Nicolas Leclair
The first mention of this ancestor was on the occassion of his marriage. We are not able to determine when he arrived or for what reason, other than it was his American dream. He was a shoemaker, a master shoemaker and a farmer.
Anyway, we know that on August 11, 1740 at Notre-Dame Church in Quebec, Nicolas Leclair, aged 21 and the son of Bernard and Marie Dumont of Coustance in Normandy, France, married for the first time Marie-Charlotte Gingras, about 21 years of age and the daughter of Philippe and Suzanne Monin of the Parish of St-Augustin-de-Desmaures. An infant was baptized in this area, then six subsequent children were baptized at Deschambault. On September 11, 1748 Nicolas acquired a property with three arpents of frontage and forty arpents in depth in the Seigneury of Deschambault.
On September 22, 1753 Marie-Charlotte died, just forty years of age and was buried the following day. In all probability due to a difficult pregnancy and birth because their son, Louis, born on August 29, 1753, died on September 2. Nicolas found himself a widower with six children to care for. For genealogists, this is interesting to note. There is no information available about the marriage or deaths of three of their sons.
Research notes a common occurrence in this period, indicating a modest livelihood for Nicolas. On June 14, 1757 he contracted his son, Louis-Charles, aged sixteen years, as an apprentice to master sculptor Gilles Boivin of Trois-Rivières. The contract was for a period of nine years, bringing him to the age of majority, which at that time was 25 years of age.
On February 3, 1758 Nicolas wed a second time, at Sorel, Marie-Josephe Péloquin dit Felix, age of 28 years and the daughter of Felix Péloquin and Marie Pelletier and also the widow of Jacques Poulicherot dit Grammand. She was also the mother of three young children. The merged families made for a very large dinner table. And it continued to grow, for eight other children were born of this union. All were born in Sorel.
Nicolas died at Sorel on March 14, 1791 at the age of 73 and is buried at Contrecoeur. Six of his sons perpetuated Nicolas' legacy. To complicate things for genealogists, another ancestor established himself in the same area, namely Jean Leclerc dit Lafrenaye.
The following members of this line are presently known to us: Jean-Louis (#007), Claudette (#031), Georgette (#036), Jocelyne (#117), Jean-Louis (#155), Jacques (#163), Pauline (#258), Florence (#306) and Louise (#267) who has kindly offered to represent this line. She can be reached at 418-728-5365 or at Louise Leclaire.
The background for this article was made possible thanks to Jean-Louis (#007), a member of the administative council and also a descendant of Jean Leclerc dit Lafrenaye.
Writer Gilles P. Leclaire