Alexis Joubin dit Boisvert 1704-1774

Spouse: Catherine Charlotte Hamelin

Alexis Joubin dit Boisvert marries Catherine-Charlotte Hamelin on September, 30 1734 in the parish of Notre-Dame-De-Quebec, Quebec City, Quebec. She was the daughter of Francois Hamelin dit Laganiere and Marie-Madeleine Aubert. The youngest child of 16, Catherine-Charlotte Hamelin was born July 13, 1716 in Grondines, Quebec.

Life on the St. Lawrence

At the age of 19, Alexis received a concession on Pierre St-Ours sieur de L’echaillon on January 30, 1723.  The land is four acres of wide and forty deep in the seigneurie of Deshaillons, on the in front of the Saint Lawrence River. The land was located next to his brother Joseph. There are no legal documents confirming transfers of land which would indicate he was living with his father Jean Joubin until his death.

On September 29 1734, Alexis stood in front of the Quebec Prevote and promised to marry Charlotte Hamelin. Apparently, Charlottes mother,  Marie-Madeleine Aubert, widow of Francois Hamelin accused Alexis Joubin dit Boisverd of abusing the 17-year old Charlotte.

It is noted by Marie-Madelein Aubert that Charlotte delivered a child, March of 1734 and ordered Alexis to marry the girl. If he chooses to marry Charlotte, Marie-Madeliene will discontinue with the criminal charges she filed against the 30-year old Alexis.

In order to stop the procedures, Alexis promises to repair the honor that he removed from the young Hamelin and family, and reestablishes it in his good form and reputation. If he does not hold to his promise, he allows the Marie-Madeleine Aubert to take a sum of livres as well as all his goods, furnishings, buildings and land he possesses in the seigneuries Grondines and Deschaillons.

The next day, September 30, 1734, in the Quebec church, Alexis marries Charlotte. Ending all litigation. For the conceived child before the marriage, no record has been found. It is possible that the child was given to an orphanage in the city of Quebec upon it’s birth in March.

It must be noted that this indiscretion by Alexis, happened with a member of an influential family. A Hamelin was the seigneur of Grondines where they lived. Charlottes uncle Louis was a Montreal fur merchant, her brother Francois dit Laganiere was a Major of Militia along the north coast of the river. The Hamelins were an influential family, and the threat by Charlottes mother of total financial bankruptcy was taken very seriously by Alexis Joubin dit Boisvert.

On June 10th, 1735, a document was filed and registered by the “Prévost” of Quebec, and signed by the registrar of the lieutenant general of the “Prévosté”. This document stated that Jean Joubin and Francois-Elisabeth Renaud entrusted themselves to the care of Alexis and his wife Charlotte Hamelin in return for two of the four arpents they still owned, and for half of all the buildings thereon, and half of their livestock, furniture and household articles.

Alexis and Charlotte were to take care of them in their home, and feed and care for them there, and, for the repose of their souls, have ten low requiem Masses said for each of them. This contract was prepared by notary Arnould-Baltazar Pollet, and signed in the Joubin home.

August 20 1735, a son named Alexis is born in Grondines. He is followed by Marie-Therese Joubin, born May 28, 1737 and baptized June 6, 1737 in Grondines.

Four years after their marriage, they effectuate an exchanged land with Charles Jaudoin. Documents were signed by the notary on March 23, 1738.  Alexis, gave land in Sainte-Anne-de-la-Perade of four arpents, situated above the rapids. The property hand a barn near the river.  For exchange, they obtain land of three arpents to the Grondines with a house.

On March 29 1738, the widow of Jacques Hamelin, owner of the seigneurie of Grondines, requested an ordinance to Joseph Hamelin, Alexis Sauvageau, father and sons, François Brunette, John Grignon, Jacques Locat, Antoin Cauvet and Alexis Joubin dit Boisvert, for the inhabitants of the Grondines to oblige them to grind their grains at the lordly mill. With this request, Alexis became a Co-seigneur of Grondines.

The French & Indian War

When Alexis was 51, in 1755, the conflict between France and England erupted again. Alexis and his family, which lived between Quebec and Montreal on the St. Lawrence river, were literally in the middle of the war.

Mostly a series of skirmishes and sieges of strategic forts, the French and Indian War  began in 1755 and ended with French retreats down the St. Lawrence River from Fort Niagara toward Quebec

Quebec was the strongest fortress in Canada, the lynch pin of French power in North America and the British knew that if they were able to capture Quebec, the rest of the country would soon fall into their dominion, so in early 1759 they planned the largest attack of the war, a combined force of about 9,000 soldiers under General James Wolfe and a fleet of 20 ships under Admiral Charles Saunders

The British lay siege to Quebec from June 27th until September 18th, when the French surrendered their garrison in the city. This was the turning point of the war, with an eventual British victory all but certain. By the end of the year, the British had control of almost all of North America, other than Montreal and Detroit.

Between 1759 and of 1760 Alexis and his family would have seen a large British and Native American forces traveling by their farmlands west toward Montreal. By the end of 1760, Montreal along with Fort Detroit fell to the British. Amherst’s campaign against Montreal resulted in the surrender of that city in September and one week later Major Robert Rogers took over Fort Detroit. The British had gained all of North America from the French.

In 1763, France at the Treaty of Paris seceded all its land east of the Mississippi to England. Unknown is the transitions Alex and his family had to endure under a different rule. Being in a rural community the immediate effect probably wasn’t as pronounced as it was the predominantly French families living in Quebec, Montreal and even Trois Riveries.

Alexis Burial

Alexis Joubin dit Boisverd died at the age of 69. He was buried by his native parish in Grondines, Quebec on January 20, 1774.