NOËL LANGLOIS (1606-1684)

husband of

FRANÇOISE GRENIER (GARNIER) (Abt. 1610-1665)

Noël Langlois and his wife Françoise Grenier (Garnier) are 9th Great Grandparents of Vernon, Lila, Edward, Valoie and Colleen.

Noël Langlois -- One of the founders of New France

He was born 4 June 1606 in St Léonard des Parcs, diocese of Sées, county of Alençon, Normandie, France - died 14 July 1684 and buried 15 July 1684 in Beauport, Québec. NOTE: LDS Ancestral File erroneously indicates his christening occurred in Montréal when he was actually born in St Léonard des Parcs, Normandie, France.

Pilot of the St. Lawrence River, early settler on the seigneury of Beauport.

Noël Langlois was the son of Guillaume Langlois and Jeanne Millet (Millette), of St Léonard des Parcs, diocese of Sées, county of Alençon in Normandie, France. He became an experienced river pilot. Noël's older sisters, Françoise Langlois and Marguerite Langlois, also became prominent in the early history of Québec.

Following the relinquishment of New France by the British in 1632, Robert Giffard, the Lord (seigneur) of Beauport, persuaded Noël Langlois to become a settler in the new land. It is probable that Abraham Martin dit L'Ecossais ("the Scot"), the king's pilot at Québec and related to him by marriage, greatly influenced Langlois' decision. Langlois and his future wife, Françoise Grenier (Garnier), left France with Giffard's prospective settlers in the spring of 1634 and arrived at Québec on 24 June aboard the ship the Saint Jean. So both are part of the first quota of colonists recruited by Giffard for Beauport.

For the next weeks the new colonists built the manor for Lord Giffard and on the day the manor was dedicated (25 July 1634) Noël married Françoise Grenier in Québec at the Notre-Dame de Recouvrance church. Theirs is the fourth marriage by European settlers celebrated within the country and the first since the restitution of Québec to France.

The Lord of Beauport had awarded Langlois 300 arpents of ground, located on the seigniory of Beauport, close to the Montmorency Falls on 29 June 1634. So following their marriage, Langlois and his wife settled at Beauport. Three years later he received from Giffard a grant of land there in perpetuity. After rearing their family of 10 children, his wife Françoise died on 1 November 1665 from wounds she incurred in an accident. She is also our ancestor.

Their son, Jean Langlois, a ship's carpenter, takes the nickname of Boisverdun. Jean Langlois, known as Boisverdun, marries Françoise-Charlotte Belanger in 1665. She was born in 1650, the daughter of François Belanger and Marie Guyon.

The second son, Noël Langlois, known as Traversy, was born on 7 December 1651 and baptized 24 December 1651 in Quebec. In 1677, he chooses as his for partner for life Aymee Charon. She was born about 1656, the daughter of the pioneers Robert Charon and Marie Crevet. Noël Langlois becomes the first holder of the seigniory of Beauport after Robert Giffard.

The daughters also wed with colonists whose names are nowadays widespread.

The first, Anne Langlois, was born in 1637. Barely 12 years old, she marries Jean Pelletier, known as LeGloboteur, in 1649. He arrived with his parents, Guillaume Pelletier and Michelle Mabille.

The Parent line comes through the second, Marguerite Langlois, born 3 September 1639 in Montréal. At age 14, she married Paul Vachon on 22 October 1653 in Notre-Dame de la Recouvrance church, Québec City. Paul (born 1630) was the son of Vincent Vachon and Françoise-Sapience Rabeau.

The third, Jeanne Langlois, baptized on 1 January 1643, became the wife of Rene Knight (born about 1626) on 9 January 1656. Rene originated in Anjou, France.

Then, the fourth, Elisabeth Langlois, baptized on 7 March 1645, marries Louis Côte on 6 November 1662. Louis Côte, born in 1635, is a son of pioneers Jean Côte and Anne Martin.

The fifth, Marie Langlois, baptized on 18 October 1646, became the wife of François Miville on 10 August 1660. François Miville, called LeSuisse ("the Swiss"), was baptized in 1634 at Notre-Dame de Brouage. He arrived with his parents, Pierre Miville, also called LeSuisse, and of Charlotte Maugis.

To return to Noël Langlois: Following Françoise's death, Noël on 27 July 1666 married Marie Crevet, the widow of Robert Caron. Noël Langlois and Marie had one child but without any further posterity.

The Jesuit relations book shows Noël Langlois as a Norman pilot and also says he gave a yellow scarf to the church as a Christmas offering. Langlois himself lived to be nearly 80, dying at Beauport on 14 July 1684. He was survived by his widow and 8 of his 11 children. Here is what was written on his death certificate:

"Noël Langlois, the oldest settler in the country at age 80, died the previous day in piety after having received all the Church's sacraments and having lived a model life with the approval of all the parish".

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As mentioned above, the first families installed in New-France in 1614 counted two women of the name Langlois among their number. Françoise Langlois is the wife of Pierre Desportes, and mother of Helene Desportes, the first girl to be born in the colony (1620).

The second is Marguerite Langlois, sister of Francoise, and the wife of Abraham Martin, known as the Scot, our ancestors also.

Sources:

George W. Brown, editor. Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Vol. 1, University of Toronto Press, 1966, Page 417.

H. C. Burleigh; AJQ, Greff de Claude Auber, 7 juillet 1666, Universite de Montreal, Coll. Baby (land grants (concessions), 1626-1718). JR (Thwaites), passim. Dionne, Champlain, II, 338, 457. Leon Roy, "La terre de Noel Langlois a Beauport," BRH, LIV (1948), 240- 54. P.-G. Roy, "Noel Langlois senior et Noel Langlois Junior," BRH, XXII (1916), 86, 245-46. Tanguay, Dictionaire, I, 345. Emile Vaillancourt, La conquete du Canada par les Normands (Montreal,1933), 148.

First Canadian Ancestors (from the "Ancestors of Jean-Guy Coté" Database) http://www.leveillee.net/ancestry/histnotes.htm

Jesuit Relations.

Marriage Certificate: (1) First marriage to Françoise Grenier (MRIN #4026)

Marriage Certificate: (2) Second marriage to Marie Crevet (MRIN #4281)

Thomas J. Laforest, Our French Canadian Ancestors, Volume I, Chapter 25, page 180 (Paul Vachon).

Thomas J. Laforest, Our French Canadian Ancestors, Volume VI, Chapter 5, page 62-71 (Robert Caron).

Noel Langlois, http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/madore/bio/Noel_Langlois.html

Benjamin Sulte, Histoire des Canadiens-Francais, printed Montreal, 1882.

Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties (Olivier)

Noel Langlois, a courageous fisherman and pilot, originated from France. He was born in 1606, settled at Beauport, in 1634 and married Francoise Garnier at Québec on 25 July 1634. They had ten children. Noel is the first ancestor of this large family that is known today under the names of Langlois and Langlais. After the death of his first wife on 1 November, 1665, he married Marie Crevet, widow of Robert Caron on 27 July, 1666, at Château-Richer. Noel died at Beauport, on 15 July, 1684.

French Canadian & Acadian Review, Volume 9, some extracts shown here:

P 208-209 Noel Langlois was a native of Saint-Leonardes-Parcs, Canton of Courtomer, arrondissement of Alencon, Department of Orne. This village is in Normandy, close to its boundary with Perche. Actually it is nearer to Mortagne than it is to Alencon...... It has been said that Noel Langlois was a pilot. This is unlikely, since he could neither read nor write. However, it can be said that he was a ship's carpenter, a trade that his sons Jean Langlois dit Boisverdun and Jean Langlois dit Saint-Jean both practiced. As was the custom, they undoubtedly learned this trade from their father.

In 1665, when Noel Langlois was 59, his wife was gravely wounded. In anticipation of her death, the couple on 31 Oct, 1665, made donations of their property to their two youngest sons. Francoise Garnier died, as expected, and was buried on 1 Nov, 1665.

In the following year, there was a family dispute over the inheritance of the 3 sons of Noel Langlois. The issue arose over the ownership of property on the Isle of Orleans. In 1663, Nicholas Juchereau de Saint-Denys cosiegneur of the fief La Chavallerie on the Isle of Orleans, son of Jean Juchereau de Maur, granted a concession of this fief to the two youngest sons of Noel Langlois. However, upon the marriage of his oldest son, Jean Langlois dit Boisverdun, to Francois-Charlotte Bellanger, in 1665, Noel Langlois purported to give this property to the young couple. This was followed by the donation of the Beauport property to the two youngest sons. The dispute was settled according to the intentions of Noel Langlois, and the property on the Isle of Orleans went to Jean Langlois dit Boisverdun.

On 17 July, 1666, Noel Langlois married Marie Crevet, widow of Robert Caron, whom she had married in 1637 at Québec. Noel Langlois died on July 14, 1684, at age 78 yrs

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Guillaume Langlois was born CA 1581 of St. Leonard, Des Parcs, Orne, France, and died prior to July 25, 1634 in Normandie, France. His parentage is unknown.

He married Jeanne Millet, born CA 1585 St. Leonard, Orne, France, and she apparently died in Normandie, France. Her parentage is also unknown.

Their Children: Langlois

1. Noel (See ABOVE) Born June 4, 1606 Alenon, Normandie, France Died: July 14, 1684 Beauport, Canada.

(M) Francoise Garnier/Grenier on July 25, 1634 at Québec, Canada (third marriage in Canada)

2. Jean Born ____ Died After Sept 1, 1656 Québec

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For more information see Memories de La Societe Genealogique Canadienne-Francaise

(Vol XXVI, No. 2, Apr-Jun 1975).

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