When my 3rd great-grandfather Pierre Baillargeon was born on August 6th, 1788 the population of the Province of Quebec was about 113,000; that’s about half of the current population of Washington County where I currently reside, in an area about the size of Alaska. He was baptized the same day at Saint-Cuthbert’s Church.1
Translation:
Pierre Baillargeon
On the sixth of August, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight by me, a priest under sign, baptized Pierre, born today, son of Antoine Baillargeon and Marie Josephe Plouf. The godfather Pierre Perault, the godmother Marie Angelique Faucher declared that they did not know how to sign.
(signature of priest)
End of translation.
Pierre was the 10th of 11 children (2 girls and 9 boys) born to Antoine Baillargeon and his second wife, Marie Josephe Plouf. Interestingly he was the 3rd son of theirs that they named Pierre. I wonder if that caused any confusion, or maybe it made it easier to gather them together since there were 3 children that would answer to the call of “Pierre.”
Pierre was 11 years old when his future wife Marie Theotiste Delisle was born on June 24, 1800. The following day she was baptized at Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu.2 Theotiste was the last of 3 girls born to farmer Pierre Delisle and his wife Therese Robert.
Translation:
B (baptism)
Marie Theotis Delisle
Saint-Antoine
69 (the 69th baptism in 1800 at Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu)
The year one thousand eight hundred on the twenty fifth of June by me, the undersigned priest, was baptized Marie Theotise born – yesterday of the legitimate marriage of Pierre Delisle, farmer of St. Antoine and Therese Robert; godfather Jacques Garant, godmother Marie Theotis Delisle who with the father declared not knowing how to sign.
Charles Germain priest
End of translation.
I find it interesting that the parish they usually attended, Saint-Antoine was not only notated in the record itself, but also in the left column of the record. I’m sure each priest had some discretion in how they documented records for their parish.
Theotiste was 21 years old and Pierre 33 years old when they were married on October 8, 1821 at Saint-Cuthbert, D’Autray, Quebec, Canada.3
Translation:
M29 (29th marriage at Saint-Cuthbert in 1821)
Pierre Baillargeon & Theotiste Delisle
On the eighth of October, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-one, after the publication of three marriage banns made at the sermon of our parish masses between Pierre Baillargeon, adult son of Antoine Baillargeon and the deceased Marie Plouffe of this parish, on the one hand, and Theotiste Delisle, minor daughter of Therese Robert and Pierre Delisle also from this parish on the other hand having declared no impediment to the said marriage and before having received their mutual consent of the parties under priest cure under sign we married them. And we gave them the nuptial blessing in the presence of Joseph Lumeau friend serving as father to the wife, Louis Baillargeon brother of the wife, Remi Lumeau father-in-law and Antoine Barette brother of the wife, who declared to us that he did not know how to sign.
(Signature of priest)
End of translation.
After they were married, Pierre and Theotiste resided in the Saint-Cuthbert area on the north side of the Saint-Lawrence River. There, over the next 17 years, Theotiste would give birth to 8 sons.
Theotiste was seven months pregnant with their last son when Pierre passed away on August 3, 1839, just 3 days shy of his 51st birthday.5 She also was left with 6 others boys/young men ranging in age from 3 to 17 years old to raise. They must have been trying times.
Pierre was buried on August 5, 1839 in the parish cemetery at Saint-Barthelemy, Berthier, Quebec, Canada.
Translation:
S25 (the 25th sepulture in 1839 at Saint-Barthelemy)
Pierre Baillargeon
49 years
On August 5, 1839, we, the undersigned priest, buried in the cemetery of this church Pierre Baillargeon, a farmer who died in this parish two days ago, aged forty-nine [according to his baptismal record he would have been 51 at the time of his death] husband of Theotiste Delisle. Present Antoine & Louis Baillargeon his brothers who did not know how to sign.
(signature of priest)
End of translation.
It was around 15 months later on November 17, 1840 when Theotiste remarried.6 Her new husband, Jean Baptiste Allard had also lost his spouse. Theotiste and Jean Baptiste had very few years together. She passed away on July 19, 1848 at 48 years old and was buried 2 days later.7
At the time of her death, the 5 youngest sons were probably still at home: Antoine Aime was 8 years old, Narcisse was 12 years old, Maxime was 15 years old, Joseph was 17 years old and Albert (my 2nd great-grandfather) was 19 years old. I don’t know if the boys remained together or not after her death. Some of these things can be impossible to find.
Translation:
S23 (the 23rd sepulture in 1848 at Saint-Barthelemy)
Theotiste Delisle
On the twenty-first of July, one thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, we, the undersigned priest, buried in the cemetery of this parish the body of Theotiste Delisle ——— wife of Jean Baptiste Allard a farmer, who [Theotiste] died in this parish the day before yesterday, about aged forty two years [according to her baptismal record she would have been 48 at the time of her death]. Present Louis Pepin and —– —– who failed to sign.
(Signature of the priest)
End of translation.
(Montreal is at the bottom left corner of the map along the Saint-Lawrence River)
As usual I would like to know more, especially about their deaths at such young ages. We have many family members during the same period of time that live long lives. What happened to Pierre and Theotiste? I’ll never know, so much is lost with the passing of generations. We can only work with what was left.
Thanks for visiting, come back soon,
Cindy
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Footnotes for Pierre Baillargeon & Marie Theotiste Delisle post
Most interesting, thanks so much. Wonder how many meat pies she’d make….
oxoxox