Francois Bourassa, voyageur, and wife Marie Le Ber in La Prairie

 

François Bourassa (c. 1659–1708) 7th great-grandfather

François Bourassa, sometimes spelled Bourassart or Bourasseau, was born around 1659 in Saint-Hilaire-de-Loulay, near Luçon in the Poitou region of France (modern-day Vendée department; the provided location of Eure-et-Loir may be a common genealogical error, as Luçon is historically in Poitou). He was the son of François Bourassa (c. 1630–aft. 1684), a laborer or farmer from Poitou, and Marguerite Dugas (c. 1635–c. 1698). Little is documented about his early life in France, but he emigrated to New France (modern Quebec) as a young man, likely in the 1670s or early 1680s, during a period of active French colonization and fur trade expansion.

Upon arrival, François settled in the frontier areas along the St. Lawrence River, where he became involved in the fur trade—a vital economic driver in New France. By 1683, he was recorded in Contrecœur, a seigneury east of Montreal. He worked as a voyageur (canoe-based fur trader), transporting goods and pelts between French outposts and Indigenous trading partners. 

Notable engagements include:

• In 1686, a voyage to Hudson Bay for the Compagnie du Nord, a major French trading firm.

• In 1687, transporting furs to his future brother-in-law, Jacques Le Ber, a prominent Montreal merchant and partner in the influential Le Ber-Le Moyne fur trading house.

• In 1688, hired by René Legardeur de Beauvais to trade with the Ottawa (Odawa) people in the pays d'en haut (upper country).

These expeditions were perilous, involving long canoe trips through rapids, forests, and hostile territories, often with Indigenous allies or guides. François's skills as a voyageur helped him build connections in the colonial elite.

Marriage and Family Life

On July 4, 1684, François married Marie Le Ber at Fort Saint-Louis in the seigneurie of Chambly (the marriage record was registered at Contrecœur parish). The ceremony was witnessed by fellow Fort Saint-Louis residents, including Jean de Paris, Alexandre Dumesnil, Jean Peladeau, Gedeon Petit, and Pierre Salvay—many of whom were soldiers or traders. At the time, François was about 25, and Marie was 17. The couple initially lived at Fort Chambly before settling in La Prairie-de-la-Magdeleine (now La Prairie, Quebec), a strategic fur-trading hub south of Montreal on the St. Lawrence River, near the Iroquois territory.

In La Prairie, François shifted focus to farming on a plot adjacent to the parish church of Nativité-de-la-Prairie-de-la-Magdeleine, though he occasionally returned to trading. The family home was modest but central to the community. Tragedy struck during one of his absences: in September 1693, Marie believed him lost at sea or killed, and she was listed as a widow in parish records. François returned safely the following year, after which he largely stayed home to support his growing family.

François and Marie had at least nine children, many of whom carried on the fur trade legacy or married into prominent Quebec families. Here's a summary of known children (all baptized at La Prairie unless noted):

Child	Birth/Death	Notes
Charles Robert Deslauriers	b. 1683 (Fort Chambly) – d. unknown	From Marie's previous marriage; adopted the Bourassa name.
François	b. Sep 30, 1685 – d. Aug 12, 1708	Voyageur; died young, shortly after his father.
Jean (Pinsonnault Lafleur)	b. 1682/1687? – d. c. 1743	Likely a variant or error; possibly merged records; became a farmer.
René, dit LaRonde	b. Dec 21, 1688 – d. Sep 7, 1778	Prominent voyageur and trader; wintered with explorer La Vérendrye; father of several traders who expanded into the Great Lakes region.
Agnès Gagné	b. 1692 – d. 1719	Married into the Gagné family.
Marie-Élisabeth	b. Feb 25, 1695 – d. Nov 20, 1766	Married Jean Pinsonnault dit Lafleur; ancestors of many in Quebec.
François-Joachim	b. Apr 10, 1698 – d. Mar 21, 1775	Fur trader; married twice (Marie-Anne Deneau in 1721, Marie Susanna Lefebvre in 1735); had 10+ children.
Charles-Joseph	b. Jun 13, 1703 – d. unknown	Limited records; likely stayed in La Prairie.
Antoine	b. Mar 23, 1705 – d. c. 1786	Farmer and trader.
Suzanne	b. Mar 23, 1707 – d. unknown	Youngest; married locally.

The family endured hardships, including epidemics and the constant threat of Iroquois raids, but prospered through trade networks.

Death

François died on May 9, 1708, at age 49, during a smallpox epidemic sweeping New France. He passed away at the Hôtel-Dieu hospital in Montreal and was buried the same day at Notre-Dame parish. His burial record lists him as "François Bourassart, de La Prairie de la Magdeleine," with no age given. He left Marie to raise the younger children alone; his eldest surviving son, René (age 20), took on family responsibilities.

Marie Le Ber (1666–1756) 7th great-grandmother

Marie Le Ber (variants: Lebert, Le Ber, LeBert) was a resilient colonist born in the heart of New France. She was baptized on December 6, 1666, at Notre-Dame-de-Montréal parish, the daughter of François Le Ber (c. 1626–1694), a prosperous merchant and interpreter who arrived in Montreal in 1657, and Jeanne Testard (c. 1643–1723), from Rouen, France. Her godparents were Mathurin Josset and her aunt Marie Le Ber. The Le Ber family was wealthy and influential: her father owned trading posts and served as a militia captain, while her uncle Jacques Le Ber was a key fur trader and philanthropist. Marie grew up in Montreal's Ville-Marie settlement amid Jesuit missions and Indigenous interactions.

First Marriage and Early Widowhood

At age 15, Marie married Charles Robert Deslauriers (c. 1655–1683), a soldier at Fort Chambly, on an unspecified date around 1681–1682. They had one son, Charles Robert (b. 1683). Charles died shortly after, likely in military service or from illness, leaving Marie a widow at 16.

Second Marriage and Life in La Prairie

Her union with François Bourassa (detailed above) brought stability and a large family. After François's death, Marie managed the household and farm in La Prairie with remarkable longevity and fortitude. She witnessed the transition from French to British rule after the 1760 Conquest and lived through the early French and Indian War (1754–1763). Parish records describe her as a devout parishioner at Nativité-de-la-Prairie-de-la-Magdeleine.

Death

Marie died on December 23, 1756, at age 90, in La Prairie during the ongoing Seven Years' War. She was buried the next day in the parish cemetery. Her long life allowed her to see grandchildren and great-grandchildren establish the Bourassa line across Quebec and beyond, including in the fur trade and later in politics and arts (e.g., descendants like Napoléon Bourassa, a 19th-century painter).

Legacy

François and Marie's descendants numbered in the thousands by the 19th century, spreading across Quebec, Ontario, and the U.S. Midwest. The Bourassa family became synonymous with the voyageur tradition—René and his sons traded as far as the Red River and Lake Superior—and later produced notable figures like journalist Henri Bourassa (1868–1952), a founder of Canadian nationalism. Their story reflects the grit of early French-Canadian settlers: immigration, trade risks, family endurance, and adaptation to colonial life. For deeper research, consult the Drouin Collection (via Genealogy Quebec) or PRDH (Programme de recherche en démographie historique) for original parish records.