Paul Hue (1645 - 1734)

Born 16 Feb 1645 in Montigny, Normandie, France

Husband of Jeanne Baillargeon — married 16 Jun 1669 in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Canada, Nouvelle-France

Descendants

Died 20 Mar 1734 at age 89 in Sorel, Canada, Nouvelle-France

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Biography

Paul Hue migrated from France to Nouvelle-France.

Paul Hue (later Hus / Hû) was baptized on 16 February 1645 at Montigny in Normandie (today Seine-Maritime), France, as the son of Léonard Hue and Marguerite Lenfant (see Research Notes regarding names and records). ^[1]

HUE, Paul, de Montigny, (S.-Inf.), baptisé le 16 février 1645, fils de Léonard et de Marguerite Lenfant

Montigny is an historic Norman town to the west of Rouen, and the Château de Montigny was completed in 1641 just a few years prior to Paul's birth. ^[2]

Relatively little is known of Paul's family and the particular volume of associated records from Montigny is not available (at least in digitized form) - potentially affected like many others in the region by the extensive wartime damages that occurred in 1945. Fortunately, Québecois researcher Émile Vaillancourt spent several years in the 1930s researching and recording the French records of Nouvelle-France pioneers in the archives of Normandy – and Paul Hue's baptism of 16 February 1645 was among them. Vaillancourt was also careful to note when spellings were ambiguous – and for another pioneer indicated that the name could possibly have been Hue or Hus – but in Paul's case no such ambiguity was noted, and it was reflected as Hue not Hus. ^[1]

- See Research Notes re: Names and records

Paul's grandparents are unknown but there were a number of individuals with the Hue or Huet surname in Normandy, in or near Rouen. Léonard and Marguerite also had an older son Léonard, whose baptismal record in 1631 likewise appears to show the family's surname scripted as Hue rather than with an s (compare the short and "crossed" ending of the family surname with the tall script used for the letter s in the nearby words 'fils' and 'baptise'). ^{[3] [4]}

Emigration to Nouvelle-France

Paul emigrated to Nouvelle-France prior to 1666 and was recorded (again as Paul Hue) in the household of his employers, who were the Seigneur de Beauport. and his son Joseph Giffard, the Seigneur de Fargy:

"Robert Giffard, escuyer (esquire), 79, seigneur de Beauport; Marie Renouard, 67, sa femme (his wife); Joseph Giffard, escuyer, 21, seigneur de Fargy; Michel(le) Thérèse Nau, 23, sa femme; Paul Hue, 25, domestique engagé (hired servant); Jean Langlois, 24, musnier (miller); Pierre du Mesnil, 30, domestique; Jean Chainbre, 23, meunier (miller), domestique."^[5][6]

In the following year, when Talon again takes a census, Paul and the three other engagé (contracted servants) in the homestead of Robert Giffard have moved elsewhere, therefore it may be assumed they have fulfilled the thirty-six months duration of their contracts and thereby entitled to be free agent citizens in the colony, and thus able to conduct business, acquire property, and marry. ^[7]

Marriage to Jeanne Baillargeon

In 1669, after Paul had been in Nouvelle-France for three years and his service to the Seigneurs de Beauport and Fargy had ended, he married Jeanne Baillargeon the daughter of Nouvelle-France pioneer and businessman Mathurin Baillargeon and "Fille à marier" Marie Métayer. ^[3]

The record of Paul's marriage to Jeanne Baillargeon has not been located, but a marriage contract was done before the notary Jean Cusson on 16 June 1669 at Cap-de-la-Madeleine, where Jeanne and her family were living. The notary there scripted Paul's name as Pol Hus - which would sound the same as Paul Hue, but which appears to be the first time the surname was scripted with an s. The name of his wife-to-be was written as Janne Baillajon / Baillarjon - which would likewise sound like Jeanne Baillargeon. Other names and some common words were also "sounded out" and often misspelled in the contract (such as Louis Badaillac becoming "Banaillam" or Catholique becoming "Chatolique") - even for some individuals such as Michel Peltier who appeared and signed (which Paul was not able to do) (see Research Notes re Names and records). ^[8]

Family

In 1681, Paul (his surname appearing with an accent over the e, as Hué or Huė), was recorded with his wife and seven children, with property including a gun, 7 horned animals and 20 arpents of land (approximately 17 acres):

Paul Hué 38, Jeanne Baillargeon, sa femme, 26 ; enfants : Louis 11, Antoine 10, Marc 9, Jean Baptiste 7, Jean 5, Pierre 3, Jeanne 1 1/2 ; 1 fusil ; 7 bêtes à cornes ; 20 arpents en valeur.^[9]

Their family later expanded and although several of Paul and Jeanne's children passed away early (as was not uncommon), nine of them would eventually go on to marrry into families in the Sorel region. (Note: in many cases indexers "standardized" their surname as Hus in "répertoires" (shown as (std) below) - although original records often reflected other spellings (shown in [brackets] below) - and dit names began in use for many of their children). ^[10]

1. Louis Hü [Hú dit Paul] - b abt. 1670, m 1699-06-10 (Marie Angélique NIQUET), d 1733-04-02
2. Jean Baptiste Antoine Hus (std) - b 1672-03-18
3. Marc Antoine Hus (std) [Hue dit Millet] - bp 1673-10-11, m 1698-12-05 (Françoise LAVALLÉE), d 1756-04-11
4. Jean Baptiste Hus [Hue / Hü dit Depain] - b 1675-03-25, m 1725-07-02 (Marie Josephe NIQUET), d 1733-12-05
5. Jean Hus [Hü dit La Traverse] - b 1677-01-19, m 1714-10-15 (Marie Thérèse NIQUET), d 1732-11-15
6. Pierre (Jean Paul) Hu [Hu dit Cournoyer] - b abt. 1678, m 1700-10-03 (Jeanne VANNET), d 1751-11-28
7. Jeanne Catherine Hû [Hus dite Paul] - b 1680-05-06, m 1702-11-19 (Jean LAVALLÉE), d 1744-01-02
8. Paul Hus (std) [Hû] - b 1681-12-22, d 1690-06-08
9. Marie Hus (std) [Hü] - bp 1683-08-31, m 1711-06-25 (Pierre LOISEAU), br 1760-11-14
10. Léonard Hus (std) - bp 1685-04-13, br 1687-11-28
11. Jean Hus (std) [Hu] - bp 1687-05-08, br 1687-12-01
12. Joseph Huss [Hu] - b 1689-09-18, br 1723-02-19
13. Geneviève Hus (std) [Hü] - bp 1691-05-18, m 1714-06-01 (Pierre SALVAYE / SALVAIL), d 1780-04-21
14. Étienne Hus (std) [Paul Hus] - bp 1694-06-29, m 1719-11-06 (Ursule FAFART / FAFARD), br 1745-06-02
15. Catherine Hus (std) [Hu dite Paul] - bp 1696-11-23, never married (child with Mathurin Deguire), d 1772-02-03

Legacy

Paul lived to be 89 years old, which was certainly a full life for the time. He passed away on 20 March 1734 and was buried the following day at the church of Saint-Pierre in Sorel - as Paul Hû. ^{[3] [11]}

Paul was survived by numerous children, grandchildren and great great grandchildren – and a map of the Fief d'Yamaska east of Sorel entitled Concession de Paul Hue and associated documents from the Societé historique Pierre-de-Saurel (Historical Society of Sorel) showed the extent of the family's holdings as of 1723. ^{[12] [13]}

As reflected in the 1723 map - and in the baptismal and other vital records of his children and grandchildren – the original name of Hue (later indexed as Hus) was often written at the time as Hue or Hu - often with accent marks such as Huë, Hü, or Hû (as Paul was buried). ^{[11] [12]}

With so many descendants in the area, the original surnames were mostly replaced by "dit names" within several generations - so that later descendants had new surnames such as Beauchemin, Cournoyer, La Traverse, Lemoine, Millet, Paul, etc.

Research Notes

Note regarding names and records:

The baptismal and other records of Nouvelle-France pioneers were the focus of a multi-year study in Normandy in the early 1930s (associated with the millennial anniversary of Normandy). The research, which was conducted by Émile Vaillancourt and reviewed by Archange Godbout, was also intended to correct errors associated with the Dictionnaire généalogique des familles canadiennes (DGFC) by Cyprien Tanguay, as referred to in the preface by M. Fauteux de la Societé Royale du Canada et président de la Societé Historique de Montréal. ^[1]

When the early genealogical dictionaries began in the late 1800s (particularly Tanguay's Dictionnaire), the indexing of families together in a book essentially required name standardization - meaning family "surnames" would not necessarily reflect a particular individual's last name at birth (LNAB), which is the expected standard on Wikitree. In addition, Tanguay did not have access to the records of pioneers in the French archives – such as those of Vaillancourt researched and reported in the 1930s. Tanguay essentially reflected Hus as the standard name based on the later records he had access to in Québec. ^[14] The practice was continued for the same purpose by René Jetté in his update Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec (DGFQ). He therefore cited the record of Paul's 1645 baptism (which was as Paul Hue) - but he again "standardized" the name as Hus for purposes of his 1983 dictionary. ^[15]

Fortunately the record of Paul's baptism in 1645 was identified and referenced by Vaillancourt based on the original records in Normandy (many of these were later impacted by World War II and the corresponding Montigny record appears to be no longer available). Vaillancourt was also careful to transcribe names as they were recorded rather than standardizing them. While another pioneer's surname was noted as being potentially Hus or Hue, Paul's was apparently clear - as Hue: ^[1]

HUE, Paul, de Montigny, (S.-Inf.), baptisé le 16 février 1645, fils de Léonard et de Marguerite Lenfant

A baptismal record of Paul's older brother Léonard at Montigny in 1631 likewise did not reflect the surname as being Hus, but apparently Hue. As reflected in the record of the baptism (and not uncommonly at the time), the letter s was scripted as a rather tall character (above and below the line); as in the words 'fils' and 'baptise' in the text of Léonard's baptism. ^[4]

Paul's first record in Nouvelle-France was in the household of his employers the Seigneur de Beauport and his son the Seigneur de Fargy for the 1666 Census at Saurel (Sorel) - for which his name was clearly spelled as Paul Hue. ^{[5] [6]}

When Paul later appeared before a notary at Cap-de-la-Madeleine (where his wife-to-be lived) in 1669, the notary there (Cusson) scripted his name as Pol Hus - which would sound the same as Hue, but which appears to be the first time his name was written that way. Similarly, the name of his wife-to-be was written as Jonne Baillajon / Baillarjon - which would likewise sound like Jeanne Baillargeon as it was normally written. Paul's father Leonard became linard or lenard; Jeanne's mother Marie Me(s)tayer became mauri(ne?) metoyer (?), Michel Peltier (who actually signs as such) became polsin / poltiu, Louis Badaillac Sieur de la Plante became banaillam, François Hertel became Autrel or Autel, etc. The novel "re-writes" were not limited to names either, so Catholique is at times Chatolique (!), habitant became abitans, and so on (sometimes spelled differently within the same document). ^[8]

A rough English translation of Paul and Jeanne's marriage contract is provided below - with various spelling errors in the original by Cusson having been corrected. ^[16]

Other original records for Paul and his family reflect the surname as some variation of Hue or Hu, often with an accent mark. So while a couple of children had the name apparently written as Hus, it was more often Hu, Hü or Hû. The burial record for Paul is also consistent - he was buried at Sorel as Paul Hû. It should also be noted that a number of the IGD (Drouin) records were indexed as Hus (using Tanguay's standard) even though the baptismal acts were not available. In some cases, such as daughter Jeanne, the actual act clearly reflects the name as Hû, but the "répertoires" developed by later indexers re-wrote the name with an s.

PRDH Programme de recherche en démographie historique (now managed by l'Institut généalogique Drouin) further standardized family names to keep families together in their demographic research. Both refer to Paul's baptism on 16 February 1645 at Montigny based on the records researched by Vaillancourt in the 1930s – but with the name Paul Hue (as reported by Vaillancourt) being modified to Hus as standardized later. PRDH also incorrectly shows Leonard's name as being Aimard.

In accordance with Wikitree standards and Québecois project guidelines, the last name at birth (LNAB) should generally reflect records associated with each individual's actual birth or as close to it as available – with later-used names or variations being reflected as appropriate.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} La conquête du Canada par les Normands : biographie de la première génération normande du Canada. 1933. Émile Vaillancourt (revue et annotée par le R.P. Archange Godbout; preface M. Fauteux de le Societé Royale du Canada et président de la Societé Historique de Montréal). Vaillancourt - Bibliotheques et Archives nationales du Québec (pdf online, cf. p 132)
2. ↑ Wikipédia - Montigny
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Répertoire des actes des émigrants français et étrangers établis au Québec Fichier Origine 242113 Paul Hus 2019 Fédération québécoise des sociétés de généalogie//Québec Federation of Genealogical Societies
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} dossier Fichier Origine -Bapt. Léonard Hus, image
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Wikisource: Recensements 1666-1667 Censuses selon Benjamin Sulte Histoire des Canadiens-français, Tome 4, chap. 4
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Recensement du Canada 1666, p. 61 (image 70) Recensement 1666 – Paul Hue
7. ↑ The French Canadian Genealogist at: https://www.tfcg.ca/old-occupation-indentured-servant (Note: some erroneous statements in this description, indenture does not apply, see Wikipedia: Indentured servitude; engagés were paid workers with a fixed term to their contract. They could own property, although they had to complete their contract before going to live on said property. Contract law as it then existed was enforced by civil authorities.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Jean Cusson, Actes 1 mai 1666 - 23 mai 1686 (1552 fichiers), pgs 48-50/1552: Contrat de mariage

   (per notaire Jean Cusson 1669): pol hus, abitans de Richeleu, natife de la paroisse de montigny proche la ville de Rouen (icy) normentdie (Normandie) fils lenard hus et de marguerite lanfant … assisté de michel polsi(n/u) (actually Michel Peltier, as signed) Sr. de la prade abitans du Cap et de louys banaillam (actually Louis Badaillac) Sr. de la Plante

   - et maturin baillarjon (Mathurin Baillargeon) abitans du dict Cap et maryer metoyre (Marie Metayer) sa fame… janne bailla(r)jon (Jeanne Baillargeon) leur fille…

9. ↑ Wikisource Recensement 1681 Census selon Benjamin Sulte Histoire des Canadiens-français, Tome 5, chap. 4
10. ↑ Programme de recherche en démographie historique (Université de Montréal) PRDH: Le Programme de recherche en démographie historique (membership): Famille: 2739 – Paul Hus et Jeanne Baillargeon (m 1669-06-16)]
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Sépultre: Actes d'état civil et registres d'église du Québec (images of church registers available at Généalogie Québec, Institut généalogique Drouin) LAFRANCE BMS Acte 176216 Sépultre de Paul Hû
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} Concession de Paul Hue 1723
13. ↑ Societé historique Pierre-de-Saurel - Paul Hus ou Huë et Jeanne Baillargeon
14. ↑ Dictionnaire généalogique des familles canadiennes depuis la fondation de la colonie jusqu'à nos jours (DGFC). Tanguay, Cyprien. Québec, Canada: Eusèbe Senécal, 1871; Vol. 1, p. 316; available online at Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec Dictionnaire généalogique des familles canadiennes
15. ↑ Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec (DGFQ). Jetté, René. Presses de l’Université de Montréal, Montréal, 1983, 1176 pages; cf. page 584
16. ↑ Rough English translation of marriage contact terms (without reference to various spelling errors appearing in names etc. of the French original):

    Before us, the undersigned Jean Cusson, royal notary in the seigneurial jurisdiction of Cap-de-la-Madeleine, the following marriage agreement, there were personally present: Pol Hus, resident of Richelieu, native of the parish of Montigny near the city of Rouen in Normandy, son of Leonard Hus and Marguerite Lanfant… attended by Michel Potier, gentleman, Sieur de la Prade living at the Cap, and Louis Badaillac, Sieur de la Plante and Master Bastien Provencher, also living at the aforesaid Cap, on the one hand.

    And master Mathurin Baillargeon, resident of the Cap and Marie Metayer, his wife,... assisted by Quentin Moral, Sieur de St-Quentin, judge provost of the Seigneurie of the Cap and François Hertel, Sieur de la Fresnière, living in Trois-Rivières. The aforesaid Mathurin Baillargeon and Marie Métayer, his wife, by the present promise to give over their daughter Jeanne Baillargeon, approximately 14 years of age, in marriage to Paul Hus [she] promises to take as her husband and loyal spouse Paul Hus, promising fidelity and loyalty in marriage, just as Paul Hus has promised and promises to take in marriage Jeanne Baillargeon as his wife and loyal spouse, if God and our holy mother Church, catholic, apostolic and Roman consents to it and agrees in contemplation of the future marriage which, to the great pleasure of God, will take place in the presence of the Church in which they promise to raise their children, if God should give them any. In the same contemplation of future marriage, the contractants have promised to hold all of their possessions in common, after the marriage has been done and consummated. And if Paul Hus shall die without children, he gives all his goods and property to Jeanne Baillargeon, his future spouse, and reciprocally, Jeanne Baillargeon, if she shall die without children, gives all her possessions and property to Paul Hus, her future husband … Baillargeon and his wife now give to Paul Hus a heifer of last March, 2 pigs of the same age, six chickens and a rooster which animals they must give over whenever Paul Hus asks for them. The new spouses shall take nothing else from the Baillargeons, unless after the death of the Baillargeons they should be heirs. Paul Hus has now declared that he has a concession located in Richelieu [Sorel] and has cleared and planted 7 arpents of land has a house already built on the concession. And Paul Hus has granted the best of his goods and 200 livres to Jeanne Baillargeon. As all parties were in agreement, this was passed and done in the house of the aforementioned Baillargeon, the 16th of June, 1669.

    Present: Michel Potier, Sieur de la Prade; Louis Badaillac, Sieur de la Plante; Maitre Bastien Provencher, acting for Paul Hus; Quentin Moral, Sieur de St-Quentin, judge provost of the Cap; François Hertel, Sieur de la Fresnière, who signed the present contract with me the notary, certain parties declared that they did not know how to sign their names in accordance with the required ordinances, they made their mark. [Marks shown for Paul and the Baillarjon family]

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