Paris, is there any chance of finding a marriage contract for her first marriage?

Question

Marguerite Després was a widow when she married in New France in 1663.  Her parents aren't named on this side of the big pond.

There is the strong probability that she is related to 3 Després sisters who came here before her, Étiennette Després-39, Anne Després-41 and Geneviève Després-89, who are all present at her marriage contract here, and 2 of them are among those asking for an inventory to be done after Marguerite .and her husband died.

Is there any way to find a possible marriage contract for Marguerite and Benjamin Pichard in Paris notarial records?  The only one of the sisters who married in France was Étiennette, and her marriage contract data is on her profile.

Would be really nice to be able to connect Marguerite to her family.

Answer 1

There is a will made by one Benjamin Pichard in Paris on 25 Feb 1643. Only the index is online (left page, second last entry), you have to visit CARAN in Paris to see the will itself. The notary is Simon Le Mercier, his office was rue de l'Arbre-Sec, not far from Saint-Eustache.

This is a few years too early. But if this is the same family, maybe they kept the same notary, or rather his successor, Jean de Bierne. Here is some information (in French) on how to access the notarial records from Paris.

Comments

intéressant, il existe bien un Benjamin Pichard à Paris à l'époque.  Un testament peut être fait n'importe quand, alors n'est pas une indication claire pour savoir si c'est la bonne époque.  Marguerite aurait été âgée d'environ 17 ans en 1643, donc possible que le testament est fait après le mariage, dont le contrat aurait été fait ailleurs (s'il en existe un, évidemment).