Paul-Francois Bertrand dit St-Arnauld
(1703-1784)(*)

Christening (March 22, 1703)

In the year one thousand seven hundred and three on the twenty second day of March, I undersigned priest cure of St-François Xavier de Batiscan have baptized Paul, son of Paul Bertrand dit St Arnould de Batiscan and of Gabrielle Baribaux,  his father and mother, and who has for godfather François Debroyeux and for godmother Genevieve Trottain who declared not knowing how to sign. The godfather signed with me.
                                                                                             P. Boy pte
    Note the presence as godmother of another girl of the Trotain notary, as well as the name of the new priest of Batiscan, Philibert Boy, entered this function in September 1702 and that will stay until 1714.

Paul's Father sells his land to His Son (Jul 1725)

    The sharing of possessions between heirs would have normally occured shortly after the inventory following his wife's death (Mar 1725). However this sharing won't take place, actually, until the beginning of November. He did so without waiting for Louis Bellec (his stepson) to return from a trapping expedition in the Lake Huron area, to which he had committed to in Montreal the previous May 8. Paul Bertrand decided to adjust his business without lingering. It is on July 4, he went with his son Paul to the notary Trotain  to make the donation to this eldest son, of a two arpents dwelling of large on forty of depth, etc. The contract of sale (for 600 pounds) also stated that Paul the son would continue to support his father until his death and feed and obliges himself also to feed Marie-Jeanne and Marie-Joseph Bertrand, his sisters, for the time and space of three years in his house.

    The act is written in presence of Jean-François Frigon and Jean Papillaux Perigny.  Per this agreement, Paul Bertrand is not obliged to feed the youngest of the family, Maguerite. It seems that after her mother's death, she went to stay at her godfather's and half brother, François Bellec. One thing is certain, she doesn't seem to have been at the marriage of her brother Paul, in September 1725, and she resides in Assumption with François Bellec since she will get married in 1735.

    Such a sale, in the social context of the time, means that Paul Betrand will follow his father on the domesticated land. Already, in the beginning of the summer of 1725, Paul its believed to have been granted permission to construct building of stalls. Henceforth, he will be he the master of the house. And we will see, in 1726 and 1740, to purchase  his brothers and sisters shares of the land which they will inherit in a few months.

The Marriage of Paul Bertrand (17 Sep 1725)

    At present, the young St-Arnou wonders when to marry. He threw his devotion on Marie Joseph Juineau, that lives with her mother on the Batiscan river. Appreciably of the same age, our future couple know each other well, having grown up together. September 16, parents and friends reassemble themselves in the house of the Sr. St-Arnou for the signing of the marriage contract. Present are the mother of the future bride, Elisabeth Blanchon, widowed of Augustin Juineau, as well as Joseph Rouillard dit Fonville and Charlotte Trotain, his wife. Of of the St-Arnous, one notices the ancestor's presence, of Louis Bellec and his wife, of Jean-Baptiste, Marie-Jeanne and Marie-Joseph; Catherine Baribeau, aunt of the future bride and wife of Jean Magny, as well as François Dessureaux, The absence of François Bellec is understanded since he is living in Assomption. But how does one explain the absence of Elisabeth, the wife of Dessureaux? Whatever it is some, aforesaid future wife of the customary dowery or the sum of eight hundred pounds . To note that the second generation declares to know not how to sign, whereas pioneers - Josph Rouillard, Elisabeth Blanchon and Paul Bertrand the father - affix their names to the contract.

    The following day 17 September 1725, all (except Paul Bertrand, father) travels to the church of Batiscan for the religious marriage. To the term of the ceremony, the priest Gervais Lefebvre reads in lucid and intelligible voice the act here-dissolved order to the Register of Batiscan.

     "Seven September ten of the year one thousand seven hundred and twenty five, after the publication of three proclamations of marriage, between Paul Bertrand, son of Paul Bertrand, and of Gabrielle Baribeau his wife on the one hand; and of Marie Joseph Juino, girl of Juino Augstin and Lisabthe Blanchamps (Blanchon) his wife of this parish on the other hand. Seeing no objections to the marriage, I undersigned Gervais Lefebvre, Doctor in theology, priest of this parish, today gives the bridal Blessing, according to the custom of our Mother Co apostolic Catholic Church and Roman, after avoit receipt their mutual consent has lucid and intelligible voice; in presence of Jean Baptist Bertrand, brother of the husband,; brother of the husband and Etienne Bransard dit Langevin Louis Bellec and of Joseph Tifaut, all two friends of the wife. Teh spouses and all aforementioned declared to not know how to sign, it challenges according to the ordonnace.
     (sign:) Gervais Lefebvre, Priest, Of Batiscan."
     After the marriage festivities, life takes its normal course at the St-Arnous.The ancestor is still  well on; then comes Jean-Baptiste, Marie-Jeanne and Marie-Joseph; henceforth, however, there is also the daughter-in-law that bustles in the kitchen and to buildings, and that is going to permit the lineage to transmit itself. Indeed Marie-Joseph Juineau is going to give Paul Bertrand Jr. no less than eleven children; seven boys and four girls. The first will be baptized in Batiscan a short eight months and half after the marriage,on May 31, 1726. The second, Jean-Baptist, will nearly open the first held civil state register in St-Genevieve of the River Batiscan. However, it is necessary  to proceed to the sharing of possessions between heirs of the estate of Gabrielle Baribeau. This sharing takes place November 7, 1725 in Batiscan, in the St-Arnou household.

Paul Bertrand buys from his family the remainder of the family land (1726-1740)

    One sees it: in the term of the sharing of 1725, Paul Bertrand Jr. already possessed more of the half of the ancestral land. While raising his family, he, during the subsequent years,  purchases the parts  each of his brothers and sisters successively had inherited. It is first Louis Bellec that, April 23, 1726, sells him his part for the price of 120 pounds. It is then Marie-Jeanne, that has just married Pierre Cosset, and that is going to give up, for 60 pounds her portion of inheritance April 11, 1730. It is again François Dessureaux that, March 18, 1732, be going to sell the two portions of earth his and the one of  Francois Bellec that he possesses by inheritance, for the price himself 225 pounds.After having married Augustin Goulet, Marguerite herself desposes also of her part March 12, 1736, for the price of 108 pounds. Josephte, became the wife of Etienne Lafond, sells to Paul on October 19, 1738, for the price of 75 pounds. Finally, Jean-Baptist Bertrand also sells to Paul, the portion of the ancestral land of which he had not long ago inherited.The act is dated March 19, 1740; it specifies that the sale is concluded in return for the price and sum of hundred ten pounds.

     So therefore, for the approximate sum of 700 pounds Paul St-Arnaud Jr is, in 1740, the only possessor of the ancestral heritage. It is necessary, well on, to add to this sum the 250 pounds that he had to pay out it at the time of the purchase of the half of the concession, belonging to his father. Without speaking of the lodging and the upkeep of  his two sisters: Marie-Jeanne and Marie -Josephte. Here, of those it is Marie-Jeanne who left the first. February 5, 1730 indeed she passes by Trotain  a contract of marriage with Pierre Cosset, and the following day takes place the religious ceremony as the church of St-Genevieve of Batiscan. As for has Marie-Josephte, it is January 13, 1738 she was nearly 30 years old! That her spouse Etienne Lafond, in St-Genevieve she also, after having spent to the vigil a contract of marriage before the notary Joseph Rouillard. At leats three children are born of this union according to Tanguay.

    In 1762 at the age of 60 Paul will sign over the deed to his farm to his son Michel. On May 22 before noon in his home before the notary Dulcos and witnesses Nicolas Jeanson and Baptiste Lefebvre dit Villemure, Paul gives the homestead to Michel in return for Michel's promise to support him and his mother and when the time comes to bury them in the cemetery of Ste-Genevieve de Batiscan. Michel has to give to his brothers and sisters 2 arpents of land each and half of the existing buildings. Sisters Francoise and Marguerite ,still living at home will also be supported in return for working the farm. In addition Michel must pay them yearly with a pig weighing 130 lbs, 30 minoteses of wheat of which he make into flour and 15 pots of brandy

(*) Excerpts from the "La Famille St-Arnaud à la Rivière Batiscan, 1695-1770" 
by P. René Bacon, O.J.M. Book available from the St-Arnaud Association

(Computer translation from french)

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