Genealogy Report: Descendants of Mathieu d'Amours
Descendants of Mathieu d'Amours
1.MATHIEU6D'AMOURS(LOUIS5, PIERRE4, GABRIEL3, FRANCOIS2, MATHURIN1) was born Abt. 1618 in Paris, France, and died October 08, 1695 in Quebec, France.He married MARIE MARGARITE MASOLET March 16, 1651/52 in Quebec City, daughter of NICHOLAS MARSOLET and MARIE LEBARBIER.She was born February 22, 1637/38 in Quebec, and died November 24, 1711 in Hôtel-Dieu de Montreal, Canada.
Notes for MATHIEU D'AMOURS:
Mathieu d'Amours, Seig. des Chaufors et de la Morandiere, member of the first sovereign council of New France (1644 - 1695), first Seigneur of Matane, Quebec.
Ancêtre de presque tous les D'Amours d'Amérique
Mathieu D’Amours, sieur de Chauffours, jeune militaire de 33 ans arriva en Nouvelle France le 14 octobre 1651. Il y accompagnait Jean de Lauzon, nouveau gouverneur de la Colonie, de qui il était un parent. Sa soeur, Marie-Elisabeth, était également du voyage. Elle était mariée à Louis-Théandre Chartier, sieur de Lotbinière. Ils descendaient d’une ancienne famille de la noblesse française. Leur père, Louis D'Amours était conseiller du roi au Châtelet de Paris. Leur mère se nommait Elisabeth Tessier.
Le 30 avril 1652, Mathieu épousait à Québec Marie Marsolet, fille de Nicolas Marsolet et Marie Barbier. Quinze enfants allaient naître de leur union. Il ne fut pas long à cumuler les charges et les fonctions au sein de la nouvelle colonie. C’est ainsi qu’on le retrouve au poste de Major de Québec, de Conseiller du Roi, puis siégant au Conseil Souverain de la Nouvelle-France.
Fait intéressant, l'intendant Talon lui concédait, en 1672, la seigneurie de Matane. Mathieu désirait y exploiter la pêche au saumon. A son décès, en 1695, la seigneurie n'avait cependant pas été mise en valeur.
Le 8 octobre 1725, Philippe D’Amours, fils de Mathieu, fait enregistrer au Conseil Souverain de la Nouvelle-France des documents prouvant la noblesse des D’Amours. On leur confirme ainsi des titres de noblesse, de même qu’à leurs descendants, avec les armoiries suivantes :
«D’argent, à un sanglier de sable surmonté d’un lambel à trois pendants de gueules et accompagné de trois fers de lance du second, rangés en pointe».
La devise : "FÉRIR JUSQU'À MOURIR". Combattre, frapper, guerroyer sans cesse pour le beau, le bon, le vrai, la justice, la foi, etc.
Source: Le Centre de généalogie francophone d'Amérique
Mathieu D'Amours
Ancêtre des D'Amours d'Amérique
Sources :
Albert D’Amours C.J.M.
Colburn
Jean-Marc D'Amours, d.d.s.
l'Association des familles d'Amours
The D'Amours-Family has an interesting and remarkable story to tell.Anyone could be proud of this history.In the registry of births, marriages and deaths in France, we can find five ancestors of Mathieu d'Amours. They are Lords Mathurin, François, Gabriel, Pierre and Louis. They earned their titles on the battlefields or for royal services.
Besides embracing the military, most of them became well-known in other fields: religion, industry and commerce. They seemed to have had great ability for civil administration and occupied the high public offices. They distinguished themselves as chaplains and advisors to Royalty.We could even go a bit further back. There is royal blood flowing through the veins of our ancestors, since Pierre d'Amours married Jeanne Le Provost, a direct descendant of Eleonore d'Aquitaine and Hugues Capet, the first King of the Capetian Dynasty and before him to Charlemagne.
This nobility owned vast lands in the Loir Valley, tributary of the Loire River that flows into the Gulf of Biscay.In a city named Durtal,Lord Pierre built the Manoir du Serain in 1578, which still exists today.(See photo)The nobility had certain advantages: the right to own serfs, the income from land-rent, possibility of strategic marriages and the necessary funds to build grand houses, to educate and provide for their children.
Besides the Manoir, the D'Amours owned a house in Paris, near Notre Dame Cathedral. This pied-à-terre allowed them to fulfill their official functions and attend their other business as well.The children went to better schools than in the country towns, which better prepared for their chosen fields.
Being so privileged, how is it that Mathieu decided to emigrate to Canada?There were two deciding factors.Being a legitimate son and the youngest of the family, he could never inherit much of anything. This was the rule of primogeniture and the practice of the times.Second, his sister and her husband had already visited New France.Through them he acquired considerable knowledge about the opportunities this new country offered.With nothing to lose, and being adventurous, he determined to arrange for the authorities post him there where he could serve in the military, and do some commercial fishing and trading in furs as the opportunity presented itself, and, in the process, perhaps become wealthy in his own right.Still not married at 33, it was not difficult for him to cut all ties in France. He was very mature and conscious of his potential: handsome, well-educated, vigorous, audacious even, kind and obliging; he was bound to succeed. And this was exactly the type of personality sorely needed in Quebec.
Because of his knowledge, his imposing presence, sound training and generally excellent personal qualities, the local French population, the authorities and the Church held Mathieu in high regard from the outset.They soon put to use the strength of this young man to help them development the colony.Soon after his arrival, Mathieu met Marie Marsolet, a pretty young lady whom he married on April 30 1652.She was the eldest daughter of Nicolas Marsolet, who had lived for many years with Algonquins from an early age, and who thereby became an important official interpreter for the government.The authorities had already recognized his great services by granting him a significant estate bordering the St. Lawrence River.Marie brought an interesting and necessary dowry to the marriage:for three years, her father agreed to provide them with a house, some land, all necessities including food, two hired hands, a cow and two oxen.It would take these years to clear this property for agriculture on a self-sustaining basis.
In 1653, Mathieu bought a concession at Beaupré that he intended to clear and cultivate, but he soon realized that he was not inclined to farming, especially on a property far from the security of Quebec City.In addition, about this time, the governor appointed him general major for Quebec putting him in charge of a mobile army of about 200 French and Amerindians.His military duties took him all over the province including Acadia and the territory near the St. Jean River.This small army acted as a police force for Quebec as well as an army for its defense against hostile Indians and, of course, The English.
In October 1654, Mathieu exchanged his concession at Beaupré for property near Cape Rouge, closer to Quebec City.The family never lived there or at Beaupré, nor later when he was awarded the large seigneury of Matane.Rather they continued to live with Marie's father whose hospitality was never in question.
In 1657, they bought a house in Quebec City and moved the family there.Here, they finally felt perfectly at home.They were now at the center of all major activities of the province - fishing, fur trading, marine transport etc.There were only three children then - Nicolas, Louis, Mathieu, but they would be joined by twelve more - Elisabeth, Rene, Charles, Joseph-Nicolas, Claude-Louis, Bernard, Daniel, Madeleine, Genevieve, Marie-Jacquette, Marguerite and Philippe.
In spite of financial worries, Mathieu managed to provider the children with the best instruction available.The girls attended the small Ursuline seminary; the boys were instructed at the Catholic seminary.For him, it was essential for the girls to have a good education, so that they could secure good marriages with nobles or at least middle-class soldiers.Year in and year out, their life continued with its procession of difficulties but also some wonderful surprises.In about 1661, the co-parishioners of the lower city elected him churchwarden, in appreciation for the support and inspiration he gave to the community, which continued up to his last breath.By doing thus, he earned the privileged to be buried in a vault of the parish Church.
The year 1663 marked an important moment in the life of Mathieu d'Amours, as he was named to the Sovereign Council of Quebec.He became, in fact, one of the seven founding members, ranking just behind the Governor and the Bishop.The Council, the most important and prestigious on New France, adjudicated all matters administrative, civil, legal and criminal.
In 1672, the huge seigneury of Matane was awarded to Mathieu.At the same time, he received the right to fish commercially on both the Matane and St. Lawrence Rivers and trap furs on this large property.Due to the long distances from Quebec, his military obligations and his personal preferences, he never developed Matane agriculturally.He was more interested in fishing and the fur trade.Little remains at Matane today to remind us of the original owner except for the d'Amours family crest that adorns the doors of some of the public buildings.
In 1677, Mathieu received a monetary award from the king of France as a reward for his exceptional military service, but also to help him pay for the instruction of his many children.
On September 20, 1684, he obtained for his sons, three concessions on the St. Jean River.As it turned out, these properties were particularly dangerous, because they were located directly on the route used by the English troops of Maine when they besieged Quebec.In the end, due to the English attacks and periodic floods, the properties were lost and these sons emigrated to the United States or West Canada.
In 1685, Mathieu receive an important promotion.He was named Lieutenant-General of Quebec with a commensurate increase in salary.This event, added to the successful marriages of his daughters and the successes of his sons, breathed new life into his carrier.
Mathieu d'Amours is the ancestor of all d'Amours in North America.What is more, he is an important link to the foundation of Canada.He is, without a doubt, an historical figure of the first rank, a grandfather of whom we can all be proud.
Mathieu D’Amours arriva en Nouvelle France en 1651. Il y accompagnait Jean de Lauzon, nouveau gouverneur de la Nouvelle-France, de qui il était un parent. Sa soeur, Marie-Elisabeth, était également du voyage. Elle était mariée à Louis-Théandre Chartier, sieur de Lotbinière. Ils descendaient d’une ancienne famille de la noblesse française. Leur père, Louis Damours était conseiller du roi au Châtelet de Paris. Leur mère se nommait Elisabeth Tessier.
Le 30 avril 1652, Mathieu épousait à Québec Marie Marsolet, fille de Nicolas Marsolet et Marie Barbier. Quinze enfants allaient naître de leur union. Il ne fut pas long à cumuler les charges et les fonctions au sein de la nouvelle colonie. C’est ainsi qu’on le retrouve au poste de Major de Québec, de Conseiller du Roi, puis siégant au Conseil Souverain de la Nouvelle-France.
Fait intéressant, l'intendant Talon lui concédait, en 1672, la seigneurie de Matane. Mathieu désirait y exploiter la pêche au saumon. A son décès, en 1695, la seigneurie n'avait cependant pas été mise en valeur.
Le 8 octobre 1725, Philippe D’Amours, fils de Mathieu, fait enregistrer au Conseil Souverain de la Nouvelle-France des documents prouvant la noblesse des D’Amours. On leur confirme ainsi des titres de noblesse, de même qu’à leurs descendants, avec les armoiries suivantes :
«D’argent, à un sanglier de sable surmonté d’un lambel à trois pendants de gueules et accompagné de trois fers de lance du second, rangés en pointe».
Source: Le Centre de généalogie francophone d'Amérique.
More About MATHIEU D'AMOURS:
Burial: October 09, 1695, Notre-Dame, Quebec
Notes for MARIE MARGARITE MASOLET:
Ancestral File #: 8P84-GH
_UID: C259B25AC93BD511A0BE00E0293D52B8BFCE 1 1 1
Change Date: 29 Apr 2001
Children of MATHIEU D'AMOURS and MARIE MASOLET are:
| i. | NICHOLAS7D'AMOURS, b. May 16, 1653, Quebec; d. April 25, 1653, Quebec. | ||
| 2. | ii. | LOUIS D'AMOURS, b. May 16, 1655, Quebec; d. May 07, 1708, Port Royal, Acadie. | |
| iii. | MATHIEU D'AMOURS II, b. March 14, 1656/57, Quebec; d. August 1696, Quebec; m. LOUISE GUYON, October 01, 1686, Quebec City; b. May 01, 1668, Chteau-Richer, Montmorency, Quebec; d. Aft. June 1711, Quebec. | ||
| 3. | iv. | ELISABETH D'AMOURS, b. December 02, 1658, Quebec; d. January 09, 1723/24, Montreal. | |
| v. | RENE D'AMOURS, b. August 09, 1660, Quebec; d. April 07, 1706, Port Royal, Acadie; m. CHARLOTTE FRANCOISE LE GARDEUR, October 13, 1689, Quebec City; b. September 10, 1670, Quebec. | ||
| 4. | vi. | CHARLES D'AMOURS, DE LOUVIERES, b. March 05, 1661/62, Guadarville, Quebec; d. January 1725/26, St Foy,. | |
| vii. | JOSEPH-NICHOLAS D'AMOURS, b. May 11, 1664, Quebec; d. November 1690, Quebec. | ||
| viii. | CLAUDE-LOUIS D'AMOURS, b. January 19, 1665/66, Quebec; d. January 17, 1707/08, Port Royal, Acadie; m. ANNE R. COMEAU, January 17, 1707/08, Port-Royal in Acadia. | ||
| ix. | BERNARD D'AMOURS, SEIGNEUR DE PLAINES, b. December 15, 1667, Quebec; d. December 13, 1749, St. Thomas de Montmagny, Quebec; m. MARIE JEANNE LEBOURGNE DE BELLE-ISLE, September 05, 1697, St. Thomas de Montmagny; d. 1711, Quebec. | ||
| x. | DANIEL D'AMOURS, b. February 12, 1668/69, Quebec; d. December 21, 1669, Quebec. | ||
| xi. | MADELEINE D'AMOURS, b. September 12, 1671, Quebec; d. March 24, 1702/03. | ||
| xii. | GENIVIEVE D'AMOURS, b. August 23, 1673, Quebec; d. March 24, 1702/03, Montreal; m. JEAN BAPTISTE CELORON, January 14, 1702/03, Montreal; b. 1660, Paris, France. |
| Notes for GENIVIEVE D'AMOURS: Source:Albert d'Amours 1651-1800 |
| xiii. | MARIE-JAQUETTE D'AMOURS, b. October 1675, Quebec; d. April 02, 1703, Montreal; m. ETIENNE DEVILLEDONNE, September 29, 1697, Quebec City; d. Abt. 1726, Quebec. | ||
| xiv. | MARGURITE D'AMOURS, b. January 12, 1676/77, Quebec; d. 1703, Quebec; m. JACQUES TESTARD, SIEUR DE MONTIGNY, September 24, 1698, Quebec City; b. February 22, 1662/63, Montreal. | ||
| 5. | xv. | PHILLIPE II D'AMOURS, b. February 07, 1679/80, Quebec; d. February 1746/47, Montreal or Quebec. |