The following was taken from a book written by Archange Godbout, although the title, and much of the information was lost when my older version of Word wouldn’t mesh with newer versions. However, I have salvaged what I could which, at least for now, gives us an idea as to the early beginnings of our Boucher family.
The Boucher Family lived at Mortagne, Orne (France) in the 16th. and 17th. centuries. There were several Gaspard Bouchers.
The journals of Leblond, notary of Mortagne, which are stored at the Archives of Orne, France, show that on November 17,1593, a small parcel of land was purchased at Saint-Germain, of Loyse, by Christoflette Massard, widow of Gaspard Boucher.
Another Jaspard, or Gaspard, Boucher (who signed his name as J. Boucher), merchant from Notre-Dame-de-Mortagne, appears in the notes of the aforementioned Leblond on February 28th. and November 27th., 1615. It is likely he who signed a transaction with Bart, notary, on August 25,1616, and he too was a merchant living in the Parish of Loyse with Marie Leroux. Marie was baptized at Notre-Dame-de-Mortagne on January 20,1626 and was buried at St-Croix on May 8,1644.
On February 26,1651, notary Mathurin Barre passed an act in the house of Gaspard Boucher, hotelkeeper at Mortagne. None of these Gaspard Bouchers have been identified with the father of the governor of Trois-Riviere (Quebec) who was a carpenter from the Parish of Notre-Dame-de-Mortagne and who married April 1620 to Nicole Lemere (Lemer).
However, there is a transaction well worth mentioning; On July 30,1611, recorded by the aforementioned Leblond, notary, Jaspard Boucher (he signed G. Boucher), carpenter from the Parish of Notre-Dame-de-Mortagne, worked hard for the rights of the heirs of the late Jacques Boucher and Francoise Paigne to claim their inheritance. The ownership of the estate of their parents, originally owned by Me. Galleran Deschamps and situated in the Parish of Loise, was being challenged by Jean Saugeon, merchant from Premestiere, of the same Parish. The estate in question was acquired by inheritance at the death of Jean Boucher, by his son Jacques.
In conclusion of the aforementioned action, which is recorded at the Archives at Orne, Gaspard Boucher and his brothers and sisters took possession of the estate at the Parish of Loise in 1611, which had been rightfully inherited from their parents (Jacques Boucher and Francoise Paigne), and from their grandfather, Jean Boucher.
Two transactions recorded later by Roussel, notary of Mortagne, give some further details about the family, it's origin and the date of departure for Canada by Gaspard Boucher and his family. Found in a communique by Mr. Farce; On July 15,1634, Guillaume Lespron, merchant from Mortagne, settled his affairs with Ceron Bigot, merchant from Brezolettes. This action was witnessed by Gaspard Boucher, carpenter, from the Parish of Notre-Dame-de-Mortagne, and Jean Pelletier, merchant from the Parish of Brezolettes.
Then on March 19, 1635, as recorded in the Archives at Orne, a sale was made to Lady Jeanne Desjouis, widow of the Honorable Toussaint Brulle, in the home of the Noble Nicolas Desjouis. The venders were Nicolas Boucher, from the Parish of Louise in Mortagne, Gaspard Boucher, carpenter from the Parish of Notre-Dame in Mortagne, and his wife Nicole Lemere. Some of the land that was sold was part of an inheritance that Gaspard Boucher had previously enjoyed. The transaction was witnessed by Pierre Gadois, farmer from the Parish of Saint-Martin, at Ige.
The two actions, like another testament on April 30,1634, of Marie Castrie, mother of Nicole Lemere, appear to be very important. Gaspard Boucher sold his farm in February 1634, but the above mentioned actions prove that he was still in France until after the sale of part of an inheritance which he sold jointly with Nicholas Boucher, his brother, of whom little is known. Sometime after the sale in the spring of 1635, Gaspard Boucher and his family departed for New-France (Canada).
Jean Boucher, whose property was acquired through inheritance by his son Jacques, carpenter from Notre-Dame-de-Mortagne, appears as godfather at Saint-Langis-lez-Mortagne on July 4,1582, and on August 29,1587, he denied responsibility for the three children of Nicole Chouet, widow of Rene Baron. He declared that the signature on the document was not his. His children; 1- Nicholas Boucher: 2- Gaspard Boucher, who sold part of his inheritance with his brother in 1635.
Other heirs to estate of Jacques Boucher, identities unknown:
Gaspard Boucher, carpenter from Mortagne, Orne (France), who emigrated to New-France (Canada) with his family in 1635, was still living at Trois-Riviere on May 20,1662. He likely married about 1620, to Nicole Lemere, who gave him eight children, four of whom were born in France, the remainders all born in New-France.
Despite numerous searches in the Archives at Mortagne by the author, it has been impossible to find the relationship between Gaspard and Marin Boucher. Two documents in Canada, dated August 24th. and September 12th. 1638, name the parents of Marin but it is not possible to make the names out.
My notes - On page 242 of `Genealogie des familles de la Riviere-Ouelle' by Adolph Michaud, there is a reference to Pierre Boucher, governor of Trois-Riviere, as being a nephew to Marin Boucher, carpenter. This would suggest then that Marin and Gaspard were brothers.
Also in the book `Les Vieilles Familles d'Yamachiche' by Desaulniers, this footnote can be found "Marin Boucher was the uncle of the celebrated Pierre Boucher who became governor of Trois-Rivieres, and who was enobled in a letter by Louis XIV"
Marin Boucher, mason from Saint-Jean, married February 7,1611 to Juliane Baril, daughter of Jean Baril and Raoulline Creste, from Barre, in the Parish of Saint-Langis-lez-Mortagne. Juliane died December 15,1627 and was buried at SLM, and Marin married Perrine Malet in 1629. He can be found mentioned in the minutes of Leblond, notary at Mortagne, on different occasions;
A receipt of Jean Boucher Sr., mason, from Barre, in the Parish of Saint-Jean-de-Mortagne, and of MARIN Boucher, also a mason from the Parish of Saint-Langis, for Alexandre Lavye on February 18,1613. (his father??)
His signature on an agreement with Raoulline Creste, widow of Jean du Baril, on March 1,1614 (his mother-in-law).
Within the ledgers of the baptisms of the children of Marin Boucher were mention of Jean Boucher, mason from the Parish of Saint-Jean-de-Mortagne (1611),and Etienne and Nicole Boucher, children of Jean Boucher, from the Parish of Saint-Malo-de-Randonnai. The author writes of these witnesses;
Jean Boucher, mason from the Parish of Saint-Jean-de-Mortagne, signed a contract for construction on April 23,1593 (from the files of Leblond, Notary), and another one on March 31,1601, signed by Jean Boucher Sr. and Jean Boucher Jr., father and son from the same Parish. Jean Boucher Sr. appears in 1611 in the Parish of Saint-Langis with Marin Boucher, and he signed a contract on February 18, 1613, with Marin Boucher. Jean Boucher Sr. was buried at Saint-Jean on Feb. 18, 1616.
My notes - Most of the text has been lost, but it ends with -It is this Nicole and Etienne Boucher who appear in the church registers at Saint-Langis with the Marin Boucher family.
This Jean Boucher (above) was trustee to the Jean Boucher below;
Jean Boucher, mason, from the Parish of Loyse, and ___, also a mason from the Parish of Saint-Jean at Motragne, gave their word to build a chapple and tower at Loyse, according to Leblond, Notary, on March 20,1602. This Jean Boucher, child of Aubin Boucher, mason, and of Claire Gesbert, died in 1613. The rest of the text cannot be used.
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