Joseph Pinsonneau — Voyageur Grandfather

Joseph Pinsonneau (Pinsono) (1733-1779) (5th great-grandfather)

son of Jacques Pinsonneau dit Lafleur (1682-1773) and Marie Elisabeth Bourassa (1695-1766)

Birth 10 APR 1733 • La Prairie-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec, Canada

Death AFTER 1779 • Longueuil, Quebec, Canada

Marriage 1761 to Marie Madeleine Duquet (1734-1791)

Given the fact that Joseph is identified as a ‘DEVANT’ (aka AVANT) the bowman: the man located in the front (or bow) of the canoe who acted as the guide, he most assuredly was a Coureur des Bois and a highly experienced canoeist.

• 1763, April 29, Engagement of Joseph Pinsonneault dit Lafleur, as a voyageur, to Michel Laselle, a Montreal merchant. Notary Hadiesne.

Destination: LA BAYE (Green Bay)

Function: DEVANT (aka AVANT)

Function Notes: partir de cette dite ville en qualité de devant Dans un canot chargé de marchandises, aider a le mener et conduire jusqu’au poste de La Baye ou limites d’iceluy, et en redescendre cette presente année avec Les convois ordinaires dans un canot chargé de peltries

[English]: From this city as a front In a canoe laden with goods, help to lead and lead to the post of La Baye or limits iceluy, and down this year with ordinary convoys in a canoe loaded with peltries

Company Representative: Jacques LaSelle fils marchand voyageur demeurant en cette dite ville

Wages: 170 LIVRES

Advance at Signing: 1916 Livres et Sols

Contract Notes: moyennant La Somme de Cent Soixante dix Livres Sur laquelle Le dit engagé reconnoit et confesse avoir ce jourd’huy reçû du dit Sr LaSelle La Somme de dix neuf Livres Seize Sols dont & ca quittant & ca reste La Somme de cent cinquante Livres quatre Sols que le dit Sr. LaSelle promet et S’oblige bailler et payer au dit engagé pour [restant?] de Ses gages et Salaires du dit voyage en monnoye ayant cour en ce païs aussitôt Son retour du dit poste en cette dite ville - Et promet et Soblige Ledit Sr. LaSelle de nourrir Le dit engagé pendant deux jours aussitôt Son arrivée au dit detroit et de luy donner la liberté de travailler a Son profit 

jusqu’a huit jours avant Son depart du dit lieu, et luy permet de descendre en les canots ce qu’il aura gagné en peltries au dit lieu - et exempt du portage de niagara

[English]: by means of The Sum of Hundred Seventy Books On which the said committed recognizes and confesses to have this day received from the said Sr. LaSelle The Sum of nineteen Pounds Sixteen Soils from which & leaving it remains The Sum of one hundred and fifty Pounds Four Soils that said Sr. LaSelle promises and obliges to yawn and to pay to the said engaged for [remaining?] of His wages and Salaries of the said journey in money having court in this country immediately His return of the said post in this city - And promises and Solitude Sr. LaSelle to feed the said engaged for two days immediately His arrival at the said detroit and give him the freedom to work at his profit until eight days before His departure from the said place, and allows him to descend in canoes what he will have gained in peltries at the said place - and without the portage of niagara

Archive Source: BANQ, Greffes de notaires, Microfilm Number M620/0112

Note: translations from google sometimes yield less than perfect results.

(Above) Copy of his actual Voyageur Contract

Update: 2019, Oct 28: There is some confusion about the destination and the merchant. The notary record says Detroit, while the contract reads La Baye. The merchant is Jacques, the son of the well known Detroit trader. Perhaps the notary was confused or perhaps he was going to both places.

LINEAGE:

Joseph Pinsonneau (Pinsono) (1733 - 1784) -- 5th great-grandfather

Gabriel Pinsonneau (Pinsono) (1770 - 1807) -- Son of Joseph Pinsonneau (Pinsono)

Gabriel Pinsonneau)(aka Gilbert Passino) (1803 - 1877) -- Son of Gabriel Pinsonneau (Pinsono)

Lucy Pinsonneau (aka Passino) (1836 - 1917) -- Daughter of Gabriel Pinsonneau)(aka Gilbert Passino) -- 2nd great-grandmother