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Pierre Labbe dit lacroix was born 30 JUN 1643 in Ferté-Bernard, Maine, France. He died 4 JAN 1709 in St. Francois.
Pierre Labbe dit lacroix's wife was Marguerite Meunier (1659-1733). They were married 10 APR 1674 in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. They had one known child named Anne Labbe (1679-1758).
Carignan Regiment Soldier Immigrated in 1665 as part of
Francois de Monteil's Company.
Dict. Gene. p 45...See Vol 1, p 331...soldier & farmer
PIERRE LABBE dit Lacroix
At Ferté-Bernard, a small village in the Province of Maine, in France, there is a marvelouschurch called Notre-Dame-des-Marais. It is unique, not only because of the exterior, but theinterior attests to a century of work of
dedicated artisans. Pierre Labbé was baptized here on 30 June 1643. Pierre Hubert and JehanneLe Bouvière were godfather and godmother to the infant. The parish priest wrote in the register:"Pierre Labbé, son of François and of Marie Forest."
Many of the emigrants from Perche had to pass through Ferté-Bernard on their way toLaRochelle, thence to Canada. When Louis Guimond, Pierre
Tremblay, Jean Malenfant, Julien Mercier and several others walked or rode by, Pierre Labbé wasbut four years old.
The flourishing signature of Pierre is evidence that he was a man of some education. Whilestill a youth, he chose a military career.On 19 November 1663, Louis XIV sent Lieutenant GeneralAlexandre de Prouville, Marquis de Tracy, on an expedition to the western hemisphere, to showthe flag and bring respect for royal authority to the French possessions. He was the right man forthe task: He organized the departure of 600 colonists in four ships and three supply transports,one of which was named the Sainte-Anne. The soldiers were organized into 4 companies of 200men each, equipped with all the necessities to conduct combat operations. Pierre Labbé was amember of the Company of François de Montiel.
By 26 February 1664, all was in readiness at LaRochelle. The fleet, carrying over a thousandpeople, set sail for the Antilles. On arrival, the colonists were dispersed among the islands andsome governors were placed in
charge of various possessions. The army then dislodged the Hollanders from Cayenne, the capitalof Guyana. Pierre Labbé participated in this successful military operation.
By order of the Sun-King, on 25 April 1665, the four companies, headed by General deTracy, left Guadeloupe for Canada, passing by the Bahamas en
route. They made a brief stop at Percé to replenish their wood and potable
water, then, on 30 June, they debarked at Québec. Pierre found himself in the heart of NewFrance. His company established itself near the capital, having been assigned to guard the Iled'Orléans from 1666 to 1667.
On 21 September 1665, Pierre Labbé, with many of his companions, was confirmed atQuébec by Msgr François de Laval.
On another occasion, in company with 500 soldiers, Pierre Labbé dit
Lacroix took the scapular of Mount-Carmel on 30 September, 1665. Mother
Marie de l'Incarnation added, in a letter signed on 29 October following,
that most of the soldiers attended the chapel of Ste-Famille every day.
Their Canadian mission having been accomplished, a goodly number of the men of theCarignan Régiment decided to remain in order to take
advantage of the King's offer of land to those who would exchange the sword for the plow. PierreLabbé was one of these. By a contract entered into before the notary Claude Auber, on 5 July1670, we learn that three years earlier, on 10 March 1667, before Notary Paul Vachon, PierreLabbé had been granted a concession from Msgr de Laval. This grant of land was located to theeast of the actual parish of Saint-Pierre on the Ile d'Orléans. He sold it, complete with cabin for themodest sum of 60 livres, payable in two installments.
There was a happy home in the parish of Sainte-Famille on the Ile
d'Orléans; that of Jacques De Launay and his wife, Catherine Besnard, with
their two children. However, death paid a visit to the head of the family in
February, 1670. On the 16th of the following July, we find Pierre Labbé
signing a promise of marriage with the widow Catherine. He agreed to forgo his right to herproperty in favor of her two children, until they were fifteen years old; in return for which hereceived a part of the already productive farm: 15 arpents under cultivation. Louis Houde andFrançois Gaulin were witness to the agreement. The marriage was supposed to be solemnized "assoon as it was possible." However, it was done two years later, on 31 July 1672. The reason forthe delay has never been explained.
Only 84 days after their marriage, on 23 October 1672, Catherine died at home at the age ofabout 43 years. She left the two orphans, Jacques and
Catherine De Launay, 10 and 8 years old, and a bereaved husband.According to law, it wasnecessary to take a detailed inventory of the assets of the deceased to protect the inheritance ofher minor children. Notary Paul Vachon, on 12 January 1673, crossed the river to Sainte-Famille torecord 10 pages of text before witnesses. The real and personal property, the debts and dues,everything was recorded, even the 5 livres owed to Doctor Louis Moreau. The 3 perches and 6pieds of land frontage left to Pierre Labbé would be sold to his neighbour, Guillaume Baucher ditMorency, on the following 19th of August, for the sum of 166 livres.
Pierre Labbé found some land which suited him in the parish of Saint-
François on the south coast of the island. Claude Darcollier sold him a farm of 3 arpents infrontage on the river, on 22 February 1674, for 75 livres.
Two months later, on 8 April, Pierre signed a contract of marriage with
Marguerite Meunier, daughter of Mathurin and of Françoise Fafard. Marguerite had been baptizedat Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré by Father Paul Ragueneau, S.J., in the home of Etienne Lessard on 17August 1659. Her godfather was Noël Simard and her godmother was Madame Lessard. On theoccasion of the future marriage, her parents gave them some furniture valued at 100 livres.
Pierre escorted his young bride of 14 years and 8 months to the foot of the altar of thesecond church of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, where they were
married by Father Fillon on 10 April 1674. Their honeymoon was spent in a
boat crossing the ice-filled river between Sainte-Anne and Saint-François,
Ile d'Orléans.
The ensuing life of this couple was one of great simplicity. They had
thirteen children, all born at Saint-François, of whom six died at an early
age. They may be listed as follows:
1. Marguerite was born on 24 May 1675 and died on 13 May 1691 in
the Hotel-Dieu of Québec.
2. Jacques was born on 8 October 1676 and died three days later.
3. Marie (1) was born on 15 December 1677 and died four days later.
4. Anne was baptized on 17 July 1679 and married Jean-François
Allaire in 1694. This marriage was annuled the same year.
5. François was born the 10th of August 1681, died and was buried
the 14 of August 1688.
6. A child whose sex we do not know was born and died on 22
October 1683.
7. Marie (2) was baptized 17 March 1685 and married Pierre Boucher
in 1699.
8. Jacques was baptized 12 May 1687 and married Françoise DeBlois
in 1709.
9. Pierre (1) was baptized on 28 March 1689 and died a month later.
10. Madeleine was baptized on 28 December 1690 and married Jean-
Baptiste DeBlois in 1710.
11. Pierre (2) was born about 1692, and married Reiné Garinet in
1715.
12. Jean was baptized 20 April 1699 and married Marie LePage in
1724.
13. Geneviève was baptized 18 February 1701 and married Pierre
Martineau in 1718.
After the death of Mathurin Meunier, Pierre and his spouse renounced their inheritance infavor of Françoise Fafard.
In 1709, Pierre had 48 arpents of cleared land and a planked house 30 by 20 feet. Therewas also a 50-foot straw covered barn. Not much money in the
cupboard, but the two chimneys of the house told of a hearth where those
within made the best of life.
The body of Pierre Labbé was interred in the cemetery of Saint-François on 4 January 1709.
For those who love complicated cases, here is one: The son Jacques
Labbé, in November, 1709, married Françoise DeBlois, daughter of Jean-
Gregoire. On 12 June 1710, at Saint-François, mother Labbé, the widow
Marguerite Meunier, married the father of her daughter-in-law. He was
Jean-Gregoire DeBlois, widower of Geneviève Le Maistre and of Françoise
Rousseau, the father of five children. Therefore Marguerite Meunier accumulated the titles ofmother of Jacques, of mother-in-law and, out of
politeness, of mother of Françoise DeBlois.
In order to tangle it up a little more, let's add that in April 1710, Madeleine Labbé marriedJean-Baptiste DeBlois, widower of Louise Pelletier, brother of Jean-Gregoire!
Marguerite Meunier died at the age of 73 years. She was buried at Saint-François on 18 June1733. Even though Pierre Labbé did not live long
enough to hug his grandchildren, Marguerite made up for it. There were 48
to mourn her.
Our French Canadian Ancestors Volume 2, Chapter 15, pp 139 -146.