, Marie-Françoise born in 1728 lived only seven years, Noël-Louis born in 1729 and our ancestor Nicolas in 1733.

Noël died in the hospital, Hôtel-Dieu, in Ville de Québec on 3 July 1755. Marie-Marguerite Debuire evacuated the town with scores of others as it was attacked by the British during the French and Indian War. She likely went with her son Nicolas to LaPrairie where her death record is found on 27 April 1759.