A Tale of Adventures: Paddles on the Ottawa, Ties in the Trade

 

In the shadowed taverns of 1650s Québec, where the air hung heavy with pipe smoke and whispers of wilderness fortunes, Gabriel Lemieux the elder hoisted barrels of brandy destined for distant posts. A cooper by trade, he had crossed the stormy Atlantic from Rouen, drawn by tales of beaver kingdoms beyond the rapids. With his bride Marguerite Leboeuf, he navigated not just rivers but the colony's turbulent laws—fending off fines for her cabaret's lively dealings, where voyageurs swapped pelts for wine and stories of Algonquian alliances. But Gabriel's heart pulled him inland; as a coureur de bois, he slipped into birchbark canoes, paddling to Michilimackinac's misty straits, bartering kettles for glossy furs under the watchful eyes of Odawa traders.

His son, Gabriel the younger, inherited that restless current. Born amid the colony's fragile peace in 1663, he grew in La Prairie's fertile concessions, where the St. Lawrence lapped at voyageur docks. In 1690, fresh from signing his first contract with sieur de Bransat, he wed Jeanne Robidoux, her Spanish-French spirit mirroring the wild rivers ahead. Together, they built a home in La Prairie, but Gabriel's seasons belonged to the Ottawa River—a vein of empire snaking through pine forests and portages slick with sweat. In 1692, under Germaneau's hire, he stroked oars to Sault Ste. Marie, wintering in snowbound camps, trapping beaver and forging bonds with Indigenous guides amid howling wolves and crackling fires.

Even in his seventies, the call endured: in 1734, at Kaministiquia's distant post, he middled the canoe, his weathered hands gripping paddles as younger men sang cadenced chansons to beat the miles. By 1737, Detroit's forts beckoned, laden with goods for French outposts teetering on British shadows. Jeanne waited in La Prairie, raising Marie-Anne and siblings who heard tales of rapids conquered and horizons traded. Through floods and famines, the Lemieux wove their saga into New France's fur empire, their paddles echoing the Robidoux's westward dreams—a legacy of rivers run and alliances etched in beaver ink.

Historical Facts About the Lemieux Family and Their Fur Trade Connections

The Lemieux family, with roots in Normandy, France, arrived in New France during the mid-17th century and became integral to the colony's fur trade networks. Like the Robidoux, they settled in key areas such as Québec City and La Prairie, which served as launch points for voyages into the interior. The family's involvement centered on voyageur roles—paddling canoes, transporting goods, and trading with Indigenous groups like the Ottawa (Odawa)—amid the competitive and often unregulated fur trade. La Prairie, in particular, was a voyageur stronghold due to its position along the St. Lawrence, facilitating access to the Ottawa River and Great Lakes routes. The Lemieux intermarried with the Robidoux through Gabriel Lemieux's union with Jeanne Robidoux, blending their legacies in settlement and trade. Below is a generational overview, drawing from historical records, notary contracts, and censuses.

Generation 0: Origins in France

• Louis Lemieux (ca. 1600–1665) and Marie Luguan (ca. 1600–1669): Born in Rouen, Normandy, France. They remained in France but were parents to the immigrant generation. No direct fur trade ties, though their son's migration aligned with France's colonial expansion driven by the trade. 

Generation 1: Arrival and Early Settlement in New France

• Gabriel Lemieux (1626/1630–1700): Born in Rouen, France; immigrated to New France by 1642 (possibly as a young settler or laborer). Married Marguerite Leboeuf (1636–1671), a fille à marier from Paris, in 1658 in Québec City. He worked primarily as a maître tonnelier (barrel maker), a trade essential for storing trade goods like brandy and provisions. However, he also operated as a voyageur and coureur de bois (unlicensed trader), traveling to Michilimackinac and Sault Ste. Marie for fur expeditions around 1690—routes critical for beaver pelts amid French alliances with Algonquian nations. His wife Marguerite ran a cabaret in Québec from 1665–1671, a common venture for fur trade families, though they faced legal troubles: fined in 1665 for overpricing wine and accused (but defended) of running a maison close (brothel) in 1667. After Marguerite's death, Gabriel remarried Barbe Poisson (1654–1711) in 1671. He died in Québec, with his estate reflecting modest trade involvement. This Gabriel laid the foundation for the family's voyageur tradition. 

Generation 2: Expansion in La Prairie and Peak Voyageur Activity

• Gabriel Lemieux (1663–1739): Born in Québec City (baptized Notre-Dame-de-Québec); son of the elder Gabriel and Marguerite Leboeuf. Moved to La Prairie by the 1680s, where he farmed a concession while pursuing voyageur work. Married Jeanne Robidoux (1673–1736), daughter of André Robidou dit L’Espagnol, on December 5/17, 1690, in La Prairie—directly linking the families amid shared settlement in this fur trade outpost. Gabriel was a dedicated voyageur, signing multiple engagé contracts for arduous trips:
• May 8, 1690: Hired by Jean Baptiste Migeon, sieur de Bransat, for a voyage to the Ottawa Indians, shortly before his marriage.
• August 9/19, 1692: Engaged by Joachim Germaneau (alongside Laurent Glory dit LaBrière) for a trip to the Ottawa at Michilimackinac and Sault Ste. Marie, involving canoe transport of merchandise upstream and pelts downstream.
• May 28, 1734: Contracted by Eustache Gamelin for a one-year overwintering voyage to Kaministiquia (near modern Thunder Bay, Ontario), as a milieu (mid-canoe paddler), earning 350 livres plus provisions like mittens, a breechcloth, and ammunition; duties included hunting, fishing, and guarding goods.
• May 6, 1737: Hired by Charles Ruet d’Auteuil for a voyage to Détroit (Detroit), navigating the Great Lakes amid French-British tensions.
• He likely conducted unlicensed coureur de bois runs, evading royal monopolies. Gabriel died in La Prairie at age 76, buried in Notre-Dame-de-LaPrairie-de-la-Madeleine. His activities spanned the fur trade's heyday, from beaver-rich Ottawa River routes to western posts, supporting French expansion into the pays d’en haut (upper country). 

Generation 3: Settlement and Peripheral Ties

Gabriel (1663–1739) and Jeanne had at least eight children, many born in La Prairie. While not all pursued the trade, the family's location kept them connected to voyageur networks.

• Marie-Anne Lemieux (1706–1777): Born in La Prairie; married Joseph Poupart (1696–1726) in 1724, linking to another local family. No direct records of her voyageur involvement; she focused on family life, raising children in La Prairie amid the trade's decline post-1760 British conquest. Died in La Prairie. Her life reflected the shift from active trading to settled agriculture, though her father's voyages likely influenced family lore. 
• Other Siblings: Jean-Gabriel (1692–?), Joseph (1698–?), Pierre-Gabriel (1700–?), Marie-Josephte (1702–1744), Jacques (1704–1775), Marie-Marguerite (1710–1796), and Gabriel (1712–1751). Limited records; some may have assisted in trade support roles, but no confirmed contracts. The younger Gabriel (1712–1751) possibly inherited the voyageur mantle, though details are sparse. 

Later Generations: Decline and Legacy

By the mid-18th century, as beaver stocks dwindled and British control grew, Lemieux descendants largely transitioned to farming and other trades in Québec. Some intermarried with Métis or Indigenous families, but unlike the Robidoux's westward migration, the Lemieux stayed rooted in the St. Lawrence region. Their fur ties are documented in notary archives (e.g., BANQ, Lepailleur de LaFerté) and censuses (1666, 1681), highlighting the voyageur life's risks: portages, rapids, and Indigenous negotiations. 

Above courtesy of Drifting Cowboy & Gemini AI.