Louis Chavaudreuille dit Godreau
Origin
At this stage of the research, the first hypothesis would be that Louis would be an adopted son of Joseph Gaudreau and Marie-Louise Constantineau who were established since 1758 at the foot of the mountain in Montreal. The second hypothesis would presume that Louis Chavaudreuille dit Gaudreau is the grand son of Ursin Dutalmé dit Chavaudray. Notary Besquet stipulates that she is the widow of Jacques Bourre dit Lachapelle and that she had a son named Jean-Baptiste Chavaudray from her first marriage. Born in 1729, Jean-Baptiste Chavaudray is the only son of Ursin Chavaudray with the possibility of having a descendant born in 1748. The third hypothesis would suppose that Louis would be a descendant of the Marquis de Vaudreuil. The last hypothesis would presume that he is of native Indian adoption.
Settlement
As early as December 10, 1774, Louis Gaudreau is living in the seigneurie of Chambly, precisely in Saint-Basile-le-Grand. He will stay there for the first twenty years of his married life. His first eight children will be born there: They are Louis, François, Alexis, Marie-Josèphe, Jean-Pierre, Marie-Geneviève, Joseph and Henri. We do not know where Charles was born. His last two children, Marie-Scolastique and Jean-Baptiste were born in the seigneurerie of Saint-Hyacinthe, opposite of Saint-Simon road, where Louis’s family will move early in 1794. From 1798 to 1815, Louis Gaudreau byes more than 800 acres of land from the seigneur Debertzh and three other lots from Jacques Roy, Pierre Poussard and Joseph Marcorelle. He definitively wanted to establish his children close by, in the seignerie of Saint-Hyacinthe, on Saint-Simon road (La Présentation) and on Saint-Louis and d’Argenteuil roads in Saint-Damase. After the death of his first wife, Josette Brouillet, in 1819, Louis marries Marie Leclerc in Saint-Hyacinthe on February 12, 1822. On January 15, 1823, he gives his belongings to Charles Chaput who will continue to take care of the land. Louis Chavaudreuille dit Godreau is buried in Saint-Hyacinthe on January 7, 1832 at the age of 84.
Children of Louis Gaudreau
Louis (1775-1835)
Married Marie-Modeste Bernier January 15, 1798 in Saint-Hyacinthe.
François (1779- ? )
Married Ursule Lacroix February 22, 1802 in Saint-Hyacinthe. He will settle in Saint- Césaire.
Alexis (1781- ?)
M.-Josèphe (1783-1824)
Marries Jean-Baptiste Lucier Octobre 11, 1802 in Saint-Hyacinthe. They will live on rural route d’Argenteuil in Saint-Damase.
Pierre (1785-1873)
Marries Cécile Ledoux in Beloeil Septembre 30, 1805. He settles in Saint-Damase on rural route d’Argenteuil. He will be buried in Saint-Paul-d’Abbotsford May 17, 1873 at 87 years.
Geneviève (1787-1831)
Marries Joseph Trottier January 9, 1804 in Saint-Hyacinthe. He will settle on rural route Saint-Simon (La Présentation). Geneviève dies on April April 16, 1831 at 44.
Joseph (1790 – ? )
Maries Archange Lussier, October 30, 1815 in Saint-Hyacinthe. He settles on rural route d’Argenteuil (Saint-Damase). In June 1821, following the premature death of his wife, he will live with his nephew Damase, son of Charles, in Saint-Césaire.
Henri (1792 – ? )
He marries Madeleine Sené, July 5, 1813 in Saint-Hyacinthe. After having lived on a rural road near Argenteuil (Saint-Damase), he will settle in New York State in the United States. Two of his children will marry in Cooperville USA around 1850.
Charles (1793-1856)
He marries Marie Lebeau, Octobre 21, 1816 in Saint-Hyacinthe. After having lived in New York where he married Sophronie Ricard his second wife, he baptizes a child in Saint-Césaire. He will be buried there on February 11, 1856.
Scholastique (1795-1866)
She marries Joseph Sené, July 5, 1813 in Saint-Hyacinthe. Le couple will settle near d’Argenteuil in Saint-Damase.
Jean-Baptiste (1799- ?)