Desroches Family Fur Trade Roles in New France

 

THOMAS DAVIES A VIEW OF MONTREAL IN CANADA,
TAKEN FROM ISLE ST. HELENA IN 1762

Gen 1: French Origins

• Jean Antoine Desroches (1585–after 1652) (9th great-grandfather)
• Birth: ~1585, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France (some sources specify nearby areas like Montreuil-Bellay).
• Death: After 1652, Normandie, France (exact date unclear; survived long enough to see son emigrate).
• Marriage: ~1610 to Antoinette Beaulieu (1585–1670), likely in Rouen or vicinity. 
• Role: Limited records; possibly a laborer or artisan in Normandy, with family ties to early colonial migration.
• Spouse: Antoinette Beaulieu (1585–1670) (9th great-grandmother)
• Birth: ~1585, France.
• Death: ~1670, France (did not emigrate).

Gen 2: Immigration to New France

• Jean Baptiste Desroches (1621–1684) (8th great-grandfather)
• Birth: ~1621, Bayeux, Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France (alternative: Lucy-le-Bois, Yonne, or Sainte-Luce-sur-Loire; sources vary but confirm Normandy origins). 
• Death: 23 August 1684, Pointe-aux-Trembles, Montréal, New France (buried same day).
• Marriage: 6 February 1647 in Montréal to Françoise Gaudé (Godé/Gaudet/Godet) dit La Bonne Femme (1636–1715), daughter of Nicolas Gaudé and Marie Goupil. 
• Immigration: Arrived in Montréal ~1640s as a settler; one of the original habitants under Maisonneuve's Société de Notre-Dame de Montréal.
• Children: At least 10, including Jean Baptiste (1649–1743) and Nicolas (1652–1737). 

Gen 3: Settlement in Montréal

• Jean Baptiste Desrochers (Desroches) (1649–1743) (7th great-grandfather)
• Birth: 11 December 1649, Montréal, New France (baptized same day at Notre-Dame). 
• Death: ~17 August 1743 (or after; some records say abt. 1743), St-Joseph, Rivière-des-Prairies, Hochelaga, Québec (burial date approximate).
• Marriage: 14 April 1687 in Pointe-aux-Trembles, Montréal, to Marie Beauchamp (1672/1679–1754), daughter of Jacques Beauchamp dit Le Petit (1635–1693) and Marie Dardenne (1638–1699). 
• Children: At least 4, including Jean Baptiste (1699–1774) and Marie-Angélique (1700–1784). 
• Occupation: Habitant (farmer/settler) in Pointe-aux-Trembles; no direct fur trade records, but family networks supported trade.
• Spouse: Marie Beauchamp (1672/1679–1754) (7th great-grandmother)
• Birth: 30 August 1672/1679, Pointe-aux-Trembles, Montréal.
• Death: 27 September 1754, Pointe-aux-Trembles.

Gen 4: Expansion in the Richelieu Valley

• Marie-Angélique Desrochers (Desroches) (1700–1784) (6th great-grandmother)
• Birth: 19 March 1700, Pointe-aux-Trembles, Île-de-Montréal, Québec (baptized same day). 
• Death: 16 April 1784, St-Charles-sur-Richelieu, Québec (buried 17 April).
• Marriage: 3 February 1721 in Pointe-aux-Trembles to Jacques Marié (Marier, Lemarié) dit Cordonnier (1687–1742), son of Claude Marié and Marie Masse. 
• Spouse: Jacques Marié (Marier, Lemarié) dit Cordonnier (1687–1742) (6th great-grandfather)
• Birth: 26 July 1687, Neuville, Portneuf, Québec.
• Death: 1 October 1742, Montréal, Québec.

Gen 5: Connection to Vielle Line

• Marie Elizabeth Marier dit Lemarier (1740–1831) (5th great-grandmother)
• Birth: 21 December 1740, St-Charles-sur-Richelieu, Montérégie, Québec (baptized same day).
• Death: 1 September 1831, St-Cyprien, Napierville, Québec.
• Marriage: 6 February 1758 in Chambly, Québec, to Michel Vielle dit Cossé (1724–1805). 
• Spouse: Michel Vielle dit Cossé (1724–1805) (5th great-grandfather)
• Birth: 20 July 1724, Cossé, Mayenne, Pays de la Loire, France.
• Death: 7 March 1805, La Prairie, Québec.

Updated Desroches Family Fur Trade Roles

My previous exploration incorrectly focused on a collateral branch (via Nicolas Desroches, 1652–1737, our 7th great-granduncle). In your direct line, the key fur trade figure is the immigrant ancestor, Jean Baptiste Desroches (Gen 2, 1621–1684). Here's the revised overview, based on confirmed sources:

Direct Line Contributions

• Jean Baptiste Desroches (1621–1684) (8th great-grandfather)
• Role: Coureur de bois, trader, and canoe builder; one of Montréal's early settlers who transitioned into the fur trade.

• Key Contributions: In 1667, formed a trading company with explorer Nicolas Perrot (a prominent coureur de bois), Toussaint Baudry, and Isaac Nafrechoux. They ventured west to Ottawa Country (near Green Bay, Wisconsin) and traded with Indigenous groups like the Ottawa (Odawa) for beaver furs. This occurred amid the Beaver Wars, helping expand French networks against Iroquois and English rivals. He was renowned as a master birchbark canoe builder, essential for navigating the Great Lakes and rivers. 
• Legacy: His activities supported New France's economy during Intendant Jean Talon's era (1665–1672), when fur exports boomed. As a Société de Notre-Dame member, he balanced settlement with trade. 
• Jean Baptiste Desrochers (1649–1743) (7th great-grandfather)
• Role: No direct fur trade records found; primarily a habitant in Pointe-aux-Trembles. However, as son of a trader, he likely benefited from family networks during the trade's peak (1680s–1700s). 
• Later Generations (Marie-Angélique and Descendants): No documented fur trade involvement; focus shifted to farming and local trades (e.g., Jacques Marier as a cordonnier/shoemaker). Indirect ties through intermarriages, like to the Vielle voyageurs.

Collateral Branch (Uncle's Line)

• Nicolas Desroches (1652–1737) (7th great-granduncle; brother of Jean Baptiste, Gen 3)
• Role: Classic coureur de bois and engagé.
• Key Contributions: In 1682, hired by merchant François Hazeur for a Great Lakes expedition to trade with Ottawa Indians. He evaded royal regulations, embodying the independent trader spirit that sustained the fur economy. 

Broader Legacy

The Desroches exemplified early French-Canadian resilience, blending settlement with trade amid conflicts. Their Ottawa alliances were crucial for furs. 

Updated information thanks to Grok xAI.