Noel LEBRUN dit CARRIER (Junior) and Marie-Ursule ROY

Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Junior) ¹ had been born in September 1704 and had been baptized on the 16 in Saint-Michel de la Durantaye, Nouvelle-France. He was the son of Noel Brem (Lebrun dit Carrier) and Anne Brochu.

The first written document I found from his active life were those of a brawl ("exploit de defense") with one of his fellow-citizens, Jean-Baptiste Leroy. ² From the documents of the Conseil Superieur de la Prevote de Quebec, ³ I learned little from the nature of the argument but that Leroy wanted to make our ancestor pay a fine for a brawl "exploit de defense" which happened on the 16 of May 1736 in connection with land property. By the request of 1735 I found that Noel Lebrun dit Carrier Jr lived in Saint-Vallier. On July 24, 1736, Leroy wrote a report ("aveu") about the famous brawl. The 27, the bailiff made his first trip at Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Junior) place. The path traveled by the bailiff was not specified. Did he go to Saint-Vallier or did he travel only within Quebec City? If we look at the amount asked by the bailiff and to the fact of specifying that he had to travel, he would have gone to Saint-Vallier, indicating by there that Noel (Junior) resided in Saint-Vallier and not in Quebec City in 1736. The amount required by the bailiff on the same year for a return trip inside Quebec City, had cost only 30 sols.

On Friday December 14, 1736, a statement written by M^e Boissonneau was submitted by Leroy. This inventory was brought forward the Conseil Superieur de Quebec on Monday June 17, 1737.

On March 18, 1738 the sentence was declared against Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Junior) and a second trip of the bailiff had cost 6 pounds. On March 23, 1739, a judgment was handed down by the Conseil Superieur following the Report of Mr Taschereau and who condemned Noel to the "taxes of expenditure ". ⁴ On Monday, April 27, 1739, bailiff Jean-Etienne Dubreuil who resided on Saint-Francois Street, presented the request of Jean-baptiste Leroy to Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Junior), summoning him to call on himself in front of the Higher Council on the second Saturday of May 1739 that Taschereau believed to be the eight. Noting that the Saturday referred to was the 9th and not the 8th, our ancestor "affected not to appear ". Because of his error, Latour had to write to Taschereau so that a new date could be chosen on which Noel would have to appear. No additional expenses for the bailiff would be added on this new request for the Saturday June 13 trip.

I also found that, as of June 6, 1739, Leroy was building his house in Quebec City and that Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Junior) now lived at Dorseval ⁵ 's house in Quebec City. Also, it is on Saturday June 6 that Noel (Junior) was summoned to appear again in front of Me Taschereau on next Saturday, the 13, at the hotel where the latter would be. He would have to be there by two o'clock in the afternoon. ⁶

The expenses and fines that Noël Lebrun dit Carrier (Junior) must pay, were submitted by Me Latour resident of du Palais street, on the 13 June 1739 ⁷ and approved, after being reduced by Taschereau in several cases. They add up to 147 pounds, 3 sols, after reductions. This amount was reached mainly by the accumulation of expenses of court but also included a fine of 15 sols "For the exploit of defense" of May 16, 1736. It probably was a case of a brawl between Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Junior) and Jean-baptiste Leroy

On that Saturday, the 13th, Me Latour accompanied by Thomas-Jacques Taschereau, Jean-Baptiste Roy (Leroy) and Dulaurent went to hotel. ⁸ These gentlemen waited until it was gone three ("trois heures sonnees"). Noting that Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Junior) "did not care to appear, nor nobody for him", they proceed to the imposition and the liquidation of all taxes and expenses and declared the case closed.

On March 5, 1743, Noël junior had received in donation for their last days of life, half of the land and buildings from his father and mother Noël senior and Anne Brochu. This donation also included a plow, two oaxes, two horses and half of thier furniture at the date of their death. ^8a

In 1743, it was now time for Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Junior) to get married. He was however not the youngest of the family. On the date of his marriage, Tuesday August 6, 1743, he was already 38 years old and would be 39 in a little more than a month. What did he do until that age? Was he a courreur de bois (self-employed fur trader), or voyageur (employed by the fur companies or government)? I found noting about it. We our descendants are locky to be here since in addition to get married late, Noel (Junior) deceased early.

On this Monday August 6, 1743, Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Junior) married Marie-Ursule Roy ⁹ who was born in Saint-Vallier and who was not yet 16. ¹⁰ She was the only daughter from the second marriage of the late Nicolas Roy (Junior), ¹¹ captain of the militia, and of Marie-Renee Desrivieres. Marie-Ursule was the grandchild of Nicolas Roy (Senior) who came from LaRochelle in May 1662. He was native from Dieppe and was 23 years old. He landed in Quebec City on September 22, 1662 after travelling on the Jardin de Hollande vessel. ¹² Marie-Ursule had grown up between the village of Saint-Vallier and the Lebrun dit Carrier's residence. ¹³ One can easily imagines Noel (Junior) noticing this young lady from his neighborhood when going from his father's home to the village of Saint-Vallier.

In March 1744, at the age of only 34, Louis brother of Noel (Junior) died without leaving any descendants. He was buried on Friday March 27 in Saint-Vallier.

In the summer of 1744, one year after his marriage, Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Junior) began the purchase of the shares that his brothers and sisters had on the paternal domain. Initially, he bought the most significant part for the amount of 1 200 pounds. We remember that Noel was elder son.

The contract was written by notary Pierre Rousselot from Saint-Thomas de la Pointe-a-la-Caille (Montmagny). On the morning of August 3, 1744, the appointment was given to the house of Noël Lebrun dit Carrier (Senior) in Saint-Vallier. There were, in addition to notary Rousselot, Elisabeth Lebrun spouse of Joseph Mercier resident from Berthier, sister of Noel (Junior), Joseph and Etienne Lebrun dit Carrier brothers of Noel (Junior), Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Senior) and his wife Anne Brochu, Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Junior) and two witnesses : Guillaumeand Louis Thibeau from Montmagny. Marie-Ursule Roy, Noel (Junior)'s wife did not assist to that transaction.

The sale was made by Elisabeth, Joseph and Etienne ¹⁴
Marguerite would sell her share later, in four months and Louis was already deceased. There was no mention made of Marie-Anne, Angelique-Helene or Therese sisters of Noel (Junior) in those two contracts despite the presence of Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Senior) who was now 75 years old. The three salespersons gave up their rights on the succession, subject to the complete payment of the 1 200 pounds, what Noel (Junior) did. A note at the bottom of the contract attests it.

In that contract, no inventory was made of the succession. It is simply mentioned that there are buildings, movable property and animals. We know however that this property included at least three adjacent lots. The first bought from Laurent Tareau on July 13, 1697, the one obtained by exchange with Guillaume Leroy on May 6, 1710 and the one received in concession from Louis-Joseph Morel on April 29, 1719. The sale of the property to Noel (junior) would later make the Lebrun dit Carrier's domain go to his widow and her three sons.

The salespersons guaranteed the property of their father against all debts mainly against those, which could be due to the Sisters of the General Hospital.

For the purchase of these shares in the succession, Noel (Junior) would have paid as, of today, 400 pounds to each of the three salespersons. The payment was carried out as follows: Elisabeth, to whom he had already paid 1245 pounds before August 3, 1744, he commits to herself to give the remaining 276 pounds to her husband Joseph Mercier in three annual payments of 100, 100 and 76 pounds. To Etienne, to whom he had paid 262 pounds and 10 sols before this contract, he promised to pay the remaining 137 pounds 10 sols in the two years to come. To Joseph, to whom he had given 229 pounds before this day, he promised to pay the remaining 171 pounds within two years.

On the whole, Noël Lebrun dit Carrier (Junior) had paid 615 pounds and 10 sols before August 3, 1744, in addition to the 100 pounds given to Marguerite before December 14, 1744. This amount was significant at that time. Where had he acquired such an amount?

On this contract of August 3, 1744, only the notary Rousselot and Guillaume Thibeau signed. The others told they could not sign. Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Senior) had however signed at his marriage and at the purchase of the house and the lot of Laurent Tareau

On Monday December 14, 1744 in the afternoon, Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Junior) met again notary Rousselot in order to buy the share of his sister Marguerite ¹⁵ now Madame Etienne Veau dit Sylvain. The appointment took place once more at the house of Sr Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Senior) and his wife Anne Brochu. Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Junior), the notary, Mrs. Etienne Sylvain, Andre Jorian priest of the Parish of L'Assumption ¹⁶ and Francois Marceau from Saint-Vallier were also present.

This contract confirmed that Noel (Junior) had already given 100 pounds to his sister Marguerite and made official the engagement which he took to pay her the 350 additional pounds. This amount would be made in three payments: 150 pounds in March of the following year (1745), 50 pounds on July 26 (Sainte-Anne mass) and 150 pounds before two years counting from the date of this contract, that is before December 14, 1746. The part of the succession that Noel (Junior) had just bought from his sister in 1757 will be extracted from its legal heir, his son Joseph I by a more or less honest transaction. So, Noel (Junior) would have spent a total of 1650 pounds before the end of 1746.

For Noel (Junior) and Ursule, our ancestors of the second generation in North America, continuity would be assured. Initially by a first boy Joseph-Noel ¹⁷ whom they make baptized Friday February 26, 1745 in Berthier. Then, it is Jean-Francois-Marie whom they make child of God on Saturday September 23, 1747 in Saint-Vallier. The third and last son, Etienne like his uncle, is baptized Friday November 14, 1749 in Saint-Vallier.

These three boys quickly became orphan. Hardly 45 years old and married since 7 years, Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Junior) departed this life, leaving to his young wife (only 23 years old), three children respectively 1 month, 2 years 3 months and 4 year 10 months old. The funeral took place on Monday December 22, 1749 in Saint-Vallier.

The Holiday season of the end of 1749 and the beginning of 1750 would remain, a dark period in the life of our first ancestors. From the writings of that time, we learn that only two days after the burial of Noel (Junior), his brother Joseph aged 37, received the last prayers in Saint-Michel.

On Sunday, December 28, 1749, four days after Joseph, their mother née Anne Brochu had also her burial in Saint-Vallier. ¹⁸ Before leaving us, Noel Lebrun dit Carrier (Senior) would suffer the departure of another of his close relative. His daughter Marguerite (Mrs. Etienne Veau dit Sylvain) was buried in Saint-Vallier, on Sunday October 19, 1755. Then came the death of our ancestor from France. His burial took place January 8, 1756 in Berthier, Quebec. ¹⁹ Only four of his nine children would survive to him: Angelique-Helene, Etienne, Elisabeth and Marie-Anne.