Pierre Miville dit Le Suisse (ca. 1602–1669) (our 9th great-grandfather) was a Swiss-born settler, master carpenter (maître-menuisier), shipbuilder, and militia leader in early New France. He is recognized as one of the pioneering colonists of the region, contributing to its development through land cultivation, construction, and community defense amid frequent Indigenous raids and colonial hardships. Contrary to the occupation details you mentioned (which appear to describe his son-in-law, Mathieu Amiot, who married Pierre's daughter Marie in 1650), Pierre himself was not documented as an interpreter or fur trader for the Jesuits in Huron country, nor as a donné (lay volunteer) to them. Instead, his career focused on skilled woodworking, military service in Europe and New France, farming, and brief ventures into trade. Below, I'll expand on his life based on historical records, including his origins, family, immigration, roles in the colony, challenges, and legacy.
Early Life and Origins
Pierre was born around 1602 in the Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland—a rural, predominantly Catholic area within the Swiss Confederacy known for farming, herding, and craftsmanship. His parents are unknown, though some unsubstantiated claims link him to an Isaac Miville (possibly a brother or cousin). Fribourg had ties to the Catholic Church and the House of Austria, and amid religious tensions in Europe, many Swiss men like Pierre served as mercenaries abroad.
By his late teens or early 20s, Pierre enlisted in the French military, likely joining Cardinal Richelieu's Swiss Guards. He probably participated in the Siege of La Rochelle (1627–1628), a key event in the French Wars of Religion where Catholic forces suppressed Huguenot (Protestant) strongholds. Documentary evidence places him in France by June 24, 1635, as a Swiss subject of the Cardinal residing in Brouage (a fortified port in Saintonge, near La Rochelle), where he witnessed a marriage. Brouage was a military and trade hub with connections to explorer Samuel de Champlain, influencing Pierre's later path to New France.
Marriage and Family in France
Around 1629, at about age 27, Pierre married Charlotte Maugis (or Mongis/Mauger; ca. 1607–1676) in Saintonge or the neighboring Aunis region. Charlotte was born around 1607 in Saint-Germain (possibly Saint-Germain-de-Vibrac, Saint-Germain-de-Lusignan, or Saint-Germain-du-Seudre), France; her parents remain unidentified. The couple lived in Brouage and nearby Hiers, areas tied to salt trade and military activity.
They had at least seven children, all born in France and baptized in local parishes:
- Gabriel Miville (ca. 1630–1635; died young).
- Marie Miville dite Le Suisse (1632–1702; married Mathieu Amiot in 1650; your 8th great-grandmother through this line).
- François Miville dit Le Suisse (1634–1711; a carpenter like his father; married twice and had many descendants).
- Marie-Aimée Miville (1635–1713; married twice).
- Marie-Madeleine Miville (1636–after 1708; married Noël Jérémie dit Lamontagne).
- Jacques Miville dit Deschênes (1639–1688; a carpenter and militia member; married Catherine de Baillon, a Fille du Roi with noble ties).
- Suzanne Miville (1640–1675; married Antoine Paulet).
After Richelieu's death in 1642 and his successor's in 1646, Pierre left military service. By 1646, the family relocated to La Rochelle, where Pierre leased land on November 5, 1646, to build a house, though it remained unfinished by December 1647—possibly due to financial strains or opportunities in New France.
Immigration to New France and Settlement
In 1649, Pierre (aged ~47) immigrated to New France with Charlotte and their surviving children (Gabriel had died young), likely aboard a ship like the Grand Cardinal or Notre-Dame from La Rochelle. The voyage, lasting about six weeks, was perilous with high mortality rates from disease and poor conditions. They arrived before October 28, 1649, when Governor Louis d'Ailleboust granted Pierre three arpents (about 1.5 acres) of frontage by 40 deep in the seigneurie de Lauzon (now Lévis, across from Québec City). An additional 26-arpent parcel was later used as daughter Marie's dowry.
Due to Iroquois raids, the family initially lived in Québec City's Upper Town, building a house on rue Saint-Louis. Pierre expanded his Lauzon holdings by four arpents in 1652 but delayed moving there until 1654, when he sold the Québec house for 500 livres. In Lauzon, he constructed a half-timbered home with four rooms, barns, and a stable in a sparsely settled area (only five houses by 1663). He could sign his name, indicating some literacy uncommon among settlers.
In fall 1655, Pierre returned briefly to France to recruit servants and deliver messages, arriving in La Rochelle by November. Back in New France by May 20, 1656, he acquired a lot in Québec's Lower Town, building a house with a chimney, cellar, attic, and apartment. In 1657, Iroquois (specifically Onontaeronons) killed his cow and pig on the Lauzon shore; Pierre fired at them without success.
Occupations and Contributions
As a master carpenter and joiner, Pierre was skilled in woodworking and construction, building homes, barns, and even a vessel for Intendant Jean Talon in 1666–1667 for 2,000 livres—a project Talon praised as a model for colonial self-sufficiency. He farmed his lands, cultivating crops and raising livestock amid threats from raids.
Pierre also served in the militia: In 1667, as Iroquois attacks intensified, he became second-captain (later captain) of the Lauzon militia under Guillaume Couture. On July 6, 1665, Viceroy Alexandre de Prouville de Tracy granted 20 by 40 arpents at Grande Anse (now Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière) to Pierre and six other Swiss men (including sons Jacques and François), forming the "Canton des Suisses fribourgeois." However, none settled there permanently due to isolation and risks.
The 1667 census lists Pierre (65) and Charlotte (60) in Lauzon with son Jacques (27), a servant (Le Lorrain, 40), eight cattle, and 30 arpents under cultivation.
Challenges and Legal Troubles
Labor shortages plagued settlers, as elites like Jean de Lauson monopolized new immigrants. On June 30, 1664, Pierre and neighbors tried to "kidnap" workers from a Normandy ship, leading to his arrest for sedition on July 2. Imprisoned at Château Saint-Louis, he self-defended, admitting actions but criticizing authorities. On July 17, the Sovereign Council banished him for life from Québec City (under pain of death), confined him to Lauzon, and fined him 300 livres. Despite this, he hosted Sunday Masses and remained a community leader; Charlotte handled legal matters. Under new administration (including Talon), he regained standing by 1665.
In 1668, Pierre and Charlotte testified in a murder case as neighborhood captains.
Death and Legacy
Pierre died on October 14, 1669, at about 10 p.m. in his Lauzon home, aged ~67, after receiving sacraments. He was buried the next day in Québec's Notre-Dame cemetery, despite his banishment. On July 18, 1670, Charlotte and sons donated to the Confrérie de Sainte-Anne for a Requiem Mass.
Post-death, Charlotte and sons ventured into fur trade (buying 4,691 livres worth on credit in 1669), but poor conditions led to losses and debt; the partnership dissolved in 1670. Charlotte developed dementia by 1674, with François as curator; she died October 10, 1676, buried in Lauzon. The family sold assets to settle debts.
Pierre's descendants numbered over 1,300 by 1729, spreading across Québec and beyond, including many French-Canadian and Acadian lines. His story highlights the resilience of early colonists, blending Swiss mercenary roots with New France's frontier life. For deeper genealogy, resources like the Programme de Recherche en Démographie Historique (PRDH) or books such as Raymond Ouimet's Pierre Miville: un Suisse en Nouvelle-France (2020) and Thomas J. Laforest's Our French-Canadian Ancestors (Vol. 27, 1998) provide notarial acts, censuses, and parish records.
Jacques Miville dit Deschenes (8th great-granduncle)
Jacques Miville dit Deschenes stands out as a quintessential figure in early New France, blending the rugged independence of a coureur des bois with the aspirations of a settler and trader. Our notes align well with historical records: he was indeed baptized on May 2, 1639, in Hiers-Brouage, Saintonge (now Charente-Maritime), France, as the son of Pierre Miville dit Le Suisse and Charlotte Maugis. By 1667, at age 27, he was still residing with his parents in Lauzon, across from Quebec City, and evidence points to him operating as an unlicensed fur trader—typical of coureurs des bois who ventured into Indigenous territories to exchange goods for pelts, often evading the official monopoly held by companies like the Compagnie des Cent-Associés or later the Compagnie des Indes Occidentales. His January 1684 purchase of goods from merchant Jean Maheux, payable upon return from a "trip" in spring, is a classic indicator of seasonal fur-trading expeditions, where traders like him would winter in the interior, build alliances with Indigenous groups such as the Algonquin or Huron, and return with beaver skins to settle debts.
His marriage on November 12, 1669, to Catherine de Baillon in Quebec City was a significant social event, attended by colonial elites like Governor Daniel de Rémy de Courcelles and Lieutenant-General Louis de Buade de Frontenac's associate Louis Rouer de Villeray. Catherine, from a noble French family (her father Alphonse de Baillon was a courtier, and her mother Louise de Marle connected to aristocracy), brought a substantial 1,000-livre dowry, which likely helped fund Jacques's ventures. This union is indeed the first documented use of his title "Sieur des Chesnes," which evolved into the surname Deschênes for many descendants. The origin of this seigneurial-style title remains unclear—possibly self-adopted to elevate his status amid his wife's nobility, or linked to a minor land grant or fur-trade concession, though no formal seigneury is recorded under that name. It wasn't uncommon for ambitious traders in New France to assume such titles to gain prestige in a colony where social mobility was tied to land and commerce.
Post-marriage, Jacques balanced fur trading with land development, as our notes describe. He hired workers in late 1669 to clear his concession at Grande Anse (near Cap Martin, possibly in the seigneury of Lauzon or along the St. Lawrence). By spring 1670, he was engaged in "navigation and daily work," likely referring to river transport of furs or goods via birchbark canoes or small vessels. Throughout the 1670s, his fur-trade activities are evident in promises to pay debts in beaver pelts, a standard currency in New France's economy. Yet he also invested in agriculture: in June 1674, he acquired 12 arpents (about 10 acres) fronting the St. Jean River from Robert Giffard de La Bouteillerie, seigneur of Rivière-Ouelle, in a disputed area between the seigneuries of Rivière-Ouelle and La Pocatière. He settled there by 1675 (as confirmed by his daughter Marie's birth location), but sold it in 1676 for another plot in Rivière-Ouelle, where he resided until around 1683. By 1684, he returned to farm his former property, now owned by the powerful merchant Charles Aubert de La Chesnaye, who dominated much of the colony's fur trade and land holdings. This shift suggests Jacques may have prioritized stability for his growing family amid the risks of illicit trading, especially after the 1670s crackdown on unlicensed coureurs des bois by authorities enforcing the fur monopoly.
The simultaneous deaths of Jacques and Catherine on January 27, 1688, in Rivière-Ouelle remain a historical enigma—buried January 28 and 29, respectively. Speculation includes illness (perhaps an epidemic like smallpox, common in the colony), accident, or even foul play tied to trade disputes, but no records confirm. They left six children (aged 6–17): Charles, Marie-Angélique, Jean-François, Marie-Anne, Joseph, and Marie-Madeleine. Jacques's brother François Miville (born 1634, died 1711) stepped in as guardian, relocating from Lauzon to Rivière-Ouelle with his own 10 children (from his first marriage to Marie Langlois, who died in 1687). François leased the farm from 1689–1693, remarried Jeanne Sauvenier in 1693, and died in Rivière-Ouelle at 77. His role underscores the tight-knit family networks that sustained fur-trade families through hardships.
The toponym "Deschênes" (referring to rapids, a portage, and later a village on the Ottawa River) ties directly to our family's legacy, as detailed in the article linked. Historically, this site was a millennia-old Algonquin portage ("Miciminj," meaning "where oaks grow") on the fur-trade route from the St. Lawrence to the Great Lakes and beyond. In 1686, Chevalier Pierre de Troyes named it "Portage des Chênes" after noting the fine oaks during his expedition to Hudson Bay against English traders. Over time, the spelling shifted to "Deschênes," likely influenced by the Miville-Deschênes surname, long associated with pelts since the 17th century. Jacques is cited as the first to use "Sieur des Chesnes," and family members like him were active traders in the Outaouais region. By the early 19th century, descendants such as Joseph Miville (possibly a later one) ran taverns and trading posts in Bytown (Ottawa) and Hull, intercepting river traffic for furs. The Quebec Toponymy Commission hasn't fully clarified the shift, but the homophonic origins (oaks vs. surname) highlight the site's fur-trade importance—no English translation to "Oak" ever stuck, preserving the French-Canadian flavor. Archaeological finds, like Indigenous pottery shards, affirm its role as a transit hub for explorers like Samuel de Champlain (who described a similar portage in 1613) and fur brigades.
Moving to Other Relatives
- Joseph Miville (1669–1736), our 9th great-uncle and son of Pierre Miville dit Le Suisse (Jacques's father) and Charlotte Maugis, was born June 6, 1669, in Quebec City and died January 25, 1736, in Montmagny. He married Geneviève Caron around 1695. His fur-trade engagements match our records: on May 17, 1723, he signed to voyage to the Pays d'en Haut (Upper Country, encompassing the Great Lakes). Later ones (June 22, 1737, to Fort Pontchartrain [Detroit] as a cooper; June 8, 1747; July 14, 1748, both to Pays d'en Haut) may refer to a son or nephew named Joseph, as dates postdate his death—common name reuse in large families. These contracts involved loading canoes with merchandise (guns, blankets, alcohol) and returning with pelts, typical for voyageurs under merchants like Ignace Lecour or Nicolas Volan. His role as a cooper (barrel-maker) was vital for storing trade goods and provisions on long hauls.
- Michel Miville (1716–unknown), our 2nd cousin 8x removed, son of Charles Miville and Marie-Madeleine Tardif, was born September 10, 1716, in Quebec and married Marie-Louise Séguin in 1741. His June 21, 1737, engagement (notarized as "Engagement de Michel Miville, fils de Charles Miville, fermier des Religieux, près de Ville-Marie, à Blaize Richard... pour faire le voyage au poste de Michilimakinac dans un canot chargé de marchandises et le redescendre, l’année suivante chargé de pelleteries") is spot-on: he committed to a year-long trip to Michilimackinac (a key fur-trade hub at the Straits of Mackinac, linking Lakes Huron and Michigan), paddling a loaded canoe upstream and returning with furs. As son of a farmer tied to religious orders (likely the Jesuits or Sulpicians near Montreal), this reflects how many young men from agricultural families supplemented income with seasonal voyages, facing dangers like rapids, raids, and harsh winters.
- Charles Miville (1679–1758), our 1st cousin 9x removed, son of François Miville and Marie Langlois, was born around April 1679 in Beauport and died March 12, 1758, in Terrebonne. He married Marie-Madeleine Tardif (1686–1733). While not directly a voyageur, he farmed lands leased from religious institutions near Ville-Marie (Montreal), a common base for fur-trade outfits. His son Michel's engagement ties him indirectly to the trade, as families often passed down skills and contracts. Charles's life illustrates the blend of farming and trade in New France, where surplus from the land supported ventures into the pays d'en haut.
Overall, the Miville-Deschênes line exemplifies the fur trade's intergenerational pull in New France—from Pierre Miville's early arrival in 1649 as a settler-trader, through Jacques's independent exploits, to later descendants' contracted voyages amid the French regime's expansion westward. Their activities contributed to economic networks that shaped Canada, with echoes in place names like Deschênes. The bibliographic references included (e.g., Raymond Ouimet's book on Pierre Miville, Michael Newton's notes on Joseph) are solid; they draw from notarial archives and highlight how these traders left scant records, relying on contracts and land deeds for traces. If anything, the notes could note potential name confusions across generations, but they capture the essence of a family deeply embedded in the beaver-pelt economy.
Samuel de Champlain's fur trade role
Samuel de Champlain (c. 1567–1635), often called the "Father of New France," was a French explorer and cartographer who played a foundational role in establishing and expanding the fur trade in North America during the early 17th century.
His involvement began as an observer and evolved into leadership, where he forged alliances with Indigenous nations, founded key trading posts, and promoted the trade as a means to fund permanent French settlement, despite tensions with profit-focused merchants who prioritized quick gains over colonization.
Early Involvement in Fur Trade Expeditions
Champlain's entry into the fur trade came in 1603, when he joined a voyage to New France as an observer on a fur-trading expedition led by François Gravé Du Pont, a navigator and merchant.
They sailed up the St. Lawrence River to Tadoussac, a key trading site, where Champlain documented interactions with Indigenous groups like the Montagnais (Innu), Algonquin, Maliseet, and Mi'kmaq, who supplied furs such as beaver pelts in exchange for European goods.
This trip resulted in his first book, Des Sauvages (1603), which detailed Indigenous customs and the potential for fur trade profits.
From 1604 to 1607, under the monopoly granted to Pierre Dugua de Mons, Champlain explored Acadia (present-day Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) to identify sites for settlement and trade.
He helped establish Port Royal in 1605 after relocating from Saint Croix Island due to harsh winters, using it as a base for coastal explorations down to Cape Cod and engaging in initial fur exchanges with local Mi'kmaq.
However, de Mons' monopoly was revoked in 1607 amid merchant opposition, shifting focus inland.
Alliances with Indigenous Peoples
Central to Champlain's fur trade strategy were alliances with Indigenous nations, which provided access to vast fur-rich territories.
He formed partnerships with the Montagnais (Innu) of the St. Lawrence, Algonquin along the Ottawa River, Wendat (Huron) of the Great Lakes, and others like the Odawa and Nipissing.
These alliances often required military support against their enemies, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy), who competed for fur routes and traded with Dutch rivals.
Key examples include:
- In 1609, Champlain joined Huron, Algonquin, and Montagnais allies in a raid on Lake Champlain (which he named after himself), using French firearms to defeat Iroquois forces, securing trade loyalty.
- In 1610, he participated in the Battle of Sorel against the Mohawk, further solidifying bonds.
- His 1615 expedition up the Ottawa River to Huronia (Georgian Bay) involved wintering with the Huron, exploring Lake Huron, and leading an unsuccessful attack on an Iroquois village, during which he was wounded.
These relationships enabled French traders to access premium beaver furs (especially "castor gras d'hiver," greasy winter pelts prized for European hats), bypassing Iroquois middlemen and establishing a network extending to the Great Lakes.
Establishment of Trading Posts and Settlements
Champlain's most enduring contribution was founding Quebec City in 1608 as a permanent trading post and fortified habitation.
Selected for its strategic position on the St. Lawrence to control river traffic and fur flows, it included storehouses, living quarters, defenses like moats and cannons, and served as the hub for exchanges with Indigenous partners.
Despite early challenges, such as scurvy killing most of the initial 28 settlers, Quebec became the center of New France's fur trade.
He later supported posts like Trois-Rivières (1634) and expanded Quebec with Fort Saint-Louis.
Champlain administered these under various monopolies, including the Compagnie des Cent-Associés (Company of One Hundred Associates) from 1627, where he served as de facto governor.
Overall Contributions and Challenges
Champlain viewed the fur trade not just as an end but as a means to finance broader colonization, agriculture, and missionary work, estimating annual revenues over 400,000 livres.
He produced detailed maps of the St. Lawrence, Great Lakes, and Atlantic coast based on his travels and Indigenous knowledge, aiding trade navigation.
His writings, like Voyages de la Nouvelle-France (1632), promoted the region's economic potential.
However, he faced opposition from merchant companies that favored seasonal trading over permanent settlements, and external threats like the English capture of Quebec in 1629 (returned in 1632).
Ultimately, Champlain's efforts laid the groundwork for New France's fur-based economy, which dominated until the mid-18th century, integrating French and Indigenous systems while sparking long-term conflicts with the Iroquois.
Thank you to Grok xAI for editing and enhancements.
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